Isa 40:18 | TNotes | STEP | 40:18 To whom ... What image: Earlier in the book, idolatry was shown to be ridiculous (16:12 ; 37:16-19 ). Chapters 40–48 open up a much more extensive argument against idolatry. Idols are symbolic representations of gods and, at times, other religious concepts. Those who worship them don’t recognize the implication that they are man-made trinkets. Idols are powerless (41:7 , 22-24 ; 48:14 ), give a false sense of security (42:17 ), delude people (44:20 ), and lead to severe disappointment (42:17 ; 45:16 , 20 ). They cannot help those who care for them. In fact, they are so weak that they fall down (40:20 ; 41:7 ). In the end, idols compete for God’s glory (42:8 ) and take away human dignity (44:9 ; see also 41:21-29 ). • The Lord, the true God, is incomparable (see 40:25 ; 46:5 ; Pss 86:8 ; 89:6 ); no one could resemble him .

40:18 ^a To whom ... What image: Earlier in the book, idolatry was shown to be ridiculous (16:12 ^b; 37:16-19 ^c). Chapters 40–48 ^d open up a much more extensive argument against idolatry. Idols are symbolic representations of gods and, at times, other religious concepts. Those who worship them don’t recognize the implication that they are man-made trinkets. Idols are powerless (41:7 ^e, 22-24 ^f; 48:14 ^g), give a false sense of security (42:17 ^h), delude people (44:20 ⁱ), and lead to severe disappointment (42:17 ^j; 45:16 ^k, 20 ^l). They cannot help those who care for them. In fact, they are so weak that they fall down (40:20 ^m; 41:7 ⁿ). In the end, idols compete for God’s glory (42:8 ^o) and take away human dignity (44:9 ^p; see also 41:21-29 ^q).

• The Lord, the true God, is incomparable (see 40:25 ^r; 46:5 ^s; Pss 86:8 ^t; 89:6 ^u); no one could resemble him.