Babylon’s useless ‘idols’

Babylon’s useless ‘idols’

Isaiah 46 exposes the folly of those who makes idols and pray to them. This chapter is a call for people to focus their attention in one and true Triune God, through Jesus Christ and His Spirit. False gods will certainly fail their worshippers, and the true God will never fail their worshippers. “Hearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the hose of Israel, which are borne by Me from the belly, which are carried from the womb.” Isa 46: 3. Our spiritual life is constantly sustained by His grace as our natural life is constantly sustained by His wonderful providence.
He who made all should be Lord of all, since all things derived from Him and all should be devoted to Him. “Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me;” Isa 46: 9. Bel a deified prince and Nebo a deified prophet were the two celebrated idols of Babylon that were set up on high and worshipped at ancient times; Isa 46:1. The pagan deities delivered their oracles out of dens and caverns, with a low and hollow voice, and in ambiguous expressions. But God delivered His law from the top of Mount Sinai, distinct, audible, and intelligible.
For those who oppose the counsels of God, the righteousness will be accomplished very shortly. The Word of God says that the proud and obstinate Babylonians are far from justice and righteousness and they never let the oppressed go free inspite of the petitions for God’s predictions. Daniel’s friends, humbled Jews have been in the furnace but not melted and God revealed their righteousness for His glory. Isa 46:12 says they are stout hearted and are far from righteousness. God’s counsel always stands because the Word of God says that all the prophecies will be fulfilled. Many Scripture prophecies were delivered long ago and not yet accomplished. Some are accomplished and in the mean time the rest will be fulfilled.
All true Christians who depend upon Christ for strength and righteousness, in Him shall be justified and shall glory in this. Isa 46:13 says, salvation will be brought for God’s people and if men do not bring justice and righteousness to God’s people, God will surely bring and place salvation in Zion. God will make Jerusalem a place of safety and defence for all those who plant themselves there. When God’s people look to Him in faith and pray without ceasing, they will be saved and this will be the comfort and encouragement of God’s faithful worshippers.
Let us focus our attention on things that could replace God in our lives. Thing that replace God in our hearts are the ‘idols of our heart.’ Here I am relating the idols of Babylon to the idols of our heart. Below are the supporting Scriptures for actions of a Godly life. The question here is how much of our heart do we give to the Lord and check for any Bel and Nebo we may worship instead of Jesus Christ. Are we stout hearted and are far from righteousness?

*Idols of our Heart and Action Plan

Thinking Eph: 4

Inner man Matt: 15:19 Scriptures:

Eph: 4:22-24; 2 Pet: 3:18; The decisions you make
Matt: 11:28-29; Prov: 13:15; become the act of worship.
Gal: 6:7-9; Matt: 18: 28-29;
Luk: 9:23; Col: 1:16;
Matt: 6:33; 15:19; 3:17
Rom: 8:28-29; 1 Cori: 10:13;
2 Cori: 5:9; Gen: 2
To please God and to glorify Him.

To break away from ungodly desires.



People should be able to see the difference between Christians and non-Christians because of the way Christians live. Paul says in Eph 4:17-25; that the world is alienated from God because of the blindness of their heart. This passage is a call for Christian purity and holiness in life. In their wilful disobedience they were estranged and alienated from God and their understanding is darkened; Eph 4:18. Paul tells the Ephesians to leave behind the old life of sin now that they are followers of Christ. The Christian life is a process and although we have a new nature, we do not automatically have good thoughts and attitudes when we believe in Christ Jesus. If we keep Christ as our focus and if our desire is to please God in all that we do, the power of Christ will enable to change into His likeness all the time. If we take a time scale in our journey with Christ do we see our attitudes and actions changing? Often change may be slow but surely it will come.
Apostle Paul in Eph: 4: 22 expresses himself in metaphors taken from garments. The principles, habits, and dispositions of the soul must be changed before there can be a saving change of life. There must be sanctification, which consists of: a) the old man must be put off. The corrupt nature is called ‘man’ because, like the human body it consists of various parts, mutually supporting and strengthening one another. When there is sin in the soul it corrupts all parts of the body. When sin is not put to death, it grows steadily and leads to destruction. b) It is important to put on the ‘new man’. It is important to throw off the old pattern, the sinful ways, and embrace the new pattern and write them in our hearts.
Lying to each other disrupts unity by creating conflicts and destroying trust. Truth is a debt we owe one another, and if we truly love one another we will not deceive one another; Eph: 4:25, Rom: 6:6; 8:9; Gal: 5:16-26; Col: 3:3-8. In Eph 4:23, Paul asked the Ephesians to be renewed in the spirit of your mind. The Spirit becomes essential to spiritual life, as air and water are necessary for physical life. This opens pathway for God to express divine character through people and to change lives of people as they exist in the unique environment of God’s presence. The experience of indwelling of the Holy Spirit is prominent in the New Testament; Jn 14:16, 17; Acts 2:4, 38; 11: 15-17; Rom 8:9.
The false security and self-esteem we attach ourselves with apart from God, will certainly fail our true worship to our Triune God because they are tottering things. God is challenging us to frame and form an image that should be thought a resemblance of Him, Isa 46:5.

Our Purpose in Life: Glorify God, please God and serve others. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil;” Ecc 12:13-14.

References:
1. Jay E. Adams The Christian Counselor’s Manual, ‘The Practice of Nouthetic Counseling’ (Grand Rapids, MI:: Zondervan, 1973)

2. Dr. Ed Murphy, ‘The Hand book for Spiritual Warfare’, ‘Revised and Updated Edition’ – (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers: 1992, 1996)

3. Gary L. Almy, M.D., ‘How Christian is Christian Counseling?’ The Dangerous Secular Influences That Keep Us From Caring For Souls, (Illinois: Crossway Books, Good News Publishers, 2000)

4 .Introduction To Biblical Counseling, “A Basic Guide To The Principles And Practice Of Counseling”- John F. MacArthur, JR. Wayne A. Mack & The Master’s College Faculty (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishing Group, 1994)

5. Fearfully and Wonderfully made; ‘A Surgeon Looks at the Human & Spiritual Body’, Dr. Paul Brand & Philip Yancey

6. Jay E. Adams, ‘A Theology of Christian Counseling’ “More than Redemption” (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979)

7. Dr. Larry Crabb, Effective Biblical Counseling; ‘A Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselors’ (Great Britain: Harper Collins Publishers, 1977)

8. Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling; Third edition- John G. Kruis (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1988, 1994, 2000)

9. The Mathew Henry Study Bible, ‘The best of Mathew Henry’s notes in a handy one volume’ Reference Bible, King James Version, (Iowa Falls: World Publishers, 1994, 1997)