Isaiah 41:1-7 – The Challenge to the Nations
This chapter is speaking to the heathen nations round about — the nations that think they are strong and mighty, the leaders of them that think that they are perhaps gods on earth. There are certain themes that we see over and over again: how it is God alone who brings things to pass; that the idols of the nation are nothing.
We have a calling to trial in verse 1. God commands the nations to be silent and come near. Despite the worst that unbelievers in their wicked societies can try to do, the cause of God and truth will be vindicated. The Messiah rules over all things. All must yield to Him or be broken by Him.
Verses 2-4 show that idols are worth nothing. Who brought the Persians from the east? Who made them more powerful than anyone else? Who brought it about that these other mighty lands just went over like dominoes? Did this god or that one? Well, here’s the answer that we have in verse four. ‘I, the Lord’, that’s who. By this series of questions, God shows himself to be the only God and Saviour.
We are constantly tempted by idols. What is it that dominates your thinking? What is it to which you have given your life and your money? What dominates your time? What is it you think you just could not live without? Is it the living and true God, or is it something else? There are many idols out there. What have the idols done back in Isaiah’s day, and what have they done for you? What can they do now? What will they ever be able to do? These are good questions for you to ask.
In verses 5-7 the wicked do gather together, and they do in fear. But is it a godly fear? It’s more like Adam and Eve after they had sinned with the forbidden fruit. It’s more like Satan appearing before God in the book of Job. They are there because they must be there, but they are not there in love and in reverence, but in terror, in horror, and in hatred. They sought to strengthen one another against God. What fools. This is the challenge to the nations. Submit to Jesus Christ. This is the challenge to the individual as well. Submit to Him and find His love, forgiveness of sin, and life everlasting, or defy Him and be destroyed. Those are the only possibilities.
Questions
- Who caused the Persians to conquer other nations?
- What are idols worth?
Prayer Points
- Pray that you would get rid of any idols in your life.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.