To whom, then, will you compare God?
What image will you compare him to?
19 As for an idol, a craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A man too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not topple. Isaiah40:18-20
The next section of Isaiah 40 has a wonderful structure:
* To whom will you compare God? (Idols?) v.18-20
* Do you not know? (He brings down the haughty) v.21-24
* To whom will you compare God? (Astrology?) v.25-26
* INTERLUDE: Why do you complain? v.27
* Do you not know? (He lifts up the weak!) v.28-31
So there are two "To whom will you compare me?" sections alternating with two "Do you not know?" sections. These four penetrating questions bring us to the heart of understanding God in our suffering.
Let's look at the first section...
Idolatry is what landed Israel in their current mess. They had worshipped Baal statutes in their homes. They had worshipped trees and poles erected on high places. They had even sacrificed their children to the idol Molech. This disloyal disobedience landed them in exile...
Isaiah is scathing. What is an idol? A statue made by people. With gold if you could afford it and wood if you couldn't... but be careful how you make it - give it a good footing so that the kids don't bump it over when they are playing in the house!
God is not like an idol, we don't make Him in our image and limit Him with our limitations. We don't decorate Him and cage Him in our lounges.
Our God is majestic and free. He is invisible so that we don't limit Him with our representations. He is not under our control and is not at our beck and call.
The statue in the Israelite home, our modern worship of status and materialism compared to the God of the universe????
There is no comparison.
Let's worship our majestic God this Sunday!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
