1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:06,730 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,790 --> 00:00:13,389 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,430 --> 00:00:17,329 Speaker 1: to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge 4 00:00:17,980 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: and today we're in Isaiah chapter 46 and we'll be 5 00:00:22,460 --> 00:00:28,540 Speaker 1: reading from the New Living Translation. Bell and Nebo, the 6 00:00:28,580 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the 7 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,470 Speaker 1: ground They are being hauled away on ox carts. The 8 00:00:36,530 --> 00:00:41,190 Speaker 1: poor beasts stagger under the weight. Both the idols and 9 00:00:41,229 --> 00:00:45,729 Speaker 1: their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, 10 00:00:46,220 --> 00:00:49,739 Speaker 1: and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off 11 00:00:49,860 --> 00:00:55,780 Speaker 1: into captivity together. Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all 12 00:00:55,860 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you 13 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,370 Speaker 1: since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you 14 00:01:03,410 --> 00:01:07,900 Speaker 1: were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime, 15 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,700 Speaker 1: until your hair is white with age. I made you, 16 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: and I will care for you. I will carry you 17 00:01:14,780 --> 00:01:19,020 Speaker 1: along and save you. To whom will you compare me? 18 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:23,630 Speaker 1: Who is my equal? Some people pour out their silver 19 00:01:23,790 --> 00:01:26,569 Speaker 1: and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god 20 00:01:26,630 --> 00:01:30,100 Speaker 1: from it. Then they bow down and worship it. They 21 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,980 Speaker 1: carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set 22 00:01:33,020 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: it down, it stays there. It can't even move. And 23 00:01:36,819 --> 00:01:39,660 Speaker 1: when someone prays to it, there is no answer. It 24 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:45,590 Speaker 1: can't rescue anyone from trouble. Do not forget this. Keep 25 00:01:45,650 --> 00:01:50,230 Speaker 1: it in mind. Remember this, you guilty ones. Remember the 26 00:01:50,290 --> 00:01:53,330 Speaker 1: things I have done in the past, for I alone 27 00:01:53,490 --> 00:01:56,610 Speaker 1: am God. I am God, and there is none like me. 28 00:01:57,750 --> 00:02:00,550 Speaker 1: Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. 29 00:02:01,490 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do 30 00:02:04,860 --> 00:02:08,420 Speaker 1: whatever I wish. I will call a swift bird of 31 00:02:08,540 --> 00:02:12,020 Speaker 1: prey from the east, a leader from a distant land 32 00:02:12,060 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: to come and do my bidding. I have said what 33 00:02:15,860 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: I would do, and I will do it. Listen to me, 34 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,540 Speaker 1: you stubborn people who are so far from doing right. 35 00:02:24,260 --> 00:02:26,750 Speaker 1: For I am ready to set things right, not in 36 00:02:26,790 --> 00:02:30,870 Speaker 1: the distant future, but right now. I am ready to 37 00:02:30,950 --> 00:02:40,500 Speaker 1: save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel. Let's pray. Lord, 38 00:02:40,540 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: we thank you for your word and we thank you 39 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:43,820 Speaker 1: for the privilege to be able to look at it 40 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,690 Speaker 1: together today. And Lord, it's been clear as we've been 41 00:02:46,710 --> 00:02:49,619 Speaker 1: looking at the past several chapters that that you were 42 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,500 Speaker 1: trying to illustrate to your people the folly of creating 43 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: idols and bowing down to them. But Lord, we know 44 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: that in our generation, even though we live a long 45 00:02:59,900 --> 00:03:03,380 Speaker 1: time after the people that were initially addressed in this passage, 46 00:03:03,900 --> 00:03:07,810 Speaker 1: our generation wrestles with this same exact thing. Our idols 47 00:03:07,870 --> 00:03:12,050 Speaker 1: look different sometimes, but so often we look to other 48 00:03:12,090 --> 00:03:15,730 Speaker 1: things other than you to be the source of satisfaction 49 00:03:15,870 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: and salvation for our souls. Lord, we know that your 50 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: desire is that we find contentment in your Son, Jesus Christ, 51 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: our Deliverer, our Messiah, our Savior. Lord, we pray that 52 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,100 Speaker 1: by your grace that you would make that so, that 53 00:03:32,150 --> 00:03:35,810 Speaker 1: you would facilitate that kind of contentment within us, and 54 00:03:35,820 --> 00:03:38,590 Speaker 1: that our lives would be poured out in honoring you. 55 00:03:39,550 --> 00:03:41,710 Speaker 1: We love you, Lord. We're grateful for the fact that 56 00:03:41,750 --> 00:03:44,550 Speaker 1: you are present with us today. We commit this day 57 00:03:44,590 --> 00:03:48,710 Speaker 1: to your care and pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.