WEBVTT - Isaiah 46

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening

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<v Speaker 1>to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge

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<v Speaker 1>and today we're in Isaiah chapter 46 and we'll be

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<v Speaker 1>reading from the New Living Translation. Bell and Nebo, the

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<v Speaker 1>gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the

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<v Speaker 1>ground They are being hauled away on ox carts. The

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<v Speaker 1>poor beasts stagger under the weight. Both the idols and

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<v Speaker 1>their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people,

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<v Speaker 1>and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off

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<v Speaker 1>into captivity together. Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all

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<v Speaker 1>you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you

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<v Speaker 1>since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you

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<v Speaker 1>were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime,

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<v Speaker 1>until your hair is white with age. I made you,

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<v Speaker 1>and I will care for you. I will carry you

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<v Speaker 1>along and save you. To whom will you compare me?

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<v Speaker 1>Who is my equal? Some people pour out their silver

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<v Speaker 1>and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god

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<v Speaker 1>from it. Then they bow down and worship it. They

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<v Speaker 1>carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set

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<v Speaker 1>it down, it stays there. It can't even move. And

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<v Speaker 1>when someone prays to it, there is no answer. It

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<v Speaker 1>can't rescue anyone from trouble. Do not forget this. Keep

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<v Speaker 1>it in mind. Remember this, you guilty ones. Remember the

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<v Speaker 1>things I have done in the past, for I alone

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<v Speaker 1>am God. I am God, and there is none like me.

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<v Speaker 1>Only I can tell you the future before it even happens.

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<v Speaker 1>Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do

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<v Speaker 1>whatever I wish. I will call a swift bird of

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<v Speaker 1>prey from the east, a leader from a distant land

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<v Speaker 1>to come and do my bidding. I have said what

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<v Speaker 1>I would do, and I will do it. Listen to me,

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<v Speaker 1>you stubborn people who are so far from doing right.

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<v Speaker 1>For I am ready to set things right, not in

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<v Speaker 1>the distant future, but right now. I am ready to

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<v Speaker 1>save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel. Let's pray. Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for your word and we thank you

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<v Speaker 1>for the privilege to be able to look at it

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<v Speaker 1>together today. And Lord, it's been clear as we've been

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<v Speaker 1>looking at the past several chapters that that you were

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<v Speaker 1>trying to illustrate to your people the folly of creating

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<v Speaker 1>idols and bowing down to them. But Lord, we know

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<v Speaker 1>that in our generation, even though we live a long

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<v Speaker 1>time after the people that were initially addressed in this passage,

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<v Speaker 1>our generation wrestles with this same exact thing. Our idols

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<v Speaker 1>look different sometimes, but so often we look to other

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<v Speaker 1>things other than you to be the source of satisfaction

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<v Speaker 1>and salvation for our souls. Lord, we know that your

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<v Speaker 1>desire is that we find contentment in your Son, Jesus Christ,

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<v Speaker 1>our Deliverer, our Messiah, our Savior. Lord, we pray that

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<v Speaker 1>by your grace that you would make that so, that

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<v Speaker 1>you would facilitate that kind of contentment within us, and

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<v Speaker 1>that our lives would be poured out in honoring you.

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<v Speaker 1>We love you, Lord. We're grateful for the fact that

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<v Speaker 1>you are present with us today. We commit this day

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<v Speaker 1>to your care and pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.