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 --> 00:00:13,420 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,460 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 1: to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge, 4 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:22,270 Speaker 1: and today we're in Isaiah chapter 44, and we'll be 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:28,410 Speaker 1: reading from the Christian Standard Bible. And now listen, Jacob, 6 00:00:28,510 --> 00:00:33,150 Speaker 1: my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. This is the 7 00:00:33,210 --> 00:00:36,310 Speaker 1: word of the Lord, your Maker, the one who formed 8 00:00:36,350 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 1: you from the womb. He will help you. Do not fear, Jacob, 9 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:46,180 Speaker 1: my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will 10 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the 11 00:00:49,780 --> 00:00:53,780 Speaker 1: dry ground. I will pour out my Spirit on your 12 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:58,860 Speaker 1: descendants and my blessing on your offspring. They will sprout 13 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:03,890 Speaker 1: among the grass like poplars by flowing streams. This one 14 00:01:03,930 --> 00:01:07,620 Speaker 1: will say, I am the Lord's. Another will use the 15 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,259 Speaker 1: name of Jacob. Still another will write on his hand, 16 00:01:11,540 --> 00:01:15,420 Speaker 1: the Lord's, and take on the name of Israel. This 17 00:01:15,500 --> 00:01:18,539 Speaker 1: is what the Lord, the King of Israel, and its Redeemer, 18 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:23,209 Speaker 1: the Lord of armies, says. I am the first, and 19 00:01:23,510 --> 00:01:27,789 Speaker 1: I am the last. There is no God but me. Who, 20 00:01:27,930 --> 00:01:31,649 Speaker 1: like me, can announce the future? Let him say so 21 00:01:31,790 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: and make a case before me. since I have established 22 00:01:35,220 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: an ancient people. Let these gods declare the coming things 23 00:01:39,980 --> 00:01:44,130 Speaker 1: and what will take place. Do not be startled or afraid. 24 00:01:44,690 --> 00:01:47,650 Speaker 1: Have I not told you and declared it long ago? 25 00:01:48,430 --> 00:01:51,910 Speaker 1: You are my witnesses. Is there any god but me? 26 00:01:52,410 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: There is no other rock. I do not know any. 27 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: All who make idols are nothing, and what they treasure 28 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:05,770 Speaker 1: benefits no one. Their witnesses do not see or know anything, 29 00:02:06,250 --> 00:02:09,410 Speaker 1: so they will be put to shame. Who makes a 30 00:02:09,490 --> 00:02:14,209 Speaker 1: god or casts a metal image that benefits no one? Look, 31 00:02:14,910 --> 00:02:18,049 Speaker 1: all its worshippers will be put to shame, and the 32 00:02:18,130 --> 00:02:23,090 Speaker 1: craftsmen are humans. They all will assemble and stand. They 33 00:02:23,350 --> 00:02:27,540 Speaker 1: all will be startled and put to shame. The iron 34 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,940 Speaker 1: worker labors over the coals, shapes the idol with hammers, 35 00:02:32,410 --> 00:02:36,389 Speaker 1: and works it with his strong arm. Also, he grows 36 00:02:36,450 --> 00:02:40,210 Speaker 1: hungry and his strength fails. He doesn't drink water and 37 00:02:40,290 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: is faint. The woodworker stretches out a measuring line. He 38 00:02:45,180 --> 00:02:48,860 Speaker 1: outlines it with a stylus. He shapes it with chisels 39 00:02:49,340 --> 00:02:53,019 Speaker 1: and outlines it with a compass. He makes it according 40 00:02:53,100 --> 00:02:56,660 Speaker 1: to a human form, like a beautiful person to dwell 41 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,450 Speaker 1: in a temple. He cuts down cedars for his use. 42 00:03:00,990 --> 00:03:04,350 Speaker 1: Or he takes a cypress or an oak. He lets 43 00:03:04,410 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He 44 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,940 Speaker 1: plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow. A 45 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: person can use it for fuel. He takes some of 46 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: it and warms himself. Also, he kindles a fire and 47 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: bakes bread. He even makes it into a god and 48 00:03:23,139 --> 00:03:26,700 Speaker 1: worships it. He makes an idol from it and bows 49 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,260 Speaker 1: down to it. He burns half of it in a fire. 50 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,460 Speaker 1: and he roasts meat on that half. He eats the 51 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,380 Speaker 1: roast and is satisfied. He warms himself and says, Ah, 52 00:03:39,090 --> 00:03:42,550 Speaker 1: I am warm, I see the blaze. He makes a 53 00:03:42,590 --> 00:03:45,310 Speaker 1: god or his idol with the rest of it. He 54 00:03:45,350 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: bows down to it and worships. He prays to it, 55 00:03:48,610 --> 00:03:52,900 Speaker 1: Save me, for you are my God. Such people do 56 00:03:52,970 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: not comprehend and cannot understand, for he has shut their 57 00:03:57,380 --> 00:04:01,050 Speaker 1: eyes so they cannot see. and their minds so they 58 00:04:01,130 --> 00:04:05,690 Speaker 1: cannot understand. No one comes to his senses. No one 59 00:04:05,730 --> 00:04:09,510 Speaker 1: has the perception or insight to say, I burned half 60 00:04:09,550 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: of it in the fire. I also baked bread on 61 00:04:12,460 --> 00:04:16,100 Speaker 1: its coals. I roasted meat and ate. Should I make 62 00:04:16,140 --> 00:04:19,180 Speaker 1: something detestable with the rest of it? Should I bow 63 00:04:19,260 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 1: down to a block of wood? He feeds on ashes. 64 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,730 Speaker 1: His deceived mind has led him astray, and he cannot 65 00:04:27,810 --> 00:04:31,350 Speaker 1: rescue himself. or say, Isn't there a lie in my 66 00:04:31,430 --> 00:04:36,570 Speaker 1: right hand? Remember these things, Jacob, and Israel, for you 67 00:04:36,690 --> 00:04:41,630 Speaker 1: are my servant. I formed you, you are my servant. Israel, 68 00:04:42,029 --> 00:04:45,890 Speaker 1: you will never be forgotten by me. I have swept 69 00:04:45,950 --> 00:04:49,940 Speaker 1: away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like 70 00:04:50,010 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 1: a mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. Rejoice, heavens, 71 00:04:57,060 --> 00:05:00,750 Speaker 1: for the Lord has acted. SHOUT DEPTHS OF THE EARTH, 72 00:05:01,390 --> 00:05:04,969 Speaker 1: BREAK OUT INTO SINGING MOUNTAINS, FOREST, AND EVERY TREE IN IT, 73 00:05:05,610 --> 00:05:11,049 Speaker 1: FOR THE LORD HAS REDEEMED JACOB, AND GLORIFIES HIMSELF THROUGH ISRAEL. 74 00:05:12,910 --> 00:05:15,570 Speaker 1: THIS IS WHAT THE LORD, YOUR REDEEMER, WHO FORMED YOU 75 00:05:15,630 --> 00:05:19,930 Speaker 1: FROM THE WOMB, SAYS, I AM THE LORD WHO MADE EVERYTHING, 76 00:05:20,390 --> 00:05:24,330 Speaker 1: WHO STRETCHED OUT THE HEAVENS BY MYSELF, WHO ALONE SPREAD 77 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:28,330 Speaker 1: OUT THE EARTH. who destroys the omens of the false 78 00:05:28,410 --> 00:05:33,290 Speaker 1: prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise 79 00:05:33,430 --> 00:05:37,690 Speaker 1: and makes their knowledge foolishness, who confirms the message of 80 00:05:37,770 --> 00:05:42,070 Speaker 1: his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who 81 00:05:42,130 --> 00:05:45,580 Speaker 1: says to Jerusalem, She will be inhabited, and to the 82 00:05:45,660 --> 00:05:49,620 Speaker 1: cities of Judah they will be rebuilt, and I will 83 00:05:49,660 --> 00:05:53,500 Speaker 1: restore her ruins, who says to the depths of the sea, 84 00:05:53,900 --> 00:05:58,020 Speaker 1: Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers. Who 85 00:05:58,060 --> 00:06:03,300 Speaker 1: says to Cyrus, my shepherd, he will fulfill all my pleasure, 86 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,940 Speaker 1: and says to Jerusalem, she will be rebuilt, and of 87 00:06:07,980 --> 00:06:16,770 Speaker 1: the temple, its foundation will be laid. Let's pray. Lord, 88 00:06:16,790 --> 00:06:18,450 Speaker 1: we thank you for your word, and we thank you 89 00:06:18,490 --> 00:06:20,190 Speaker 1: for the privilege to be able to look at it 90 00:06:20,290 --> 00:06:23,890 Speaker 1: together today. We thank you, Lord, for the illustrations you 91 00:06:23,930 --> 00:06:26,589 Speaker 1: give to us in this passage of how danger it 92 00:06:26,730 --> 00:06:29,390 Speaker 1: is when we rely on our own counsel, when we 93 00:06:29,430 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: go in our own direction and reject you and act 94 00:06:32,500 --> 00:06:35,299 Speaker 1: as if you don't even exist. But Lord, you're the 95 00:06:35,380 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: one who created everything. Specifically, we're told in your word 96 00:06:38,900 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: that all things were created through your son, Jesus Christ. 97 00:06:42,620 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: So we're grateful for these realities and we're grateful for 98 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,620 Speaker 1: the fact that through faith in Jesus Christ, we become 99 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:53,789 Speaker 1: heirs in your kingdom. recipients of your blessings, men and 100 00:06:53,830 --> 00:06:57,350 Speaker 1: women who are saved from our sin. Lord, we thank 101 00:06:57,390 --> 00:07:00,390 Speaker 1: you for removing our sin from us, as far as 102 00:07:00,430 --> 00:07:03,610 Speaker 1: the east is from the west. And we pray, Lord, 103 00:07:03,650 --> 00:07:06,590 Speaker 1: that we would walk with you faithfully today and every day. 104 00:07:07,170 --> 00:07:09,110 Speaker 1: We commit this day to your care, and we thank 105 00:07:09,130 --> 00:07:13,450 Speaker 1: you for all of these things. In Jesus' name, amen.