Isaiah 44:9

They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. THEY THAT MAKE A GRAVEN IMAGE (ARE) ALL OF THEM VANITY - (Isaiah 40:18; ). AND THEIR DELECTABLE THINGS - the idols in which they take such pride and delight. SHALL NOT PROFIT - (). AND THEY ARE THEIR OWN WITNESSES - contrasted with, "ye are my witnesses" (). "They," i:e., both the makers and the idols, are witnesses against themselves, because "they see not, nor know;" th...

9._The formers of a graven image. _The Lord now shews, on the contrary, how wretched idolaters are who wander amidst their contrivances, and are not founded on the eternal truth of God; for they have no knowledge or sound understanding. As he justly pronounced the people, a little before, to be guilty of ingratitude, if the proofs of the grace of God did not encourage them to the exercise of faith, so he now arms and fortifies them against all the superstitions of the Gentiles. Unbelievers being both very numerous and very wealthy, he says that all are nothing, (175) and, next, that amidst all their magnificence there is nothing but imposture. _And their desirable thinqs do not profit. _Under the term _desirable things, _he includes not only idols, but all their worship, and the ornaments, honor, and obedience which foolish men render to them, and denotes those things by a highly appropr...

9-20 Image-making is described, to expose the folly of idolaters. Though a man had used part of a log for fuel, he fell down before an image made of the remainder, praying it to deliver him. Man greatly dishonours God, when he represents him after the image of man. Satan blinds the eyes of unbelievers, causing absurd reasonings in matters of religion. Whether men seek happiness in worldly things, or run into unbelief, superstition, or any false system, they feed on ashes. A heart deceived by pride, love of sin, and departure from God, turns men aside from his holy truth and worship. While the affections are depraved, a man holds fast the lie as his best treasure. Are our hearts set upon the wealth of the world and its pleasures? They will certainly prove a lie. If we trust to outward professions and doings, as if those would save us, we deceive ourselves. Self-suspicion is the first ste...

Verse Isaiah 44:9. _THAT THEY MAY BE ASHAMED. WHO HATH FORMED A_ _GOD_ - "That every one may be ashamed, that he hath formed a god"] The _Bodleian_ MS., one of the first extant for its antiquity and authority, instead of מי _mi_, at the beginning of the _tenth_ verse, has כי _ki_, which greatly clears up the construction of a very obscure passage. _Doederlein_ approves of this reading. The _Septuagint_ likewise closely connect in construction the end of Isaiah 44:9 with the beginning of Isaiah 44:10; and wholly omit the interrogative מי _mi_, which embarrasses the sentence: Αισχυνθησονται οἱ πλασσοντες Θεον, και γλυφοντες παντες ανωφελη· "But they shall be confounde...

THEY THAT MAKE A GRAVEN IMAGE - A graven image is one that is cut, or sculptured out of wood or stone, in contradistinction from one that is molten, which is made by being cast. Here it is used to denote an image, or an idol-god in general. God had asserted in the previous verses his own divinity, and he now proceeds to show, at length, the vanity of idols, and of idol-worship. This same topic was introduced in Isaiah 40:18 (see the notes at that passage), but it is here pursued at greater length, and in a tone and manner far more sarcastic and severe. Perhaps the prophet had two immediate objects in view; first, to reprove the idolatrous spirit in his own time, which prevailed especially in the early part of the reign of Manasseh; and secondly, to show to the exile Jews in Babylon that the gods of the Babylonians could not protect their city, and that Yahweh

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 44:1 A PROPHECY OF ISRAEL'S SPIRITUAL RECOVERY AND REGENERATION. This section is closely connected with Isaiah 43:1; of which it ought to form the conclusion. The prophet cannot bear to leave Israel under a ban—its spiritual guides "profaned," and itself given over to "reproaches." He must end with a brighter prospect. Accordingly, he holds out, in the present passage, the double hope (1) of the blessing of an abundant outpouring of the Spirit, to take the place of the preceding "curse" (Isaiah 43:28); and (2)

THEY THAT MAKE A GRAVEN IMAGE ARE ALL OF THEM VANITY,.... They show themselves to be vain men, by making such vain things as graven images are; both images, makers, and worshippers of them are all vain, yea vanity itself: AND THEIR DELECTABLE THINGS SHALL NOT PROFIT; their idols made of gold and silver, or covered with them, and adorned with precious stones, and so delightful and desirable, are of no manner of profit and advantage, unless the matter they are made of, and the ornaments about them, were converted to other uses; yet not as gods, and worshipped as such, who can be of no service to their worshippers to help them in distress, or save them from ruin: AND THEY ARE THEIR OWN WITNESSES; THEY SEE NOT, NOR KNOW THAT THEY MAY BE ASHAMED; they that made them must be witnesses against themselves, and the idols they have made; they must be convicted in their own consciences that they...

Isaiah 44:1. _Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my Servant; and thou, Jesurum, whom I have chosen._ God cannot bear his people to be sad, he delights to drive away fear, trembling, and mistrust. He loves faith, for faith brings confidence, hope, rest. So he says to us, «Fear not, fear not, be not afraid.» It is God himself, who made us, and who chose us, who says to us, «Do not fear.» Come, dear hearts, lay aside your disquietude, if God bids you cast away fear, will you not do it? Nothing hushes a babe to sleep like its mother's voice. Let God's voice hush you into sweet and blessed calm whenever you are troubled and full of fear. Isaiah 44:3. Fo

CHAPTER 44 Jehovah Continues to Speak 1. _Spiritual blessings promised by the gift of the Spirit (Isaiah 44:1)_ 2. _Jehovah the First and the Last (Isaiah 44:6)_ 3. _Idolatry rebuked (Isaiah 44:9)_ 4. _Remember! Return! Sing! (Isaiah 44:21)_ 5. _The faithful Jehovah, the Redeemer (Isaiah 44:24)_ 6. _Cyrus named (Isaiah 44:28)_ The outpouring of the Spirit upon Israel's seed promised in the beginning of the chapter has not ye

ISAIAH 44:6; ISAIAH 44:21. THE INCOMPARABLENESS OF YAHWEH, WHO REDEEMS ISRAEL. Yahweh of (the heavenly) Hosts (Genesis 2:1 *, 1 Samuel 1:3 *) asserts His uniqueness, challenging any who claim to have foretold the future aright to make their pretensions good. His people need not fear: long ago, as they can testify, He foretold what is now coming to pass. Let them remember the incomparableness of their Master. He blots out their sins as the sun disperses the morning clouds. The prophet adds a short lyric, calling upon all the universe to praise Yahweh, who so gloriously redeems His people....