Isaiah 41:21-29 Bring Your Proof
God has set a challenge to the people. Bring your proof that what you call gods really are gods. “Do good, or do harm”, do SOMETHING, DO ANYTHING!
Line up ALL the false gods in the history of time and they all have one thing in common. They have NO power. They are ALL dead works of man’s hands. Even the religions built after a man fail because their ‘savior’ died and STAYED dead.
There is only ONE God and He has already proved His power beyond a shadow of a doubt. And HE is ALIVE. He died but rose again and ascended into Heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father. Let’s see Buddha or Mohamed do that!
They probably have some good ideas for positive behavior but that is where it stops. They have no power to impact the future beyond the physical reach of their followers. They cannot predict the future or tie the past, present and future together for a continuous purpose. They cannot alter the ways of man to reach their goals. They have NO power over the birds of the air, the animals, the fish in the sea, the weather, the sea, the rocks, or time itself. ALL these things my God has already shown are in HIS control.
Through Isaiah God calls for anyone to step up and meet the challenge of proving their idols are true gods. His litmus test is to have them foretell the future and to explain the past and how the two work together. God is giving them a chance to prove themselves. He is willing to listen.
“Do something, do anything! Prove that you have life in you” demands God. “Do good, of do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified” (verse 23b). This challenge goes unmet. I can see God waving His hand at them in dismissal and shaking His head. “You’re worthless! Those who choose to worship you worthless pieces of wood are fools!”
God actually call the people that worship them an “abomination” here. The dictionary meaning for an abomination is: a thing that causes disgust or hatred, extreme disgust or hatred. Anyone pushing the worship of an idol is harming those they mislead. God HATES it! But because He gave us free will, He will not stop us from deceiving ourselves. There WILL be a day when ALL that is false falls away. In THAT day the ‘contest’ will end. And the Victor will stand before the people.
I want to say something about prophecy. Unless God gives us the complete meaning, we often don’t understand it until AFTER it has been fulfilled. The prophecy given here about one coming from the north. I seriously doubt that the people understood its reference until Cyrus returned them to their lands. I don’t know how long it took them to put Cyrus and this prophecy together but they were able to see God’s hand work through him. He listened to and called upon the name of Judah’s God. He was afraid to make God angry. GOD put that fear into Cyrus’ heart. He caused the stories of old to be told to him. He let his see ALL the proof of God’s mighty victories and miracles on Israel’s behalf. God turned his heart towards His people. And fulfilled His words!
We have MANY prophecies which are still coming to pass. The “end time” prophecies loom before us. One of the FIRM prophecies that I use when people start talking about what this means or when that will happen is this: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of [f]heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Jesus gives His disciples signs that mean things are getting closer but does NOT give them a year, a season, or even a time of day. ANYONE who tries to tell you a date, a month or even a year for Jesus’ return, RUN the other way! Not even Jesus knows the time. I’m CERTAIN God isn’t going to give one of us His timeline with specifics. Someone predicting when Jesus is to return is one of the fastest ways to discredit EVERYTHING you have to say in my book. I think we can all agree that things are looking like the prophecies spoken of beforehand, but only time will tell if WE interpreted them correctly. There are a few places where God gives exact timelines, and this isn’t one of them.
And don’t let ANYONE tell you that Jesus isn’t going to return or has already. God says ALL nations will see it when He does. Let’s see some idol do THAT! Have every man, woman and child see a single event at the same time.
As we wait, work on the things He has called us to do. Love one another. Pray for one another. Spread the good news of His salvation. KEEP working until the very moment He calls you home; either by death or by rapture. Live as if He is coming right now and work like it is still a long way off. There is much do and it will take all of us working together as His hands and feet to bring His words to the world.
Father God, there is NONE like You! NOTHING ever made, invented, or imagined can compare to You. ALL are lifeless and without power. Man can ascribe power to them but it is all imagined. Even Satan has to coopt Your power. He can do NOTHING of his own. His greatest trick is his lies. And there have been TOO many that have bought into them. Please don’t let me fall to them. Speak to me YOUR truths. Hold my mind and heart in Your hands and protect them from false doctrine. Help me help my family when they are caught up in his lies, even the ones that look like they might hold truth but are really lies. The ones promising a date, a season, or a year. I’m ready Father for the ‘first call’, the Rapture of the church. I have a feeling that this is what it is going to take to get my children’s attention. NOT that I want them going through the tribulation but I want them to come to You with their whole hearts! Do whatever it takes Father.
