Isaiah 42 - Messiah and Wrath against Idolatry

by Katrina

LINK: Isaiah 42

BACKGROUND
This chapter breaks down into six sections

1. vs. 1-4 - the Servant-Messiah - Here is a prophecy of the Messiah, Jesus, coming. Matthew quoted this passage in Matthew 12:18-21 with reference to Jesus fulfilling this prophecy. Verse 4 promises that Jesus will yet establish complete justice on the earth.
2. vs. 5-9 - God reminds the people that He is the creator and the One who chose them to be His people. He will not share His glory with idols.
3. vs. 10-13 - Let the whole world praise the Lord; He will prevail against His enemies.
4. vs. 14-17 - The Lord has been very longsuffering while His people worshiped idols.
5. vs. 18-22 - God's people have turned a deaf ear and blind eye to God, and will be judged for it.
6. vs 23-25 - So God's wrath is upon them.
   

REFLECTION & APPLICATION

God really has no tolerance for idolatry. Verse eight says, "I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images." In our culture today, we aren't bowing before man-made statues. So, what is idolatry?

Here's something A. W. Tozer said about idolatry:

Let us beware lest we in our pride accept the erroneous notion that idolatry consists only in kneeling before visible objects of adoration, and that civilized peoples are therefore free from it. The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him. It begins in the mind and may be present where no overt act of worship has taken place. “When they knew God,” wrote Paul, “they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Then followed the worship of idols fashioned after the likeness of men and birds and beasts and creeping things. But this series of degrading acts began in the mind. Wrong ideas about God are not only the fountain from which the polluted waters of idolatry flow; they are themselves idolatrous. The idolater simply imagines things about God and acts as if they were true.

Perverted notions about God soon rot the religion in which they appear. The long career of Israel demonstrates this clearly enough, and the history of the Church confirms it. So necessary to the Church is a lofty concept of God that when that concept in any measure declines, the Church with her worship and her moral standards declines along with it. The first step down for any church is taken when it surrenders its high opinion of God. - A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (San Francisco: HaperCollins, 1961), 3-4.

Tozer so clearly explains one aspect of idolatry - lowering God. There is a flip side - elevating anything or anyone else above God.

An idol is anyone or anything that receives our devotion - music stars, athletes, actors/actresses, preachers, authors, people we know, activities, TV shows, websites, games, etc. Do these things excite you more than God does or consume much of your time? Consider the level of devotion you have given them in your heart.

Also, idolatry is placing our trust in anyone or anything other than God - political leaders, government organizations, money, banks, jobs, the market, power, churches, church leaders, etc. Are you resting in these things? Do you count on them to see you through difficult times?

We need to examine and guard our hearts against any form of idolatry. God refuses to share His glory!

PRAYER
Father, help us to examine our hearts today and weed out anything that we elevate too high. Help us to see any ways we devalue You in our hearts as well. We worship You, for You alone are worthy of worship. You are the only one worthy of our trust and adoration. We praise You in the name of Jesus, amen.