The pagan gods have fallen; those who trust in them cannot stand. The prophet paints pictures of Babylon’s humiliation, and we...
The pagan gods have fallen; those who trust in them cannot stand. The prophet paints pictures of Babylon’s humiliation, and we are not surprised that the pagans who opposed the Lord experienced the consequences of their opposition.
But Babylon placed its hope not only in worship and sacrifices to its gods; occult and magical practices occupied a large place in the minds of its inhabitants. Centuries have now passed, the names of most Babylonian gods have become the domain of historians, while magic, including the forms that originated in Babylon, still exists and remains popular.
What, then, does this mean? Is pagan Babylon, defeated many centuries ago, still alive today? No, it still lies in ruins, and its beliefs are in ruins and will never rise again. Those remnants of Babylonian and other magical ideas that seem to have survived, though one is tempted to say that their followers have taken leave of their senses, are likewise doomed and powerless before the Lord. It is no stretch to say that in the perspective revealed by the Bible they have already been defeated, as many forms of paganism were defeated.
46 The ruin of Babylon and her idols, Isa 46:1-2.
God's love and faithfulness to the Jews. Isa 46:3-4.
Idols not to be compared with God, Isa 46:5-8.
for power, knowledge, and sure salvation, Isa 46:9-13.
46:1 Bel - The chief idol of the Babylonians, called by profane historians Jupiter Belus. Boweth - As the Babylonians used to bow down to him to worship, so now he bows down to the victorious Persians.Nebo - Another of the famous idols, which used to deliver oracles.Their idols - Were taken and broken, and the materials of them, gold, silver, and brass, were carried upon beasts into Persia.Your carriages - O ye Persians, to whom he turns his speech.
46:2 They - The Babylonians. Together - The Babylonians and their idols together, neither could help the other. Deliver - The Babylonians could not deliver their idols.
46:3 Carried - Whom I have nourished, ever since you were a people, and came out of Egypt; and that as tenderly, as parents bring up their own children.
46:7 Remove - He can stir neither hand nor foot to help his people.
46:8 Bring it - Think of this again and again, ye who have been guilty of this foolish sin.
46:10 Declaring - Foretelling from the beginning of the world, future events which should happen in succeeding ages, even to the end of the world.
46:11 A bird - Cyrus, called a bird for his swiftness, and ravenous for his fierceness, and victoriousness over his enemies.
46:13 I bring - Tho' you are unrighteous, I will shew myself a righteous and faithful God, making good my promise of delivering you out of Babylon after seventy years. It - My work of saving you from the Babylonish captivity. Will place - I will bring my people to Zion, and save them from all their enemies. My glory - In whom I will once again glory as my people.