Isaiah chapter 44:9-20
interpretation - meaning - commentary - explanation
Let me state strongly and clearly at the outset: this chapter is nothing more than a description of the disregard for the second commandment contained in Exodus 20.4-6 " Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."
Isaiah chapter 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.
It is recognized that in ancient times it was not believed that the statue was the real god, but that the god or his power could reside in it, and therefore the statue somehow represented the god and therefore one knelt before it. The golden calf created by the Israelites during Moses' absence (he was staying on Mount Sinai at the time) was probably intended to worship the god.
Exodus 32.5 "And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD." God considered this a huge transgression of the law of the Decalogue. Let this give food for thought to today's defenders of statues, statues or images before which they kneel. If the Jews, through the golden calf, wanted to give thanks to God, and God severely condemned it, what would He say about today's relic worship?
(10) Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
All such items serve no good purpose. They can be thrown in the garbage with a calm conscience; they have no intrinsic value in them. Nowadays there is a fear of throwing figurines associated with religious figures into the garbage. This is a mistake, as the Bible states that for God these are objects without power. The golden calf created to glorify God was executed by Moses. Similarly, Hezekiah destroyed the copper serpent before which many knelt.
(11) Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. (12) The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
By producing such items you expose yourself to shame. If a worker who produces figurines can get tired in the process, how can a figurine have power?
Scripture and sculptures and statues
(13) The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. (14) He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. (15) Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. (16) He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: (17) And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
The account of Scripture is clear and plain, kneeling before any statues, sculptures or images is against God's will! Don't be smarter than God by claiming to know better, because that way you sin. God is everywhere, you don't need to pray to statues for Him to hear you. Sculptures produced from wood have it that some of the unused raw material is used for firewood, among other things. What is the point of praying to a piece of wood, part of which has been earmarked for firewood? It turns out that one half is sacred to a person and before it he bows, and the other half could be burned because there was no sacredness in it.
(18) They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. (19) And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? (20) He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
People who call themselves so-called Christians, as a rule, do not read the Scriptures, they rely on oral transmission instead of going to the source, the Bible. This leaves them without knowledge, unable to verify whether what they have heard is true, their eyes are thus blinded to the truth. It's as if you have a close friend who loves you and she writes you a letter, and you don't even dare to read it, even though she insisted on it. You say to yourself: why should I read it when I know from others what is written there. Only are those others really telling the truth?
I'll also quote an excerpt
Isaiah 46.6-9 "They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me."
Once again, God strikes back at those who make idols for themselves. Idols are not only statues, of which there are many today, they are also amulets and other bizarre creations that we rely on, such as: lucky talismans, miraculous medallions or elephants in wallets. All of these are worthless objects.
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