Isaiah 46

Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a burden for the weary beasts. Wesley: 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.

Bel is Jupiter Belus, Nebo the oracle-idol; they bow to the Persians; gold, silver, and brass of the broken images are carried on beasts into Persia; “your carriages” turns the speech to the Persians. Shared loudly with Calvin: Bel and Nebo, Babylon’s gods laid low, Persians taking booty; the idols are burdens.

Bel bows down; Nebo stoops. Calvin: Bel and Nebo are idols worshipped by the Babylonians, their chief patrons; Nebo perhaps inferior to Bel as Mercury to Jupiter. Fulfilled when Persians and Medes took Babylon by storm; idols taken as booty. Isaiah also looked farther to the coming of Christ, when all false worship falls (2 Cor 6:14)—the larger end. Eye on the captivity: Babylon’s gods laid low, Israel’s God rises.

Bel and Nebo, chief patrons of Babylon, taken as booty when Persians and Medes stormed the city; Christ’s coming is the farther look when false worship falls.

They stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity. Wesley: They—The Babylonians. Together—The Babylonians and their idols together, neither could help the other. Deliver—The Babylonians could not deliver their idols.

They are the Babylonians; together means Babylonians and idols, neither helping the other; they could not deliver their idols, and themselves go into captivity. Undisputed: they stoop together. They could not deliver the burden; captivity.

They stoop and they bow down together. Calvin: idols cannot withdraw from the burden; no strength or motion; contrast with the true God who needs nothing. Soul gone into captivity: ironic, they have neither soul nor understanding. The ark taken by the Philistines is not the same: the ark was a symbol leading up to God in heaven, not adored as God; he exposed the sanctuary to punish his people, as the prophets had said.

No strength, no motion; captivity of the “soul” is irony—they have neither soul nor understanding; the ark is not an idol. Wesley says as much: they could not deliver the burden; Babylonians and idols go down together.

Listen to me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been carried from their birth, that have been carried from the womb. Wesley: 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.

Carried is nourished ever since they were a people and came out of Egypt, as tenderly as parents bring up their own children. Listen, O house of Jacob; borne from the womb; he carries his people, unlike Bel and Nebo who must be carried.

Listen to me, house of Jacob. Calvin: Hear me—vast difference: Babylon’s gods must be drawn on carts; the God of Israel carries his people like a mother who carries the child in her womb and then in her bosom. From the womb: not only nurse from birth but spiritually begot them (James 1:18) into new life. Remnant of the house of Israel: greater part alienated by revolt; hope of deliverance belonged only to a very small number. Hang on his mouth.

He carries like a mother in womb and bosom; not only from birth but spiritually begot (James 1:18); remnant—greater part alienated, hope only to a small number. Wesley concurs: Listen, O house of Jacob; borne from the womb; he carries his people, unlike Bel and Nebo who must be carried.

“Even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you.” I have made, and I will bear. Yes, I will carry, and will deliver. From v. 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. So here: even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you—the same parental nourishing continued to gray hairs.

The Egypt-to-now nourishing of v. 3 runs on to old age and gray hairs; I have made, and I will bear. Even to old age I am he; I will carry, and will deliver. I am he; I have made, and I will bear.

“Even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you.” Calvin: Even to old age: therefore I will be guardian till the end; he completes what he has begun (Ps 138:8; 22:10; 71:9). I am the same: always like himself, not only in essence but toward us. I have made and will carry: he created them to be his children, and will continue a father’s and mother’s care.

Guardian till the end; completes what he began; always like himself toward us; made them his children and continues father-and-mother care. Wesley says as much: even to old age I am he; I will carry, and will deliver. I am he; he completes what he has begun.

To whom will you compare me, and consider my equal, and compare me, as if we were the same? The God who nourished them from Egypt, as tenderly as parents bring up their own children, is the one they must not liken or make equal.

None is like the carrying God of v. 3; do not make him equal or compare him. To whom will you compare me; none like him.

To whom will you compare me, and consider my equal. Calvin: they distrusted his power when they saw Babylon prosper, as if putting him on a level with idols. Raise minds higher than present condition. His Papist illustration is illustration, not the verse’s referent.

Distrust at Babylon’s prosperity treated him as an idol’s equal; minds must rise higher than present condition; Papist example is illustration only. Common ground with Wesley: To whom will you compare me; none like him.

Some pour out gold from the bag, and weigh silver in the balance. They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god. They fall down— yes, they worship! From v. 7: Remove—He can stir neither hand nor foot to help his people. So here: they lavish gold and hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god they fall down— yes, they worship—the same unmoving thing that cannot stir hand nor foot.

Gold and silver weighed, a goldsmith hired, a god manufactured, then worship; the thing made still cannot help. Lavish gold; hire a goldsmith; they fall down— yes, they worship.

Some pour out gold from the bag. Calvin: two fathers of such gods—the rich man who lavishes gold and the workman who shapes it. They adore what they manufactured.

Two fathers, the lavish purse and the goldsmith; they worship what they made. Wesley concurs: gold and silver weighed; a goldsmith makes a god; they fall down— yes, they worship.

They bear it on their shoulder. They carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It cannot move from its place. Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can not answer. It cannot save him out of his trouble. Wesley: Remove—He can stir neither hand nor foot to help his people.

The manufactured god is lifted, carried, set, and stands; it cannot stir hand nor foot to help; cry gets no answer and no save. No dispute here: they carry it; it cannot move; it can not answer. It cannot save.

They bear it on their shoulder. They carry it. Calvin: carry on the shoulder; it cannot answer or save. They adore what they manufactured; it stands and cannot move from its place.

The god they made is a load on the shoulder; no answer, no save, no motion. Wesley says as much: they carry it; it cannot move or help; it does not answer.

Remember this, and show yourselves men. Bring it to mind again, you transgressors. Wesley: Bring it—Think of this again and again, ye who have been guilty of this foolish sin.

Bring it again and again to mind; the hearers are transgressors guilty of this foolish sin of idol-making. Remember this; stand firm; recall it to mind again, you transgressors.

Remember this, and show yourselves men. Bring it to mind again, you transgressors. Calvin: addressed to the Jews as transgressors who, vanquished by a slight temptation, revolted. Return to the heart: forgetfulness of benefits was a sort of madness. Blush (Jerome) for madness and ingratitude.

Jews as transgressors, revolted by a slight temptation; forgetfulness of benefits is madness; blush for ingratitude. Wesley concurs: Remember this; you transgressors; the foolish sin recalled.

“Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” Hear the verse; shared monotheism / sovereignty. So here: remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me—the same carrying God of v. 3 and the same none-like-him of v. 5.

Hear the verse; former things of old; I am God, and there is no other; none like me. Shared loudly with Calvin: I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. He is God; there is no other.

“Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other.” Calvin: Remember the former things: God has testified of himself by numerous proofs at all times. That I am God: not merely acknowledged, but he alone; if he admitted any companion, his throne would fall; either there is one God or there is none at all.

Former things are numerous proofs; he is God alone; one God or none; no companion on the throne. Shared loudly with Wesley: I am God, and there is no other; none like me. He is God; there is none like him.

I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all my purpose. Wesley: Declaring—Foretelling from the beginning of the world, future events which should happen in succeeding ages, even to the end of the world.

Declaring is foretelling from the beginning of the world the events of succeeding ages even to the end; my counsel shall stand; I will accomplish all my purpose. Shared loudly with Calvin: declaring the end from the beginning; my counsel shall stand; he has the events in his power. He declared the end from the beginning; counsel shall stand; he will accomplish all his purpose.

I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. Calvin: Declaring from the beginning: taught by constant predictions. My counsel shall stand. Not only foreknowledge: prophecies have no certainty if the very God who declares events did not have the events themselves in his power. He speaks according to truth and brings forward his decrees in all the prophecies.

Constant predictions; counsel shall stand; not mere foreknowledge—the events are in his power; he speaks truth and brings his decrees. Shared loudly with Wesley: declaring the end from the beginning; my counsel shall stand; I will accomplish all my purpose. He declared the end from the beginning; the events are in his power.

“Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country.” Yes, I have spoken. I will also bring it to pass. I have planned. I will also do it. Wesley: A bird—Cyrus, called a bird for his swiftness, and ravenous for his fierceness, and victoriousness over his enemies.

The bird is Cyrus, swift, ravenous, fierce, and victorious; the man of his counsel from a far country. Yes, I have spoken. I will also bring it to pass. Shared loudly with Calvin: Cyrus the bird from the east; he has spoken and will do it. I have spoken. I will also bring it to pass. I have planned. I will also do it.

“Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country.” Calvin: Calling a bird or a thought from the east: specific instance—Cyrus shall come. It may be bird (true signification) or counsel/thought (Dan 2:14); Calvin prefers thought/decree but allows bird as metaphor of sudden approach. Man of my counsel: Cyrus executes the Lord’s decree. From the east / far country: no distance retards God’s work. I have spoken. I will accomplish: preaching is a sure testimony of his hidden counsel.

Cyrus is the instance; bird allowed as sudden approach, thought/decree preferred; he executes the Lord’s counsel; no distance retards the work. Shared loudly with Wesley: Cyrus the bird from the east; I have spoken and will do it. I have spoken. I will also bring it to pass.

Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness. From v. 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. So here: Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness—the same unrighteous hearers to whom he still brings his righteousness near.

Stubborn of heart and far from righteousness are the unrighteous of v. 13, still told to listen. Listen to me; stubborn of heart; far from righteousness.

Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness. Calvin: Hear me, hardened in heart and far from righteousness: Jews almost overwhelmed yet proud; distresses render more rebellious; they refuse the medicine.

Hardened and far from righteousness; proud under distress; they refuse the medicine. Wesley says as much: Listen to me; stubborn of heart; far from righteousness.

I bring my righteousness near. It is not far off, and my salvation will not wait. I will grant salvation to Zion, my glory to Israel. Wesley: 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.

Though they are unrighteous, he shows himself righteous and faithful, delivering from Babylon after seventy years; the work is saving from the Babylonish captivity; he brings his people to Zion; Israel is the people in whom he will again glory. Both affirm: I bring near my righteousness; salvation will not delay; salvation in Zion, Israel my glory. It is not far off; salvation will not delay.

I bring my righteousness near. It is not far off, and my salvation will not wait. I will grant salvation to Zion, my glory to Israel. Calvin: I bring my righteousness near. It shall not be far off; salvation shall not tarry; I will place salvation in Zion, Israel my glory. They are far from righteousness; God brings his near. God’s righteousness as fidelity that does not delay; Zion after Babylon.

His righteousness is near, not delayed; salvation placed in Zion; Israel his glory; fidelity does not tarry. Common ground with Wesley: I bring near my righteousness; salvation in Zion after Babylon; Israel my glory. It is not far off; salvation will not delay.