If you would, turn to Isaiah
chapter 46. Isaiah chapter 46. I want to
read the first five verses. I've entitled this message, To
Whom Will Ye Liken Me? To Whom Will Ye Liken Me? Isaiah
46 and verse 1. Bell boweth down. Nebo stoopeth. Their idols were upon the beasts
and upon the cattle. Your carriages were heavy-loaden. They are a burden to the weary
beasts. They stoop, they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden,
but themselves are gone into captivity. Hearken unto me, O
house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which
are born by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb. And even to your old age I am
he. And even to your hoar hairs will
I carry you. I have made, and I will bear. Even I will carry and will deliver
you To whom will you liken me and make me equal and compare
me? That we may be like I'm just
gonna stop right there for now This is a chapter of Isaiah that
I love to read I Really like this chapter Now it starts out, we have the
bowing and the stooping of idols. Now according to historians,
they're Babylonian idols. And supposedly, according to
the historians and biblical scholars, this is a reference to what was
to come, where Cyrus was to come and conquer Babylon. And their idols, Bel and Nebo,
were going to be carried away. And they were nothing but a burden
to a beast. They were a heavy load to a weary
beast. That's the worth of an idol. That's the worth of an idol. They're nothing. This chapter
speaks of the uselessness of idolatry and the glory of the
work of the Lord God Almighty. And that's why I like it. Like I said, this reference is
to a prophecy, but it's very clear. It says that Bell bows
down and Nebo stoopeth. These idols were to be carted
away by beasts of burden as the spoils of war." Now, it doesn't specify whether they're
intact or broken up. I suppose, this is my own thinking,
the small ones were taken away intact and the big ones were
busted up. Why? Because they made idols
of silver and gold and brass, precious metals. I figure the larger ones were
broke up for transport, Mason. They were loaded onto wagons
and they were carted away. And it says they stooped, they
bowed down together, they could not deliver the burden, and I
love this phrase, but themselves Gone into captivity What good
is that kind of God? They bowed down to worship these
things I'm not not going to sugarcoat it up. I'm going to pretty it
up. They offered sacrifices to these things That were the graven
images these are literally these idols are graven images And they sacrifice to them And
it didn't do them a bit of good. Because the idol itself that
they bowed down to worship was carried away. An idol, Paul said
it, an idol is nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's of no
value to you and it's of no value to itself. They can't even deliver themselves They stoop, they bow down. Why? Because they couldn't deliver. What possible good could an idol
do for you? Now, I do want to point out,
because I don't know if it occurred to you, but it has occurred to
me, that somebody might wonder Wasn't
the Ark of the Covenant carried away a couple of times? Well, yes it was. One time in
particular, it was carried away as a punishment to Israel and
a punishment to the Philistines. God dwelt with his people, but
God dwelt above the Ark. These idols were representations
of their God, supposedly. That's what they thought they
were. They bowed down to these idols. The Ark of the Covenant
is not a representation of God. It is a picture, it is a figure
of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's not an idol. It never was an idol. There were
people who treated it like an idol, but that didn't make it
That's why he got carried away. And I'll tell you what, when
that ark got to the house of Dagon, which was an idol, Dagon
took the beating. The Philistines took the beating,
and the ark was set back. God did not dwell in the ark,
and the ark is not a representation of God. The Ark is not a graven
image or an idol. These two were Bell and Nebo
specifically. This is the problem with the
idol. An idol cannot deliver. That's what Isaiah is telling
us here through the words of the Lord has told us an idol
cannot deliver even itself and it cannot deliver you. Verse 3 says, hearken unto me. Hearken unto me. Listen. Listen to me, saith the Lord. O house of Jacob, and all the
remnant of the house of Israel, which are born by me from the
belly, which are carried from the womb, listen, I have words
for you. Now there are those who don't want to listen. That's not who he's writing to.
You understand? He says listen. He says it's
hearken unto me. But then he specifies it. O house of Jacob
and all the remnant of the house of Israel. The Lord is speaking to the people
he has chosen out of the world. That's the only one the Lord
ever speaks to. That's the only ones that will listen, will hearken,
especially when he qualifies it in that next statement. Not
only the house of Jacob, not only the remnant of the house
of Israel, he says, which are born, which are borne by me from
the belly, which are carried from the womb. Isaiah 43 and verse 1 says, But
now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he
that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed I have
called thee by name thou art mine See these words about Bell
and Nebo and idols That's not for idol worshipers That's for
believers That's for those whom the Lord has called whom the
Lord has born and which are carried from the womb That's who the
words of this message is for. That's who the words of this
message is to. It's not to the world. It's not
to idol worshipers. They won't hear it. They will not listen. But hearken to me, O house of
Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel. Everyone is to hearken everyone
is to listen to the words of the Lord, but they don't They should but they don't I
can't be any clearer than that The world does not want the word
of God It never has and it never will at one time all of us Including
myself did not want the word of God But something changed and someone
changed you Which were born and which are carried from the womb Who is to hearken to the Lord?
Everyone, but specifically the one that he was speaking to,
those who were born from my belly, those which are carried from
the womb. And he narrows it down even further from the house of
Jacob in the remnant when he says that. Because here is where
the Lord tells us exactly who he's speaking to and gives us
the description of whom he's talking to, those who were born
from my belly. God is the father of his children. Let me be very plain. God is
not the father of all. He is Lord of all. He is the
God of all creation. But he is not the father of all.
He has begotten his people. And that word in the New Testament,
it's father. That's what it is. The children
of God is who this is addressed to. He is the creator of all. He's the God of all creation.
He's the Lord over all. And he's the father of his children. It's the same God, but there
are different relationships. This message is to and for those
who have been born by me and are carried from the womb. There are some that he has redeemed
and there are some that he has not. Romans 9 is clear. Romans 9 is
clear. There are vessels of mercy aforeprepared
unto glory, and there are vessels of destruction. And that's all it is. But notice very carefully, this
is not a qualifier. He doesn't say if you hearken
to me here, or while you hearken to me. He doesn't say that here
because here he's talking about his work. Ye were born, but it's
from his belly. Ye were carried from the womb.
You didn't walk away. You didn't walk up. This is talking
about being born of God. Those that are born of God will
hearken unto Him. And no one else. And he clarifies it even further
in verse 4. And even to your old age, I am
He. Listen! Hearken! Hearken unto
Me! I am He. God never changes Therefore you sons of Jacob are
not consumed God never changes. I am the Lord I change not Even
to your old age I am he If he's the God of your youth
he's the God of your old age I I will never leave thee. I will never forsake thee. Never. Never. Never. Even down to your old
age, I am he. We change. We grow old. We grow feebler. It gets to the
point where if you go bowling on Friday evening for about an
hour and a half Your legs feel bad on Saturday. And your hip
bothers you. That never used to happen to
me, Mason. I could do all kinds of stupid things. Not that bowling
was stupid, it was a lot of fun. God never changes. We are nothing but infirmities. He is nothing but strength. Power
and he is he I am he even to our old age the one Who bore
us and the one who carried us from the womb what's he say?
Even to whore hairs Will I carry you I? Have made and I will bear even
I will carry and will deliver you Listen to that. Hearken unto
me. I have made, I will bear, I will
carry, and I will deliver you. That's the gospel. That's the
gospel. This God, I am He, is not an
idol. He's never been taken captive
by any stretch of the imagination. And He will deliver you. Hearken. If you've been born,
and if you've been carried from the womb, you're going to hearken. But what are you going to hearken
to? I am he I have made and ye are made I will bear and you
have been born I will carry and you are being carried now and
I will deliver you and you shall be delivered and he asked this
question To whom will you liken me? To whom will you liken me? I made, I bear, I carry, I deliver. There is no comparison to anyone
else to the Lord. To whom will you liken me? Make
me equal. Equal and compare me. Are you going to compare the
Lord of glory to an idol? The answer is no. Why? Because there is no comparison. These idols couldn't deliver
themselves. And I'll let you in on a secret.
In the land of Israel, before they were taken away, they were
worshipping idols there too. Then once they got to Babylon, it's in other places. I'm not
going into it. But those that He has born, those that He has
made, those that He bears, those that He will carry, those are
those and those alone that He will deliver. He says, I will
deliver you. God is always specific when He's
talking about what He has done. Whenever he speaks of deliverance
it is always specific This is the message to those
that are born of God to those who are born from above to those
who will Listen who will hearken? I want to give you the definition
of an idol. I could have done this before,
but I wanted to do it now. If you look back in Isaiah chapter
45 and verse 20, Isaiah writing says, assemble
yourselves and come Draw near together, ye that are escaped
of the nations. They have no knowledge that set
up the wood of their graven image. Here it is. And pray unto a God
that cannot save. That's the definition of an idol. It's a God, little g, a little
g, a God that cannot save. This is the definition of the
Lord here. He is the God who can save. He is the God who does save.
I have made, I will bear, I will carry, and I will deliver. Yes, an idol is the product of
the imagination of men. And yes, an idol may be a thing
of wood, brass, silver, and gold. That's the definition specifically
of a graven image. But all idols are not graven
images. Now these particular idols that
Isaiah wrote of, they couldn't save themselves. They bowed down. They stooped. These idols, and
here's the key, they can't save. Why? Because the idols are subject
to the hands of men. And the Lord of glory is not
subject to the hands of men. And that's why they hate him. You can't throw God up on a cart
and haul him out of town and melt him down and sell the gold. There's places all over Princeton
right now wanting to buy scrap gold. I don't know what scrap
gold is, Mason. Could always figure if it's gold,
it's still gold, you know? Well, that's what these idols
were worth. That's all they were worth. The definition of an idol is
that It's a God, little g, that cannot save either itself or
you. And this is the Lord who does
save his people from their sins. This chapter is speaking of the
power of God in the salvation of his children. Remember, remember
this. That's what he says next. Remember this and show yourselves
men. Bring it again to mind, oh ye
transgressors. Remember the former things of
old, for I am God and there is none else. I am God, there is
none like me. To whom will ye liken me? No
one. No thing and no one. No other God can save. The Lord's arm is not short that
it cannot save. I will bear. I will carry. I will deliver. First. First. I have made you. I have made you. Then I'll bear. I'll carry and
I'll deliver the same one that is born He goes on to say That from the
beginning he declared the end verse 10 and From ancient times
the things that are not yet done Saying my counsel shall stand
and I will do as Will do God will do the Lord will do all
my pleasure Calling a ravenous birth bird
from the east the man that executed my counsel from a far country
yay I've spoken it Will also bring it to pass what
I have purposed it I? Will also do it How's he in this chapter? I know
the chapter divisions are put in there I? Will bring near my righteousness
my righteousness It shall not be far off and my salvation. It's my salvation I shall not
tarry, and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory. To whom will you liken me?" This
is a chapter about salvation. It's about the uselessness of
idolatry and the salvation of our Lord God. And it is, I will. I will hearken unto the Lord
of glory. He will. It's a positive statement. It's
a positive statement. I have made, I will bear, I will
carry, and I will deliver You, listen to this, take comfort
in His words. All that are born of God, all
that He bears, all that He carries. I said it, any God who cannot
save, little G, is an idol. Mason not just graven images, I tell you this It doesn't matter if its name
is Allah Brahma or Jesus Oh, wait a minute now. I'm gone
to meddling. Yes. I have no I'm gonna preach it
The God of the Bible the Jesus of the Bible the Christ of the
Bible is the one who has made Will bear will carry and will
deliver and if you're not preaching that Jesus You're preaching an
idol If you're not hearing that Jesus you're hearing an idol If a man preaches a Jesus who
cannot save without your help he is preaching an idol I Got six of these If a man preaches
a Jesus who needs your help for anything, he's preaching an idol. We work because of salvation,
not to get salvation. If a man preaches a Jesus who's
hoping that someone will let him have his way in the world
he created, he's preaching an idol. If a man preaches a Jesus who
cannot or will not go against the will of man, he's preaching
an idol. If a man is preaching a Jesus
who does not bring salvation to his people, he's preaching an idol. And if a man's preaching a Jesus
who is purposed that all men should be saved, he's preaching
an idol. The God of the Bible saves his
people. It's my salvation because it's
mine. He gives it to his people. Jesus Christ is bringing us to
God That's why we're coming We do come But that's why we're
coming Because I will bear you I will carry you I will deliver
you I made you You're mine My counsel shall stand God said
that. I will do all my pleasure. And God is pleased to say his
people by his son's work. I have purposed it. I will also
do it. Now if he's purposed the salvation
of anyone, what's that mean? He's got to do it He can go on and on about the
purposes of God, but never forget this part Because this piece
is always in this scripture if he's purposed it. He's going
to do it and If God purpose to save everyone then everyone's
going to be saved because he's got to do it He's got he changes
not he lies not Who was it said I can give you
a four-letter word that'll tell you all about the fact that God
didn't purpose to save anyone or everyone And that word is
hell Our God is in the heavens he
hath done whatsoever he hath pleased This is the God of the
Bible. This is the Jesus of the scriptures
and anything else is is the imagination of men and subject to men and
it's an idol. I don't care whether it's a graven
image or not. I'm not going into kissing the feet of the statue
of Mary or Peter or anything else. If God is subject to men, it's
an idol. Because this God is subject to
no one and nothing. I will do all my pleasure." Anything else, anyone else, is
an idol made from the imagination of men, is to be discarded. It's nothing. An idol is nothing. And God Almighty, the Lord of
Glory, all And in you all That's the one I want to know And if you don't know that one
if you don't understand You don't have to comprehend everything,
but you do need to understand him Because if He's not your
Lord, He's not your Savior. Because only the Lord has the
power to save. And it's the Lord's salvation
that He gives. I have made, I will bear, I will
carry, and I will deliver you. That's His promise to everyone
that is born of God. Our Heavenly Father, we're thankful
again for this time and this place. For those you've gathered together, brothers
and sisters in Christ, thank you for the fellowship and the
gathering. Thank you, Lord, for your word. Thank you most of all for our
Lord Jesus Christ. In whose name we pray, amen.