Text: Isaiah 46-48<\/p>\n
Bel is the Babylonian form of the name Ba’al, which means “Lord.” In Babylonian mythology, Bel was the chief of the gods, much like Zeus was in Greek mythology. Nebo was seen as the messenger of the gods, much like Hermes in Greek mythology. Nebo was considered the patron god of Babylonian rulers, which is why you find Nebo used as a prefix in the names of many Babylonian kings (Nabo-polassar, Nebu-chadnezzar, Nabo-nidus).<\/p>\n
Isaiah describes the images being carted away by the Persians in terms of slaves being sent to foreign lands to die. The idol gods could not prevent the invasion, nor could they rescue their own images.<\/p>\n
Unlike Babylon’s gods, the Lord has cared for Israel from before the birth of the nation. Notice that God addresses Judah and the remnant of Israel. Most of Israel would be destroyed by the Assyrians. Only a few members of the northern tribes would remain. Yet, this, too, was a part of God’s care because Israel, as a whole, had gone off into idolatry.<\/p>\n
God promised to continue to care for Israel into its old age, which hints that it would eventually die as a nation.<\/p>\n
No comparison exists between God and the idols Israel continually tried to follow (Isaiah 40:18-26). Idols are man-made from physical materials, lavishly and wastefully used to make them. Idols must be carried to different locations, and once there, they cannot move. People cry out to the idols, but they cannot answer nor do anything for the petitioner’s problems.<\/p>\n
Israel only needed to remember its history to understand just how much different God is from idols. Nothing compares to the true and living God. He can state how things will end before they start. He can cause things that never happened before to occur. When God decides something will happen, He will ensure it happens.<\/p>\n
Babylon’s fall will come because God will summon a conqueror from the East. He will accomplish God’s purpose, and God solemnly declares that it will happen just as He planned because He will carry it out.<\/p>\n
Thus, the Israelite idolaters are told to pay attention. God is not far away; He is close at hand. He will save Israel from its sins, but He will do it for His glory, not theirs.<\/p>\n
Babylon’s Pride Will Not Prevent the Destruction – Isaiah 47:7-11<\/p>\n
Babylon’s Sorceries Will Not Change Matters – Isaiah 47:12-15<\/p>\n
Why God Chose to Tell of Babylon’s Destruction in Advance – Isaiah 48:1-11<\/p>\n
God Will Carry Out His Purpose – Isaiah 48:12-16<\/p>\n
Israel Will Be Saved If They Obey God – Isaiah 48:17-22<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nPrior Lesson<\/a>Isaiah<\/a>Next Lesson<\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Babylon’s Destruction Text: Isaiah 46-48 The Burden of Idolatry – Isaiah 46:1-2 Bel is the Babylonian form of the name Ba’al, which means “Lord.” In Babylonian mythology, Bel was the chief of the gods, much like Zeus was in Greek mythology. Nebo was seen as the messenger of the gods, much like Hermes in Greek…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":22633,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-96666","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":68830,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-isaiah\/prophecies-against-babylon-assyria-and-philistia\/","url_meta":{"origin":96666,"position":0},"title":"Prophecies Against Babylon, Assyria, and Philistia","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Prophecies Against Babylon, Assyria, and Philistia Text: Isaiah 13-14 Prophecy Against Babylon - Isaiah 13:1-14:23 These predictions are amazing when you realize that at the time Isaiah was recording them, Assyria was the dominant nation growing to its height of power. Babylonia was a small nation on the edge of\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22633,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-isaiah\/","url_meta":{"origin":96666,"position":1},"title":"A Study of Isaiah","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"A Study of Isaiah by Jeffrey W. Hamilton 2020 \u00a0 Content Background Condemnation for the Past Condemnation of Judah The Wickedness of Judah - Isaiah 1 The House of God versus the House of Judah - Isaiah 2 Judgment on Judah - Isaiah 3-5 The Calling of Isaiah - Isaiah\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/scan0016-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":64897,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-ezekiel\/parable-of-two-sisters\/","url_meta":{"origin":96666,"position":2},"title":"Parable of Two Sisters","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 23, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Parable of Two Sisters Text: Ezekiel 23 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Two sisters from one mother \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Same imagery used in Jeremiah 3:7-10 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Named - Ezekiel 23:4 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Oholah - Her tent (Samaria) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She had her own temple (tabernacle) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Oholibah - My tent is\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":93209,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/a-study-of-isaiah\/who-is-god-isaiah\/","url_meta":{"origin":96666,"position":3},"title":"Who Is God? 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