Isaiah , Sarah Barry
'I AM HE WHO WILL SUSTAIN YOU'
Passage: Isaiah 46:1~13  
Key verse: 4
Gods of Babylon46 Bel(A) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols(B) are borne by beasts of burden.[a]
The images that are carried(C) about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.(D)
3 “Listen(E) to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant(F) of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,(G)
and have carried(H) since you were born.(I)
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs(J)
I am he,(K) I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain(L) you and I will rescue you.
5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?(M)
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(N) to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.(O)
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry(P) it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.(Q)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(R)
it cannot save(S) them from their troubles.
8 “Remember(T) this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.(U)
9 Remember the former things,(V) those of long ago;(W)
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.(X)
10 I make known the end from the beginning,(Y)
from ancient times,(Z) what is still to come.(AA)
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,(AB)
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon(AC) a bird of prey;(AD)
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned,(AE) that I will do.(AF)
12 Listen(AG) to me, you stubborn-hearted,(AH)
you who are now far from my righteousness.(AI)
13 I am bringing my righteousness(AJ) near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation(AK) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,(AL)
my splendor(AM) to Israel.
46 Bel(A) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols(B) are borne by beasts of burden.[a]
The images that are carried(C) about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.(D)
3 “Listen(E) to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant(F) of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,(G)
and have carried(H) since you were born.(I)
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs(J)
I am he,(K) I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain(L) you and I will rescue you.
5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?(M)
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(N) to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.(O)
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry(P) it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.(Q)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(R)
it cannot save(S) them from their troubles.
8 “Remember(T) this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.(U)
9 Remember the former things,(V) those of long ago;(W)
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.(X)
10 I make known the end from the beginning,(Y)
from ancient times,(Z) what is still to come.(AA)
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,(AB)
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon(AC) a bird of prey;(AD)
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned,(AE) that I will do.(AF)
12 Listen(AG) to me, you stubborn-hearted,(AH)
you who are now far from my righteousness.(AI)
13 I am bringing my righteousness(AJ) near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation(AK) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,(AL)
my splendor(AM) to Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 46:1 Or are but beasts and cattle
Cross references
- Isaiah 46:1 : S Isa 21:9; Jer 50:2; 51:44
- Isaiah 46:1 : S 1Sa 5:2
- Isaiah 46:1 : ver 7; S Isa 45:20
- Isaiah 46:2 : S Jdg 18:17-18; S 2Sa 5:21; Jer 51:47
- Isaiah 46:3 : ver 12; Isa 48:12; 51:1
- Isaiah 46:3 : S Isa 1:9
- Isaiah 46:3 : S Ps 139:13; Isa 44:2
- Isaiah 46:3 : S Dt 1:31; S Ps 28:9
- Isaiah 46:3 : S Ps 22:10
- Isaiah 46:4 : Ps 71:18
- Isaiah 46:4 : S Dt 32:39; S Isa 43:13
- Isaiah 46:4 : S Ps 18:35; S 119:117
- Isaiah 46:5 : S Ex 15:11; Job 41:10; Isa 40:18, 25; Jer 49:19
- Isaiah 46:6 : S Isa 40:19
- Isaiah 46:6 : S Ex 20:5; Isa 44:17; Hos 13:2
- Isaiah 46:7 : S ver 1
- Isaiah 46:7 : S 1Sa 5:3; S Isa 41:7
- Isaiah 46:7 : S 1Ki 18:26
- Isaiah 46:7 : S Isa 44:17; S 47:13
- Isaiah 46:8 : S Isa 44:21
- Isaiah 46:8 : S Isa 1:2
- Isaiah 46:9 : S Isa 41:22
- Isaiah 46:9 : S Dt 32:7
- Isaiah 46:9 : S Ex 8:10; S Isa 45:5, 21; Mk 12:32
- Isaiah 46:10 : S Isa 41:4
- Isaiah 46:10 : S Isa 45:21
- Isaiah 46:10 : S Isa 41:22
- Isaiah 46:10 : S Pr 19:21; S Isa 7:7, 9; S 44:26; Ac 5:39; Eph 1:11
- Isaiah 46:11 : S Jdg 4:10; S Ezr 1:2
- Isaiah 46:11 : S Isa 8:8
- Isaiah 46:11 : S Isa 25:1
- Isaiah 46:11 : S Ge 41:25; Jer 44:28
- Isaiah 46:12 : S ver 3
- Isaiah 46:12 : S Ex 32:9; S Isa 9:9
- Isaiah 46:12 : Ps 119:150; Isa 48:1; Jer 2:5
- Isaiah 46:13 : S Isa 1:26; S 45:8; Ro 3:21
- Isaiah 46:13 : S Ps 85:9
- Isaiah 46:13 : S Ps 74:2; Joel 2:32
- Isaiah 46:13 : S Isa 44:23
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Idols burden; God rescues (1-7)
Bel and Nebo were Babylonian idols. Made of stone, they were heavy and had to be transported, burdening their worshipers. Enemies attacked, and the idols had to be protected by the people, but they could not rescue them from captivity. In contrast, the Lord sustains his people. He does not burden us, but carries us. Those who cry out to idols will hear no answer; an idol cannot save us from trouble. But the Lord promises: "I will sustain you and I will rescue you."
2. "I will do all that I please" (8-13)
The Lord has proved himself in history, so we should remember all he has done. All that has happened he has foretold, indeed he has planned it. His purpose will stand; he will do all that he pleases, bringing about his plans on the earth. He planned salvation for all people in Jesus, and just as he planned, so it has happened. Let's trust in him.
Prayer: Father, you are the one who sustains me. Let me trust you even when I'm old and gray.
One Word: There is none like God