在這段令人驚異的特殊預言裡，以賽亞預告上帝會差派安慰使者來拯救祂的百姓(如：波斯王古列)，也會運用各種安慰的方法(如：拜偶像的巴比倫滅亡)。以賽亞痛斥相信泥塑木雕的偶像的人：同是一塊木頭，木匠可以做成偶像供人敬拜，也可當做燒火的木柴(賽44章)。相反的，以色列的上帝早在歷史上，諸王誕生前數百年，就按著他們的名字一一預言！所以對上帝這樣的宣告還有什麼可懷疑驚奇的嗎？祂說：「我是上帝，並無別神：我是上帝，再沒有能比我的」 (賽46：9)這對上帝為了喚醒巴比倫而施行的審判還有什麼可懷疑驚奇的嗎？──或者審判任何一個膽敢以木頭石塊代替全能的萬軍之耶和華、以色列聖者的人，又有什麼可懷疑驚奇的呢！

        偶像崇拜是這麼刺耳逆聲的字眼。今天上帝的百姓無需與偶像崇拜抗爭真是椿好事，對不對？
        「偶像崇拜」真正的意義是什麼？一位聖經注釋家為此所下的定義是：「橫亙在你與上帝之間的任何事物都是偶像」以此定義為標準，下面這個冗長的清單裡的任何一項都有可能成為你的偶像：
電視                衣著        工作        汽車
男女朋友        配偶        孩子        抱負
高爾夫            飲食        滑雪        ______(自填最後一項)
        從上面各項中選出一項，並問你自己：「這使我更親近上帝呢？或遠離上帝？」然後按照以賽亞書四十六章八至九節、十二節的建議去作！

選出僕人的真意
        每當你在以賽亞書中讀到「僕人」這個詞的時候，要特別注意它的上下文，因為它可能與下列四種意義有關，必須小心揣摩：大衛(賽37：35)，以賽亞(賽44：26)，以色列國(賽4l：8－9)，彌賽亞(賽49：5－6)？

比上帝對你更為寶貴的就叫偶像。

English

        In an amazing collection of specific prophecies, Isaiah foretells the agent of comfort God will use in delivering His people (Cyrus, king of Persia), and the means of comfort God will employ (destruction of idolatrous iiahylon). Isaiah taunts those who would put their trust in mere images of stone or wood. From the same piece of wood a workman fashions gods to be worshiped and logs to be burned (chapter 44). By contra.st, the God of Israel writes history in advance, predicting kings by name centuries before their birth! Is it any wonder God declares, "I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me" (46:9)? Is it any wonder God calls forth judgment upon Babylon—or upon anyone who would dare to substitute trees and rocks for the omnipotent Lord of Hosts, the Holy One of Israel?

        Idolatry is such a harsh-sound ing word. It's a good thing God's people today don't struggle with idolatry-or do they?
        What really is idolatry? One commentator defines it this way: "Idolatry is anything that comes between you and God." Using that definition, an uncomfortably long list of things could potentially fall into the category of becoming idols:
Television        Your sweetheart        Eating
Clothes        Your spouse        Golfing
Your job        Your child        Skiing
Your car        Your ambition        ______ ing
(You fill in the blank on the last one.)
        Pick one item from the above list, and ask yourself the question: "Is this thing drawing me toward God or away from Him?" Then do what Isaiah 46:8-9, 12 suggests!

Would the Real Servant Please Stand Up? —
        When you find the word servant in Isaiah, pay close attention to the context. The word can refer to any of the following four, and you must carefully decide: Is it David (37:35), Isaiah (44:26), the nation Israel (41:8-9), or the Messiah (49:5-6)?

If it's more precious to you than God, spell it I-D-O-L.