Isaiah 41:21-29--The Futility of Idols

Isaiah 41:21-29
English Standard Version

The Futility of Idols
21 Set forth your case, says the LORD;
    bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob.
22 Let them bring them, and tell us
    what is to happen.
Tell us the former things, what they are,
    that we may consider them,
that we may know their outcome;
    or declare to us the things to come.
23 Tell us what is to come hereafter,
    that we may know that you are gods;
do good, or do harm,
    that we may be dismayed and terrified.
24 Behold, you are nothing,
    and your work is less than nothing;
    an abomination is he who chooses you.

​25 I stirred up one from the north, and he has come,
    from the rising of the sun, and he shall call upon my name;
he shall trample on rulers as on mortar,
    as the potter treads clay.
26 Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know,
    and beforehand, that we might say, “He is right”?
There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed,
    none who heard your words.
27 I was the first to say to Zion, “Behold, here they are!”
    and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good news.
28 But when I look, there is no one;
    among these there is no counselor
    who, when I ask, gives an answer.
29 Behold, they are all a delusion;
    their works are nothing;
    their metal images are empty wind.

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The people of Judah (and even the priests and Levites) have gotten involved in idolatry.  The only way that would make sense is if they believe their idols are better than the LORD.  So, the LORD challenges those idols to a contest with Him.  He asks them to prophesy about the distant past or the future--to the LORD this is not difficult, because He knows everything and everything is as the present to Him.  He can see every moment in time in all places simultaneously (and be everywhere at all times in all places too).  He asks the idols to act--to do good or to do bad, but just do something, but they cannot because they are just graven images of wood, stone, or metal that cannot see, hear, think or act.  They are nothing--less than nothing, actually.  Everything about them is a lie, and everyone who would choose an idol over the LORD is an abomination to the LORD.

The LORD stirred up the kinds of the North and the East (probably Syria, Assyria and Babylon).  Though the LORD used humans to accomplish His will, do not miss that it is His will that is being accomplished through them.  God can use all kinds of people to accomplish His will--even the pagan kings of pagan nations who worship idols.  In the end, many of these pagan kings converted and had better theology than "the people of God" did, which is visible not only by their words, but by their actions.

The LORD warned His people to repent and give up their idolatry so that they would not be destroyed.  However, the people clung to their idols and forsook the LORD and broke covenant with Him.  Now what He originally wanted to be for their blessing will turn out for the blessing of others as they go into Exile, because they chose the futility of idols that were deaf, dumb, blind, and impotent instead of the LORD.