Hearken unto me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, ye who have been borne from the belly, who have been carried from the womb
Chapter 46 opens with Babylon's gods strapped onto the backs of weary animals: helpless idols that have to be carried. Then God turns to Israel with the opposite picture — a people He has carried since before they were born.
One side of the picture is a god that must be loaded up. The other is a God who does the loading.
In contrast to these helpless idols that have to be carried, Jehovah reminds the house of Israel that He carries the remnant of Israel. His people may change and grow old, but God does not change. He can say, "even to your old age I am He" (word for word, "I, the SAME"). He made His people, carries them, and will deliver them from all their enemies.
The verse calls on the "house of Jacob" and "all the remnant of the house of Israel." One writer notes that the choice of words is deliberate.
Notice who the appeal goes to. It goes to "the house of Jacob," in contrast to "the seed of Israel," mentioned earlier — even though a remnant of the house of Israel was to be found among them. The Babylonian gods had to be carried on the backs of weary beasts, and to no purpose. Here, in contrast, is One who would support and carry those who trusted Him, from their birth to the grey hairs of old age. He would never let them down, but would deliver them. What a great contrast!
The words about the womb point first to the birth of the nation, not to any one person. The promise that follows also assumes real danger on the road.
It is the same precious truth, that from the infancy of Israel, when God called His son out of Egypt, He bore and He carried him. The added thought of deliverance here enriches the blessed lesson even more. It reminds us of the dangers of the path and the opposition of the enemy. But what does that matter, if God's own shoulders carry us and His almighty strength delivers us?
Why point back to the womb at all? Because a record of care already given is the argument for care still to come.
And see how tenderly God appeals to the past as His pledge for the future. He had carried His people from the womb, and He would carry them to old age and grey hairs — from the weakness of infancy to the weakness of old age. At the end God says to them with force, "And will deliver you."
This leaves a plain test anyone can apply to whatever they trust.
The great test of our religion is twofold: Will it carry? Will it deliver? Every false religion breaks down under this simple test. A false religion, or a true one taken up falsely, has to be carried. True religion carries. A false religion cannot deliver; a true one must.
Babylon's images are long gone, but the same two options still stand open.
The contrast exists around us today. It is still a fair question — do you go your way, carrying the things you idolize, or does your God carry you? The idols of the modern English-speaking world are not images. They are more subtle things, such as money, pleasures, lusts. Yet as life draws to its end they let you down. The God whom we know, revealed in our Lord Jesus Christ, carries us through to the finish. We are in the embrace of the love that will never let us go.
- Carried, not carrying — Babylon's gods rode on the backs of weary animals. Israel's God carries His people Himself.
- From the womb — God bore and carried Israel from the nation's infancy, when He called His son out of Egypt.
- To grey hairs — the promise runs from the weakness of infancy to the weakness of old age. His people change and age, but God says "I am He" — which means "I, the SAME."
- And will deliver — the added word admits real perils and a real enemy on the road. God's own strength answers them.
- The test — will it carry, and will it deliver? Money, pleasure and appetite have to be carried, and they let you down at the end. The God revealed in Jesus Christ carries His own through to the finish.
Even to old age, I [am] HE, and unto hoary hairs I will carry [you] It is I that have made, and I will bear, and I will carry, and will deliver.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.