44:8
This verse is addressed to Israel. There is no one who can compare with God. Therefore we should not tremble nor be afraid. The greatness of God is the foundation for our security. Now terrible things had happened to Israel and Judah, but these were all part of the plan, all under God’s control. By the way, this being written by Isaiah a significant amount of time before it happened makes sense of this verse. The notion that it was written after the events does not. Israel is meant to be God’s witness, to be a living testimony to who the Lord is. And we, as believers, are meant to fulfil the same role today.
44:9
There is a repeated comparison between who the Lord is and what are idols are, and what those who trust in them are like. It is our human nature to fear the wrong thing, and this leads to wrong actions. So here God reminds them that idols are nothings, and those who trust in them are nothing. In our society today it seems that the world is going mad, and that those who are godless are in the ascendancy. We need to remember the futility of their thinking. This will not make for an easy life, but it does help make for a godly life.
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