Isaiah 41:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Only God, who prophesies, has the power to bring to pass what He has foretold. Thus, to ensure that the servants of the idols are covered with shame and dishonor, He imposes judgment upon both the idols and the demons.

However, the earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the surface of the deep (Genesis 1:1-2), and He elaborates profoundly on the creation of the entire universe. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who communicated these truths through Moses, has likewise revealed to us what will occur afterward, for, as His disciple articulates, we will inherit new heavens and a new earth along with His promises (2 Pet. 3:13). We may hear Him ask directly regarding these things, 'What shall be hid from me?' (Jeremiah 32:21). The Word of God is indeed living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and no creature is concealed from Him; all things are bare and exposed to His gaze (Heb. 4:12-13). As God, He offers salvation, bestows goodness, and fills with true joy those who revere Him, while He vexes and punishes those who are arrogant and neglect to perform virtuous acts. Conversely, nothing of this nature can be found among the stone deities; what can a lifeless matter achieve, or how can they bring good to anyone or inflict anguish on those who lack the ability to aid themselves, existing solely through the support and appearance lent by others? Therefore, He says, let those acknowledged as gods come forth, let them declare what shall transpire, let them state the beginning, the end, and the things yet to come; then, He proclaims, we will recognize that you are gods. However, if you cannot proclaim such things, then at the very least do good or evil. If you are incapable of either, then no further evidence can be perceived; it is simple to discern your origins and the source of your works: you are a detestable creation of earth; for whether we assert that an idol is formed of wood, or of stone that is beautiful and esteemed, or from any other material, all originates from the earth. One must, I believe, marvel at the idol worshippers; could they not even grasp that their actions will ultimately come to an end? They neither recognized nor foresaw that they would be consumed along with the very temples, and in due course become a source of ridicule to those who had previously gone astray.

Thus, following the calling of the Gentiles, as rivers and springs emerged in the Church—once a wilderness—filled with vibrant growth and plentiful fruit: those Gentiles who refuse to believe in Christ are called to account, to explain their unwillingness to see, to comprehend, and to grasp that it is the hand of the Lord which has accomplished these wonders, and the Holy One of Israel who has created everything.

Let your idols approach, He says, which you consider strong. Or if you possess anything, reveal your intentions and the reasons behind your refusal to accept the revealed truth. An appeal is made not only to those who worship idols, though they lack understanding and cannot hear or answer, but also to the idols themselves. Tell us, He commands, of the past or the future, and by the events that unfold, demonstrate your power. This indicates that after the arrival of Christ, all idols fell silent; where are Apollo of Delphi and others who promised foresight and misled mighty kings? Why could they not foretell anything concerning Christ, His apostles, or the destruction of temples? If they could not predict their own demise, how could they foresee others’, whether for good or ill?

If someone asserts that idols foretold many things, it must be understood that they always mingled falsehood with truth, allowing for interpretations whether something beneficial or detrimental occurred. Consider the well-known assertion to Pyrrhus, king of the Epirotes: “I tell you, Eacidus, that the victory of the Romans is possible,” and to Croesus: “Crossing the Galis, Croesus will destroy vast kingdoms.” Furthermore, the inability of idols to perform either good or evil is evident. This does not imply that the idols or demons residing within them did not cause harm, but that they could only do so when granted authority by the Lord. They admit in the Gospel that they were permitted power over a herd of swine (Matt. 8). In Job, it is recorded that even the devil could not harm the livestock or possessions of the righteous man (Job 1).

Nothing is astonishing about God's authority, as the Apostle Paul handed some over to Satan for them to learn not to blaspheme (1 Tim. 1). Thus, it must be said that idols are mere lifeless images crafted by man, devoid of sense, capable of neither good nor evil, and lacking knowledge of past or future, having emerged from nothing and having no existence. Not merely are they deserving of scorn, but also the one who honors them. For the idols made of silver and gold, the works of human hands, have mouths but cannot speak; they have eyes but cannot see (Psalm 113:12-13). How, then, can these idols predict the future or recount the past, discerning between good and evil, lacking the sensitivity inherent to men and voiceless creatures? It is irrelevant what they are made of, for all are fashioned from the earth.

“Tell me of the former and latter things that are to come, and I will assert that you are gods,” proclaims Isaiah (Isaiah 41:23). This means that no one can declare the events before the world's creation or those that will occur thereafter. We are aware only of the intermediary matters revealed through Scripture: when the world was formed, when man was created, when the flood occurred, and when the law was given; that through one man all lands were inhabited, and that ultimately, the Son of God took on flesh for our salvation.