But the residue thereof he made a god, and a graven thing for himself: he boweth down before it, and adoreth it, and prayeth unto it, saying: Deliver me, for thou art my God.
וּשְׁאֵ֣רִית֔וֹ לְאֵ֥ל עָשָׂ֖ה לְפִסְל֑וֹ יסגוד־יִסְגָּד־ל֤וֹ וְיִשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל אֵלָ֔יו וְיֹאמַר֙ הַצִּילֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י אֵלִ֖י אָֽתָּה׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The prophet clarifies that the Creator has gifted humanity with oak trees and forest groves, enabling them to prepare meals by fire and meet their bodily needs. People utilize the oak and pine trees, nurtured by the Lord of all, who regulates the rains to provide them with moisture. This is so that humankind may experience plentiful physical rest—yet they turn these gifts into objects of worship.
Why do you not reflect on the essence of those you consider deities represented by lifeless figures? It is plain for anyone to recognize that these are fashioned by craftsmen using saws, drills, and other implements, the inventions of those who are impoverished and, in their desperation, have cleverly devised a means of obtaining sustenance without effort. Why not contemplate the true nature of God? Does He require nourishment? Is He uninterested in our offerings? Is God rendered helpless without sustenance, or is it as Simmachus posits, that He becomes famished, weak, and fatigued, incapable of quenching His thirst? They question why He does not seek water if He is indeed parched, yet He remains like a mute entity.
We are compelled to share our belief that the passage spanning verses 9 to 20 serves as a distinct address from the prophet, possibly delivered orally for the people, which is integrated into the prophecy of chapter 44 to supplement and clarify the principal theme. This theme asserts that, despite the disasters predicted for Israel, a message of consolation has been conveyed, affirming that they are not forsaken by God. This community, being a testament to God's past miracles, stands as evidence of His grace, hence a guarantee of the fulfillment of His promises, the most immediate being the raising up of Cyrus, appointed by the Lord as an instrument to restore Jerusalem, the temple, and the municipalities of Judah, which were foretold to be laid waste in chapter 39.
In verses 21-28 of this chapter, we observe a clear continuation of the prophecy given in verses 1-8, temporarily interrupted by a discourse on the futility of idols. Verse 21 reflects the sentiment of verse 2, while verse 22 echoes the thought articulated in verse 25 of chapter 43, and verse 24 revisits the expressions found in verse 6 of the same chapter. The concluding section of chapter 44, spanning verses 21-28, is intricately connected to the initial part, verses 1-8. The final phrase of verse 8 poses the question, “Is there any God besides Me? There is no other stronghold; I know of none.” Verse 21 consequently proclaims, “Remember this, Jacob and Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you; you are My servant Israel; do not forget Me.”
When we focus specifically on the discourse regarding the futility of idols, we note its substance resembles the denunciation presented by the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 10:2-5 and 14, who critiques the creation of idols. Both the later “epistle of Jeremiah” and exhortations in the Book of Wisdom appear to evolve from similar sentiments and criticisms initially expressed by Isaiah. Isaiah appeals to humanity’s common sense, outlining the process of idol fabrication and inquiring, “What insanity could justify its worship?”
We particularly want to emphasize verse 20, which states, “A deceived heart has led him (the idolater) astray, and he cannot deliver his soul and say, Is there not deceit in my right hand?” Who is the deceiver of the idolater’s heart? From whom is he unable to redeem his soul? It is clear that this refers to the evil one, the father of lies, who dominates the hearts of the ungodly, deceiving them, and from whom they cannot find release until the One who “overcame the world,” as well as death and hell, arrives. Before this triumph, Satan obstructed the souls of those unenlightened by revelation from reaching the light. However, once light, truth, and grace were introduced into the world, the human soul could seek the light and be liberated from Satan's chains.
As mentioned earlier, we link the continuing verses with the words of verse 8: “Is there any God besides Me? There is no other stronghold; I know of none.”
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS