“Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts. They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. ” (Isaiah 46:1-4, ESV)

These 4 verses can be broken up into two chunks: The first chunk is basically a taunt of the Babylonian deities, and the second is an admonition addressing the children of Israel and calling them to trust the LORD.

The two chief deities of Babylon, Bel and Nebo, are depicted as stooping, bowing down, caving under the pressure and demands. Rather than effective bearers of burdens, the Lord describes them as a burden to the people who serve them. Far from being able to save their people, they are led into captivity along with their people. This is another stark example of the danger inherit in trusting idols or “false-gods”.

None of us (hopefully) have little statues sitting in our rooms that we pray to or sacrifice to. However, that doesn’t exempt us from the dangers of idolatry. What do you expect to carry the burdens of life for you? Friends? Family? A Job? What do you look to for relief? When you are overwhelmed, were do you turn? Are there things in your life that function as a “savior” from the things that stress and plague you? Do some of you worship the almighty shopping mall? Do others bow down to the glories of the great and powerful Xbox? Those things can’t bear your burdens… yet we think they can.

The Lord is the answer. Look at what He promises in the latter half of the verses above. He is our Lord and our Maker, and He will carry us until the very end. The promise in verse 4 is beautiful. We are His people, and He will bear our burdens, He will carry us, and He will be our salvation.

If life is feeling burdensome, it may be time for some personal inventory. Are you carrying around false God’s and functional saviors that can’t help you? If so, it is time to turn to your Maker, for he alone can bear your burdens and be your Savior.