Question 1

Who are “Jacob my servant” and “Jesurun whom I have chosen”?

Accepted Answer

“Jacob my servant” and “Israel” point to God’s people as a whole, traced back to their forefather Jacob. “Jesurun” is a tender name for Israel, meaning upright or beloved. By using these names together, God reminds them that He chose them, formed them, and gave them this calling, not because they were strong or worthy, but because of His mercy. This is meant to comfort them in their low and fearful state and to call them back to trust and obedience.

Question 2

What does it mean that God will pour water on the thirsty and His Spirit on their seed?

Accepted Answer

The picture of water on thirsty ground shows God giving life where everything feels dry and empty. Here He is talking about more than rain. He promises to pour out His own Spirit on their children and descendants, like floods on dry land. This means He will refresh, change, and grow His people from the inside, so that they spring up like grass and willows by streams. It points to a time of spiritual renewal when many will truly belong to Him.

Question 3

What is the meaning of “One shall say, I am the Lord’s” in this passage?

Accepted Answer

When the passage says, “One shall say, I am the Lord’s,” it describes how people will openly claim that they belong to God. Others will link themselves to the name of Jacob and Israel, even writing it down as a sign of commitment. It shows a renewed and public confession of faith, not just quiet belief. God’s work by His Spirit will lead people to gladly identify with Him and with His people, instead of hiding or clinging to other gods.

Question 4

What does “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God” teach about God?

Accepted Answer

This line shows that God has no rival. “I am the first and the last” means He is before everything and after everything, the beginning and the end. Nothing and no one else shares His nature or power. When He adds, “beside me there is no God,” He is not just saying He is the greatest, but that all other so‑called gods are empty and unreal. This is meant to steady His people’s hearts so they will not fear idols or nations that trust in them.

Question 5

Why does the passage spend so much time describing the making of an idol from wood?

Accepted Answer

The long description of the smith and the carpenter is meant to show how foolish idol worship really is. One man works hard, grows tired and hungry, shaping metal or wood. Another carefully measures, cuts, and carves a human‑shaped figure. From the same tree he burns part for fire, cooks his food, and warms himself, then uses the rest to make a god and falls down to it. By laying out each step, the passage exposes how blind it is to trust something your own hands have made.

Question 6

What does it mean that idol makers have eyes and hearts that cannot understand?

Accepted Answer

The passage says they “see not, nor know,” and that their eyes and hearts are shut. This shows a deep spiritual blindness. They handle the wood, taste the food roasted on it, feel the warmth from the fire, yet never stop to say, “I burned part of this, and now I bow to the rest, is that not a lie?” Their hearts are deceived, so they keep feeding on “ashes,” empty things that cannot save them. It is both a judgment from God and a warning about what sin can do to the mind.

Question 7

Why are those who trust idols said to be feeding on ashes and holding a lie?

Accepted Answer

“He feedeth on ashes” is a picture of someone trying to satisfy himself with something that has no food in it at all. The idol worshiper has a deceived heart that turns him aside, so he gives himself to what is empty and dead. The “lie in my right hand” means that what he clings to and prays to is false and cannot save. He is so turned around inside that he does not even stop to question it. This shows how deep the trap of false worship can be.

Question 8

How can this passage about idols speak to people today?

Accepted Answer

Today many people may not bow to carved statues, but the same problem shows up whenever we give our hearts to created things instead of the living God. Work, money, pleasure, or even good gifts can become like idols when we trust them to give us meaning or safety. This passage calls us to see how empty those hopes are, and instead to rest in the God who made us, chose us, and promises His Spirit. It invites us to say openly, “I am the Lord’s,” and live like we belong to Him.

Question 9

What comfort does this passage give to people who are afraid or feel weak?

Accepted Answer

God speaks very kindly here. He reminds His people that He made and formed them, that He has chosen them, and that He will help them. Twice He says, “Fear not.” He promises to pour out His Spirit so they will not stay dry and barren. He also reminds them that He alone is God and that He knows and rules the future. For someone who feels small or surrounded by trouble, these words show that their hope does not rest on their strength but on God’s steady care.

Isaiah 44:1

Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:

The LORD Has Chosen Israel

The Blessings of Israel

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Isaiah 44:1

Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:

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The LORD Has Chosen Israel

The Blessings of Israel

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