The Burdens We Carry

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Isaiah 46 contrasts the burdens of the world with the One who bears our burdens. The Israelites (like us today) stubbornly clung to the things of the world when they had God within reach, but in this chapter, God reminds them of the lack of power the idols of Babylon had to save. The burden of worshiping things that cannot save is oppressive: “The things that you carry are burdensome, a load for the weary beast. They stooped over, they have bowed down together; they could not rescue the burden, but have themselves gone into captivity” (Is. 46:2, NASB). There is also irony in the idea that the Babylonians were bowed down with the weight of the worthless idols that they now carried on their own backs as beasts of burden. The Babylonians, steeped in idol worship, had not been saved by their idols—rather their idols became burdens to them. This contrasts sharply with God’s message to His chosen people (and us) throughout the book of Isaiah. The One True God carries His children instead of burdening them down: “You who have been borne by Me from birth and have been carried from the womb; even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you!” (Is. 46:3-4). There is no mistaking God’s message to His children: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me” (Is. 46:9). When we forget whom we serve and serve the worthless idols of our world, the things we choose to carry are burdensome, and it’s a very short path into captivity. Choose the One True God and let His encouragement bear you onward: “Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; and I will bear you and I will deliver you” (Is. 46:4).

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