Isaiah Day 140 - Is it Heavy?

46:1  Bel bows down, Nebo stoops;

Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.

Your carriages were heavily loaded,

A burden to the weary beast.

2 They stoop, they bow down together;

They could not deliver the burden,

But have themselves gone into captivity.

3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,

And all the remnant of the house of Israel,

Who have been upheld by Me from birth,

Who have been carried from the womb:

4 Even to your old age, I am He,

And even to gray hairs I will carry you!

I have made, and I will bear;

Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Idols of wood. Idols of stone. Idols of silver. Idols of gold. They all have two things in common. They are heavy and they don't move themselves. They must be carried. Judah was about to have to flee the impending attack of foreign armies. Bad enough that their useless idols couldn't deliver them, but to add insult to injury they had the extra burden of having to haul these gods away to safety. God paints a picture that they won't make it. The burden will be too heavy. Then He contrasts that picture with a very different one. He says "I made you, I have carried you this far, and I will carry you the rest of the way."

Before we consider what these ancient words might mean for us I offer you the closing lyrics to "He ain't heavy, he's my brother".

If I'm laden at all

I'm laden with sadness

That everyone's heart

Isn't filled with the gladness

Of love for one another

It's a long, long road

From which there is no return

While we're on the way to there

Why not share?

And the load

Doesn't weigh me down at all

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

He's my brother

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

When Jesus was here He made this public statement to the people: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-30

Did you catch it?

In Isaiah God said the burden of dragging these cumbersome and useless idols around was on the animals. Jesus came and said we are the animals. We have the yoke on our neck. We are carrying the heavy burden. What was He talking about and what was He offering?

Jesus also said this to the people about the religious leaders and teachers: "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." Matt. 23:4

Bad religion is a twofold curse. It's useless and it's heavy.

All I can say with full assurance is that if your religious experience is heavy it isn't from Jesus, it isn't true, it's dragging you down, it isn't taking you anywhere, and it's useless. Jesus said "You will know the truth and the truth will make you free and you will be free indeed."

If whatever you believe is heavy, put it down and search for the authentic Jesus, not some idol version of man's making. You will find Him and you'll be free at last.

"You will search for Me and you will find Me when you search with all your heart." - Jesus

He will carry you. You are not heavy. You are His.