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Psalms 115:15
May the Lord bless you. He is the Maker of heaven and earth.
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Isaiah 42:5
God created the heavens and stretches them out. The Lord spreads out the earth with everything that grows on it. He gives breath to its people. He gives life to those who walk on it. He says to his servant,
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Jeremiah 10:11-12
The Lord speaks to the Jews living in Babylon. He says,“ Here is what you must tell the people of the nations. Tell them,‘ Your gods did not make the heavens and the earth. In fact, these gods will disappear from the earth. They will vanish from under the heavens.’ ”But God used his power to make the earth. His wisdom set the world in place. His understanding spread out the heavens.
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Psalms 135:15
The statues of the nations’ gods are made out of silver and gold. They are made by human hands.
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Jeremiah 10:3-5
The practices of these nations are worthless. People cut a tree out of the forest. A skilled worker shapes the wood with a sharp tool.Others decorate it with silver and gold. They use a hammer to nail it to the floor. They want to keep it from falling down.The statues of their gods can’t speak. They are like scarecrows in a field of cucumbers. Their statues have to be carried around because they can’t walk. So do not be afraid of their gods. They can’t do you any harm. And they can’t do you any good either.”
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Psalms 135:18
Those who make statues of gods will be like them. So will all those who trust in them.
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Acts 19:26
You have seen and heard what this fellow Paul is doing. He has talked to large numbers of people here in Ephesus. Almost everywhere in Asia Minor he has led people away from our gods. He says that the gods made by human hands are not gods at all.
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Isaiah 46:1-2
The gods named Bel and Nebo are brought down in shame. The statues of them are being carried away on the backs of animals. They used to be carried around by the people who worshiped them. But now they’ve become a heavy load for tired animals.The gods named Bel and Nebo are brought down in shame together. They aren’t able to save their own statues. They themselves are carried off as prisoners.
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Isaiah 44:8-28
Do not tremble with fear. Do not be afraid. Didn’t I announce everything that has happened? Didn’t I tell you about it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any other God but me? No! There is no other Rock. I do not know even one.”Those who make statues of gods don’t amount to anything. And the statues they think so much of are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind. They don’t know anything. So they will be put to shame.People make statues of gods. But those gods can’t do any good.People who do that will be put to shame. Those who make statues of gods are mere human beings. Let all of them come together and state their case. They will be terrified and put to shame.A blacksmith gets his tool. He uses it to shape metal over the burning coals. He uses his hammers to make a statue of a god. He forms it with his powerful arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength. He doesn’t drink any water. He gets weaker and weaker.A carpenter measures a piece of wood with a line. He draws a pattern on it with a marker. He cuts out a statue with sharp tools. He marks it with compasses. He shapes it into the form of a beautiful human being. He does this so he can put it in a temple.He cuts down a cedar tree. Or perhaps he takes a cypress or an oak tree. It might be a tree that grew in the forest. Or it might be a pine tree he planted. And the rain made it grow.A man gets wood from trees to burn. He uses some of it to warm himself. He starts a fire and bakes bread. But he also uses some of it to make a god and worship it. He makes a statue of a god and bows down to it.He burns half of the wood in the fire. He prepares a meal over it. He cooks meat over it. He eats until he is full. He also warms himself. He says,“ Good! I’m getting warm. The fire is nice and hot.”From the rest of the wood he makes a statue. It becomes his god. He bows down and worships it. He prays to it. He says,“ Save me! You are my god!”People like that don’t even know what they are doing. Their eyes are shut so that they can’t see the truth. Their minds are closed so that they can’t understand it.No one even stops to think about this. No one has any sense or understanding. If anyone did, they would say,“ I used half of the wood for fuel. I even baked bread over the fire. I cooked meat. Then I ate it. Should I now make a statue of a god out of the wood that’s left over? Should I bow down to a block of wood? The Lord would hate that.”That’s as foolish as eating ashes! The mind of someone like that has led him astray. He can’t save himself. He can’t bring himself to say,“ This thing I’m holding in my right hand isn’t really a god at all.”The Lord says,“ Family of Jacob, remember these things. People of Israel, you are my servant. I have made you. You are my servant. Israel, I will not forget you.I will sweep your sins away as if they were a cloud. I will blow them away as if they were the morning mist. Return to me. Then I will set you free.”Sing for joy, you heavens! The Lord does wonderful things. Shout out loud, you earth! Burst into song, you mountains! Sing, you forests and all your trees! The Lord sets the family of Jacob free. He shows his glory in Israel.The Lord says,“ People of Israel, I set you free. I formed you when you were born as a nation.“ I am the Lord. I am the Maker of everything. I alone stretch out the heavens. I spread out the earth by myself.“ Some prophets are not really prophets at all. I show that their signs are fake. I make those who practice evil magic look foolish. I destroy the learning of those who think they are wise. Their knowledge does not make any sense at all.I make the words of my servants the prophets come true. I carry out what my messengers say will happen.“ I say about Jerusalem,‘ My people will live there again.’ I say about the towns of Judah,‘ They will be rebuilt.’ I say about their broken- down buildings,‘ I will make them like new again.’I say to the deep waters,‘ Dry up. Let your streams become dry.’I say about Cyrus,‘ He is my shepherd. He will accomplish everything I want him to. He will say about Jerusalem,“ Let it be rebuilt.” And he will say about the temple,“ Let its foundations be laid.” ’
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Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
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Jeremiah 10:14-15
No one has any sense or knows anything at all. Everyone who works with gold is put to shame by his gods. The metal gods he has made are fakes. They can’t even breathe.They are worthless things that people make fun of. When the Lord judges them, they will be destroyed.
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1 Corinthians 8 4
So then, here is what I say about eating food sacrificed to statues of gods. We know that“ a god made by human hands is really nothing at all in the world.” We know that“ there is only one God.”
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Psalms 115:3-8
Our God is in heaven. He does anything he wants to do.But the statues of their gods are made out of silver and gold. They are made by human hands.They have mouths but can’t speak. They have eyes but can’t see.They have ears but can’t hear. They have noses but can’t smell.They have hands but can’t feel. They have feet but can’t walk. They have throats but can’t say anything.Those who make statues of gods will be like them. So will all those who trust in them.
