Isaiah 44:12

The task requires much labour. It wears out even a strong man. And it is all for nothing worthwhile!

*Idols have no life

v13 Another workman is skilled to use wood. He makes an outline of a human figure on a block of wood. He marks the wood with a tool. Then he shapes the wood to look like an attractive person. The *idol is to stand in someone’s home. v14 This workman had cut down some suitable tree that grows large in the forest. The rain had helped it to grow very tall and strong. (Wood from the tree can serve more than one purpose.)

v15 Wood is useful as fuel. A person can make a fire with wood to keep himself warm. Or he can cook food on the fire. And he can also use some wood to make an *idol that he will serve as his god. v16 So with some of the wood he makes a fire to cook meat to eat. And the fire warms him. So he can say that it makes him feel good. v17 What remains of the wood he makes into an *idol to be his god. Then he bends his head to give it honour. And he prays to his wooden god. He asks it to save him from some trouble.

v18 Such a person is so stupid. He has no intelligence. He cannot see what is in front of his eyes. He cannot understand what he is doing. v19 He does not have enough sense to realise what he has done with the wood. He burned half the wood in the fire. He baked bread and he cooked meat on the coals. With the wood that remained he made an awful *idol. Then he bends his head to give honour to a block of wood! v20 His actions are really stupid. It is as if he tried to catch ashes to eat. And the wind is blowing the ashes away. His foolish ideas have so gripped him that now he cannot escape from them. He does not even consider that the wooden *idol in his hand is a completely false god. Verses 13-20

Isaiah continues to laugh at foolish people who are serious about *idols.