Isaiah 44:16
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
Isaiah 44:16 stands in a setting where God makes known His purpose for His people by rebuking and laying bare the folly of fashioning idols by human hands from created things and then worshiping the work of one's own hands. It pictures a man dividing a piece of wood, using part of it for ordinary needs such as burning it in the fire, cooking flesh, roasting food until satisfied, and warming himself, while from the same material he makes a god to be treated as divine, and that double use exposes the foolishness and absurdity of the act. These handmade objects are powerless, standing in stark contrast to the true God as the Maker of heaven and earth. Coming to know God through His works enables a person to discern the difference between such idols and the true God, and that discernment prepares the mind to grasp the spiritual truths of Scripture. The warning reaches to devotion shown to images of saints and to supplications made to them for deliverance, a practice encouraged by priests. The account of using wood for food and warmth belongs to the teaching of the chapter itself and is not an instruction to turn away from God and look to finite things for wisdom.