To whom … what image: Earlier in the book, Isaiah showed that idolatry is foolish and empty (Isaiah 16:12; 37:16–19). Isaiah 40–48, he gives a much longer argument against it.
An idol is an object that people make to represent a god or a religious idea. But these objects are made by human hands. Those who worship them do not see that they are only things people have made.
Idols have no power (Isaiah 41:7, 22–24; 48:14). They give people a false feeling of safety (Isaiah 42:17). They mislead people and cause deep disappointment (Isaiah 44:20; 42:17; 45:16, 20). They cannot save or protect anyone.
In fact, idols are so weak that they can fall over (Isaiah 40:20; 41:7). They compete with God’s glory (Isaiah 42:8). They also lower human dignity, because people bow down to things they have made (44:9; see also 41:21–29).
The Lord, the true God, is not like idols. No one can compare to him (see Isaiah 40:25; 46:5; Psalms 86:8; 89:6). He is completely unique and without equal.