Because I Said So

“Why, dad?”

“Because I said so.”

We’ve all heard it, and many of us have said it. This phrase, or something similar, is what we turn to when we want our children to obey or submit. Words like this may reflect impatience, frustration, or thoughtlessness. But does this follow the pattern of how our Father speaks to us?

In Isaiah 46, we read a powerful monologue where the LORD essentially says, “I will bless my children…because I said so.” What does this teach us about how God speaks? And how can we reflect our Father when we speak to our children?

“Kids, listen up” – Our God is the powerful and loving God

In Isaiah 46, God sets himself up against the false gods of Bel and Nebo. These gods are no gods at all. They cannot save themselves. They are nothing but chunks of metal, formed into mute figurines, thrown into a sack, and hauled off on a donkey. They are made by human hands, dragged away, then set on a mantle from where they cannot move – much less move to answer prayers they can’t hear.

In contrast to these powerless gods stands the true God who declares:

“Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.” (Isaiah 46:3–4)

The LORD introduces himself as one who is not made, but makes. He is not carried off, but is the one who securely carries his people for all their days. He is totally committed to the loving salvation of his children and no one can stand in his way.

“I promise” – God has made a guarantee

Yet God is not done in his description of himself. He is not only the powerful, loving God, but he is the speaking God. And when he speaks, stuff happens.

“…I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’… I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.’” (from Isaiah 46:9–11)

This is the God of the beginning who created all things by his word, the Ruler of rulers who summons kings with his call, and the Sender of the prophets who reminds his people of his promise. He tells them, “I have spoken.”

“It’s as good as done” — God comes through on his promises

What can we tell our children of this God who makes such big promises? What should be said about this One who speaks so definitively?

“I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.”

To the stubborn-hearted and the tender-hearted, to the righteous and to the transgressor, the message is clear: The One, True God always does what he has declared, and he has declared salvation for his people. He does not just say so, he does so.

Yet at the end of Isaiah 46, an important question remains: How will God accomplish this salvation?

“I finished the job” — God secured every spiritual blessing in Christ

Isaiah goes on in the rest of his book to unfold the beautiful work that the coming Messiah will accomplish. He tells of the rescue of his people from their rebellion, of the suffering Servant, the year of the Lord’s favor, and the coming new creation. All this comes from the Father who has secured salvation blessings for his children through the work of his only and beloved Son.

We want our children to know that when the Father says, “because I said so,” that, if they are united to the Son, they are in for mind-blowing blessing. He has decreed and then accomplished his will. His salvation has come, is coming, and will forever come to pass in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If they are in Christ, then every spiritual blessing is secured for them by the Word made flesh and are revealed to them in the Word that we open to teach them. The God of Isaiah 46 is the God who carries his children, not just to the end of life, but into true life that never ends.

Conclusion — Reflect the Father’s words

The greatest desire we can have for our children is that they would love God with all their heart for all their days. We can help them to know God by reflecting his words. We can point to him in the way we speak to them.

1. Speak your love to your children

Just as God assures us that he loves us, we must assure our children that we love them. Specific words and styles will vary among each of us according to personality and gifting, but we must speak so that our children hear and feel our affectionate, unfading, unconditional love for them.

2. Keep your promises to your children

God not only demonstrates love in how he speaks to his children, he also demonstrates his faithfulness by keeping his promises to his children. Our Father declares “I will do it” and then follows through. We do great harm when we create a pattern of breaking promises to our children.

Let’s be vigilantly faithful to do what we say we will do. And when (not if) we fail to keep our promises, let us point them to the only perfect Father by humbly confessing our sin and asking for their forgiveness.

3. Share salvation’s blessings with your children

God makes it clear that his children cannot escape his blessings. He will love them, he will pursue them, he will carry them, and he will save them through his only Son, the Lord Jesus. You are not your child’s Savior. You cannot rescue them from sin or protect them from all harm. But you can pursue them with the good news of salvation in your content and your tone.

You can speak lovingly like the Faithful Father who has shown boundless love from before the foundation of the world. You can speak with gentle strength like the Warrior King who rescues them from the domain of darkness and makes them royalty in the kingdom of light.

You can counsel them with courage and wisdom like the Guardian Helper who walks with them through the valley of the shadow of death. And you can rest your own heart in the sovereign Savior. He supplies everything you need as a sinner tasked with parenting your kids in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Let’s reflect to our children the One who stands ever true, ever sure, and ever strong to bless them, because he said he would.