Atheism proclaims that there is nothing out there, no transcendence, no God. Therefore, there is no theism or belief in God. There is nothing but us mere humans, so that we have to do the best that we can do. There is nothing but individual concerns that sometimes merge into some common causes. This world is full of nothingness or just plain old materialism. Get as much as you can now. There is nothing more. Quite often, this is a reasoned position, in that atheism is a minority opinion, since the natural tendency of most people is to believe in something other than yourself.
mere humans
Against idol makers (Isa 44:9-44:11)
“All who make idols
Are nothing.
The things they delight in
Do not profit.
Their witnesses neither see
Nor know.
Thus they will be put to shame.
Who fashions a god?
Who casts an image?
Can they do any good?
Look!
All its devotees shall be put to shame.
The artisans are merely human.
Let them all assemble!
Let them stand up!
They shall be terrified.
They shall all be put to shame.”
Second Isaiah has a strong condemnation of those who make false idols. They are nothing. They delight in things that bring them no good. They and their devotees will be put to shame, which is repeated again twice. Who fashions these gods and casts their images? Can they do any good? They are just mere humans. Let them stand up together and be shamed. In fact, the biggest punishment for these idol makers was their own shame.
The human weakness of the Egyptians (Isa 31:2-31:3)
“Yet Yahweh too is wise.
He brings disaster.
He does not call back his words.
But he will rise
Against the house of the evildoers.
He will rise
Against the helpers of those
Who work iniquity.
The Egyptians are human.
They are not God.
Their horses are flesh.
Their horses are not spirit.
When Yahweh stretches out his hand,
The helper will stumble.
The one helped will fall.
They will all perish together.”
Isaiah says that Yahweh is also wise. He will bring disaster since he does not change his mind. He will rise up against the house of the evildoers and those who help others commit iniquity. Those Egyptians are mere humans and not God. Their fleshy horses have no spirit. When Yahweh stretches out his hand, both the helped and the helper will stumble, fall, and perish together.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 