The Prophecy of Isaiah - Lesson 40

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Prophecy is an easy thing for God. God uses it as proof of His activity and engagement with the world. We may stagger in unbelief when God names Cyrus as His anointed shepherd before Cyrus "was". However, what about your salvation? God actually begins to address the salvation of the Gentiles (us) and once again God is saying what He will do long before it happens. God doesn't do this to "show off" but rather God does this to build our faith and confidence in Him and in His ability to work in our lives.

"Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.' "Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory."

Isaiah 45:20-25

We see Isaiah using the courtroom picture again. This time it is survivors of the nations that are being spoken to. God's point is that He is the only one who spoke and explained what was going to happen long before it happened. He is both righteous and a Savior and here we have the call of John 3:16 to the entire world for repentance and salvation.
God swore a covenant to Abraham "in a righteous word that shall not return" when God took Abraham outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then He said to him, "So shall your offspring be." (Genesis 15:4-5). Abraham believed that his offspring would come from the impossible bodies of himself and Sarah. God says "By myself I have sworn" and in this covenant He has literally sworn by Himself. Remember the events described in Genesis 15:7-20 when God passed in the form of fire between the carcasses of the animal sacrifices. The custom is to swear by something greater but there is nothing greater than God and Abraham had asked how he would know or what sign he would have that God would fulfill this incredible promise and the "unchangeable character of His purpose" (Hebrews 6:13-20). So our anchor holds within the veil because of Christ and not because of us.

In part we see God's blessing of Abraham's children right now, 2700 years after the prophecy, as you are the offspring of Israel but in part this also waits for the end of time when all the offspring of Israel are present and the judgment comes and every knee bows and every tongue confesses. In Him is righteousness and strength for judgment day. For those who cling to their idols and reject Christ there will be shame and judgment.
 We must have "a righteous God and a Savior" together. God's purity and holiness are without compromise and must be since His holiness is a perfect holiness and compromise would put an end to perfect holiness. That puts us in dire straits and without hope. But God, who is rich in mercy, sent a Savior. Psalm 85 says:

Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.

Psalm 85:10-13

How can steadfast love ever meet up with us who are faithless? How can righteousness ever have anything but war with us who are sinful and caught up in a treasonous rebellion against a Holy God? God in His mercy makes faithfulness spring up from the earth by turning dead hearts into living hearts. He does that so righteousness can look down from the sky and not destroy the earth. So the righteousness of Christ is ours and He has become the Way. His walk and His life have made a way where there was no way.

Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts. They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity.

Isaiah 46:1-2

Once again God points out the futility and stupidity of placing faith in idols and here foreshadows the coming destruction of Babylon. God names two of the chief Babylonian deities. In fleeing before Cyrus, the "gods" become useless burdens. Even the pack animals are tired of carrying them around. Bel is another name for Marduk and Nebo was the name given his son. You see the honor given his name as it appears in "Nebuchadnezzar" and each year Nebo was carried from Borsippa to Babylon with pomp and circumstance for a celebration. God shows the coming picture here of the useless idols taking the role of baggage for those running from Babylon.

"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 contrast with an idol is that God carries you. Most of us have probably seen the "Footprints in the Sand" poem. It has been printed on about everything you can print a poem on. The point of the poem is that during difficult times there was a single set of footprints in the sand and God answers by saying that He carried the person during those times. I don't see that this Scripture allows for a time you can claim two sets of footprints. God doesn't just carry us in bad times (though we may feel His hand in a special way in the dark times). God carries us from before birth, from the womb, even to old age and gray hairs. I think I especially value God's ability to bear me up when I, in ignorance, walk blindly through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Of course I value Him carrying me when I'm in the Valley and know it too but there is no end to the care God shows for us and our limited minds have no idea what He does on our behalf.

"To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike? Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship! They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble. "Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for 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,' a calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. "Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness: 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."

Isaiah 46:5-13

The Babylonians will be running from Babylon and carrying idols. The blindness and madness (driven by our sin nature) in idol worship is that you bear the burden of your god. Anything you carry cannot rationally be considered a god of any sort. Even today we can place our trust in material things that may be meant to bless us and others. When we place trust in material things then they become a burden to us as we spend our lives on them. The Babylonians had a tremendous burden with all their useless idols. Cyrus is the "bird of prey from the east, the man of counsel from a far country".
 Cyrus was God's plan. Cyrus would not have acknowledged God and would worship all the Babylonians gods for political reasons. He trusted in himself and, in his experience, it must have appeared the right thing to do. In another context I mentioned the concept of a "post hoc" error. It comes from the Latin phrase "post hoc ergo propter hoc" and means essentially "after this then this". We are prone to post hoc errors and that means we reason that if something happens then the situation or our behavior caused it. I've spent hours trying to come up with a particular action that would explain a computer "glitch". I would think I knew what I did to cause the error (the first step in isolating and fixing the problem) only to find out that what I thought cause the problem had nothing to do with the problem. We see it when we fish and begin to think we need to hold our mouths right to get the fish to bite. All those who witnessed Jesus telling Peter to fish from the other side of the boat probably spent the rest of their lives only fishing from the other side of the boat. It had nothing to do with sides of the boat. It had everything to do with obedience.

The danger in post hoc errors in our life is that we forget that God is directing and blessing. We start to think that our lives are our own and our skills are the drivers in our success (with a little bit of luck). Think about how locked into this way of thinking that Cyrus was. Can you imagine trying to tell Cyrus that the God of the Jews was the reason he was in power? He thought that he was better than his opponents. His post hoc error was that he saw everything work out in his favor and he figured it was because of him. He thought he really was better than the enemy. He thought that he really was more skilled and worthy.

Even as one of the redeemed (or maybe especially as one of the redeemed) we don't want to fall into this kind of thinking. This is true when we consider our salvation and the unfathomable grace that God has given us. We can begin to think it was because of us. It would be better to think that it was in spite of us.

The Prophecy of Isaiah – Lesson 39

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Last week we ended with Scripture referring to Cyrus as a shepherd. This week Scripture calls him God's anointed. Cyrus did not become a convert although there was nothing keeping him from God but his own sin nature. The condemnation for Cyrus was that he was named by God before he rose to power and yet while Cyrus acknowledged God when he took Babylon he also acknowledged all the "gods" of the pagans one by one.

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: "I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

Isaiah 45:1-3

Cyrus is described as grasped by God, directed by God, and used by God. Cyrus was blessed by God but Cyrus did not truly acknowledge God. He worshiped all sorts of "gods" but his faith wasn't placed in any particular "god" and certainly wasn't placed in the one true God. Remember that acknowledging the facts about God (noticia) and even believing the facts to be true (assensus) does not mean that you are redeemed. Even Cyrus had knowledge of the one true God but did not place his faith in God (fiducia). Cyrus obviously didn't have a saving faith in God because he worshiped every "god". The old Evangelism Explosion question would have been diagnostic with Cyrus. If you had asked Cyrus what reason he would give as to why should he be allowed to enter heaven he would have mentioned all "gods". His "eggs" were in no particular basket and so they were in no basket at all. God is a jealous God and there is no other name in heaven or earth we can call on for salvation (Acts 4:12). Cyrus had ample opportunity to see that.

For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.

Isaiah 45:4-7

God had a purpose for Cyrus. God was going to use Cyrus to end the Babylonian captivity and send God's remnant back to the Holy Land. So God's actions were for the sake of His chosen remnant. Once again God revisits the discussion of His sovereignty. We often have a hard time with the light and dark, well-being and calamity, all being within the control of a sovereign God. We are more like Cyrus who covers as many bases as possible and hopes for the best. Then, it things go bad, we figure we just didn't do something right. We needed to do something else to manipulate the situation to our benefit or to fit our desires. Cyrus had a huge worship service with hundreds of "gods". Things went well for him. He figured it worked. God sees it another way. That other way is the right way. God used Cyrus to show that God sent Israel into the Babylonian captivity and He brought the remnant out of the captivity. God was in control of both light and dark, well-being and calamity, accomplishing His purposes. We may not like God using a wicked man according to his wicked nature to accomplish righteous goals but God doesn't hesitate to declare His activity in the affairs of men. This verse is a clear declaration by God that He is sovereign and it is ironic that some people seem to feel more comfortable with a God who is partially out of control than a God who is in control and working out His plans on earth. Last week we spoke about the creation of an idol in our minds that doesn't accurately represent God. This is an example. If we think God is out of control when bad things happen then we have an inaccurate representation of God in our minds. If we cling to it in the face of Scripture then it becomes an idol in our minds.



I was reading two early Christian leaders and how they responded when Rome collapsed in 410 AD. Jerome was very upset and thought all was lost. He couldn't imagine that God would let Rome fall to the Visigoths (many of them our ignorant relatives I'm sure). He thought it was the end of everything and that the Church was lost. Augustine was shaken too but he told his congregation, "Do not lose heart brethren, there will be an end to every earthly kingdom. If this is now the end, God sees". God took Augustine home just before the Vandals were taking his city but Augustine seemed to know that what God was doing shouldn't be confused with what a particular nation or empire was doing. Given what they were seeing happen I think both of them would be surprised at how we value their works even today. Jerome produced the Latin Vulgate Bible that you can still purchase and is a tremendous resource translated from texts available in 400 AD. Augustine's doctrines of Grace has been treasured down through the ages and over a 1000 years after he died you can argue that he should get a significant part of the doctrines restoration in the reformation around 1600 that eventually gave birth to our denomination.



The message to us when we wonder what is happening to our nation is to trust God and pray for revival. Listen to Isaiah's description of revival as we continue with verse 8 in this chapter.

"Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.

Isaiah 45:8

But rather than trust God and pray we have a natural tendency to criticize God and complain about the way things are. Remember the old song that says, "this world is not my home, I'm just a passing through" (1965; Albert E. Brumley). It isn't a bad song but one thing Augustine understood that Albert seems a little weak on was that we are not just passing through. We have work. You are born by the power of God's grace and are created to walk in the works that God has prepared beforehand for you to do (Ephesians 2:10). We are to be busy with what God calls us to until we are called home from this fallen sinful world. We are not supposed to be complaining about God's Lordship over this fallen sinful world. Listen to how Isaiah addresses that point.

"Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles'? Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?' or to a woman, 'With what are you in labor?'" Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: "Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward," says the Lord of hosts.

Isaiah 45:9-13

Even someone like Cyrus can't legitimately complain against the Lord. Cyrus was not a righteousness man but God raised him up in righteousness and will use him, according to his nature, to build Jerusalem and set the exiles free and it will not be for a price or reward.

Thus says the Lord: "The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: 'Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.'"

Truly, you are a God who hides yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior. All of them are put to shame and confounded; the makers of idols go in confusion together. But Israel is saved by the Lord with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity.

Isaiah 45:14-17

God provided for the reconstruction of the Temple and used these events to testify to His ability to keep His people. The nations submit to a revelation of God and what He is doing. Considering Babylon, they had many idols and these were consulted for leading the nation. But they were all in confusion in their loss to Cyrus and they never saw what God was doing. Although we may think that God is hidden in His working (God works in mysterious ways), God corrects that point of view in the next verse.

For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): "I am the Lord, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.

Isaiah 45:18-19

God has called His shots. He didn't simply describe what happened or revise His prophecy after He saw who was going to take on Babylon. The prophecy regarding Cyrus is so remarkable (likely naming him before he was) that liberal Bible scholars stumble and state that the verses must have been revised.



Of course prophecy is not a hard thing for God. We think of naming a man beforehand as a hard thing. However, what about your salvation? God actually begins to address the salvation of the Gentiles (us) and we see once again that God is saying what He will do long before it happens.

"Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.' "Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory."

Isaiah 45:20-25

We see Isaiah using the courtroom picture again. This time it is survivors of the nations that are being spoken to. God's point is that He is the only one who spoke and explained what was going to happen long before it happened. He is both righteous and a Savior and here we have the call of John 3:16 to all the world to turn and be saved. God swore a covenant to Abraham "in a righteous word that shall not return" when God took Abraham outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then He said to him, "So shall your offspring be." (Genesis 15:4-5). In part we see right now, 2700 years after the prophecy, as you are the offspring of Israel but in part this waits for the end of time when all the offspring of Israel are present and the judgment comes and every knee bows and every tongue confesses. In Him is righteousness and strength for judgment day. For those who cling to their idols, like Cyrus, there will be shame and judgment.



Today, if you are a believer then you are justified. That means all your sins are forgiven and the righteous of Christ based on His perfect life of obedience is yours. You need to glory in that. As Piper says, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

The Prophecy of Isaiah – Lesson 38

When we ended last week I think one of the most striking points made by God is found in Isaiah 44:7 when God says that He "appointed an ancient people". Many folks don't acknowledge the activity of God in the world. "Deus ex machina" is an expression used in most commonly in discussions of literature and stage plays. It means that the author has used a device to alter the story. In Greek plays they would sometimes lower an actor playing a "god" from a crane to change the course of the play. It is generally not viewed as good writing because you've had to change the flow of the events "artificially". Some people have great difficulty in admitting that God has been actively involved in the events of mankind down though the ages. We like to think of him as setting the general guidelines but we often don't think of Him appointing and ancient people and working to keep them for thousands of years. However, you are living proof of God's intervention. You were by naturally corrupt and godless but God redeemed you and made you His own. In Isaiah, God repeatedly declares His past, current, and future involvement in the world. We may have a world in active treason against God but He will not leave it that way and will always be the Redeemer. Although a man may not acknowledge God, He is still the only God and all idols are additional sins and offenses against Him. Keep in mind that idolatry is not just making a god but it can be trying to make God what you want Him to be. That is why Scripture as God's revelation of Himself is such an important part of our lives. In part, we love Scripture to avoid idolatry; i.e., avoid forming a false image of God in our minds.

 

All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together.

Isaiah 44:9-11

 

Idols do not deliver on the promise assumed by the maker. They don't deliver because they can't. Eventually the futility of placing your trust and devotion in a created thing will break through and result in terror and shame. I think that is part of the lack of peace for a rich man. The rich man idolizes wealth but it brings no peace.

 

The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, "Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!" And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!"

Isaiah 44:12-17

The futility of idolatry is once more explained graphically. An ironsmith or carpenter who is subject to hunger, weakness, thirst, dehydration, error in measurement, error in executing a plan, is subject to time and forces outside his control, as well as hypothermia … makes a fire with half a log and worships the other half, that he created as his god. Why would anyone make dinner and avoid hypothermia with half a log and then pray to the other half to deliver him? Well we do similar things with money. We work and feed ourselves and then pile up the other half in our retirement accounts and pray that our savings will deliver us and provide freedom. Savings is not inherently bad. Scripture makes that clear but you must not let wealth divide your heart. Anything I make can't deliver me. Only God is my deliverer and I will never outgrow my need to pray "give me this day my daily bread". Abundance is not meant to make us forget our dependence on God and the danger in the persistent sin is God's judgment in giving you want you want.

 

They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Isaiah 44:18-20

 

If God doesn't act then we do not know, discern, see, understand, and consider so that we can realize and discern our error. If we persist in sin then God can give us what seek as a means of correcting out error. Remember the Israelites crying out for meat and complaining about manna until they ate meat until they were sick (Numbers 11:31-34)? When corrected by God you should repent because God will not leave sin forever in your life. He will correct those who are His children. He will not leave you alone.

 

Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Isaiah 44:21-22

 

You justification is complete. God has blotted out your transgressions and sins. So when a child of God is in error and sins, the call is to repent or return because you are redeemed. This knowledge that God is active in your life and not passive should motivate you to be holy.

 

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Philippians 2:12-18

 

This is your sanctification that is in view and a fear of God is appropriate in this activity. However, keep in view that the fear of God is present because you are interacting with Him in your life to see His work come forth. You are not praying to an idol to get what you want in your life. You are praying to God so that you will appropriately participate as He works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. It turns idolatry on its head. It isn't even the same kind of a thing. Prayers of petition are right and good but only if you remember who you are praying to. God is no lucky rabbit's foot. He is Lord of heaven and earth.

 

Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel.

Isaiah 44:23

 

God sees His work finished. When He speaks it is done. God has redeemed you and will be glorified by you. God's purposeful intention to be glorified in you is another reason to find the fear of God in your heart. He will be glorified in you.

 

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:12-14

 

In other words, swim with the stream of the Holy Spirit and do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Purpose in your heart to pattern your life like a soldier or athlete and strive for right relationships with people and for that holiness that we will have when we see the Lord.

 

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: "I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'She shall be inhabited,' and of the cities of Judah, 'They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins'; who says to the deep, 'Be dry; I will dry up your rivers'; who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose'; saying of Jerusalem, 'She shall be built,' and of the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid.'"

Isaiah 44:24-28

 

God didn't just recently become aware of you. He saw you in the womb and, as it says in Psalm 139, He had you all figured out even before that. He is the creator God and all council apart from Him is guessing and predicting. God council is based on seeing and revelation to his servants and messengers. God wasn't using Isaiah to predict the reconstruction of the temple in preparation for the Lord of Glory. God saw it done and revealed that to Isaiah. God confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers.

 

That is why the heavens sing, the depths of the earth shout, every tree on the mountain sings. We stand on the rock of our salvation. We are placed by Grace but we are save in the grip of God for eternity.

The Prophecy of Isaiah – Lesson 37

Religious activity and even worship may not be pleasing to God. Heart attitude is the root to a pleasing service of worship but the "pleasing" is a pleasing of God and not necessarily man. As you read the following verses you must emphasize the "me" in the statements of offering and sacrifices.

 

"Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense. You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.

Isaiah 43:22-24

 

Israel didn't really bring God their burnt offerings and sacrifices because their heart was not in their worship. They were offering stuff by mechanical practice but that means that you are then not offering to Him. They couldn't claim that God was burdening them because they were not offering in righteousness. They were simply burdening God with sins and iniquities. Their worship was fatally flawed because it wasn't pleasing to God.

 

We need to be careful in our worship to honor God and not simply figure that God must be pleased with what He gets if we are pleased with what He gets. He is the audience and we need to maintain that truth in the forefront of our thoughts about worship. We've spoken about this before, but since we are so accustomed to being the audience we must not forget that we are not the audience during worship. We should want to please the audience.

 

Ask yourself these questions. Why were Nadab and Abihu killed before the Lord for their form of worship (Numbers 3:4; 26:61; Leviticus 10:1-7) or Korah who simply wanted to press on with the priesthood of the believer above the leadership ordained by God (Numbers 16:1-49) or why did God strike Uzzah dead for keeping the ark of the Lord from falling off of a cart during a worship service (2 Samuel 6:1-11). David was mad but when he settled down he know what the problem was. David said, "we did not seek him according to the rule" (1 Chronicles 15:13). We worship a Holy God who really hates sin and we are sinners. Imagine for a moment what would happen if you prayed the first line of the Lord's Prayer and God's grace and mercy did not make it true and right for you to pray "Our Father, …". You would rightly be ashes just like those who stood with Korah and claimed to be holy. We should feel awe and little like it might feel to grab a high voltage power line when we are told it is OK now. It is safe. You can touch it and not die. Who am I to say "My Father in heaven" and not die? I am a sinner saved by a grace beyond my comprehension and mercy beyond measure.

 

"I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right. Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me. Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and deliver Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling.

Isaiah 43:25-28

 

Here is the atonement again. He blots out your transgressions for His own sake. Not for any righteousness found in you. In the "courtroom" style, God asks for us to help Him remember. He wants an explanation of our our point of view and our continuing sin. However, from our first father (Adam) to the last we have transgressed against the God of the Universe and everyone from priests to kings will be sent into the Babylonian captivity.

 

God always has His people and a plan to redeem. So after the curse comes the blessing.

 

"But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, 'I am the Lord's,' another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, 'The Lord's,' and name himself by the name of Israel."

Isaiah 44:1-5

 

Looking forward 700 years from this prophecy and forward 2700 years we see the faithfulness of God even in the face of a people who cycle back into sin and failure. The names here indicate both southern and northern kingdoms. Then Jacob as usurper or deceiver contrasted with Jeshurun meaning my little righteous one. In using Jeshurun God is calling what isn't yet as though it is already. God has poured out His Spirit and blessing on us. The vision of water in dry places is repeated by Jesus in the following 2 verses:

 

but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

John 4:14

 

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:38

 

We are part of this pouring out and all we do to minister in the gifts that God has given us is part of submitting ourselves to this blessing of God on earth. So as you give material blessings, spiritual blessings, or pray to open up new doors remember that you're submitting to God's ministry through you. You are created unto good works which God has prepared beforehand that you should walk in them.

 

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any."

Isaiah 44:5-8

 

God is both King and Redeemer. He is and He is without beginning or ending. God's shepherding of Abraham's descendent's (which we have become) is evidence of His participation in the history of mankind and we can even declare what will happen in the future because God has revealed it to us. Our God has told us what will happen. There is no other place than God to stand. There is no rock but Him.

 

Just in review as we look at these passages it is good to think of God's revelation of Himself as the Trinity again.

 

There is only one God as we see here and in many other portions of Scripture (Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Isaiah 44:6–45:25; Mark 12:29–30; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:5). However, Scripture speaks of three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, working together to bring salvation (Romans 8; Ephesians 1:3–14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14; 1 Peter 1:2). When we use the historic biblical description of the Trinity we are not fully explaining it because we are not able to. We do have biblical boundaries for our thoughts about the mystery of the Trinity.

 

Jesus prayed to His Father and taught His disciples to do the same but He also communicated that He was personally divine. Belief in His divinity and in the rightness of offering Him worship and prayer is basic to New Testament faith (John 20:28–31, cf. 1:1–18; Acts 7:59; Rom. 9:5; 10:9–13; 2 Cor. 12:7–9; Phil. 2:5–6; Col. 1:15–17; 2:9; Heb. 1:1–12; 1 Pet. 3:15). Jesus also promised to send "another Helper" (John 14:16) to carry on His work as the first Helper (John 14:16,17). The Helper was the Holy Spirit, who came at Pentecost to fulfill His ministry. The Trinity is a biblical doctrine but the word trinity isn't used in the Greek (Matt. 28:19; Mark 1:9–11; 2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 1:4–5).

 

The doctrine is complex. The three personal "subsistences" or persons of the Trinity are equal and eternal. Each person of the Trinity is an "I" in relation to the other two who are "You," but each has the full divine essence of God, the specific existence that belongs to God alone.

 

God is not one person who plays three separate roles; this is the error called "modalism." Nor are there three gods who only seem to be one because they always act together; this is "tritheism."

 

If you make a triangle with the three rules provided by B. B. Warfield which are:

1. There is one God.
   
2. The Father and the Son and the Spirit is each God
   
3. The Father and the Son and the Spirit is each a distinct person
   

   
    

   Then you've described what we know about the Trinity. You can speculate inside the triangle all you want as long as you don't break one on the sides of the triangle. Please note that we do not believe a contradiction as some have claimed who didn't pay attention. We believe that God is three in person and one in essence. We may not understand how he does that, and in fact we believe that it is beyond our ability to fully understand, but we are not promoting a contradiction or logical fallacy.

The Prophecy of Isaiah – Lesson 36

We begin with a look at the relationship God declares between Himself and His people. We are His people. Again, He is the author and finisher of our faith.

 

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

Isaiah 43:1-3

 

I don't think it ever hit me before that God's promise here is for protection in the midst of judgment on a disobedient people. This is one of those verses that you put up on your wall or on a coffee cup and keep it traditionally out of context. It does tell us that because God has claimed us as a possession we will survive God's anger at our sin. World powers of the day were distracted from the relatively small and split Southern and Northern Kingdoms. Egypt was beautiful but God used them as a distraction to kingdoms like Assyria while He worked out salvation by keeping a people for Himself in Judah and Israel.

 

Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."

Isaiah 43:4-7

 

This verse hints at the atonement when it uses the illustration of giving "men in return for you" and "peoples in exchange for your life". The verse also foreshadows the work of God in the lives of so many that are not ethnically Israel but are never the less Abraham's offspring.

 

for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

Galatians 3:26-29

 

We see the promise fulfilled in our lives and in the lives of those around the world as God brings every type of person into the Body of Christ. We are God's children, called by His name, and created anew for His glory by His strength.

 

In the next portion of Scripture God uses the "courtroom" style again. He has one body in court that are blind and deaf. The other party in the courtroom is international.

 

Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true.

Isaiah 43:8-9

 

Those who are blind and deaf (but shouldn't be) are called as witnesses. There is a failure of those to whom God has revealed Himself. They don't understand and bear witness to His works and wisdom. So God must develop His own witnesses.

 

"You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.

Isaiah 43:10-11

 

God says to the blind and deaf that they are His witnesses. They are not effective witnesses but they should serve in that role. They were God's witness and servant by His choosing and their purpose was to know God, believe God, and understand what He revealed about Himself as God. But even with eyes and ears they don't fulfill their mission. Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 in Matthew 13:14-15 using these same comparisons for the religious people of His day. There is a spiritual blindness that we must work to avoid. God will bless but to sit and stagnate while surrounded by His Word is a tragic condition. It is the condition of many religious people.

 

God must be His own witness and He begins by stating that He is unique. He is the only God that ever was or ever will be.

 

I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and I am God. Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?"

Isaiah 43:12-13

 

God continues by stressing that He chose them and acted to save. He declares His omnipotence in declaration (foretelling) and making prophecy known. He declares His eternal character in "henceforth I am he) and He declares His omnipotence as well since no one can turn back God when He works.

 

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King."

Isaiah 43:14-15

 

Think through these verses with Egypt and the Exodus in mind. God promises that there will be an end to the Babylonian captivity. He says that they will be brought down because He is the Lord, He is the Holy One, He created Israel, and He is their King. These verses are bracketed by the use of "Holy One" as a name for God. His purposes in the Babylonian captivity are to punish sin and purify a people for Himself. The captivity isn't just a random event. It is an event with purpose.

 

God will put an end to the captivity.

 

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:

Isaiah 43:16-17

 

Here is a two verse summary of the Exodus. God will make a path in mighty waters and then extinguished an army opposed to the people of God. This a promise of God's redemption from the Babylonians.

 

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

Isaiah 43:18-21

 

These verses look forward in time to the "new thing" God will do as He redeems creation in the end times with a people that He has formed for Himself. Creation itself waits for God to finish His work of redemption so all of Creation can benefit. We sometimes forget that God will redeem the created world and not just make a heaven somewhere else (Romans 8:19-21).

 

The Prophecy of Isaiah – Lesson 35

We begin with a look at the relationship between Isaiah 42:16-17 and New Testament exposition of similar material. We are using Scripture to understand Scripture.



God's plans were plans from the foundation of the earth. He waited with holy patience and changed the landscape of salvation. What the law could not do because it functioned through human flesh God did by sending His own Son. That changed everything.

 

And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, "You are our gods."

Isaiah 42:16-17

 

He led this blind man in a way he did not know. He also led me in paths I couldn't walk though so He had to guide me. He is the author and finisher of my faith. He justified me and He will continue to work in my life to sanctify me.

 

I was not born again knowing these things intuitively. These things about my salvation and what happened to me are things I learn after salvation and not by sudden revelation at salvation. At my salvation I may not have understood at all that I was led and guided. I might even have taken the credit for my good decision and described my efforts in seeking God rather than His efforts in seeking me and moving me by the Holy Spirit. In reality, some of the first things I did were to take the credit for my good decision and attempt to evangelize from that position of pride. God had to explain to me that He made my heart live and He led me and He guided and guides me. I didn't learn the lesson early or easily.

 

He moved me from darkness into light (Ephesians 5:8) illuminates our future and prepares the way for us to walk as Children of Light. I think Scripture illuminates these verses of Isaiah best in Ephesians 2:8-17.

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10

 

Here is God's necessary sovereignty in our salvation experience. The start of our salvation is said to be monergistic because God must overcome our dead hearts by grace as a gift to justify us before God. You were not spiritually weak before salvation. You were spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and your mind was set on things of the flesh (Romans 8:5) and you were not inclined or able to submit to God (Romans 8:7-8). But God made you alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:5) and you were born not by blood, or the will of the flesh, or the will of man, but of God (John 1:13). This is so shocking that many do all they can to avoid force of Scripture on this point and cling to the idea that they chose God. We even had a nationwide evangelistic effort in 1976 and 1977 with the theme "I found it" (apparently revived in a smaller form in 2003 by CCC). Keep in mind that even if you climb a tree to see Jesus you will not be due any praise or commendation for your acrobatics at your salvation. Jesus will simply say that "the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10).

 

The working out of our salvation, often called sanctification, is said to be synergistic because God prepares works beforehand for us to embrace and do for His glory. We need to be active and prayerful. You won't surprise God or prevent Him from ultimately accomplishing His will but you may grieve the Holy Spirit if you neglect prayer and resist what God has prepared for you. God gets the glory because we are His workmanship doing works that He prepared for us.

 

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:11-12

 

"Therefore" is there so that we will look back and move forward in the complete Grace of God as we consider these verses. Our situation was hopeless in the extreme and to the utmost. We were separated from Christ because our wills were not subject to God and we would not will our wills to submit to God. The walls were down all the way to hell and you never noticed or understood your position. That made us unable in the deepest sense of the word to perform any action pleasing to God. We were also alienated from what God had promised to do in Israel and we had no part in the covenants of promise. We, each of us, had no hope. Ethic Israel now struggles in the position we as gentiles once held as aliens and strangers to the covenant written in the Blood of Christ. Remember that "no hope" doesn't mean a little tiny bit of hope. We were, and many around us are, utterly lost. Spontaneous generation was a myth of a few generations ago. Spontaneous regeneration is at least as great a myth. Regeneration is not spontaneous. On the contrary it is God breathed. It is like the wind; you don't see where it comes from or goes to but you see the impact . The unsaved heart needs resurrection not healing and our society and churches desperately need this in the form of a God breathed revival.

 

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Ephesians 2:8-17

 

We (most of us are ethnically Gentiles) were far off but the blood of Christ brings us near. He has made Gentile and Jew into one man or one body. His one body reconciles us and makes us one in Christ. Under the Blood (through the Cross), Christ has eliminated the hostility against God in both Jew and Gentile hearts and the hostility toward sin that God has for those Jews and Gentiles who are now one man. He preached peace for those who were near (the Jews) and peace to those who were far off (the Gentiles). I hope that you can appreciate the light that God has given to us who were in darkness to understand these things. We typically have very little appreciation for the bondage our wills held us in. We preach "free will" as if we are the masters of our fate but our brothers in the reformation knew better. God tells us these things so that we'll be bold in sharing our faith. I had a pastor once who wore an eye patch because he had an eye shot out while working as an evangelist in Cuba. He had to leave Cuba after the revolution but he did not worry about who he was talking to. He was in a convention center and was moving down a corridor when he met Mohammad Ali and so he took the opportunity to shake his hand and share his faith. He understood that if God could save him then he could save Ali. There was no essential difference because, as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God (Romans 3:10-11). But we who have been made alive can pray and see God move in the life of Mohammad Ali or our neighbor or coworker.

 

Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see! Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the Lord? He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious. But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue, spoil with none to say, "Restore!" Who among you will give ear to this, will attend and listen for the time to come? Who gave up Jacob to the looter, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned, in whose ways they would not walk, and whose law they would not obey? So he poured on him the heat of his anger and the might of battle; it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand; it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart.

Isaiah 42:18-25

 

I think in our age and society we see may of those exposed to the Gospel (but not converted by the Gospel) acting like the Old Testament Jews. We clearly have many who are nominal Christians in our nation today who don't see what God has demonstrated or hear what He has said. The basic information is there but the interpretation and understanding is lost. Seeing without observing. Hearing but not "hearing" in the sense that your parents used the word and said, "Do you hear me?"

 

When the Church in the United States has trouble, or when I have trouble, the first thing to do is to look at my relationship to the Word of God. I need to be in agreement with the Word and not disagreement. If I can keep my heart in agreement with the Word then difficulties in this world will just be opportunities for God to be glorified.

 

We have so many people worried about 2012 based on false prophets that NASA has had to respond to their worries about lies and insane ramblings. But who among those is worried about what God says. God's warnings are sure foundation but our culture is so deaf and blind that they don't even understand the real danger. They tell stories of a planet the ancient Sumerian's saw (without a telescope) or the danger of Eris in orbit around the sun more than 4 billion miles away from us out near Pluto and forget the danger of our Holy God who is right here right now and hates sin. We need to gently be ready to give an answer of the hope that is in us. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10), the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7), hatred of evil (Proverbs 8:13), prolongs life (Proverbs 10:27), brings strong confidence (Proverbs 14:26), is a fountain of life (Proverbs 14:27), makes what is little to be enough (Proverbs 15:16), a hedge against evil (Proverbs 16:6), riches, honor, and life (Proverbs 22:4).

 

But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

1 Peter 3:14-17

 

Our response should be without fear of man as we give the reasons for our hope in gentleness and respect so that our good behavior will put those who show bad behavior to shame in there eyes or in the eyes of others. If we are going to suffer for being Christians then we want it to be for good reasons and not bad reasons. How blessed we are to be the Seed of Abraham.

 

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Isaiah 43:1-2

 

God has formed us and redeemed us. Although these verses are generally taken to mean that God protects us from the storms of life, remember in context that judgment is coming and the greatest thing about your redemption is that the waters and fire of judgment will not destroy you. God's wrath for your sin has been satisfied in the perfect work of Christ on the Cross. Remember that the waters of baptism symbolize the wrath of God's judgment as illustrated by Noah's flood that you survive in Christ (1 Peter 3:21). We don't have just the baptism of repentance found in John but our baptism as Christians is an appeal to God for a good conscience by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He paid the price and His resurrection is evidence that His work was perfect and therefore we can be forgiven and found righteous in Him. It is also a firm foundation and a work our souls can find rest in.

 

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

"All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever."

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

1 Peter 1:22-25

 

So you see that this verse quoted from Isaiah is to comfort you in your salvation. You are no longer just a man born of the perishable seed of men. You have the imperishable Word of God inside of you that has made you alive when you were dead and that Word will remain alive forever. If you are a believer, the glory of the Lord will be revealed in you.

 

The Prophecy of Isaiah – Lesson 34

We begin this week with God proclaiming His greatness in creation and in context this is to be compared with false gods and idols.



Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: "I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."

Isaiah 42:5-9

 

God draws us back to remember His sovereignty over the heavens and also that He upholds it. If He were to withdrawn then the "breath" and "spirit" of all of us and all on the earth would be gone. He tells us these things so that we can rest in Him and have confidence in our salvation.

 

When we think about our security in our salvation it is verses such as these that I find really encouraging. God has called us in righteousness. He takes us by the hand and keeps us. We are a fulfillment of covenant as He helps us (For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Hebrews 2:16) in a testament written with His blood (In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 1 Corinthians 11:25).

 

Through the Church, Christ is a light to the nations, He opens eyes that are blind, and He sets prisoners free. God, through Isaiah declared all of this 700 years before the Cross and has made it real in our lives 2000 years after the cross.

 

Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the habitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare his praise in lthe coastlands.

Isaiah 42:10-12

 

When you sing a hymn today you are part of God's work in fulfillment of these verses. It isn't just Palestine that hears these words. It is every part of the world including you.

 

Did you ever think how many "new songs" have been sung to God? Songs are new in each heart made alive by the power of God. Songs are also new in languages that were previously without the Gospel. Pentecost sent forth many new songs but even in our outreach to Benin we may stimulate praise in a new language as unreached people become reached and in hearts that previously did not praise God. Likewise when God blesses evangelism in our community, then new songs come from hearts that were dead.

While the conqueror of Isaiah 41:1-4 provoked idolatry but God's Servant provokes worship.

 

The Lord goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes. For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools.

Isaiah 42:13-15

 

God's plan was such a plan full of wonder that God rejoices in its completion. His plans were plans from the foundation of the earth. He waited with holy patience and changed the landscape of salvation. What the law could not do because it functioned through human flesh God did by sending His own Son. That changed everything.

 

And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, "You are our gods."

Isaiah 42:16-17

 

He led this blind man in a way he did not know. He also led me in paths I couldn't walk though so He had to guide me. He is the author and finisher of my faith. He justified me and He will continue to work in my life to sanctify me. This is something I learn after salvation and not at salvation. At my salvation I may not have understood that I was led and guided. I might even have taken the credit for my good decision. I did take the credit for my good decision and tried to evangelize from that position of pride. God had to explain to me that He made my heart live and He led me and He guided and guides me.

 

He illuminates our future and prepares the way for us to walk. I think Scripture illuminates these verses of Isaiah best in Ephesians 2:8-17.

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

Here is God's sovereignty in our salvation experience. The start is said to be monergistic because God must overcome our dead hearts by grace as a gift to justify us before God. The working out is said to be synergistic because God prepares works beforehand that we should walk in them. We should act. We should pray. You won't confuse God or prevent Him from ultimately accomplishing His will but you may grieve the Holy Spirit if you neglect prayer and living out what God has prepared for you.

 

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

 

Our situation was hopeless in the extreme. We were separated by Christ because our wills were not subject to God and we would not willingly submit them to God. We were also alienated from what God had promised to do in Israel and we had no part in the covenants of promise. We, each of us, had no hope. And "no hope" doesn't mean a little tiny bit of hope. We were, and many around us are, utterly lost. Spontaneous generation was a myth of a few generations ago. Spontaneous regeneration is at least as great a myth. Regeneration is not spontaneous. On the contrary it is God breathed. It is like the wind; you don't see where it comes from or goes to but you see the impact. The unsaved heart needs resurrection not healing and our society needs this in the form of a revival.

 

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Ephesians 2:8-17

 

We (Gentiles) were far off but the blood of Christ brings us near. He has made Gentile and Jew one man. His one body reconciles us and makes us one in Christ. Under the Blood (through the Cross), Christ has eliminated the hostility against God in both Jew and Gentile hearts and the hostility toward sin that God has for those Jews and Gentiles who are now one man. He preached peace for those who were near (the Jews) and peace to those who were far off (the Gentiles). I hope that you can appreciate the light that God has given to us who were in darkness to understand these things.

 

Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see! Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the Lord? He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious. But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue, spoil with none to say, "Restore!" Who among you will give ear to this, will attend and listen for the time to come? Who gave up Jacob to the looter, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned, in whose ways they would not walk, and whose law they would not obey? So he poured on him the heat of his anger and the might of battle; it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand; it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart.

Isaiah 42:18-25

 

I think in our age and society we see may of those exposed to the Gospel (but not converted by the Gospel) acting like the Old Testament Jews. We clearly have many who are nominal Christians in our nation today who don't see what God has demonstrated or hear what He has said. The basic information is there but the interpretation and understanding is lost. Seeing without observing. Hearing but not "hearing" in the sense that your parents used the word and said, "Do you hear me?"

 

When the Church in the United States has trouble, or when I have trouble, the first thing to do is to look at my relationship to the Word of God. I need to be in agreement with the Word and not disagreement. If I can keep my heart in agreement with the Word then difficulties in this world will just be opportunities for God to be glorified.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Lesson 33

This week we see God continuing to point out how insane it is to trust in things other than God or to attribute God's attributes to any created thing.



Set forth your case, says the Lord; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob. Let them bring them, andtell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come. Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified.Behold,you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you.

Isaiah 41:21-24

The verses here are presented as a court case. God calls Himself “the King of Jacob” to temporarily continue the pattern of comparing Himself to Idols as the King of Jacob. In rebuking sinful men who build useless idols, God begins to call for attributes that only He as God can have. He asks for transcendence from these hunks of metal and wood. Either tell what will happen or tell what did happen. God calls for an explanation of the flow of history. Can you see through time in either direction? Then He asks for an idol that can do good or harm to put a reasonable fear in anyone's heart. These commands and statements are directed at the idols.

The idol truly is nothing with work that is less than nothing, literally, since they are made and can't make anything. To turn from the perfect God of all creation to a lump of metal or wood is an awful thing. However, we tend to place our trust in money. We look to money to provide a future for us. We must balance being good stewards of what God has given us against our tendency to this sin but we also must keep our hearts with diligence to keep them holy. We also need to only look to God for our future. This means that you'll be careful to avoid syncretistic activities like horoscopes, spiritualist teaching (increasingly popular in TV), lucky charms, study of pagan psychics such as Nostradamus, or even an ungodly fascination with those who try to predict the stock market. We are careful because we don't want to be abhorrent to God.

I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun,and he shall call upon my name; he shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay. Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know, and beforehand, that we might say, “ He is right”? There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed, none who heard your words.

I was the first to sayto Zion, “Behold, here they are!” andI give to Jerusalem a herald of good news. But when I look there is no one; among these there is no counselor who, when I ask, gives an answer. Behold, they are all a delusion; their works are nothing; their metal images are empty wind.

Isaiah 41:25-29

The one who is stirred up here is generally taken to be Cyrus (from the north but coming now from the east). The phrase “ he shall call upon my name” can also mean “he shall proclaim my name”. This man, by his actions, has fulfilled God's prophecy and even though he is a sinner he proclaimed God's name.

Judgment is an attribute of God that is not shared. In all world events and our personal lives we need to acknowledge God in great humility. Mortar and clay were mixed by treading on them and God is giving something that only God can give and He is sovereign.

Beholdmy servant, whom I uphold, my chosen,in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouragedtill he has established justice in the earth; andthe coastlands wait for his law.

Isaiah 42:1-4

This is the only “Servant Song” that begins with “ Behold”. We are commanded to behold Christ. To meditate upon Him. To consider all the ways He lived and all the things He taught. He doesn't need to shout and carry on but He will bring forth justice to the nations. In a sense, He has done that now with the atonement but we also wait for His coming and His perfect rule on earth.

The gentleness of Christ is in view as he will not destroy weak things. That is good news for us isn't it. He will work through our bruises and our faintly burning flames and restore us in justice. His righteousness becomes ours at the cross.