Alec Motyer sees another chiasm in Isaiah, this one in 29:9-14. This passage speaks about Zion in code (Ariel). It is probably the backdrop to the Sennacherib's near destruction of Jerusalem in 701 B.C. So this passage may have been written around 702/3 B.C.
Here is Motyer's chiastic analysis of the passage.
A Warning of crisis (vs 9)
.....B' Divine reaction: Torpor and blindness (9-10)
.........C' Human condition: mind without knowledge (11-12)
.........C2 Human condition: heart far from the Lord (13)
.....B2 Divine reation: wisdom and discernment (14)
The meditation focuses on the fact that hesitation can indicate a wilfull blindness to the things of God. This wilfull blindness to the things of God carries with it the possibility of the ultimate reaction of judgment by the Lord God.
Oswald calls this section: Blindness of rote religion (pg 529 Vol 1 NICOT on Isaiah)
The thought here is parallel to 28:7-13. Let me quote Oswalt on this since he is so clear. "Why will it be necessary for God to bring his people down to destruction before the salvation promised in 28:5-6 and 29:5-8 can be experienced? The answer is the same in each case: those who should be gifted with discernment, who should be able to perceive the mysterious workings of God in history, are so stupid that they cannot understand God's ways even when they are presented to them in plain script. As a result, the ordinary people are led astray by spurious wisdom and the nation is sunk in degradation. The result is that God wil once again, as in Egypt, have to do something shocking to show himself. But here, as in 28:21, the first shock will be destructive, so that new growht can come up." pg 530 NICOT Vol. 1
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Isaiah: 63-66: What was he trying to say?
Notes from Garrie Atkins' sermon at the Vineyard Church in Bloomington/Normal, IL delivered on December 30, 2007.
Read the poem, “Seasons”
Now, did anybody get anything out of that? Probably not many of you, I wonder why that is. Part of the reason may be that you have no idea what the poem is really about. You for sure don’t know why I wrote it or how it all came about. And finally if you don’t know me, then it will be hard for you to understand what I am trying to say and why I am saying it this way.
Let me explain it to you. For some reason that only God knows, if I stay quiet long enough God will sometimes speak to me through a poem. I don’t know why, I am not an especially good poet. But if I will hold still, He will allow the Holy Spirit to show me something about my life or someone else’s life that has a truth in it that can be backed up in his word. Now I may have read that portion of His word with a particular truth in it many times but somehow never did get the Rhema Word.
So one Sunday morning a couple of months ago at about 4 in the morning, I am lying in bed awake after letting the dog out for a walk and can not seem to get back to sleep. As I am lying there I start thinking about an issue that David and I had been discussing the day before and wondered how God was viewing that issue opposed to how the people involved saw it. So I got to thinking about how wherever we are in life, whether we are 5 or 50, the place where we are, is as far as we can usually see. And if we are in a place of lack we are quite sure that it is NEVER going to change.
I am never going to get out of school. I am never going to find a girl friend. I will never find a good job and I will probably never be able to buy a home. None of these things are true but if that is the place in life where you are, then that is as far as you may be able to see. The place where you are RIGHT NOW , will change. If you are working at a job that you hate, that will change. If your relationship with your husband or your wife or your parents or a friend is strained right now, that will change too. Things in this life do not stay the same forever. That includes everything except the love that God has for us.
So, lets look at the poem one more time knowing that bad situations don’t last forever. And the longer you live the more changes you will go through. Hopefully you will be aware of the season that you are in and have the proper clothing or tools to make it through it. It is also important to realize that no season ends the same way that it started. Things will have changed. You will have changed too.
Read the Poem a second time.
We have heard from the very beginning of our study in the book of Isaiah, what a great poet Isaiah was. But his writings have translated from at least 3 different languages before being translated into English. But if we were able to see it as it was originally written it would be beautiful. The complexity of the rhyming and how he make references to things through out the book is surly proof that he did not write it without help for the Holy Spirit. That is the one thing that all of the Great Prophets of the Old Testament had in common. The Holy Spirit would “come upon them” so they could hear God. We have something even better than that, we have the Holy Spirit “living in us”. How clear should His voice be to us?
Well, I like poetry as well as the next guy but if you don’t understand what the writer is truly trying to say, then he has wasted his time and yours. So lets look at as much as we can of the end of Isaiah with a little bit of understanding of what he is trying to say to us.
Man’s relationship with God had been strained ever since the Garden of Eden. From Adam to Noah to Moses God sought to keep his relationship with man alive. Through Abraham he found a man who had faith, but that seemed to last for only a few (seasons) too. Through Judges and Kings his people tried to live in a world full of sin and yet somehow serve a God whom could not look upon the sins in their lives. The book of Isaiah finds itself somewhere in the middle of all of this. The sins of the people had put the nation of Israel in a position where God could not protect them. The once great nation found itself over run by it’s neighbors time and time again and they didn’t know why. As a matter of fact they would blame God for many of their wows.
Yet God reveals in these chapters of Isaiah that it is not He who has pulled away but them. He has not changed. Does that sound familiar to you. It should. It applies to mankind, TO US, today also. As true as the theme of Isaiah was to the people he originally wrote it to, they are the same sharp two-edged swords (words) today. Lets look.
Isaiah 63:1-6, (Finally). God is coming Himself from Edom. Edom is a country south east of the Dead Sea whose capital is Bozrah. The name Edom means ‘Red” but it is sometimes used to as a word picture to describe the nations who do not obey God. God often uses men to carry out His will, but He has searched in vain for righteous men to help. The picture given of His crushing of His enemies for rebelling against Him is one of a person working in a winepress. As they would crush the grapes by walking on them inside the winepress, the bottoms of their garments would get stained with the grape juice. The same thing has happened to the ends of God’s garments. But this stain is blood. The blood of the enemy’s of His Kingdom as He alone was carrying out His judgement.
Isaiah 63: 7-14, (This seems like a great place to lighten things up a little). Let’s find something more positive to think about. How about remembering some of the things that God has done for his people in the past. How about mentioning His lovingkindness and His great goodness? How about His compassion and the fact that He chose us? Nothing that man can do was worthy of His love for us. But because of His covenant with Abraham, His Word was at stake. He could not give up on us. BUT, there is a difference between giving up and turning away. So guess what happens next? Yep, God’s people turn from Him. The God of Moses, who brought their ancestors through the Red Sea, the God who give them the strength of horses and the peace of grazing cattle, from Him they go in search of other gods.
Isaiah 63:15-19, (Ok here we go). Let’s go with the old football mentality. The best defense is a good offense. The situation we are in is not OUR fault, it is God’s fault. Surely He has caused us to harden our hearts and to stray from Him. Life has so many shinny distractions that catch our eye. If He would only look down on us and see the condition He has cause us to be in, surely He will help us, if nothing more than for the sake of his good name. After all, His name is on the covenant too.
Isaiah 64: 1-3, (Here is what you should have done). If you would tear open the skies and come down to earth your very presence would cause the mountains to tremble. Just as fire consumes everything in it’s path, You too would have consumed all of those who oppress your people. All of the nations around us would know it was you because of these signs that it was you. You have done these things in the past, (remember Moses), we think its about time again.
Isaiah 64 4-7, (Yes, BUT). There is NO God like our God. When we have the faith to believe in who you say you are and what you say you can do, we are never disappointed. BUT, we can not see to stop our wicked ways. The pull of the world is louder and brighter than our memories of you. Like the autumn wind blows the dry leaves where it wills, so we are carried by and suffer the consequences of our sins.
Isaiah 64: 8-12, (We think we have suffered enough). Lord, you are still our Father, made by your very hands. We are still your people, haven’t we suffered enough? Look at all the terrible things that have happened to us, to the things that we love. (I mean to the things that YOU love). How long must we suffer, how long will you wait.
Isaiah 65: 1-7, (OK, here’s your answer, but you may not like it). I have been here ALL ALONG. Where have you been? Did you walk in my ways, did you seek me in your prayers? (NO). You have your own plans. Plans that have no eternal value. And you provoke me by even bringing these plans before other gods. You sit in grave yards and seek council from the dead. You consume things that I have forbidden and then have the NERVE to tell others not to come to close, they might defile your holiness. Well, in the same way that if you get just a little bit of smoke on your cloths or in your nostrils and you seem to smell it all day long, THAT is how your idol worship is before me. You need to remember that, THEY CAN NOT make you holy. Only I can do that. You’re self-righteous attitude will only bring condemnation on you, and your children, and your children’s children because of the examples that you are setting for them to follow. It is you who have earned these wages, and I am bound (by my words) to repay.
Isaiah 65:8-10, (I will not throw out the baby WITH the bath water). God will not destroy all of Israel. There are some worth saving. Just like a basket of grapes that have good and bad grapes mixed together, the wine that you are hoping to make is well worth the time it takes to separate the bad grapes from the good ones. Like the good grapes, God will preserve some. He has special place for them too. Sharon, (a flat plain just south of Mt. Carmel) and a valley called Anchor. Both places with fertile soil and will be a place of peace and plenty for his people. (Not all who call themselves)
Isaiah 65: 11-16, (To be, or not to be, that is the question, that is a choice, that is your choice). The difference between those who choose to God and those who don’t may never be said any clearer. For those who follow gods like Gad (fortune, good luck) or Meni (fate or destiny), their gods can not decide their future for them. Their luck will run out, and their fate is destruction. People will curse your name because of what you have done. But those who follow the one true God who’s name means, (truth, amen) will be blessed and their iniquities He will no longer remember.
Isaiah 65:17-25, (Well were movin on up, to the East Side). Right in the midst of all the destruction that is around them, God tries to describe what He has in store for them. It will be a beautiful place, one that is full of joy. Not only will this place bring Gods people joy, but it will bring God joy also. For a people who have always been looking over their shoulders, ready to flee before an enemy, this place will be a place of permanence. The houses they build will be their houses. The vineyards they plant will produce their wines. Their children will grow up there and they will live lives that could be measured in centuries. Former adversaries will live in harmony and before we can even finish asking Him, God will have answered our prayer.
Isaiah 66: 1-2, (What do you give the man who has everything?) God has created the heavens and the earth. With the help of no one else he makes the heavens his throne and the earth his foot stool. What could you possibly give him that He would want? A religion that is traditional and empty or a relationship that is based on a sincere desire to love Him? God will never disappoint those who truly trust in him.
Isaiah 66: 3-4, (The man behind the curtain). Unlike Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, God knows what’s going on behind the curtain. Your traditions and acts of worship may appear to be holy on the outside, but God can see on the inside. To him what you say you are doing in on His behalf is as bad as someone who commits murder or would even break a dog’s neck. Your “gifts” have the same effect as if you had thrown pigs blood on my altar. But you have chosen to do what pleases you, so I will choose what your punishment will be.
Isaiah 66: 5-6 (Let him who has ears, listen). Those who know me know my Word. Those who don’t, mock it. Those who mock it say; lets see your God get you out of the mess your in now. If He can do that then we will believe in him because of how happy you are. But God will not respond to their fleece, as a matter of fact if you listen you can hear the sounds of his judgement on them in the distance right now.
Isaiah 66: 7-11 (On your mark, get set, …) God is not a god who starts something and then doesn’t finish it. Everyone knows that for a baby to be born, a woman must go through a certain amount of pain. And no woman trying to have a child, who has gone through 9 months of pregnancy and is holding her baby to her breast would tell you that it wasn’t worth the pain she had to go through. The same thing is true of birthing a nation. Look at what our founding fathers had to go through to birth this nation. But oh is it ever worth it. Look at how many of our ancestors came to this nation because of what it represented. Oh how they sought for the security of the promise land.
Isaiah 66: 12-14 (God Bless America, land that I love…) In the same way that we envision the United States of America as a place of security and prosperity, God says that is how his people will view Jerusalem. The same way that a flowing mountain stream seams to never run out of cold clear water, so will it seem of the blessings that He has in store for them. The safety a child feels in its mother’s arms is how its people will feel in city. This will not go unnoticed by those who are not residents there.
Isaiah 66: 15-17 (Some should be smelling the smoke) Fire is an all consuming thing. What is left behind after a fire is of little use. Here again God is portrayed as an all-consuming fire on those who oppose him. They will not be able to hide in their gardens where they worship their idols. There will be great loss of life but we are not sure just how God will implement this judgement. Something to think about though, what does God call his mighty sword in the New Testament of the Bible?
Isaiah 66: 18-24 (Hey! I can see the finish line)God knows who it is that opposes him, and they will not go unpunished. But not all people reject God. For some of those He has a special assignment. That assignment is to go and show His glory to all the nations and bring them back and they will be like gifts to God. Kind of sounds like “GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS” don’t it? Anything that God creates he supports. So this “New Jerusalem” will be up held by His power for all time. But there is one final reminder. God is the source of life. If YOU choose to remove yourself from that life source, then it is you who have set your fate in motion. You end will be destruction, total destruction. But it is a kind that only comes from separating yourself from God, for this destruction NEVER ENDS.
Read the poem, “Seasons”
Now, did anybody get anything out of that? Probably not many of you, I wonder why that is. Part of the reason may be that you have no idea what the poem is really about. You for sure don’t know why I wrote it or how it all came about. And finally if you don’t know me, then it will be hard for you to understand what I am trying to say and why I am saying it this way.
Let me explain it to you. For some reason that only God knows, if I stay quiet long enough God will sometimes speak to me through a poem. I don’t know why, I am not an especially good poet. But if I will hold still, He will allow the Holy Spirit to show me something about my life or someone else’s life that has a truth in it that can be backed up in his word. Now I may have read that portion of His word with a particular truth in it many times but somehow never did get the Rhema Word.
So one Sunday morning a couple of months ago at about 4 in the morning, I am lying in bed awake after letting the dog out for a walk and can not seem to get back to sleep. As I am lying there I start thinking about an issue that David and I had been discussing the day before and wondered how God was viewing that issue opposed to how the people involved saw it. So I got to thinking about how wherever we are in life, whether we are 5 or 50, the place where we are, is as far as we can usually see. And if we are in a place of lack we are quite sure that it is NEVER going to change.
I am never going to get out of school. I am never going to find a girl friend. I will never find a good job and I will probably never be able to buy a home. None of these things are true but if that is the place in life where you are, then that is as far as you may be able to see. The place where you are RIGHT NOW , will change. If you are working at a job that you hate, that will change. If your relationship with your husband or your wife or your parents or a friend is strained right now, that will change too. Things in this life do not stay the same forever. That includes everything except the love that God has for us.
So, lets look at the poem one more time knowing that bad situations don’t last forever. And the longer you live the more changes you will go through. Hopefully you will be aware of the season that you are in and have the proper clothing or tools to make it through it. It is also important to realize that no season ends the same way that it started. Things will have changed. You will have changed too.
Read the Poem a second time.
We have heard from the very beginning of our study in the book of Isaiah, what a great poet Isaiah was. But his writings have translated from at least 3 different languages before being translated into English. But if we were able to see it as it was originally written it would be beautiful. The complexity of the rhyming and how he make references to things through out the book is surly proof that he did not write it without help for the Holy Spirit. That is the one thing that all of the Great Prophets of the Old Testament had in common. The Holy Spirit would “come upon them” so they could hear God. We have something even better than that, we have the Holy Spirit “living in us”. How clear should His voice be to us?
Well, I like poetry as well as the next guy but if you don’t understand what the writer is truly trying to say, then he has wasted his time and yours. So lets look at as much as we can of the end of Isaiah with a little bit of understanding of what he is trying to say to us.
Man’s relationship with God had been strained ever since the Garden of Eden. From Adam to Noah to Moses God sought to keep his relationship with man alive. Through Abraham he found a man who had faith, but that seemed to last for only a few (seasons) too. Through Judges and Kings his people tried to live in a world full of sin and yet somehow serve a God whom could not look upon the sins in their lives. The book of Isaiah finds itself somewhere in the middle of all of this. The sins of the people had put the nation of Israel in a position where God could not protect them. The once great nation found itself over run by it’s neighbors time and time again and they didn’t know why. As a matter of fact they would blame God for many of their wows.
Yet God reveals in these chapters of Isaiah that it is not He who has pulled away but them. He has not changed. Does that sound familiar to you. It should. It applies to mankind, TO US, today also. As true as the theme of Isaiah was to the people he originally wrote it to, they are the same sharp two-edged swords (words) today. Lets look.
Isaiah 63:1-6, (Finally). God is coming Himself from Edom. Edom is a country south east of the Dead Sea whose capital is Bozrah. The name Edom means ‘Red” but it is sometimes used to as a word picture to describe the nations who do not obey God. God often uses men to carry out His will, but He has searched in vain for righteous men to help. The picture given of His crushing of His enemies for rebelling against Him is one of a person working in a winepress. As they would crush the grapes by walking on them inside the winepress, the bottoms of their garments would get stained with the grape juice. The same thing has happened to the ends of God’s garments. But this stain is blood. The blood of the enemy’s of His Kingdom as He alone was carrying out His judgement.
Isaiah 63: 7-14, (This seems like a great place to lighten things up a little). Let’s find something more positive to think about. How about remembering some of the things that God has done for his people in the past. How about mentioning His lovingkindness and His great goodness? How about His compassion and the fact that He chose us? Nothing that man can do was worthy of His love for us. But because of His covenant with Abraham, His Word was at stake. He could not give up on us. BUT, there is a difference between giving up and turning away. So guess what happens next? Yep, God’s people turn from Him. The God of Moses, who brought their ancestors through the Red Sea, the God who give them the strength of horses and the peace of grazing cattle, from Him they go in search of other gods.
Isaiah 63:15-19, (Ok here we go). Let’s go with the old football mentality. The best defense is a good offense. The situation we are in is not OUR fault, it is God’s fault. Surely He has caused us to harden our hearts and to stray from Him. Life has so many shinny distractions that catch our eye. If He would only look down on us and see the condition He has cause us to be in, surely He will help us, if nothing more than for the sake of his good name. After all, His name is on the covenant too.
Isaiah 64: 1-3, (Here is what you should have done). If you would tear open the skies and come down to earth your very presence would cause the mountains to tremble. Just as fire consumes everything in it’s path, You too would have consumed all of those who oppress your people. All of the nations around us would know it was you because of these signs that it was you. You have done these things in the past, (remember Moses), we think its about time again.
Isaiah 64 4-7, (Yes, BUT). There is NO God like our God. When we have the faith to believe in who you say you are and what you say you can do, we are never disappointed. BUT, we can not see to stop our wicked ways. The pull of the world is louder and brighter than our memories of you. Like the autumn wind blows the dry leaves where it wills, so we are carried by and suffer the consequences of our sins.
Isaiah 64: 8-12, (We think we have suffered enough). Lord, you are still our Father, made by your very hands. We are still your people, haven’t we suffered enough? Look at all the terrible things that have happened to us, to the things that we love. (I mean to the things that YOU love). How long must we suffer, how long will you wait.
Isaiah 65: 1-7, (OK, here’s your answer, but you may not like it). I have been here ALL ALONG. Where have you been? Did you walk in my ways, did you seek me in your prayers? (NO). You have your own plans. Plans that have no eternal value. And you provoke me by even bringing these plans before other gods. You sit in grave yards and seek council from the dead. You consume things that I have forbidden and then have the NERVE to tell others not to come to close, they might defile your holiness. Well, in the same way that if you get just a little bit of smoke on your cloths or in your nostrils and you seem to smell it all day long, THAT is how your idol worship is before me. You need to remember that, THEY CAN NOT make you holy. Only I can do that. You’re self-righteous attitude will only bring condemnation on you, and your children, and your children’s children because of the examples that you are setting for them to follow. It is you who have earned these wages, and I am bound (by my words) to repay.
Isaiah 65:8-10, (I will not throw out the baby WITH the bath water). God will not destroy all of Israel. There are some worth saving. Just like a basket of grapes that have good and bad grapes mixed together, the wine that you are hoping to make is well worth the time it takes to separate the bad grapes from the good ones. Like the good grapes, God will preserve some. He has special place for them too. Sharon, (a flat plain just south of Mt. Carmel) and a valley called Anchor. Both places with fertile soil and will be a place of peace and plenty for his people. (Not all who call themselves)
Isaiah 65: 11-16, (To be, or not to be, that is the question, that is a choice, that is your choice). The difference between those who choose to God and those who don’t may never be said any clearer. For those who follow gods like Gad (fortune, good luck) or Meni (fate or destiny), their gods can not decide their future for them. Their luck will run out, and their fate is destruction. People will curse your name because of what you have done. But those who follow the one true God who’s name means, (truth, amen) will be blessed and their iniquities He will no longer remember.
Isaiah 65:17-25, (Well were movin on up, to the East Side). Right in the midst of all the destruction that is around them, God tries to describe what He has in store for them. It will be a beautiful place, one that is full of joy. Not only will this place bring Gods people joy, but it will bring God joy also. For a people who have always been looking over their shoulders, ready to flee before an enemy, this place will be a place of permanence. The houses they build will be their houses. The vineyards they plant will produce their wines. Their children will grow up there and they will live lives that could be measured in centuries. Former adversaries will live in harmony and before we can even finish asking Him, God will have answered our prayer.
Isaiah 66: 1-2, (What do you give the man who has everything?) God has created the heavens and the earth. With the help of no one else he makes the heavens his throne and the earth his foot stool. What could you possibly give him that He would want? A religion that is traditional and empty or a relationship that is based on a sincere desire to love Him? God will never disappoint those who truly trust in him.
Isaiah 66: 3-4, (The man behind the curtain). Unlike Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, God knows what’s going on behind the curtain. Your traditions and acts of worship may appear to be holy on the outside, but God can see on the inside. To him what you say you are doing in on His behalf is as bad as someone who commits murder or would even break a dog’s neck. Your “gifts” have the same effect as if you had thrown pigs blood on my altar. But you have chosen to do what pleases you, so I will choose what your punishment will be.
Isaiah 66: 5-6 (Let him who has ears, listen). Those who know me know my Word. Those who don’t, mock it. Those who mock it say; lets see your God get you out of the mess your in now. If He can do that then we will believe in him because of how happy you are. But God will not respond to their fleece, as a matter of fact if you listen you can hear the sounds of his judgement on them in the distance right now.
Isaiah 66: 7-11 (On your mark, get set, …) God is not a god who starts something and then doesn’t finish it. Everyone knows that for a baby to be born, a woman must go through a certain amount of pain. And no woman trying to have a child, who has gone through 9 months of pregnancy and is holding her baby to her breast would tell you that it wasn’t worth the pain she had to go through. The same thing is true of birthing a nation. Look at what our founding fathers had to go through to birth this nation. But oh is it ever worth it. Look at how many of our ancestors came to this nation because of what it represented. Oh how they sought for the security of the promise land.
Isaiah 66: 12-14 (God Bless America, land that I love…) In the same way that we envision the United States of America as a place of security and prosperity, God says that is how his people will view Jerusalem. The same way that a flowing mountain stream seams to never run out of cold clear water, so will it seem of the blessings that He has in store for them. The safety a child feels in its mother’s arms is how its people will feel in city. This will not go unnoticed by those who are not residents there.
Isaiah 66: 15-17 (Some should be smelling the smoke) Fire is an all consuming thing. What is left behind after a fire is of little use. Here again God is portrayed as an all-consuming fire on those who oppose him. They will not be able to hide in their gardens where they worship their idols. There will be great loss of life but we are not sure just how God will implement this judgement. Something to think about though, what does God call his mighty sword in the New Testament of the Bible?
Isaiah 66: 18-24 (Hey! I can see the finish line)God knows who it is that opposes him, and they will not go unpunished. But not all people reject God. For some of those He has a special assignment. That assignment is to go and show His glory to all the nations and bring them back and they will be like gifts to God. Kind of sounds like “GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS” don’t it? Anything that God creates he supports. So this “New Jerusalem” will be up held by His power for all time. But there is one final reminder. God is the source of life. If YOU choose to remove yourself from that life source, then it is you who have set your fate in motion. You end will be destruction, total destruction. But it is a kind that only comes from separating yourself from God, for this destruction NEVER ENDS.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
The Greater Deliverance Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Look at God's servant Jesus
A constant aim in studying scripture is always to find how the scripture points to Jesus. We know that everything in scripture ultimately points us to Jesus. The bible encourages us to not just read the bible.
Not to just study the bible. Not to just memorize the bible. We are inspired to go beyond reading, studying and memorizing and into the transformational process of turning the scripture over and over in our hearts.
As we do this, the scripture penetrates our inner most being, illuminating us so that we can see our way. Illuminating us so that we can find our purpose, our Maker's pinpoints of conviction, inspiration and leadings on how to go forward. Here's what David resolved in his heart about these things.
ESV Psalm 119:15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
As the revelation in scripture of meditation and focusing our attention on the ways of the Lord develops, someone arrives on the scene who will radically redefine all of these things. Jesus laid claim directly to this when he said "I am the way" in John 14:6. Jesus essentially is saying that if you want to know God the Father's ways like David did in Psalm 119:15 that you need to come to Him. Jesus is the way of the Lord. This is just one reason why we are going to take several weeks early next year to study the 'Sermon on the mount' in Matthew.
Now we are told in Hebrews 12:2 to fix our eyes on Jesus. This command is especially in light of what Jesus did as he endured the cross. Jesus scorned the shame of the cross and then was exalted and seated at the right hand of God's throne. The goal of this command in Hebrews 12 is to put wind in our sails. Resist sin. Meditate on Jesus and his enduring the cross. You will find gratitude, grace and God's presence to enable you to press on through your personal battles against sin. You will find gratitude, grace and God's presence to enable you to press on through your temptations to stop running. All of us grow weary, even Jesus grew weary. But He found the secret to endurance, and He never stopped running well while on the earth. Now He is seated in glory!
NIV Hebrews 12:1 ¶ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 ¶ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
When we fix our attention on Jesus, we see that He
Acts wisely
The entire 'What would Jesus do" i premised on the seed idea that Jesus
did everything He did by the Father's leading. He did everything He did without
sin.
High & Lifted up
High & Lifted up implies: The Majesty of the Son and requires that He be the God of Israel.
ESV Isaiah 6:1 ¶ In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
ESV Ezekiel 1:26 ¶ And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
High & Lifted up also implies: The bronze serpent lifted up on a pole: God's antidote to the deadly
venom of desert snakes.
Just like we often become, God's people became impatient on their life journey. Out of their impatience they spoke against God. They spoke against their leader Moses. The Lord responded with a judgment on them...fiery serpents began biting the people. Their deadly venom killed many people.
ESV Numbers 21:4 ¶ From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food." 6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
Jesus shows us why this event is recorded in the Bible for us. In His famous Nicodemus discussion Jesus ties the serpent on a pole event to His own crucifixion. The key word linking them is the term
"lifted up". Moses lifted up the serpent for healing everyone. Jesus was lifted up for the healing of everyone.
ESV John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 ¶ "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
So in this little Isaianic reference to the Servant, we see that he is high and lifted up. This means He is God seated above the heavens. It also means that he is the One to be crucified for all mankind. As we unfold the fourth Servant song we will see this more clearly.
It is awesome.
The next phrase is that the Servant...
Shall be exalted
This is also a dual reference. In his humiliating crucifixion Jesus scorned the shame of the cross and his Kingly humility was revealed. He also has been exalted by God's power exerted on his dead body to physically raise him from the dead. He has been raised up through the heavens in front of his disciples to be seated at the right hand of God the Father. All of these elements are linked to the very general 'shall be exalted' phrase! More awesomeness.
Astonishment from looking at Jesus
Considering the fact that this Servant whom we are singing this poetic song about, considering the fact that He is God and that He is the healing of the nations, it is astonishing that He was disfigured. It's appalling how badly he was treated. Couldn't God have protected his most glorious servant? It says he was disfigured. He was marred.
I saw a man the other day walking through a grocery store here in town. His entire face was scarred from some sort of fire. His nose, lips, eyebrows, cheeks, chin, forehead, were all marred by some sort of fire.I don't know if I have ever seen anyone in our city as physically marred or disfigured as this man was. I've seen children who were disfigured in their faces from radiation therapy. Radiation given to a child who is not grown up will usually cause the part of the face that is radiated repeatedly to stop growing. The result is that children like this will have a child's jaw on one side of their face and an adult jaw on the other side. The disfigurement is very difficult to look at. I've seen many children like that. There is an Iraqi child in the news right now whose face is completely destroyed. They are reconstructing his face slowly.
Last month an Iraqi child who had been blown apart was being worked on.
IRAQ-JORDAN: Burying the eye to heal the mind
BBSNews 2007-11-10 -- AMMAN (IRIN) Abdullah Hussein (not his real name) could not contain his emotions when the doctor handed him his son's left eye after it was surgically removed.
Salehe is another Iraqi child receiving treatment from MSF in Jordan.
"What is left of my son? His legs are gone and now I carry his eye in my hands to bury it," the Iraqi man told the doctor before bursting into tears. Hussein's son, seven-year-old Ali, lost half his face and both legs in a Baghdad explosion early this year. The boy is receiving treatment at a hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the French NGO, which has rented a ward in a Red Crescent Society hospital to treat Iraqi war victims.
The group focuses on reconstruction surgery of facial injuries, including fractures; bone, skin and soft tissue defects, bone loss and severe burns. Ali's eye will be replaced by a plastic one.
For MSF doctors, healing the minds of family members is equally important. Ali and his father are also receiving psychological treatment.
"The father was having difficulty accepting what happened to his son. Burying the physical part will help in the mourning process. It was necessary to provide him with the eye in order for him to deal with reality," said Joséphine Anthoine-Milhomme, an MSF psychologist.
vs 15: the term sprinkle here has an alternative translation: Startle. There are two reasons for favoring the translation startle. 1) The way the grammar is constructed, there is no liquid identified to be sprinkled, and every other use of the term sprinkled includes an object. This sentence doesn't really make sense if we interpret it to say that the nations are like salt in a shaker that the Lord is sprinkling out...does he really mean the servant is sprinkling nations out? I don't think so. To assume that the object of the sprinkling is the blood of Christ is just that, it is an assumption that makes the grammar function in a way that is never found in any other use. 2) The parallel thought is that the people were astonished at the appearance of the Servant. So if we translate this as startle, it deepens the parallel thought. In other words, they were so astonished by what they saw that it startled them! This is how I see this passage. Jesus' appearance and actions were startling! How could someone so bloodied be a savior? How could this be God in the flesh? How unbelievable!!
This fits verse 14 & 15 more closely in my opinion.
Astonishment & Rejection (53:1-3)
53:1-3 The Servant is unwelcome. The Servant is unattractive. The Servant was despised. He was rejected. He was a man of sorrows. He was a man familiar with suffering. He was not esteemed.
ESV John 12:35 So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 ¶ While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
Jesus was familiar with Isaiah's prophecy and cooperated fully with the leading of the Holy Spirit to fulfill these prophetic words.
ESV Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"
Mathe 8:16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "He took our illnesses and bore our diseases."
Punished for others (53:4-6)
'We' assume his punishment was for his own wicked behavior. However it was not for himself, but for us that he was punished.
This demonstrates the seriousness of our sins. What we trivialize, God truly must oppose.
Unjustly punished (53:7-9)
Humility is the key revelation here.
ESV Philippians 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Many were made righteous (53:10-12)
again
Phil 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 1
Christ has made us righteous by his own blood sprinkled in the Holy place.
ESV Hebrews 9:12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
ESV Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.
By faith we are made good before God.
It was God's will to crush Christ for us. This doesn't mean He likes Jesus' suffering. God is not sadistic. God grieved over the death of Christ. Romans 3:25 says that God put Christ forward as a sacrifice for us. It's not that God was happy about the harm his son received, but that God, in His love for all of us, chose the greater good. Out of HIs love for us he offered His only son as a sacrifice for us.
Christ endured his agonizing death because of the joy of seeing his 'offspring'. These are all who would come to the Father through faith in Him because His death was an atoning sacrifice. It's precisely because he was the suffering Servant sung about in the fourth Servant song, Isaiah 52:13-53:12 that Christ knew his reward would be worth the agonizing pain he faced. So Christ scorned the shame of the cross and endured with perfect suffering.
By meditating on Christ's suffering: Why he endured such pain when he could have stopped it...how he motivated himself to do such a difficult thing...these meditations will enable you and I to continue in our difficult seasons of life. Don't quit. Press on. Find the strength to carry on by meditating on Christ. He is the way.
Not only this, but Christ indwelling all who receive Him...Christ in us enables us to do all things we are called to do. No matter how difficult our challenge, He enables us to continue running. So let the presence and word of Christ dwell in your hearts richly by faith. May your soul be a fountain of living water overflowing in all of life. The fountain is on when you "turn your eyes on Jesus. Look full into his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim. In the light of his glory and grace."
A constant aim in studying scripture is always to find how the scripture points to Jesus. We know that everything in scripture ultimately points us to Jesus. The bible encourages us to not just read the bible.
Not to just study the bible. Not to just memorize the bible. We are inspired to go beyond reading, studying and memorizing and into the transformational process of turning the scripture over and over in our hearts.
As we do this, the scripture penetrates our inner most being, illuminating us so that we can see our way. Illuminating us so that we can find our purpose, our Maker's pinpoints of conviction, inspiration and leadings on how to go forward. Here's what David resolved in his heart about these things.
ESV Psalm 119:15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
As the revelation in scripture of meditation and focusing our attention on the ways of the Lord develops, someone arrives on the scene who will radically redefine all of these things. Jesus laid claim directly to this when he said "I am the way" in John 14:6. Jesus essentially is saying that if you want to know God the Father's ways like David did in Psalm 119:15 that you need to come to Him. Jesus is the way of the Lord. This is just one reason why we are going to take several weeks early next year to study the 'Sermon on the mount' in Matthew.
Now we are told in Hebrews 12:2 to fix our eyes on Jesus. This command is especially in light of what Jesus did as he endured the cross. Jesus scorned the shame of the cross and then was exalted and seated at the right hand of God's throne. The goal of this command in Hebrews 12 is to put wind in our sails. Resist sin. Meditate on Jesus and his enduring the cross. You will find gratitude, grace and God's presence to enable you to press on through your personal battles against sin. You will find gratitude, grace and God's presence to enable you to press on through your temptations to stop running. All of us grow weary, even Jesus grew weary. But He found the secret to endurance, and He never stopped running well while on the earth. Now He is seated in glory!
NIV Hebrews 12:1 ¶ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 ¶ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
When we fix our attention on Jesus, we see that He
Acts wisely
The entire 'What would Jesus do" i premised on the seed idea that Jesus
did everything He did by the Father's leading. He did everything He did without
sin.
High & Lifted up
High & Lifted up implies: The Majesty of the Son and requires that He be the God of Israel.
ESV Isaiah 6:1 ¶ In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
ESV Ezekiel 1:26 ¶ And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
High & Lifted up also implies: The bronze serpent lifted up on a pole: God's antidote to the deadly
venom of desert snakes.
Just like we often become, God's people became impatient on their life journey. Out of their impatience they spoke against God. They spoke against their leader Moses. The Lord responded with a judgment on them...fiery serpents began biting the people. Their deadly venom killed many people.
ESV Numbers 21:4 ¶ From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food." 6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
Jesus shows us why this event is recorded in the Bible for us. In His famous Nicodemus discussion Jesus ties the serpent on a pole event to His own crucifixion. The key word linking them is the term
"lifted up". Moses lifted up the serpent for healing everyone. Jesus was lifted up for the healing of everyone.
ESV John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 ¶ "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
So in this little Isaianic reference to the Servant, we see that he is high and lifted up. This means He is God seated above the heavens. It also means that he is the One to be crucified for all mankind. As we unfold the fourth Servant song we will see this more clearly.
It is awesome.
The next phrase is that the Servant...
Shall be exalted
This is also a dual reference. In his humiliating crucifixion Jesus scorned the shame of the cross and his Kingly humility was revealed. He also has been exalted by God's power exerted on his dead body to physically raise him from the dead. He has been raised up through the heavens in front of his disciples to be seated at the right hand of God the Father. All of these elements are linked to the very general 'shall be exalted' phrase! More awesomeness.
Astonishment from looking at Jesus
Considering the fact that this Servant whom we are singing this poetic song about, considering the fact that He is God and that He is the healing of the nations, it is astonishing that He was disfigured. It's appalling how badly he was treated. Couldn't God have protected his most glorious servant? It says he was disfigured. He was marred.
I saw a man the other day walking through a grocery store here in town. His entire face was scarred from some sort of fire. His nose, lips, eyebrows, cheeks, chin, forehead, were all marred by some sort of fire.I don't know if I have ever seen anyone in our city as physically marred or disfigured as this man was. I've seen children who were disfigured in their faces from radiation therapy. Radiation given to a child who is not grown up will usually cause the part of the face that is radiated repeatedly to stop growing. The result is that children like this will have a child's jaw on one side of their face and an adult jaw on the other side. The disfigurement is very difficult to look at. I've seen many children like that. There is an Iraqi child in the news right now whose face is completely destroyed. They are reconstructing his face slowly.
Last month an Iraqi child who had been blown apart was being worked on.
IRAQ-JORDAN: Burying the eye to heal the mind
BBSNews 2007-11-10 -- AMMAN (IRIN) Abdullah Hussein (not his real name) could not contain his emotions when the doctor handed him his son's left eye after it was surgically removed.
Salehe is another Iraqi child receiving treatment from MSF in Jordan.
"What is left of my son? His legs are gone and now I carry his eye in my hands to bury it," the Iraqi man told the doctor before bursting into tears. Hussein's son, seven-year-old Ali, lost half his face and both legs in a Baghdad explosion early this year. The boy is receiving treatment at a hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the French NGO, which has rented a ward in a Red Crescent Society hospital to treat Iraqi war victims.
The group focuses on reconstruction surgery of facial injuries, including fractures; bone, skin and soft tissue defects, bone loss and severe burns. Ali's eye will be replaced by a plastic one.
For MSF doctors, healing the minds of family members is equally important. Ali and his father are also receiving psychological treatment.
"The father was having difficulty accepting what happened to his son. Burying the physical part will help in the mourning process. It was necessary to provide him with the eye in order for him to deal with reality," said Joséphine Anthoine-Milhomme, an MSF psychologist.
vs 15: the term sprinkle here has an alternative translation: Startle. There are two reasons for favoring the translation startle. 1) The way the grammar is constructed, there is no liquid identified to be sprinkled, and every other use of the term sprinkled includes an object. This sentence doesn't really make sense if we interpret it to say that the nations are like salt in a shaker that the Lord is sprinkling out...does he really mean the servant is sprinkling nations out? I don't think so. To assume that the object of the sprinkling is the blood of Christ is just that, it is an assumption that makes the grammar function in a way that is never found in any other use. 2) The parallel thought is that the people were astonished at the appearance of the Servant. So if we translate this as startle, it deepens the parallel thought. In other words, they were so astonished by what they saw that it startled them! This is how I see this passage. Jesus' appearance and actions were startling! How could someone so bloodied be a savior? How could this be God in the flesh? How unbelievable!!
This fits verse 14 & 15 more closely in my opinion.
Astonishment & Rejection (53:1-3)
53:1-3 The Servant is unwelcome. The Servant is unattractive. The Servant was despised. He was rejected. He was a man of sorrows. He was a man familiar with suffering. He was not esteemed.
ESV John 12:35 So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 ¶ While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
Jesus was familiar with Isaiah's prophecy and cooperated fully with the leading of the Holy Spirit to fulfill these prophetic words.
ESV Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"
Mathe 8:16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "He took our illnesses and bore our diseases."
Punished for others (53:4-6)
'We' assume his punishment was for his own wicked behavior. However it was not for himself, but for us that he was punished.
This demonstrates the seriousness of our sins. What we trivialize, God truly must oppose.
Unjustly punished (53:7-9)
Humility is the key revelation here.
ESV Philippians 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Many were made righteous (53:10-12)
again
Phil 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 1
Christ has made us righteous by his own blood sprinkled in the Holy place.
ESV Hebrews 9:12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
ESV Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.
By faith we are made good before God.
It was God's will to crush Christ for us. This doesn't mean He likes Jesus' suffering. God is not sadistic. God grieved over the death of Christ. Romans 3:25 says that God put Christ forward as a sacrifice for us. It's not that God was happy about the harm his son received, but that God, in His love for all of us, chose the greater good. Out of HIs love for us he offered His only son as a sacrifice for us.
Christ endured his agonizing death because of the joy of seeing his 'offspring'. These are all who would come to the Father through faith in Him because His death was an atoning sacrifice. It's precisely because he was the suffering Servant sung about in the fourth Servant song, Isaiah 52:13-53:12 that Christ knew his reward would be worth the agonizing pain he faced. So Christ scorned the shame of the cross and endured with perfect suffering.
By meditating on Christ's suffering: Why he endured such pain when he could have stopped it...how he motivated himself to do such a difficult thing...these meditations will enable you and I to continue in our difficult seasons of life. Don't quit. Press on. Find the strength to carry on by meditating on Christ. He is the way.
Not only this, but Christ indwelling all who receive Him...Christ in us enables us to do all things we are called to do. No matter how difficult our challenge, He enables us to continue running. So let the presence and word of Christ dwell in your hearts richly by faith. May your soul be a fountain of living water overflowing in all of life. The fountain is on when you "turn your eyes on Jesus. Look full into his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim. In the light of his glory and grace."
Sunday, November 18, 2007
God's love poem to His people Isaiah 43:1-7
Notes for David Bielby's sermon from November 18, 2007 available online at www.vcfbn.org
ESV Isaiah 43:1 ¶ 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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6 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, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made
Story about my daughter and the bible verse I gave her Thursday. When she got to school the class was memorizing the same exact verse. I think God was clearly speaking to her through that.
Isaiah 43:1-7 "God's love poem to His people"
1) Created
2) Formed
3) Redeemed
4) Bestowed Our Name
5) Faithful Through enslavement & deliverance from extraordinary hardship
6) Savior
7) Restoring Dispora (All your losses-people and possessions)
8) Witnesses
9) Only One God is the only God who exists. There is no one else.
Notice the structural design of this love poem: It is a Chiasm. Isaiah 43:1-7
A' vs 1-Created, Formed, Bestower of Name
B' Outward Bound-Leaving Egypt
C' God gave because He loves
C" God will give because He loves
B" Homeward Bound-Coming from North, South, East, West
A" vs 7-Created, Formed, Bearing His Name
Created is different from Formed. He originates and then develops. The development (womb) is a more intimate expression in the original. Bestower of Name harkens to Jacob becoming Israel. God wrestled with him and then literally changed his name. That became the name of the nation descending from Jacob's seed.
There are three elements to the reason why God redeemed Israel.
1) They are precious
2) They are honored by Him...little old Israel elevated by God above the big nations like Egypt, Assyria, Babylon.
3) They are loved.
He now shifts to a prophetic view of the coming future. God's people will be from the whole world. He will redeem them. (We look back to the cross, but Isaiah was looking forward to the cross).
Deliverance from Egypt signified the Cross and our deliverance from sin and it's inevitable consequences.
Stories about how love acts:
Two WWI soldiers in the trench war with Germany. After a charge they are called to retreat. One of the two closest of friends was shot and did not make it back to the trench....
Tom Severson attacked by a man he was ministering to. His survival, determination to continue ministering to the poor, AND his challenge to me personally several years ago to reach out more to the poor. That's how love acts, even if attacked, love continues to reach out.
Call to run to Jesus. He loves you.
Special issues in Isaiah 43:17-44:28
Abortion: Formation in the womb is disrupting a special creative & formative work of God
Didache said "thou shalt not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is begotten. Thou shalt not covet the things of thy neighbor,
Abortion is prohibited by the principles laid out in this passage as well as explicit prohibition in Christian documents as old as 50 A.D.
Alms, Offerings & Tithes
Didache shows tithes going to the poor if there is no spiritual leader in a flock, but otherwise going to the spiritual leader of the flock. All early Christians were taught to give tithes to the leader of their congregation, or to the poor if they had no leader.
Idol worship
In this passage idol worship is specifically derided as folly. Idol worship continued to be an issue in the New Testament (see the conflict that Paul had in Ephesus as an example).
ESV Isaiah 43:1 ¶ 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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6 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, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made
Story about my daughter and the bible verse I gave her Thursday. When she got to school the class was memorizing the same exact verse. I think God was clearly speaking to her through that.
Isaiah 43:1-7 "God's love poem to His people"
1) Created
2) Formed
3) Redeemed
4) Bestowed Our Name
5) Faithful Through enslavement & deliverance from extraordinary hardship
6) Savior
7) Restoring Dispora (All your losses-people and possessions)
8) Witnesses
9) Only One God is the only God who exists. There is no one else.
Notice the structural design of this love poem: It is a Chiasm. Isaiah 43:1-7
A' vs 1-Created, Formed, Bestower of Name
B' Outward Bound-Leaving Egypt
C' God gave because He loves
C" God will give because He loves
B" Homeward Bound-Coming from North, South, East, West
A" vs 7-Created, Formed, Bearing His Name
Created is different from Formed. He originates and then develops. The development (womb) is a more intimate expression in the original. Bestower of Name harkens to Jacob becoming Israel. God wrestled with him and then literally changed his name. That became the name of the nation descending from Jacob's seed.
There are three elements to the reason why God redeemed Israel.
1) They are precious
2) They are honored by Him...little old Israel elevated by God above the big nations like Egypt, Assyria, Babylon.
3) They are loved.
He now shifts to a prophetic view of the coming future. God's people will be from the whole world. He will redeem them. (We look back to the cross, but Isaiah was looking forward to the cross).
Deliverance from Egypt signified the Cross and our deliverance from sin and it's inevitable consequences.
Stories about how love acts:
Two WWI soldiers in the trench war with Germany. After a charge they are called to retreat. One of the two closest of friends was shot and did not make it back to the trench....
Tom Severson attacked by a man he was ministering to. His survival, determination to continue ministering to the poor, AND his challenge to me personally several years ago to reach out more to the poor. That's how love acts, even if attacked, love continues to reach out.
Call to run to Jesus. He loves you.
Special issues in Isaiah 43:17-44:28
Abortion: Formation in the womb is disrupting a special creative & formative work of God
Didache said "thou shalt not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is begotten. Thou shalt not covet the things of thy neighbor,
Abortion is prohibited by the principles laid out in this passage as well as explicit prohibition in Christian documents as old as 50 A.D.
Alms, Offerings & Tithes
Didache shows tithes going to the poor if there is no spiritual leader in a flock, but otherwise going to the spiritual leader of the flock. All early Christians were taught to give tithes to the leader of their congregation, or to the poor if they had no leader.
Idol worship
In this passage idol worship is specifically derided as folly. Idol worship continued to be an issue in the New Testament (see the conflict that Paul had in Ephesus as an example).
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Trusting In Man's Kingdoms or Trusting In God's Kingdom?
A lesson from King Hezekiah's Life
Isaiah 38-39
I have a powerful sword in my hand to do battle with the enemy of your soul today. Turn your ears and your heart to listen to what God's word says.
We will look at each section of ISaiah 38-39 and focus on the fact that Hezekiah had a tendency to trust in manmade alliances with ungodly Kingdoms
while Isaiah was prophesying that he should trust in God's Kingdom for their protection, sustenance and deliverance.
The implications are direct to us today.
Who or what are we trusting in for our protection, sustenance and deliverance?
Government? Medical experts? Economic development or investments? Family or friends?
ESV Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Major players in Judea's security from 750 BC to 600 BC.
Egypt
Assyria
Babylon
703 to 701 BC
Isaiah 38 to 39:8
Poetic structure with an emphasis on the dedication of Hezekiah in 38:8-22 and the defection of Hezekiah in 39:1-2
Hezekiah was tempted to look for natural, visible means of support in this world even though the Lord had spoken to him that He could depend on the Lord for his sustenance.
2 Chronicles 32:20 ¶ Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. 21 And the LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword. 22 So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he provided for them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts to the LORD to Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward. 24 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the LORD, and he answered him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. 26 But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah. 27 ¶ And Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of costly vessels; 28 storehouses also for the yield of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds. 29 He likewise provided cities for himself, and flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions. 30 This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31 And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.
Isaiah 38:1-3 Tears, prayer It's good to call on God when we are in trouble.
Note Isaiah did not actually ask for alonger life.
38:4-8
Isaiah's second prophesy and a sign from the Lord. The reference to steps may actually mean a sun dial on the roof.
We don't know how God did this. Did he move the whole heavens? Did He rotate just the earth? Did He move the house? Did He cause the light to refract somehow?
God could have done this any number of ways. We must be careful not to be dogmatic where the Bible is silent. We also must be wise about what we believe that is promoted
to the general public. http://www.snopes.com/religion/lostday.asp
Isaiah 38-39
I have a powerful sword in my hand to do battle with the enemy of your soul today. Turn your ears and your heart to listen to what God's word says.
We will look at each section of ISaiah 38-39 and focus on the fact that Hezekiah had a tendency to trust in manmade alliances with ungodly Kingdoms
while Isaiah was prophesying that he should trust in God's Kingdom for their protection, sustenance and deliverance.
The implications are direct to us today.
Who or what are we trusting in for our protection, sustenance and deliverance?
Government? Medical experts? Economic development or investments? Family or friends?
ESV Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Major players in Judea's security from 750 BC to 600 BC.
Egypt
Assyria
Babylon
703 to 701 BC
Isaiah 38 to 39:8
Poetic structure with an emphasis on the dedication of Hezekiah in 38:8-22 and the defection of Hezekiah in 39:1-2
Hezekiah was tempted to look for natural, visible means of support in this world even though the Lord had spoken to him that He could depend on the Lord for his sustenance.
2 Chronicles 32:20 ¶ Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. 21 And the LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword. 22 So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he provided for them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts to the LORD to Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward. 24 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the LORD, and he answered him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. 26 But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah. 27 ¶ And Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of costly vessels; 28 storehouses also for the yield of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds. 29 He likewise provided cities for himself, and flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions. 30 This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31 And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.
Isaiah 38:1-3 Tears, prayer It's good to call on God when we are in trouble.
Note Isaiah did not actually ask for alonger life.
38:4-8
Isaiah's second prophesy and a sign from the Lord. The reference to steps may actually mean a sun dial on the roof.
We don't know how God did this. Did he move the whole heavens? Did He rotate just the earth? Did He move the house? Did He cause the light to refract somehow?
God could have done this any number of ways. We must be careful not to be dogmatic where the Bible is silent. We also must be wise about what we believe that is promoted
to the general public. http://www.snopes.com/religion/lostday.asp
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Messianic Kingdom Rest (Isaiah 30)
Stilling Your Soul & Resting In Hope
ESV Isaiah 26:1 ¶ In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. 2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. 3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
Isaiah 30
1-7 Do not ally with Egypt
8-17 You refuse to rest in God because of rebellion
18-26 The Lord redeem and restore His people
27-33 The Lord will overcome all their enemies
701 B.C. Sennacarib is about to detroy Judah.
Egypt is in a power struggle with Assyria.
Israel is a central battle field between the two great world powers
Assyria has already defeated the ten northern tribes
Problem solving
Egypt represents the bondage that we used to live under.
What are the things that you used to be in bondage to before you came to Christ?
This passage teaches that we should not go back to our old ways when we are in trouble.
Do you tend to go back to your former bondages when things aren't going well?
What should we do?
ESV Psalm 37:7 (a)Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; (b)fret not yourself over the one who (c)prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
ESV Psalm 46:10 (a)"Be still, and know that I am God. (b)I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
ESV Ephesians 4:20 But that is not the way you (a)learned Christ!-- 21 assuming that (a)you have heard about him and (b)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to (a)put off (b)your old self,(1 )which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through (c)deceitful desires, 23 and (a)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on (a)the new self, (b)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
ESV Proverbs 3:5 (a)Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and (b)do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways (a)acknowledge him, and he (b)will make straight your paths.
Heb 4:9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also (a)rested from his works as God did from his. 11 ¶ Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so (a)that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For (a)the word of God is living and (b)active, c)sharper than any (d)two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and (e)discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And (a)no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are (b)naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 ¶ Since then we have (a)a great high priest (b)who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, (c)let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest (a)who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been (x)tempted as we are, (e)yet without sin. 16 a)Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
SO we should make it our habit to pray about our problems, by stilling our souls before the Lord. Laying aside everything that holds us back. Renouncing our own Egypts, we must renew our minds and put on Christ as we draw near to His throne of grace. He will help us in every situation. Only determine to trust in the Lord, not in yourself. Trust in the Lord's arm, and not in yours.
Notes from Chris Williamson's translation of Isaiah 30.
1 "Woe to you rebellious children," says the Lord,
"Who design a plan, but not Mine,
And who build a project, but not of My Spirit,
That they may add sin upon sin;
2 Who walk to go down to Egypt, But have not asked My advice,
To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh,
And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
3 Therefore the strength of Pharaoh Shall be your shame,
And trust in the shadow of Egypt Shall be your humiliation.
4 For his princes were at Zoan, And his ambassadors came to Hanes.
5 They were all ashamed of a people who could not benefit them,
Or be help or benefit, But a shame and also a reproach."
6 The burden against the beasts of the South.
Through a land of trouble and anguish,
From which came the lioness and lion,
The viper and fiery Seraph,
They will carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys,
And their treasures on the humps of camels,
To a people who shall not profit;
7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose.
Therefore I have called her Rahab-Hem-Shebeth. “The Haughty one who sitsF43 “
8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet,
And note it on a scroll,
That it may be for time to come, Forever and ever:
9 That this is a rebellious people, Lying children,
Children who will not hear the law of the Lord;
10 Who say to the seers, "Do not see,"
weave a web
brick upon brick
Walk-Halakah
Strength-Shadow
Viper was symbol of Pharaoh Winged Serpent-Seraph-Sphynx
Sits-Shabbat
And to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things;
Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.
11 Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path,
Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us."
12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel:
"Because you despise this word,
And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them,
13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you
Like a crack in the wall; ready to fall,
A buckle high on the wall, Suddenly broken, in an instant.
14 And He shall break it, like a potter smashing his pot,
Broken in pieces; He did it on purpose.
Among its fragments not a shard big enough to carry a coal,
Or get a drop of water from the well."
15 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
"In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."
But you would not,
16 And you said, "No, for we will flee on horses"—
Therefore you shall flee!
And, "We will ride on swift horses"—
Therefore your pursuers shall be swift!
17 One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, At the threat of five you shall flee,
Till you are left a signaler on a mountain top, Like a flag on a hill.
18 Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
See Is 6
Cease-Shabbat
Oppression-burden/taxation
Returning-repent, Rest-shabbat, Saved- Tivashun from Shua-same root as Yeshua
Quite/Confidence-vs Pharoh/Egypt for strength
Horse-Sus-Nanus-Flee
Semaphore signalers
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more.
He will be very gracious to you, if you cry out to him;
When He hears you, He will answer you.
20 And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction,
Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore,
But your eyes shall see your teachers.
21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it,"
When you turn to the right hand Or you turn to the left.
22 You will destroy your statues overlaid in silver,
And the carved idols covered with gold.
You will throw the unclean things out;
You will say to them, "Get away!"
Weep no more/cry out to Him
Prison food IKgs 22:27/ mannah and meribah
Moved to a corner-disregarded
Eyes see/Ears hear: From Is 6
The Way-Derek/Walk-Halakah
ESV Isaiah 26:1 ¶ In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. 2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. 3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
Isaiah 30
1-7 Do not ally with Egypt
8-17 You refuse to rest in God because of rebellion
18-26 The Lord redeem and restore His people
27-33 The Lord will overcome all their enemies
701 B.C. Sennacarib is about to detroy Judah.
Egypt is in a power struggle with Assyria.
Israel is a central battle field between the two great world powers
Assyria has already defeated the ten northern tribes
Problem solving
Egypt represents the bondage that we used to live under.
What are the things that you used to be in bondage to before you came to Christ?
This passage teaches that we should not go back to our old ways when we are in trouble.
Do you tend to go back to your former bondages when things aren't going well?
What should we do?
ESV Psalm 37:7 (a)Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; (b)fret not yourself over the one who (c)prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
ESV Psalm 46:10 (a)"Be still, and know that I am God. (b)I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
ESV Ephesians 4:20 But that is not the way you (a)learned Christ!-- 21 assuming that (a)you have heard about him and (b)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to (a)put off (b)your old self,(1 )which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through (c)deceitful desires, 23 and (a)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on (a)the new self, (b)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
ESV Proverbs 3:5 (a)Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and (b)do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways (a)acknowledge him, and he (b)will make straight your paths.
Heb 4:9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also (a)rested from his works as God did from his. 11 ¶ Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so (a)that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For (a)the word of God is living and (b)active, c)sharper than any (d)two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and (e)discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And (a)no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are (b)naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 ¶ Since then we have (a)a great high priest (b)who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, (c)let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest (a)who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been (x)tempted as we are, (e)yet without sin. 16 a)Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
SO we should make it our habit to pray about our problems, by stilling our souls before the Lord. Laying aside everything that holds us back. Renouncing our own Egypts, we must renew our minds and put on Christ as we draw near to His throne of grace. He will help us in every situation. Only determine to trust in the Lord, not in yourself. Trust in the Lord's arm, and not in yours.
Notes from Chris Williamson's translation of Isaiah 30.
1 "Woe to you rebellious children," says the Lord,
"Who design a plan, but not Mine,
And who build a project, but not of My Spirit,
That they may add sin upon sin;
2 Who walk to go down to Egypt, But have not asked My advice,
To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh,
And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
3 Therefore the strength of Pharaoh Shall be your shame,
And trust in the shadow of Egypt Shall be your humiliation.
4 For his princes were at Zoan, And his ambassadors came to Hanes.
5 They were all ashamed of a people who could not benefit them,
Or be help or benefit, But a shame and also a reproach."
6 The burden against the beasts of the South.
Through a land of trouble and anguish,
From which came the lioness and lion,
The viper and fiery Seraph,
They will carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys,
And their treasures on the humps of camels,
To a people who shall not profit;
7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose.
Therefore I have called her Rahab-Hem-Shebeth. “The Haughty one who sitsF43 “
8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet,
And note it on a scroll,
That it may be for time to come, Forever and ever:
9 That this is a rebellious people, Lying children,
Children who will not hear the law of the Lord;
10 Who say to the seers, "Do not see,"
weave a web
brick upon brick
Walk-Halakah
Strength-Shadow
Viper was symbol of Pharaoh Winged Serpent-Seraph-Sphynx
Sits-Shabbat
And to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things;
Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.
11 Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path,
Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us."
12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel:
"Because you despise this word,
And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them,
13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you
Like a crack in the wall; ready to fall,
A buckle high on the wall, Suddenly broken, in an instant.
14 And He shall break it, like a potter smashing his pot,
Broken in pieces; He did it on purpose.
Among its fragments not a shard big enough to carry a coal,
Or get a drop of water from the well."
15 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
"In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."
But you would not,
16 And you said, "No, for we will flee on horses"—
Therefore you shall flee!
And, "We will ride on swift horses"—
Therefore your pursuers shall be swift!
17 One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, At the threat of five you shall flee,
Till you are left a signaler on a mountain top, Like a flag on a hill.
18 Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
See Is 6
Cease-Shabbat
Oppression-burden/taxation
Returning-repent, Rest-shabbat, Saved- Tivashun from Shua-same root as Yeshua
Quite/Confidence-vs Pharoh/Egypt for strength
Horse-Sus-Nanus-Flee
Semaphore signalers
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more.
He will be very gracious to you, if you cry out to him;
When He hears you, He will answer you.
20 And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction,
Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore,
But your eyes shall see your teachers.
21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it,"
When you turn to the right hand Or you turn to the left.
22 You will destroy your statues overlaid in silver,
And the carved idols covered with gold.
You will throw the unclean things out;
You will say to them, "Get away!"
Weep no more/cry out to Him
Prison food IKgs 22:27/ mannah and meribah
Moved to a corner-disregarded
Eyes see/Ears hear: From Is 6
The Way-Derek/Walk-Halakah
Monday, October 22, 2007
Kingdom Shalom! (Isaiah 26:1-4)
Worry has caused so many people to not try something. How many young men never asked a woman they were highly interested in to spend time with them simply because they worried she might reject them? How many musicians became so worried before a performance that they could not bring themselves to a place where they could perform well?
Did you see the scene in a movie where worry, anxiety and fear gripped a soldier so much that he was unable to help his army buddy, even though his army buddy was crying for help. He shook with fear as his friend slowly lost his struggle with an enemy soldier in a hand to hand struggle. Fear cause him to tremble uncontrollably as his buddies life was slowly snuffed out just a few dozen feet away. Worry, anxiety and fear have caused more than one man on the field to die by paralyzing their 'back-up'.
Some of us are gripped by worry about health problems. We worry about getting cancer. We worry about getting heart disease. We worry about our future. We worry about 'what's going to happen'. We all too often walk in fear. Fear that there will be a health problem that will suddenly cause us great suffering.
Some of us are gripped by worry about the moral climate in our nation. We worry about the plague of immorality all around us. We worry about how our kids are going to survive in such a spiritually degrading environment. We worry about the rise of new heresies in the Church. We worry about the stained reputation of the Church, when leaders fall in gross sin and shame. We sometimes worry about how others will see us if they really know us. We fear being seen for who we really are.
Some of us are gripped by worry about death. Some of us are worried about money. We fear we won't have enough if a financial problem develops. We fear we won't make it each month. Some of us worry that our money will be eaten up by unforeseen problems. We often worry our portfolios will shrink because of wierd market fluctuations. We worry about our stuff. Our homes. Our cars.
Some of us worry about spiritual warfare. We worry about demonic attacks that are unseen. We worry about how are we going to handle the enemies problems that are thrown our way.
Some of us worry that God is going to judge us because we have bad stuff in our lives. We worry that God has rejected us and has left us on the shelf awaiting future judgment. Sometimes we even worry that God is angry with us and has brought suffering into our lives because we are bad.
Some of us worry about terrorism. Random acts of violence that could cause our lives to be turned upside down. Some people worry about their sports team. Some worry about the police catching them driving too fast...they worry every time they drive because they speed so much. Some people are filled with anxiety, fear and worry.
The cry of the hippy generation was....'get us out of Viet Nam'. We want 'peace'. Give us peace man. They developed the peace sign. Their cry was for peace & love. Have they achieved what they went looking for? How do we find peace?
What is peace? Is nirvana the peace that people are looking for? Nirvana is a place or state characterized by freedom from or oblivion to pain, worry, and the external world.
Millions of people have an ideal in their mind that 'Nirvana' is the goal. The growing tide of Indians in B/N generally believe that Nirvana is an ultimate state of peace.
The bible talks about peace. In Isaiah 26 we have a classic passage in the bible on the subject of peace. Today we are going to look at what I call Kingdom Peace. What the bible says about peace and how we can experience an internal state of peace as Christians today.
ESV Isaiah 26:1 ¶ In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. 2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. 3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
Let's pray
Before we dive into this passage's nitty gritty, let's look at the big picture for a bit. Since the early part of Isaiah, we have seen the prophet Isaiah turn from one group of people to another and pronounce a spiritual judgment on them. His prophetic doom was blasted like a rotating cannon in every direction around Jerusalem. He has doomed Israel's ten tribes. Then he dooms Assyria. Then he prophecies against Babylon. Then the philistines. Then Moab. Then Damascus. He dooms Cush and Egypt. He again blasts Babylon. Then he blasts Arabia. He goes on to prophecy about Tyre. Then he blasts the whole earth. He ends with statements like what we read in Isaiah 24
ESV Isaiah 24:17 Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! 18 He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. 19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. 20 The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. 21 On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. 22 They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.
After many chapters of blasting away like this, Isaiah turns to praise the Lord. In Isaiah 25 he praises the Lord. In Isaiah 26 & 27 he records prophetic songs, a song to be sung in Judah. In the middle of all this revelation about judgment on basically everyone around Judah, Isaiah starts his prophetic song with a stanza that we are going to focus on for today.
The stanze could be called "Secure in peace". It gives us a window into some biblical truths about the peace that the hippies sought. It shows us what God offers in the bible instead of the Nirvana offered in other religions. It gives us the key to finding a sense of God's life flowing in your own life. Isn't this what you have wanted? Isn't this worth looking at closely?
26:1 Isaiah 26:1 ¶ 'In that day' is a phrase that clues us in to the fact that Isaiah is seeing something in the future. What is it that he sees? Is it a state of mind in the believer? Is it something futuristic that is coming? From clues in this song we can see that it has to do with 'resurrection and final judgment (see the end of the chapter). He has to do with a city. It has to do with a city that only certain kinds of people can enter. It seems to be therefore a spiritual city or a state of mind.
Does the bible talk about a spiritual city? Remember in Hebrews 11 where we just were studying last month as a flock? 13 ¶ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Faith. A future city not of this earth. What is Hebrews talking about? Is it what Isaiah is talking about? Look with me at Revelation 21.
ESV Revelation 21:1 ¶ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
This passage in Isaiah is a song. A prophetic song. Prophetic songs in the scripture were not just predictions. When they were given, they were 'causative'. This means the brought the prophesy into play. The prophet launched the heavenly action. Isaiah is saying that through a prophetic song that reacts to God's right judgment on all the peoples of the earth, His people will prophecy about God. They will magnify God. In their magnifying of God something happens in them. Something is linked to the future coming city. There is an overlap. An extension of the new heavenly kingdom into the hearts and minds of the singers. There is a God link to people that changes their inner beings into a new state.
They are to sing "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.". By singing this, we start to experience it. Have you ever sung the song, "Thou O Lord art a shield about me, your my glory and the lifter of my head". Or 'the name of the Lord is a strong tower'? Sometimes during a song like this something happens to us as we sing. We experience God's peace and joy and find ourselves overflowing with the Holy Spirit's presence. This is because of the power of a prophetic song. Often by proclaiming something we enter into that which we proclaim. Isaiah is prophesying God's people will be proclaiming something very powerful. God's people will have a clear vision of a coming community in God's presence. There will be a proclamation of joy.
What are walls made of? Not wood. In their day the walls were made of solid rock. Cut stones set carefully on one another. A city with an inpenetrable wall provided protection when the enemy was gathered outside to destroy. Ramps of earth were built up behind the walls to keep them from being pushed in and to provide a quick way to get behind the wall. These ramparts are called bulwarks. So the ancient city in Isaiah's day was a wall encircling the city with bulwarks supporting the wall from the inside. What Isaiah is saying is that the place of safety is a city whose walls are not stone. No they are salvation. Salvation is the encircling protection.
Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter. Who will be the 'righteous nation that enters into salvation'? Peter describes the Church, God's people, as a holy nation.
When Peter says this, he is juxtaposing it to
ESV Exodus 19:6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."
ESV 1 Peter 2:9 ¶ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
The city of salvation is open to the holy nation. It is the nation that enters by an abiding faith. Not a one time faith. It is an abiding faith. This is gospel faith. The faith of Jesus Christ which we learn in detail in the gospels and in Acts and in the epistles.
Now the prophetic song gives us a timeless truth that is the heart of our study today.
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
Perfect peace stands out. The Jews greet each other with the phrase :Shalom: Here the phrase is repeated. Why does Isaiah say 'Shalom Shalom'? Is it because he stutters?
It is for intensification. In their language a doubling like that intensifies. So the idea of a perfect peace is much stronger than just peace.
So what is shalom in the bible? Is it the idea of Nirvana? No. Is it the absence of war? No just that. Shalom means prosperity. Shalom means 'intactness'. It carries the idea of full and wonderful living without conflict. The idea is captured in one sense in Revelation 21. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." This peace or shalom is the wiping out of all the things that make us fear, anxious and worried.
It is far superior to the idea of Nirvana. But note that the idea of Shalom is really not complete with just a list of qualities.
Shalom is linked to the 'presence of God'. See how Rev 21 talks about God dwelling among men and His dwelling presence causes these things to be. So the implication is there in Isaiah 26:4 as well because Isaiah moves from 'Shalom shalom' directly into keeping our minds fixed on the Lord. It is the heart posture of trust that God is seeking from us. It is a trust that God will provide.
It is a trust that no matter how bad everything is around us....no matter what happens with health news...no matter what happens to the markets...no matter what happens in our lives, we can absolutely and permanently trust in the Lord with all of our heart.
Isaiah calls the Lord the Rock eternal. This allusion to Exodus 17 is crucial. What were the Israelites doing in Exodus 17? What was the test about? What did God demonstrate about Himself in Exodus 17? Note the Lord is called the Rock. How has rock been used in this song so far? The walls of the city were a picture of cut rocks used to build a stone wall. A solid rock wall was the strongest wall known in their day. The Lord is the real rock. The Lord is our security. The Lord is our safety. We draw our boldness from resting inside of the Lord. He is our strong tower. He is our strong fortress. He is our peace. He has broken down every wall of mankind and has brought us together in Him.
So the message is essentially this: Can you really trust in anything that this world offers as security or proection? No. Nothing in this world is secure enough to save you in times of need. But you can trust in the Lord. He is our secure prosperity. He gives us a secure intactness that no one else can provide. Therefore, choose to put all your confidence in Him.
If we trust in Him some, we will be double minded.
James 1 ¶ Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 ¶ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
So what is the key to having a mind steadfast in the Lord?
It is in understanding how the Lord is. In understanding how great He is. It is in turning your thoughts and heart intents towards Him daily that you find the Kingdom Shalom Shalom.
ESV Philippians 3:12 ¶ Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 17 ¶ Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
Not only this, but let your worries be known to God. Give them to Him in prayer.
ESV Philippians 4:4 ¶ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 ¶ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
What are you worried about today? Let the Shalom Shalom of God enter into your heart and fill you with the fruit of His presence!
Did you see the scene in a movie where worry, anxiety and fear gripped a soldier so much that he was unable to help his army buddy, even though his army buddy was crying for help. He shook with fear as his friend slowly lost his struggle with an enemy soldier in a hand to hand struggle. Fear cause him to tremble uncontrollably as his buddies life was slowly snuffed out just a few dozen feet away. Worry, anxiety and fear have caused more than one man on the field to die by paralyzing their 'back-up'.
Some of us are gripped by worry about health problems. We worry about getting cancer. We worry about getting heart disease. We worry about our future. We worry about 'what's going to happen'. We all too often walk in fear. Fear that there will be a health problem that will suddenly cause us great suffering.
Some of us are gripped by worry about the moral climate in our nation. We worry about the plague of immorality all around us. We worry about how our kids are going to survive in such a spiritually degrading environment. We worry about the rise of new heresies in the Church. We worry about the stained reputation of the Church, when leaders fall in gross sin and shame. We sometimes worry about how others will see us if they really know us. We fear being seen for who we really are.
Some of us are gripped by worry about death. Some of us are worried about money. We fear we won't have enough if a financial problem develops. We fear we won't make it each month. Some of us worry that our money will be eaten up by unforeseen problems. We often worry our portfolios will shrink because of wierd market fluctuations. We worry about our stuff. Our homes. Our cars.
Some of us worry about spiritual warfare. We worry about demonic attacks that are unseen. We worry about how are we going to handle the enemies problems that are thrown our way.
Some of us worry that God is going to judge us because we have bad stuff in our lives. We worry that God has rejected us and has left us on the shelf awaiting future judgment. Sometimes we even worry that God is angry with us and has brought suffering into our lives because we are bad.
Some of us worry about terrorism. Random acts of violence that could cause our lives to be turned upside down. Some people worry about their sports team. Some worry about the police catching them driving too fast...they worry every time they drive because they speed so much. Some people are filled with anxiety, fear and worry.
The cry of the hippy generation was....'get us out of Viet Nam'. We want 'peace'. Give us peace man. They developed the peace sign. Their cry was for peace & love. Have they achieved what they went looking for? How do we find peace?
What is peace? Is nirvana the peace that people are looking for? Nirvana is a place or state characterized by freedom from or oblivion to pain, worry, and the external world.
Millions of people have an ideal in their mind that 'Nirvana' is the goal. The growing tide of Indians in B/N generally believe that Nirvana is an ultimate state of peace.
The bible talks about peace. In Isaiah 26 we have a classic passage in the bible on the subject of peace. Today we are going to look at what I call Kingdom Peace. What the bible says about peace and how we can experience an internal state of peace as Christians today.
ESV Isaiah 26:1 ¶ In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. 2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. 3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
Let's pray
Before we dive into this passage's nitty gritty, let's look at the big picture for a bit. Since the early part of Isaiah, we have seen the prophet Isaiah turn from one group of people to another and pronounce a spiritual judgment on them. His prophetic doom was blasted like a rotating cannon in every direction around Jerusalem. He has doomed Israel's ten tribes. Then he dooms Assyria. Then he prophecies against Babylon. Then the philistines. Then Moab. Then Damascus. He dooms Cush and Egypt. He again blasts Babylon. Then he blasts Arabia. He goes on to prophecy about Tyre. Then he blasts the whole earth. He ends with statements like what we read in Isaiah 24
ESV Isaiah 24:17 Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! 18 He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. 19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. 20 The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. 21 On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. 22 They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.
After many chapters of blasting away like this, Isaiah turns to praise the Lord. In Isaiah 25 he praises the Lord. In Isaiah 26 & 27 he records prophetic songs, a song to be sung in Judah. In the middle of all this revelation about judgment on basically everyone around Judah, Isaiah starts his prophetic song with a stanza that we are going to focus on for today.
The stanze could be called "Secure in peace". It gives us a window into some biblical truths about the peace that the hippies sought. It shows us what God offers in the bible instead of the Nirvana offered in other religions. It gives us the key to finding a sense of God's life flowing in your own life. Isn't this what you have wanted? Isn't this worth looking at closely?
26:1 Isaiah 26:1 ¶ 'In that day' is a phrase that clues us in to the fact that Isaiah is seeing something in the future. What is it that he sees? Is it a state of mind in the believer? Is it something futuristic that is coming? From clues in this song we can see that it has to do with 'resurrection and final judgment (see the end of the chapter). He has to do with a city. It has to do with a city that only certain kinds of people can enter. It seems to be therefore a spiritual city or a state of mind.
Does the bible talk about a spiritual city? Remember in Hebrews 11 where we just were studying last month as a flock? 13 ¶ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Faith. A future city not of this earth. What is Hebrews talking about? Is it what Isaiah is talking about? Look with me at Revelation 21.
ESV Revelation 21:1 ¶ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
This passage in Isaiah is a song. A prophetic song. Prophetic songs in the scripture were not just predictions. When they were given, they were 'causative'. This means the brought the prophesy into play. The prophet launched the heavenly action. Isaiah is saying that through a prophetic song that reacts to God's right judgment on all the peoples of the earth, His people will prophecy about God. They will magnify God. In their magnifying of God something happens in them. Something is linked to the future coming city. There is an overlap. An extension of the new heavenly kingdom into the hearts and minds of the singers. There is a God link to people that changes their inner beings into a new state.
They are to sing "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.". By singing this, we start to experience it. Have you ever sung the song, "Thou O Lord art a shield about me, your my glory and the lifter of my head". Or 'the name of the Lord is a strong tower'? Sometimes during a song like this something happens to us as we sing. We experience God's peace and joy and find ourselves overflowing with the Holy Spirit's presence. This is because of the power of a prophetic song. Often by proclaiming something we enter into that which we proclaim. Isaiah is prophesying God's people will be proclaiming something very powerful. God's people will have a clear vision of a coming community in God's presence. There will be a proclamation of joy.
What are walls made of? Not wood. In their day the walls were made of solid rock. Cut stones set carefully on one another. A city with an inpenetrable wall provided protection when the enemy was gathered outside to destroy. Ramps of earth were built up behind the walls to keep them from being pushed in and to provide a quick way to get behind the wall. These ramparts are called bulwarks. So the ancient city in Isaiah's day was a wall encircling the city with bulwarks supporting the wall from the inside. What Isaiah is saying is that the place of safety is a city whose walls are not stone. No they are salvation. Salvation is the encircling protection.
Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter. Who will be the 'righteous nation that enters into salvation'? Peter describes the Church, God's people, as a holy nation.
When Peter says this, he is juxtaposing it to
ESV Exodus 19:6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."
ESV 1 Peter 2:9 ¶ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
The city of salvation is open to the holy nation. It is the nation that enters by an abiding faith. Not a one time faith. It is an abiding faith. This is gospel faith. The faith of Jesus Christ which we learn in detail in the gospels and in Acts and in the epistles.
Now the prophetic song gives us a timeless truth that is the heart of our study today.
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
Perfect peace stands out. The Jews greet each other with the phrase :Shalom: Here the phrase is repeated. Why does Isaiah say 'Shalom Shalom'? Is it because he stutters?
It is for intensification. In their language a doubling like that intensifies. So the idea of a perfect peace is much stronger than just peace.
So what is shalom in the bible? Is it the idea of Nirvana? No. Is it the absence of war? No just that. Shalom means prosperity. Shalom means 'intactness'. It carries the idea of full and wonderful living without conflict. The idea is captured in one sense in Revelation 21. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." This peace or shalom is the wiping out of all the things that make us fear, anxious and worried.
It is far superior to the idea of Nirvana. But note that the idea of Shalom is really not complete with just a list of qualities.
Shalom is linked to the 'presence of God'. See how Rev 21 talks about God dwelling among men and His dwelling presence causes these things to be. So the implication is there in Isaiah 26:4 as well because Isaiah moves from 'Shalom shalom' directly into keeping our minds fixed on the Lord. It is the heart posture of trust that God is seeking from us. It is a trust that God will provide.
It is a trust that no matter how bad everything is around us....no matter what happens with health news...no matter what happens to the markets...no matter what happens in our lives, we can absolutely and permanently trust in the Lord with all of our heart.
Isaiah calls the Lord the Rock eternal. This allusion to Exodus 17 is crucial. What were the Israelites doing in Exodus 17? What was the test about? What did God demonstrate about Himself in Exodus 17? Note the Lord is called the Rock. How has rock been used in this song so far? The walls of the city were a picture of cut rocks used to build a stone wall. A solid rock wall was the strongest wall known in their day. The Lord is the real rock. The Lord is our security. The Lord is our safety. We draw our boldness from resting inside of the Lord. He is our strong tower. He is our strong fortress. He is our peace. He has broken down every wall of mankind and has brought us together in Him.
So the message is essentially this: Can you really trust in anything that this world offers as security or proection? No. Nothing in this world is secure enough to save you in times of need. But you can trust in the Lord. He is our secure prosperity. He gives us a secure intactness that no one else can provide. Therefore, choose to put all your confidence in Him.
If we trust in Him some, we will be double minded.
James 1 ¶ Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 ¶ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
So what is the key to having a mind steadfast in the Lord?
It is in understanding how the Lord is. In understanding how great He is. It is in turning your thoughts and heart intents towards Him daily that you find the Kingdom Shalom Shalom.
ESV Philippians 3:12 ¶ Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 17 ¶ Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
Not only this, but let your worries be known to God. Give them to Him in prayer.
ESV Philippians 4:4 ¶ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 ¶ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
What are you worried about today? Let the Shalom Shalom of God enter into your heart and fill you with the fruit of His presence!
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