Isaiah
Becoming the Family of God • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 15 viewsNotes
Transcript
PART I:
ILLUSTRATION:
Desert Storm, Ruth Dillow’s son Clayton was killed by a mine
"I can't begin to describe my grief and shock. It was almost more than I could bear. For 3 days I just wept. I expressed anger and loss. For 3 days, people tried to comfort me but nothing worked ... the loss was simply too great.”
3 days - Mom, it's me. It's Clayton. I'm alive.
It was a mistake
“I laughed, I cried, I felt like turning cartwheels because my son who I thought was dead was actually alive.”
POINT: No one likes bad news, but good news is incredibly powerful
All prophets had to do both, and Isaiah is no different
: The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
He prophesied in the Southern kingdom (Judah)
(Lived in Jerusalem)
Ministry was 60+ years (740-680)
Spanned 4 kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah
Israel struggled militarily, spiritually and politically
Fell to Assyrians in 722 BC
Judah looked to be next
They seek help from Egypt, God says no
Isaiah understood and taught this
Called a “Mini-Bible” or “Bible within the Bible”
66 books, 66 chapters
Also, warnings through chapter 39 and hope for last 27 chapters
39 OT, 27 NT
Isaiah follows Biblical theme (tells God’s story)
IMPORTANT! Judgment to hope
PROBLEM:
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
for the Lord has spoken:
“Children have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.
: “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me…
Israel has rebelled against God
Idolatry (I’ve had enough of burnt offerings and the blood of bulls)
Rebellion, harlotry, murder, greed
Calls them rulers of Sodom and Gomorrah
SOLUTION:
: “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
There is need of repentance and returning to God
He promises to fix the problem:
METHOD:
25 I will turn my hand against you
and will smelt away your dross as with lye
and remove all your alloy.
26 And I will restore your judges as at the first,
and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,
the faithful city.”
will turn My hand against you, and thoroughly purge away your dross, and take away all your alloy. 26 I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
Put away dross – remove impurities in silver with fire
RESULT:
: Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. 3 Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.”
2 It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
3 and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
This is New Jerusalem
Everything will be repaired and all will live in peace with righteousness
Under a good king!
RECAP:
Problem: Evil and sin
Solution: To refine
Method: Exile
Result: Hope
Hope lies in future king
Now we have overview, on to details
Begins with Isaiah’s calling and awareness
: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
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!”
Isaiah sees God sitting on His throne
His train (symbol of dignity and worth) fills the Temple!
Some of us think seeing God would be so cool!
Like the Eiffel Tower, GG Bridge or Great Wall
But that’s not how Isaiah reacts!
5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”
Instant reaction: I suck; we all suck!
Seeing God=more like tsunami than attraction
Important! He realizes just how bad he, Israel and mankind are
How magnificent God is – sight makes you understand
COMPARE: John seeing Jesus
: And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,
I hope we get over that in heaven…!
: Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
God provides purity through a burning coal
Just like Israel becomes pure through fire
Here we learn about God’s holiness
Isaiah sees and is certain he will be destroyed
Instead God purifies
God sent Christ, not destruction
: Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” 9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people:
“ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
Isaiah is called to be a messenger of God
ILLUSTRATION:
We’re excited after great moments with God but then things get hard
Most find that ministry is not what they thought
Ministry negatively affects family - 80%
Inadequately trained – 90%
Lower self-esteem – 70%
No close friends – 70%
That’s why ministry must be fueled by the Holy Spirit!
Isaiah must continually tell Judah they are messing up
Walked around naked for 3 years
Tradition he was killed being sawed in a tree
A.W. Tozer – “The man after God’s own heart must be dead to the opinion of his friends as well as his enemies.”
Isaiah must warn Judah, although past point of no return
His message will have the opposite effect (hardened hearts)
Isaiah asks how long
“Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant”
13 And though a tenth remain in it,
it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak,
whose stump remains
when it is felled.”
The holy seed is its stump.
: As a terebinth tree or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.”
God says Judah is a tree, but will be chopped down
Draw axe
But there’s still something left of the tree
Then the stump will be burned (purified)
But the stump will be a “holy seed” or chance for regrowth
Label the stump as Israel
So Isaiah goes right to Ahaz to warn him
Explains that Assyria will do the chopping (then Babylon)
But then, there is hope!
Isaiah makes it Christmastime in Judah!
13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
: Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
He announces the Savior to come!
Immanuel, God with us!
King, God, sign
Wow! Merry Christmas!
Now watch this get connected:
1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
Summarize:
Israel is a tree
Chopped down by Assyria
The stump is a remnant of Israel
Holy seed
Seed is a starting point for life
Eventually a branch comes from roots which is the king
Draw the shoot/branch
Meanwhile, in Judah...
Instead, Judah makes an alliance with Egypt
: Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!
1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help
and rely on horses,
who trust in chariots because they are many
and in horsemen because they are very strong,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel
or consult the Lord!
Illus: Do you ever do that? God calls but you do it your way?
How did that work out for you?
Assyrians attack, but Hezekiah humbles himself and prays
Remember, this is all God has asked for
God says:
: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. 6 I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.”’ 7 And this is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which He has spoken: 8 “Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.
5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city.
7 “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: 8 Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.
The city is saved miraculously
But he goes back to his old ways, looking for allies
He invites delegates from Babylon to Jerusalem
He tries to impress them by revealing everything he has
All in the treasury, temple, palaces
Illustration: They’re casing the place!
Isaiah hears this and responds:
: And he said, “What have they seen in your house?”
4 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. 7 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”
So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord.
Hezekiah responds with
“Oh well, at least I won’t be there to see it.
Talk about being self-centered!
EXPLAIN: Babylon captivity
Remember: First 39 are judgment
Repent, repent, repent!
Did they repent?
(Outside of Hezekiah, no!)
Ok, here’s my judgement: EXILE!
At this point the tree has been chopped down!
CLOSING:
Maybe you’re chopped down, but there is hope!
Remember mom? Good news can always come after the bad...