Gentiles Hath Received Isaiah’s Report (Lesson 3) Series

INTRODUCTION

Outline.

3. Gentiles Hath Received Isaiah’s Report

Introductory Remarks.

1. This is lesson three in this sermon-series: “Lord, who hath believed our report?” The question originates from the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 53:1. This was Isaiah’s report of the coming and work of the Messiah. He wrote: “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him…Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all,” Isaiah 53:1-6. I have collapsed this text for brevity.

2. We will investigate how this question relates to the Gentiles, who gladly received Isaiah's report. Paul wrote: “But I say, did Israel not know? Moses says: ‘I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.’ But Isaiah is bold and says: ‘I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for me,’” Romans 10:19-20; Deuteronomy 32:21; Isaiah 65:1. The Gentiles had received Isaiah’s report gladly.

3. Luke wrote: “So when the Jews went out of the synagogues, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached unto them the next Sabbath…On the next Sabbath, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God…When the Gentiles heard…they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region,” Acts 13:42-49. With this brief introduction, let’s consider lesson three in this sermon-series: Gentiles Hath Received Isaiah’s Report.

BODY OF LESSON

III GENTILES HATH RECEIVED ISAIAH’S REPORT

A. It was the Gentiles who hath received Isaiah’s report gladly. Paul wrote: “But I say, did Israel not know? Moses says: ‘I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.’ But Isaiah is bold and says: ‘I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for me,’” Romans 10:19-20; Deuteronomy 32:21; Isaiah 65:1-2. Paul now speaks to Moses and Isaiah's prophecy of the nation's rejection of the Messiah. Observe--

1. First, Moses reported Jehovah saying: “I will provoke you (Israel) to jealousy by those who are not a nation (the Gentiles), I will move you to anger by a foolish nation,” Deuteronomy 32:21; Romans 10:19. Of this promise, Hosea wrote--

a. One, "And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it is written unto them, Ye are not my people, there it is said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel,” Hosea 1:10-11. Jezreel, in Hebrew, means, "God scatters."

b. Two, "Therefore, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word," Acts 8:1; Acts 8:4; Acts 11:19. The persecution of Saul brought forth the scattering of the disciples into all the world. It was fulfilling Jehovah's promise of the day of Jezreel, Hosea 1:10-11.

c. Third, "And it shall come to pass in that day…I will sow her unto me in the earth, and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy, and I will say to them which were not my people: Thou are my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God," Hosea 2:21-23.

d. Conclusion: As Israel provoked the Lord to anger, He provoked them to jealousy. They forsook him, but he would be found and loved by a people who were not his people. I see in Hosea’s prophecy: that people are the Gentiles.

1) Amos wrote: “In that day will I raise the tabernacle of David that is fallen…I will build it as in the days of old…That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen (Gentiles), which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this,” Amos 9:11-12.

2) James, the Lord’s brother at the Jerusalem Conference: Reported, “Simon, has declared how God at first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name. And with this, the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: 'After this, I will return and will build the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things,’” Acts 15:13-17. James was quoting the prophet, Amos.