Draw Water From The Wells Of Salvation

DRAW WATER FROM THE WELLS OF SALVATION

ISAIAH 12: 1—6 MARCH 30, 2003

ISAIAH 12

1In that day you will say: "I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.

2Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

3With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

4In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.

5Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.

6Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

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Dearest Fellow-Redeemed and Saints in the Lord:

When we are thirsty, it’s easy for us to take care of our thirst. We go to the sink and get a glass of water, or to the fridge and get a glass and just like that—we have something to drink! Even as we travel around, we can go into stores and buy water if we are that thirsty. Today, we are going to look at the thirst that you and I have and how the Lord quenches that thirst. Then we will also examine the joy that God’s refreshing Word brings into our life. The Lord gives us the water of life without cost. We’ve heard that in all of our lessons today: that we’re saved by grace, the Lord God sent His Son to be our Savior, even Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness so that people would be saved. To this salvation the Lord invites us with His invitation. In Revelation we are told, "The Spirit and the bride say, ’Come!’ And let him who hears say, ’Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life"(REVELATION 22:17). You and I come this morning once again at the Lord’s invitation that we might partake of the free gift of the water of life. Yes, when our soul is parched and dry it will be refreshed with God’s living water. Isaiah in the middle of our text says, 3with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. That becomes our theme this morning.

DRAW WATER FROM THE WELLS OF SALVATION

I. CONSTANTLY

II. THANKFULLY

I. Constantly

As you heard the words of our text this morning, you probably picked up already how happy Isaiah was. It appears as if Isaiah could hardly contain himself. Why was he so happy? If you look at chapter 11 (it comes before chapter 12) you’ll find that Isaiah talks to the people about the Savior. He says the Redeemer (the Messiah) is going to come. Then Isaiah describes all the things the people are going to benefit from because of the Savior’s redemption and the work that he’s going to do for the people of the world. After listing all of those things in chapter 11, our text begins chapter 12, 1In that day you will say: "I will praise you, O LORD. Isaiah says to the people when they see all of the things the Redeemer will do and all of the things that He means for mankind, there’s nothing left for them to do but to praise God.

Then he tells them why. Although you were angry with me, (referring to the Lord) your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. The children of Israel had seen the anger of the Lord. They had experienced the fact that as they sinned and kept turning against God, finally God would turn His back on them. We saw that in our first lesson…the snakes came after they were grumbling and complaining. They were grumbling and complaining that God had delivered them from the slavery of their Egyptian oppressors. They were grumbling and complaining that God gave them food to eat every day. Here Isaiah says the Lord was angry. But the Lord’s anger has turned away and now the people are comforted because they have forgiveness.

2Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. As they had forgiveness, they see that God is their salvation, no longer to fear but instead trust. Then he goes on, The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." The people are beginning to see here hopefully, (as we are too) that Isaiah is referring to the Lord as salvation. That is where they are going to draw their strength. That is where their time of rejoicing and joy is going to come from. That is where they are going to find the well of salvation for their joy. He wants the people to come back to the Lord time and time and time again that they would find in Him their salvation and they would see in Him their forgiveness.