Exploring The Glory Of God Series

Exploring the Glory of God - Part 1

Isaiah 43:1-7

Sermon by Rick Crandall

McClendon Baptist Church - Jan. 3, 2010

Series: Exploring the Glory of God in 2010

*We will begin the New Year by exploring and exalting the glory of God. And we will start with a key passage in the Old Testament Book of Isaiah. It’s Isaiah 43:1-7, but before we read it, you should know that this was a time of great fear for the Children of Israel.

*Scott Carmer explains: “The ancient Israelites knew fear. In fact, the first 39 chapters of Isaiah are filled with peril, distress, sin, judgment, and fear. They speak of the judgment to come on the land of Judah for their prideful rebellion against God. The nation would be conquered and taken away in captivity by the great power to the east, Babylon.

*The children of Israel, the sons and daughters of Abraham’s promise, the one’s chosen by God for a special mission in the world would be captured and force-marched into captivity far away from home. Many would lose loved-ones in the savage conquest. Most did not know if they would ever see their homeland again. All would feel abandoned and cut off from God, adrift, prisoners in a foreign land. (1)

*Chapters 1-39 were filled with coming judgment and trouble, but God began to send comfort in Isaiah 40:

1. “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” says your God.

2. Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.”

*And in Isaiah 43, God speaks to those who were carried away in bondage. Let’s read Isaiah 43:1-7:

1. But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.

2. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.

3. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

4. Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life.

5. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west;

6. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth

7. everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

*The key verses in this passage for us today are vs. 6&7, where we hear God call His children home, and He says:

6. “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth

7. everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

*God says: “I have created everyone who is called by My name for My glory.” “I have created them FOR MY GLORY.” God’s Word speaks of His glory about 300 times -- about half of those are in the Old Testament, and half in the New.

*The first time we see God’s glory is in Exodus, the second book if the Bible. And the last time we see His glory is in Rev 21:23, where the new city of Jerusalem was described. There the Bible tells us that “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light.” Almost from cover to cover God speaks of His glory. God’s glory is tremendously important to Him. And since God’s glory is important to Him, it should also be important to us. But what is God’s glory?

1. We should explore the definition of God’s glory.

*This is the first thing we will do this morning: explore the definition of God’s glory. What is the glory of God? The Old Testament word picture for “glory” is a weight, something heavy. And God’s glory is heavy indeed, something we should never take lightly.

*What is the glory of God? John Piper tells us that “Glory is a very hard thing to define. It is like the word ‘Beauty.’ We all can use it and communicate with it but to try to reduce it to words is very frustrating. It is easier to point to examples.”