Sermon Central
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God’s Judgment Against A Rebellious Nation Series
Contributed by T.j. Conwell on Jan 20, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus is either your Lord or your convenience, there is no middle ground here. The nation of Judah did not have Jesus (only a promise of Him to come); but now, He has become our only way and we must seek Him while we can!
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Isaiah, Part 3
God’s judgment against a Rebellious Nation
Isaiah 3:1-22 and Isaiah 4:1-6
Introduction
- Welcome to Seasons! We are so glad that you’ve come to worship with us!
- Last week, we saw a very simple encouragement: God wanted us to:
• Avoid the things that would bring us to destruction, and instead,
• Choose/desire what He offers (re: He gave domain over His world; peace!)
-- CHALL: To realize the things we “treasure” are nothing compared to God
- Continuing this week, Isaiah shows us the condition of the nation of Israel
-- RE: Chapters 2 to 5 contain wisdom/instruction for the present (and our future)
-- APP: Judah’s residents were being forsaken by God because of their rebellion
-- Pray
- TR: When a nation God blesses decides to rebel, He will not allow it to continue
-- This is the message Isaiah gives to the world he knows; and it’s valid for us also
Point 1 – God will remove His protection from a rebellious nation
- Know this: God will not allow His creation to rebel forever – this is a tough truth
- Read Isaiah 3:1-15
- Summary: God will remove a rebellious nation’s provisions & protection!
• Everything they need to survive will be taken away (v1)
• Even everything they depend on for protection and security (v2-3)
• APP: Leading to foolish decisions (ex: ‘boys’ called as leaders) (v5)
-- As sinful choices run rampant - SEE this: God will not come to their rescue
-- Ask: Is He a loving God? Absolutely, but He’s not going to applaud your sin!
- Why is this happening? Judah practiced/enjoyed total wickedness, daily!
• Even (v8): “they speak out against the Lord and refuse to obey Him”
• APP: They are proud of their sin; displaying it for all the world to see
• SEE: They forced people to accept sin; to give it credibility; to welcome it
-- BIG: When God speaks, we cannot miss His words: talking about Sodom (v9)
- (homework) Gen 18 & 19 gives us the clearer picture of God’s comparison
• Even Abraham pleaded with God to have mercy; to seek out the righteous
• RE: Lot (his nephew) and his family lived there; knew they lived for God
• Yet, God’s decision was clear: He was going to correct this behavior
• BIG: Never forget that this is the same God today – his direction is the same
- Ezekiel 16:50 adds that their sinful choices were loathsome before the Lord: “They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.”
-- Other text uses the word abomination (Lev 18:22); reprehensible to God
-- Hebrew: toebah (to-ay-baw); abomination; a detestable thing
-- Don’t miss: What they are doing is a full-on assault of God’s intent for creation
- Now … Let me be very clear here:
• I did not write this, which means I cannot absolve it OR soften it for us
• Yes, sin can be forgiven, but only through the redemption we have in Jesus
• God’s word is very clear – we’ve seen the result of these sins against Him
- FREE: However, this is not the only sins we commit that are detestable (pride)
-- Consider: We can use grace to sin: by justifying our behavior to be judgmental
-- EX: We cannot use God’s grace as an excuse to be sinful towards others
-- So, before we go getting high and mighty – must consider the entire text
- APP: (warning) These things bring destruction – woe to a nation that allows it
• Hope: But the righteous will be cared for – they will be rewarded (10-11)
• The godly will be provided for – they will earn a rich reward (Heaven)
• The wicked are doomed – they will get what they deserve (punishment)
-- BIG: It means our actions, even our prideful spite, come be under His authority
- They will not be allowed to live like they want – they will have to make a choice
-- This is what Isaiah is pleading with Judah over, and I am pleading with you now
-- TR: Consider how we live, we love, we minister … it DOES matter!! Why?
Point 2 – God’s judgment will ruin a nation’s survivability
- God’s judgement will not be spared; even for those who think they are “good”
-- Remember last week’s homework (Mark 10)? “Who is good?” Only God!
- Read Isaiah 3:16 – 4:1
- Don’t miss the description (v16) of how they live before God: Prideful (haughty)
• Craning her neck; flirting with her eyes, lovely jewelry adorns her outwardly
• A representation of the spiritual health of a nation trapped in sinful behavior
