God’s Promise For The Rebellious Series

Isaiah, Part 9

God’s Promise for the Rebellious

Isaiah 14:3-23

Introduction

- Welcome to Seasons! We are so glad that you’ve chosen to worship with us

- Last time, we unpacked Ch 11 and 12 … we saw one great focus:

-- God’s promise for His people: Given a hymn of praise (reason to celebrate)

-- Because of the salvation God gives - it must motivate us to bring others in

- Ch 12 is also the close of the judgment ‘proclaimed against Judah’

-- Remember, the first part of this book is written FOR Judah’s rebellion

-- It is God’s specific grievances against the disobedience of His calling to live

-- It ends with the great hope of salvation shown to us in Chapter 12 (Jesus)

- CHART (handout): Shows us where we are in our journey through Isaiah

-- Today, we turn our eyes towards the judgment of the ‘neighbors of Judah’

- I want us to see (rem: Isaiah’s focus is hope) the future of God’s adversary

-- Whole point covers Ch 13 - 18 … focus on part of 14 only – see why at end

-- Ultimate focus: Isaiah outlines God’s defeat for the ultimate rebel!

- Read Isaiah 14:3-23 / Pray TR: Let’s start with the obvious …

Point 1 – God’s victory is assured, even for our greatest enemy

- The ‘king’ will be taunted by those who are delivered (vv3-4) – what sovereign?

• The king who opposes God! 2 Corinthians 4:4, “Satan, who is the god (think: ruler) of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

• Know this: In Heaven, we will have nothing to fear; no judgment to face

• And we will see who it was who oppressed us; that he has no impact on us!

- The oppressors brutality will be ended by the power of God (vv5-8)

• God will break the rod of the ‘wicked king’ (think: end his rule: crushed)

• Hebrew: shebet; rod, staff, scepter (signified authority; sword surrendered)

• Why? Because of his aggressive conquests of nations God defeats him

• Understand: He governs people with brutality; with sinful consequences

- But now, we have Isaiah’s promise (v7): God will give rest to the whole earth

• The earth will be at peace because of its release from his oppression

• The trees – which is a metaphor for the oppressed multitudes – will rejoice

• Why? Because the greatest persecutor has no authority over us anymore!

- TR: I know that we are all tired of the tyranny of this world; rescue is coming

-- Our role: Continue to preach, to teach, to love, to minister, to give HOPE of it!

Point 2 – Big Question: What happens to God’s enemy after defeat?

- God will doom his enemy, the evil one, to a place called: “Sheol” (v9)

• Even departed spirits awaiting judgment are excited to see him there!

• They will take note of his arrival, crane their necks to see him better

• APP: They will rejoice to see the wicked one defeated!

- They will ridicule his fall from power & realize his uselessness (vv9-12)

• SEE: He becomes as weak as they are (compared to God’s power)

• HOW: The ‘wicked king’ loses his glory, his wealth, his status & power

• Even maggots and worms will cover his body (sign of death/decay)

- TEACH: Sheol does not always mean “the place of the damned” (a.k.a. hell)

-- But, it does have the same meaning as the word used in Greek: “Hades”

- It is literally translated as a “grave” or a “pit”: to be separated from this world

-- Genesis 37:35, “His (Jacob on hearing his son, Joseph, is dead - lie) family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “I will go to my grave (Sheol) mourning for my son,” he would say, and then he would weep.”

-- Wisdom tells us: Proverbs 1:12, “Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave (Sheol); let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.”

- Jesus talked about it as another world, an unseen world, a spiritual world

-- FACT: It is a place consisting of two separate areas with an impassable gulf

-- Luke 16:22-24, “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead (Hades). There, in torment (basanos), he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’” Take away: Jesus is saying: