Hope Is Given To God’s People Series

Isaiah, Part 7

Hope is Given to God’s People

Isaiah 10:20-34

Introduction

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

- Last week, we saw the most visual and memorable prophecy of Isaiah

-- It was God’s revelation of how we will be rescued – a redeemer sent from Him

-- He will have the ability to govern (rule), to save (rescue), and to counsel (friend)

-- In short: God’s Messiah (Jesus) will be everything that we are not!

- Today: Isaiah continues with an encouragement on living WITH this hope

-- But more than that – living FOR the hope that God gives us in the Messiah

- Read Isaiah 10:20-34

- Pray

- TR: Our first point is to see the wonderful promise from God …

Point 1 – Isaiah’s promise of God’s hope

- For those who are faithful, there will be a remnant of believers who survive

-- Hebrew: shear; a remainder, residue, remnant

-- Survival may seem like an odd word, but think of it as: being faithful to God

- Now, this may seem like an “far away promise”, but check out what God does

-- He sets the remnant apart; stand on their own; not dependent on their allies (v20)

-- Why? Because even their allies (secretly) want to possess what they have

- Believe this is an incredibly subtle word here to all of us:

-- Consider who is in your inner circle – who do you allow to influence you?

-- Not everyone who says they are an ally is one; or has your best interest at heart

-- RE: At our core we are sinners who want to be in control - it’s just who we are!

- But this can be overcome / defeated IF we will admit our own weakness

-- The deeper implication is what Isaiah is challenging us with here:

-- CH: Who do you trust more than God? Where is your hope found/rooted?

- The encouragement of Isaiah is: to trust the Lord (v20, they will faithfully)

-- Hebrew shaan; to lean, to support or to rely

- TR: Yes, the end result of the Assyrian captivity will be extremely traumatic

-- God’s judgment would destroy them in an execution of justice, but in that …

Point 2 – Hope is provided in God’s people being made free

- APP: Despite Assyria’s promise to take the captive and enslave them

-- What God does for them is what He promises to do for all who come to Him!

- The prophet says that the remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God (v21)

-- Hebrew: gibbor; mighty, strong (warrior) Hebrew: el; God (strength)

-- In writing this, Isaiah was using the name of his own son to show his certainty

- This is the son Isaiah took to visit King Ahaz in Isaiah 7:3, “Shear-Jashub”

-- Why? Isaiah’s son’s name, literally means, “a remnant will return”

-- This return will be the fulfillment of the prophecy (constant reminder to him)

- There are two events which bring this to light for us:

1. May be pointing to the temporary return to faithfulness to God when the angel of the Lord wiped out the Assyrians in 701 BC (later: 2 Kings 19:35)

2. Could be referring to when a remnant of Israelites would return to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon (recorded in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah)

- What we must take from this is the certainty of Isaiah’s encouragement!

-- He is adamant about this revelation, because God said He will do it (read v23)

-- Hebrew: charats; to decide or decree with a wounding intention

-- APP: This declaration is a decree from God’s heart to them (Isaiah pleading)

- Why should this matter to us today? Other than the obvious (to study it)?

-- Bulletin Note: “… Will we be found as faithful servants to what God has called us to, or will we continue to choose our own way to live? It truly comes down to a matter of priorities and asking ourselves … “Who will you serve?”

- What Isaiah challenges King Ahaz with is the same thing God challenges us with

-- ACTION: Will we find our hope and faith in God or in the world’s things?

- TR: I want us to see the result of having hope in what God offers …

Point 3 – Hope allows for confirmation of our faith in God

- SEE: There is a wonderful assurance given to the people (v24)

-- Yes, a tough road is ahead for them where they will be enslaved, however …

-- God’s anger against Judah will eventually end – and He will forgive them

- How? God will destroy the Assyrians by preventing their siege (v25)