INTRODUCTION
Outline.
2. Israel Hath Rejected Isaiah’s Report
E. Remarks.
1. This is lesson two, in the sermon-series entitled: “Lord who hath believed our report?” The question originates from the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 53:1. This was Isaiah’s report of the coming and work of the Messiah. He wrote: “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him…Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all,” Isaiah 53:1-6. I have collapsed this text for brevity.
2. We will now discuss how this question relates to Israel, who hath rejected Isaiah’s report. Isaiah was predicting the hearers of this report would not believe it. He was speaking of Israel, the people of God. They rejected it not because of the Messiah, Himself, but for the hardness of their hearts towards God’s words, spoken to them by the prophets, and now by His Messiah. Jesus said: “Therefore, they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias when he saw His glory, and spake of him,” John 12:35-41; Isaiah 6:10. The prophet Stephens said of Israel: “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. Who always resisted the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you…Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute…who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers…who received the law…and have not kept it?” Acts 7:51-53. Jehovah said of the people: “All day long I have stretched out My hands: To a disobedient and contrary people,” Romans 10:21; Isaiah 65:2. With this brief introduction, let’s consider lesson two in this sermon-series: Israel Hath Rejected Isaiah’s Report.
BODY OF LESSON
II ISRAEL HATH REJECTED ISAIAH’S REPORT
A. Israel hath rejected Isaiah’s report. Now, we will discuss this question and how it related to Israel, who hath rejected Isaiah’s report. Isaiah was predicting the hearers of this report would not believe it. He was speaking of Israel, the people of God. They rejected the Messiah, not for His appearance, but the hardness of their hearts towards God's words, spoken to them by the prophets, and now by His Messiah. Observe--
1. Jesus said: “Therefore, they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias when he saw His glory, and spake of him,” John 12:35-41; Isaiah 6:10; Isaiah 6:1-3.
2. Hosea wrote: “Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there was no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge in the land,” Hosea 4:1. The people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, Hosea 4:6.
3. Jehovah promised: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it,” Amos 8:11-12.
4. So these were the days of the prophet; when Jesus walked among this people, and the apostles and prophets spoke the word of the Lord unto them. And Israel would not “hear the word of the Lord.” Jesus cried: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” Matthew 13:9-17.
5. Jesus the light. Then, Jesus said: “Unto them, Yet, a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness comes upon you: for him that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light, Ephesians 5:8-10. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide from them,” John 12:35-36. Consider--
a. Jesus is the light. He admonished them to: “Walk while you have the light, lest darkness comes upon you: for him that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.” But, instead:
1) First, “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the sons of God, to those who believed in His name,” John 1:11-12. Listen to the Master—
a) One, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness,” John 3:11. Let’s look at Jesus’ words in this text,
b) The word receive, in Gr., is lambano or lam-ban'-o, which means: i.e., to seize or remove: —accept, be amazed, assay, attain, bring, or when I call, to catch, come on (unto), forget, have, hold, to obtain, receive (after), to take (away, up) after hearing and believing a thing.
c) The word witness, in Gr., is “martyria or mar-too-ree'-ah, which means: i.e., (evidence given in a): —record, report, testimony, or witness.
d) Conclusion: These words used together mean that one receives or believes the report or witness of another or a thing. We witnessed this simple truth in the repentant believers on the Day of Pentecost. Luke wrote: “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls,” Acts 2:41; Acts 2:47. Here Luke uses the Gr., word apodechomai or ap-od-ekh'-om-ahee, which means: to take full, to welcome (persons), or to approve (things): —to accept, receive (gladly), Luke 8:40. And I might add: to hear, believe and obey. In common Greek writings, the word apodechomai is used only in Luke’s writings. However, both words convey the same important meaning, i.e., to accept, receive, and believe gladly the word being witnessed or the testimony of their report.
2) Second, Jesus says: “And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true,” John 3:32-33. The witness hears, believes, and obeys the content of the report. We set our seal of faith and trust that God is true; and, God has set His seal of “inheritance upon us with: the gift of the Holy Spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13-14; Galatians 3:14; Acts 5:32.
3) Third, Paul said before the council in Jerusalem: “And (I) saw him (Jesus) saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me,” Acts 22:18. Paul speaking here of Jesus’ warning unto him, “get out of Jerusalem at once, they will not “hear or believe your report concerning me.” Wasn’t this the testimony of Isaiah? When he wrote: “Lord who hath believed our report?” John continued--
b. Further, "Then Jesus, spoke to them again, saying: I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life,” John 8:12.
c. Finally, He was: "The true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and He made the world through Himself, and the world did not know Him. He came unto His own (the Jewish nation), and his own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the sons of God, to those who believe in His name,” John 1:9-12; Romans 8:14-17; 1 John 3:1-2.
d. Some Jews believed in Him. John wrote: “As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him: If you abide (continue) in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free…Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed,” John 8:30-36; John 10:41-42; John 11:45-46.
e. Conclusion: During the Lord's ministry, many of the Jews believed in Him. Some desired to walk in the light of Christ. He promised them: "If they continue in His word, they would be His disciples and would know the truth, and the truth would make them free." The Jews that rejected the Lord were the leaders of Israel. And the high priest, Caiaphas, plotted to kill Jesus. This he did: "Not say on his authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also that He would gather together the children of God, who had been scattered abroad," John 11:51-52. In this priestly vessel existed an obnoxious container, but he spoke the inspired words of God from his mouth.
B. Some Jews believed not. John wrote though Jesus did many miracles, the Jews did not believe: “And to this people, the arm of the Lord had been revealed.” Let’s consider John’s words,
1. He wrote: “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?” John 12:37-38.
a. One, “Therefore, they could not believe, because that Esaias said again: He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.”
b. Two, “These things said Esaias when he saw His glory, and spake of Him,” John 12:37-38.
c. We have discussed Isaiah’s report earlier in the lesson.
d. It is appropriate to discuss some of the miracles Jesus' performed within the nation of Israel. These were done to confirm that His work was from God, John 10:30-33.
2. The blind man’s healing. In John, chapter nine, we have an example of Jesus healing a blind man who was blind from birth. In this healing, we see the hardness of the hearts of the Pharisees. As they pressed the blind man regarding him receiving his sight. Observe—
a. First, they questioned him when: “They (his neighbors) brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees…Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight, He said to them: He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see…the Pharisees said: This man is not from God…They said to the blind man again, ‘what do you say about Him because He opened your eyes.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet,’” John 9:15-17.
b. Second, they questioned his parents: "But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying: "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? 'How then does he now see?' His parents answered them and said: 'We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself. His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue," John 9:18-23.
c. Third, the Pharisees question him again: "So they again call the man who was blind, and said to him: 'Give God the glory! We know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said: 'Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see,” John 9:25. With all of this, the Pharisees still would not acknowledge Jesus as Messiah.
3. Lazarus’ resurrection. John 11 describes Jesus's miracles of the resurrection of Lazarus. There are some excerpts we should note: to show the faith of some, but the rejection of others to the Jesus’ demonstration of: “the outstretched-arm of the Lord." After learning of Lazarus' sickness and death, Jesus made some interesting observations. Observe—
a. First, “Lazarus is sleeping: “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up,” John 11:11-14.
b. Further, when Jesus arrived in Bethany, he found: "Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother,” John 11:19.
c. Next, Martha and Mary believed: “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world,” John 11:25-27; John 11:28-37.
d. Additionally, Jesus raises Lazarus: “Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time, there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’” Observe—
1) First, “Then they (the men) took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.”
2) Second, “And Jesus lifted His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they might believe that You sent Me.’”
3) Third, “Now when He had said these things: He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’” It will be this same voice that will awaken all the dead at His return, John 5:28-29.
4) Fourth, “And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Lose him and let him go,’” John 11:38-44. While witnessing Lazarus' burial clothing, we can understand how the body of Jesus was prepared for burial, John 19:38-42; John 20:3-10.
e. Finally, “Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did…Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death,” John 11:45-53. This text was collapsed for brevity.
4. Conclusion: Many believed in Him after witnessing this miracle. Others had gathered to comfort Lazarus' sisters. Still, others came merely to observe and then report to the Jewish leaders what they had seen. Then, the leaders, hearing what he did, would not believe but set out to take Him and put him to death. In Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham speaking to the rich man: “Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said: ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead,’” Luke 16:29-31.
C. Some chief rulers believed. John concluded: “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God,” John 12:42-43.
1. First, “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him.” These chief rulers believed, even as did many others, but they would not confess Him as Messiah, John 9:22; John 7:13; John 19:38; Acts 5:12-13.
2. Second, “But because of the Pharisees they did not confess him.” Many know and believe all that I am presenting in this lesson today; but they will not acknowledge it as truth, nor confess that they believe the truth, for fear of their leaders and brethren. It takes courage and true conviction to turn from "darkness to light," and many before me now lack such trust and dedication to the Messiah of Glory!
3. Third, “Lest they be put out of the synagogue.” Why? They fear expulsion from their positions within their denominations. David wrote: "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the tent of the wicked,” Psalms 84:10. David would rather sit at the tent door with God’s people than sit in the chief seat among the sinful.
4. Fourth, “They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God,” John 5:44; John 12:42-43.
5. Conclusion: These chief rules believed in Jesus. Yet, they would not confess their faith in Him to others. These men were like many today; they "love the praise of their peers, more than the praise of God." True faith not only believes and confesses, but it ultimately obeys the will of the Lord. We are no closer to God than our obedience to Him in all things. King Saul failed to obey God because: "He feared the people," 1 Samuel 13:24. We must do as Peter and the other apostles had done: "We ought to obey God, rather than man," Acts 5:29; Acts 4:19-20.
D. Some chief rulers were Jesus’ disciples. Many of the chief rules were Jesus’ disciples in secret. John wrote of some of these chief rulers who were the disciples of Jesus. Observe--
1. First, Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple in secret. John wrote: "After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate permitted him. So, he came and took the body of Jesus," John 19:38.
2. Further, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. John again: “And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds,” John 19:39; John 3:1-2. John concludes--
3. Finally, “Then they (Joseph and Nicodemus) took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden and, in the garden, a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So, there they laid Jesus, because the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby," John 19:39-42.
NOTE: To better understand Jesus' burial and resurrection, download our lesson: "Passing Through the Pieces," from SermonCentral.com, Ron Freeman, Evangelist.
4. These chief rulers were Christ’s disciples in secret. They were men of prominence among the rulers of Israel. We can only hope they became believers in Christ. Men like Gamaliel, who withstood the council from killing Peter and John, giving them warning: “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God,” Acts 5:38-39. Consider--
a. Priests were obedient to the faith. After Pentecost, many priests became disciples. Luke wrote: “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great company of the priest were obedient to the faith,” Acts 6:7.
b. Saul of Tarsus became a believer. At this point in the lesson, I will only mention Saul's conversion and how he became the great steward of the faith. Like other Jewish leaders, Saul-- a Pharisee, Philippians 3:5-7. Saul became the servant of the Lord after committing great persecution against the church, Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:1-22; Galatians 1:13-24.
c. Barnabas, a Levite, became a believer and evangelist (Acts 4:36-37; Acts 11:19-30; Acts 13:1-3).
d. Apollos of Alexandria. And, I would be remiss if I did not mention Apollos, of Alexandria, a rabbi that came from Egypt to Ephesus: to learn about the Messiah. So skilled was he in preaching the word that a loving couple: “Taught him the way of God more perfectly,” Acts 18:24-28. He later became a great help to the church at Corinth, 1 Corinthians 1:11-13; 1 Corinthians 3:5-7; 1 Corinthians 4:6.
e. Conclusion: Although there was a great success of these preaching Christ to the Jews and Gentiles, Israel remained in disbelief and disobedient to the gospel. A great host of these leaders shed their robes of righteousness and took upon them the banner of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Their sound indeed went into all the earth, and many of their peers became obedient to the faith because of their work. However, for the most part, Israel remains unconverted because of the "hardness of their heart before God."
5. Israel did not believe. Paul wrote: "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: "Their sound (message) has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. But I say, did Israel not know?" Romans 10:17-19. All these questions were rhetorical. Yes, Israel knew. But Israel did not believe and obey Isaiah's report regarding the Messiah. However, all was not lost, for God had prepared Himself a "remnant” that would obey His voice, Romans 9:27-28; Romans 11:5-8. Let’s now see the elect of God, His chosen generation, His royal priesthood.
E. A chosen generation. Significant numbers of Jews did believe and obey the gospel through the preaching of Peter, Paul, and James, the Lord’s brother. Peter makes mention of these—
1. Peter wrote: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy,” 1 Peter 2:9-10; 1 Peter 1:1-2. Peter was chosen to be the first to preach to both the Jews and Gentiles: the gospel of Christ.
a. To the Jews first, Acts 2:1-41.
b. To the Gentiles later, Acts 10:1-48; Acts 11:1-18.
c. Peter rehearsed this appointment before the Jerusalem Council, Acts 15:7-11.
d. James acknowledges God's plan to call out of the Gentiles: "A people for his name…And to build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen," Acts 15:13-17; Amos 9:11-12.
2. James wrote: “James, a bondservant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience,” James 1:1-3. James was one of the “pillars” in Jerusalem, Galatians 2:6-10.
3. Paul preached to the Jews. But he was called to be a "light unto the Gentiles, for salvation unto the ends of the earth," Acts 13:47; Acts 26:23.
a. Paul was called from his mother’s womb to preach unto the heathen, Galatians 1:15-16.
b. He was sent unto the Gentiles by the Lord, Acts 9:15-16; Acts 22:21.
c. He was prepared to preach unto kings and Caesar, Acts 24:24-26; Acts 25:22-27; and Acts 26:1-32.
d. Paul was sent to Rome to bear witness of Jesus unto the Emperor, 2 Timothy 4:16-18.
4. What a great privilege it was for Paul to share Christ unto Caesar in Rome. Our next time together, we will discuss lesson three in this sermon-series. We are nearing the end, and I will bring it all together and conclude: if it is the Lord's will. Until then, let’s review what we have discussed. Recall we mentioned--
CONCLUSION
A. Outline.
2. Israel Hath Rejected Isaiah’s Report
B. Summarize main points.
1. We discussed how this question related to Israel, who hath rejected Isaiah’s report. Isaiah was predicting the hearers of this report would not believe it. He was speaking of Israel, the people of God. They did not reject it because of the Messiah, Himself; but, for the hardness of their hearts towards God's words, spoken to them by the prophets, and now by His Messiah. Jesus said: "Therefore, they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. See also Mark 4:10-12.
2. These things said Esaias when he saw His glory, and spake of him,” John 12:35-41; Isaiah 6:10. The prophet Stephens said of Israel: “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. Who always resisted the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you…Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute…who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers…who received the law…and have not kept it?” Acts 7:51-53. Jehovah said of the people: “All day long I have stretched out My hands: To a disobedient and contrary people,” Romans 10:21; Isaiah 65:2.
C. Invitation. Present the pattern of conversion, H, B. R, C, B.
D. Exhortation.
E. Motivation.
References:
1. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible, Matthew Henry, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Grand Rapids, MI, 1706.
2. The People's New Testament, by B. W. Johnson, Christian Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1891.
We thank these prolific writers for their wisdom and insight into the Holy Scriptures.
