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)
-- He will stir up and punish their rebellion against Him and His people (defense)
-- APP: Why? This will be done to break the yoke of oppression from the people
-- Not the first time God has done this (Isaiah reminds them): Midian and Egypt
-- Judges 7:25 (Midianites defeated) and Exodus 14:21-31 (crossing Red Sea)
- See: God uses clear reminders as tangible evidence to hold onto
-- ASK: Pastor, if this was in 740 BC, why should this give me hope?
-- Because God has given us the same evidence to stand on also
-- EX: Have historical evidence of remains found in the Red Sea (chariot pieces)
- God has told us that He will not leave us to own suffering forever
-- Here, Isaiah makes that plea with King Ahaz by reminding him of current events
-- vv27-32 is his own version of “headline news” – he recaps Assyrian assault
-- And not even King Ahaz can refute this because it’s what has caused his stress!
- APP: God will use current events to get our attention as well!
-- EX: Ever wonder why so many churches look more like society than Jesus?
-- Because the enemy of God wants to destroy the places we seek God! Truth is …
-- The world wants to overthrow the church: to conform it or worse - close it down
- Isaiah is encouraging King Ahaz (and us) to SEE the world as it really is
-- Which all goes back to God’s calling of us to be set apart as He is …
-- Leviticus 20:7-8, “So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy.”
- KNOW: The word Holy means “set apart”, or “different”, or “renewed”
-- Hebrew: qadosh; sacred or set apart (like a sanctuary, to be revered for God)
- It is in passages like this, where if we dig, we SEE the morsels of wisdom for us
-- We must not just glaze over this like a boring history lesson from ancient times
-- This ought to mean more to us than how we felt in Economics class in school
-- It should be a treasure to discover, to see how God truly feels about us (faithful)
- KNOW: God has always desired us to be with Him, to be free (as His people)
-- He wants us to draw close to Him, to feel His presence, to seek refuge in Him
- BE REAL: Admitting you’re not “ok” is not a bad thing; see what’s here …
-- God is blasting a civilization for not admitting they are “ok”; sent them Isaiah
-- Who in turn, promised them Jesus (Isaiah 9) because God KNEW what we need
Big Idea
- BIG QUE: Why will this happen? Because GOD is in charge! (re-read vv33-34)
- Don’t miss: Isaiah uses a clear metaphor here to show them the power of God
-- SEE: “Lord of Heaven’s Armies” refers to God’s “job description”; His works
-- Hebrew: YHVH; LORD, Jehovah – In His name He represents who He is
- Yes, the Assyrians are a mighty force to be contended with – a “super-power”
-- Yet, God speaks of their future in words that anyone can clearly understand
-- Let’s see for ourselves what this looked like: Read 2 Kings 19:32-37
- If He can do that, what can He do for us who are in desperate need right now?
-- What He has done is given us Jesus, so we can see Him in fleshly form
- This is the reason we need Isaiah 9’s revelation – to see the concern God has
-- Now, see how he takes care of His people’s enemies in Chapter 10 …
-- What more do you need from Him to promise a secure and hopeful future?
- Pray
