Isaiah, Part 10
God’s People’s Response to His Judgment
Isaiah 24:1-23, Isaiah 25:1-12, and Isaiah 26:1-6
Introduction
- Welcome to Seasons! We are so glad that you’ve chosen to worship with us
- Last week, we saw the future punishment of Satan, and the hope it does bring
-- REALIZE: If God would do this to one of His most beautiful, rebellious angels
-- How can we (also created by God) think that we won’t answer for our sin too?
- BIG APP: The punishment for ALL who go against God will be the same!
-- Our challenge is to get out of our own way; trust/follow only God
-- This is a lesson even the Israelites had to learn (the hard way)!
- Today, we look at Isaiah’s vision of God’s judgment and His people’s response
-- Note: Will read in pieces today to better understand & unpack the text / Pray
- TR: If you have read, we can summarize last 12 chapters in one simple phrase…
Point 1 – God’s Judgment on the Earth
- Read Isaiah 24:1-23
- Need us to understand the magnitude, and see the real burden, of Isaiah (heart of an evangelist)
-- What he has seen, is a coming day of which there will be no escape
-- But notice his acknowledgment of where all of this comes from …
- It will be administered by the Lord (vv24:1-3)
• God will bring this judgment on all who have rebelled against Him
• Note: This is personal: “LORD” (v1) signifies “YHVH”; His given name
• There will be none who are exempt from it (see the list in v2)
- It’s directed at pride-filled people because of their disobedience (vv4-6)
• APP: Sin will not be tolerated in the face of a righteous God forever
• This has burdened Isaiah’s heart since Chapter 6 (man of unclean lips…)
• Therefore, those who have rebelled against God will answer for it
• Pay close attention, again, covered in v2 … you can find yourself there!
- God’s judgment removes even song and drink (simple pleasures) (vv7-12)
• APP: Understand, God’s judgment (ending in hell) will not be a “party”
• Isaiah is seeing a destruction of everything, including creature comforts
• Each of us enjoy fellowship, but in this time even it will be no more
• Why? Mobs will take over the street & total chaos will reign! (vv11-12)
- Yet the remnant will be able to glorify the Lord in song (vv13-16a)
• God removes the ability to celebrate in song for the wicked
• However, the faithful to Him are still able to worship and to praise Him
• The reference of v13 is a perfect example for the aftermath of this
• Think: Harvest: there is always something left (fruit, etc.) on the vine
- Observation: Jesus told us later in John 15 that He is the vine:
• John 15:1-4, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
• APP: If we remain in Him we will bear much fruit – Isaiah exemplifies this
• Those who remain, are not harvested (cut off), will continue to produce!
• This means those faithful who remain are still able to do the things of God!
Cause:
- Isaiah speaks about being afflicted by God’s judgment (his burden) (vv16b-20)
• Tells them (clearly) the judgment will be inescapable and complete
• Uses the analogy of rain falling … when it rains, everything gets wet
• Even things under shelter eventually become damp and affected by it
Effect:
- See: Hope: Following the judgment of His rivals, the Lord will reign (vv21-23)
• God will punish those on the Earth and in the Heavens (Satan expelled)
• Even the proud (haughty) rulers of the Earth will not escape this (v22)
• They will be rounded up, put in prison, and punished for their evil deeds
• Even the sun will stop shining, the moon will grow dim during this
• But God will reign and rule in His Jerusalem (new city; promise; Rev 21)
• APP: In full view of all, He will be proclaimed Sovereign over everything!
- TR: Might ask, how will the faithful who remain (the remnant) respond?
Point 2 – They will sing songs of praise for God’s judgment!
- Read Isaiah 25:1-12
- See this: The remnant will praise the Lord because of 3 specific things:
1) For defeating the ungodly cities that oppressed His people (vv25:1-5)
• The faithful celebrate how God has released them from oppression
• Sing how God has trampled the greatest enemies; signified by wealth/status
• They confess how (through it all) God has always been their refuge (v4)
• See this: Even in the worst time, God is still the protector of His people!
• How? By silencing even the threat (roar) of enemy nations (v5)
• APP: God has overcome all of this - and the people praise in song!
- CH: What are you facing today that perhaps you need to just praise Him in it?
-- OPPORTUNITY: God’s word has application when we make it personal to us!
2) For the wonderful things God will do on His mountain (vv6-9)
• Refers back to His city, Jerusalem, where He is praised for all His deeds
• He will even provide the finest banquet (signifies wartime victory) (v6)
• He will bring life back to the city: be a celebration, laughter, and joy (v7)
• He will swallow up death forever and remove all tears! (v8)
-- Rev 21:4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
• There will be praises heard ONLY about the goodness of God!! (v9)
3) For overthrowing the rebellious cities to His authority (vv10-12)
• The people will praise because of God’s protection of them
• They will declare how good he is; and rejoice in His salvation! (v9)
• God’s punishment (symbolized by Moab (Ch 12-23) is complete
• God will end their pride; and the evil works of all people! (v11)
• APP: This is critical to see: God will personally defeat the rebellious
o Free: Acts 10:34, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.”
• Those who disobey will come under the authority of God, directly!
- I want us to end on a high note, to give hope and encouragement (to us/others)
-- Our calling is to tell the truth, but to do so with the good news (provide hope)
- Check In – doing ok? Read Isaiah 26:1-6
- Note the proclamation of God’s people … this is because of His protection!!!
• God gives a strong city
• His salvation is our protection
• We will live in perfect peace
• We trust in Him because of Who He is (proven provider)
• He is our rock – a strong fortress (reflects his warrior attribute)
• He will not tolerate the prideful (RE: Satan’s future in Ch. 14)
• He refuses to allow human arrogance to dwell where He is
o This calls us to love: without arrogance there is humility!
o It is one of the hardest things to let go of … final hurdle for many!
o We are not always “right”, so in that comes mercy from God
• He even lifts the poor up to trample the pride and the arrogant
Big Idea
- The lesson here is so clear that we must assure we are living correctly:
- God will not allow the noise of this world’s chaos in eternity
• He calls us to glorify Him, to worship Him, to trust what He provides
• He calls us to be messengers of hope – but of His truth in love
- Need us to see the cause and effect here of Isaiah’s hope:
• Action: V2: “Open the gates …” WHY?
• Cause: V1: “We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation.”
- God’s city is kept within His protection; a place reserved & protected by Him
-- This is why Isaiah chooses these words: He sees it as a place or safety
-- But it is a place where entry into it is guarded (walls) and validated by Him
- Jesus said, “I am the way …” (John 14:6) Why? He became our path of entry!
-- Isaiah gives us this preview in these words … and it’s critical we learn this
-- And so, because we know it – we can lead others to this same entry also
- Pray
