Go! And Let God Teach You What Is Best - Isaiah 48:17
Introduction: The Teacher Who Knows Best
“This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.’” – Isaiah 48:17 (NLT)
Let me ask you a question this morning: Who is teaching you how to live?
In an age of YouTube tutorials, online influencers, and self-help gurus, it seems everyone has an opinion on how you should live your life—how to find success, happiness, or peace. Yet, so many people follow the advice of the world and still feel empty, anxious, or lost.
But God speaks through Isaiah with a bold and tender reminder: “I am the Lord your God… who teaches you what is good for you… and leads you along the paths you should follow.”
Today, we will discover:
The God Who Teaches What Is Good
The God Who Leads in the Right Path
The God Who Redeems and Restores
1. The God Who Teaches What Is Good
Isaiah writes, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you…” (Isaiah 48:17).
The Hebrew word for “teaches” here is ????? (lamad)—which carries the idea not only of imparting knowledge but of training, discipling, shaping through experience. God does not simply give us rules; He forms us, moulds us, and instructs us like a loving Father.
Isaiah was addressing a rebellious nation, Israel, who had often turned to idols and ignored God’s commands. They thought they knew what was best. They made alliances with pagan nations. They worshipped false gods. And yet, God reminds them: “I know what is truly good for you.”
In the 21st century, we too live in a culture that says, “Follow your heart,” “Live your truth,” “Do whatever makes you happy.” But God says: “Let Me teach you what is truly good.”
John Piper once said: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
This reminds us that the best life is not one we design for ourselves, but one aligned with the purposes and pleasure of God.
Micah 6:8 (NLT): “O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
What does God call “good”? Justice, mercy, humility before Him—not pride, greed, or self-reliance.
2. The God Who Leads in the Right Path
Isaiah 48:17 continues: “…and leads you along the paths you should follow.”
The word “leads” in Hebrew is ??????? (darak)—meaning to tread, to make a way, to guide by walking ahead.
God does not just give us a map; He walks the road with us.
The Mountain Guide
Imagine hiking up a treacherous mountain for the first time. Would you rather go alone with a vague map or follow an experienced guide who has walked that path a thousand times? God is that guide. He not only knows the destination—He created it.
Psalm 32:8 (NLT): “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’”
Proverbs 3:5–6 (NLT): “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Charles Stanley once said: “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.”
How freeing is that? Our job is not to manipulate the outcome but to follow the path He sets before us.
3. The God Who Redeems and Restores
Notice the title: “your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” This is covenant language. God is not a distant lecturer; He is the Redeemer—?????? (ga’al)—the one who rescues, buys back, restores.
For Israel, redemption meant being brought out of slavery—first in Egypt, later from Babylon. For us today, it points to the greater redemption in Christ: from the slavery of sin, from the judgment we deserve.
The Gospel Connection:
Here is the heart of the Gospel:
Jesus Christ came to redeem us—not with silver or gold, but with His precious blood.
He died on the cross for our sins.
He was buried, and on the third day, He rose again to give us life.
This is the ultimate fulfilment of Isaiah 48:17. Through Christ, God teaches us what is truly good—Himself. He leads us into eternal life, not destruction. He redeems us from sin’s curse.
Tim Keller wrote: “Jesus didn’t come to tell us the answers to the questions of life. He came to be the answer.”
The Broken Compass – A man bought a cheap compass for a mountain hike, but it was faulty. It kept pointing him in the wrong direction. He was lost for hours until he met a park ranger who led him safely home. Our lives without God’s direction are like a broken compass—always pointing somewhere, but rarely to the right place.
The Piano Tuner – A great pianist once said, “I tune my piano every day, not because it has drifted completely off, but because even small changes matter.” In the same way, we need God’s daily teaching and leading—not just a Sunday tune-up, but daily alignment with His Word.
Listen to God’s Teaching: Are you daily opening His Word? Isaiah 48 shows that the problem is not that God is silent but that His people were stubborn.
Follow His Leading: Is there an area of your life where you’re saying, “I know best”? Surrender it.
Trust His Redemption: Stop trying to earn your way to heaven. Let Christ redeem you.
Gospel Call:
Friend, if you do not yet know Jesus as your Redeemer, today is the day of salvation. You have gone your own way long enough. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 (NLT): “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
And yet, Romans 6:23 (NLT) promises: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Repent—turn from your sin. Trust in Jesus Christ—who died, was buried, and rose again for you. Let Him teach you what is good. Let Him lead you in the right path. Let Him redeem your soul.
Call to Action for Believers:
Commit to daily surrender: Ask God each morning, “Lord, teach me today.”
Practise obedient faith: Stop waiting for the full map—follow the next step.
Share the Gospel with others: If God has taught you the best way, lead someone else to Him.
Benediction:
“Now may the God who teaches you what is good, the Redeemer who leads you in paths of righteousness, guard your steps this week. May you hear His voice above the noise, follow His lead without fear, and glorify Jesus in all you do. Amen.”
