Introduction
If you were to take out a United States coin or bill you would find somewhere on there the phrase, “in God we trust.” This motto was adopted by congress during the civil war, and has been confirmed by acts of congress and by various courts. In recent times various groups have been challenging that motto as being a violation of separation of church and state. To date such efforts have been fruitless.
There have been some interesting suggestions as to what we should change our motto to be. Let me share two of them with you. “Peace be the Journey,” is one. The writer gives this reason for adopting that particular phrase: “What this country needs is peace, and “In God We Trust”, a motto which supports religion - something that proliferates war and hostility both domestically and internationally - is far from the want of peace.” Her reasoning obviously shows her lack of understanding of what Christianity really proclaims – namely peace.
Here’s another one: “In Sex, drugs and rock & roll we trust.” What is their reasoning? “We propose to change the national motto of the United States to "In Sex, Drugs, and Rock n’ Roll We Trust." We feel that this more accurately reflects both the values and the attitude of most Americans than "In God We Trust," and that it contains at least one component that almost every American can identify with.” I think they are trying to be sarcastic.
The basic reason people want to change the national motto is this: Our current national motto has never represented all citizens of the United States. I would agree with that statement. To say that eveyone in the United States has trusted exclusively in God, or that the United States government has trusted exclusively in God is absurd. God is not nearly concerned about whether we say we trust in God nearly as much as whether we actually trust in God.
We keep returning to this issue of trust because the whole first half of Isaiah has this basic underlying theme of trust. The Israelites claimed they trusted in God, and to a certain degree they did. But they also trusted Baal, Molech, Ashtera, and other gods. They trusted God, but they also trusted Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, and other nations for their protection. They trusted God, but they also trusted their own schemes to get ahead financially by forcing the poor into deeper poverty or even slavery. While the names and context is different, we see that the issues are the same for the United States in the 21st century AD as they were for Judah in the 8th century BC.
Here in chapter 26 Isaiah gives us four contrasts between those who trust in God and those who do not. 1) Inhabiting the divine city or lofty ruins, 2) Walking the divine path or the aimless way, 3) Working with divine ability or human inability, and 4) Rising to life eternal or to judgement.
Inhabiting the divine city or lofty ruins (1-6)
In verses 1-6 we see the contrast between inhabiting the divine city or lofty ruins. Isaiah tells us that those who trust in God will live in a strong city. We have the same call today. The writer of Hebrews calls us to look for a city “whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10b). John descirbes this city in Revelation 21, we won’t read that this morning but I encourage you to take a look at that some time.
What does Isaiah say about that city? First he tells us that the city is strong, and that salvation is its walls and ramparts. Our slavation is our protection, but it is also our seperation. There is a clear distinction here, those who are saved are inside the city with God and are protected by God. Those who are not saved are outside the city.
So how does one get inside the city? There is a gate. We who know Christ know that he is the gate. (John 10:9-10) "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." We can’t enter by climbing over the wall, by trying to save ourselves through works of righteousness. We can’t enter by digging under the wall, by trying to get around God’s righteousness and salvation. Just as there would be only one way to enter a fortified city – through the gate, so the only way to enter into God’s salvation is through the gate He provided – through Jesus Christ.
We don’t enter because of righteous works, but by faith. Verses 3 and 4, both well-known verses, show that this righteous nation is righteous because they trust in God. They are righteous because such trust is steadfast. They are righteous because their trust is in the Lord forever. We are declared righteous when we trust in God, not because we carry around coins that have that motto. We are declared righteous, and we live in a strong city of faith, because Christ bore our sins on the cross so that we may be given his righteousness.
Isaiah contrasts the city of God with the city of Man. Trust in God allows us to inhabit the city of God, a city of salvation. Trust in man allows us to inhabit the lofty city, but it’s a city doomed to destruction. The city of Man looks secure – it is lofty and well-established, but looks are deceptive. That city will be demolished. The city will be ground into dust and trampled by those who were formerly excluded. Trust in anything but God is trust misplaced because this world, all its values, and all its systems will be destroyed. Which city do you spend your time in? Are you living in the city of salvation or the city of Man? Are you are trying to live in both cities, are you maintaining summer and winter homes in the two different cities? You need to make a choice. While we do business with the city of man, we are to live in the city of salvation.
Walking in the divine path or the aimless way
Isaiah illustrates this issue of trust in another way: walking down a road in vereses 7-11. Isaiah tells us that the divine path, God’s path, is level and straight. Look here in verse 7, Isaiah tells us that the path of the righteous is level. Then he calls God “O upright One.” This is actually the same word. The NIV translates them differenetly because Hebrew and English idioms are different. The idea here is that God’s path is level because God is level. God’s path is straight because God is straight. God’s path is righteous because God is righteous. We walk in God’s path by imitating the character of God.
Isaiah is not saying that God’s path is a stroll in the park, but he is saying that the path is easy to find. God repeatedly displays his character in several ways. First, he reveals himself via his word. Secondly, he reveals himself through the incarnation of Jesus. Thirdly, he reveals himself via other Christians around us. All God is asking us is to imitate him. Every single command God has given is a reflection of some aspect of his character. Imitating God may not be easy, but the requirements are clear.
By contrast, the way of the world is aimless and clueless. Isaiah gives us three pictures of how people refuse to follow God. Verse 10: even though people of the world are shown grace, they do not learn. God shows his grace by withholding punishment for sin, and by declaring his gospel. But they do not learn to be right with God. Verse 10b: they live in an upright land, but they go on doing evil. Even when God provides stable governments and everything is “plain sailing,” they refuse to acknowledge God as the king. Verse 11: Even if God’s hand is lifted high for all to see, even if he performs miracles that are undeniably miracles, they refuse to see. Even though the proof for Jesus’ death and resurection are abundant people refuse to some to terms with God.
Paul says this same thing in Romans 1:18-32. People know the righteous acts of God, they can see the divine path, but they willfully refuse to walk in it and they encourage others not to walk in it either. They choose to walk in the aimless way. Are you choosing to walk in the divine path or in the aimless way?
Working with divine ability or human inability
Isaiah gives us a third contrast: Working with divine ability or human inability (12-18). Everything that we have accomplished has been done by God working through us. That was true in Isaiah, that is true here in Minonk.
First Baptist Church of Minonk isn’t here because (names from stained glass windows) established it. God established this church. God used (names) to build this church by working through them, by gifting them with talents and abilities. But it was God who established this church. If this church continues it is because God will continue to do his work here. For that reason only God’s name is honored. We are established, we continue, and we will grow only by his name and by his power. Are we as a church in the 21st century working in our power, or are we relying on God’s power?
By contrast Isaiah tells us what happens when we work in our own human ability (17-18). Isaiah uses the image of a woman giving birth. Anyone who has had a child knows that giving birth takes a lot of effort. For nine months this child is growing inside the womb. Then the day arrives. Suddenly there is agony. You ladies just don’t understand what suffering we guys have to go through. We have to be sensitive and attentive. We have to hold your hand and never let on that your grip is killing us. We have to make sure the ice water is near, make sure the drugs are coming, make sure the doctors and nurses are ready all without leaving your side. We have to remind you to breathe, and to do so gently while you are swearing that we will never have another child and that somehow you are blaming us guys for doing this to you. I mean, you get to lie in bed the whole time – that should tell you something. A woman once told me that if I wanted to know what birth was like, take my upper lip and pull it over my head. All I know is that if it were men giving birth to children the human race would have died out long ago.
Serriously, this image of a woman struggling to give birth is the strongest image Isaiah could invoke. But nothing comes of all that labor. Imaine after going through labor the doctor tells you that you didn’t give birth to a baby – it was just gas. That’s what Isaiah is trying to get across. When we work in our own strength we achieve nothing. Even if we were to work as hard as a woman giving birth our work accomplishs nothing.
Are we as a church working in God’s divine ability or our own human inability? Are the programs we are doing just programs that make a lot of noise and take a lot of effort but accomplish nothing? Or are we laboring in God’s strength which accomplishs eternal salvation?
Rising to eternal life or eternal punishment
The last contrast Isaiah draws is between the eternal destination of the righteous and the wicked (19-21). God’s people will rise to eternal life amid shouts of joy to share in the festivities of God’s final triump. The wicked will rise to eternal punishement.
The previous three contrasts, inhabiting the city of salvation v. the lofty ruins, walking the divine path v. wanding in the aimless way, and working in God’s strength v. working in our own inabiltiy, are all choices we make. This last contrast is the result of those choices.
There was a children’s song. One door, and only one, yet the sides are two. Inside and outside, which side are you? One way, and only one, yet the ways are two. Right way and wrong way, which way are you? We could go on: one strength and only one, yet the works are two. His strength or our strength, which strength are you? One eternity, and only one, yet the results are two. Eternal life with God or eternal seperation from God, which result will be yours?
