Introduction:
1. Let Us Continue Series Of Study On Isaiah
- Looked At “Isaiah - The Prophet” - Learned A Lot From His Name, Life & Character
- Tonight, Look At “Isaiah - The Message” - An Overview And Introduction To The Entire Book
- IE: Look At The “Big Picture” - Painting At The Art Gallery At BJU - Very Large Masterpieces - Stand Back To Enjoy The Full Picture - This Is What We Will Do With Isaiah Tonight, Look At His Overall & Overriding Message & Challenge To You And Me - Then, You Get Closer To See The Thousands Of Fine, Individual Brush-Marks That Make Up The Masterpiece, Individual Messages & Challenges
2. In The Message Of Isaiah, Want To Look At:
- What Is The Overall Message & Challenge?
- What Are The Major Themes In The Message?
- What Is The Key That Relates These Themes Together?
- IE: Like All The Different Parts Of A Car - All There, Waiting For Instructions - It Takes A Key To Tie Everything Together, So That It Will Start!
3. The Key To Relating The Themes Of Isaiah’s Message Is:
- The Name Of God - “The Holy One Of Israel”
- Isaiah Uses 25 Times In Book, Throughout It! Isaiah Was Undoubtedly Changed By His Personal Encounter With God In Chapter 6 - He Learned More & Understood More About His Holiness!
4. What Are The Major Themes In The Message?
I. The Trust In The Holy One Of Israel!
- In Isaiah, There Are Two Kinds Of Trust:
- A Misplaced Trust - A Trust In Someone Or Something That Is Not Trustworthy!
- A Proper Trust
- The Uselessness Of A Misplaced Trust:
- 10:20-21 - “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.”
- “Stay Upon” - “To Stay Or Lean On Is Expressive Of Faith”
- Where Was Their Trust? - “Upon Him That Smote Them” - Egypt - Once Enslaved Them, Now Looking To Them For Help! - Assyria - Looking / Trusting In Them, Who Destroy Israel & Comes Against Them!
- Where Is Our Trust? - Our Own People?
- 17:7-8 - “At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.”
- “Look To” - Trust In / Have Faith Or Confidence In
- Where Was Their Trust? - “The Altars, The Work Of His Hands . . . That Which His Fingers Have Made”
- Where Is Our Trust? - Our Own Productions?
- 31:1 - “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!”
- Where Was Their Trust? - “On Horses, And Trust In Chariots, Because They Are Many, And In Horsemen, Because They Are Very Strong.”
- Where Is Our Trust? - Our Own Possessions? - Our Own Power?
* 1 Timothy 6:17 - “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”
- The Confidence In A Proper Trust!
- Instead Of People, Trust In The Holy One Of Israel!
- 10:21 - “ but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.”
- Instead Of Productions, Trust In The Holy One Of Israel!
- 17:7 - “ At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.”
- Instead Of Possessions & Power, Trust In The Holy One Of Israel!
- 31:3 - “Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.”
* We Can & Must Trust In The Holy One Of Israel!
II. The Holiness Of The Holy One Of Israel!
- God’s Holiness Is A Major Theme!
- “Isaiah’s Temple Vision Of The Thrice-Holy God Deeply Influenced His Whole Prophetic Career And Theology!”
- God Is Holy!
- 6:1-3 - “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
- Psalms 99:9 - “Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.”
- God Requires Holiness!
- 1:4 - “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.”
- Sin, Iniquity, Evil-Doing, Corruptions, Forsaking - They Provoke The Holiness Of God! - To Incite To Anger & Action! - IE: Like The Terrorists Of 9/11!
- God Judges Unholiness!
- 5:24-25 - “Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.”
- God Provides Holiness! (To Those Who Have A Proper Trust In Him)
- 6:5-7 - “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.”
- After Recognition, Repentance, Trust
* Our Unholiness Displeases The Holy One Of Israel!
III. The Excellence Of The Holy One Of Israel!
- His Uniqueness & Greatness - He Is The Holy “One” Of Israel!
- His Character Is Excellent!
- 12:6 - “Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.”
- His Works Are Excellent!
- 12:4-5 - “And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.”
- His People Will Become Excellent!
- 60:15 - “Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.”
* We Can / Should - “Cry Out And Shout - For Great Is The Holy One Of Israel In The Midst Of Us!”
IV. The Relationship Of The Holy One Of Israel!
- His Unique Relationship With Israel Reveals Many Things About Him!
- Reveals His Sovereignty!
- 43:15 - “ I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.”
- Reveals His Love!
- 41:8-9 - “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.” - He Chose Because He Loved! - Deuteronomy 10:15 - “Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.”
- Reveals His Compassion!
- 41:10 - “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
- Reveals His Hope!
- “Holy One Of Israel” - Given To The Nation Of Judah, Providing Hope In The Future Unification Of Their Nation!
- Our Hope - 1 Timothy 1:1 - “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;”
V. The Salvation Through The Holy One Of Israel!
- “Isaiah” = “The Salvation Of Jehovah” - “His Name Is Symbolic Of His Message!” (George Robinson, ISBE)
- Through A Special Person!
- 9:6-7 - “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
- To A Special People!
- 29:19 - “The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.”
- Luke 5:32 - “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 - “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”
- For A Special Purpose!
- 41:20 - “That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.”
Conclusion:
1. What Is The Key That Relates These Themes Together?
- The Trusting In God
- The Holiness Of God
- The Excellence Of God
- The Relationship Of God
- The Salvation Of God
* God Is “The Holy One Of Israel”!
2. What Is The Overall Message & Challenge Of Isaiah?
- “Trust In The Holy One Of Israel For Salvation!”
- Because Of His Holiness, We Must Trust In Him! - And Our Own Unholiness!
- Because Of His Excellence, We Can Trust In Him! - He Is Trustworthy!
- Because Of His Relationship, We Are Able To Trust In Him! - He Wants Us To!
- Because Of His Salvation, We Will Trust In Him! - He Provides Jesus Christ!
3. What A Beautiful Masterpiece!
- Beginning Next Week, We Will Look More Closely At The Brushstrokes, And The Challenges They Bring To Us!
