Part 2
Introduction:
1. Review: What Does God Require From People? (In Our Wicked Nature!)
- Find In 1:16-17 - “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”
- Cleansing - But How Can I Be Clean, Unless Someone Else Washes Me?!
- Repentance - But How Can I Put Away My Evil, Unless Someone Else Takes It Away From Me?
- Righteousness - But How Can I Learn To Do Well, Unless Someone Else Teaches Me?
- Because Of Our Nature, It Is Impossible For Us To Do What He Requires!
- Proverbs 20:9 - “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?”
2. We Must Be Purified!
- Purification Is Available! (v. 18)
- To Those Who Respond To Him - “Come Now, Let Us Reason Together”
- Through Repentance Of Their Sin
- Through Recognition Of Their Sin
- Through Remorse Over Their Sin
- Through Revealing Their Sin
- Through Relying Upon God’s Ability To Purify Them
- Through The One Who Already Is Pure As Wool!
- 1 Peter 1:19 - “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”
- Purification Has A Requirement! (v. 19-20)
- A Relationship With The One Who Can Purify You!
- Purification Is Necessary! (v. 21-23)
3. The Rest Of Chapter One Gives Us Even More Understanding Of The Purification Available Through Christ!
I. The Provision Of Purification: (v. 24-27)
- His Power To Purify (v. 24a)
- IE: The Ability To Purify Is Crucial - Commercials For Laundry Detergent Emphasize Their Power To Clean - Several Different People Stain Clothes - Mother Cuts It Apart & Washes It In Different Detergent - Only One Has Enough Power To Clean & Purify Those Deep Stains!
- Even Though Our Need For Purification Is Desperate And Incurable, There Is One Who Is Able To Purify Us! There Is One Who Has The Power To Purify Us! He Is:
- “The Lord” - Revealing A Just Power! Because He Is The Master & Ruler - “Adonai”
- “The Lord Of Hosts” - Revealing A Universal Power! Because He Is The Master & Ruler Of All, Even Those Who Are “Mighty”!
- “The Mighty One Of Israel” - Revealing A Controlled & Selective Power! Because He Chose To Reveal His Power To And For Israel!
- He Alone Has The Power To Purify!
- Jeremiah 32:17 - “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:”
- He Still Has Power To Purify! What Sin Are You Struggling With? Pride? Speech? Thought Life? Recognize & Rely Upon His Power To Purify!
- His Procedure To Purify:
- First Step - Removal (v. 24b)
- Removal Of The Wicked - “Ease” - To Comfort Himself By Removing Enemy
- Ezekiel 5:13 - “Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.”
- “Avenge” - To Punish & Destroy His Enemy
- “Adversaries” & “Enemies” - Those Who Do Not Respond To His Invitation To Be Purified.
- Second Step - Refine (v. 25)
- Removal Of Wickedness - How?
- With Strength - “Turn My Hand” - IE: With The Strength & Might Of A Blacksmith - Strong Hands To Wrap Around The Handle Of A Hammer
- With Skill - “Purely Purge Your Dross” - In v. 22, “Thy Silver Is Become Dross” - Here, Your Dross Is Refined Into Silver! This Process Takes Skill - IE: A Silver Smith Smelts Silver Ore (Rocks With Bits Of Silver In Them) - Uses Heat, Pressure & Impact To Purify It Into Useful, Valuable Silver!
- With Success - “Take Away All Thy Tin” - Final Result - The Removal Of The Impurities - Removing That Which Is Worthless, Leaving That Which Is Valuable! An Illustration Of God’s Work Of Sanctifying In Our Lives As Christians!
- Ephesians 5:26 - “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”
- Job 23:10 - “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
- God Is Still In The “Refining” Business! James Tells Us: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
- Third Step - Restoration (v. 26)
- IE: “Restore” - To Bring Back To Its Original State, Like An Artist That Specializes In Painting Restoration - Working On The Masterpieces Of Famous Painters - To Clean It & To Fix It!
- Restore Their Counselors - Those Who Render Judgment - “Judges” - Those Who Give Advice - “Counselors” - They Will Do Their Job Righteously!
- Restore Their Condition
- “As At The First” - Probably Referring To The Political Reign Of David & Solomon That Followed After God’s Laws!
- “As At The Beginning” - Probably Referring To The Theocratic Reign Of Abraham Through Samuel, When God Directly Ruled Over His People - This Will Occur When A Divine-Political Administration Is Set Up - When Jesus Christ Himself Will Set Up His Reign On Earth!
- Restore Their Character - Contrasted With v. 21 - “Righteousness” & “Faithfulness” Will Return! Restored As If The “Season Of Sin” Had Never Happened!
- Psalms 23:3 - “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
- Fourth Step - Redemption (v. 27)
- IE: The Expression “Nothing Is Ever Free” Is True, Even Those “Free” Sweepstakes You Enter Through The Mail - Cost A Stamp & A Lot Of Advertisements Coming Your Way! - There Is Always A Price To Pay!
- The Price Of Redemption For Those Who Turn From God: “Judgment” - For Their Sins
- The Payment Of Redemption For Those Who Turn To God: “Righteousness” - To Cover Their Sins! “It Is Only In The Justice Of God That We Shall Find Solid And Lasting Ground Of Confidence!” (John Calvin)
- Even Though God Has The Power To Purify & Has A Process Set Up To Provide It, There Are Still Those Who Will Reject It!
II. The Rejection Of Purification: (v. 28-31)
- Those Who Reject His Purification Will “Be Redeemed With Judgment” With The Following Results:
- Destruction (v. 28)
- IE: “Destruction” - To Break Or Shatter - Like Dropping A Light Bulb - Completely Disintegrates - Glass Spreads Everywhere - Completely Destroyed!
- To Those Who Broke The Relationship With God - “Transgressors” - Rebel
- To Those Who Broke The Law Of God - “Sinners” - Guilty Offenders Of God’s Law
- To Those Who “Forsake The Lord” - Turn From God - Opposite Of Convert In v. 27 - “Consumed” - To Be At Their End - IE: Like A Christian, Their Race Is Over, But They Lost! There Is No Trophy! - Romans 3:16-17 - “Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known:”
- Shame (v. 29)
- Because Of Their Idolatry! They Worshiped Trees & Gardens!
- They Will Be Ashamed Because Their Gods Were Weak! A Tree Has Nothing To Do With Its Own Strength!
- They Will Be Ashamed Because Their Gods Were Lifeless! They Could Do Nothing For Their Requests Because They Could Not Hear Their Requests!
- They Will Be Ashamed Because Their Gods Were Many! Why Did They Need Many Gods?
- They Will Be Ashamed Because Their Gods Were Temporary! A Garden’s Beauty Only Lasts For A Season! IE: Green Grass Doesn’t Last Too Long!
- Death (v. 30)
- They Will End Up Like The Gods They Worshiped & Served
- They Will Whither
- They Will Dehydrate
- They Will Die!
- “A Tree Whose Leaf Fadeth Is One Which Can Easily Catch Fire And Be Destroyed, Or One Which Might Die. A Garden Without Water Has Lost All Its Delight And Attractiveness. Whatever Is In It Will Die.” (Edward Young)
- What Is Their Death Like? (v. 31)
- It Is A Spiritual Death - “The Strong Shall Be As Tow” - “Strong” - Those Who Are Proud - Proverbs 16:18 - “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” - This Wicked Spirit Will Die! - “Tow” - IE: Like A Piece Of Straw From Off Of A Broom - Weak & Flammable!
- It Is A Physical Death - “And The Maker Of It As A Spark” - “The Work Of Their Hands” - What They Say & Do From Their Heart Of Pride
- It Is An Eternal Death - “And None Shall Quench” - “The Wicked Shall Be Consumed, And Their Evil Works, And There Shall Be No Mercy Upon Them.” (John Gill)
Conclusion:
1. Review:
- These Verses Explain How God Provides Purification For His People, And What Will Happen To Those Who Reject It!
2. What Should Our Response Be?
- Rejoice In His Purification!
- This Is A Description Of How He Has Saved You!
- This Is A Description Of What He Has Saved You From!
- Rely Upon His Purification!
- Remember, He Has The Power To Purify!
- In The Face Of Temptations, Trials & Tragedies
- His Process Of Purification Is Still Going On!
- He Is Still Refining You!
- Relay His Purification To Others!
- So They Can Avoid Shame, Destruction & Death!
3. Invitation - “O Rejoice In The Lord!”
