Isaiah 41-42:17 Who’s on trial?

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Isaiah 41:1-42:17

Is 41 “Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea. Bring your strongest arguments. Come now and speak. The court is ready for your case.

I’ve never been to court, but I’ve certainly seen enough court cases on TV. The prosecution makes their argument. Then the defence. Then the judge delivers a verdict: guilty or not guilty.

That’s what we’ve got going on here. The weird thing is, is it’s not God doing the judging. No, he’s asking US to be the judge, to answer the question: who is God? Is it the Lord, the God of heaven’s armies? Or is it the idols?

The court is ready, let us hear the arguments, and let us judge.
First, the case for the Lord; second the case for the idols; and third what is God going to do: call his servant.

1. The case for the Lord: sovereign, real, in control

2 “Who has stirred up this king from the east, rightly calling him to God’s service? Who gives this man victory over many nations and permits him to trample their kings underfoot? With his sword, he reduces armies to dust. With his bow, he scatters them like chaff before the wind. 3 He chases them away and goes on safely, though he is walking over unfamiliar ground. 4 Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last. I alone am he.”

The first evidence God gives is that he is calling forth a “king from the east”, calling him to God’s service. A powerful king, a brutal warrior is coming.

Now remember the background for chapters 40 to 66. Even though God had warned his people to repent through Isaiah, even though he’d miraculously rescued them from the Assyrians, Israel did not repent, Jerusalem continued to sin. And so what God had warned would happen, happened. Judgement fell. The Babylonians came and destroyed Jerusalem and took everyone away to Babylon.
Now, Isaiah speaks to those in Babylon, grieving over the loss of their land, and the defeat of their God. Isaiah speaks to them to remind them that God is not dead – no, he was the one who caused this to happen. And he is still in control, he is still with them. And he warns them not to forget God, and run after idols! I mean, what happened to Jerusalem should be a warning!

And now he warns those in Babylon – I am raising up a great king from the east. A mighty warrior is coming. Does this sound familiar? It’s similar words used to describe Assyria. And they swept through the lands like a mighty flood. Unstoppable. Why? 4 Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last. I alone am he.”

When they hear these words, how do the people respond? 5 The lands beyond the sea watch in fear. Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war. In fear they run to their false gods! 6 The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, “Be strong!” 7 The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the moulder helps at the anvil. “Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.” Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.

We don’t even need to read further, do we? God does not fall over! He calls forth, he makes things happen. The case for the Lord is strong. Trusting in idols is stupid.

2. The case for idols: nothing

21 “Present the case for your idols,” says the LORD. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel. 22 “Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what’s going to happen. 23 Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods.

Many people nowadays have a Buddha statue in their house. Or they have a Lucky Frog in the corner. Or crystals. Many worship false gods: Krishna, the Hindu pantheon, ancestors – some even worship saints, praying to them as if they were Jesus himself. And if you do this – stop it. You do not need someone between you and Jesus, whether it is an ancestor or a priest or a holy man or a saint, or even an angel. As we saw last week, Jesus Christ has opened the highway to heaven. We have access to the very throne room of God. In Christ we are sons of God. No more idols.

For idols, whatever form they take, cannot even tell you what’s already happened, never mind what’s coming in the future. New idols such as the state, NAV, or business – they don’t know what’s going ot happen tomorrow. Oil prices drop, wars happen, refugees arrive on our doorstep – all this has taken us by surprise. Why put your faith in the state, in politicians, in money, in business, when they don’t even know what will happen tomorrow!

In fact, v23 carries on, In fact, do anything—good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us. 24 But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves.

Idols are dead and bring death. God’s way brings life because he alone knows the future. He alone brings it about. No-one else even knows the future, let alone controls it! 26 “Who told you from the beginning that this would happen? Who predicted this, making you admit that he was right? No one said a word! 27 I was the first to tell Zion, ‘Look! Help is on the way!’ I will send Jerusalem a messenger with good news. 28 Not one of your idols told you this. Not one gave any answer when I asked. 29 See, they are all foolish, worthless things. All your idols are as empty as the wind.

It is said that those who do not know or do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. One of the most repeated commands in the Bible is “remember”. Remember what has happened. Remember what God has done in the past. Remember what he has promised to do.

So remember how these idols had no idea what God was about to do. No-one in Babylon knew that a king from the east would come from the north and capture them. If they did, they would have been ready! But the idols of Babylon, the false gods, were as empty as the wind. We know what happened because history tells us. Just as Isaiah predicted, about 80 years before it happened, in 538 King Cyrus of the Medes and Persians, from the land east of Babylon, swept down out of the north and Babylon crumpled like a piece of paper.

Did any of their idols warn them? No, only God knew, only God said in advance what would happen.

What idols do I worship? What is it that we put our trust in instead of God? Where do I find my deepest identity: in him? Or something else? What could I not live without? Him? Or something or someone else?

Even good things can be idols. Wife, family. They can be idols if they come before God. No the church, but God. For even the church, religion, religious performance, can be an idol. Exercise, going to the gym can be an idol – if we get our significance, our security, from how big and strong we are! All good things – but never let the good be the enemy of the best. God is the best – He is above all things. We I must bring everything else I do under Christ’s rule, under his lordship. He is the Lord. I am his servant, his son, his creation. And in him I am secure. His way brings life.

Idolatry brings death, destruction. Many of us know this. We live with the pain of past sin. Jesus’ work on the cross can forgive our sins, but we often still have the consequences to work through. And that’s tough. But now He is with us as we deal with the consequences, the results of our sin. And he helps us to rebuild.

Idols are worthless because they know nothing. God is in control of the future, and he is going to do a great thing.

3. What will the Lord do? He will send his servant

Is 42 “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or raise his voice in public. 3 He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. 4 He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.”

Ok. The first question is who is this servant that God will send? In 41:2 he calls the king from the east (Cyrus) his servant (“called to God’s service”). But it doesn’t seem to be him. Cyrus is called to be the rampaging warrior, trampling kings underfoot, crushing them like pottery. But this servant will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.

Well, maybe it’s Israel? 41:8 “But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend, 9 I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.

Well, that is certainly their calling, isn’t it? This is what they were supposed to be: a light to the nations, bringing justice, showing people God in all his glory. But we know their track record, what they’ve done in the past, and it’s not good. I mean they’re in Babylon for a reason. And next week’s passage starts like this 19 Who is as blind as my own people, my servant? Who is as deaf as my messenger? Who is as blind as my chosen people, the servant of the LORD?

It seems to be someone who will call Israel back to the Lord. A faithful servant. Perhaps, as Isaiah spoke these words, he thought it could be him. But no, his message was going to fall on deaf ears – God had told him this in chapter 6 – but this servant will not lose heart until the whole world has heard!

So who is this servant? Well, we get a hint in v1: This servant will be anointed with God’s Spirit (v1). This only happened to kings, prophets, and priests. Now hang on, in the first part of Isaiah we met a King. A great, eternal King who would rescue God’s people. A child would be born to a virgin. A child who would be called wonderful counsellor, everlasting God. God himself would visit his people and would save them! Could this “servant” be God himself? But why is he called servant.

This is why for the Jews from Isaiah’s time to Jesus’ time, they thought of them as two different people. The Victorious King. The suffering servant. Because we read on, we find out more about this gentle servant who will bring justice to the nations. He will do it through great suffering, even, in chapter 53, giving his own life. Now that doesn’t sound like a victorious king, does it?

Only when Jesus came did we see ah, the King IS the Servant. He is the all powerful King – but he will use his power to save, not to condemn. He will lead people not by v2 shouting or raising his voice in public, or crushing the weak – no big political rallies, no manipulation, no use of force to make people obey. Nothing like normal politics. This Servant is a different type of leader, one who will bring justice – that sentence literally means proclaim or declare justice – God’s right judgement – to the world. And look how the verses continue: 6 “I, the LORD, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. 7 You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.

Just as last week we saw the Lord in all his power and glory come like a shepherd carrying his sheep to safety, today we see Jesus, the promised King, God almighty himself, come as the Servant. And as we see Jesus on the cross, the King of the Jews said the sign above him, we see a proclamation of God’s right judgement on sin – as Jesus took it all – all our sin – in his body. Sin will be punished. And we see a proclamation of forgiveness – we are the battered reed, the flickering candle – and he does not put us out, but strengthens weak arms, and weak knees and gives us new strength. WE are made new, made to be like him to follow him, and we shall soar on wings like eagles. We are those with blind eyes who will now see. We who are prisoners of sin are now free, because of what Jesus has done. If we are in Christ – if we belong to him, put our trust in him,. Obey him - we are a new creation. A new man. And all the power of heaven is within us by the Spirit.

8 “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols. 9 Everything I prophesied has come true, and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens.” 10 Sing a new song to the LORD! Sing his praises from the ends of the earth! Sing, all you who sail the seas, all you who live in distant coastlands. 11 Join in the chorus, you desert towns; let the villages of Kedar rejoice! Let the people of Sela sing for joy; shout praises from the mountaintops! 12 Let the whole world glorify the LORD; let it sing his praise.

This is the great future which God promised his people. Cyrus was a great rescuer, yes, but there was a greater rescuer, a greater King to come. Isaiah was a great prophet, yes, but a greater prophet, the Word himself, would come. Israel was a great nation, and blessed the world in many ways – but Jesus, he was the perfect son of God, the righteous servant who did not sin. When Israel stumbled he did not. No idol worship in Jesus. He is the righteous one.

So what is our response?

1. We praise God! In the way we live we praise God. Have you thanked God for his great salvation? Do you sing his praise on the way to work? Do I fill my mind with his glory and wonder and say to him “wow, you are great!”?

2. Understand that we live in Babylon (or sinful Jerusalem). We live in a country that worships idols. Greed drives our society. We run after pleasure, the idol of the “good life”. A big house, a cabin in the mountains, a boat, maybe a motorbike. It is deep within us. The idol of pleasure affects our relationships. You don’t make me happy - I’ll drop you. No thought of service, of sacrificial love. We’ve got a few families in the pregnancy and young baby stage of life. That’s a hard stage. And certainly reveals how sinful we are. Lean on the Lord, pray, ask him to help you not be selfish angry, snapping at your wife (or husband). The Holy Spirit does not leave us when we are pregnant (or married to a pregnant lady).

3. We need to repent of our idols. How stupid we are to trust on our idols. Things that will fall over. All our wealth can be lost in a moment. Cabins need to be repaired, and boats eat up our time. A waste, sacrificing our lives to THINGS. Idol worship is dumb. Yet we do it. Sacrifice our family on the altar of career. Ignore our kids because we’re too busy packing fruit in a shop because society says to us that’s the woman’s role. Wife? Mother? No, not important. What your kids really need is to be looked after a stranger and YOU are needed to pack fruit in a shop. It’s rather stupid isn’t it? The idol is wobbling.

4. If we claim to follow God, our lives should look different. Like Israel, we are God’s servants. We are chosen by God. How should we then live?

Well it’s not by wearing different clothes or having a big cross around our necks or wearing funny hats. None of those things mean anything. But it is a heart change. How we treat other people. How we see strangers, foreigners. How we use our money, our time.
And it’s seen not in grand gestures or public displays of being good or religious. It is how we are at home, in private, when only God sees us. For example, how we treat our wife (or samboer, if you haven’t repented yet and married her!). Do we love her like Jesus? Are we committed to her? Are we concerned about her relationship with the Lord? With her godliness? Are we willing to say “no” to things that would get in the way of being godly? And “yes” to things that will help her be godly? Will we lead our family in reading the Bible, in family prayer? In getting everyone off to church. In making sure we go to Bible study, even if our wife says “oh, honeeyy, do you have to go out and bats her eyelashes at us....”

Do we run after idols like “I deserve to happy, it’s because I’m worth it”. Or do we follow the Lord “I will love, no matter what the cost, because He has loved me”.

Is that hard? Yes! But we are not alone. 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Many of us know the pain of running after idols. Of living the world’s way instead of God’s way. But those idols always come crashing down at the worst possible time.

Brothers, let us follow Christ, no matter the cost. Even though we, like Israel, may feel like a lowly worm, unworthy before God v14 Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob, don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the LORD, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.’

He is our saviour, and his salvation is secure. He knows our future and it is good because we are with Him.

Isaiah 11 & 12: Hope and fulfilment

Isaiah 11:1-12:6

Two weeks ago we tackled some pretty rough chapters, 9&10: judgement on Israel, the terror of Assyria which will wipe them out – then the judgement on Assyria “who do you think you are – you’re just a tool, like an axe. Is the axe greater than the arm that wields it?” – and bam – you who were a great forest will be just a few sticks in an open field.
After seeing the sinfulness of man, whether in Israel or Assyria - After seeing what happens when God’s patience runs out and he moves in terrifying righteous judgement - after all that, we finally get some words of hope.
In the mess and the suffering and the confusion of a broken world, a world filled with war, with refugees fleeing for their lives, sitting in foreign countries longing to go home – into that situation God speaks. Sound familiar?

Is there hope for today? Is there hope when we see millions of people fleeing from their homes because of the sinfulness of man expressed in war? It is not just. It is not right. It is evil. It is sin.
I love this church – all of you that make up this church – I love each and every one of you. You are my family, my brothers and sisters. But it saddens me that the reason that many of you are here is because you are refugees, fleeing for your life. Because war has overtaken your homeland and ruined it.

That was the situation in Israel: the Assyrians would stomp on everyone, removing the Northern Kingdom of Israel entirely. Everyone moved. The land emptied. And most of the Southern Kingdom would be equally destroyed. Towns, villages, empty. Fields and farms deserted, abandoned. People taken into captivity or fleeing into neighbouring lands.

Israel will be nothing more than a stump. The kingdom has had bad kings who have lead them to ruin. The great promise of the King like David, David’s son who would rule well and would bring peace and prosperity – that, like a great tree, had fallen. What was left was just a stump. But God speaks. And there is hope.

1. V1-5 Our hope: Jesus, the divine Davidic King

11:1 Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. (Some translations say out of the stump of Jesse – Jesse was David’s father).

A new King will arise! The promise God made to David will be fulfilled. Even in the mess, even in the chaos of war and refugees and fear – God’s promises remain. They are a never-changing fixed point that will never fail. And what a King! This King will be filled with God’s own Spirit. He will be a godly king. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Isn’t this the type of leader we want? Wise. Understanding. With counsel and knowledge. But not a push-over, a weakling – someone with might (power) – able to do what is right. And he does what is right because he fears the Lord – that is, the Lord is his boss. V3 He will delight in obeying the Lord. He not only obeys the Lord, but he delights in obeying Him. It is His joy to love the Lord, to obey Him, to do His will. What a king!

And because of this His rule brings justice and peace. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. 4 He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited.

How much injustice is there in this world! How evil when the State abuses its power! When there is corruption or just laziness and justice is not done. When children are taken from their parents. When you’re forced to fight in the army. When the police arrest you and throw you in prison for being a Christian. When your village is bombed because you are suddenly in “rebel” territory. When you are wrongly accused and are put in prison for something you didn’t do.

But this king is not like that. He sees the truth. He looks beyond appearances. He sees into the hearts of men.

Who can this be? Who sees through the lies and into mens hearts but God alone? v4 continues The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. 5 He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.

A little bell should be ringing in our minds. We just read about a child that would be called God. Is this King the miracle child, the sign promised to Israel? Come back with me to chapter 9.
6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

There is a King, a King who will be born, the Prince of Peace who will rule forever, and he will be called Everlasting FATHER, MIGHTY GOD. God Himself will be born a child and will rule forever. That is the sign of the woman back in chapter 7:11 Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

This is the son, the boy Immanuel “God with us”. The Spirit will rest on Him and He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will bring justice and righteousness.

THIS IS JESUS.

Matthew 1:18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit….v20 “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Here is Isaiah 7:11 the virgin with child. Here is Isaiah 11:2 the Spirit-filled King.

John the Baptist announced his coming in Mt 3:3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!’ ” Who is coming? The Lord – Yahweh – Israel’s God is coming! Mt 3:13–17 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. ..16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

Jesus was in the line of David, a son of Abraham. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, to the people shouting Lk 19:38 “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD (Yahweh)! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

Jesus said to Pilate Jn 18:36–37 “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” 37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

Have even just a quick read of the gospels and it’s clear that Jesus is the promised King. And because he is our king we have hope. Our future is secure. Because he is the King of the far future of the prophecy, the future yet to come for us. And he is the King of the near future of the prophecy, that for us has already happened and is happening.

Remember that prophecy works on multiple times: now, future, far future. Isaiah could not see which was which. We, because we live in between these two times: the coming of Jesus, and the Return of Jesus – we can see what belongs to what time.

2. V6-9 Jesus: King of the far future

Our future is secure. This King, this promised King, secures a perfect future. This has not happened yet – although we get some foretastes of it. But it lies in the future.

Re 21:1–4 (NLT) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Re 22:3–5 (NLT) No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. 4 And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

A Day is coming, the Day of Christ’s return, when there will be no accursed thing! Everything that is evil will be dealt with, destroyed, never to rise again. Jesus says Rev 21:5 “Look, I am making everything new!”. There will be a new heavens and a new earth. A new creation. A return to Eden – but better. Instead of two people, Adam and Eve, there will be millions upon millions. Instead of a Garden, a whole City. Instead of God walking in the cool of the day, he will live among us. There will be no tree of the knowledge of good and evil – only the tree of life!

Brothers and sisters, that is what we long for! That is what we were made for! When we see natural beauty – when we look around at this country, this amazing country – it is only an echo, a faint shadow of the glory of the Real Norway, the Norway in the new creation. And when we get just a glimpse of that beauty, our heart aches.
When we see human kindness, when we see people rescuing people, when we see the joy of someone accepting Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour for the first time. These are echoes of the new Creation.

Brothers, we are made for eternity. We are not made for this fallen world. We are not made for evil. That is why we react to it, fear it. There is something wrong with the world. This is not the way things are supposed to be! And we are right. And Christ will set the world right. The lion will lie down with the lamb. The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. And the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord. Our future is secure.

But is this all just pie in the sky when you die? Do we just struggle through life waiting for the day Christ finally returns. No, because he is active now. He rules now, and all around us we see evidence of the work of Christ.

3. V10-16 Jesus: King of the near future (or as we would call it: Jesus: King of the now, for we live in Isaiah’s “near future”)

10 In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.

In that day? Which day. The First day or the Final day. Well, this is both isn’t it. For on that Final Day the nations will stand before him at the final judgement. Those who know him will go in. Those who do not will be shut out forever.

But we see this in action now. From that First Day, we see his banner raised all over the world. We see the nations gathered to him each Sunday in churches all over the world. Right now, millions of brothers and sisters are gathered in Jesus’ name: in Beirut, in Paris, in Darfur, Iran, Pakistan, India, Eritrea, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, US, and on and on across the world: some in secret, some openly, but all in His Name. Our King! And this church family we have is a glorious place. It is not a perfect place, not yet! But it is glorious.
Here we are, from all across the world. We have nothing in common. Except Jesus. He is our Lord and Saviour. God is our Father, and we are brothers. Praise God!

11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands. 12 He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth.

In that day, the First Day, the day of the cross, was when Jesus completed the true Exodus. Remember the Exodus, when Moses lead the people of Israel out of slavery to Egypt, and into the Promised Land. Throughout the Old Testament there have been signs and prophecies looking forward to a second Exodus, a greater Exodus: and that is what Jesus achieved on the Cross. On the Cross he rescued us from slavery to sin, and will take us safely to the Promised Land, the New Creation. This is the second Exodus, the greater Exodus. And all who put their trust in Jesus are part of it.

And this is where we find ourselves today. Christ’s banner is raised. Our Spirit-filled King calls all men to himself. He has achieved the great Exodus: the rescue of people from slavery to sin. This is the hope of the nations. This is the power that can break war, and hatred, and racism, and fear, and lies and gossip and sexual sin and cruelty and murder and bullying and neglect and laziness and cheating and stealing and… all taken by him on the Cross. Borne by him, our righteous King. And we stand united in Him, the church his glorious family, full of love and hope and righteousness and truth.

Jesus is our King now.

4. 12:1-6 Our response: Joyful obedience!

And as his people we should be like him. What does that look like? Well, not like Israel in Isaiah’s time! Actually, we should be like our Spirit-filled King. Turn with me to Gal 5 to see what that looks like.

Ga 5:22–26 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

What should our lives look like under King Jesus’ banner?
Well, these are some of the things a Christian will be, just taking a few of the fruits of the Spirit:

Love: putting Christ first, and serving others. I love Jesus so I serve my wife, even if I feel like she “owes” me. I love Jesus so I serve my kids even when they annoy me. That service can mean getting up off the sofa to deal with their disobedience. Love is seen in action! I love Jesus so I share the gospel. I love Jesus so I invite people to my home. I love Jesus so I…

Peace: Not causing fights. Looking to reconcile but in truth. Do you have hatred for someone? How can you be like Jesus and take the step to make right?

Faithful: Committed to the right things. Committed in church. Committed to your wife! And that includes sexually purity. Things like not watching pornography. Not having sex with anyone other than their wife. Having sex often with their wife! (If you are having sex with a not-wife – then repentance means stopping. If you’re not married, get married. If you’re married to someone else, you need to confess your sin.)

Gentle: Not given to outbursts of anger. Not being cruel or harsh with your kids or co-workers or wife or anyone else. Not being cutting with your words, belittling people, hurting them with your words. Even on Facebook. Even with your enemies. Even with groups of people like “the Muslims” or “the refugees” or “the Norwegians” or “NAV” or whatever. Let us speak like Christ.

Now remember this is not something that we have to ACHIEVE and then God will like me. You know, you need 20 “love points” and 15 “faithfulness” points to enter the church. This is a by-product of being a Christian. We are with our King and his Spirit starts to change us.

Because this is what we will have if we are with Jesus, and this is hard to fake: Joy! Yes, we should be bursting with joy. We are saved! Jesus is King! There is hope for the nations! Hallelujah

Praise Jesus that there is hope in this world! That his promises still stand. That he is a safe port when the storms rage about us. I think there is no better way to respond than to say the words of chapter 12 together. I have written them on the screen as well.

Let’s stand and say together: “I will praise you, O LORD! You were angry with me, but not any more. Now you comfort me.
2 See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”
3 With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!
4 “Thank the LORD! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!
5 Sing to the LORD, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world.
6 Let all [his] people…shout his praise with joy! For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.”

Let’s raise our voices with the faithful people of God across the world and throughout history from before Isaiah’s time, with Isaiah in his time, and all the way until today – millions praising God! Let’s sing “see what a morning”. What a mighty, amazing, God we serve. The God who saves us. The God who gives us hope and a secure future. Praise God.

Isaiah 2: One Day, two outcomes

Isaiah 2

What does the future hold? It’s a question we ask often, particularly like now, when things seem to be changing.

There’s a lot of fear about the future. I hear things like “All these Muslim refugees coming in – they’ll ruin our country”. “The oil price falling, people are losing their jobs, the Krone is falling in value. What’s going to happen?”

What does the future hold?

Well, that’s what I’m here to tell you. I can tell you the future. I can tell you what will happen. We will be judged. Within our children’s lifetime. Unless we turn our hearts back to God.

And the church will continue anyway, no matter how it is persecuted, attacked, torn down, burned or destroyed, or even ruined from the inside it will endure. God’s word will go out into the nations.

And on one Final Day, God will be elevated to the highest place, and everything else that tried to take His place will be brought low.

How I know this will happen? The same way you know it will happen. Because it has been revealed to us by God, through the mouth of Isaiah the prophet. We know the future, and the future is secure.

1. The future is secure.

Is 2:1 This is a vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: 2 In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. 3 People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. 4 The LORD will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore. 5 Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD!

This is a great prophetic vision, isn’t it? This is the kind of prophecy we like! It’s even the inspiration for the song “Down by the riverside” where the chorus is “I ain’t gonna study war no more”. Imagine a world with no more war. Where weapons like swords are instead made into tools to make food (ploughshares, whatever that is!). Instead of wasting time fighting we’ll all be pulling together to make a better life.
That would have been good news for those in Judah, for their whole life under king Ahaz especially seemed to be war, war, and rumours of war. And it’s good news for us too. Because we are in a time filled with war, war, and rumours of wars. A time when the future is uncertain. And Isaiah assures us that God’s plans are still in motion. God is still on the throne.

Now Biblical prophecy is a weird thing because although it’s pretty straightforward and clear, it often talks about 3 or 4 events at the same time.

It’s like looking at a mountain and its foothills straight on versus from the side. Straight on it looks like one continuous slope rising up to the top. But from the side we can the up and down up and down as the slope rises and falls on its way to the top. The easy walk we thought we had is actually MUCH longer. Ever had that when you’re out hiking?

Prophecy is like that. When we read it here it seems to be talking about one event. But because we are in the middle of the foothills – here - we know what has already come before, and what is still to come. The 3 events Isaiah is talking about is: the return of Judah from exile in 538BC, the coming of Jesus, his death and resurrection and the birth of the church in around AD38, and the second coming of Jesus on 27^th September 2015. Well, maybe not – but it could be. He comes like thief in the night. Are we ready?

Ok. The first foothill is the return of Judah from exile, and this was for those Isaiah was preaching to during his lifetime. The Jews of Judah, the Southern Kingdom of Israel.

Isaiah had already warned them of the judgement to come in chapter 1. They are sinful people, dumber even than oxen or donkeys because even oxen know their master – but Judah does not know the Lord. They are being battered and bruised and will be surrounded by their enemies. In fact, in not too many years they will be destroyed by the Babylonians. You can imagine the confusion of people in those times. But why is this happening? Are we not the Lord’s people? What does the future hold?
Well, Isaiah, being a prophet, prophecies which is explaining what is happening now theologically (i.e. from God’s viewpoint). He explains that if we reject God then he will reject us. He explains that empty worship provokes God to anger. What does he want with false religion?

And in this chapter Isaiah warns that all the high places – those places where they used to worship idols, false gods – they will be destroyed. It is their sin which is bringing this judgement upon them. But God has not abandoned them. In chapter 1 we read the amazing words “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.” (v18). God will wipe away their sins! And now we read that he will establish Jerusalem forever and it will be raised up and the word of God will go out into all the world. For the devout Jew who loved God this must have been soothing cream for the soul. Because they would have looked at the country around them, ignorant of God, defiling his ways, worshipping idols – and they would have despaired. God will judge! Repent, you fools! Turn back to Him! Oh, Norway! Repent before it is too late! Repent and accept his forgiveness.
But the devout Jew would have another worry. What is going to happen to God’s promises to bless the whole world through Abraham’s descendants? Have we messed that up with our sin? Have we condemned the whole world?

And so comes this soothing word: God will be raised up. His word will go out from Jerusalem. Comfort when the Assyrians come and surround Jerusalem. Comfort when the Babylonians come and TAKE Jerusalem. Because all is not lost.

We in 2015 have a huge advantage over our brother in the faith in 720BC. Because we KNOW how God fulfilled his promises to them. We know that King Cyrus sent back all the Jews to Judah and rebuilt Jerusalem, the Temple and the walls, through Ezra and Nehemiah, just as Isaiah predicted in Isaiah 44 and 45. But that was only partial fulfilment. Wars had not stopped. The word had not really gone out.

And so we get to the second foothill, the second level of prophecy: 400 years after Jerusalem was restored, the Word of God appeared, born as a baby to Mary, his mother. Jn 1:14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. Jesus, born as a man, yet fully God, washed our sins white as snow in his own blood as he gave his life for us on the Cross. On the mountain of the Lord, the city of Jerusalem, there the Word came.

And from there the Word went out as Jesus ascended and the Spirit came down and the church was born. Just as predicted in v3 the word has gone out to all the nations. 3 People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. People from many nations – just look around this room – go to mount Zion, the mountain of the Lord, where we see our King on the Cross. We come to the house of Jacob’s God, the Temple: Jesus. The house of God, the Temple, was where man could meet with God. But Jesus replaced the physical Temple – now anyone anywhere can meet God through Jesus, man and God united. As the Scriptures say, through his body on the Cross we were reconciled to God.

And so we also live in an age of partial fulfilment. The word has gone out and the Lord is lifted up in churches across the world – but the other high places are still there. There are many other “gods” still worshipped today. War is still a daily fact. We are on the slopes of the great mountain, the final prophecy.

We have seen the first two levels of prophecy fulfilled. So we can be certain of the final level of prophecy, which for us is still in the future. We await the final fulfilment, the Day when Jesus will return, this time not as the Suffering Servant, but as the King of Kings. And on that Day every name, every god, every philosophy, every thing that has raised itself up in place of God – they will all be brought low. God will be glorified, and no other. On that day the city of God will come down from the Heavens, shining like the stars. The Lord will call his people out from every tribe and tongue and nations, and we will worship him day and night. There will be no war, no famine, no sickness, no death. Sin will be destroyed forever, and none will ever rebel against the Lord again. Harmony will reign.

That is the future, and the future is secure. God has kept his promises in the past, and will keep them in the future.

Given that that is the future, how should we be living now? If we know that future is secure, how does that change how we live today?

5 Come, people of Notodden (and Bø, Kongsberg, London and Cape Town), let us walk in the light of the LORD!

The future is secure. But for who? For those who belong to the Lord.

2. The future is full of terror!

In v5 Isaiah pleads with the people: Come let us walk in the light of the Lord. Because he’s speaking to a people in darkness. V6For the LORD has rejected his people, the descendants of Jacob,

Why? Because they’ve rejected Him, their God.

V6 because they have filled their land with practices from the East and with sorcerers, as the Philistines do. They have made alliances with pagans. 7 Israel is full of silver and gold; there is no end to its treasures. Their land is full of warhorses; there is no end to its chariots. 8 Their land is full of idols; the people worship things they have made with their own hands.

We saw last week that an idol is not just a statue that you worship (something physical) but can be anything that you put before God. For example, at one point I had made an idol of marriage. I wanted to find a wife, or at least a girlfriend who could one day be a suitable wife! – that would bring me happiness and fulfilment. I put my trust in that. That was what was driving me. I started demanding that of God and getting angry when he didn’t meet my demands. The irony is that made me entirely unsuitable to be a husband! Imagine being married to me when I expected you to satisfy my deepest needs – the needs that only God can fulfil! Ugh. So one day God called me to repent of that. I had to say to God, “if you want me to be single, I am OK with that. You are the boss of my life, not me. You are my source of satisfaction, my deepest delight, and no other.”
And once that idol was smashed, the Lord clearly thought I was ready to get married. 2 months later I met Debby, and 11 months after that we were married!

But idols. What do we place our trust in? Money? Things? Our reputation? That’s a big one I think. Why are we so often quiet about the gospel here in Norway? We’re worried people will think we’re weird. Our neighbours will peer strangely at us, treat us differently.

We need to remember that the future is full of terror for anyone who worships idols. Because those idols will fall. And if you’ve built your life on those idols. Oh, it hurts. God will be glorified and no other.

9 So now they will be humbled, and all will be brought low— do not forgive them. 10 Crawl into caves in the rocks. Hide in the dust from the terror of the LORD and the glory of his majesty. 11 Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the LORD will be exalted on that day of judgment. 12 For the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has a day of reckoning. He will punish the proud and mighty and bring down everything that is exalted. 13 He will cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon and all the mighty oaks of Bashan. 14 He will level all the high mountains and all the lofty hills. 15 He will break down every high tower and every fortified wall. 16 He will destroy all the great trading ships and every magnificent vessel. 17 Human pride will be humbled, and human arrogance will be brought down. Only the LORD will be exalted on that day of judgment. 18 Idols will completely disappear.

It’s a very clear picture isn’t it? Every idol, every philosophy everything that has raised itself up against God will be shaken down. Like a massive earthquake everything will be shaken and flattened until nothing remains – except the Unshakeable One: Christ himself. He will stand secure. The mountain of the Lord will stand like Mount Kilimanjaro, rising from the African plains, but higher, loftier, exalted!

In the Lord’s mercy he often shakes our idols. I know a number of you have been through that painful but ultimately freeing experience. Some of you trusted in your own performance, keeping the rules. God shook that up. Some it may be the idol of family. Some of you even lost a baby – and that forced you to your knees, to look up to God. Some it was trusting a job or a career. Some it was security, feeling safe. Mia is going through a testing of health – where does she find her security? In her health, or in the Lord? Is she afraid of death because she actually doesn’t trust God – or not? In Mia’s case, this time has shown to all of us that she really does trust the Lord. When the dreaded C-word “Cancer” was spoken, there was tears, yes, but also a deep trust, a deep peace.

A number of years back I went through a terrible experience. I discovered the dead body of my classmate. And that experience was like a wrecking ball that just smashed through my carefully built life. I didn’t really know the Lord then. I said I did, but my life was my life – until suddenly confronted with the finality of death. In front of my face, there was my friend. BAM!
It felt like I was standing in front of my life that I had built – and everything was smashed. Except the foundation I was standing on. And I realised that foundation was Jesus. At the end of the day, nothing else will last, nothing else will stand. In that moment I stood on this empty place where my “life” once was, and realised that he filled it. Christ was there, Christ is enough, Christ is sufficient. He was all I need. I would like to tell you that there and then I totally gave myself over to the Lord – but I can’t. Because I am a subborn and hard-hearted fool, it took another 8 months and another great move of the Holy Spirit to bring the right response. I praise God for his grace!

But there will come a day like that for all of us. On the last day everything will be shaken, and only what we have in Christ will stand. When your life is shaken, what will stand?