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Isaiah 28:1-10

There are tough words in the Bible we may not always want to hear. In a letter to ‘Christianity Today’ (June 2014) someone wrote: ”The marketing that’s plaguing much of the evangelical church isn’t working. We need to tell the truth: Following Jesus will cost you everything, life will still be hard, you’ll need to find your identity in Christ alone and die to yourself daily – but living for him is so worth it.” The people Isaiah was preaching to had an unteachable spirit. They didn’t want to hear his sermons (9, 10). They told him not to speak to them like children.

Verses 1-4 are about Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom. It was a beautiful and prosperous city. Its inhabitants were proud of it. But the people of Samaria had a major drink problem (and that was especially true of the leaders, who were setting an appalling example: verses 7, 8). So this ”glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley’’ had become a ”fading flower” (1, 4) That happens to people who drink too much. They wilt like cut flowers. Places and people get ruined in a haze of dissipation. ”…shabby and washed out and seedy – Tipsy, sloppy-fat, beer-bellied parodies of a proud and handsome past.” The Message. An excessive use of alcohol lies at the back of many (if not most) social evils. We see again how pride goes before a fall. They were so proud of their lovely capital. But this city, weakened by much sin, would be easy pickings for the Assyrians (4). Taking Samaria would be as simple as plucking a ripe fig from a tree. (See also the reference to God’s use of the Assyrian army in verse 2). ”Samaria, the party hat on Israel’s head, will be knocked off with one blow. It will disappear quicker than a piece of meat tossed to a dog.” The Message. Too much drink lays people low (1b). This happens physically, but in other ways too. In these more liberal days in the church, we need to ensure that the pendulum doesn’t swing too far in the opposite direction. Wine is a gift of God to be enjoyed and used wisely. But drunkenness is expressly forbidden in the Bible (Deut.21:18-21; Prov.20:1; 23:20, 21, 29-35). Leaders in particular need to be careful about their example, and ensure that their liberty doesn’t destroy a weaker brother. Some may still find good grounds to be total abstainers, even though strictly speaking they don’t have to be. We must respect that. If we insist on living too close to the ‘border’ with the world, we may find that we all too easily slip over it.

What an appalling picture Isaiah paints in (7, 8): ”These also, the priest and prophet, stagger from drink, weaving, falling-down drunks, Besotted with wine and whiskey, can’t see straight, can’t talk sense. Every table is covered in vomit. They live in vomit.” The Message. Look at the language. The problem isn’t whether a leader (or follower) takes a drink, but whether he consumes such a quantity that he (or she) becomes ”befuddled” and they stagger and stumble out of control. When people come to their spiritual leaders for instruction they need a different Spirit to be controlling their speech and behaviour. A Japanese proverb says: ”First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes the man.” I like the words of a man who had been a drunkard. He said: ”I have no problem believing Jesus turned water into wine, for He turned beer into furniture in my house.”

 God wants our confidence to be in Him, and not in our ‘Samarias’, our beautiful man-made objects of pride (5, 6). What people are seeking through getting drunk etc is really to be found in God alone. He will be ”the beautiful crown on the head of what’s left of his people…” The Message. Even in the middle of a prophecy about judgment, God spoke blessing promises to the remnant who would come through this ‘furnace’ of testing. Here are things we can take encouragement from too. ”He will be a spirit of judgment,…when you will be in judgment. Submit your judgment to Him, that He may think through your mind or direct you to a just conclusion.” F.B.Meyer: Great verses through the Bible, p.279. It is also good to know that in Him we will find strength as we seek to ”turn back the battle at the gate.”      

Prayer: Lord let me always find my true satisfaction in you and never turn to the ‘fading’ substitutes this world offers.

Isaiah 27:7-13

Yesterday we were thinking about our calling to be fruitful in Christ (John 15). It was Israel’s calling in the Old Testament, and it is the church’s calling in the New. As you read today’s passage, hold on to the truth that ”full fruitage” (9) is linked to dealing with sin in our lives. Is there anything that needs to be ‘removed’ from the premises of your life for you to become an abundantly fruitful disciple? That’s the challenge.

Back to the present: In (7-11) Isaiah steps back from the picture of the glorious future he has been painting to face the current reality. Israel had disobeyed God and was going to be judged. Preachers should not flinch from giving the hard truth when they have to. This was not a popular, funny, anecdotal and sentimental sermon designed to tickle ears and build a preacher’s fan club; boost sales of his books and C.D’s and make him a few extra quid! Even so, Isaiah saw that her punishment would not be so great as that of her enemies (7). Israel’s judgment would be by ”warfare and exile” (8). As a result of this disciplinary action the people will come to repentance and be forgiven (9a). They will bring forth the ‘fruit’ of repentance by smashing up their idols and everything to do with idolatry (9b). True repentance is radical. It is not about just words and ‘crocodile tears.’ It means dealing decisively (Matt.5:29, 30) with your sin. You turn your back on it; you walk away from it; you leave it behind. You put distance between you and it. With God’s help you ‘remove’ it from your life. You write ‘It is finished’ over it. This is your response to Christ’s cross as the saving work of Jesus is applied to your life. ”The evidence that his sin is removed will be this: He will tear down the alien altars, take them apart stone by stone, And then crush the stones into gravel and clean out all the sex-and-religion shrines.” The Message. There cannot be a bumper crop of luscious Holy Spirit fruit weighing down the branches of your life without authentic repentance. God may have to discipline some folks severely to get them to where they need to be.

(10, 11) This is what sin can lead to when there is no repentance. These verses depict the devastation of Israel before and during the exile years. Sin leads nowhere good, in spite of Satan’s savvy marketing techniques. He sells brightly coloured and sweet smelling poison. Don’t buy from him.

Back to the future (12/13): The range of Isaiah’s prophecies is interesting. As with the other prophets, he is like a man looking at a range of mountains that stretch out in front of him. The mountain of the far distant future seems to sit immediately behind the mountain of the present. In fact there is a miles long valley separating them. Once again, Isaiah trains his prophetic binoculars on the farther mountain range. He sees a time when the whole world will have been threshed by judgment, and when people from far nations (represented by Egypt and Assyria) will come to worship the God of Israel along with the Jews (see Isaiah 2:2-4). This vision is being fulfilled right now in the enlargement of Christ’s church and the extension of His Kingdom, but it will be completed at His second advent.

Prayer: Help me to always see through Satan’s lies and remember that sin leads to devastation ultimately, if not immediately.

Isaiah 26: 12-21

We need to be able to openly acknowledge that all we have achieved that is good and genuine is actually God’s work (12), and that the growth and extension of the ”nation” (think ‘church’) is God’s doing for God’s glory (15). There is no place for boasting: ””all that we have accomplished you have done for us”. One of our greatest idolatries is that of self. We so easily set up monuments to ourselves, as Saul did, or erect pillars to ourselves as Absalom did. We become proud of our achievements. May God write: ”Hallowed be your Name” upon our hearts so that we seek His glory alone (8): ”everything we’ve done, you’ve done for us.” The Message. It was God who had delivered them from the oppression of foreign kings who once ruled over them (13, 14). They could not pat themselves on the back for this. The victory and the growth came from God and all the glory was to flow back to Him.

There are also times when we have to openly and vulnerably admit our failure (16-18). There are moments when we have to confess that we have not fully lived up to our calling; that we have not been as fruitful as God intended. Maybe we have been totally unfruitful. It’s no use pretending otherwise if that is the case. Isaiah looks backward from the prophetic future into his own day. Israel had suffered so much throughout her history, but the prophet said, ‘It’s all to no avail.’ Israel had gone through the pains of child birth, but there was no child to show for the agony. God’s purpose in establishing the nation of Israel was that she would be a blessing to the world (Gen.12:3), but by Isaiah’s time that had not happened. Only through Christ, the true seed of Abraham, would God’s original promise to Abraham be fulfilled (Gen.22:18; Gal.3:16, 29). ”Nothing came of our labour. We produced nothing living. We couldn’t save the world.” The Message.

Years ago I underlined the words of verse 19 in my Bible, as I saw them relating to the New Testament teaching about the ‘rapture’, the catching away of the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18) to meet Jesus at His second coming. Way back in the Scriptures we find this magnificent teaching about God’s victory over death (see also 25:7, 8). These words in Isaiah are among the clearest utterances in the Old Testament on the subject of resurrection. Note the apparently contradictory concepts of giving birth and death, but God is going to work a miracle. There is going to be a new day for the righteous dead when they awake to the freshness of a brand new morning. No wonder Bishop Thomas Ken wrote: ”Teach me to live that I may dread, the grave as little as my bed.” May God help us to view death through His eyes.

This sinful world has had a bloody history. Countless atrocities have been committed and many have sought to cover up their dastardly crimes. But a day is coming when all will be revealed (20, 21). Numerous ‘Abels’ have been slain, but God knows about it (Gen.4:10). He knows where they lie in the earth. Every crime will be exposed and judged. And all who have died in the love of God will joyfully rise to live in the presence of God (19). In the meantime, while the earth is judged, there will be a hiding place for God’s people, just as Noah’s family ‘hid’ in the ark during the flood (Genesis 6-8), and the Israelites ‘hid’ in their houses during the time of the first Passover (Ex.12:21-23).

Prayer: thank you Lord for the ‘blessed hope’ of seeing you and being with you forever. May this thought affect my life every single day. ‘We are an Easter people, and Hallelujah is our song.’

Isaiah 26:1-11

The praise continues! As with the previous two chapters, Isaiah is looking towards the end of the world and the time of ultimate victory. But even now his inspired words have much to teach us. There are vital principles in this chapter, which are repeated in other parts of the Bible, and they have a relevance to life in this world now.

This is a passage written in the heat of strong spiritual desire (8, 9). There is a deep longing for God’s glory (8b), and for Him to do something in the world to set things right (9b). But the reality we face is that not everyone will be responsive to God (10). The same sun that melts butter hardens clay! Some will ”learn righteousness” and some won’t. There are those who are totally unable to see the seriousness of the situation they are in (11); they are oblivious to the threat of judgment hanging over them.

Here are some things to remember about God that will make your heart sing (1a):

• He makes strong (1b): But the thing to remember is that this ”city” was not always so. It has come through some bad stuff to get here. If, today, your ‘walls’ are broken down and your life is in ruins, you too can know His salvation.
• He opens doors (2; Rev.3:7; see also John 10:9)
• He gives peace (3, 4; see Phil.4:4-9). He keeps people in ”perfect peace” if they have a ”steadfast” mind fixed on Him, at the back of which there is continual ”Trust”. We can know stability in an unstable world because of the ”Rock” – like sturdiness of our God Three times it is emphasised that He is ”the LORD” (4). He’s in total charge of everything!Trust in Him should be an eternal ‘project’ and not just a fleeting thing. To have ‘perfect’ peace, always trust. You keep your mind where it needs to be, and He will keep your heart where it wants (and needs) to be – in this sublime, supernatural tranquility. If you play your part (by His grace of course) then He will do His work. In reality, we will not know the fullness of this perfect peace until we are finally with God forever, but even now we can have a big foretaste. God does not want us to live in anxiety. B. Meyer points out that the Hebrew for ”perfect peace” is ”Peace, peace”, then he makes this most wonderful application: ”As though the soul dwelt in double doors, like some chambers which we have entered, which had double windows against the noise of the street, and a baize door within the ordinary one to deaden the sound of voices from the next apartment. Understand, dear soul, that it is thy privilege to live inside the double doors of God’s loving care. He says to thee, ”Peace, peace.”…We remember how, on the evening of his resurrection, our Lord spoke the double peace. Peace, because of his wounds, the peace of the justified; and peace because He was sending his apostles forth, as the Father had sent Him…We must see to it that our mind is stayed on God…It is through our imaginings that we get perturbed and defiled. We anticipate and fancy so many ogres; we harbour such dark forebodings…Do not imagine, but trust; do not anticipate, but leave God to choose.”
• He humbles pride (5, 6; see 28:3). We must never forget that ”God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”(James 4:6)
• He prepares the paths for our feet (7). These are right paths, but they are not necessarily easy ones. Above all, we are called to walk in the way of God’s ”laws” (8). Those who do that in a world hostile to God are asking for a whole lot of trouble, and they will almost certainly get it. But He makes our ways ”level” and ”smooth” in the sense that they are the right and best ways to travel; whereas the path of the wicked leads to ‘‘shame’’ and (Note too that this is how we are to pray: not asking God for stuff while we just do our own thing. Our prayers will be most effective when we wait for God whilst ”walking in the way” of His ”laws”; not pursuing our own will, but His agenda).

Prayer: Help me Lord to live in your ‘Peace, peace’ – closed in behind your double doors.

Isaiah 25

Here Isaiah now addresses God instead of the people and worships Him. Looking on beyond this calamitous judgment we have read about in chapter 24, he can praise God for working out His great purposes (1); His ”well-thought-out plans, solid and sure.” The Message.. He can see that through judgment people, who otherwise would not do, will come to honour God (2,3). We may be surprised by certain ‘conversions’. Some will only come to God through His ‘severe mercies’. That is a sad and sobering fact. ”Superpowers will see it and honour you, brutal oppressors bow in worshipful reverence.” The Message. Isaiah can also see God’s goodness to the remnant who have trusted Him through the terrible storm (4, 5 and 9) God provides: ”a warm , dry place in bad weather, provides a cool place when it’s hot.” The Message. God is like the cloud that blots out the hot rays, offering a safe place of comfort and protection.

There are three things mentioned here that we know God did ”On this mountain…” , i.e. in Jerusalem, though the death of His Son:

1. He has prepared a lavish banquet of spiritual blessings for ”all” who will trust in Christ (6; see also Ephesians 1:3) ”…a feast for all the people of the world, a feast of the finest foods, a feast with vintage wines, a feast of seven courses, a feast lavish with gourmet desserts.” The Message;

2. He has destroyed death ”for ever”. (7,8; see also 1 Corinthians 15: 26, 54 and Revelation 21:4);

3. He has defeated all His enemies (10-12). Moab here symbolises all nations that set themselves up against God. Moab’s sin was pride (Isaiah 16:6), and in (25:12) her ”high fortified walls” symbolize that pride, and the pride of all people who will not submit to God. It remains true that ”God opposes the proud” (1 Peter 5:5). In The Message there is a picture painted of Moab drowning in a cesspool: ”like swimmers trying to stay afloat, They’ll sink in the sewage. Their pride will pull them under.” We can all learn from this.

Prayer: Thank you Lord that your eternal purposes will prevail, and no enemy will stop you from doing what you intend. Jesus, we celebrate your victory – and, amazingly, we who trust you share it!

 Isaiah 24:14-23

” Chapter 24 begins the long apocalyptic vision of the Day of the Lord, which continues until chapter 27. It seems impossible to give it any certain historical background, and it was probably intended to be an ideal description of the last great judgment which will engulf the whole world. The horizon is very black except for the bright gleam of light that appears in verse 23, and which leads on to the burst of praise in chapter 25, just as chapter 12 follows chapter 11.” Search the Scriptures p.293

Ultimately there is going to be a new heaven and earth (2 Pet.3:11-13; Rev.21:1). There the ”LORD Almighty will reign (Is.24:23) in the new Jerusalem (Rev.21:2-5) In this holy city the light of God Himself will be so bright that the sun and moon will not be needed (Rev.21:22-24); they will be ”abashed” and ”ashamed” in the light of God Himself (Is.24:23). God’s reign on this new ”Mount Zion’’ will be glorious, as Isaiah had earlier prophesied (2:2-4). But before that there are terrible times to come for the whole earth. A chapter which began with a message of judgment for all people in the world (1-3), concludes with similar words for ”the powers in the heavens” (21; see Eph.6:11, 12).”That’s when GOD will call on the carpet rebel powers in the skies and Rebel kings on earth. They’ll be rounded up like prisoners in a jail, Corralled and locked up in a jail, and then sentenced and put to hard labour.” The Message.

There is hope however, for a remnant will be saved (14 – 16), and they will come from ”the ends of the earth” (16; see Mark 13:26, 27). In (16) Isaiah says ”I waste away”. He is speaking as a representative of this godly few who will be spared. They too will suffer before the end. But the ungodly ”people of the earth” will not escape God’s judgment (17, 18). ”Terror and pits and booby traps are everywhere, whoever you are.” The Message

In (18-20) Isaiah describes the ‘shaking apart’ of the earth. Not only will the earth’s inhabitants be ”burned up” (6), but the earth itself will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:7, 10; Rev.6:12-14).

Although we cannot fully grasp how all of this will be worked out, it is obvious that serious times lie ahead for the world before the glorious return and reign of Jesus over all the earth, and in the new universe to come. It will be hard on believers in the run up to the end, but it will be utterly devastating for those who do not have true faith. Judgment must come because of sin (5, 6: sin leads to a ”Therefore”. It has consequences. See also 20)

As believers we have to face the truth about sin and what it is going to lead to. But we do not need to be pessimists; we can be optimists. Let us keep our eyes focused on Jesus and all that is to come when He reigns. Someone summed up the book of Revelation like this: ”Things are going to get a lot worse before they get a lot better; then things are going to get a lot better after they have got a lot worse!”

We do well to maintain this balanced vision.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for giving us a map by which to navigate the future. Help us to always follow you as our ‘Captain’, and we trust you to get us safely home.