117. Becoming a Righteous Nation (2)

Posted on Posted in Sermon Notes Tagged with , , , ,

Hymns: RHC 111 Only a Sinner 112 Redeemed 113 It Is Glory Just to Walk with Him

Isaiah 59

1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 5 They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. 6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 7Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. 9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; 13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. 16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there wasno intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. 17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance forclothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. 18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. 19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. 20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that isupon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

Becoming a Righteous Nation (2)

OUTLINE

  • Sins Needs to Be Confessed (v1-8)
  • Sins Dire Consequences (v9-14)
  • Conviction and Repentance (v15-18)
  • Comfort of God’s Deliverance (v19-21)

INTRODUCTION

The Bible is the only book with the remedy for sin. “Till we are above sin, we are not above Scripture,” observes well Thomas Watson. Only fools make a mock at sin. Isaiah was tasked to lead God’s people back to Him. First, their sins needs to be exposed and a reality of sin in the nation’s life must be acknowledged.

Bunyan said “Sin is the dare of God’s justice, the rape of His mercy, the jeer of His patience, the slight of His power and the contempt of His love.” It is, in reality, the willful violation of God’s Law made known through conscience and Revelation. It is doing what God forbids, and failure to do what He commands. “Sin is learned without going to school.” [Denis Gibson]

It is sad that Israel has departed so far from the LORD – The chapter has evidently a primary reference to the character of the nation in the times of Isaiah. The deep depravity which is described, is such as existed in the times of Manasseh; and one object of the prophet was manifestly to bring them to conviction for their sins; and to show them why they were suffering, or about to suffer, from the expressions of the divine displeasure. [Barnes]

  • Sins Needs to Be Confessed (v1-8)

1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 5 They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. 6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 7Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

It was not because the LORD was unable to save them that they were exposed to such judgments, and visited with such calamities (v1). They were, therefore, not to blame Him. This general principle is stated, in order to prevent what commonly occurs when people suffer much – a disposition to throw the blame on God.

James tells us “please do not put the blame on God for your own mistakes. Be brave enough to own up, to stand up to your own weaknesses and have the gumption and courage to do what’s right.”

The believer who passes the test is blessed, but the one who fails it is filled with remorse. The one who failed the test refuses to admit that he lacks faith in God. That is what Adam did in paradise when he fell into sin. He listened to Eve who in turn obeyed Satan. When God confronted them with their failure, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent (Gen. 3:12–13). In effect, Adam blamed God when he said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it” (v. 12; italics added). No one should say, “God is tempting me.”[1]

Genesis 3:12-13 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

It is easy to “pass the bug”, put the blame, it soothes the conscience and ease the mind. It is the ostrich putting its head in the sand. We need to realize that the fallen man in us which James described as “our own lust” as depicted below in the picture of the heart:

It was for their sins that they were exposed to these judgments (v2-8). The prophet proceeds to specify those sins in detail, with a view to bring them to conviction and to repentance.

The general principle is stated, that it was their sins alone which had separated between them and God (v2).

Their hands were defiled with blood (v3a).

Their lips had spoken falsehood (v3b).

There was no justice among them (v4a).

Their plans were mischievous (v4b).

Their actions were like the egg of the cockatrice, hateful and destructive as that egg when hatched (v5).

This figurative expression is designed to show the evil nature and tendency of their works. They were as if they should carefully nourish the eggs of a venomous serpent. Instead of crushing them with the foot and destroying them, they took pains to hatch them, and produce a venomous race of reptiles. Nothing can more forcibly describe the wicked character and plans of sinners than the language used here – plans that are as pernicious, loathsome, and hateful as the poisonous serpents that spread death and ruin and alarm everywhere. [Barnes]

Their works were like the web of a spider, which could never be a covering of righteousness (v6).

Their feet run to evil (v7a).

Their thoughts were evil (v7b).

They were strangers to the way of peace (v8).

  • Sins Dire Consequences (v9-14)

9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; 13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

After this statement of the prevalent sins of the nation, the prophet introduces the people as making confession, that it was for these and similar sins that they were exposed to the divine displeasure. Identifying himself with the people, he enumerates the calamities to which they were exposed, as a consequence of the sins which prevailed (v9-14). They were in darkness; they waited in vain for light; they stumbled at noon-day; they vented their sorrows like the roaring of bears, or the plaintive cry of the dove, but all in vain.

  • Conviction and Repentance (v15-18)

15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. 16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. 17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. 18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.

The LORD is represented as seeing this state of deep guilt; a state where there was deep conviction of that guilt, and a readiness to make confession; and as wondering that there was no intercessor, and as himself interposing to bring deliverance and salvation (v15-18). The characteristics of him who should come to accomplish these purposes, were righteousness, salvation, vengeance, and zeal (v17), he would come to take recompence on his foes, and to reward the wicked according to their deeds (v18). [Barnes]

  • Comfort of God’s Deliverance (v19-21)

19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. 20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

The effect of this would be that the name of Yahweh would be feared from the rising to the setting sun. Yahweh would erect a barrier against the enemy when he should come in like a flood; and the Redeemer would come to Zion to effect deliverance for those who should truly repent (v19-20).

A covenant would be established between God and those who would turn away from transgressions (v21). The nature of that covenant was, that its blessings would be perpetual. The spirit which God would give, and the words which he would put into their mouths, would abide with them and their posterity forever. Amen.

[1] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (48). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.