Rsbc
October 27, 2002
Sunday Night
The Book of Isaiah
Sermon # 101
Text: Isaiah 55:8-13
Intro: Last Sunday night we saw how Christ was made a gift to us verse 4 because of GOD’S sure mercies of David. This could not be David at the time of the Prophecy David was Dead and so was his son Solomon so it must be Christ...We further saw the purpose for which he was given... a witness, and a leader and a commander of the people.
Then we saw how the LORD would call out a people for his name from among the gentiles..verse 5 Then we saw the great gospel appeal to sinners ..verse 6-7. Tonight we shall look at a number of things from these verses...
I... “ THE DISTINCT DIFFERENCE NOTED...VS 8-9
The contrast between the way GOD thinks and does things is a vast difference to say the least. When I say that GOD thinks and the word says he thinks it is language to condescend to our thought pattern...
1st. God does not think in order to do, but GOD thinks because he thought to do:
Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
The vastness of GOD and his universe his almost beyond human thinking: One Astronomers tell us of stars in the sky at such infinite distances that their light, shooting through space at the inconceivable rate of 185,000 miles a second would require 3500 years to reach this earth...
No wonder David declared this testimony concerning the LORD when he said in Psalm 19:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2nd. This tells us that to have some knowledge of the way GOD thinks can only be understood by viewing his wonderful works...
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In the book of Genesis Chapter one: God said and it was, God formed man out of
the dust of the earth and then gave him a universe to rule over and he could not accomplish it because he was destined to fall...in order that GOD could display his
greatest work the giving of his son for the redemption of his people...
This caused the great Prophet Isaiah to ask these questions:
Isaiah 40:13‑14 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or [being] his counsellor hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and [who] instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
3rd. Note the second contrast that the LORD mentions in verse 8 “ my ways or not your ways...
What a contrast between the way we do things and the way the LORD does things. The LORD told Peter:
Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
A. God’s way is perfect and man’s way is imperfect:
Ezekiel 18:25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
b. God’s way is strait and narrow and man’s way is crooked and destructive:
Matthew 7:13‑14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Man is always traveling that way that seemeth right: Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.
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c. God’s way is of much higher standard than man’s way” vs 9
It is because GOD’S way’s are perfect, straight and that they never change that he can and does show mercy to sinners that call upon him... Listen to what David said in...
Psalm 103:11‑13 For as the heaven is high above the earth, [so] great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
II... “ THE ASSURED PROMISE FROM THE LORD”...VS 10-13
1st. The comparison of the word of God: “ As the rain cometh down”
God often compared his word to the natural elements that he created such as in Moses writings...
Deuteronomy 32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
What we clearly see here is the purpose of the Lord sending rain and snow so that it will bring forth fruit.
2nd. The conquering power of the word: “ vs 11 “So shall my word”
I want you to know that it did not say the word that goes out of the preachers mouth, but the word that goes out of the mouth of GOD. Well since he doesn’t speak audibly today it has to be his written word... As long as the preachers preaches his word it will do what GOD has purposed it to do...
A. It will not be void:
Psalm 107:20‑21 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered [them] from their destructions. 21 Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men!
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God’s word is the most powerful thing that we have on earth when it is accompanied by the Holy Spirit of GOD....
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
1 Peter 1:23‑25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 For all flesh [is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
3rd. The fruit of the word of the LORD: vs 12-13
I believe as well as others that I have read that this is the result of the people of Israel being let go from their captivity by the LORD. What joy sprang from them when this occurred.
But I also see the wonderful truth of the conversion of sinners... what joy comes into the heart of a sinner saved by grace...
Micah 2:12 ¶ I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.Micah 2:13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.