Deity of Christ

Here is a good article addressing the question, "Is the deity of Christ biblical?".

I Am The LORD... (Isaiah 44:24-45:25)

...Evidential, Yet Unfathomable. (Isaiah 44:24-45:8)

The Lord Made Everything (Isaiah 44:24)

Notice the singularity with which He speaks:

...who made all things – nothing exists outside His creation.

...who alone stretched out the heavens – He needed and received no help because none existed outside of himself.

...who spread out the earth by myself – once more, He alone is responsible for what is.

The Lord Overthrows Godless Wisdom (Isaiah 44:25)

Now that He addressed His sole hand in creation, He moves on to the mind and wisdom, both His and that of His creatures.

He does not deny that humans have intellect and wisdom. He was the one who gave it to men.

But fallen man tries to use God's gift to serve his own wicked ends:

False prophets attempt to predict what will come about. Diviners try to foretell the future and deal in fortunes. Wise men try to use human reasoning to explain away the necessity of God.

God is aware of all this.

When Jeremiah was predicting the sacking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, false prophets abounded claiming otherwise.

When king Jehoshaphat (of Judah) went to visit king Ahab (of Israel) (1 Kings 22:12-17), Ahab asked Jehoshaphat if he would be willing to go out to battle with him against the Arameans. Jehoshaphat wanted to know if this was God's will or not so he asked for a prophet. But all Ahab had around him were false prophets – prophets of the false God's he had allowed in the Northern Kingdom.

Jehoshaphat asked if there was not a prophet of the Lord among the bunch and Ahab replied that there was a guy named Micaiah, but he never prophesied anything good about Ahab.

It was revealed that God was in actuality putting a message in the mouths of the false prophets that would ultimately bring king Ahab to his death.

God is sovereign over the words of the prophet, even the false prophets. He foils their signs. They have no power to bring about what they predict in the first place. Their motives are for their own gain.

And man's wisdom – Ahab for instance – he falls for the wisdom of men and it backfires.

God's wisdom is to be sought out. He will give wisdom to those who ask. But those who reject him will find their own knowledge and wisdom leads down a path of destruction.

The Lord Brings to Pass His Words (Isaiah 44:26-28)

What God's messengers say comes true because the words are from God. God cannot lie.

Anyone claiming to be speaking for God in predicting the future had better be 100% accurate. God does not work with statistical probabilities. He is not mostly right, He is always right and He can't be otherwise. It is impossible for Him not to carry out what He wills to carry out.

And specifically, His will is for the redemption of His people. As we spoke about in past weeks, the Bible is a book about God's redemptive plan. Israel was part of that plan to bring Messiah into the world.

This servant, Isaiah, was given the words from God to foretell the rebuilding, re-habitation, and restoration of Jerusalem. It was going to be done and the instrument of God's choice was even mentioned – Cyrus.

Even the words of Cyrus, in verse 28, are utterances given my God through him: “Let it be rebuilt” (Jerusalem), and “Let its foundations be laid.” (The temple).

God has no problem carrying out the fulfillment of His prophet's words.

The Lord Will Give Cyrus Success (Isaiah 45:1-2)

Cyrus was God's anointed.

Many people in the OT had been anointed. Part of the ordination of the High Priest was the ceremony of anointing with a special oil signifying that he was set apart as holy unto the Lord.

The anointing didn't make him holy in the sense that he was morally pure, but his calling was a holy calling. He was set apart for God's purpose.

Kings were anointed signifying that they were set apart to rule the people.

But here God uses the same term to signify that Cyrus purpose was God's purpose. He was set apart of setting the people free from Babylon and carrying out the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple. And all of this was true in spite of the fact that Cyrus was unaware of his calling. He didn't discover his anointing until after he had been on the job for quite some time.

God anoints and uses those that He sets apart for His glory. And why did He choose to do this with Cyrus?

Verse 3 tells us part of the reason for God empowering and using Cyrus.

The Lord Summons By Name So He Will Know He Is Lord (Isaiah 45:3)

So that you may know that I am the LORD. God uses him, and calls him by name, as part of God's revelation to Cyrus.

But that's not all and probably not (certainly not) the main reason. As we spoke of before, God is unfolding His redemptive plan, and Cyrus is part of it, but so is Jacob.

The Lord Summons By Name For The Sake Of Jacob (Isaiah 45:4)

Even though Cyrus didn't acknowledge God, God uses him – calls him by name – for Jacob's sake. And for the sake of God's covenant with Abraham, and by extension, all nations.

God's will will be carried out. He is completely faithful to fulfill His promise of a Seed of Abraham through which all nations of the earth will be blessed.

The Lord Does This So That All Will Know He Is Lord (Isaiah 45:5-7)

Not only will Cyrus know that God is the LORD. Not only will God do this for Jacob's sake and His covenant with Abraham. But God is revealing that there is not any other god but Him alone and that revelation is going out to all peoples.

From the rising of the sun to the place of its setting (Isaiah 45:6), men may know that I alone am God.

Look at how exclusive these claims are in Isaiah 45:5-6:

• I am the LORD, and there is no other

• apart from me there is no God

• there is none besides me

• I am the LORD, and there is no other

The Lord Brings Righteousness To The Earth (Isaiah 45:8)

Ultimately, God is doing all of this work of redemption so that righteousness might reside on the earth. Without God's work of redemption, there would be no righteous, no, not one.

He is the author and creator of righteousness and it comes through salvation that He alone brings.

Principle:

Everything God has ever done is for a purpose.

God's revelation of himself is plain for all people.

Applications:

How are you intentionally acknowledging God throughout your day? How are you revealing God to others through your acknowledgment?

God had a purpose in what He was doing through Cyrus. What purpose does God have for where you are in life today? You occupation? Your location? What are you doing to discover God's purpose for you?

What are you doing to ensure that your purposes in life line up under God's purpose?

...Approachable, Yet Uncontainable. (Isaiah 45:9-13)

Have you ever seen a great piece of art work and said to yourself, “Yuck! I wouldn't have done it that way.” I have. And the reason I wouldn't have done it that way is probably because I couldn't. But I have seen some art work that I probably could have done better, even with the skill set I have.

But often when we look at a piece of art, we are not aware of the artist's intent. If his purposes were fulfilled in the work that he did, then it is a success, and who am I to say otherwise.

God is the Great Designer. The reasons He chooses to use some for one purpose and others for another are not for you and I to question.

Woe To Those Who Quarrel With God For What He Does (Isaiah 45:9-10)

The idea is that those quarreling with God were trying to point out flaws in His plan. Why are you doing it this way. If you are a Good God, then why would you use someone who is evil?

Why do you allow the wicked to go unpunished and the righteous to suffer?

Although there are times when you and I might question why something is the way it is. Why a difficult circumstance is there and we are forced to endure it. That is different than questioning God's perfect plan and trying to advise Him on a better strategy. That is foolish!

It's as foolish as a pot telling the potter how he should use the lump of clay that he is using to make the pot.

Or questioning the good intent of his parents in bringing him into the world. Or better yet, instructing them before hand on whether it would be a good idea.

Absurd! And foolish!

Don't Question God On His Dealings With His People (Isaiah 45:11-12)

And when it comes to the way God chooses to discipline His own, whether it is too harsh or even the right form of discipline, leave that to Him. He is the one who knows what He is creating in us through the difficulties He allows.

If you and I belong to God, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). And part of that doing is a molding of our character into the likeness of Christ so that his image is seen in us (2 Cor. 3:17-18).

Cyrus Will Do God's Bidding Because God Has Declared It (Isaiah 45:13)

Notice how sure of Himself God is in this last verse:

• I will raise up Cyrus

• I will direct his ways

• He will rebuild

• He will set free

• And it's not about personal gain

This will be something unusual. Most conquerors were out for their own gain be it territory, money, or just conquest. But this guy won't even know why he is doing it other than God moved upon the heart of Cyrus (2 Chronicles 36:22-23) to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.

God doesn't need to offer a carrot to compel what He wants done, He does it because He has the power to move the will of His vessels in whatever way He chooses.

Principle:

God's plans never require outside advice.

God is all that is needed to carry out His plans.

Illustration:

[An Expert witness in a court]

Applications:

What are you doing for God for a price? Lord, if you do this, I'll do that. We can do this even subconsciously: as long as everything is going okay, I we keep plugging along for you Lord.

How are you questioning God, and is it from a perspective of faith or doubt?

What do you need to start asking God to reveal to you? This might be an opportunity for an A.S.K.

...Undeniably The Only Savior. (Isaiah 45:14-25)

Peoples Will Be Humbled And Acknowledge God's Singularity (Isaiah 45:14)

He starts out by speaking about the products and merchandise of Egypt and Cush. Probably referring to the fact that the treasures they had, and were captured by Cyrus, were part of what was used to rebuild the temple.

Certainly Cyrus had vast amounts of wealth from his conquest. This was not his motivation, however, and he used it liberally to carry out God's purposes for Israel.

But also, the language here appears to be talking about the people being humbled. They see the events unfold ant that there should be no way the ruins of Jerusalem would be rebuilt. There was nothing in it for this great king. But he liberates this people and sends them back home with an abundance of supplies.

And those that witness this are humbled at the work of God and they proclaim it: “Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.”

What a proclamation from a polytheistic people. They knew conquest from both sides now. They new that rulers didn't just march in and pour out abundance on exiles and send them home, that is, not unless there is something quite compelling motivating them. God is that motivator behind Cyrus.

God Is Not Visible Like Idols But God Brings Salvation While Idols Bring Shame (Isaiah 45:15-17)

It seems as though verses 15-17 are contrasting the visible gods of the nations with the Invisible God of Israel. Their gods are tangible and yet all they provide are shame and disgrace. God is invisible yet he brings salvation that is everlasting. And those that are recipients of that salvation will never be disgraced or shamed.

What God Speaks Is Plain And True For All To Hear (Isaiah 45:18-19)

And then He addresses what was eluded to in 15 (the hidden nature of God and His ways) by pointing out the fact that all of creation exists by God and that it was formed for the purpose of being inhabited. That creation was made so that men would have a habitation.

And even God's revelation (special revelation) was not secret or dark utterances. It was given to Jacob's descendants and it was not some obscure or vain pursuit.

Look at the descriptions of God's revelation in verse 19:

• spoken

• said

• speak truth

• declare what is right

Do you ever get the idea that God's words are important? That what He has declared should and must be observed?

He is actively involved in revealing himself to humanity. The problem with most is not a lack of revelation, but a denial of that revelation.

God is not hiding what He has said, man is ignoring what he doesn't want to hear.

[Example of the rich man an Lazarus]

Idols Cannot Save, God Alone Is Savior (Isaiah 45:20-21)

Idols are impotent because they are nothing. They are in the mind of the creator. They are a concept that has no basis in reality. And as such, they are impotent when it comes to salvation of any kind or even revelation of what lies ahead.

Other gods cannot provide anything to prepare a person for what lies ahead. And they can provide no protection from the inevitability of the certain doom that lies ahead for those who worship them.

But God, the LORD, foretells (long ago even) and brings it about. He is exclusively God. He is a righteous God and the only Savior, period!

God Calls All People To Repent And Be Saved (Isaiah 45:22)

And so, given that God has orchestrated all of these things from the beginning of time, through the working out of his plan of redemption, revealing the reality of His unique divinity, what does He call men to do?

Repent. Turn to me and be saved all you ends of the earth. To turn away from the nothings toward the ultimate being, the Savior and Creator of all things.

If He alone is Savior, then turning to Him is the only means of salvation. No alternative plan. And the clarity of this truth is plain within the Scriptures.

Turn in repentance while there is yet time before the day of judgment arrives when you will meet God. To turn to Him as savior, or meet Him in the end as Judge.

All Will Bow The Knee One Day And Declare That God Is Righteous And Strong (Isaiah 45:23-24a)

Look at the strength of the oath in verse 23:

• Sworn by myself

• God's mouth has uttered it

• Words of integrity

• Irrevocable

The oath is that everyone is going to bow before and every mouth will declare this truth:

In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.

And the sad thing is, all will recall the revelation of God throughout their lifetime. No one will be able to say that this is all news to them. I was an atheist and didn't know that God existed.

God's existence is plain to all men (Romans 1:18-20).

The same words were spoken by Paul in reference to Jesus Christ. The same declaration that we see here – Every knee will bow, of thing in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11).

God's Enemies Will Be Put To Shame But His People Will Be Righteous In Him (Isaiah 45:24b-25)

His conclusion is this: my enemies will bow and declare what I have said, but they also will be put to shame. And what a shame it will be for those who come before God and realize that everything life was about was Him and yet they chose to follow their own path. A path in opposition and rage against God and His will.

To deny God is to be His enemy. To be passive about God is to be His enemy. To not turn to Him for salvation is to be His enemy.

But only those who are in the LORD, the true Israel, will be found righteous (which God requires for all humanity) and will exult.

Will rejoice in the great salvation God has wrought by His mighty hand.

Principle:

Denying YHWH is a willful choice for ignorance and it leads to shame and disgrace.

Turning to YHWH in repentance is the path of grace that results in salvation.

Applications:

What thoughts, actions, or motives are you harboring that effectively deny God?

What things are you trying to do to add to a salvation that God alone can give?

How well are you doing at sharing the truth of God's words with your friends, family, and co-workers?

Conclusion

Though no man will ever fully comprehend God, man is gravely mistaken if he thinks denying His existence is a safe place to be.

The Bible

Outline
Two Servants: The Great Servant and Israel
Both were to be lights to the world to reveal God's glory
Both were given direction and God's word
The Great Servant would redeem and bring justice
Israel needed a redeemer and were unfaithful to God and His word
The Great Servant be a covenant. Israel failed to uphold God's covenant and would be disciplined.

Doctrine
The Bible is a collection of sixty-six writings by more than forty human authors. It is God's special and unique revelation of Himself to human beings and, as such, bears divine characteristics (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). It is without error since God cannot err or lie (Numbers 23:19; 2 Samuel 22:31; Proverbs 30:5; John 17:17). It is consistent, meaning that it tells one great story, the story of redemption, and that it does not contradict itself. God promises to work through the Bible to accomplish His purposes, including the salvation of the lost (Isaiah 55:10-11; 1 Peter 1:24-25; Psalm 119).

Divine Characteristics
2 Timothy 3:15-17
15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 1:20-21
20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Inerrant
Numbers 23:19
19 God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?

2 Samuel 22:31
31 “As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.

Proverbs 30:5
5 “Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

John 17:17
17 Sanctify[a] them by the truth; your word is truth.

Accomplishes God's Purposes
Isaiah 55:10-11
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

1 Peter 1:24-25
24 For,
“All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.”[a]
And this is the word that was preached to you.

Related Links

Is The Bible True?

A Needy People, A Necessary Savior, A Natural Response

(Isaiah 42:1-44:23)

Introduction

You and I a fairly used to responding appropriately at certain events or on certain occasions. For example, when you are at a sporting event and your team scores in the final seconds to win the game, you cheer loudly and maybe even stand to your feet. Or if you are at a concert, you clap at various points in the performance and may even give a standing ovation at the end. When you are waited on at a restaurant, you pay a gratuity to the wait staff for serving you.

It seems we are used to responding appropriately within our culture, but often our response to God for who He is and what He has done lacks an appropriate response.

The Servant We Need (Isaiah 42:1-17)

Introducing The Servant (1-4)

It almost sounds like He is pointing to someone as He speaks about His servant. And that is essentially what He does by using words to describe certain features of the servant.

He is using the singular to refer to him whereas later He uses a plural reference to Israel as servant.

Uphold & Chosen

God had said the same thing about upholding and choosing Israel, His servant, back in 41:10b. This coming servant is chosen and upheld by God to accomplish God's set purpose.

Delight

To delight in something is the have extreme satisfaction in. God has extreme satisfaction in this servant. And as you discovered this week, the reason is that this is God the Son, the one whose life perfectly exemplified God's purpose and perfectly reflected God's glory.

He took on the form of a servant in order to fulfill the eternal plan of God to redeem His people.

God's delight in Him was not just due to his perfection as God's servant, but that mutual delight has existed eternally between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Which leads to our next point of introduction.

Spirit On Him

God says that He will put His Spirit on him. Notice that this is the Father speaking about the Son on whom He would pour out His Spirit. Though the Bible never mentions the word Trinity, the doctrine is no less a part of Biblical doctrine. God being one God and yet three “persons” within the Godhead.

After Jesus' baptism by John the Baptizer, the Spirit of God descended on him in the form of a dove. The sign to John that this was the one spoken of.

Jesus life of 32 years was a model of dependence on the Father for all that He did. He submitted perfectly to God's will, thus fulfilling all God's servant, Israel, could and did not do.

His life was a light to the world reflecting the glory of the Father. He was the Word of God in flesh proclaiming the truth of God to the blind and deaf. And he carried out this task in perfect faithfulness (verse 3) and without faltering or becoming discouraged (verse 4).

Meekness & Gentleness

Verses 2 & 3 reflect the idea that this servant was gentle and mild. He didn't run around yelling in the streets or cry out, but he spoke with authority and grace. He didn't water down the truth, but when he spoke, he was not trying to draw attention by his exuberance but by the revelation that his words would bring.

The fact that a reed would not be broken or a smoldering wick snuffed out refers to the idea that he recognized the fragility of those he would be addressing. He was aware of the fact that all power was his, yet man is frail and weak and he treated men that way. Those whose faith was weak, he taught through parables. And he explained as not to put out any hope they might have in him. To fan the embers of faith and not snuff them out.

I remember a man who used to come onto campus while I was attending Colorado State University. He would stand with his Bible open and yell out, “You are a sinner and you are going to die and go to hell!” I don't think he had many people approach him to find out what he meant. This is not what Jesus was like throughout His ministry, however.

Justice & Hope

He was faithfully bringing forth justice.

Ever since the fall of man, God had been forgiving people for sin – those who turned to Him in repentance and faith were saved by His grace. Salvation has always been the same, by the grace of God through faith. No one ever earned it.

But also, the sins that God forgave, were awaiting the justice of God. God's justice demands payment for sin. He can't overlook sin and sweep it away without a cost, an infinite cost. And so, up until the time of the servant, Jesus, sin had gone unpunished.

Paul puts it this way in Romans 3:

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

And so this servant of God came to bring the justice of God, not only to the Jews who had faith, but also to anyone who had faith in Him. All God's people, Jew or Gentile, are justified by faith in Jesus, God's perfect servant.

The end of verse 4 points out that the islands will put their hope in his law. A law that is written upon the hearts of men.

This Is A New Thing (42:5-9)

This new thing, this coming servant and all that accompanied him, was announced by and brought about by God. This was all His doing and part of His eternal plan. It never was that this would not happen, but God chose this time to foretell it.

Called, Guided, and Kept (5-6)

Covenant & Light (6b)

All these words are quite familiar if you are familiar with the New Testament. This idea of Jesus being a covenant for the people harkens to the last supper. Jesus, taking the cup said, “this is the new covenant in my blood; do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

These were God's words, from Christ, through Paul, to the Corinthians. They are very familiar to us when we observe the Lord's supper. We are remembering that our fellowship with God is bound up in the blood of His servant, shed on our behalf.

Once again, he is a light to the Gentiles. We who are Gentiles or Jews are in fellowship with God due to the light He sent into the world – Jesus the Messiah.

Sight, Sound, Salvation (42:7)

Jesus came healing the blind, deaf, and sick. Yet these acts were not an end in and of themselves. As the Gospel writers told us, they were signs that pointed to a greater spiritual reality. Certainly they showed that Jesus had all power as God the Son and that his authority had no limit. But he also used these signs to point out the truth that apart from Him, all people are blind, deaf, and bound in prisons of darkness.

Spiritual sight, the ability to see ones lost condition, is a work of God alone. To hear the message of the gospel and receive conviction is a work that God alone can do. And as Paul says to the Colossians:

Colossians 1:13

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

To God's Glory (42:8-9)

This is to God's glory and can be credited to no other. He alone is worthy of honor, praise, and glory.

And that is how our lives should be characterized in response to this work He has done.

A Song Of Praise (42:10-13)

Ends Of The Earth

The Deserts

Joy, Shouts From The Mountaintops

Glory & Praise From The Islands

People of all nations, Jew and Gentile, receive freedom from captivity in Christ and the natural response? Sin His praise, give the Lord glory, proclaim His praise throughout the earth.

Wasn't this what Jesus called all of his followers to do? “Go into all the world and preach the gospel...”

The Enemy Defeated

This singing and rejoicing in the Lord rings true to all who have received God's forgiveness of sin and a new life in Christ. Our enemy, sin, has been conquered. We are no longer slaves to sin but are free to live a life of service to our King. His law is our delight where once the law of sin reigned.

Lead By God and His Word (42:14-17)

Principle:

God's Servant took, for God's people, what God's justice demanded.

God's people have every reason to glorify God.

Applications:

How have you responded to the light of revelation through God's Son?

Is God's servant your justifier or will He be your judge?

In what ways is your life a “song of praise”, glorifying God?

The Servant In Need (Isaiah 42:18-44:5)

From Words to Wars (44:18-25)

The very thing the Great Servant came to heal (blind, deaf, and bound), is the indictment against God's servant people, Israel.

They were to be a light to the world. Not that Israel was great, but that God was great. Israel was small and powerless, but the work of God in their midst was to be a beacon to the world.

They had the sole repository of God's special revelation, Torah, and yet they saw, heard, but didn't heed it.

The Law Not The Problem (21)

God's Law was great and glorious and if adhered to, would reflect that glory to the world. It was a reflection of the righteous character of God.

The problem was not the Law but the law-breaker – the sinner.

And sadly enough, often those with most exposure to the truth, if they ignore it, become the worst perpetrators of error. Certainly they are more responsible for the light they have been given.

Trapped, Imprisoned, Plundered (22)

As a result of their rejection of God's law, they are in a predicament. God uses word to point out that since they rejected the freedom that accompanied obedience, they were allowed to go into bondage.

And certainly this is true in a spiritual sense as well. Often people feel as if they are liberated when freed from the “bonds” of God's restraints when in reality they are resisting the only true freedom there is.

Sin is a bondage, salvation is freedom from the enemy, sin, death, and the devil.

But the exile to Babylon was also in view here. Since the word of God was rejected, he turned them over to war and captivity.

And yet, as the end of verse 25 points out, “yet they did not understand; … they did not take it to heart”.

A Dangerous Place

You and I are in a very dangerous place, do you realize that? Not that somehow our western civilization will come crumbling down, although that might happen. We are studying the Bible each week. Day in and day out we are exposed to the truth of God's word. But we can get “lulled to sleep” in the process.

Are you nodding your head in affirmation of the truths in Scripture but not asking God to reveal to you where you need pruning? I'm afraid I too often am that way.

Are you experiencing conviction but failing to turn in repentance to the only One who can save you? Are you hearing and seeing what ought to be and stubbornly resisting?

Continue down that path too long and your eyes will glass over and ears become deaf. Eventually the Bible will become nothing more than an interesting novel that you can put down whenever the story gets too uncomfortable or boring.

Call on the Lord while He may be found. Before you find yourself in a pit.

[My Life Story (Be Brief!)]

But Now...A Savior (43:1-13)

After pointing out the unfaithfulness of His servant, in spite of man's rebellious nature and fallen state, God declares redemption for His people. The steadfast love of God remains true in spite of man's bent toward sinning.

God's People Are Precious To Him (1-7)

Look at what God says about those who belong to Him:

• Created you

• Formed you

• Redeemed you

• Summoned you (by name)

• Own you

• Am with you

• Protect you

• Save you (you Savior)

• Ransomed you

• Value you

• Love you

• Will gather you

• Created for God's glory

Do any of God's people deserve that? Do you and I deserve to be considered in such a way by God?

God Alone Saves and His People Are Witnesses (8-13)

As God had said, Israel was blind and deaf, but here He points out the fact that He will lead them out of Babylonian exile. He is referring once again to the courtroom scene where there are no other gods of the nations that knew this would happen.

God alone foretold it to His people so that when it did happen, they would be able to attest to the fact. With patience, God declared, long before, that this would happen, so that future generations would see and know that God alone is God, there is no other. And that He alone is savior – there is but One.

Have you noticed that many people in our day are quick to concur that there is but one God. But there are so many definitions of Who or what that God is, on that point, it is hard to come to consensus.

Many too will state that there is one god, but there are many paths to that one god. That all religions ultimately lead to the same god. They are almost correct. Very close. All paths, but one, lead to the same god. To a god made in man's image. The god of this world.

But only one path leads to the LORD God, the Holy One of Israel. The only savior of His people.

There is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.

Attributes of Note (11-13)

God alone is LORD – there is no other God beside Him, He is exclusively God and thus all are singularly answerable to him.

The only savior – since He alone is LORD, He alone has the power to save – to provide what is necessary to save.

Reveals – in verse 12 He says that He reveals and proclaims, not some other god among the people. God is omniscient.

Eternal – He refers to from ancient days I am God. In other words, from before time, I am eternally God.

Omnipotent – The end of verse 13 reveals that there is no power that can overcome God's power – His acts cannot be reversed by anyone.

God's Mercy (14-18)

You could almost get jet lag in this section. Or whip-lash with all the various time frames mentioned.

He starts by referring to the freeing them from Babylon in verse 14-15. Then He moves on to describe himself in terms of the redemption from Egyptian captivity, in verses 16-17. Then He goes back to the return of the exiles (and other later spiritual fulfillment) in 18-21. And in 22-24 back to Hezekiah's day and beyond.

But rather than look at the time frames and marvel, let's look at the nature of God the Savior of His people. How He describes himself both in words and actions. Especially against the backdrop of a wayward nation.

Holy, Redeemer, Creator, and King (14-15)

He starts this marvelous passage with His holiness and His relationship to Israel.

In 14 He says Holy One of Israel. We have seen this over and over. The fact that God being Holy by nature and separate from sin, is still in a relationship with a people who are characterized by sin and need for a redeemer.

The idea here and in verse 15 is that Israel had nothing to do with their salvation and standing with God. And the same is true with anyone who has a relationship with God.

We have no claim on achieving that relationship. God is Holy. Man is not. Not unless God does something to make man holy.

In verse 15 the Lord describes himself as Holy again, Israel's Creator and King. He is responsible for the fact that they are a nation. And that they remained a nation. They were in situations that should have crushed them and would have, had it not been for God.

So the redeemed of God have no part in that redemption, period.

Acts Of Redemption For His Glory (16-21)

In 16 He uses His act of redemption out of Egypt to describe himself.

It was God who opened the sea, drew in the chariots and horses and armies, and snuffed them out. He did these things for the sake of His people (as talked about in verse 14).

And then He tells them to forget that and look to the act He is about to do. The “new thing”, where streams will run in the desert.

He is doing this act so that, “they may proclaim my praise.” (verse 21).

God is glorified when He redeems a people. When, by His Spirit, He regenerates a heart that is a wasteland. Certainly God is praised and glorified by all He has created, but how much more should the redeemed be actively participating in praise.

Not just songs of praise, but lives that praise through obedience to His word. Lives that desire to find out what He requires and then carry that out in His power.

Lives that are quick to attest to the greatness of God, but with gentleness, like the Great Servant. With meekness and humility, realizing that were it not for the grace of God, we would be just like the lost.

The Condition Of Man (22-28)

Back to the present time. God speaks of the condition of His servant, Israel.

In this poetic passage He uses couplets to describe the condition of the unfaithful:

• Not called on me, Not wearied yourself for me – in other words, you are not depending on me. Not seeking my direction and will. Not sincerely looking to me for your guidance.

• Not brought burnt offerings, Not honored me with sacrifices – Not only did they not seek God's direction, they were not seeking His fellowship and forgiveness. They were neglecting His covenant with them.

• Not burdened with grain offerings or incense – God had not put demands on them that were burdensome.

• No incense and sacrifices, just a lot of sin and offenses – God did not want empty sacrifices, he required true repentance. But in exchange He received only the offense of their sin, over and over again.

Those who were to be a light to the Gentiles, revealing the glory of God, were in fact an offense to God and an opportunity for the nations to scorn God.

No body else is any different. All men are the same way. We all are an offense to God by our sin. There is none righteous, no, not even one. We all do evil before God. And even our acts of righteousness are as filth before God. They are a sin in themselves if we think they somehow appease God.

We can't please Him. There is but One Savior, there is no other.

I can't save you and you can save me. We can't save ourselves, no one can.

But it is only God who can blot out sin, forgive transgressions, and remember it no more. It's for His sake that He does this. His glory is revealed in the redemptive work He does for the undeserving.

The Spirit's Work (44:1-5)

This beginning part of chapter 44 reveals what was eluded to in all the previous references to water on a wasteland. God was revealing the work of His Spirit in regeneration.

Here God fasts forward to the Book of Acts where the Spirit was poured out on God's chosen people. That it was God's fulfillment of this promise to bring streams to the dry and barren landscape of man's heart.

But this could only happen after the Great Servant completed His work. Jesus told His disciples that unless He went to the cross and then ascended, the comforter, the Spirit of truth, could not come. He had to complete the work of redemption in order that God could pour out His Spirit on His chosen ones.

Not until justice was complete could sinners be declared justified. So Jesus death bore the penalty for sin on behalf of God's chosen people.

And we who are in Christ are grafted into the true Israel. We are recipients of the new covenant in His blood and God has poured out His Spirit on us, the true offspring of Abraham.

Look at the descriptive words used of those who the Spirit indwells:

• We are blessed

• Grow like well watered trees

• Belong to the LORD

• Are descendants of Jacob

• Marked (sealed) as if on the hand, as belonging to the LORD

Principle:

Familiarity with God's word is no substitute for faith in God.

Applications:

How much impact has the study of Isaiah had on your life this year? What changes are you seeing in your life?

Are you finding the application or personal question difficult to answer?

How active are you in expressing your gratitude to God for redeeming you?

The God We Need (Isaiah 44:6-23)

Time may be a great healer,
but it's a lousy beautician.

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember, amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good.

Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.

Politicians and diapers have one thing in common.
They should both be changed regularly and for the same reason.

An optimist thinks that this is the best possible world.
A pessimist fears that this is true.

In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday.

I plan on living forever.
So far, so good.

If marriage were outlawed,
only outlaws would have in-laws.

It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time,
but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

Brain cells come and brain cells go,
but fat cells live forever.

Age doesn't always bring wisdom.
Sometimes age comes alone.

Life not only begins at forty,
it also begins to show.

You don't stop laughing because you grow old,
you grow old because you stopped laughing.

A Rock and Redeemer or a log and a lamb chop.

A Rock and Redeemer or a tree and a t-bone.

And so it is with all man-made substitutes for what God alone can provide.

A Definitive Characterization (44:6-8)

God makes some final statements regarding who He is that leave absolutely no room for negotiation:

He is the LORD Almighty.

He is first and last – was there before time and will be there after time – eternal, never ending, infinite

No God apart from me – without me, there is no God (not to mention, no way to express it or anyone to hear it apart from Him)

No one can explain the redemptive history of Israel but God alone. (no one comes forward)

He is the only Rock.

There is no power, no eternal, no infinite, no God, no redeemer, and no Rock, save God himself. He alone is LORD over all.

But of course, that's just God's view of things. Man, in his great wisdom, may see things a bit different. May say that's one way of looking at it, but I have my own way.

God may be glorious, but I have a bit of glory of my own.

The Irony of Idols (9-20)

God goes into great detail, outline the absurdity of idolatry. How it is so prevalent and yet so degrading to the person and so offensive to God.

It's man's best effort to produce his object of worship. And his toil reveals his frailty.

And the ironic thing is that man is greater than the object he is creating to worship. And he is using his mind, will, and emotions, along with materials that God has supplied.

His roast meat strengthens him so that he can build an detestable object from the second half of his fuel. His choice, eat and keep warm, or make a god.

But we don't often see the irony when we are the ones doing the worship.

We often see our allegiance as innocent diversions. Modern convenience. Deserved respect due to my status. Etc, etc, etc.

That is until we become obsessed. Until the object of worship controls us. Determines how we think and what we think about.

Until our spare time is consumed with that thing to the point that we are owned rather than the owner.

A substitute for what God alone can provide is nothing short of a lie.

God's Reminder For Israel (21-23)

Remember you are my servant and I have made you my servant.

And I will always remain faithful, I cannot do otherwise.

Also, remember the contrast between who I am and the best that man can do. Don't make a mockery of me by turning away to other gods.

Note: It was no mistake that the first of the Ten Commandments were that there were to be no other gods before YHWH. He is jealous for His glory, and rightfully so. He is truth.

When God redeems sinners, His glory is seen in His mercy that is shown. Nothing on the part of the sinner – he deserves wrath – but instead, the character of God shows forth so brilliantly against the backdrop of sin's darkness.

His glorious light shines in the salvation He offers His own. Should we not join with all of creation, singing the praises of this merciful and loving God?

Principle:

God is faithful to restore His repentant people.

Applications:

What sins have become comfortable to you and what are you going to do about them?

What truths about God's character do you need to revisit in order to have a right perspective on your position as servant?

As God's possession, who should you be more interested in pleasing, God or yourself? How is your life demonstrating your answer?

What Is Truth?

Here is a good, short, article on truth.

Gods On Trial (Isaiah 41:1-29)

Introduction

Note: If this post seems disjointed or hard to follow, that is because it is. I took the raw transcript of my lecture notes and posted them. And the raw notes this week were only meant to jar my memory. Sorry if they are hard to follow.

What's going on in the world can be pretty scary. Egypt, etc. Sometimes it seems as though things are out of control. Like perhaps God is not able to keep thing in order...

[Other free form content]

Noise. Our lives are full of it these days, if you hadn't notices. The more noise the better it seems. And the more one becomes used to the noise, the more uncomfortable it is when there is silence.

Noise has a tendency to distract from any type of deep thinking. Any type of self-analysis or contemplation. Noise keeps us from facing reality.

Noise comes in many forms in our day: music, TV, movies, Internet, Chat, Social Media, talk radio, reality TV, amusements, etc.

Did you happen to see the Superbowl yesterday? I observed the selection of upcoming entertainment from our friends in Hollywood. They are serving up nothing but noise in the form of movies that totally avoid any sense of reality. Every single one of the previews was some sort of Sci-Fi thriller, blended fantasy, non-reality type of movie. I was amazed and dismayed. Not that I don't enjoy a non-realistic movie now and again, but it just seemed that someone wants us to avoid any type of dealings with the real world.

That's what noise tends to do – help us escape the inevitability of reality.

Ask yourself tonight:

1. What are you trying to drown out by the “noises” in your life?

2. What “noise” do you need to put out of your life in order to hear from God?

3. How much time are you spending in silence before God each day?

The Quality Test (Isaiah 41:1-20)

The Call To Silence (41:1)

Come ponder, consider, and face reality. Stop all the noise and distractions that are keeping you from the truth of the way things are.

He's calling the court to order. To focus in on the problem at hand. The problem that faces all humanity – his inability to control the events of history.

Renewal of Strength

The call to renew strength hearkens back to 40:31 where Isaiah points out that those whose faith (hope) is in the LORD (YHWH) will renew their strength (or have their strength renewed by the LORD).

And so here, the Lord is calling the nations to silence and to face up with the reality of where their hope lies. The object of their faith. And the strength of that object to reliably deliver on the promise of hope.

The Place of Judgment

God is calling the nations forward to present their case, if you will, at the place of judgment. God will bring about an event that will force the nations to stop, be silent, contemplate where their hope and strength lies, and ultimately to present their case for why their faith is in such a god as theirs.

God's Servant, Cyrus (41:2-4)

In these three verses, God is pointing out that He is the very One bringing this conqueror onto the scene. He asks the question twice and then answers toward the end of verse 4.

This is clearly the work of God bringing this about. But there were many who claimed to come in the power of their gods to conquer and defeat nations. Yes, but this notification comes more than 150 years before the conqueror is born. No other god had been able to do that. Man's claim as to the source of his power is one thing. But when the specifics of the conqueror are foretold in such detail before they happen, one better take note!

God's Purpose In Sending Cyrus

As we looked this week, God had a purpose in sending Cyrus. He put upon this great king's heart the idea to return the exiles back to Jerusalem to build a temple.

We've already read that God's purpose was to put Judah into exile for 70 years due to the fact that they had broken covenant with God – they had become recipients of the curses tied to the conditional Deuteronomic covenant (Exodus 19:3-6; 24:1-8; Deuteronomy 29:1-30:3).

God had set forth laws in this covenant that if Israel obeyed them, they God would bless them. But if they broke covenant with God, he would bring in nations to subdue them. This happened over and over again until finally, God sent the southern kingdom into exile.

He did this to preserve and refine a remnant who would preserve the line of Abraham in order to fulfill His unconditional covenant with him. The Abrahamic covenant was not predicated on man's performance but on God's faithfulness alone. He would carry it out despite man's unfaithfulness. That covenant was the through Abraham's Seed, all nations of the earth would be blessed.

We've already seen glimpses of that blessing in the book of Isaiah. The coming seed of Abraham would be called Emmanuel, God with us.

You see, the Bible is really quite a simple book in one sense. It is a book that reveals God, His creation, the fall of man, and God's plan to redeem His people. That's the high level outline.

And so, as we look at the descriptions here in this chapter, we must note that God is demonstrating that He will take every necessary to completely fulfill His unconditional covenant. He can't not be faithful to His word.

And so Cyrus serves as a test of the nations fortitude while at the same time displaying God's sovereignty over all events to bring about His will in redeeming His people.

Note: These Israelites that were going to return from the exile would eventually fail to keep God's covenant. But there was a time coming where the Deuteronomic would no longer be extant. It would be fulfilled in the coming Seed of Abraham. The Messiah would be the fulfillment of both the Abrahamic covenant and the Deuteronomic covenant. And He would usher in a New Covenant in His blood.

A Pagan Response (41:5-7)

Verse 5-7 show the response of those outside of a covenant relationship with God. This is certainly a description of the futility of hope outside of YHWH.

The events are certainly worthy of fear and trembling. But look at the way the nations gain their courage. While those who wait on and hope in the Lord renew their strength, these people must conjure up strength from some fictitious source.

They help each other and then say “Be Strong”.

This is the ultimate in “Power of Positive Thinking” religion. Where somehow my thoughts and hopes can determine my destiny.

If I need wealth, then thoughts of wealth will get me there. If I need health, then those types of thoughts must be pondered.

Hasn't this type of pagan and superstitious thought processes even made it into our “Christian” ideas in the west?

What really is being said here is, “have hope in hope”. Put your trust in trust. We are all in this together.

And then we see the types of gods that come out of this type of thinking. They are the fabrication of the mind of the wishful thinker. They become the creator and their god is the created. Their god is formed in their image and he serves their purposes.

But he can do nothing to quell the fear and terror of the reality of life. He can do nothing to fill the emptiness of a life outside of a covenant with God.

Nothing man can build or imagine or embrace is able to fill the emptiness brought on by alienation from God his Creator.

And so the quality of man's gods is shown when faced with reality. When good times are gone – when the ability to ascribe my successes to a god of my making is no longer there – then I am faced, in silence, with the startling fact of my misplaced faith.

This is God's doing. Those outside a covenant with God are not exempt from answering to God.

Just because man claims not to believe in the reality of God doesn't mean he will not have to answer to that reality. He will. Everyone will.

True Quality (41:8-20)

All people are faced with the same life situations eventually. Eventually we all will have the foundations of our faith tested.

But these verses show a completely different type of relationship between the true God and his people.

It is God who is in the active role. He is the initiator. He is the One who makes His people who they are and in the situation they are are.

He provides the position of strength and security.

8-10 points out that their relationship to God is His doing:

1. chosen by God

2. gathered by God

3. called by God

4. not rejected by God

5. God with us (verse 10)

Their identity is:

1. servants (verses 8 & 9)

Principle: The day of judgment will reveal the quality of one's god(s).

Do Not Fear (41:11-14)

In verse 10 God had called them not to fear because He is with them and He is their God.

He continues on in 11-14 to describe why they should not fear:

1. Nothing can touch you outside of passing through me (41:11)

2. This is the LORD (YHWH) their Redeemer – He has conquered their greatest enemy, sin, so what is their to fear?

A God of Promise (41:17-20)

Verses 17-20 shows the promises of God and that He is actively involved in the lives of His people. He is not a static god, like the idols, but one who carries out His promises to sustain His own.

[look at some of the “I will” statements]

God's Primary Reason (verse 20)

It is God's glory and renown that is forefront here. He is displaying His glory through the lives and His work in and through His people.

He is doing what is obviously impossible. No onlooker would say that coincidence played a part or that Israel brought this about.

The same is true today if you belong to God. When He answers your prayers, He is showing himself to be faithful, but it is for the purpose of bringing himself glory.

When He gives an impossible task to you and then accomplishes it through you, it isn't so that you can appear as a success, but so He is glorified in you.

Israel was a light to the Gentiles and now God's church is a light to the world. Not because we generate our own light but that we reflect the light of Messiah as He lives out his purposes through His people.

When people hear the message of the gospel and when they see the transforming effect it has on the regenerated person – desert blossoming, springs of water where their once was death, they know that this is no new humanistic self-help therapy. I has to be God at work in a life.

Principle: God's people reap the benefit of God's promises for God's glory.

Applications:

1. Where does your hope reside, in what God has done for you or what you are doing for God?

2. How well are you living up to the job description of 'servant'?

The Performance Test (Isaiah 41:21-29)

Often, when building software, there are functional requirements dealing with specific functionality that must be performed by the software in order to be acceptable to the customer. Many times there are also performance requirements. Requirements that specify minimal expectations in regard to software's performance under a load (e.g., number of transactions per second, latency – number of milliseconds from receipt of a message until a response, etc.)

In these final verses of chapter 41, God is calling the nations to bring forward their gods. God's to which the nations have boasted and given credit for many things. But now is the real performance load testing. Now He calls them to the test of time – past and future.

Forget the claims of the past and present actions. I want to see some explanations of past events and future ones.

Bring On Some Fear (41:21-23)

God had previously called the nations to consider what He was going to do. And when it came to pass, it brought fear, naturally.

Now He calls on their gods to do something, good or bad, so that fear may abound.

This is an impossible challenge and a mockery of what these people had designed. Not only could they not cause something to happen, they couldn't even explain the past.

We hear all the time about supposed predictions in our day:

1. Jesus was supposed to have come multiple times, just in the past century.

2. There have been men and women claiming all sorts of things in the name of God in our lifetime, but not coming true.

What does that say about these 'prophets'. They are certainly not speaking for God (YHWH). So they must be speaking for their perceived god or for their own edification.

God is not pleased. He is not being served.

And how many in our day are filled with fear due to these prognosticators. It is foolish to fear if their predictions are not from God.

But many continue to listen to them. They are all over the radio and TV. Whatever god they are pleasing, it is not our god.

And their performance record is nothing like our God's either.

You see, the false gods (and their prophets) can make claims all day long. And they can even be vague enough such that it appears as if they are true.

But only God is able to tell the future and have the power to bring it about.

Because false gods are less than nothing, worthless, and those who follow them are detestable. That's harsh language, isn't it. But being detestable to God is where we all stand were it not for his redemption.

Closing Arguments (41:25-29)

God's closing arguments point to His ability to bring about what He has planned. He refers to Cyrus once more, coming in from the north (this one from the rising sun – the east).

In verse 26 He points out that it wasn't told by anyone else. Not other god or prophet mentioned this coming conqueror. Here he is addressing the nations and their gods (26b).

But God's messenger was “spot on” – he told it in Zion and it was even written down.

Isaiah's prophecy was recorded for all to see – preserved until the time of its occurrence.

27-28 – but none of the nations have any such counselor or evidence. They are silent before God because they know from whence their gods came.

Principle: One's god is only as good as his ability to carry out his plans.

The true God is always faithful to carry out His plans.

Applications:

1. Who do you need to stop listening to, who claims to be God's messenger, but is proven to be false?

2. What confidence do you find in knowing God is sovereign over all past, present, and future events?

Christianity: Intellectual Nonsense?

I read a good article by Dr. Ravi Zacharias. It deals with the idea that Christian faith is not without reason. This article is well worth the read.