In this sermon, David Capoccia explores the main message of the book of Isaiah as well as the specific message of Isaiah 55:1-7. In these verses, God entreats the people of Judah — and all people today — to trust in Him via three astonishing appeals:
- Come to the God Who Gives Generously
- Listen to the God Who Saves Eternally
- Return to the God Who Forgives Totally
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well thank you pastor is the joy to be here but it’s always sobering because what we have before us is the Word of God God speaks to us I’m so glad that last song was played that’s my favorite Christmas Carol because it reminds us of that yeah it’s joyful Christmas time but do you realize what’s happened this is God in the flesh we’re gonna see a little bit related even to that in our passage today well let’s pray before we continue God this salvation is so great Jesus you are so wonderful who is able even to articulate these things acted adequately oh god I pray that you to open our minds to your word today open my mouth to be able to explain it well and as it ought to be explained these truths are too great to be spoken in a way that is not showing that greatness so God help me help the people to take in this word to be so moved by what a great salvation they have they are not disturbed not disturbed whatever life throws at them Jesus name I mentioned Christmas carols I don’t know if you like Christmas carols or not but certainly you’re subjected to them at this time of year probably recently you’ve heard one Christmas Carol called have yourself a merry little Christmas I don’t know if you like it or not the song is always struck me as very odd because beneath the surface of the song which seems to celebrate or to suggest you should celebrate your present happiness in the holiday season there’s a striking melancholy undertone twice the song mentions troubles it says now our troubles will be out of sight at Christmas time our troubles will be miles away but by even mentioning troubles they’re not miles away at all they’re actually brought back to mind in the song and they tell you that yeah Christmas time you might be able to enjoy yourself but your troubles are still there and in fact Christmastime may make your troubles weigh on you much more heavily because you’re supposed to be celebrating but all you remember is your troubles and there’s even another line in the song that says I know we’ll always be together if the fates allow that’s also kind of depressing it means there’s no guarantee that your family is going to be able to celebrate together in the future you’ve got the mercy of forces totally beyond your control Merry Christmas song is always stuck out to me because that town have you got troubles at this time of year our nation certainly has troubles considered this past year things even happening still going on right now natural disasters political divide and instability threats from Russia China North Korea terrorist attacks mass shootings racial tensions violence just name a few what about you personally you got troubles in your life I mean for your health troubles with your family troubles with your relationships with other people experiencing persecution trouble with your job trouble with your school trouble with your finances trouble in your struggle against sin trouble with the death of a loved one just generally wondering how you’re gonna make it in the future maybe you’re also coming to grips with your own mortality you know you’re gonna die and you know you’re gonna meet God these are sober realities and there are deed troubles so what gives you hope gives you open those things real hope real strength not just something that you can cover over with a Christmas carol you’re right Carol we’re gonna learn more about the hope that is Jesus from the word in the Old Testament today because God spoke a timely word to people in trouble he spoke it to the people of Judah by the prophet Isaiah during ancient days but that word given to them it’s a time the word for us as well it’s the same word that we need to hear as we go through troubles as we look for it is a word of peace and joy it is a simple word does it yet a profound word what is that message what is that word it’s simply this trust your one go working God trust your wonder working God you can even looking for this new year considering all the troubles you’ve been through or still going through trust you’re one to work in God and we’re gonna look at that message as it developed in Isaiah 55 today so probably already there it’s page 738 a fuse in the Pew Bible you haven’t turned there Isaiah’s right after the wisdom books it’s all in proverbs Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon right before Jeremiah we’re late in the book though and Isaiah chapter 55 there’s a whole lot that’s come before this so that means before we can read the text we need some context we need the historical and literary background so let’s talk about the historical aspect first if you hold your place nowadays did you find turn over to Isaiah 1 as a 1 1 and we’ll see just where in redemptive history we are first verse gives us gives us where we are in history as a a 1 1 it says the vision of Isaiah the son of amos concerning Judah and Jerusalem which he saw during the reigns of Isaiah jotham ahaz and hezekiah kings of Judah what does this tell us tells us we’re in the divided Kingdom period remember how kima divided was one under Saul David Solomon but then it divided under Solomon’s son Rehoboam and then you had two kingdoms the northern kingdom called Israel ten and a half tribes and a southern kingdom called Judith one and a half tribes they existed together for a couple centuries we’re in that period kind of late in that period or later Isaiah’s ministry to Judah span from approximately 740 BC to 680 BC what would you two experiencing during this time during Isaiah’s days there are four items I want you to note 4 important pieces of background number 1 Judah has mostly good Kings of the four that I mentioned at the beginning of Isaiah three of them are good cuz I Jonathan Hezekiah they all get a good report in the Bible one of them extremely bad a has he was hurt Hezekiah father idolatrous led Judah into idolatry one King not mentioned Hezekiah son also really bad Manasseh but mostly good Kings none of these good Kings Judah experienced prosperity and on the surface that people were religious worshiping God and obedient number one what’s the good Kings number two though also to note despite appearances Judah was desperately in need of true faith and repentance you see though the surface looked good Isaiah the book itself shows us what Judah was really like look down actually you’re still nice a1 look down to verse 10 we could I don’t just want to show you two characterizations of the people of Judah from God view the prophet Isaiah look at what God says the people of Judah are like and eyes Isaiah 1 10 to 15 God says the word says you’re gonna see what God says hear the word of the Lord that is Yahweh I’m gonna say Yahweh you rulers of Sodom give ear to the instructions of our God you people of Gomorrah what are your multiplied sacrifices to me says Yahweh I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle and I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls lambs or goats when you come to appear before me who requires at you this trampling of my courts bring your worthless offerings no longer incense is an abomination to meet new moon and Sabbath the calling of assemblies I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts they have become a burden to me I am weary of bearing them so when you spread out your hands in prayer I will hide my eyes from you yes even though you multiply prayers I will not listen your hands are covered with blood hypocritical worship the society was actually full of injustice and even idolatry look now toward the end of Isaiah Isaiah 57 we will get back to 55 eventually telling you the truth but Isaiah 57 verses 3 to 6 hear another characterization of the people from God Isaiah 57 verses 3 to 6 but come here you sons of a sorceress offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute against whom do you chest against whom do you open wide your mouth and stick out your tongue are you not children of rebellion offspring of deceit who inflame yourselves among the Oaks under every luxuriant tree who slaughter the children in the ravines under the clefts of the crags among the smooth stones of the ravine is your portion they are your lot even to them you have poured out a drink offering you have made a grain off shall i relent concerning these things junuh may have had good kings and may have looked religious on the surface but they were an unjust society full of hypocrisy and also worship of idols we gotta remember that number 3 another background item to remember Judah is under increasing military threat Isaiah’s day Judah is under increasing military threat you see during the reign of these four kings the brutal empire of Assyria was rising like a dark storm cloud on the horizon already that swallowed up all its neighbours Syria’s neighbors was encroaching closer and closer to Palestine and Palestine’s neighbors well but Judah and its Kings supposed to do to avoid being subjugated by Syria being swallowed up by this Empire it did have some options they could seek alliances with other kingdoms the ideas strengthen numbers we’re all small by ourselves but together we might be able to oppose the Assyrian juggernaut or maybe just side with Assyria except a Syrian dominance and influence if you can’t beat them join them that’s an option we couldn’t seek the favor of various gods after all the goth over the other nations are said to be powerful give the things we might need to oppose Assyria and remain prosperous and they have pleasurable rights as well we can still serve Yahweh but let’s cover the bases get those other gods on our side too another option was to just seek and trust Yahweh exclusively but which one would really save Israel in jail which one would save Judah there is this pressure because of this increasing military threat this we need to remember for the Book of Isaiah and number four this goes along with it Judah saw the end of the Northern Kingdom of Israel now this is a big deal I don’t want you to think of that just like a story of cold trivia oh yeah Samaria fell in 722 that is a huge deal yes Assyria came invaded the Northern Kingdom of Israel conquered its capital city Samaria slaughtered most the inhabitants and then took the rest into exile that has not happened since Israel first came into the land 700 years earlier 1410 BC approximately when Joshua and Israelites came with them they inhabited the land and they never were taken away from it at least not wholly but now ten and a half tribes gone gone from the land pot that God promised them what is happening this must have felt like the end of the world to Judah has God abandoned us that’s God finally become unfaithful or is it we have been unfaithful to God is the Covenant over a special covenant that God gave to Israel that’s special special agreement of blessing and also cursing are we next are we to be obliterated next to the faithful those who actually followed Yahweh and the unfaithful in Judah this development brought severe trouble and anxiety all these things we need to keep in mind indeed they have good Kings not all good kings but they were we could beneath the surface they’re under increasing military threat and they’ve already seen their neighbor their kinsmen destroyed and taken in exile do we have troubles today they had troubles – but did God leave Judah in this desperate state this despairing anxiety he didn’t send a gracious are in his grace he sent a messenger sent Isaiah really it’s Judas anxieties about what was happening now what would happen in the future that gives us the 66 chapters of prophecy we know as I as Isaiah in Isaiah God speaks to his people and he says I know you’re worried I know you’re despairing about what’s going to happen in the future but let me tell you what’s going to happen and let me tell you why when it all comes to pass you can trust me you can trust your God because I’m going to work wonders when we consider the Book of Isaiah as a whole we can see certain divisions there’s an introductory section I would say the introduction as chapters 1 to 6 and then there are two main parts the first part chapters 7 to 35 and in the second part chapters 36 to 66 at the beginning of each of these main parts as the king who faces a decision he’s tested with a threat and he has to decide whether he’s going to trust God or not and the first part of Isaiah its King Ahab the wicked king of Judah he’s being invaded Judas being invaded under King Ahaz Jerusalem is about to be besieged God gives him a promise he says trust me what does he has to he doesn’t trust God instead makes an alliance with Assyria any subjects Judah to a serious domination but in the second half we see another King tested this time it’s Hezekiah righteous Hezekiah he also faces a similar threat Judah’s being invaded Jerusalem is about to be two sieged what are you gonna do have kind he decides you’re gonna trust God what is God two delivers him spectacularly 185 thousand Assyrian soldiers are killed and the invaders leave he’s set up the two main sections of Isaiah and then each of these sections they have a particular focus and relating God’s message about the future to his people in the first section chapter 7 or 31 7 to 35 it’s an explanation of what God is going to do what exactly is God I’m going to accomplish in the future well what are what are the things God’s gonna accomplish I have to give it to you in summary form because we don’t have time to trace out all of them they include the following Judah it’s going to be judged Judah will be judged for its sin and idolatry God has to and Judah will go into exile by the nation of Babylon but Judah and Israel will also be restored from exile more than that Jordan Israel will be forgiven of their sins and made holy also Judah and Israel enemies will be completely destroyed and God’s kingdom and prosperity will be established on the earth those are huge promises but how could that be possible I mean consider Judah Judah state initial state before they were destroyed totally wicked totally idolatrous how can this people be forgiven restored made holy avenged made to prosper ah that’s for the second half of Isiah focuses on the first half is what God’s going to do focusing on that second half is how is God going to bring it to pass how is God going to bring about these things that he’s promised in the first half and there are three particular means that God articulates emphasizes and the second half of Isaiah at first is God’s gonna accomplish it by his powerful command by his powerful command chapters 40 to 48 we see God related as the creator whose mere declared word is powerful unlike the false gods and idols who can’t proclaim anything beforehand for it happens and they can’t actually do anything they can’t make anything happen God tells you what’s gonna happen beforehand and then he makes it happen that’s the power of his word after all his word made the world he commanded and it was there and His Word sustains the world he commands and it abides how’s this all gonna happen God’s command will make it happen his word is effective but there’s another way it’s gonna happen it’s gonna happen through God’s suffering servant these promises are going to come to pass through the servant that God’s going to send we see this particularly emphasized in chapters 49 to 54 of Isaiah right before our chapter the servant and the coming one a promise one is mentioned in previous chapters of Isaiah but especially just in those in chapters 49 to 54 this servant is said to come and redeem his people by suffering in their place and obtaining for them forgiveness forgiveness of sins so it’s gonna happen through God’s Word through his command it’s gonna happen through God’s servant and it’s also going to happen with God coming down himself as the Conqueror as the king this is what the last part of Isaiah talks about Isaiah 62 66 we see that emphasized God Himself comes down establishes his kingdom makes his robe red with the blood of his enemies and destroys them and then he reigns himself on a curse reversed earth with his people that’s how God’s gonna bring it about but what about chapters 55 to 59 if you’re paying close attention I skipped over those numbers they appear right between those two sections about the servant and the conquering King and it’s something like an application section based on what God’s going to do and how he’s going to do it God makes an invitation an invitation to his people to turn to Him and trust 55 is specifically that invitation the chapters that follow they talk about the injustice is in Judah and how those things need to be changed but 55 is the particular invitation and I know that’s a lot of background you’re like whoa I didn’t know I was gonna learn all about the Book of Isaiah today well there you go you did it’s important that we have all this back I know if we’re gonna appreciate and understand what God says in Isaiah 55 so now let’s go back to Isaiah 55 and read our text originally I was going to go through all thirteen verses I will say something about the second half of this at the end but we’re just going to talk about verses 1 to 7 so as a 55 1 to 7 God speaking ho everyone who thirsts come to the water and you who have no money come by and eat come buy wine and milk without money and without cost why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for what does not satisfy listen carefully to me and eat what is good and delight your in abundance incline your ear and come to me listen that you may live I will make an everlasting covenant with you according to the faithful mercies shown to David behold I have made him a witness to the peoples a leader and commander for the peoples behold you will call a nation you do not know a nation which knows you not will run to you because of the Lord your God even the Holy One of Israel for he has glorified you seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts let him return to Yahweh and He will have compassion on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon in this passage really all of it but particularly oh I’m gonna focus on the first half I wonder working God presents three astonishing appeals to come and trust him in latter part of the passage it gives three arresting reasons why we ought to trust him now just preview those at the end but we’re gonna focus on the first half why does he give us these things so that his people and state you you here sitting today I turn to him and trust him with everything now why do I say that these three appeals the first half of this chapter are astonishing they are astonishing in that God speaks to a sinful idolatrous hypocritical people with such generous hope giving love how we’re gonna see that as we investigate each one of these appeals moving verse by verse the first appeal God gives to his people is to come to the God who gives generously come to the God who gives generously we see this in verses 1 & 2 I’ll read that again hello everyone who thirsts come to the waters and you who have no money come by and eat come buy wine and milk without money and without cost why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for what does not status listen carefully to me and eat what is good and delight yourself in abundance now there’s a very surprising idea in these first two verses we’re presented the picture has it were of going to market and at this market God himself has come and is selling something and competing with the other vendors who are the other vendors well there anyone who competes with God anything that competes for the people’s devotion for the people’s trust the people’s security for the people’s satisfaction God has come to the market to compete with those people truly there is no competition god but Judah as it were is shopping around trying to find maybe there’s another option to add or to replace God with the God has been showing the uselessness of false gods and idols since chapter 40 of Isaiah but he returns to that theme again to show the people of Judah that he’s come to the market with a deal that no sane shopper would refuse ho God announces in verse 1 come to me and have all of your needs totally satisfied I’ve got water for the thirsty food for the hungry water food those are our basic life needs right without these we die God says I’ve got it I’ve got everything you need for life come buy from me notice the appearance also of wine and milk in verse 1 wine and milk go beyond life’s needs so they were relatively common in ancient times still they are a step above the basics when you’re dying of thirst you don’t call from milk you don’t call for wine called for water God says I’ve got water abundant water for you but I also have wine and milk see wine and milk are they have a connotation of luxury prosperity and even delight we see these two terms appear actually in the Song of Songs in chapter 5 verse 1 when the husband is described the delight of his wife he says I have drunk my wine and I’ve drunk my milk words that connote delight and in Joel chapter 3 verse 18 were describing the future State of Israel when God had brought just such huge prosperity on them he says that the land is dripping with wine and milk so what does God think he’s calling out to those in the market saying come to me for more than the bare minimum drink even wine and milk from me but notice for whom God seeks as customers God wants the bankrupt verse 1 is emphatic about this he says those of you who thirst who don’t have water come to me and twice he says I want the people who have no money and even says you’re coming to obtain your fill without cost there’s no price what what kind of seller goes to market and charges nothing for his goods that person is either senseless out of his mind he’s so powerful and generous that money is no object which is it with God doesn’t need anything from anybody need anything from the people of Judah doesn’t need anything from you he already owns at all he’s the creator he’s already satisfied with himself he’s self-sufficient he made you he doesn’t need your money need your sacrifices doesn’t need your good works you need what he has and he’s glad to give it to you if you will come if you try to obtain something from God by earning it however that is an offense to him that suggests that God lacks something or that somehow you deserve glory for something and he’s the one who deserves all glory he will not abide any such transaction in which you try to come earning rather his demand is if you wish to buy from me come with nothing but faith and I will give you all consider how different this offer is from those of all idols and false gods who requires so much of those who come to them if it’s true back then and it’s true today for a false god you’ve got to earn its blessing you’ve got to recite prayers you’ve got to present food and drink offerings you’ve got to make little statues of them or keep those statues clean and unform rituals you’ve got to do various works you might even have to sacrifice your own children just so maybe the gods will give you what you want you don’t know they’re kind of moody though first to God points out the senselessness I have any such transaction with idols it’s doubly senseless first of all he says why do you spend money when I’m giving you at all for free and two why do you spend money for that which is not even real notice God says you buy from them what is not bread it’s not real food it doesn’t satisfy it doesn’t give life it may have the appearance of food but it’s not food it’s like God is offering a fresh freshly baked loaf of bread for free while the idols these competitors are offering plastic loaves even if you manage to cut up that plastic loaf and somehow swallow it couldn’t give you any life I’m not gonna give you any nourishment just gonna give you a lot of problems but isn’t this the way with idols isn’t this what they always do isn’t this their most cruel and evil aspect they demand they take from you but they do not give no matter how much you work for them give for them sacrifice for them they can’t give you what you need I can’t give you life they can’t give you true security they won’t give you lasting satisfaction just fleeting and my brother’s sisters my friends here today listening if you are serving any idol any lust any false God in your life I beg you to give it up whatever it is these days it’s not quite so popular to have a statue to bow down to but we have plenty of other idols pride materialism even good things can turn into idols your family children many other things a relationship professional success money power sex beauty popularity any God you create of your own mind any God of any other religious system even a Jesus that is not the Jesus of the Scriptures those are idols they are false gods and if you look to them for life security or salvation for satisfaction you’ll be disappointed they are deceptive they are seductive but you must cast it away run from it run from it like a deadly lie it will rob you and rob you and rob you until it’s taking everything and what will it leave you with at the end only regret and the painful promise that if you would just spend a little more worked a little harder you might have finally received your satisfaction but God offers a much better deal look again at the end of verse 2 it says eat what is good I want you to eat what is good that is that which is truly good I want to give you the best and I don’t just want to give you a small amount it says delight yourself in abundance what kind of God offers himself so generously to a people who have insulted him and spurned him what kind of God I’ll tell you God is way better than you or I’ve ever conceived come to such a God trust in such a God now is God promising literal food drink milk wine etc or are these just figures well there is a literal element to this Israel and Judah were part of the Mosaic Covenant as I mentioned and that covenant had literal promises to it when they were brought into the land God says you follow after me this land is gonna produce such prosperity from you for you you’re gonna have such amazing food you’re gonna have all this wine you’re gonna have all this materials being produced from the land we’re gonna have so much you can’t even gather it all in by the time it needs to be gathered and you need to plant the next set of crops there was a literal aspect for them but we’re not part of the Mosaic Covenant it’s not guaranteed us though they do have promises in the New Testament that tell us our Father will in a similar manner perfectly provide for all our needs and not just provide but even pleasantly do so listen to what Matthew says rather what Jesus says in the book of Matthew Matthew 6 verses 31 to 33 Jesus is teaching people about not worrying and not valuing the things of the world and he says do not worry then saying what will we eat or what will we drink what will we wear for clothing the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you it’s true God will even provide for us materially and in it and in a satisfying way but the greater fulfillment of all these promises is spiritual and eternal Jesus makes this very clear in the New Testament John chapter 6 verse 35 Jesus said I am the bread of life he who comes to me will not hunger and he who believes in Me will never thirst you want life security and satisfaction you coulda Jesus John seven verses 37 to 39 now on the last day the great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried out saying if anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink he who believes in me as the scripture said from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water but this he spoke of the spirit and those who believed in him were to receive the spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified come to God it gives you a spirit same language as used in Isaiah in revelation 22:17 the end of the Bible and the last words given to us we hear we hear the spirit and the bride say come and let the one who hears say come and let the one who was thirsty come and let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost God does give us what give us what we need for our life in this world but the true life that comes through something that’s not mere food and drink it comes to the son he is our real food he is our real life we are grateful for their physical provisions Impella pleasures that God gives us but the greatest provision is God himself God gives us joy and peace generously today and he will give it to when you give it to us and even fuller measure when we see him so this is God’s first astonishing appeal come to the God who gives generously don’t shop around don’t be deceived by worthless idols come and enjoy which our God gives freely astonishing appeal number two see this in verses 3 to 5 listen it’s the God who saves forever listen to the God who saves forever let me read the verses incline your ear and come to me listen that you may live I will make an everlasting covenant with you according to the faithful mercy is shown to David behold I have made him a witness to the peoples a leader in a commander for the peoples behold you were Colin nation you do not know and which knows you not will run to you because of Yahweh your God even the Holy One of Israel for he has glorified you port and grammar note notice that you and your verse 3 this is a plural you in English we use you for both singular and plural and hebrew is distinguished so this is a plural you he’s talking to the people of judah and by principle he’s talking to us talking to all of us today god says in verse 3 incline your ears he also says listen two ways of saying the same thing on different lines this is poetic parallelism it’s repetition for emphasis god’s thing you really gotta listen take in take the heart and believe what I say what’s another word for believing what God says hey come to God and faith and what is the result of this faithful listening you will come to God and live those things are really synonymous made synonymous by the parallelism by the poetic parallelism to come to God is to live just as to incline your ear is to listen now what is it that God offers that’s gonna bring us life well the third line of verse 3 tells us God offers an everlasting covenant that is an unending commitment from God to you he says also this covenant is according to the covenant love shown to david faithful mercies can also translate that covenant love what was shown to david what was this special covenant love given to david remember back to 2nd samuel chapter 7 verses 8 to 17 where david wanted to build a house for the Lord when to build a temple but God says you’re not gonna build me a house I’m gonna build you a house and he gives David what we call the Davidic covenant this was a special agreement from God totally on God’s own initiative and God’s own guarantee he says that David’s line will always possess the throne of Judah it will always be someone from his lineage who’s up who’s ruling David’s seed or descendant would be established on the throne forever and God would never remove is covenant love from david or from david seed so how does this relate to what God is offering and I say it 55 this is somewhat difficult to understand it’s not that we will receive our own covenants like David’s we’re not guaranteed descendants on the throne of Judah or anything like that David’s covenant is unique in Scripture nor would I say that this is a strict reference to Jeremiah’s new covenant this is and this everlasting covenant is set in parallel to the particular covenant love shown to David so I think the way we have to understand this is now we are what God is offering is an interest in the eternal covenant given into David we will be made one of the beneficiaries we will have an interest in the one promised to David we would have an interest in the seed whose kingdom will be established forever we will have a part in that eternal Kingdom and we will become eternal beneficiaries of the love shown to David now who is this seed of David who will have this kingdom well it’s the greater David it’s the one promised the suffering servant of God who redeems his people will return as a conqueror who establish God’s kingdom on the earth he is the guarantor of the life that God offers in verse 3 will come via him I believe verses three to five are all about this coming one the servant the greater David because verses four verses four and five go on to give us descriptions about this coming one verse four says him now David was just mentioned and we might say oh this must be referring to David but the description doesn’t fit King David who died this is someone greater than David indeed I would say it is the seed of David the David the greater David who was to come God says of this one in verse four behold I would ever see behold that has the idea of vividness your good would want to see a picture see it with your own eyes behold and then we have this interesting verb form in verse four in our Bibles it’s present perfect it does have a a completed sense to it even though it’s talking about something in the future this is the vividness coming out God saying something’s gonna happen in the future that’s so sure and vivid it’s like you can already see it happen what is it that God says has already been established he will be a witness he’s going to be one who gives witness or who testifies I’ve already established that fact testify of what taking context God’s salvation God’s life the Covenant given to David and he’s going to testify but to whom is he going to testify did you know now it says to my people no but to whom it says to the peoples plural are you a second God always referred to the people of Israel people Judah as one people I can’t be talking about them it must be mean who must here mean by people’s means the Gentiles he means the non-jews that says I’ve already established he’s gonna give testimony to all the peoples of the earth the Gentiles I’ve established him as my witness of salvation all peoples in fact he will be leader and commander for the peoples they will follow him as part of his hosts this means that God’s not only gonna tell about a salvation plan to the Gentiles the what they’ll be included they’re gonna be they’re gonna be saved as well they’ve a part in God’s salvation plan and this is exactly as verse five goes on to say no another grandma note here the U of verse 5 is not plural it’s singular so there’s no longer talking about the people of Judah he’s talking about one individual really he’s just trying to address directly the person he was talking about a verse for the greater David the coming Promised One he addresses in Reverse five and he says behold again vividness wants him to see something what did you want them to see you or combination you do not know the old you will call a nation you do not know hmm what’s this before you’re talking about people’s plural now it says nation singular are we talking about Israel and Judah now well coming one is said not to know this nation he is from the people of Judah and from the people of Israel how could he not know his own nation there doesn’t seem to fit we’re over the next line tells us that the nation doesn’t know him I mean the Jews won’t recognize one of their own despite this switch back into the simular say verse 5 is still talking about the Gentiles they are the ones that Jesus doesn’t know I’m sorry we’ll get to Jesus well the one that the coming one doesn’t know and also that doesn’t know him by the way this is Paul’s view Romans 10 20 he quotes this verse in reference to the Gentiles so whatever the reason he switches into the isaiah switches in the singer we know this is talking about the gentiles why the shift i think it’s the idea that god is taking the gentiles who are various peoples and he makes him into one people makes him into his people and he will do that through this one this one who was promised that one from the seed of david this one calls for those who do not know him this nation that does not know him to come and what did they do they not only come but they run to him they rushed to the life-giver their leader their commander their savior and they follow him as one people and all this plays out exactly as god has ordained notice a reason is given at in the fifth line of verse five he says because of the Lord why is this happening why are they rushing him because of the Lord because of Yahweh even the Holy One of Israel he’s the one making this happen and there’s another reason that’s that’s tied up with that why is this happening look at the end of verse 5 for he has glorified you there again we see this completed verb describing something in the future it’s so vivid it’s already happened God commanded for this one there’s coming one to be glorified and therefore when this coming one called to a people he didn’t know they ran to him I said that God could glorify this one now what is the point of all this the second appeal in its explanation God is saying listen to me come to me trust me and have a part in my unfolding salvation plan this promised Savior the one I spoken about he will not just come for other people he will come for you if you trust in him who is this promised Savior it is Jesus the son of David Jesus the Christ they came not only to redeem his own sheep but he told His disciples I must gather sheep who are not of my fold bring them in and make them into one flock did you want an interest in that Savior do you want to be by his side when he comes as commander and come to God now listen to his words believe them trust them that you will live God has provided the glorified Savior for you will not only give life to you now but will bring you into his kingdom forever so this is God’s second astonishing appeal listen to the God who saves forever so comes the God of gives generously listen to the God who saves forever and then number three our last astonishing appeal in our passage return to the God who forgives totally returned to the God who forgives totally we see this in verses 6 to 7 it says seek Yahweh while he may be found call upon him while he is near let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to Yahweh and He will have compassion on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon the image at the beginning of verse 6 is of searching someone is seeking looking trying to find someone else he’s calling the same way that you or I might call out for someone that we’re looking for where are you you can call out his name but for whom is this person searching for Yahweh the I am the God who keeps covenant in this way God and treats his people and us through Isaiah search for me search for me now why I’ve made myself findable for you call upon me now why because I’m near and I will hear you notice a while the word while though appears twice in verse six this situation will not last forever and will come a time we were no longer able to find God when will that be well certainly it’ll be when you die Hebrews 9:27 says this is appointed for man to die once and after this comes judgment there won’t be a chance to find God after that but there may also come a time where God allows your heart to be hardened in this life where God then hides himself from you and you won’t be able to find him not that you’ll care at that point you’ll be so hardened that you won’t even look you don’t want to get to that point no what you want to get to the point where you’ve died and not found God therefore respond to the limited time offer based on what God is doing now what is God doing now he’s making himself findable for you it’s as the New Testament says 2nd corinthians 6:2 goating the Old Testament actually behold now is the acceptable time behold now is the day of salvation we can’t wait any longer we must trust God now not risk God turning away he’s here now he’s near now if you call out to him he’ll hear you verse 7 reveals though who it is who is to do this searching and this calling out it’s the wicked man it’s the unrighteous man now this is a huge surprise the the wicked man when he calls out the God we’ll hear him I could see God hearing a righteous man when he calls out I mean after all righteousness is more aligned with God but it’ll hear the wicked man yes that’s exactly what this text says it’s actually those who are wicked who confess themselves to be wicked and unrighteous but God says we’ll find him you know who never finds God the righteous that is the self righteous the one who tries to earn God’s favor or supposes he’s already good enough for God he never finds God never discovers God his search fails and you know why it fails because he never looks he never calls he never searches he doesn’t think he needs to therefore God never comes it’s like when Jesus went to his hometown it’s recorded in Mark Jesus goes to his hometown and he morals at the people’s lack of faith and he marvels that he healed so few I’d always kind of stuck out to me was it that the people came and they just didn’t believe he could do it and so when he tried to heal him it just didn’t work I thought wasn’t it anybody who ever came to Jesus was healed so why weren’t they healed because they didn’t come they didn’t ask it’s the same thing here really verse 7 is like verse 1 it’s only in the bankrupt you can receive the bounty in the same way it’s only those who admit their wickedness confess it to God they can receive God’s compassion and forgiveness but the contrite wicked man not only searches for God and finds him but he returns to God as the third line of verse 7 says and the word for return here same Hebrew word that means repent interchangeable idea that wicked men or what does it mean to repent the text shows us it means returning to God it means abandoning it means the wicked man abandoning his way his course of life is pattern of living he abandons that he also abandons his thoughts he forsakes his thoughts his previous way of thinking his previous set of values his previous group of affections and he goes back to Yahweh he begins to walk in God’s Way he begins thinking with God’s thoughts he lets God and for Miss thinking he takes on God’s affections and God’s values understand this is not a prerequisite to salvation it is not that the man reforms himself and then calls out to God no it’s the wicked man who calls it’s not reformed first but it always this returning always happens when one calls out to God it’s always Park and always accompanies salvation and notice the result of this calling out and returning God promises to have compassion on that wicked one even him and it says that this free this man will also return to our God that’s really strange it says let him return to the Lord Yahweh and then two lines later and to our God why this seemingly needless repetition well I do think the possessive pronoun sticks out our our God you see when the wicked man repents he becomes a part of a community and what’s that community made up of people who are just like him wicked ones repented and returned to God God had compassion on them totally forgave them and they all became part of the same community they’re all in the same boat all we could all shown compassion and that’s what we are how could how could this happen how could God allow so many wicked ones to be forgiven what was God’s design verse 7 the end says for he will abundantly pardon that was his purpose to pardon it doesn’t matter how much sin a person has as a matter what kind of sins doesn’t matter how many sinners God has abundant enough pardon his compassion is great enough for all of them for all of you because that’s what we are it’s just like first one again God’s doors are so great he can give forgiveness to all who come how is this made possible Isaiah tells us the suffering servant he’s the one who stood in the place of sinners took the wrath of God that they deserved and gave the sinners his own righteousness so their sins would be totally paid for God’s justice would be satisfied and they would be totally holy and righteous this is for all those who believe in the son all those who believe in Jesus it is Jesus of Nazareth Nazareth and makes each one of these astonishing Appeals possible and that’s why we as the redeemed wicked love him and it’s why if you’ve not yet turned to Jesus you must do so the market is still open covenant is still available God is still near trust him now while you can in closing what we’ve seen today are three astonishing appeals from our God our Creator to trust in him he who works wonders we are to come to God who gives generously and without cost where to listen to the God who saves forever and gives us an interest in the Davidic covenant and we are to seek the God who forgives totally he beyond what we could ever have imagined and considering what God does for his people in salvation what it does for you if you believe in him how will he not also freely give you all things Romans 8:32 same God who offers himself so generously in salvation will continue to generously care for you he will continue to give you life you we’ll continue to give you joy so that you how people continue to give you provision so that you have no need to fear no need to be downcast in your troubles you’ve been given astounding salvation God has provided in the past it’s provided now and you’ll provide even more in the future we know we have an abundance with God I wish we had time to talk about the rest of passage but you see more reasons why God says to trust me he just to kind of preview what the rest of it is what you would see verses 8 and 9 he talks about how we think so differently from us we said this could never happen God says I don’t think like you do that’s why it can happen verses 10 to 11 God gives us another reason to believe and that is my word is powerful that is my commanding word these verses are often quoted to talk about the power of the gospel and there is an application of that this is about what the rest of Isaiah says when God commands something it happens and this is what he’s commanded you can believe it and then verses 12 to 13 why else can you trust it’s all for your joy God has designed it in his own grace for your joy you can explore that more later on your own let’s close in prayer our God you have come to us in a way that we never deserved and can never have expected so generous brought us into a covenant totally forgave our sins and we did not deserve it what God whenever people are going through right now whatever my brothers and sisters friends those listening I pray God that they would they would not be shaken they would see how generous you have been and how generous you are and giving life they would look to your provision both now and in eternity for what you provided is perfect and so gracious in Jesus name Amen