God’s Amazing Mercy (Isaiah 57:9-13)
Rev. Myung-Sin Choi
“9 You went to the king with ointment, And increased your perfumes; You sent your messengers far off, And even descended to Sheol. 10 You are wearied in the length of your way; Yet you did not say, 'There is no hope.' You have found the life of your hand; Therefore you were not grieved. 11 'And of whom have you been afraid, or feared, That you have lied And not remembered Me, Nor taken it to your heart? Is it not because I have held My peace from of old That you do not fear Me? 12 I will declare your righteousness And your works, For they will not profit you. 13 When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, And shall inherit My holy mountain.' ”
Introduction
I read a news article and it was about a son and his father regarding an apple tree. The father told the son, “Pick the apple tree and cut the apple in half.” The son listened to the father and cut the apple in half. The father asked the son, “What do you see?” The son replied, “I see a seed.” The father told the son to cut the seed in half and the son did so. The father asked the son another, “What do you see?” The son replied that he didn’t see anything. The father told the son, “The seed that you see nothing, a giant apple tree will grow.” There is great meaning behind this. Every week we pray and give worship to God. Every week we give worship to God and it may seem like we are not bearing any fruits from this. You may wonder what you are doing here and you may think that you are gaining nothing from coming to church every week. So there are times when you miss worship and don’t come to church. But that is not at all. When we give worship to God and pray, there are great things that are happening unseen to our eyes. We are bearing great fruit unseen to our eyes. You will bear great fruit as a result during the time of worship. Last week we spoke about people who fail in worship. Today’s sermon is about those who don’t know about the meaning of worship. Those who fail in worship, then you will fall into unnecessary things.
1. Those Who Do Not Know True Worship
(1) Vain hope
Verse 9 - This is talking about all the wrong things that Israelites were doing and how they sought after kings. This means that the king of Israelites sent fragrances and other goods to seek after kings. They didn’t seek after God but sought after other kings for help. God saw this and this was what God was saying in this scripture.
2 Kings 16:7-8, 18 “So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, 'I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.' 8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and sent it as a present to the king of Assyria. 18 Also he removed the Sabbath pavilion which they had built in the temple, and he removed the king’s outer entrance from the house of the Lord, on account of the king of Assyria.” - The king of Israel sought after the help of King Assyria. The king of Israel should’ve introduced himself as a person and a servant of God but instead, he told the king of Assyria that he was his servant. Not only that but the king of Assyria takes all of the gold of the temple of God and takes it before the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria wanted to conquer and destroy all nations, and preserve his nation only. This leads to the destruction of the nation of Aram. Not only that but this ultimately leads to the destruction of Israel as well. Also, the nation of Judah meets their demise through Assyria. The king of Assyria ended up destroying Aram and the king of Israel was glad, and he gave thanksgiving by going to Damascus. He goes to Damascus and goes before an idol. This idol was very huge so the king of Israel gave thanksgiving to it. He commanded the people of Israel to build the same idol in the temple of God in Jerusalem. So, in the temple of Jerusalem, an idol entered inside of it. Not only that but they also performed child sacrifices as well during the reign of King Ahaz.
Verse 9 - King Ahaz was a very evil king and was the grandfather of King Manasseh. The reason why King Manasseh failed was because of his grandfather’s influence, King Ahaz. He became a slave of the king of Assyria.
2 Kings 16:18 - During the Sabbath, before giving worship service to God in the temple, there was an outer entrance for kings but King Ahaz decided to get rid of this tradition. He thought that this would be a problem for King Assyria so he got rid of it. Since King Ahaz lost hold of worship and didn’t seek after God, we can see all of the decisions of fear and incorrect were taking place. We may think that these things don’t make sense but this is the same thing that is happening right now. Let’s say that you face a problem and when this happens, you should go before God and give worship. As a child of God should give earnest prayer to God but when a problem comes, you don’t seek after God and seek after other things instead. God is telling you to come before Him and to seek Him alone.
(2) Vain answer
Verse 10 - You can see the incorrect decisions being made here. You used humanism to solve your problems but your problem gets worse. Then, afterwards, you should realize that you made a mistake and should’ve sought after God. But instead, people are still using their humanisms till the end to solve their problems. People are still trying to think positive even though problems get worse and worse, and still try to solve their problems on their own instead of discovering their flaws and the real problem. People these days are using the power of positivism. The problem with positivity is that you seek after your own affirmations and assurance to solve your problems and overcome your problems. This leads to stubbornness. If you have positivity outside of Christ, then you will become bound by Satan. The reason why mankind gets destroyed in the end is because they become bound by their own stubbornness and foolishness. Then, where does our true hope come from? Your true strength and hope should come from God’s word and a place of worship. If you find this within God’s word, then there is no need for you to fear because God is your master and He is leading you. Then, we must receive true answers.
2. The Spiritual Background of Those Who Failed
(1) Incorrect worship
Verse 11 - God is telling you that you should fear and uphold God’s word but we become afraid of other things. Those who fail to worship, they become afraid of people. Those who fail in worship, they become afraid of events and circumstances. They don’t fear God who controls all things but they become afraid of their events and circumstances. That is why you end up lying. Those who lie, they are already controlled by Satan. You may think that you are happy and everything is fine but you are living a life of lies. When I look at celebrities and those who fail in worship, they tell other people that they are happy but the next day, they end up committing suicide. If you don’t fear God, then that means that it is because you have remained still. When God saw His people, the Israelites, suffering but He remained still. God saw the mistakes of the Israelites and while they were suffering, He remained still. This was because God wanted them to realize their mistakes and to return back to God. We must realize that during times of tribulations, we must go before God and know that God has hidden answers and plans behind them. God does not want to make those who seek Him to suffer. He doesn’t want them to lose anything or have any losses in their lives. If we understand God’s heart, then we will understand what all of this means. Satan deceives mankind and tells people that God is an evil God, and wants to make mankind suffer and miserable. If we make a mistake, all we have to do is seek forgiveness to God and God will forgive you. We spoke during our Friday worship service that when a king made a mistake, he sought after forgiveness before God and God forgave him.
Isaiah 45:3 “I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.” - Absolutely hold onto this. Even if we have problems, if we just call out God's name, then God promised that He will show us hidden riches and treasures of secret places. Receive this answer.
(2) Incorrect prayer
Verses 12-13 - In order to save Israel, God gave this message.
Verse 13 - This means that during times of tribulations and chaos, who will you call out to? When problems come, you sought after idols instead of God. This was what God was telling the Israelites. That is why God tells the Israelites to seek after their idols and try to find your answers. God was asking, did your idols answer you? God said that their idols will all blow away by the wind and the breath will take them away. Their idols will all perish and God is telling them to seek after Him alone. God is telling them not to put their hope in the useless things that will perish. Don’t seek after idols that you can’t even rely on and that are all worthless. They are all powerless and will all blow away.
Hosea 6:3 “Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.” - The Israelites were giving worship services to God but they didn’t know who God was. You come to church but you really don’t know God. You need to know who God is. Who is God? There was someone who asked me a question, “How do you know that you are saved?” I replied to him, “Because you believe. Faith.” Then the person asked me to gain faith? I told the person that because God is inside of me, I am able to believe. I am able to have faith. If you know, then not only will you know by knowledge but you believe that God is with you. You know that God is always with you and inside of you. How else can you explain this? Then, how can you know? This person asked me again. You are able to find out through worship. Through worship, God will move your heart. God will help you feel that the living God is truly alive and active. You will be able to say, “Amen.” You are able to give thanks to God during the time of worship. You are able to feel your connection with God. Also, you are able to pray to God. You pray to God because you know that God will answer you. Can you confess before God? Can you confess that God is truly your master? Then, you will know that you are saved. Other people of this world can make this same confession and may not understand you but we all know. You know that wherever you go, you can feel that God is with you. You should give thanksgiving to God for this.
3. Amazing Mercy
(1) Those who ask
Verse 13 - God is showing us His great power. God came before the Israelites who were seeking after the Israelites and told them to return back to Him. God said that if they come back to them, then God promised them great things within this Scripture. God wants you to return back to Him and confess of your lacking. We then can give worship with our whole heart, mind, and soul. We are able to confess that we can only rely on God alone. Those who do this, then they can possess the land. Hold onto this. To be able to possess the land means that God will give us His inheritance. God is the master of this world then God will give you this inheritance. Everything that we can see in this world, it all belongs to God. No one can overcome God. Then, this means that God can give us anything. Who does God give this to? God gives these things to those who worship God. Do you want to have financial blessings? Restore worship. Do you need answers to your prayers and problems? Then, restore worship. God is saying that He can give you all things through worship. God promised to give us spiritual blessings. This is what it means by the holy mountain. God promised us the kingdom of God; the glory of the throne. May we receive this blessing. If you take a look at yourself, you can see. As you know, I came from an idol worshiping family background.
I was in the midst of John 8:44 “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” And Ephesians 2:2 “In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.”. I was living a life controlled by Satan and being dragged by idolatry. God gave me a blessing to become a child of God. I received the blessing and authority to become a child of God. What does this mean to you? This means that I am to know and enjoy being a child of God. The great blessings of God have been given to me. I am an heir of God’s blessings. Are you not an heir of God? All blessings and authority of God has been given to you.
1 Corinthians 12:2 “You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.”
John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
Hebrews 12:22 “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.” - This is what I always enjoy. I know that I may be living on this physical earth but there is a Mount Zion waiting for me. I am also living within the heavenly throne. We need to realize that these are the amazing blessings that we possess as children of God. Then, should we go around begging other people for things? All we have to do is go before our Father God and pray before Him. This is what we must enjoy. I have absolutely told you this before but I am praying always that God will grant you His answers during the time of worship. I feel and believe that God is giving you answers and blessings during the time of worship. Why is that? God is with me and is with us during the time of worship. God is working right now during the time of worship. Do you not feel this? Last time we spoke about the eternal bartizan. We are able to do this.
(2) The eternal bartizan
Solution to the historical problem (Acts 8:5 “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.”) - Deacon Philip was someone who saw a problem but this was an eternal problem. After King Solomon, their nation of Israel split in half. Deacon Philip, who was a child of God, allowed Israel to become one again. Through what power? Through the power of God. He overcame the power of history. He solved a historical problem. He solved a problem that seemed like there was no answer.
Solution to the absolutely impossible problem (Acts 8:7 “For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.”) - This was the great power of transcending time and space. How is this possible? Because we are children of God.
Solution to the three courtyards (Acts 8:8 “And there was great joy in that city.”) - The great power of the triune God was able to save the Gentiles. This morning I prayed for the power of the Triune God to upon me and to strengthen our church congregation. I prayed that God grant our church the power of transcending time and space to build the bartizans to save the three courtyards. I prayed for the five powers and prayed for great power to be upon me. I prayed the 7-7-7 prayer. The prayer time was such a joyful time. If you do this, then you will experience the great power of the Holy Spirit. God will grant you the power to transcend time and space to save your family line and your future descendants. May you receive answers.
Conclusion
Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” - God is telling us that we have no choice but to receive blessings. God has spared His own Son so that we can receive answers and blessings. Just come before only God. Seek after God alone. We can do this through worship service. Then, God will grant you the blessing of His heavenly throne and the Triune God upon your workplace, family, and your fields.
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