God Makes a Promise of a New Thing (Isaiah 48:1-11)
Rev. Myung-Sin Choi
“1 Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; Who swear by the name of the Lord, And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in truth or in righteousness; 2 For they call themselves after the holy city, And lean on the God of Israel; The Lord of hosts is His name: 3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. 4 Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze, 5 Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, 'My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.' 6 You have heard; See all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them. 7 They are created now and not from the beginning; And before this day you have not heard them, Lest you should say, 'Of course I knew them.' 8 Surely you did not hear, Surely you did not know; Surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, And were called a transgressor from the womb. 9 For My name's sake I will defer My anger, And for My praise I will restrain it from you, So that I do not cut you off. 10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.”
Introduction
In the 1800s, in England there was a slavery abolishment movement taking place and there was a man named Williams Wilberforce. He was a person of prayer and gospel, and with a sincere heart, he wrote a letter to his son. The letter was a request for prayer. The letter read, “I pray sincerely that you do not tempt me to be lazy or hasty with early morning prayer but rather use this time to have a deep relationship and fellowship with God in God’s covenant. In life, there is nothing more strong than prayer.” Our greatest mistake is having hasty prayer. This was what William was saying. A lot of Christians do this, they pray hastily and mindlessly. Before we go in front of God, we need to go before God with peace and have deep fellowship with Him. This needs to be a time where we can give glory to God and look up to Him. When we pray before God, we need to pray for the forces of darkness to be broken down. When we pray with the word of God, pray knowing what the word of God is saying and concentrate on His word. A time of prayer needs to be at a time where we can upgrade ourselves. We need to have a time of prayer within our lives. May you receive great answers within prayer. We can see that many Israelites lost hold of prayer and the failure that came to them because of it.
1. The Spiritual Nature of Israel
1) O house of Jacob
Verses 1-3 - There is a lot of meaning here. From here, we can see the names of Israel said three times. It says, “Jacob, Israel, and Judah.” The house of Jacob is referring to the tribe of liars and calling the Israelites, “Liars, deceivers.” After Jacob met God, God changed his name to Israel. The wellsprings of Judah is referring to the power and authority of a child of God. Even though they were praying to God, the content of their prayers had no truth and sincerity. What does this mean? Their lips were moving when they were praying but there was no truth and sincerity within their prayers. This is the reason why Israel failed. Does prayer have nothing to do with us? When we memorize the Lord’s prayer, what kind of heart do you have? When we recite the Apostles’ Creed, what kind of heart do you have? When you pray for other people and your family, what kind of heart do you have? Do you do it out of habit? Do you just pray for them because you feel pity for them or do you sincerely pray so that their problems will be solved?
Verse 2 - In other words, they called themselves children of God and people of God, they truthfully didn’t believe in God and had no sincerity within their prayers. God heard their prayers, God could tell right away if their prayers were with sincerity and truth. God heard their prayers and we can see that God felt so much pity and frustration with them.
God is asking them if they know how important prayer is in verse 3 - God was telling the Israelites the truth of His word and covenant what other people didn’t know. God told the Israelites everything and was telling them why they were suffering and having problems. They were facing problems because of Genesis 3 and how mankind disobeyed God’s word and fell into sin.
Not only that but God told them the promise of the Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”, the promise of the offspring of the woman. God was telling them the truth and method of how God will save mankind. God was telling them why they were suffering and were telling them of their problems. If God was telling them, they should realize and come before God. But they failed to do that and failed to come before God, and pray.
2) Polluted spiritual state
Verses 4-5 - The level of stubbornness was talking about the level of stubbornness of an ox. Also, God was talking about the state of arrogance of mankind. God was also calling them shameless and brazen. Even though God was giving them a way out and helping them to realize but they were rejecting God’s word. Why were they rejecting God’s word? They were more focused on life and their own selfish gains instead of God’s glory. They were focused on physical living and on their idols.
That is why God said in verse 5 - God was helping the Israelites to realize and help them. God was reminding them why He destroyed the Jericho Wall and why He killed all of the Canaanites in the land of Canaan. Why did God tell the Israelites to destroy all of the idols in the land of Canaan? There was because God wanted to get rid of all of the idols. Because if something went good for them, they will look towards the idols and think it was them. But if the Israelites started fresh within the land of Canaan and destroyed all of the idols then all of the glory can be given to God. This is because idol worshipers and idols are all powerless, and all power and glory needs to be given to God alone. We need to think about this. Why is mankind living like this? Why do man keep falling into sin and following idols? First, we need to think about the problems of mankind and the power of sin. There is still a nature of sin that remains within mankind.
Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” - After Paul met the gospel, he became one of the greatest evangelists of God but he still made this confession. This great Paul, he felt that he was always deceived and asked who would deliver him from this body of death. If we don’t pray, then we cannot overcome and win against this. If Paul was struggling with this then if we don’t enter into 24 hour prayer, then we cannot overcome this at all. A few days ago, there was a problem that arose within a chat room that contained many pastors. Many pastors were debating and arguing with each other due to legalism vs gospel, and even pastors threatened to leave this denomination. I am sure many remnants may encounter this problem as well.
Jesus confessed in John 19:30 “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” - Then, isn’t it finished? But why do we have to still confess of our sins and ask for forgiveness?
1 Corinthians 15:56 “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.” - If people focus on the counter act against legalism, then people say that there is no need to confess of our sins and ask for forgiveness after we accept Christ? After Jesus finished everything on the cross? The problem is that many people don’t understand the concept of the polluted state of mankind. The best example is the event of the Exodus. What is absolute is that when the Israelites put the blood of the young lamb on their doorpost, the angel of death passed over them and spared them. They were freed from the Egyptians and were able to come out of slavery. But despite all of that, they continued to complain and grumble when they left Egypt and in the wilderness. The moment you become a child of God, all of our sins and problems of mankind become finished but we still need to come before God with our state of sin. Mankind is still polluted with the state of sin. God knew this very well and that is why God gave the Israelites the law in the wilderness. Why did God give them the law? To help them acknowledge and see their sin.
Romans 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” - Through law, it helps mankind see their state of sin and how to come before God to repent of their sins. The way to receive forgiveness of their sins, God gave them the law and priests. This was the method of how mankind can receive forgiveness of their sins and cleanse their sinful nature. Through the sacrificing of the lamb, they were able to receive constant cleansing of their sinful nature. The way to live is through repentance. If you don’t seek repentance, then you cannot receive forgiveness of your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:56 “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.” - That is why we need to seek forgiveness. Without repentance and an act of forgiveness, we will die. Back then, they had to sacrifice a lamb to receive forgiveness of their sins. But now, we possess Jesus Christ who is the ultimate sacrifice so we need to come before Jesus and receive forgiveness of our sins, then we can be cleansed of our sins. That is why all of our sins can die before the cross. When we pray, if we stand before God uprightly and repent, then God will forgive us. Why is that? This is because Jesus bore all of our sins on the cross and died for us. That is why we must go before Jesus and repent.
2. The Promise of a New Thing
1) The new method of salvation
Verses 6-7 - God was giving us the method of salvation. The present gives us the answers of our past. What about the future? The answers of our present are the answers for our future. Many people go to shamans to seek their future. But that is deception. How can we know our future? If we don’t hold onto the pulpit message then we cannot know our future. That is why God promised us a new thing. God promised a new start for the Israelites.
That is written in verse 7 - What no one expects at all, God will give that way. People may know the event of the Exodus but it will be nothing like that. God promised them a new way that no one would expect. God promised that He would give them a new way, and that was through Cyrus, which no one expected.
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” - It was not through the ways of mankind but it was through the method of Immanuel that God will save mankind.
2) The background of the fulfillment of the covenant
Verses 8-9 - This was talking about why God used Cyrus. God said that the Israelites betrayed God and were so polluted with sin. This was also showing the foreshadow of the betrayal that Jesus will face later on.
Verse 9 - God wanted to get rid of all of the Israelites and start anew but God said that He will not do that. For the sake of His glory, God will spare the Israelites. God withheld His anger and judgment so that the Israelites could repent. Why did God do that? Because God gave them the promise of Genesis 3:15, the promise of the offspring of the woman. God withheld all of His anger because He remembered His promise with Abraham, how God will save mankind. When man hears God’s word, we may forget and not think about God’s word as sincerely but when God says something, He will absolutely fulfill and keep it. May you truly receive answers.
3. Israel's Mission
1) The mission of those who remain
Verses 10-11 - This is talking about waiting. God would have sent all of the Israelites to hell and die but God made them suffer a little and enter into trials so that they could realize. There were still remaining ones through the event of the Exodus. Through those remaining ones, God used them in the end.
Verse 11 - God will absolutely receive His glory. There is no failure in God. There is nothing that will not listen to God’s word. Why is that?
Isaiah 43:7 “Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” - This is a very important word. We were created for God’s glory. What does this mean? We are God’s glory itself. We did not deserve to receive God’s glory and God’s love but we ourselves are God’s glory. We possess God’s glory and God looking at His glory within us, He blesses and loves us. Even though we may be lacking, God will change and transform us so that His glory can shine through us. Even though we may make mistakes, God will give us trials so that we can be transformed. This shows how much God loves you. We should be so thankful. Can’t you hear God’s voice? God tells us to just follow Him and if we do this, then God promised us that He will bless us. The time is now.
2) Now is the Time Schedule
2 Corinthians 6:2, 10, 16 “For He says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 10 As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.' ” - God speaks to us through His word. Now is the time for us to receive God’s grace. All of our mistakes and wrongdoings, change all of that today. Now is the time for to receive salvation. May you end all things today.
2 Corinthians 6:10 - Do you have a concern? Do you have a problem? We possess all things. We possess the greatest treasure and jewel within our lives. We possess the treasure of Jesus Christ. Throw all of your worries away.
2 Corinthians 6:16 - We are God’s temple. It is recorded precisely what God will do within His temple. This is being fulfilled within us right now. No matter what happens in the future, this will be fulfilled no matter what. God who is within us will fulfill this no matter what.
Conclusion
2 Corinthians 6:18 “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.” - Hold onto this. God is our Father and we are His children. God is the God of Almighty. Do you believe in this? Hold onto this.
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