Isaiah 2:12-22; 3:1-5
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Isaiah 2:12-22; 3_1-5
Isaiah 2:12-22; 3_1-5
Thanks for coming out for our Wednesday night service. It is a good opportunity to give time to the Lord. To recharge and grow in His word.
When I think about our life in Christ, we have so much to be thankful for as a child of God.
One of which I love is that God has given us His word. The Bible, His Holy word is wonderful, it is the written revelation of God to us.
We are benefitted by it so much...
Now last week as God was speaking of the great day of the Lord. People have put their trust in horses and chariots, but we are called to put our trust in the Lord.
But the worse is the fact that people trust less than that, they exalt fragile objects failing to see that they are false.
But for those who bow down to these things, God will judge them and those who pushed them out into the world.
So lets open the text and see that God is saying to these who fall into idol worship..
V 12
12 For the Lord of hosts has a day
against all that is proud and lofty,
against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;
God is saying here, He has a day planned where he will strike all these who are proud and have exalted these despicable things.
Look at those words, proud and lofty.... Prov 16:18
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
All these that felt untouchable, those in places of administration, the leaders who embraced their life and their gods will be brought low.
Let me ask you a question… why is pride so dangerous? Namely because that person considers themselves better than, no need for God. It is a life that is lived for self....
V 13
13 against all the cedars of Lebanon,
lofty and lifted up;
and against all the oaks of Bashan;
Here are two pictures of greatness here, the cedars of Lebanon is where the royal forest was, those trees where the very best and thus had the very best color and beauty when cut and slipt for buildings. The walls would be lined with these boards and they were stunning.
These trees represent the kings and nobles in the land… and then Isaiah moves to another three, the Oaks of Bashan.
These area where the oaks where is east of the river Jordan, in the limits of the half tribe of Manasseh. It was a place of trees and pasture lands but again it celebrates the princes and nobles.
So with this idea, God is against those who have lifted themselves above all the rest, they have the finest of everything while others go without. They feel they are above all… and yes even God.
V 14
14 against all the lofty mountains,
and against all the uplifted hills;
Another comparison of God being against human pride, and everything that was exalted, the lofty mountains an hills.
Why mention more of these things, well from all we know that Uzziah the King has a great military, a great army, fortified cities and even the terrine of the land that would hinder the enemies of God and protect his people.
Pride does a lot and stands in the face of God yelling I am Able…
V 15
15 against every high tower,
and against every fortified wall;
Here you see the city, the Kings of Judah ( Judah and Benjamin ) felt they were invincible, the city of Jerusalem set up a little higher, and high ground behind it. so they didn’t really think they were a city which would every be breached.
You cannot take your courage, your peace in what you have or what you have done… Those things are not enough.
Without God there is not hope....
V 16
16 against all the ships of Tarshish,
and against all the beautiful craft.
Even their large ships that sail on behalf of the nation and the king are not enough. This land had great resources of silver, iron, lead and tin. There items used to making weapons and items to support themselves in the world.
The craft most likely refers to all the skilled workers and what they have made for those in power.
V 17
17 And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled,
and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low,
and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
To hear this again, we are seeing God emphasize the sight of pride and haughtiness, God hates it and will be brought low. The only One who deserves to be lifted up, to be exalted is the Lord our God.
He is worthy of honor and praise, to be lifted up in voice and song!
Now verses 18-22 is the last section of this chapter...
As we open this section, the prophet Isaiah will address what will happen to those people who continue to depend on the idols that fill the land.
V18-19
18 And the idols shall utterly pass away.
19 And people shall enter the caves of the rocks
and the holes of the ground,
from before the terror of the Lord,
and from the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to terrify the earth.
As we open verse 18, we see since these idols are nothing, just the figure or representation of human hands we know they will pass away, they will fall into disrepair, they will be broken and will turn back to dust...
Isaiah purpose here isn’t just to end idol worship, but really Isaiah is dealing with the real issue, the sinful nature of man.
Since these people will learn that these idols are nothing and frankly humanity is nothing in comparison of our great God. and when they experience the majestic power of God the will understand this as well.
Because of their sin and shame, people hid in cave and holes in the ground. They will abandon their worthless idols to the earth. People will do what they want, but they will change their mind when they encounter the Lord.
V 20
20 In that day mankind will cast away
their idols of silver and their idols of gold,
which they made for themselves to worship,
to the moles and to the bats,
When they come face to face with the glory and power of the Lord, they will cast away those idols, it doesnt matter their worth in silver and gold,. Hiding in caves they throw them away to the bats, those hiding in the ground, they leaves theirs for the moles to collect.
They are worthless and they understand that now…
V 21-22
21 to enter the caverns of the rocks
and the clefts of the cliffs,
from before the terror of the Lord,
and from the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to terrify the earth.
22 Stop regarding man
in whose nostrils is breath,
for of what account is he?
Isaiah, whole speaking the word of the Lord to stop idol worship, the call is for man to examine their lives.
Mankind comes into the world and leaves in a relatively short time when you think about the scope of eternity. For example consider Ecc1: 1-5
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
and hastens to the place where it rises.
And if you go on through verse 11, you see this .... I’ve just shared a small part.
The ultimate call is to stop regarding their self, their desires and take on the Lord’s there is where the heart of man can follow.
Now lets step into chapter 3 and lets look at just the first 5 verses tonight!
As we open chapter 3, please know God is telling the nation that Judgement is coming, judgement for Judah and for Jerusalem, (Benjamin) is assumed in these areas.
V1.
1 For behold, the Lord God of hosts
is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah
support and supply,
all support of bread,
and all support of water;
There will be a vacuum of leadership will come to Judah. God will cause this major social upheaval. The Lord is totally in control of these events, but we are not told how this will take place.
But God will take away what ever keeps His children from Him. But the entire goal is that we might enjoy His glory. God will cut of their food and water to get their attention.
V 2-3
2 the mighty man and the soldier,
the judge and the prophet,
the diviner and the elder,
3 the captain of fifty
and the man of rank,
the counselor and the skillful magician
and the expert in charms.
God will with hold key military interventions, the captains and the men of valor, the craftsmen or religious prophets and enchanters. These were people that were considered essential to the status of the land. Why the King ( Uzziah ) is not mentioned here, but we know he was separated from society for a while because of the leprosy he was punished with from the Lord.
V 4-5
4 And I will make boys their princes,
and infants shall rule over them.
5 And the people will oppress one another,
every one his fellow
and every one his neighbor;
the youth will be insolent to the elder,
and the despised to the honorable.
The removal of the key leaders would be devastated for the people, for the nation at times. Isaiah prophecies that God will replace these people with children to lead them....
It really is most likely metaphorical, it was a way of saying that these new leaders were so immature, unwise and like children they have no experience
It is kind of like, you want to trust in sinful and incompetent leaders, then I will give you some who will serve you terrible.
This will lead to anarchy and the oppression of those who would naturally get a long.
These people are less than honorable…
They will be a mockery of all that is good. But this is how they have lived and God will continue the theme...
We are gonna stop here and I will pick this up again on thre 26th. Next week I have a wedding and then the following week I will not be here.