Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Text
Preface
Chapter 39 of Isaiah ends in judgment.
The book up until now has been an indictment of the sins of the people of God.
The primary one is a failure to trust in God.
Instead Ahaz makes a treaty with Assyria to protect himself from the alliance of Israel and the Arameans.
(chapter 7)
Since Ahab refuses a sign, Isaiah is given a vision of the future - he looks forward and sees Mary in Bethlehem, giving birth to one who is both God and man.
He is Immanuel.
God with us.
God will bring judgment on Judah.
His people will go into exile.
Nothing unclean can dwell in Immanuel’s land.
It is holy.
So Judah is cast out of it.
They refuse the water of life and are swept away by the river.
Dating
Isaiah had an unusually long career, spanning many decades.
He was, according to tradition, sawn in half by Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah.
(see Hebrews 11)
Towards the end of his career, he sees Jerusalem led away into exile - not by Assyria, but by Babylon.
A “far country” that posed no threat to Jerusalem, as far as Hezekiah was concerned.
Hezekiah foolishly boasts of his treasure, and Babylon takes note.
Isaiah sees Babylon in the first 39 chapters.
And it is 100 years in advance.
You could describe these chapters as “the tower of Babel, expanded.”
And just as Babel is contrasted with the city whose builder and maker is God, so also Babylon is now contrasted with the New Heavens and the New Earth, whose builder and maker is God.
Babylon builds with the bricks and mortar of the world, with all of the enslavement and terror that involves.
Babylon becomes a symbol of the kingdoms of this world, those kingdoms who exalt themselves above God, amass power to themselves and threaten God’s people (Revelation 18)
They are beautiful, musical, with dancing and wine and lights and gardens - but underneath is vanity, emptiness, debauchery, oppression.
Sexual “freedom” always ends up enslaving those at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Patriarchy only benefits those at the top.
Someone has to make the bricks.
Judah had lusted after the other nations.
They wanted to be just like the rest of the world.
So God will grant them what they wish.
They will be destroyed, crushed, and led to captivity - just like the rest of the world.
Comfort
Using this historical setting as a backdrop, Isaiah now points us to Christ.
At first glance, it appears as if Isaiah is speaking about the return from exile, which will happen after the years of captivity are fulfilled.
But he is pointing to something far greater - deliverance from the bondage of sin and the power of the devil.
The re-creation of all things and the gathering of the people of God in the new heavens and the new earth.
So it begins with a word of “comfort”
According to Hosea, God cuts off his people when they go into exile.
He says, “You will no longer be my people, and I will no longer be your God.”
This is the result of the broken covenant.
This language was first introduced to the nation in Egypt.
You are my people, and I am your God.
“Let my people go!”
It means something to be the people of God.
Remember Exodus - the glory of the Lord seen in the cloud and in the fire, that went with Israel.
When Israel rejected the Lord and worshiped the calves, God threatened to take his presence away.
His glory would depart.
But Moses made intercession
Now, however, the glory has departed.
Chapter 39 ends with Isaiah seeing the exile.
The glory departs.
Hosea says to Israel - you are no longer my people.
This is what exile means.
Isaiah saw the northern kingdom go into exile.
And now, he sees the vision of the same thing with the southern kingdom.
But now - comfort!
The first part to note is the language:
Comfort ye, my people.
Says your God.
Now, Isaiah is seeing the covenant relationship restored.
He is seeing what Peter saw with his own eyes
I am hoping to show you that Isaiah is pointing towards something greater than simply the return from exile.
The voice, here mentioned three times, points to John the Baptist
And Mark calls this announcement the beginning of the gospel.
That is this voice.
It is calling out, a calling out one calling out - the repetition is emphatic.
In Isaiah, it is anonymous.
In these 11 verses, there are three messages that the voice is called to give - all of them, messages of comfort.
In verse 2 - the message is to the heart of Jerusalem.
He speaks words of invitation and warmth - wrapped up cozy, and safe.
The creator of heaven and earth is wooing his people.
This is the gospel - the good news.
The proclamation of the king that the warfare has ended.
The atonement has been made.
God is reconciled to his people.
Three messages
Here are the three messages of comfort:
Verse 3 - the anonymous voice.
God is coming to redeem his people, and he again will dwell with them and be their God.
His glory will be revealed to the world.
Verse 6 - The anonymous voice: Flesh is grass.
Nothing will stop God from fulfilling his promise.
No threats or schemes or conspiracies will stop God’s word.
God’s word will come to pass, for it is identical to God himself.
God is one.
His word, his strength, his wisdom, his decree are all one.
Here God, his spirit, and his word will fulfill all of his good pleasure.
Again, the theme of faith, which Ahaz failed
Verse 9 - the anonymous voice speaking to Zion.
The shepherd king is coming with healing, compassion, wisdom, to feed his flock.
Zion will again be inhabited by The Lord Himself.
Immanuel.
This is partially fulfilled when Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.
But the glory of the Lord does not descend then.
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