Sin and Repeentence
Notes
Transcript
INTRO:
INTRO:
AG:
TS: Isaiah details the nation’s hypocrisy and need for repentance.
RS:
I. Israel’s Sins (58:1–14; 59:3–8)
I. Israel’s Sins (58:1–14; 59:3–8)
A. Hypocrisy (58:1–12):
A. Hypocrisy (58:1–12):
This sin surfaces during their last days of fasting.
1. The wrong way to fast (Isa 58:1–5):
1. The wrong way to fast (Isa 58:1–5):
“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God.
‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers.
Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high.
Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord?
They boast of their fasting and think God will be happy, yet they did it the wrong way and for the wrong reasons.
While fasting,
They found pleasure-
They were not really fasting!
The exploited their laborers
They were corrupt and sinning at the same time.
Fasted for strife and debate
Used it to segregate and divide the nation rather than its intended purpose
Fasting is 1 example, but the same could be said for all corrupted religious activity
Giving to be seen by others
Worship to be noticed.
etc.
2. The right way to fast (58:6–12)
2. The right way to fast (58:6–12)
a. The facts (Isa 58:6–10):
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
The legalistic practice of fasting just by skipping meals and NOT seeking God was inadequate.
Instead, they should share their food and clothes with the poor and with relatives who need it.
Real seeking GOD in fasting should draw us close to God
b. The fruits (Isa 58:11–12):
The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
They will be guided by the Lord.
When we seek God with our whole heart, He will be found!
Seeking God
Walking righteously
Caring for the needy
God’s blessings
They all go hand in hand
B. Neglect (Isa 58:13–14):
B. Neglect (Isa 58:13–14):
“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words,
Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Apparently the nation has not been properly observing the Sabbath.
He called them to return to real purpose of the Sabbath, honoring God
C. Bloodshed (Isa 59:3a):
C. Bloodshed (Isa 59:3a):
For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity.
Their hands are those of murderers, and their fingers are filthy with sin.
They were liars and perverts!
This is a far cry from the righteousness to which God calls us!
D. Lying (ISA 59:3b–4):
D. Lying (ISA 59:3b–4):
No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.
No one cares about honesty.
They lie and and use empty words
They were supposed to be calling for Justice!
Calling out the wrong they saw
Calling each other and the world to repentance.
E. Dishonesty (Isa 59:5–8):
E. Dishonesty (Isa 59:5–8):
They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.
Their webs will not become garments, Nor will they cover themselves with their works; Their works are works of iniquity, And the act of violence is in their hands.
Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths.
The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.
They rush to do what is wrong.
II. Israel’s Suffering (59:1–2, 9–11):
II. Israel’s Suffering (59:1–2, 9–11):
Their sin brings about the following:
There is no sugar coating it. Their suffering was a direct consequence of their sin. God was judging them.
A. Unanswered prayer (ISA 59:1–2):
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
God does not hear their prayers because of their sins.
This is a dire consequence!
They were cut off from God
Their sin (and ours) breaks down the communication lines
Thus they had unanswered prayers
They asked for blessing and the sky was brass
They asked for healing and God was silent
What God wants for us in times of sin is repentance and confession!
B. Despair (Isa 59:9):
B. Despair (Isa 59:9):
Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
They are in darkness and gloom because of their disobedience.
When we are separated from God by sin, the world is bleak and full of despair.
C. Spiritual blindness (Isa 59:10):
We grope for the wall like the blind, And we grope as if we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places.
They wander about as though they are blind.
When we are ignoring God, we are off the path and in the weeds
Have you ever been lost?
Me hunting and trying to walk out.
D. Utter frustration (ISA 59:11):
We all growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves; We look for justice, but there is none; For salvation, but it is far from us.
They look for justice, but none can be found.
When under God’s judgment, everything is tainted.
It leads to a frustrated existence.
III. Israel’s Supplication (Isa 59:12–15a):
III. Israel’s Supplication (Isa 59:12–15a):
For our transgressions are multiplied before You, And our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, And as for our iniquities, we know them:
In transgressing and lying against the Lord, And departing from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter.
The nation responds to Isaiah’s rebuke and confesses its sin.
This is the way we should respond when we are in the same Israel was.
They acknowledge their sin
They acknowledge their drifting from His path and deception
They acknowledge God’s judgment
When we are under God’s judgment due to sin, there is nothing to do but repent and come clean.
A great example:
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David When Nathan the Prophet Went to Him, After He Had Gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.
Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
Turn back to God
Acknowledge your choices have been sin
Look forward to God’s restoration
IV. Israel’s Savior (59:15b–21)
IV. Israel’s Savior (59:15b–21)
A. The plight of Israel (ISA 59:15b–16):
A. The plight of Israel (ISA 59:15b–16):
He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
God sees there is no justice on earth, nor is there anyone who sides with Israel, so he personally intervenes.
B. The plans of God (ISA 59:17–21):
B. The plans of God (ISA 59:17–21):
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies; The coastlands He will fully repay.
So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
“The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” Says the Lord.
“As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”
They are twofold: first, to punish sin, and second, to usher in righteousness.
1. The Great Tribulation (ISA 59:17–18):
1. The Great Tribulation (ISA 59:17–18):
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies; The coastlands He will fully repay.
At this time the entire world feels his wrath.
2. The glorious Millennium(ISA 59:19–21):
2. The glorious Millennium(ISA 59:19–21):
So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
“The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” Says the Lord.
“As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”
During this period his name is glorified, and his people are wonderfully blessed!
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
[1]
[1] H. L. Willmington, The Outline Bible(Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), Is 58–59:21.