The Joy of Christ's Redemption

Introduction:

Acknowledging Our Condition:

Isaiah 12 falls within a larger section, starting in chapter 9 and culminating with chapter 12. This section is called the Book of Immanuel, because it speaks of the coming Holy One of Israel, who is going to dwell in the midst of the people, which is what Immanuel means, “God with us”.

We read in Isaiah 9:1–2“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”

And if we know our Bibles we can say I have heard that before and we can go over to Matthew 4:13–16 and read “And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.””

We see that the Gospel writer, Matthew, references Isaiah 9:1-2. Showing us that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Book of Immanuel, because he is God incarnate, who according to John the Baptist has come to take away the sins of the world.

This is important because of how the closing song of The Book of Immanuel begins. Isaiah 12 is a song composed to give expression to the condition of man apart from God, to acknowledge the glorious work God has done, and then to show how those who benefit from the work of God are to respond.

The Condition of Man:

The condition of man apart from God is a life lived out under the anger or wrath of God because of sin. Isaiah 12:1 records “You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.”

This is the acknowledgement on the day of the Lord, when God visits his people, and His people will say, “you where angry with me.”

The question we need to answer is why? It is pivotal to answer this question because we typically fall into one of two beliefs about ourselves. We may hold the belief that God is constantly displeased with us due to a misperception of Him as a Father. This belief might lead us to see Him as an ever-disappointed parent, believing that our actions are never satisfactory in His eyes, causing Him to always have a scowl on his face when he looks at us.

Or we think that regardless of what I do, say, or think God is enthusiastically happy about us and gushes over how amazing we are. We use phrases like, God made me this way, God is a god of love meaning that he just has to be happy with me.

One leads us to bouts of legalism where we make laws upon laws for ourselves and others as an attempt to appease God. The other leads to thinking that since God is so happy about me, I can say or do whatever I want and he will forgive me because I am so awesome. But both beliefs are wrong and unbiblical.

The answer to why God was/is angry is provided in Isaiah 5:20–21“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!”

Those created by God, have taken what God declared to be good, righteous and just, and declared in their own wisdom and shrewdness that these things are evil. And in the process of declaring God’s ways evil, they declared their ways good, righteous and just.

This is the continual failing of humanity, we reject God as the source of morality and righteousness, by setting ourselves up in our wisdom as the source of these thing. But when God shows up it become evident very quickly who has the right to decide what is good, righteous and just, and who does not.

Our world is experiencing the fruit of this mindset, for the most part we have declared that humanity, not God, has the right to make the rules, and what has followed is untold destruction on a global scale. As the individual in their bid for meaning, purpose and peace is consumed by sin.

It was no different in Isaiah’s day as it is in ours. But the way to step out of the darkness and walk in the light begins with acknowledging our condition, that because of sin we have set ourselves up as the enemies of God.

Galatians 3:22–23“But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.”

Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

But you might counter well pastor I believe in Jesus. Okay, my question is which Jesus do you believe in? The one who gushes over you and wants you to be you? Or the one who died on the cross to destroy sin and took the wrath of God on our behalf, because he hates your sin? One of these is a false god, whom you created to make yourself feel better, giving you the freedom to indulge in your sin. But what that god has in store for you is hell. Don’t fall into the lie of calling good what God the Father has called evil, and calling evil what God the Father has called good. So you can satisfy the desires of your sin.

Acknowledging What God has Done:

For once we acknowledge our condition, then we can begin to see the glory of what God has done.

The first thing that we see is that God turned his anger away. Isaiah 12:1 “You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.”

Notice the author does not say we turned God’s anger away, but rather the idea here is that God turned his anger away. We do not need to appease God the Father, for we cannot, and because we cannot, God the Father does not expect us to. Because he understands that humanity apart from Him is enslaved to sin.

Ephesians 2:1–3“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

God therefore by his own work and actions turns his anger away and focuses that anger on another. In 1 Peter 2:24 speaking of Jesus, Peter says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

Isaiah 53:10 “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”

And it is by taking the focus from humanity and placing it on Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, that God the Father brings us comfort.

John 3:17–18“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Therefore, Isaiah declares in his song of praise, Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

In turning his anger away from us, and placing it upon the Son, God the Father brings us comfort. Comfort in knowing that all those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for life, no longer stand condemned to face the wrath of God. But now because of God’s work we are shield from the wrath by another, the One who is truly righteous has fully and completely satisfied the wrath of God against my sin, having now become my salvation!

Thus, I can trust the Lord and not be afraid of Him, because He does not stand over me as an angry harsh father in a state of perpetual disappointment, but he has become my place of safety and shelter, the one who is my strength and my song, because he is my salvation!

Meaning that salvation is with him, not myself, not the world or some guru, but with God the Father, through God the Son, by the work of God Holy Spirit transforming my dead and rebellious heart.

Ephesians 2:4–10 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Conclusion - Bearing Witness to all the earth:

Therefore, this season as we celebrate the first Advent of the King of Salvation, and anticipate His second coming, our goal as Christians is simple, to walk faithfully in the good works that God the Father has prepared for us.

Isaiah gives us a picture of what faithfulness is. There are three concepts that Isaiah presents to us in the final three verses of the chapter 12.

Isaiah 12:4 “Give thanks to the Lord,”

First, we see the concept of giving thanks to the LORD. Thankfulness shows a mind and heart shift that takes place when we are taken by the hand of God out of the darkness of sin and into the light of His presence. We move from hostile rebels fighting against God, to thanking Him for life.

Isaiah 12:5 ““Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”

Second, we see the concept of sing praises to the LORD, because what he has done is glorious. We shout and sing for joy. Because God has come down and saved us from sin and wrath, he has removed the death penalty from all who trust in Jesus Christ, and by the Blood of the Lamb we have been declared righteous, no longer living for sin but for God.

Isaiah 12:4–5 “make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted… “let this be made known in all the earth.”

Third, we see the concept of making God known to the world. We read in vv. 4 and 5, “proclaim that his name is exalted.” “Let this be made known in all the earth.” The singing and praise of the LORD is not one dimensional, rather it is multifaceted. As we praise our God; as we are transformed in reciting His great deeds, and as we tell the world what God the Father has done.

This is the heart of faithfulness for the Christian and what we praise God for! Isaiah 12:6 states “Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.””

Prayer:

Song:

Benediction: