Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!

Introduction

GI - creating a super sweet and awesome car for it to sit in the garage to do nothing:

SI - People graduating with a Pastoral degree to go do nothing but work a secular job.

Purpose Stmt: Our purpose today in this sermon is to understand The Lord’s purpose in realtion to His chosen people, particularly in His plan of salvation for the world.

PNP: Done in three points: 1tghat the Lord’s purpose never fails in History, The Lord’s purpose is obvious and not hidden, and that the Lord’s purpose is to save the world.

Review:

This book is amazing, if we are bored by it, or have a difficult time finding interest, that is a problem with us.

It’s well known that genius in any piece of writing and any work of art, requires some genius on the point of the audience to appreciate.

Dumb rocks can’t enjoy a symphony.

Let us not be so dull as to not understand, nor appreciate, nor seek to understand the glories of this world-changing book. These are the very words of God, the words of life! If you understand Isaiah, you can really understand most, if not all of the other old testament prophecy.

So, as Peter would say, let us gird up the loins of our mind, and prepare for action.

We are walking through Isaiah, 40-66

-This is one long excurses, one continual prophecy, some of the most principle points we’ve spoke of so far are these:

-Israel is to be comforted, her punishment is done.

The Lord is coming, prepare the way.

-The Lords Arm is going to rule for Him.

-God’s is absolutely sovereignty over all creation, both in creating the world and in it’s constant governance:

-He establishes and deposes ruler.

-None are His equal.

-He renews the strength of His people

-The Lord call the ends from the beginnings, perfectly every time.

-He is raising up a conquering ruler who will sweep over the nations as a demonstration of this power.

-Those who chose Idols are abominations to God.

-He called forth Israel, His chosen servant, the seed of Abraham, to be His elect people for His glory, and as a vehicle for the conversion of the world. He is with them and they will conquer.

-Though they are worms. They will thresh mountains. God is with them.

-Therefore, God is going to purge and sanctify His nation.

-He will destroy the civic state, but He will not cast His people,

-The true Israel of God, the Israel within Israel, Jews who were Jews inwardly, the true seed of Abraham, will be preserved forever.

-They will be preserved through the fire and sea, and be secured and perpetuated by the grafting in of believing Gentiles, their brothers and sisters from far off nations.

-This Servant of Yahweh, who is spoken of repeatedly, is a corporate entity, with a Head and a body, in a similar, if not identical conception to Christ and the church as His body.

-Sometimes the Head is spoken of, sometimes just the body, sometimes both.

-The mission of the Servant is the conversion of and salvation of the world.

-He will successfully lead justice to victory and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His Law. The great commission will be accomplished.

-The Servant is given as a covenant for the world. This is the work of the Head, the Christ, the King of Israel.

-The work of Yahweh in saving His people will result in the total renovation of the creation.

-Yahweh is zealous for this purpose, as a mighty warrior.

-The Lord gives sight to the blind! And blinds those who have sight.

-He disciplines His blind servant, His nation which is full of foreign influences.

In 43

-God will ransom and redeem His people in bondage at the exclusion of other people.

-He will gather His children from the east and the the west,

-He will bring out His people who are blind, and given them sight.

-They are called by His name and created for His glory.

-He will assemble together all of the nations, and out of them constitute His nation, Israel.

-Their purpose is to be His witnesses.

-Yahweh made them so they will know and understand that YAHWEH IS HE.

-Before Him there was no god formed and there will be none after Him,

-He is the great I AM, the HE IS and there is no Savior beside Him.

-He does what He purposes and no one can stop it!

-He will destroy the enemies of God’s people, crushing the Babylonians of every age.

-Yahweh wipes out the many transgressions of His chosen people,

-Their wickedness, God forgets.

In 44

-The Lord again speaks comfort to his people,

-HE will pour out His Spirit on the seed of Israel.

-They will spring up as a multitude.

-only He can do it.

The Lord then mocks idolatry:

-God exposing the fol of idolatry

-God extorts his children to remember their deliverance from such sins.

-God is establishing His will and His world.

-He alone created it

-He brings to foolishness false prophets

-and He confirms the word of his servant, and His messengers.

In this chapter we’ve seen:

God calling forth of Cyrus, by name, in clear miraculous fashion, to display His sovereignty over all of history,

- He declares that Cyrus’ actions are for the good and benefit of God’s people.

-God forms the light and creates darkness, creates peace and creates calamity - or disasters. Calamities in the world are not thwarting God’s plan, but part of it. He brings both peace and clamatiy. Raa.

-We had a stern warning given, woe to the one who contends with his maker! like a child who argues with his father, or a son who curses his mother for giving birth! the foolishness thereoof”

The

In this chapter we’ll continue to see:

A further evidence of God foreknowledge and His purpose of Cyrus, which is spoken of in 12-13

the conquest of Cyrus is “specifically foretold and explicitly connected with the favor of Jehovah as their procuring cause, and with the liberation of his people and the demonstration of his deity, as the designed effect”

“the great theme of the prophecy is still the relation of Israel to God as his chosen people, and to the nations as a source or medium of saving knowledge.” - Alexander

PNP: again we will see, the Lord’s purpose never fails in History, The Lord’s purpose is obvious and not hidden, and that the Lord’s purpose is to save the world.

The Lord’s Purpose never fails 11-13

There was not much of a natural stopping place between last months and this, as again, this one long section, so really the ideas of last month flow right and neatly into this text.

We see next here that the Lord’s purpose never fails, and that you must entrust your life, and your future to His hands.

Isaiah 45:11–46:2 (LHB)

A Commanding Hope “Commanding God through prayer”

11 כֹּֽה־אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְיֹצְר֑וֹ הָאֹתִיּ֣וֹת שְׁאָל֔וּנִי עַל־בָּנַ֛י וְעַל־פֹּ֥עַל יָדַ֖י תְּצַוֻּֽנִי׃

11 Thus says Yahweh the holy one of Israel, who formed the things to come: ask ye me on account of my sons and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me!

Some translations will say “commit me”, the word really is “command me”.

God commands you to “command” Him, through prayer.

Commanding God through prayer, It means in this context: (GIVING ONE AUTHORITY OVER ANY THING OR PERSONS”).

It is entrusting Him, giving Him charge over you and your life.

Entreating Him, boldly expecting Him to fulfill His word. Entrusting and commiting the work unto God.

That E.M. bounds book makes a lot of out this verse, God says, concerning the work of my hands, command me! Ask Him, and entrust it to Him.? Bodly expect?

Do you boldly expect?

-the way a child bodly expects to be fed by his parents.

This boldness comes from praying correctly.

In order to pray correctly you actually have to understand who God is and His purpose.

If I pray to win the lottery and for the Lord to give me 10 wives, He will not answer; that’s asking out of lust with a wicked heart.

We study this book to understand God’s purpose that we may ask Him and expect in accordance with His promise and stated purpose.

Do you know His purpose enough to actually pray accordingly?

-fruitless prayers - out of lusts

-vain repetitions - prayers which lack trust, the Lord knows what you want before you ask Him. Entrust to Him.

12 אָֽנֹכִי֙ עָשִׂ֣יתִי אֶ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֖ם עָלֶ֣יהָ בָרָ֑אתִי אֲנִ֗י יָדַי֙ נָט֣וּ שָׁמַ֔יִם וְכָל־צְבָאָ֖ם צִוֵּֽיתִי׃

12 I made the earth and man upon it I created, my hand stretched out the heavens and I command all its hosts.

The God who created the stars and all the heavens!

Btw this word “I command” is the same as the previous verse.

For the Lord created all these things, He is worthy to be trusted, seek Him for the plan of history, for the plan and purpose of your life, how to use your gifts, how to serve Him. He is worthy, He created all things.

13 אָנֹכִי֙ הַעִירֹתִ֣הֽוּ בְצֶ֔דֶק וְכָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו אֲיַשֵּׁ֑ר הֽוּא־יִבְנֶ֤ה עִירִי֙ וְגָלוּתִ֣י יְשַׁלֵּ֔חַ לֹ֤א בִמְחִיר֙ וְלֹ֣א בְשֹׁ֔חַד אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃

13 I caused to awake him in righteousness, and all his way I will make straight,

The Lord who is soverign in history! who raised up Cyrus, according to God’s righteous purpose, and Cyrus carried out God’s righteous purpose, even as an ingornant pagan during the time of his conquests!

Entrust yourself to Him and give Him the authority over your affairs and life. He has shown you, Oh man, His power. Do not doubt, do not fear, entrust to Him.

The Lord accomplishes His purpose, He has done it, He will do it again.

he will build my city and send forth my exiles without payment and without bribe, says Yahweh of hosts.

Cyrus was raised up for the benefit of Israel, for the benefit of us, to see the city of Zion built, to prepare the place for the Messiah and the founding of the kingdom of Christ! The new ecnomy, the age of the Messiah and His church.

The Lord’s metanarrative, His control of History is for the church. It is for His people, to glorify Himself through them.

A Conquering Hope

14 כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה יְגִ֨יעַ מִצְרַ֥יִם וּֽסְחַר־כּוּשׁ֮ וּסְבָאִים֮ אַנְשֵׁ֣י מִדָּה֒ עָלַ֤יִךְ יַעֲבֹ֙רוּ֙ וְלָ֣ךְ יִֽהְי֔וּ אַחֲרַ֣יִךְ יֵלֵ֔כוּ בַּזִּקִּ֖ים יַעֲבֹ֑רוּ וְאֵלַ֤יִךְ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ֙ אֵלַ֣יִךְ יִתְפַּלָּ֔לוּ אַ֣ךְ בָּ֥ךְ אֵ֛ל וְאֵ֥ין ע֖וֹד אֶ֥פֶס אֱלֹהִֽים׃

14 Thus says Yahweh, the labor of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush and the tall/men-of-measure men of the Sabians until thee will pass over (to you), and will be yours.

He now promises,

Here now oh Israel, the conquest of the little nation of the world. Behold, the Postmillenial hope. The mighty and evil surrounding nations will come in dread and will be serve Israel!

The glories of the nations! the good things of the pagans, the pagans themsevlves, will pass over to the Church and will be theirs.

They will offer themselves in service! The kings will be nursing fathers and the mothers nursing mothers. They will build up her walls and bring their wealth into her!

They will bring their treasures into the temple, into the house of the one true Treasure of all the world.

The Scriptures teach:

The wicked of the world may have treasures - but the wicked store up treasures for the righteous

Proverbs 13:22 LSB

22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

this principle being true on a personal level, how much more is also true historically in nations: The wicked store up treasures for the righteous.

Don’t fret when you see the wicked

See Psalm 73, I won’t read it, but it concerns the psalmist feeling envy for the wicked who has good things, but then he goes into the Lord’s temple, and recognizes the end of the wicked.

The Lord will give to Zion the plunder of the nations. The treasures of the nations will come into the house of God.

The Labor of the pagans, and the pagans themselves are promised to be the possession of the church! The church will successfully conquor the surrounding nations!

The meek will inherit the earth! The inheritence of God’s people is the earth itself, the new heavens and the new earth. Not just the land of Cannan, but all the land, renewed, forever.

This plundering has happenened already through history—the Christians and the Romans, the Jews and the Egyptians=, and will happen again! We expect on a worldwide scale.

We expect a full scale conquering, from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth. Because that’s what God promises!

You may not be convinced, but look here, look what God says to little Israel concerning the vast empires surrounding her,:

They will come to you, and be yours!

The Replacement/Contiuation

After you they shall go, and they will walk in fetters over to you, and toward you they will bow down, to you they will pray/supplicate, surely within you is God, and there is not another, no god.

all the enemies of God’s people will come over to them, the pagans and the gentiles: and they will prostrate themselves before Israel, before God’s elect, before the Church, and they will admit that God is with them. That God is in them!

This is the conversion of the enemies of God, and their assumption into Israel, which will be into the Church through the trumpet of the Gospel. This is not a bloody conquest by the word, but a conquest by the Spirit of God over evil; a moral and spiritual conquest.

The pagans will be brought into the church! They will be compelled by the Gospel, and they will come willingly! The will be willingly forced! by the love of God for the world.

And they will bow!

The bowing is not in worship to the creature, but it is a recognition from the foreigners that they God is in their direction, God is among them, God is in them! They are worshipping the God within them! They are bowing toward the true God, through the church.

Remember, that a true Christian is one who is a temple of God:

Romans 8:9 LSB

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Revelation 3

If there is any question about the relationship of Israel here being interpreted as the Church, heard the words of Jesus in Revelation 3. As He speaks to the seven churches, He says this;

Revelation 3:9 LSB

9 ‘Behold, I am giving up those of the synagogue of Satan, those who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.

So, false Jews, who claim to be Jewish, but are not, they are actually the synogoge of Satan—these are the religious Jews who would follow Paul around and persecute them and try to kill the new Christian way.

He says, they say they are Jews and are not, and Jesus promises the same thing,

Jesus applies this verse here, to Gentile Christians against physical Jews who are internally pagans.

they are temple for Satan!

Jesus speaking to the church says the exact same thing, that the fake Jews who were persecuting the true Jews were going to come and fulfill this text of Scripture! He is talking about the persecuting enemies of the church coming into the kingdom, recognizing that the true God is the one of the Christians.

The Lord promises His faithful people a total and historical conquest of the surrounding peoples.

Take God at His word. Believe Him! Or do you think? No that can’t happen? Or that won’t happen in history? That will come after Jesus comes and militarily slaughters all people with a sword coming out of His mouth!

No, Jesus promises the church, and Yahweh promises Israel that the pagan idolatrous nations will come and bow to the true Church, and they will recognize and admit that God is in them!

Interpretive tricks abound to get out of this conclusion, but there is no excuse for rejecting this truth.

Believe and hope in God, little Christian, Israel of the Israelites, the seed of Jacob.

You have the greatest strength and power for you. God is for you, who can be against you!

Yet even the Prophet here expresses the astounding nature of this promise, in light of the present circumstances!

A Concealed Hope

The Prophet responds to God!

15 אָכֵ֕ן אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל מִסְתַּתֵּ֑ר אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

15 Truly, you are a God hiding oneself, the God of Israel—Savior!

Ah! It sure doesn’t look like we’re winning!

Talking all these great promises! but it doesn’t look like we’re winning.

Let me teach you a phrase:” Rom 4:18

Romans 4:18 LSB

18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your seed be.”

Paul says, speaking of Abraham, in hope, he believed against hope.

A hope of faith is what we have, because the Lord has promised it, so we don’t hope based on what we see, we hope against what we see.

We see the mighty waves around us crashing in around, we must fix our eyes upon Jesus, and His Lordship and crown rights!

With this bright hope of the future, the Prophet here exclaims what we may exclaim today! Oh Savior, these things being so, you are surely a God hiding yourself!

Surely you have veiled this hope under the oppression of the darkness in the world.

Under the wickedness which floods the earth!

I recognize and believe your promise, but how much darkness!

How long will the righteous be trampeled underfoot by the wicked!

You are a God who hides Himself! Oh Savior!

16 בּ֥וֹשׁוּ וְגַֽם־נִכְלְמ֖וּ כֻּלָּ֑ם יַחְדָּו֙ הָלְכ֣וּ בַכְּלִמָּ֔ה חָרָשֵׁ֖י צִירִֽים׃

16 They are ashamed and also confounded all of them together! The craftsman of idol will go into insult (or confusion)!

All the clearer to see here that this is not a conquest of the surrounding nations for territory, or for sheer domination of will, but this is a conquest of the heathen and pagan world as such, with their multitude of idols.

A conquest of the recognition of the world, that the world will bow down to Yahovah!

Those committed to idols will be sent away into dishonor, to shame. They will be humiliated before the Church. Some will be sent in permanent judgment, or others in humble recognition of the truth of the Gospel for salvation!

Cast away your idols! Don’t give into greed, or sexual immorality, these things are idols. Guard yourself from idolatry!

17 יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נוֹשַׁ֣ע בַּיהוָ֔ה תְּשׁוּעַ֖ת עוֹלָמִ֑ים לֹא־תֵבֹ֥שׁוּ וְלֹא־תִכָּלְמ֖וּ עַד־ע֥וֹלְמֵי עַֽד׃

17 Israel has been saved in Yahweh, a salvation of eternities. you will not be ashamed and not be dishonored unto eternity and beyond.

Though the heathen be sent into shame and dishonored! Israel is saved in her connection to Yahweh.

Israel, who is in Yahweh, has already been saved. They are saved by their connection to Yahweh like branches to a tree. They have been saved literally unto a a salvation of eternities, of ages, an everlasting salvation. They will not be put to shame unto eternity and beyond.

The idolators will go away into destruction, and Israel has been saved with a salvation unto eternaity.

The Lord’s Purpose is Obvious 14-19

A Creation to be inhabited

18 כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָֽמַר־יְ֠הוָה בּוֹרֵ֨א הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם ה֣וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים יֹצֵ֨ר הָאָ֤רֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ֙ ה֣וּא כֽוֹנְנָ֔הּ לֹא־תֹ֥הוּ בְרָאָ֖הּ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת יְצָרָ֑הּ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃

18 For thus says Yahweh, the creator of the heavens, He is the God— former of the earth and He is the maker of it, He established it

The Lord speaks again, this statement is augmented by the description of the Lord’s creation of the earth! He is the God who created the earth, He is the one who formed it. He established it.

He did not create her void/formless, He formed her to be inhabited. I am Yahweh and there is no other.

He did not create the earth, to be void, and lame and empty. (Toho Vabohu explain).

-Canon plus has this nature documentary called the riot and the dance

where the documentarian goes into these northern frigid ocean, with advance scuba equipment in the middle of the night, to a remote remote part of the earth, where no humans ever went for thousands of years, and finds these absolutely wild creatures called wolf eels. Some of the freakiest looking, most amazing looking creates. They mate for life. They get married, and they stay in the same den all their lives. They are actual home-bodies.

And all the while, while world war I and II was going on, while the crusades were taking place, while Napolean was conquoring Europe,

The wolf Eels, the simple wolf eels, were living their domestic lives, having untold adventures, which only God knows!

And how much of things such as these are going on all the time, everywhere, without anyone knowing.

I’m sure at this very moment, there is an absolutely teeth clenching battle of the centuries going on, a story of intrique, betrayal, rage and lose, trajedy and victory, comedy and all the above, in an ant colony in the middle of the Amazon forest!

What is my point! That God didn’t create the world to be lame and empty! He created it to be full of life! He created a world of grand stories, of conquets and defeats,

with a scarlet thread running through it all, which is Christ. and Christ in us! It’s our time now, it’s time for the pages of our stories to work their ways from the mind of God into the world.

Psalm 139:16 LSB

16 Your eyes have seen my unshaped substance; And in Your book all of them were written The days that were formed for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

He writes the end from the beginning!

Embrace the battle, embrace the conflict, for we fight in a losing battle, with a promise to win, because our God is for us!

He didn’t create the earth to be void, to fail. To be a place where evil floods the earth as the waters cover the sea!

He created it to be inhabited!

He made the earth with purpose! He made the earth to be inhabited! To be dwelt in! He is not the God of the dead, but the living! He made the earth for His glorious purpose.

The Lord responds to the Prophet’s assertion!

(this is) A Creation to be saved

19 לֹ֧א בַסֵּ֣תֶר דִּבַּ֗רְתִּי בִּמְקוֹם֙ אֶ֣רֶץ חֹ֔שֶׁךְ לֹ֥א אָמַ֛רְתִּי לְזֶ֥רַע יַעֲקֹ֖ב תֹּ֣הוּ בַקְּשׁ֑וּנִי אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ דֹּבֵ֣ר צֶ֔דֶק מַגִּ֖יד מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

19 I have not spoken in secret,

The Lord hasn’t spoken in secret! This doctrine of salvation and damnation, of the destruction of the idolators and as the conquest of the heathen world, the sovereign power of Yahweh! This was well known!

Here’s an example of what He means:

Numbers 14:19–22 LSB

19 “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” 20 So Yahweh said, “I have pardoned them according to your word; 21 but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of Yahweh. 22 “Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I have done in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice,

The glory of Yahweh in the earth was a doctrine known well enough back when Israel wandered in the wilderness! It was enough to be a premise of an argument!

We spoke on Thursday night about how the Scripture speaks of the Red Sea Crossing as an event which was made known throughout all the world!

The Lord has not kept Himself hidden, He has declared His glory to all the earth.

in a secret land of darkness I have not spoken to the seed of Jacob, “vainly seek me”.

He has not said hidden His salvation under a rock. He has not whispered in a void place.

He is not like someone who cheats at hide and seek, who mocks the blind, always dangling something in view which is too far away!

He has not said to Jacob, seek me, even though you won’t find me.

He has not created the world to be empty and dark, and to put blind people who grope blindly for the truth which they will never find! No.

He has not commanded His people to seek Him futilely, without them receiving a satisfactory response.

No, He has shouted the message of salvation from the rooftops, He has declared it openly. He has promised that those who seek Him will find Him. He has made His eternal power and divine nature obvious from the creation itself.

He has created the world for salvation, for the purpose of saving people and for them to live with Him together. He did not set us up for failure, but He has plans of grace!

Even in the New Testament, it can be proved that the Gospel was proclaimed throughout the entire inhabited world, and from that point and beyond the church continues to break into more and more remote parts of the world! More Barbarians.

He has not hidden the Gospel! He has not hidden Himself! He declares His glory in the heavens and all the world hears, He heralds the message and all the world can find it!

I am Yahweh, I speak righteousness, declaring right things (things with integrity).

The Lord does right things!

This is a common sense thing! God is good!

He didn’t create the world to be void and tohu v bohu! but to be lived in, and that is to be lived in by a saved and redeemed people. Don’t fear!

The Lord’s purpose is to save the world! 20-25

A Challenge

20 הִקָּבְצ֥וּ וָבֹ֛אוּ הִֽתְנַגְּשׁ֥וּ יַחְדָּ֖ו פְּלִיטֵ֣י הַגּוֹיִ֑ם לֹ֣א יָדְע֗וּ הַנֹּֽשְׂאִים֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ץ פִּסְלָ֔ם וּמִתְפַּלְלִ֔ים אֶל־אֵ֖ל לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

20 Assemble yourselves and ye come! Draw yourselves near together, survivors of the nations, do ye not know—the ones lifting the wooden image, and praying to a god who cannot save!

The Lord commands the peoples to assemble together!

Draw near, a general call to those survivors of the nations, those who have survived the judgments God has sent upon them! Those who are still alive and can listen! Those who have ears to hear.

Those who have survived the judgments of God. Those who have been sent off and have been disciplined and struck by God. Those who have lived through God’s judgment on their own nation! The survivors!

Don’t know you the foolishness of Idolatry! Everyone listen!

A Cross Examination

We have a cross examination:

21 הַגִּ֣ידוּ וְהַגִּ֔ישׁוּ אַ֥ף יִֽוָּעֲצ֖וּ יַחְדָּ֑ו מִ֣י הִשְׁמִיעַ֩ זֹ֨את מִקֶּ֜דֶם מֵאָ֣ז הִגִּידָ֗הּ הֲל֨וֹא אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ וְאֵֽין־ע֤וֹד אֱלֹהִים֙ מִבַּלְעָדַ֔י אֵֽל־צַדִּ֣יק וּמוֹשִׁ֔יעַ אַ֖יִן זוּלָתִֽי׃

21 Declare and cause yourself to draw near! indeed, let them take counsel together. Who has caused this to be heard from old, from ancient times declared it. Have not I? Yahweh, and there is no other God except me! a righteous God and Savior, there is none except me.

-Ask one another - who has caused it to be heard?

-Has not Yahweh - the only God, and Savior. there is no other.

Remember the Trinitarian proof found in a text like this:

Where Jesus is the Savior, and there is One Savior, Yahweh.

-Here to say it once again, there is no other Savior

-Who do you call to in distress? Who do you look to for supply, for help in times of need!

You can see someone’s God by whom they cry out to in times of trouble?

Who helps you?

Who do you listen to for counsel? Is the Lord?

A Command

22 פְּנוּ־אֵלַ֥י וְהִוָּשְׁע֖וּ כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֥י אֲנִי־אֵ֖ל וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃

22 Turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is not another!

A command to turn and repent! To the whole world! To all the ends of the earth!

From what has come before this, the Gentile world, the non-Israelite nations, it may seem that they had nothing to expect but the damnation and the shame mentioned in verse 15,

but now Yahweh offers and alternative-

be saved, or be damned. Destruction or submission. -What the Lord says is not to leave the pagan in despair, but to drive them to despair of finding any hope in themselves.

-for them to feel their need of Yahweh! of the one true God!

-The One God, who is Savior alone! He is the only way, the only truth, the only life. He is the just God and the Savior.

So the idolator will be destroyed! What should the idolator do! Turn to Yahweh and be saved, all the ends of the earth!

turn to Jesus Christ and be saved! He is the way the truth and the life!

Turn to Him, all the ends of the earth. All the nations, every people group!

There is no other- Ye turn to Him!

A Confession

23 בִּ֣י נִשְׁבַּ֔עְתִּי יָצָ֨א מִפִּ֧י צְדָקָ֛ה דָּבָ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יָשׁ֑וּב כִּי־לִי֙ תִּכְרַ֣ע כָּל־בֶּ֔רֶךְ תִּשָּׁבַ֖ע כָּל־לָשֽׁוֹן׃

23 By myself I have sworn, from my mouth a righteous word goes out! It will not return! For to Me will bow every knee, and swear/give a pledge every tongue!

The Lord swears by Himself. He can swear by none higher.

From His mouth a righteous word. It is good and righteous and just and true.

It will not return void

very truly He says:

To Me, EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, AND EVERY TOUNGE WILL CONFESS! WILL PLEDGE ALLEGIENCE!

Universal submission, voluntary and compulsory. “and in one of these ways all, without exception, shall yet recognize Him as their rightful sovereign.”

a pledge, a confession “Acts of Homage, fealty or allegiance”

Every person,

from those in the far of lands, to those next door. To Dawkins and Hitchens, Saudis, Nigerian princes,

the Saudis the Sikhs, the Hindus, the mormons, the Mexicans, Chileans,

Austrians, australians,

Both Georgias

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris,

Jack black and Daina White

Big and fat,

tall and small,

You and me,

ALL WILL Bow!

Every knee, and every tounge.

Paul gives a commentary on this in two places:

Philippians 2:5–13 LSB

5 Have this way of thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a slave, by being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Because of Jesus’ work, His humility, He has been given a name above every name! they will all confess JESUS!

Work out your salvation with fear and trebling, because you will make a confession of Jesus’ Lordship sooner or later.

His humility ended in His current exaltation, invisible, yet one day visible

And as God lives, as God is God, He swears that every creater, those in the earth, and under the earth,

those in heaven and those in hell,

All will bow to Jesus Christ and all will confess, they will speak those words knowing them to be true, that Jesus Christ is LORD OF ALL!

Turn to Him and be saved, all the ends of the earth!

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Paul also uses this text in universal judgment!

Romans 14:9–13 LSB

9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you view your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, to Me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather judge this—not to put a stumbling block or offense before a brother.

Christ died to be the Lord of the dead and the living. Many bow in death! But all bow!

Because all will bow to Him, We are to live in light of the fact that Jesus is Lord.

There is no non-lordship salvation,

the concept that Jesus can be your Savior, but not your Lord,

He is Lord of EVERYTHING, and EVERYONE WILL recognize that FACT, sooner or later.

idolaters will be put to shame! They will recognize the true God, either salvifically, or in eternity, they bow after it’s too late, but they will be ashamed, but they will recognize.

Remember as well what Jesus said to Ciaphus, from now on, you WILL SEE the Son of Man seated at the right of God. God’s enemies will see, they always see.

Those who die without Christ, they see Him.

Some see unto repentance and salvation,

others see only in their everlasting damnation.

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The Pagan recognizes

24 אַ֧ךְ בַּיהוָ֛ה לִ֥י אָמַ֖ר צְדָק֣וֹת וָעֹ֑ז עָדָיו֙ יָב֣וֹא וְיֵבֹ֔שׁוּ כֹּ֖ל הַנֶּחֱרִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃

24 Only in Yahweh do I have, he says, righteousness and strength, unto Him he shall come, and all they angry with Him shall be ashamed.

The pagans recognize, the saved man recognizes that only in Jesus Christ, is one righteous-ed, made righteous, justified. The Lord alone can Justify, supply strength,

All those who are angry with the Lord will be put to shame, they will be humiliated.

The True Israel

25 בַּיהוָ֛ה יִצְדְּק֥וּ וְיִֽתְהַלְל֖וּ כָּל־זֶ֥רַע יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

In Yahweh they are justified, and will boast themselves—all the seed of Israel.

This winds up the previous declaration to reveal, once again, that the true Israel of God is composed of believing Jews and gentiles, there being no distinction.

The saved man recognized that on in the Lord does he have righteousness, and without skipping a breath the Prophet says, in Yahweh they (the pagan) are justified, and they will boat themselves, they will make their boast (in Yahweh) — all the seed of Israel.

The true Israel of God is a composit people from every tribe tounge and nation into the elect and chosen seed, the Servant of the Lord, the Church, with Christ as the Head, and the believers as the body.

This is the seed of Abraham, this is the true Israel. The elect. The chosen.

“This principle was recognized in every admission of a proselyte to the communion of the ancient church, and at the change of dispensations it is clearly and repeatedly asserted as a fundamental law of Christ’s kingdom under every variety of form.”

Romans 10:12 LSB

12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him,

Galatians 3:28–29 LSB

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.

Colossians 3:11 LSB

11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and freeman, but Christ is all and in all.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we’ve seen that the book of Isaiah is awesome.

Here in this little pericope, we’ve seen that:

-the Lord’s purpose never fails - He created and established all His purpose and He is doing so today.

-The Lord’s purpose is obvious - He didn’t make the world to surrender it to the devil, to be defeated in history. He didn’t create to fail; He created for glory. -The Lord has purposed to save unto the uttermost parts of the earth, the end of the earth. He is the only one.

Have faith in Him, repent of sin, recognize Jesus is Lord, and live in light of this fact.

Live by faith. A faith that receives the truth of God, and rests the soul entirely upon it, holding nothing back.

Let’s pray.