A Glimpse of Glory

Title: A Glimpse at Glory

Text:

Thesis:

Subject, The response of those who partake of the Messiah’s salvation.

Question form: How will those who partake of God’s salvation respond to it?

Complement: A.Individually they will respond with (i.) thankfulness and (ii.) faith, and B. corporately they will respond in (i.) dependence on him, (ii.) a declaration of his glorious deeds among the nations, and (iii.) songs of praise.

Thesis:

Subject, The response of those who partake of the Messiah’s salvation.

Question form: How will those who partake of God’s salvation respond to it?

Complement: A.Individually they will respond with (i.) thankfulness and (ii.) faith, and B. corporately they will respond in (i.) dependence on him, (ii.) a declaration of his glorious deeds among the nations, and (iii.) songs of praise.

Outline

A. The Individual Response to God’s Deliverance. 1-2

I. Gratitude 1a-b

a. For God’s Grace 1c-e

II. Faith 2a

b. Because God has been our Fortress 2b

B. The Corporate Expectation for God’s Salvation 3

C. The Corporate Response to God’s Deliverance 4-6

I. Dependence 4a

II. Declaration 4b

III. Doxology 5-6

Introduction:

Isn’t life hard some times? Are you struggling to find Christian joy? Are you struggling to overcome your depression and just doesn’t seem to lift? What do you think would help? Would it help to get a glimpse of glory, and hear the praises of the saints in glory who are rejoicing over the culmination of their salvation? Would it help to peel back remaining time and peer into heaven and see what you will be thinking about and what you will be doing in that day? Would it help to once more come to the well of the waters of salvation and drink deeply? In this passage we have a call for us to renew our joy and thankfulness in and because of this glorious salvation that we have received, and Isaiah does this by showing us exactly what will be going on in that day when all of salvation will be completed. Though we now do not experience the fulness of our salvation, and we long for that day, let us see this glimpse of glory and begin to respond to this salvation as we will on that day when we experience it fully, being assured that it is firmly established by the promises of God.

A. The Individual Response to God’s Deliverance. 1-2

I. Gratitude 1a-b

a. For God’s Grace 1c-e

The first response of the individual is thankfulness. In that day when we fully experience God’s deliverance, we will express thankfulness and gratitude because though God was angry with us, he has turned away his anger from us. His wrath has been abated, and when we go to stand before him and receive the sentence and we are sure that it will be guilty, God will have compassion on us and comfort our fainting hearts. Oh what a weight of guilt lies on the soul that stands before God in his sin, confident of his impending doom. But, oh how glorious to hear words of comfort and consolation, a gentle tone of acceptance and a gracious welcoming into his presence to be the beneficiary of his glory and riches.

Word study on comfort. Comfort: This is the word that is used about how Joseph appeased the fears of his brothers in . Imagine standing in the court room before the judge you know that you have offended, you know that he has every right to avenge himself on you and pour out his anger on you and give you the full weight of the law’s punishment, you know he was angry with you and rightfully so, but then instead of speaking the words of condemnation and judgment, he speaks words of compassion, forgiveness and pardon. He wipes away the sin and receives you into his presence, and he pledges by his own honor to provide for you and take care of your family.

CR: ,

II. Faith 2a

b. Because God has been our Fortress 2b

What exactly is the nature of this salvation. This song appears to be a type of answer to the too-good-to-be-true nature of this salvation. gives incredible detail about the salvation brought about by the Messiah and then at the end of it, we are left with our mouths open wondering if this could really be the case. So in the form of a psalm, Isaiah prophesies about the sure nature of these divine promises, the sure fulfillment of this divine proclamation. It will be said on that day. In that day you will have put all your confidence in the Lord, and he will have perfectly delivered on his promises.

Since this is the case, exactly what is the context of this salvation? presents for us the victorious kingdom of the root of Jesse and the new Exodus that he is going to lead. Read text. These two passages preform a very similar role that and 15 do. gives the narrative of the exodus from Egypt, while is the song that Moses sings to praise God for his salvation. This psalm in Isaiah also borrows some of the very language from , (read 15:1-3, 11-18). This root of Jesse is going to come and lead a new Exodus wherein the people, though now scattered to the four winds of the earth, will all be brought together and will enjoy the glorious kingdom of the Messiah. is also very dependent on the previous prophecy found in . This glorious kingdom of David’s son, full of justice and equity, righteousness and peace, all natural enmity is put away, the swords are made into farming tools, there is no more fear and no more war, for the Rod out of Jesse has won the victory and has called all of his people into the mountain of God to dwell in his presence, for him to be their God, and them his people. The nations also are brought into this mountain and it is a mountain that stands above the others and a kingdom whose borders continually increase until it encompasses the whole earth.

Just as Moses could have said to the people of Israel when they were standing on the edge of the Red Sea and the heard the chariot wheels rolling behind them and the clopping of the horse feet, and Moses called them to believe, to trust the promise of God, and “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (). Even so, Isaiah calls us to take confidence in our God. We can rest in him, he is our strength and our song. He is the one with the power to effect our salvation, and he is the one who is the recipient of all our songs of praise due to this savior. He is our fortress, he is our salvation itself. Though we stand between the relentless pursuits of sin and our own carnal natures, and we look out over the vast and limitless sea of God’s wrath, both threatening our death and eternal harm, however we have the Rod of Jesse who will divide the waters and lead his people through on dry ground in order to enjoy the presence of God for all of eternity. In that day, when our salvation will be accomplished, we will say, Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid. What can man or sin do unto me? The Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation, He is my rock forever and my fortress, who is like him among the gods?

B. The Corporate Expectation for God’s Salvation 3

In that day, when our salvation will be final, the Rod of Jesse will have won the final victory, we will be able to continually come and draw water from the well of salvation. v. 3 seems to be a hinge verse in the passage. The imagery also is very encouraging. You can’t help but think of a well that is over flowing, never running dry, one that can always be depended on. A well that often drains and dries up cannot be approached with joy, rather it is approached with worry and fear, “will there be water in it this time?” However, we may with joy draw water from the well of salvation, and it will never run dry. So much so that we will even call others to enjoy this salvation as the psalm does in v. 4-6.

We may trust and not fear, knowing that the well of deliverance, the spring of salvation will never run dry, even all the oceans cannot contain the water that we could draw from these deep wells. With joy we may come and draw enough water to sustain our every need, and we can be confident that it will never falter or fail, it will never dry, it will never leak out.

C. The Corporate Response to God’s Deliverance 4-6

I. Dependence 4a

The first way in which we are to respond to this salvation is by depending on the Lord. We can be confident in his salvation, we can call upon him and place our full confidence in Him, he will not fail. We know that these things will be said in that day. Isaiah is calling us to depend on the Lord now, as he prophesies about the praises that we will sing when our salvation will be completed.

We are here getting a glimpse at the praises of glorified saints. This is what those who participate of this salvation will say, and by this he is calling to trust in God to save us, he is calling us to depend on the Lord and cast ourselves on these promises. We can cast ourselves on the work of the Rod of Jesse, we can cast ourselves on the Lord’s strength, we can cast ourselves on his victory and the propitiation that he made. We can be assured, that if we do so cast ourselves on his promises, then we will also say these things in that day. We will also be able to say the the Lord is my salvation, he is my strength and my song. We will also call all to give him thanks and to call upon his name, we will also call for all peoples and nations to partake in this salvation and to enjoy the salvation that the Rod of Jesse has accomplished for all nations, in order to lead his remnant among all nations out of their captivity. We will also be able to say that though he was angry with me, he has turned his anger so that he might comfort me and rejoice over me with songs.

II. Declaration 4b

The second response to this glorious salvation is a declaration of it to the world around us. This salvation is promised to be opened up for the nations, and the people of God are here seen as the ones calling all to come and participate in it. This idea is one of the revolutionary themes of the Old Testament: The inclusion of the gentiles in the Messiah’s kingdom. We see this theme in so many passages. In the book of Isaiah we see it elsewhere in 2:2, 65:1, and 66:18-21. It is also seen in , , , , , ; and some of these passages very clearly.

Isaiah prophesies that evangelism, a call to the nations to participate in this salvation with us, is an inevitable response to the great salvation that this root of Jesse is going to accomplish. As a church, as the community of the saved, we must now be involved in this response. We are already partaking of the benefits of this salvation, though we await the full consummation of it, however, as we live in the already-but-not-yet we must respond appropriately by calling all to join us on our journey back to the presence of God from which we had been exiled. We are marching to Zion, beautiful beautiful Zion. Like Isaac Watts’ hymn:

Come, we that love the Lord,

And let our joys be known;

Join in a song with sweet accord,

And thus surround the throne.

Refrain:

We’re marching to Zion,

Beautiful, beautiful Zion;

We’re marching upward to Zion,

The beautiful city of God.

The sorrows of the mind

Be banished from the place;

Religion never was designed

To make our pleasures less.

Let those refuse to sing,

Who never knew our God;

But children of the heav’nly King

May speak their joys abroad.

The men of grace have found

Glory begun below;

Celestial fruits on earthly ground

From faith and hope may grow.

The hill of Zion yields

A thousand sacred sweets

Before we reach the heav’nly fields,

Or walk the golden streets.

Then let our songs abound,

And every tear be dry;

We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground

To fairer worlds on high.

III. Doxology 5-6

The last inevitable response to this great salvation is continual and ceaseless praise. We are to sing and shout, and ascribe to God the glory due unto his name. When our salvation will be complete, we will sing and shout for joy at the victory that our God has won on our behalf. Let us realize that this salvation depends on the faithfulness and promises of God. It is as sure today as it will be then. Therefore, let us praise the Lord for his goodness, let us make his name known, let us invite others to partake of this salvation, and let us cast the whole weight of our immortal souls on him.

We are the ones who partake of this glorious salvation and we must respond appropriately. We may be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy that he gives in the psalm, if we also respond in thanksgiving, faith, dependence, declaration, and doxology.

Conclusion:

As we battle through this life, let us begin to partake of the joy of this salvation that Christ has accomplished for us. We can freely come to this well of the waters of salvation and drink freely. Let us do so. Let us begin now to give thanks to the Lord, let us begin now to cast our whole souls and all of our worries on him, knowing that he will accomplish our salvation perfectly from every sin and every worry. Let us begin now to call the nations to join us in our journey to Zion. Let us begin now living a life in praise of the God who has chosen us, and has led us out of our captivity and has brought us into the presence of the God whom we had offended, but who in his grace turned his anger away from us.