The Forever Celebration
The Word Became Flesh • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
When I was a freshman in college, there was a song that came out that had these lyrics:
There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you
The name of the group was “Kool and the Gang.” The song is still used at weddings, convention settings, and at times when every one is in a festive mood. The song is now forty years old, yet thinking about it brings a smile to your face. Maybe this past week you celebrated some good times with your family and friends as we experienced Christmas. We went through the hustle and bustle, the cooking and preparation, spending time with loved ones and even perhaps time with some not so loved. Nevertheless, celebrations this past week were all over our community and throughout our world. Gifts were given. Songs were sung. Hopefully, the birth of our Lord and Savior was remembered and celebrated.
By now, many of us have put the decorations away, turned off the Christmas music, and returned to the hum-drum of what life was before the holiday madness kicked in. However, what if the celebration was meant to go on? What if God designed the birth of the Christ Child to be, in the words of Kool and the Gang, a “celebration to last throughout the years?”
The Book of Isaiah gives us much prophecy about the Messiah, the Word that became flesh and made His dwelling among us. In fact, there are at least twenty times which Isaiah in some way refers to the coming Messiah. One of those, is indeed about a “celebration to last throughout the years.” In fact, it goes beyond years and becomes the forever celebration. Look with me at
On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his people
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
In that day they will say,
“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
Isaiah 25)
This forever celebration includes the provision of God, the protection of God, and the promise of God.
The Provision of God (vs. 6)
The Provision of God (vs. 6)
When you think about the provision of God, you think about His greatness and the abundance from which He provides.
In the Old Testament, the idea of the mountain refers to a place of authority. We see this evident here in Isaiah as well as in the Book of Daniel, another prophet in the Old Testament.
“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.
“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy.”
The mountain spoken of is not so much a physical place as it is a spiritual place and a place that will be established with the coming Messiah. It is on and through this mountain we see that the Lord will provide His provision. We learn in other passages that “this mountain” refers to the place of the Lord’s temple.
The place of His provision is His mountain. We learn in other passages that “this mountain” refers to the place of the Lord’s temple.
In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
The Lord’s Mountain will be the chief among the mountains and raised above the hills. we see the Lord calling it “My Holy Mountain.” says He will dwell in it is such a way that it will be visible. tells us that the Lord will teach from that mountain. tells us that the Lord will judge from that mountain.
“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.
“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy.”
This mountain will also be a banquet sight. We learn in that “the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich foods for all people.” I don’t see this as a table of desserts and sugary items that we associate often with the word rich. Rather, I see this as the best of the best. The Hebrew word for rich, SHEMEN, indicates that which is choice, lavish and the absolute best. This verse goes on to say that the feast will include aged wine and the best of meats.
The Lord’s Mountain
It is not today’s subject, but since it is mentioned here let me say that wine was used throughout the Bible to describe God’s blessing and His Kingdom work. So when you see wine depicted in scripture, you do not need to look at it being some cheap convenience store alcohol that gives you a buzz, but that which is part of the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom. You must also realize that the Bible condemns drunkenness and God’s people are warned of intoxication.
In this passage, it is mentioned as part of the feast that is to come celebrating the work of God. The feast itself symbolizes the full enjoyment of the blessedness in the perfected Kingdom of God. It is a picture of the Messiah and His reign over the entire world. That brings us to another point.
Notice who the banquet is for. It is for ALL PEOPLE. If you remember, the Jews thought they were the only chosen ones, that they would be the exclusive group for which God gave His provision. However, it clearly says in this passage that the feast is for ALL PEOPLES. This is consistent with other passages in scripture in both the Old and New Testaments.
All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
Psalm 22:27
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
Do you see what God has done? His provision is just like He is, as One who gives rather that one who receives. He has invited all people and established that there is enough for all to receive the bounty of His blessing.
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
God does not only share His provision, but God also protects His people.
The Protection of God (vs.7-8)
The Protection of God (vs.7-8)
The protection of God does not only keep us safe, it destroys that which causes us pain and grief. In verse 7, Isaiah says “that He will destroy the shroud that enfolds His people.” the word destroy comes from the word that means swallow up and made to disappear. The shroud is the covering or cloud that prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God’s glory. It includes mankind’s ignorance that separates us from God’s holiness.
They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
Even the Jews of that day were separated from God and could not understand how the scripture was being fulfilled.
Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
2 Cori
Isaiah saw that this cloud caused mankind to be separated from a Holy God and we needed to be protected from its effect. The best protection is removing that which causes the threat. We take for granted what sin does to us. When we truly understand our sinful state, we will appreciate so much more the protection God has given us in destroying this shroud that enfolds all peoples as Isaiah has described.
Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher in London from the 1800’s said, “While others are congratulating themselves, I have to lie humbly at the foot of Christ’s cross and marvel that I am saved at all.”
Verse 8 shows us that the protection of God will swallow up death forever. The Messiah was born to die so you and I could live. Isaiah gives us the beautiful promise that death will be overcome and we know this promise is fulfilled in the Messiah. This verse from Isaiah is quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:54:
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
We also see in death being swallowed up forever that “the Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces.”
We are reminded of this beautiful promise in
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Revelation 7:
and
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation
When the tears are gone, there is room for celebration. This all happens because the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us and as a result we have the promise fulfilled and anchored forever in Christ.
We will have comfort and received the cleansing or our conscience.
The tears will be wiped away and “He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth.” The Hebrew word translated for disgrace is CHERPAH. It refers to that of shame or reproach. It is the state of dishonor and low status. There are things we do and have done that have caused great disgrace in our lives. We are embarrassed that they have happened and we dread the event that might bring them to light. However, the prophet here is saying that because the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, that shame, disgrace and embarrassment will all be wiped away. Because of the Messiah, it will be removed, never more to raise its ugly head. Isaiah was saying this was going to to take place and I can say with great assurance that because of Jesus, it has been removed and when He returns triumphantly again, it will be gone forever!
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
No more tears! No more anguish! We will be protected from this mess for eternity! We have God’s provision. We have God’s protection. And we have God’s promise.
The Promise of God (vs.9)
The Promise of God (vs.9)
Isn’t just like God to give us His word in such a way that is descriptive, accurate and in a way we know we can depend on it? That is exactly what happens in this passage. The promises of God give us hope because He is faithful and we can trust in His word.
The end of verse 8, we see the words, “The Lord has spoken.” I find great comfort in seeing that there in the printed page because it shows me that God has made a declaration that I can find to be accurate and true. I can depend on it. Isaiah goes on to further explain just how true and accurate this promise will be:
Isaiah
In that day they will say,
“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
This means that we who trust in God will not only have justification, but complete justification. Justified by the only One that is able to justify.
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
The repented sinner is pardoned and the sin is completely removed. The righteousness of Christ becomes His righteousness.
The repented sinner is pardoned and the sin is completely removed. The righteousness of Christ becomes His righteousness.
It is not just a temporary fix, it is everlasting!
Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Wow. What a promise!
“This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” When we are set free from the captivity of sin, there is a freedom that words cannot describe. There is profound spaciousness. There is phenomenal roominess. It makes me want to celebrate, forever.
Celebrate good times Come on! You can put the decorations away if you must, but don’t stop the celebration!