Sermon #2 Series: Isaiah

Title: God’s Controversy With Man

Text: Isaiah 1:2-9

Subject: The Depravity of Man

Date: Sunday Evening - March 19, 1989

Tape #

Introduction:

The title of my message tonight is - God’s Controversy With Man. Every man by nature fears God. I do not mean that all men reverence God. No man by nature reverences God. In the sense of reverence, there is no fear of God in any man. But all men by nature are afraid of God. Everyone has a dreadful fear of meeting God in judgment, a fear of his wrath and punishment. Some men suppress this fear, so that they try to deny it and convince themselves that it is not true. They try to convince themselves that it is a social fear, caused by religious superstition, rather than a natural fear caused by God - consciousness. But the fact remains, all men by nature are afraid of God. Every man in the world has a natural, inescapable, deep-seated, conscious awareness that God has a controversy with him which must be settled. What is that controversy? The Prophet Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 1:2-9.

I realize that these words were originally spoken to Judah and Jerusalem concerning the sins of that nation and their religious practices. “Probably this sermon was preached in the reign of Ahaz, when Judah was invaded by the kings of Syria and Israel. The Edomites and the Philistines, who slew many and carried many away into captivity” (Matthew Henry). (See II Chron. 28:5, 17, 18). But I am not speaking to Judah and Jerusalem tonight. Because that nation and people turned away from God, despised His Word, and crucified His Son, they have long since been destroyed, left in spiritual desolation, and forsaken by God (Matt. 22:1-7; 23:38-39). “Because of unbelief they were broken off” (Rom. 9:20). However, these things were not written in the book of God for them alone. They were written for us. This is God’s Word. It lives and abides forever. Judah and Jerusalem, in this text, are simply representatives of all men. They represent you and me. This is not God’s controversy with Judah alone. This is God’s controversy with every nation in the world. This is not God’s controversy with the Jews alone. This is God’s controversy with every person in the world.

Our text describes God’s controversy with man. You may not like it. You may not want to hear it. You may get upset with me for declaring it. But every word that I speak to you tonight will be but the echo of your own heart and conscience. I am going to preach to you tonight what your own conscience tells you, every time you hear it. May God the Holy Spirit now speak to your heart.

Proposition: God has a just controversy with man which must be settled. It is a controversy which must be settled. But the only one who can settle it is God himself.

Divisions: I want you to see three things in this text. This really is not my sermon, but Isaiah’s. And it sets forth these three points:

1. The Goodness and Benevolence of God, Which All Men Despise (vv. 2-3).

2. The Universal Depravity of Man, Which Calls for Divine Wrath (vv. 4-8).

3. The Marvelous Election of Grace, Which Opens A Door of Hope (v. 9).

I. Isaiah begins his message by declaring - THE GOODNESS AND BENEVOLENCE OF GOD, WHICH ALL MEN DESPISE (vv. 2-3).

“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth” - though he spoke in God’s name, with God’s authority, and by God’s power, Isaiah knew that unless God intervened the stars of heaven and the animals of the earth would be more likely to respond to his words than the fallen sons of man. The very lights of heaven condemn the darkness of men. And the fruitful field condemns the barrenness of man.

“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord hath spoken” - when God speaks, though he speaks by a man, we would be wise to hear with attention. Isaiah was a true prophet of God. That which he spoke was the very word of God. Now hear what he says! The Lord God declares -

A. I have nourished and brought up children.

Though not all men and women are the children of God by adoption and grace, yet all are his children by creation. And as his children all are the objects of his benevolence (Acts 17:26-29).

God’s providence is especially designed for and accomplishes eternal good for his elect (Rom. 8:28). But the goodness of God extends to all his creation (Ps. 145:8-10). God causes his sun to shine upon the just and the unjust. He sends his rain upon the righteous and the wicked. Not all men are the objects of God’s goodness and mercy. God has been good to you! He has nourished you and brought you up, as a father nourishes and brings up children.

1. God made you.

2. God sustains you.

3. God provides for you.

4. God keeps you out of hell - That is mercy! That is goodness!

Every morning you awake, you awake by an act of mercy. Every night you lie down, you lie down upon the pillow of God’s mercy. And if you should meet with trouble, that too is mercy. It is God warning you of judgment to come.

B. But all men, since the fall of Adam, despise God’s mercy.

“They have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” Here the Lord charges all mankind with three infinitely evil crimes. These are charges God lays against you.

1. Treason - “They have rebelled against me.”

2. Ignorance - “Israel doth not know.”

3. Ingratitude - “My people doth not consider.”

How hard our hearts by nature are,

Despising mercy great,

We live by God’s benevolent care

And all His goodness hate!

II. Secondly, Isaiah describes - THE UNIVERSAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN WHICH CALLS FOR DIVINE WRATH (vv. 4-8).

Sin is both a crime and disease of the heart that is common to all men everywhere in all ages. It is a universal malady. Notice the prophets words, “Oh sinful nation.” This is a lamentation, a cry of mourning. It came from the lips and pen of Isaiah. But Isaiah is speaking for God. Here is God bemoaning men! He speaks with holy indignation against our race and announces the sure consequence of our sin.

A. Our sin and guilt is set before us in unmistakable terms (v. 4).

What the Lord here says of the nation of Israel is true of all the race of men, for all men are really but one nation, one race, and one family, sprung from one original father, Adam. And in him we all sinned (Rom. 5:12). Our guilt and depravity is as inexcusable as it is wicked. Seven things about our sin -

1. The depravity of our race is a universal depravity - “Ah, sinful nation!”

2. We are all full of sin, totally depraved - “A people laden with iniquity.”

3. Sin is our very nature - “A seed of evil-doers.” We are the sinful seed of sinful stock!”

4. We are all propagators of corruption - “Children that are corrupters.”

5. Originally and primarily, sin is the forsaking of God - “They have forsaken the Lord.”

6. Sin provokes God to anger - “They have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger.”

7. And sin is the constantly increasing degeneracy of our hearts - “They are gone away backward.”

Isaiah’s description of man’s depravity is very much like that which Paul gives in Romans 3:9-19. God’s servants in all ages always agree. They all say the same thing.

· All Men Are Guilty of Sin!

· All Men Are Justly Condemned by Sin!

· All Men Are Helpless to Change Their State and Condition Before God!

B. Isaiah, to make us see the evil consequences of sin, describes it as that from which we cannot be retrieved by any form of correction (v. 5).

He asks the question, “Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and more.”

1. Though God threatens, man will not change.

2. Though God punished, the heart of man is unchanged.

Note: Only the blood of Christ can remove the guilt of sin.

And only the grace of God can subdue the power of

sin.

3. If God should cease to deal with you in mercy and forever cast you aside in reprobation, it would be no more than you deserve (Pro. 1:23-33).

C. Sin is the mental disease of our race (vv.5-6).

Isaiah compares sin to a deadly disease, spreading through the body, covering every part, which will surely end in death unless God intervenes.

1. Sin is a disease that has taken root in our vital parts -

a. “The whole head is sick” - Reason and judgment are perverted.

b. “The whole heart is faint” - The affections of our hearts are all unclean.

2. And this malady has so overspread the body that there is no soundness in it.

a. No sound principles!

b. No sound thoughts!

c. No sound words!

d. No sound desires!

e. No sound works!

3. Everything about us festers, stinks, and rots with the leprosy of sin.

4. And there is none to help, if God himself does not help.

· The wounds cannot be closed.

· The sores cannot be bound.

· The leprosy cannot be healed.

D. As sin brought judgment to Judah and Jerusalem, sin brings the wrath and judgment of God upon all men today. (v. 7-8).

Temporal judgments are forewarnings of eternal judgment. And eternal judgment is the just reward of our sin (Rom. 6:23).

This is God’s controversy with man. He is holy. We are sin. Our sin is natural, and willful, and universal, and inexcusable. Our every breath provokes God to anger. We deserve to die. We must die. Our sin must be punished! But, I do have good news for the sinners. There is hope for men, even the fallen sons of Adam.

III. In verse 9, Isaiah proclaims - THE MARVELOUS ELECTION OF GRACE, WHICH OPENS THE DOOR OF HOPE.

Thank God, there is a remnant according to the election of grace who shall be saved (Rom. 11:5; 9:29). Who is that elect remnant? All who seek the righteousness of God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 9:30-33).

Election shuts the door of mercy against no one. Election opens the door to many. Were it not for God’s election of some from eternity, we would all have perished like Sodom under the wrath of God. Thank God for electing love!

Application: Your only hope of salvation and eternal life is faith in Christ. Trust Christ and live forever. If you will not trust him, you must forever die!

Illustration: The Hindu missionary, Olol Yeller