Sermon #69 Series: Isaiah

Title: Judgment Must Begin At the House Of God

Text: Isaiah 27:7-13

Subject: Divine Chastisement

Date: Tuesday Evening - January 29, 1991

Tape #

Introduction:

The Apostle Peter wrote, “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begins with us, what shall the end of them be that obey not the gospel of God?” (I Pet. 4:17). In the Book of Hebrews we read, “Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” And the conclusion which the inspired writer draws from those words is this - “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:30-31).

Proposition: Both Peter and the writer of the Book of Hebrews tell us that though God will surely judge the world, he will first judge his own house - “Judgment must begin at the house of God!”

That is an astounding statement, misunderstood by many, confusing to most and ignored by others. But that is my subject tonight. “Judgment Must Begin At the House Of God.”

We believe that the Bible is the best commentary on the Bible. That is to say, we interpret Scripture by Scripture. In our text this evening, the Prophet Isaiah gives us an inspired commentary on Peter’s words, “Judgment Must Begin At the House Of God.” My text is Isaiah 27:7-13.

Divisions: In this chapter Isaiah is showing us God’s care for his vine, the church, in times of great trial. The particular illustration he uses is the care and protection of God’s elect remnant in Israel during the time of their Babylonian captivity. God will destroy his enemies, those who persecute and oppress his church. And in the end the Lord will cause his Israel, the church of his elect, to blossom, and bud, and fill the earth. But, in order to accomplish these things, “Judgment must begin at the house of God.” In verses 7-13 Isaiah calls our attention to three things and assures us of them.

1. The Judgment Of God’s House (vv. 7-9).

2. The Destruction Of Babylon (vv. 10-11).

3. The Salvation Of God’s Elect (vv. 12-13).

I. In verses 7-9 Isaiah describes THE JUDGMENT OF GOD’S HOUSE.

In what sense does the Lord judge His people? How and why does he judge his church? These are the questions that the prophet answers in these three verses.

A. First, he assures us that God does not judge his church as he judges the world - (v. 7).

“Hath he smitten him (Israel, his elect) as he smote those that smote him?” The question implies a denial. No; God does not smite his church as he does those who persecute his church. “Is he (Israel, God’s church) slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him?” Again the answer is, no!

1. When God comes out against his enemies, he takes out his rod of justice in the fury of his wrath to destroy them (26:21-27:1).

2. But when the Lord comes out against his church, he takes out his rod of correction, in mercy, love and grace, to correct us.

He says, “Fury is not in me!” Be sure you understand this at the outset - God is not angry with his people. He spent the fury of his own wrath and justice against us upon Christ our Substitute. If the Holy Lord God has punished my sins in Christ, he will not and cannot punish them in me. Justice will not allow it.

“Payment God cannot twice demand,

First at my bleeding surety’s hand

And then again at mine!”

The Lord “hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” - (Ps. 103:10).

This is what redemption by the blood of Christ means - All who are redeemed are forgiven of all sin - (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14).

a. God will not impute sin to his elect (Rom. 4:8).

b. God will not punish us for our sins (Rom. 8:1).

c. God will not treat us any the less graciously because of our sin, either in this world or in the world to come.

Is that perfectly clear? In Christ we are freed from sin, totally freed from all penalty due to our sins! But that does not mean that God will allow his people in this world to live in rebellion and sin. God does not spoil his children. He will not indulge us in our iniquities. He will deal with us about our sins. Blessed be his name, he deals with us in mercy. But he does deal with us as a wise and loving Father (Heb. 12:5-11).

Illus: David - (II Sam. 12:1-14).

B. When the Lord judges his people his judgments are always governed by love and mitigated by mercy (v. 8).

Solomon assures us that a man cannot take fire to his bosom without burning his clothes, or walk upon hot coals without burning his feet (Pro. 6:27-28). Even so, if you and I willfully walk contrary to the will of God, bringing reproach upon the name of Christ, the gospel of his grace and faith in him, if we do injury to his cause, we will bring pain and trouble to ourselves.

In verse 8 Isaiah tells us three things about the judgments of God’s providence upon his people.

1. They are measured judgments - “In measure.”

The Lord deals out our afflictions to us like a wise physician prescribes medicine to his patient. He knows what and how much we need. Like a skillful surgeon, he knows where to cut and how deep. He will not put upon you more than is needful or more than you can bear (I Cor. 10:13). And, with the judgment, he will give you grace sufficient (II Cor. 12:9).

2. They are correcting judgments - “When it shooteth forth, thou will debate with it.”

In affliction God debates and contends with his people. Not all affliction is the result of personal sin. But often it is. And when it is, the child who is afflicted knows it.

Illus: I have never corrected my daughter for

anything but what I told her the cause.

3. They are mitigated judgments - “He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.”

God, who holds the winds in his fists, directs them according to his will. He sends the rough wind against his vine to blow off the dead twigs. But he stops the rough wind, lest it destroy the vine. In other words, God’s judgment of his house is always mixed with and directed by mercy.

C. The Lord’s purpose in judging his house is to purge it of iniquity (v. 9).

In the immediate context the prophet is telling Israel that God would send them down into Babylon in captivity to rid the nation of idolatry. And he did. But the prophecy was written for us as much as it was for the church of Isaiah’s day.

1. God’s object in judging us in providence is altogether gracious - “By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged.”

The word “purged” means “atoned, expiated, put away.” And we know that no amount of suffering on our part can make atonement for sin! But God graciously afflicts us for sin so that we might turn from it in repentance and faith to Christ, by whom it is purged away (I John 1:9).

2. With regard to the individual believer, God’s purpose in chastisement is to retrieve us from our sins - Job 36:8-10).

Though our heavenly Father afflicts us, he makes our afflictions work for the eternal, spiritual good of our souls. When foolishness is bound up in the heart of his child, he drives it out with the rod of correction (Pro. 22:15).

“Chastisement is the rod by which God drives the sin which he hates from the child that he loves” - (C.H. Spurgeon).

Be wise and hear what I am telling you. Child of God, you cannot reject God’s counsel, bring reproach upon his name and dishonor his Son without suffering the consequences of your actions. God will either turn you from your sin, or he will take you from your sin. “There is a sin unto death” (I John 5:16).

· I have seen God correct men.

· And I have seen God take men who would not be corrected.

Illus: J.S. - F.G. - H.M.).

“There are only two reasons why God will kill a believer: either he is through with him, or he gets in God’s way” - (Rolfe Barnard).

3. With regard to his church, God’s purpose in afflicting his church is that he might separate the wheat from the tares (I Cor. 11:19).

a. In every church there are both tares and wheat, sheep and goats.

b. None of us can separate the true from the false.

c. But God can and will purge his church.

“Judgment must begin at the house of God!” But it does not end there!

II. Read verses 10-11. Here Isaiah describes THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON.

I know that the “defenced city” here refers to the ancient city of Babylon and the destruction of that city. But throughout the Scriptures, Babylon represents all that is opposed to God, his church, and his truth. Babylon, the great whore of Revelation, is all false religion, by which the princes, kings, merchants and nations of the world have been deceived and led in rebellion to God.

A. Babylon is a “defenced city.”

False religion gives men and women confidence, assurance, and peace. But it is a confident peace.

· There is peace in decisionism.

· There is peace in willism.

· There is peace in legalism.

· And there is peace in materialism.

B. But when the Lord God comes to destroy Babylon, her destruction shall be thorough and complete (Rev. 18:20-24).

This world, its religion, its kingdoms, shall be made desolate! The nations of the world shall be made like one huge ghost town.

· Where cattle roam the streets.

· Where trees and vineyards are withered and broken.

· Fit only to be burned - (John 15:6).

C. When God destroys this world in judgment, his judgment shall be the execution of wrath and justice, without mercy.

1. The cause of wrath will be their willful ignorance of the living God - “It is a people of no understanding.”

Had they walked in the light God had given them, he would have given them more light. But because they refused the light, and chose darkness, God will destroy them.

2. In that day the great Creator will destroy his creatures, without mercy, without favor.

Hell is a place where there is not so much as a drop of mercy to mitigate wrath.

Illus: Lazarus begged for a drop of water. But

none was given!

IV. In the end, when all the works of God are finished, and time shall be no more, Isaiah tells us THE SALVATION OF GOD’S ELECT is sure (vv. 12-13).

Here he gives us a picture of what God is doing. The day he is talking about is now, this last day, the gospel age, from the coming of Christ to the end of the world. In his providential judgments of his own house and in the righteous judgments of his enemies, this is what God is doing - He is accomplishing the salvation of his elect. This is the day of God’s harvest!

A. The Lord God is gathering his children one by one - (v. 12).

Like a man takes a stick to beat his trees, so that the ripe fruit may fall, so the Lord is beating the earth to gather his ripe fruit.

1. The channel of the river Euphrates is the northeast border of Canaan, and the stream of the Nile in Egypt is the southeast border - The significance is this - “All Israel shall be saved!” God will gather his elect from the north, the south, the east and the west - All the heirs of promise shall be gathered into the land of promise, the heavenly Canaan!

2. They shall be gathered one by one, with great care.

3. They shall be gathered everyone!

B. Here is the means by which God shall gather his elect - (v. 13).

1. The blowing of the gospel trumpet - Jubilee!

2. The voice of the archangel, the trump of God - The Resurrection!

3. They shall come, when God calls - Who shall come?

a. Those who are ready to perish!

b. The outcasts of the earth!

4. And when they come, they shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

· In his church!

· In the New Jerusalem!

Conclusion: Learn these three things:

1. God’s judgment of his own house is a work of great mercy and grace.

“He whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.” (See Isa. 54:7-10).

2. God’s judgment of the world is a work of justice.

3. God’s purpose of grace cannot be frustrated or defeated - He will gather the outcasts of Israel one by one!