Sermon
# 223 Series: Isaiah
Title: “WHO IS THIS?”
Text: Isaiah 63:1-19
Subject: Christ’s Comings To Save His
People and Judge His Enemies
Date:
Sunday Evening – October 8, 1995
Introduction:
If
you read the commentaries on this passage, (I mean, of course, only the good
commentaries), they are just about equally divided. Some say that this Chapter has reference to and is a prophecy of
our Lord’s first advent to redeem and save his people
by the sacrifice of himself. And the
arguments in favor of their interpretation are pretty good. But others say, No. They tell us that this 66th
Chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy of Christ’s glorious second
advent to
judge and destroy his enemies. And
their arguments are pretty good too. I
am convinced by and a doubt that both interpretations are absolutely true.
Proposition: Isaiah 66 is a prophecy of Christ’s first and his
second advents for the complete salvation of his people and the utter
destruction of his enemies.
Tonight,
I want to take you through these 19 verses of Isaiah 66. I want to show you once more who our Lord
Jesus Christ is and lead you in the thankful acknowledgement of his unceasing
mercy, love, and grace toward us.
I. In verses 1-6, we are given a
prophetic picture of Christ’s coming to save his people.
Edom represents God’s most
implacable enemies. Bozra was the
capital city of Edom. So the Lord Jesus
is here presented as coming triumphantly up out of Edom, having accomplished the
redemption of his people – “Mighty to Save.”
Verse 1
Verses 2-3 – Our Lord Jesus stained his
garments in the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God, when he died as our
Substitute.
Verses 4 – At God’s appointed time, he
came forth to satisfy the justice of the Almighty and redeem his chosen by the
sacrifice of himself.
Verse 5 – In fury against sin and in
zeal for his people, the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished the salvation of his
people by himself.
Verse 6 – Our salvation will be complete
when Christ comes the second time and at last destroys all his enemies and
ours.
II. Secondly, We ought to
constantly and thankfully acknowledge God’s goodness to us and our unworthyness
of it (vv.
7-10).
A. God’s free lovingkindness is the cause of all his
goodness to us – “In love” (Eph. 1:4)
B. His goodness toward us
is great.
C. God’s goodness is measured to us by his immeasurable, electing mercy (vv. 7-8).
D. Christ became our Savior because he chose us to be his people (John 15-16).
E. Surely, the objects of such
grace ought to always honor the Lord God as a people…
F. But, like Israel of old, we are altogether unworthy of God’s great goodness to us.
III. Yet, as God was faithful to
Israel, so he has been and shall forever be faithful to us (vv. 11-14).
God is faithful!
IV. This chapter closes with an
earnest, humble prayer for mercy by which the Holy Spirit teaches us how to
Wrestle with God in prayer (vv. 15-19).
A. Plead His Attributes –
Holiness and
Mercy (v. 15).
B. Plead Our Special Relationship With Him. (v.
16).
C. Plead your Need of Him
(v. 17).
D. Plead the Insolence of
Your Enemies (v.
18).
E. Plead the Glory of God’s
Name (v. 19).
Application: Lamentations 5:1, 16, 17, 21.