Sermon #243 Series: Isaiah

Title: “THE HAND OF THE LORD SHALL BE KNOWN”

Text: Isaiah 66:1-24

Reading: Office: Ron Wood Auditorium: Bob Poncer

Subject: The Manifestation of God’s Hand in His Works

Date: Sunday Evening - July 7, 1996

Tape # S-71

Introduction:

Believers see God’s hand everywhere. In creation, providence, and grace, we see the finger of our God. We do not always see it clearly. In fact, we do not always see it. We are so sinful and unbelieving that we do not always even look for it. But, in our limited capacity, we do see and recognize the hand of the Lord in all things. We confess that...

· He is our Creator.

Psalms 100:3 "Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture."

· He is our Savior.

Psalms 62:1-2 "Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. (2) He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved."

· “The most High ruleth!” Our God rules all things everywhere at all times absolutely.

Isaiah 46:9-11 "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, (10) Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (11) Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it."

I acknowledge that we now see through a glass darkly; but we do see these things and rejoice in them. All true believers do. But the last chapter of Isaiah speaks of a time when everyone everywhere, all men and all angels, both the righteous and the wicked, all rational creatures shall see the hand of God in all things and acknowledge it. And it shall be seen and known that in all things the hand of the Lord was at work, throughout the ages of time, for his people. Read it in verse fourteen:

Isaiah 66:14 "And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies."

That is what I want to talk about tonight. “THE HAND OF THE LORD SHALL BE KNOWN.” Hold your Bibles open here in Isaiah 66. I want to give you an general overview of this entire chapter. Tonight we will just glance at the highlights. The Lord willing, we will look at the chapter in more detail in the coming weeks.

The theme of this chapter is still the new creation promised in chapter sixty-five. As we saw in that chapter, this passage also speaks of God’s works of grace which consummate in and bring us into the new creation.

Proposition: When the Lord God has finished all his works it shall be seen by all that the hand of the Lord sovereignly brought all things to pass, ruled them, and disposed of them for the everlasting salvation of his people to the praise of the glory of his grace.

Divisions: In these twenty-four verses we are given a prophecy of the events leading up to the end, which shall be the salvation of God’s elect and the glorious display of the greatness, grace, and glory of our God. Let me divide the chapter into four parts for the purpose of our study this evening.

1. The Proclamation of God (vv. 1-4).

2. The Promise to Generations (vv. 5-17).

3. The Permanence of Grace (vv. 18-23).

4. The Punishment of Guilt (v. 24).

I. THE PROCLAMATION OF GOD

We know that these opening verses of the chapter refer to the destruction of Judaism as a system of worship and of Israel as a nation because Stephen specifically declares it in Acts 7:49-50. His message so infuriated the Jews that they stoned him to death on the spot as a mob of enraged madmen. Yet, this is a message that few seem to have learned.

A. The Lord God holds legal, ceremonial, carnal ordinances and religious ritualism in utter contempt.

Even those ordinances of divine worship that were required by him in the Old Testament were acceptable only when they were observed in faith, looking to Christ. But once Christ came and fulfilled the types, any adherence to those carnal ordinances is utter idolatry. That is the message of verses one through three.

Isaiah 66:1-3 "Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? (2) For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. (3) He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations."

Luke 16:15 "That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."

God almighty is the sovereign, infinite Spirit, who made all things. He does not dwell in temples made with hands. He dwells in the hearts of believing sinners, in the hearts of poor and contrite people, people who know, acknowledge, and confess their sin, and reverence his Word.

B. In sovereign and just wrath, God chooses the delusions by which unbelieving rebels shall be deceived and destroyed.

Isaiah 66:4 "I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not."

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

II. THE PROMISE TO GENERATIONS

We often fret about the coming generations; but there is no reason for our fretting. In these next verses as well as in many other passages, the Lord God promises that he will save his elect, protect his church, and avenge his people’s persecutions.

A. Those who are set for our destruction and oppose us in the name of God shall be dealt with in justice, in a most public manner.

Isaiah 66:5-6 "Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. (6) A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompense to his enemies."

Perhaps not today, maybe not tomorrow, but in his time God will avenge his own elect and put our adversaries to shame.

· 1 Corinthians 4:3-5

B. God’s church and kingdom shall be fully inhabited.

Jerusalem was destroyed. While that ancient city and the nation lay as a smoldering heap of rubbish, many might think that the worship and kingdom of God must now be in jeopardy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Nothing hinders the purpose of God. In verses 7-14 the Lord promises abundant grace and salvation to his chosen. These verses speak of God’s promises to the Church, Jerusalem which is above, the Israel of God, his holy nation made up of Jews and Gentiles.

Isaiah 66:7-14 "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. (8) Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. (9) Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. (10) Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: (11) That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. (12) For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. (13) As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. (14) And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies."

1. The spiritual birth of God’s elect is brought to pass without the aid of a man, by the power of God (vv. 7-10).

2. This holy nation was born in one day, when Christ arose from the dead.

3. Our travail for children in prayer is not the cause, but only sign and the result of God’s work.

4. The only part we have in this is the joy. - Christ did the suffering!

5. The church’s breasts of consolation for her children are the ministry and ordinances of the gospel (v. 11).

6. The brightness and abundance of our glory is Christ himself (v. 11).

7. The peace he gives, like a mighty flowing river for abundance, is the peace of pardon, righteousness, reconciliation, and grace in Christ (vv. 12-14).

C. Yet, even as he is saving his chosen, the Lord God is binding the tares for the burning and raining judgment upon the wicked.

By the fire of his holy wrath and the sword of his Spirit, the Lord God destroys the wicked who will not bow before him. As they choose their abominations, their refuges of lies, they choose their destruction.

Isaiah 66:15-17 "For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. (16) For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. (17) They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD."

III. THE PERMANENCE OF GRACE

In verses eighteen through twenty-three the Lord assures us of the everlasting blessedness of his people.

Isaiah 66:18-23 "For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (19) And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. (20) And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. (21) And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD. (22) For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. (23) And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD."

I can only scratch the surface a little bit now; but look at what is here promised. Seven Things...

A. God’s elect shall come from every corner of the earth (v. 18).

B. They shall see his glory (v. 18) - The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

C. God will set a Sign among them, wherever they are found (v. 19). That sign is Christ and his gospel. (Luke 2:34) "And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;"

D. “They shall declare my glory among the Gentiles” (v. 19).

E. These chosen ones, you and I, are made and accepted of God in Christ, as his holy nation, his royal priesthood, a people who worship him in spirit and in truth (vv. 20-21).

F. This is a generation that shall never pass away (v. 22). God’s grace lasts, and it lasts forever!

G. All who are born of God worship him perpetually (v. 23).

We observe no sabbath days, new moons, or holy days (Col. 2:9-17). We worship God at all times, everywhere. Christ is our Sabbath forever! Heaven’s glory will be nothing more or less than the continuation of grace brought to perfection forever!

But some will never experience grace. You who refuse to trust Christ, you who will not bow to the Son of God, shall perish forever under the wrath of the Almighty for your guilt. So in the last verse we see a declaration of...

IV. THE PUNISHMENT OF GUILT

Isaiah 66:24 "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."

This last verse tells us two things:

A. The righteous shall look upon the carcasses of the wicked in hell.

· With Abhorrence.

· With Gratitude.

· Without Sorrow or Pity.

B. The torments of the damned, whatever they are, are relentless and everlasting.

Application:

The Book of Isaiah closes with this note of solemn warning. Be wise and hear it. God has always punished sin.

· Sodom

· Israel

· His Own Dear Son

Do not be fooled into thinking that he will not punish sin in you! God has not changed. Unless you turn to him and take refuge in him, unless you flee away to Christ and seek mercy and grace through the merits of his death upon the cross, you will perish forever under the wrath of God in hell.

Isaiah 1:18-20 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (19) If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: (20) But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."