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Isaiah 53-55
Skip Heitzig

Isaiah 53 (NKJV™)
1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they made His grave with the wicked--But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 54 (NKJV™)
1 "Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman," says the LORD.
2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes.
3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited.
4 "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
5 For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
6 For the LORD has called you Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Like a youthful wife when you were refused," Says your God.
7 "For a mere moment I have forsaken you, But with great mercies I will gather you.
8 With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you," Says the LORD, your Redeemer.
9 "For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; For as I have sworn That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, So have I sworn That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10 For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed," Says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
11 "O you afflicted one, Tossed with tempest, and not comforted, Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, And lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, Your gates of crystal, And all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD, And great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
15 Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.
16 "Behold, I have created the blacksmith Who blows the coals in the fire, Who brings forth an instrument for his work; And I have created the spoiler to destroy.
17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the LORD.
Isaiah 55 (NKJV™)
1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you--The sure mercies of David.
4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people.
5 Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the LORD your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you."
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
12 "For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the LORD for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

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23 Isaiah - 2004

During His ministry on earth, Jesus quoted Isaiah more than any other prophet. In this series, Skip Heitzig takes a look at this well-known book in which Isaiah called for Israel to repent from their sins, pointing to the ultimate Deliverer who would bring salvation.

Please note: this series is missing chapters 1-16. No recording of these chapters are available.

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Isaiah chapter 53. Two weeks ago, I was in New York City, and New York's always been known for a city with sort of an attitude. I remember going there years ago and you'd asked for, you'd just ask how a person was doing and they'd say, what's it to you?

I was there right after September 11th, 2001, and the city was a very different city. It was a very somber city because of what happened. When I was there two weeks ago, I could tell it bounced back to its old self. I asked directions and somebody said, what do I look like a map? So I thought yep, New York is back to where it was. One of the interesting sights to see in that city on Fifth Avenue, is a large statue of Atlas holding the world on his shoulders. And I looked up at that statue and I said, I wouldn't want that job for all the money in the world. Holding the world, breaking your shoulders, trying to live by your own strength and might. Now, across the street is St. Patrick's Cathedral, and there's a very different statue inside. An interesting statue of Jesus Christ holding the world in his hand. Now that's the way to live. Would you rather live with the world breaking, crushing your shoulders? Or at rest and at peace like the song we just heard where Jesus has got your world in his grip?

Well the reason he can do that is because all of the sin of all of the world was laid upon him. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all. As we read in Isaiah chapter 53. Beginning in chapter 52, verse 13, all the way into chapter 53 is the fourth servant song of the prophet Isaiah. Chapter 42 was the first servant song that spoke about the messiah, the Lord Jesus. Chapter 49 was the second. Chapter 50 was the third, and now we deal with the fourth, where the messiah is the sin-bearing servant of the Father.

It's an incredible prophecy. In fact, it's so minute in its details that no human could have written about it in advance. It Speaks about the substitutionary death of Jesus'. His burial, his resurrection, his salvation for the world and his intercession for sinners at his death. But you ought to know something. We know that Isaiah 53 speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ, but most modern rabbis, most Jews, for that matter, don't see it as referring to Jesus Christ.

I've read a few Jewish commentaries and they'll remark that Christians believe it has to do with Jesus, but they will say it can't have anything to do with the Messiah. They'll say that Isaiah 53 speaks of the nation of Israel or some unknown, unnamed temple priest or King Hezekiah. In fact, one Jewish author said Isaiah chapter 53 describes the history of the Jews, despised by the world, persecuted by the crusaders, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Nazis. These verses do not point to a Messiah.

However, it hasn't always been that way historically. From the time of the writing of the Talmud, around 200 to 500 BC, the rabbis historically have always said that Isaiah 53 has to do with the Messiah. It wasn't until the 11th century when rabbi Rashi and his commentaries on the Old Testament decided, because of all of the controversy and the obvious fulfillment of these verses of scripture with Jesus of Nazareth, that he changed it and said that it must have to do with the nation of Israel rather than the Messiah.

If you were to go back historically into one of the oldest translation of the Hebrew scriptures called the Aramaic targums, it translates the opening verse of the servant song in Isaiah chapter 52 verse 13 where it says, "behold, my servant shall deal prudently." That ancient translation puts it this way, 'behold, my servant Messiah shall prosper. " And then it goes on to speak of his martyrdom. The messiah's death for the world. And another rabbi by the name of Rabbi Akiva, said this must refer to the Messiah who will be wounded for our transgressions. That's a little bit of history.

Now let's begin, verse one. "Who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" The first time that Jesus Christ came to this earth, and he's coming again, we know, but when he came the first time, though he had followers and multitudes around him, by and large they didn't believe the report. They didn't recognize him as their Messiah. He came into his own, the scripture says, but his own received him not. And the cross has always seemed absurd to the world. The very idea of a substitutionary death. And so Paul writes in the New Testament that the cross is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.

It doesn't make sense, somebody put it well when they said no other religion has at its heart, the humiliation of its God. But here we see the prediction of the sin-bearer taking away the sins of the world. "For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant." And notice this, "as a root out of dry ground, He has no form or comeliness. And when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him."

Israel was hard, dry ground by the time Jesus came on the scene. It was barren soil. You remember Isaiah chapter 5 when God described through the prophet Isaiah that Israel was like a vineyard God planted that brought forth wild grapes. That God cleared out its stones and prepared the soil and expected it to be a fruitful vineyard. But as time wore on, Israel not only did not bear the kind of fruit that God wanted it to bear, but the soil became dry and hard. Formalism set in. The Pharisees and Sadducees with all of their extraneous beliefs, caused a spiritual and moral desert, so to speak, to become the ground of this nation.

At the same time, when Jesus came on the scene, there was this expectation among the Jews. This deep longing that the messiah would be right around the corner. And here's why, because of the dryness of the ground of Judaism and because of the Roman and Greek polytheism that did not satisfy people but left them emptier than ever before. There was this deep groaning and yearning that the Messiah would be right around the corner. You see, before Jesus came on the scene, before John the Baptist said, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, there had been 400 silent years. God hadn't spoken. And then when God spoke, it was with a glorious voice and a glorious plan. And Jesus came to the nation of Israel. In Galatians, Paul said, "when the fullness of the time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law."

So out of this dry, barren soil the Messiah came. Now there was an interesting prediction way back in the book of Genesis chapter 49 that says "the scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh comes." Again, historically, the Jewish rabbis attributed that to the Messiah because the term 'scepter' means the tribal identity or the banner. That included the right of that tribe to execute the law of Moses. And the term Shiloh means the one to whom it belongs, and the Jewish rabbi said that must refer to the Messiah. So the way they interpreted it was this: the tribal identity of Judah, which includes its national sovereignty and its right to execute the law of Moses, will not depart from Judah until the messiah comes.

But something happened around the first quarter of the first century. Rome came and had occupied the land and took away the right of the people of Jerusalem and Judea, the right to execute capital punishment for divine purposes. On the day that happened, according to the Talmud, the Jewish priests in Jerusalem put on sackcloth and ashes and they paraded down the streets, saying the scepter has departed from Judah but our messiah has not come. While they were having that little parade up in Nazareth, a young boy was laying down his carpentry tools. And out of the dry ground, the barren soil of hardened Judaism, that tender plant was springing forth. Messiah had come. Shiloh had come. But it would be a dry situation and he would bring forth life.

"He has no form, nor comeliness. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." Jesus did not wear a halo when he walked down the street. Contrary to the pictures or the holy cards some people grew up with. He is despised and rejected by men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid, as it were, our faces from him. "He was despised and we did not esteem Him."

The verses picture Messiah's rejection by the nation. He was not only mistreated physically, he was rejected spiritually. He was abused emotionally, he didn't receive a fair trial by the Romans. The Jews pressed it and they had him sentenced before the fair trial could ever be given to him. As the trials of Christ went on, gradually he became more and more abandoned by men. The crowds started turning against him. He was rejected formally by the Jewish Sanhedrin. He went into the upper room and had Passover with his 12 men, his closest friends, his disciples. But in the middle of that feast, one of his disciples got up and left the room to betray him. That was Judas.

Now there were 11, and Jesus took his 11 men from the upper room and walked from upper Jerusalem down toward the Kidron Valley, across it, and into the Garden of Gethsemane. There in the Garden of Gethsemane with his 11 men, he went aside to pray and he brought three with him, Peter, James, and John. But while Jesus was praying, you know what happened, they fell asleep. And Jesus said, couldn't you watch with me even one hour?

Then as time went on, Jesus was arrested in the garden. And when he was taken into the courtyard of the high priest, Peter and John also were there. But Peter eventually denied Jesus and eventually, as time wore on, all forsook him. That gradual abandonment by men. Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him, stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

On the cross people saw Jesus bleeding, dying, and they wondered. They heard about him but they looked, and they thought he's suffering for something he did. He brought this on himself. But Isaiah correct that thinking in verse 5. "But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed."

Notice the word wounded. In Hebrew, literally it's "pierced." He was pierced for our transgressions. And then notice the word 'bruised.' In Hebrew that word literally is he was crushed for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed. Theologians call this the vicarious Atonement of Christ. Simply means the substitution for our sins. That's what Jesus became.

I remember the day I heard the gospel. It was Billy Graham who was preaching on television. And I was listening and he spoke about Jesus dying on the cross for my sins. And that he took all of his sins upon himself. And I was about ready to turn off the television set and he looked right in the camera. He said if you're watching by television you can know Christ. And I thought how did he know what I was thinking? I turned it off very quickly and I went into my bedroom. And as I was thinking over what he had said, I said, Lord, I don't get it. You're asking for my life, and in exchange you gave your life, the life of your son, your only son. It sounds to me like you're getting a bad deal. My life for the life of your son?

But then I thought about it again I said, hey, I'm getting a great deal. And I'd be a fool to walk away from this deal. And anyone who would walk away from this gospel, this deal, would indeed be a fool. One of the greatest verses in all of the Bible is in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21 that sums up the Atonement of Christ in these words, "he made him," that is Christ, "who knew no sin to be sin for us. That we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

In other words, God treated Jesus Christ like he had committed every sin by every person who ever existed. Or let's put it more personally, God treated Jesus like you and I deserve to be treated. So that God could treat us like Jesus Christ deserves to be treated. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. That's the substitutionary death of Christ. "All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

When Jesus hung on the cross, he uttered several statements. The fourth statement of Jesus was this gut-wrenching Aramaic "Eli Eli Lama sebastiani." My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? It was prophesied, it was predicted in Psalm 22 that he would utter that from the cross. Now up to this point in Jesus suffering, he had been thinking only of others. When he saw the women in Jerusalem weeping, he said don't weep for me, weep for yourselves and for your children. When the Romans took his hands and nailed his hands and feet to the cross, and they raised the cross, Jesus said, Father, forgive them. They don't know what they do. Then the thief that was on his side, he turned and he said, today you'll be with me in paradise. To his mother who was at the foot of the cross next to John, his apostle, he said, mother behold your son, son behold your mother. In other words, John, it's your job, your commission to take care of her now.

So up till this point, he had been thinking of others, but now, he says, my God my God, why have you forsaken me. I believe that's when this verse came to bear. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all. By the way, that verse of scripture, that statement from the cross is the only time recorded in the Bible when Jesus referred to God not as his Father, but as God. Up to that point, he had always spoken about the Father. Your Father, my Father. But now, as if there is a distance, it's my God my God, why have you forsaken me.

Martin Luther said that he went into seclusion to try to figure out that verse of scripture. And that he came back more confused than ever. He just quite didn't understand that all of the wrath of the Father for the sin of the world would be unleashed upon Jesus so that Jesus would feel and experience, for a moment of time, this separation from the Father. He had always known intimacy and now that intimacy with the Father was blocked, impeded. And he felt that separation. Habakkuk, the prophet, referring to God, said, "your eyes are too pure to look upon evil."

Now I don't think you can ever get a more graphic description of what sin will do than that. Sin separates. And Jesus felt that separation as the iniquity was laid upon him. Sin separates you from God, sin will separate you from people. And Jesus took it on himself. Thank you, Lord.

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted. Yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter as a sheep before it's shearers is silent. So he opened not his mouth." When Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, Pilot asked him a couple of questions. Jesus didn't answer them. Until there was one point in the conversation and Jesus spoke about the truth and about his kingdom. When Jesus was brought before Herod for a trial, Herod wanted to see Jesus perform some kind of a trick, some kind of an amusement. And he asked Jesus questions, but it said, "he answered him not a word." Completely silent, as a lamb before the shearers is dumb.

"He was taken from prison and from judgment. And who will declare his generation? For he was cut off from the land of the living for the transgressions of my people, he was stricken. And they made his grave with the wicked, but with the rich at his death because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth."

That verse would be better translated in this way, they assigned him a grave with the criminals, but with the rich at his death because he had done no violence. In other words, they made the plan, they made the designation, that Jesus would be buried like criminals would be buried. But the way it happened, you know what happened with Joseph of Arimathea giving, loaning, really, because Jesus rose from the dead, for a temporary of time, his grave. A tomb of a rich, wealthy aristocrat in Jerusalem, and Jesus was buried there.

Romans usually buried crucified criminals with the cross. They would often take the upper part of the cross, that's called the patibulum, off of it and the criminal was buried with at least the bottom part of the cross. The Jews would take those who were condemned to die in this fashion and bury them in some shameful place with common criminals, usually in a common grave. And that may have been their plan, but according to prophecy, it was fulfilled. Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Verse 10 speaks now of what happened in terms of accomplishments, spiritually, at the cross. "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him."

That sounds sort of strange to us doesn't it? We're parents, those of us who have children, obviously, the idea of watching your child suffer and die, this doesn't make much sense to us, it pleased the Lord to bruise him. And literally it means to experience emotional delight. And you wonder how, why, I don't get it. I don't think we'll ever get it. But it is explained, "he has put him to grief. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed," his spiritual posterity, "he shall prolong his days." That's the Resurrection. "And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my righteous servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities." The delight was in the achievement of the cross. The pleasing was seeing what the cross would affect. No doubt this is what the writer of Hebrews was speaking about in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame."

God the Father, and Jesus the Son, knew the results of the cross throughout history would be that millions of people who would believe in that finished work would be forever and ever gathered around the throne in heaven. And you're part of that joy. As God could look through the lens of history and see those of us who believe, and Jesus could say Father, it's worth it, it's worth it. Because I get to buy them, and they'll become your children. "He will be satisfied. He shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied." In verse 11, notice the end of it, "by his knowledge, my righteous servant shall justify many."

A better rendering of that would be this, or by the knowledge of him many shall be justified. That is, in coming to know him personally, many will be justified. You remember when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, or at least when he was going there he uttered a prayer. Recorded in John 17, he uttered it out loud in front of his disciples. They could hear it, they observed it, and John wrote it down. He said "and this is eternal life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent."

Notice that Jesus described eternal life not chronologically, but relationally. This is life, that they know God and they know Jesus personally. And so now this verse makes perfect sense, "by the knowledge of him, many shall be justified. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great and he will divide the spoil with the strong because he poured out his soul unto death. He was numbered with the transgressors and he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors." another result of the finished work is in this verse, "he will divide the spoil with the strong." I think that refers to the saints, us, made strong by our connection to him. And part of the joy that Jesus had was dividing that eternal spoil with us. We're going to rule and reign with Christ. How awesome will that be?

That's all part of God's plan, Romans 8. "Those that he predestined, these he also called. And those he called, these he also justified. And those he justified, these he also glorified." All part of the plan of God from the beginning. Verse 12 is the prediction of what Jesus would do on the cross in praying, or making intercession for those who were next to him. "He made intercession for the transgressors." Remember on the cross, where he prayed 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'

There is something interesting I just want to point out. The term 'made intercession' is a verb construction in the Hebrew that is the indefinite future. It's very similar to the imperfect tense in Greek, which speaks of a work that began in the past but it's not done yet. So, on the cross, Jesus began his work of intercession. Father forgive them they know not what they do, but it didn't end there. It's still going on today.

You ever wonder, I don't know if you do, OK Jesus ascended to the right hand of the throne of God, he's there, he took his seat there. What's he doing? What has he been doing all this time? Answer, at least in part, making intercession for you. Praying for you. Isn't it great when somebody says, I've been thinking about you lately, I've been praying for you. I love that, thank you so much. It means so much to me. But when Jesus says, I've been thinking about you lately, I'm praying for you. I talk to the Father about you all the time. That's a win-win. That's a no-lose situation.

We so often speak about the finished work of Jesus Christ. And it's true when Jesus died on the cross, it's done. He said "tetelestai," it is finished. You and I can't add a single thing to that work of Christ in atonement. But did you know, there's also an unfinished work of Christ? That's his intercession. That's what it says in Romans chapter 8. He is at the right hand of God making intercession for us. Hebrews said he ever-liveth to make intercession for us. John wrote in first John, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. An advocate is like a lawyer, a defense attorney. You say, why do I need that? Because you have an enemy called the devil who is the accuser of the brethren. And he accuses you and I before God's throne day and night.

And he doesn't need to make stuff up about us, right? He's got the goods, he has the evidence. But Jesus Christ ever lives to make intercession for us. Now Isaiah chapter 54. The grief, the sadness, the suffering of chapter 53 and the atonement all give way to a less somber note, a more joyful song. It's a picture of redeemed Israel. And this chapter looks forward to the kingdom age, the restoration of the nation of Israel. But through the lens of the release from the Babylonian captivity. After 70 years, they came back to their land. And using that to foreshadow the future is a picture of the restored and redeemed Israel.

By the way, Paul the Apostle uses some of these verses in Galatians 4 to make a contrast between the earthly Jerusalem and heavenly Jerusalem. It's really a picture of God's mercy toward them and toward us. "Sing, oh baron you who have not born. Break forth into singing and cry aloud. You who have not labored with child, for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman, says the Lord. Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings. Do not spare, lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left and your descendants will inherit the nations and make the desolate cities inhabited."

It's only fitting that chapter 54 should begin with song because it follows chapter 53. Salvation has been accomplished and singing seems very appropriate. There was Israel, dry, barren, scorched ground, but the root came forth. Jesus Christ and salvation granted to millions, sing, o baron.

Back in 1972, it was my first visit to Calvary Chapel. I was raised in a traditional church and there was singing. But when I came to Calvary, there was singing. I looked around and I thought, these people, they've got something to sing about. I want to find out what it is. And I always talking to people, and I was listening to people, and I noticed that some of them were singing quite loudly. And not all of them had great voices. And somebody told me the Bible says make a joyful noise and to the Lord. And I thought, I like that. When you have something to sing about, when God put a song in your heart, don't hold back.

I remember somebody once told me, if God blessed you with a good voice, honor him with it. If God gave you a bad voice, give it back to him. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, sing o baron. In these verses, notice that Israel is described as barren and desolate. That would describe the nation during the captivity. They're in a foreign land, they're unable to produce all that the nation in autonomy would produce. They're desolate, they're barren. Really it's a picture of the nation without Christ, desolate and barren.

The prediction is that the tent would be enlarged. Now, in those days, if your family got bigger and you lived in a tent, if you were a Bedouin. If you lived in a tent and more kids get added to the family, and sometimes, kids have kids and live with their parents so you have extended family under one roof, all they do is take the tent and add more cloth to it. And a few more cords and more stakes and you just build the tent out on one side and part of the family lives on that side, part of the family lives on the other side. The promise is that Israel will grow and flourish and need to be in large to accommodate the population.

Keep in mind, the borders of the land that God gave to the nation of Israel, according to Joshua 1, if you were to map it out, are about 300,000 square miles. The borders of Israel, according to God, include parts of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria. Now all those nations aren't too crazy about that idea. And Israel, even at its zenith, under David and Solomon, only occupied 30,000 square miles. That is they only occupied 1/10 of all that God promised them. One day, they'll have it all. It's God's promise, his legacy to them. So enlarge, strengthen your stakes and your cords.

And by the way, Israel will lead the nations. They will lead the nations. You remember Isaiah chapter 2 concerning Mt Zion, Jerusalem. All of the nations will flow into it, the Bible tells us. "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed. Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame. For you will forget the shame of your youth." Speaking of the enslavement of Egypt for 400-plus years, the shame of your youth. "And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more." It's a reference to the captivity of Babylon for 70 years. "For your maker is your husband. The Lord of Hosts is his name and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. He is called the God of the whole earth. For the Lord has called you, like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused says the Lord. For a mere moment, I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath, I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer."

Israel's history has been a history filled with pain, oppression, opposition, persecution. And they often will make mention of that as they retell their history. They suffered in Egypt for 400 some odd years. They were released. They went into their land, but eventually, other oppressors came, the Assyrians, we read about them. The Babylonians, we read about them. Eventually other oppressors came. The Seleucids around 175 BC under Antiochus Epiphanes attacked the Jewish nation.

Years later, the Romans occupied the land. Took away the right of mosaic law, capital punishment as we mentioned. Titus came in 70 AD, destroyed the city of Jerusalem and killed 1,300,000 Jews in one onslaught. Then there were the Crusades in the 11th century where, in the name of Christ, people went over and slaughtered thousands of the Jews in Jerusalem and around the environs of Israel. In fact there was a saying back then, during the Crusades, "kill a Jew and save a soul."

In 733, or excuse me, 633 AD, the rise of Islam in Saudi Arabia and North Africa also brought persecution to the Jews. All of those horrible atrocities. Spanish Inquisition, the reign of Nazi terrorism. What God is saying is all of that will seem like a moment in time compared to what you're going to have for 1,000 years of peace on earth in the millennial kingdom and eternity for those who know Christ as their Messiah when the new Jerusalem comes out of heaven.

There is an overarching theme in this chapter. I just want you to pick up on it before we move on and close the chapter. God loves to restore. God takes that which is broken and needs restoration, that's the message of salvation. You know what it's like when you see an old '57 Chevy perfectly restored. Paint job's perfecto, engine hums, muffler sounds great, it gleams, you go, that's cool. What you don't see is all of the hard work, all of the planning, all of the part searching that went in behind the scenes to get to that point. But there's something about having a restored '57 Chevy that beats any new car. God loves to restore.

And this nation, He didn't cast away. He restored them and He has plans yet future. "For this is like the waters of Noah to me. For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so I have sworn that I would not be angry with you nor rebuke you." God judged the world by flood, and he promised that would never happen again, He'd never destroy the world ever again with a flood. The next time He does it, it will be with fire.

But God made a covenant with Noah, and just like God kept that promise, God will keep this promise. In that kingdom age, to restore and to deliver them in fellowship with himself. "For the mountains shall depart, the hills be removed. But my kingdom shall not depart from me, nor shall my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord who has mercy on you."

In Romans 11, Paul asks a question. And then he answers it. He says, "has God cast away his people?" The Jews. Now some would say, oh yes he has. And some, from pulpits, would even say, oh yes God has cast away the Jews because they rejected their Messiah so that all of the blessings that God promised to Israel now go to what they call spiritual Israel the church, but all of the curses go to national, physical Israel. Now that would be inconsistent that they would get all of the curses and none of the blessings.

God promises cursings and blessings. And this is the promise of the restoration. So when Paul asked the question, has God cast away his people, he answered, certainly not. Or in a more modern translation, no way, Jose. It's not going to happen. God has promised it over and over again. "Oh you afflicted one, tossed with tempest and not comforted. Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems and your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of crystal, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the Lord. And great shall be the peace of your children."

Hey, in public school, you can't even teach about the Lord. In those days, you won't be taught by the Lord. Isn't that a great thought? "The Lord himself, teaching. Instructing in righteousness, you shall be established. You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear, and from terror for it shall not come near you."

After the Millennium, after the 1,000 year reign of Christ on the earth, the universe will be destroyed. And after it's destroyed, God will create a new one. John, in the Book of Revelation chapter 21, said "now I saw the new heaven and new earth for the first heaven and the first Earth passed away. And I saw the holy city, the city of Jerusalem, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God."

Now in that passage of scripture, John describes that new Jerusalem after God destroys the earth after the kingdom age, the Millennium. And he builds new heaven, new Earth, there's new Jerusalem. And he describes it as this translucent diamond coming out of heaven. Three gates on each side. Its dimensions are about 1,500 miles by 1,500 miles. That is, it's this sort of like a satellite cube that comes out of heaven. 1,500 miles one direction, 1,500 miles high. By the way, that's about the distance from Maine to Florida. An odd-shaped, wonderful city of the future. "Indeed, they shall surely assemble, but not because of me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake. Behold, I've created the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire, who brings forth an instrument for his work. And I have created the spoiler to destroy. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. And their righteousness is from me, says the Lord."

The term 'blacksmith' refers to a munitions maker, a maker of weapons. The term 'spoiler' refers to a conqueror. And here's the idea, God made them and because God made them, God can control them. So, he's saying no weapon that any one would form by those guys, or used by those guys, no weapon formed against you, against Israel, will succeed. For I, in that day, will protect you. Now think of what that means. Because today, over in Israel, they live daily in fear of the suicide bombers. Or actually, more accurate, homicide bombers. Killing innocent people, like what we've heard this week happened in Russia. It's a daily occurrence in the land of Israel.

Last week, a 58-year-old woman who came from the ex-Soviet Union, from the country of Georgia, she had waited years to become a citizen of the nation of Israel. She had to choose between either citizenship from former Soviet Union, the country of Georgia, or Israel. Because her home country doesn't allow dual-citizenship. She decided I want to become an Israeli citizen. The day she went to the Ministry of the Interior and got her card that she was a citizen, she hopped on the bus and she was going back home. It was bus number 6 down in Beersheba. The bus was attacked and she was killed, and her husband, and 16 others. So think of what this promise means to the nation of Israel. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. Beautiful, beautiful promise in that day.

Chapter 55 continues the invitation. But this time it's not to Israel, it's beyond the borders of Israel to the entire world. All of the nations of the world. Now Paul said in the New Testament, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It's the power of God to salvation. To the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Remember when the early church started? Peter preached on the day of Pentecost. He had an all Jewish audience. But as time went on, in God's plan as even predicted here, the invitation would go out beyond the borders of Israel to the whole world. So that Cornelius heard the gospel through Peter's lips. And then Paul became the apostle to the Gentiles and carried in ever-widening circles, the gospel to non-Jewish nations.

That's been God's plan from the beginning. It begins "Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters. And you who have no money, come, buy, and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." So the redemption of the servant, Isaiah 53, and the future kingdom of the servant, Isaiah chapter 54, is for anyone who is willing to come. Isaiah chapter 55, that's the flow of it.

You remember when Jesus was in Jerusalem. It was the Feast of Tabernacles, it was John chapter 7. And it was the last day of the feast, that is it was the eighth day of that particular feast. And Jesus, in the courtyard of the temple, stood up. And he said "if any man thirsts, let him come to me and drink. For out of his belly, his innermost being, shall flow rivers of living water."

It was an interesting day because, on that final day of the feast, the priests of Israel would go down to the Pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher and take water from it and pour it on the stones of the Temple Mount at the base of the altar. And when the water was poured at the base of the altar, in anthem, the people of Israel would sing Isaiah chapter 12. Which says "with joy, you will pour forth," or bring forth, "water from the wells of salvation."

It was all to commemorate the fact that God cared for the Jews and brought water out of the rock while they were in the wilderness. So you can imagine, as that water is being poured out and they're singing Isaiah 12, Jesus stood up and said if any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture says, out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. The prophet continues, "why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good and let your soul delight itself in abundance." Or I love the King James, "in fatness." So you're worried about your diet? Don't. Delight yourself in fatness.

God created mankind with a thirst, an emptiness, that can't be quenched by anything other than Him. You say, Skip, how do you know God created man with a thirst? Easy, look around in our country at the pleasure-mania that is being exercised daily. There was a documentary on television not too long ago that said we spend more money on pleasure and recreation than on education, new homes, and national defense.

And yet for all of that money that is spent and energy that is wasted, as a country we're so thirsty. I'm reminded of this verse every time. Ferdinand Marcos was the former president of the Philippines. His second term, it was an early April morning. He wrote in his journal these words, I'm president. I'm the most powerful man in the Philippines. Everything I've ever dreamed of, I have. But he said, inside, I'm desperate, I'm lonely, I'm discontent.

He had it all, but he was spending all of his money, all of his labor on something that didn't satisfy. Even that position. "Incline your ear and come to me here, and your soul shall live. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you. The sure mercies of David. Indeed, I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and a commander for the people."

The sure mercies of David. God was merciful to David wasn't he? God said I took you from the sheepfold, I made you ruler over my people, then he blew it again and God was merciful again. He blew it a lot of times and God was merciful to him. And God promised David that his descendants would occupy the throne and that the throne of David would be an everlasting throne. That's why in Acts 2, this verse is quoted. And Luke, the author of Acts, connects the resurrection of Jesus Christ with the sure mercies of David. Because Jesus had to rise from the dead in order for this promise to work. For the sure mercies of David, the perpetuity of the throne of David to work, Jesus had, of course, to rise from the dead.

Now some people, I just want to make mention of this and we'll quickly finish up. Some people believe that during the kingdom age, David himself will be a regent over the people of Israel. That he will also rule and reign as verse 4 may indicate. "Indeed, I have given him as a witness to the people." Why? Because Jeremiah chapter 30 says "they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King, whom I will raise up for them."

That may be a reference simply to the son of David, the Messiah, but some see it as literally David. "Surely you will call a nation you do not know, who know you shall run to you. Because of the Lord your God, and the Holy One of Israel. For he has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him. And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

I've had people say, I have so many hurdles that are between me and God and I have to overcome a lot of different obstacles and hurdles before I can ever come to Jesus. No you don't, there's only one, and that's sin. And that is the good news of chapter 53. The substitute has been given. Your sins can be pardoned.

So God says he promises that he will have mercy but let the wicked forsake his way. Notice, number one, seek the Lord, number two, call upon him, and number three, repentance is mentioned. "Forsake the wicked way. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways, my ways says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

The gospel was not man-made. No one in his right mind would come up with the gospel message, or make it up, I should say. No one. Who would ever decide that all people are sinners apart from God and consigned to everlasting torment except for one narrow way, one person, Jesus Christ. Who would make that up?

Who would make up the idea that you can't get to God on any human merit. Most every religion says you can work your way to God. You are a good person and you can make it. The gospel says there is none righteous, no not one, only God can do it for you. My ways aren't your ways, my thoughts aren't your thoughts, says the Lord. "For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, make it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

Beautiful, beautiful promise of scripture that Chuck expounded on today. So we're going to just mention it because our time's about up. And we'll move forward. But I will say what Charles Spurgeon loved to say about the Bible. He said a Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to somebody that isn't.

Now I'm not saying go out and buy a Bible and run over with your car and trash it and stuff things in it so it makes it looks like you're really spiritual. But God's Word is powerful. It won't return void. Read it, study it memorize it, love it, apply it. God will bring forth the fruit in your life and it will be guaranteed glorious. For you shall go out with joy and be led out with peace, the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

"instead of the thorn, shall come up the Cypress tree, instead of the brier, shall come up the Myrtle tree. And it shall be to the Lord for a name. For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." So God spoke his creation into existence, his word is powerful, thus all of the promises for the future, including this millennial kingdom, Israel restored, Israel blessed, are going to come to pass.

In Romans 8, we are told the whole creation groans and travails in birth pangs until now, waiting for deliverance. Just about every day now, when I get up, I groan. And every time I groan I think, it's OK it's scriptural. I'm waiting for the redemption. C.S. Lewis said, "if I find within myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, it most probably means that I am created for another world."

God put that yearning within you. Question, how are you living? World on your shoulders, breaking your back, or safely in the hands of Jesus, who's holding your world together? All of our iniquities were laid upon Jesus so that he can do this to your life. Let him, if you haven't.

Heavenly Father, how we thank you for these incredible verses of scripture. These amazing promises. How you love us and your plan is awesome. Lord, I pray for everyone listening here in the sanctuary, or in overflow, or by radio or internet, who hasn't placed their life in your hand would do so tonight. And the burdens, Lord, that we carried into this room, we don't want to carry them out. We want to place them before you in prayer and leave them for you. Thank you, Father, that you sent Jesus and all of the wrath, all of our iniquities, placed on him so that you could treat us like Jesus deserves to be treated. Hallelujah. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Shall we stand? The Lord is the great burden-bearer. And he wants to bear your burdens. Lift that heavy load. And have you ever heard people who talk about when they came to Jesus Christ? It was like a heavy load was lifted off their shoulders. So true, when we cast our cares or burdens upon him. Tonight, it may be that you are bearing the burden of life. And you find that it's too heavy for you to bear. You feel like you need help. Pastors are down here to minister to you and to help you find the help in Jesus. So I would encourage you, that as soon as we're dismissed, come on down to the front. Let them pray for you, and discover that work that God is longing to do in your life this evening.

[Singing] I cast all my cares upon you. I lay all my burdens down at your feet. And anytime I don't know what to do, I will cast all my cares upon you.

This is the end of this message. If you would like further information on any of our products, or to receive our free catalog, contact the Word for Today. The address is PO box 8000, Costa Mesa, California 92628. Or you may reach us by our toll free number, 1 800 272 WORD. That's 1 800 272 W O R D.

Additional Messages in this Series

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6/13/2004
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Isaiah 17-19
Isaiah 17-19
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6/20/2004
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Isaiah 20-22
Isaiah 20-22
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6/27/2004
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Isaiah 23-25
Isaiah 23-25
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7/4/2004
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Isaiah 26-28
Isaiah 26-28
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7/11/2004
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Isaiah 29-31
Isaiah 29-31
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7/18/2004
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Isaiah 32-34
Isaiah 32-34
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7/25/2004
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Isaiah 35-37
Isaiah 35-37
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8/1/2004
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Isaiah 38-40
Isaiah 38-40
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8/8/2004
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Isaiah 41-43
Isaiah 41-43
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8/15/2004
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Isaiah 44-46
Isaiah 44-46
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8/29/2004
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Isaiah 50-52
Isaiah 50-52
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9/12/2004
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Isaiah 56-58
Isaiah 56-58
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9/19/2004
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Isaiah 59-61
Isaiah 59-61
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10/3/2004
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Isaiah 65-66
Isaiah 65-66
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There are 14 additional messages in this series.
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