Series: Isaiah
Title: Behold Your God
Text: Isaiah 40: 9-11
Date: April 10, 2011
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
The 40th chapter of Isaiah is the command of the Voice—of the LORD God. God’s messengers are sent with a special delivery especially for someone—“O Zion, that bringest good tidings.” Or “O thou that bringest good tidings to Zion.” The package we are sent to deliver is—“good tidings.” The delivery is for the LORD’s Zion—his church, his bride, made up of those he has everlastingly loved by his own good will and purpose of grace.
The comfort wherewith his people shall be comforted—are the good tidings that the warfare of his people is accomplished, their iniquity is pardoned and they have been rewarded the double portion of firstborn sons—everlasting righteousness.
But since those God shall save are sinners—rebels against God by birth and by choice—whose mouths must be stopped of boasting, whose hands must be emptied of vain works, whose bones must be broken from running head long to hell thinking we are running to glory. So in this chapter God actually tells us what to proclaim.
As you have opportunity to tell someone about Christ? Here are three things the Voice said, “Cry.”
1. Isaiah 40: 6-7. The flesh withers when the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it—it is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profits nothing.
2. Isaiah 40: 8. It is the Word of the Lord that shall stand forever—As Peter said sinner must be born again of “the incorruptible word”--“the word whereby the gospel is preached unto you”.—each one God chose in Christ, each one Christ redeemed, are predestinated to the adoption of children—and because they are sons, God shall send forth the Spirit of his son whereby they shall cry, Abba, Father.
3. Isaiah 40: 9: Behold your God! The cure for all the discomfort of sin is in beholding your God
· Mortification of the flesh through the Spirit is accomplished by beholding your God in faith
· Domestic troubles, civil troubles, economic troubles-troubles of every kind—are conquered by beholding your God with the eye of faith
· Oh, that the Spirit of God might blow this morning and truly cause each one present to behold your God.
WHERE AND HOW ARE THE WITNESSES OF CHRIST TO SET FORTH THE GOSPEL?
1. V9: “Get thee up into the high mountain.”
Salvation accomplished by Christ was not done in a corner. So the gospel is not a secret proclamation. We are to set forth the truth publicly that all may hear—first in the church—the high mountain, the ground and pillar of truth; and we have many means available in our day: newspapers, radio, internet, television, mail, missionaries—town festivals—Pennington Day, Cranbury, etc…
2. v9: “Lift up thy voice with strength!”
We speak with confidence in that which we have confidence. We speak plainly, clearly of that which we plainly and clearly understand and believe. We speak constantly of that which is our hearts constant delight. So it is with the proclamation of the gospel.
1 Corinthians 2: 1: 17—not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect…2: 4:…not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
3. “Lift it up, be not afraid!”
· Reproaches may come
· Persecutions and afflictions may arise
· But we have no reason to fear—turn over to Isaiah 51.
Isaiah 51: 7: Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings….12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; 13 And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? 14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. 15 But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name. 16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people…LIFT UP THE VOICE, BE NOT AFRAID.
Proposition: Messengers sent of God (preachers) as well as every believer is a witness of Christ. Our chief responsibility in this earth is to declare to sinners: all flesh is grass, but the word of our God shall stand forever, “Behold Your God.” This last point is the one we will focus on this morning. The LORD tells us in verses 9-11 three truths whereby we behold our God.
Divisions: 1. Jesus Christ is God (v9…Behold, your God, 10: The LORD God will come…); 2. Christ our God is the Successful Savior (v10—Behold, the LORD God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him, behold his reward is with him, and his work before him) 3. Christ Jesus is the Shepherd of his Sheep (v11—He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.)
I. JESUS CHRIST IS GOD--Isaiah 40: 9: Behold your God! 10: Behold, the LORD God will come…
This is a prophecy of the incarnation of Christ and of the work he came to do and did do
Remember Abraham and Isaac
Genesis 22: 8: And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
What did John the Baptist Proclaim Before All?
John 1: 29: The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
A. Jesus Christ is Immanuel—Son of God--the LORD God who was from the beginning, who has come in human flesh in our nature.
Illustration: Will’s question.
John 1: 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2: The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made….14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth…18: No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
When a child of mercy beholds God in saving faith, we behold God in the face of the Man who is the only begotten Son of God, Christ Jesus.
B. Because Jesus Christ is God, everything he is in the the flesh and everything he accomplished in his flesh is eternal and effectual.
1. Christ Jesus is Wisdom—he is Wisdom from above—the Wisdom of God—upholding all things by the word of his power, the wisdom by which God is both just and the Justifier of all who believe.
2. Christ Jesus is Righteousness—he fulfilled all righteousness, his righteousness is everlasting righteousness and he is all the believer’s righteousness.
3. Christ Jesus is Sanctification—he is the Holy One conceived of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin, he is the Sanctifier who made himself one with those he sanctifies, and he is the Sanctification of all who are make a partaker of his divine nature-- Heb 10:14: For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
4. Christ Jesus is Redemption—he paid in full the price of his own blood through the eternal Spirit so that all whom he ransomed belong to him. Because he is God, his redemption is eternal.
5. His Godhead made his work in human flesh eternal, effectual and everlasting. And because he is God, Jesus Christ, seated in resurrection glory--he is able to save to the uttermost all who come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Heb 7: 25.)
C. Behold your God! He is your God whether you own him to be so or not. But behold him now in faith—and you shall behold all your salvation! Cast all your care on him and you shall be saved.
· Isaiah 45: 20-25;
Isaiah 54: 5: For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.)
II. Secondly, JESUS CHRIST IS THE SUCCESSFUL SAVIOR (v. 10).
I always point out the “shalls” which describe our Savior. At no point in scripture is Jesus Christ our God and our Savior spoken of as anything less than accomplishing exactly what he purposed and promised.
A. “Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand.” Or with great power, And his arm shall rule for him.”
Isaiah 59:16: And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. 17: For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
Isaiah 63: 5: And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
1. Power to fulfill all righteousness of the whole law of God
2. Power to fulfill all that was written of him by the prophets
3. Power to resist every fiery arrow of Satan and remain sinless
4. Power to silence those who attempted to entangle him in his words
5. Power to bear the sins of his people in his own body on the tree
6. Power to bear the curse and redeem his children from it
7. Power to satisfy divine justice
8. Power to make full propitiation-satisfaction—to God for the sin of his people
9. Power to bruise the strong man’s head, to conquer Satan and destroy all his works of unrighteousness
B. “Behold, his reward is with him!” “And his work is before him!”
1. His “reward’ his wages—is his own glory and his children for whom he served which are his workmanship—both are with him and before him.
2. He is raised victorious in glory and ‘in his presence’—before him—is the flock of his people which his victory has won.
Isaiah 62: 12: Finishes out this statement concerning the spoils of his victory this way-- “And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.” How so?
III. Christ Jesus the Son of God our Savior is the Shepherd of his Sheep. (v11)
As victorious as our Savior was in his redemptive work on this earth, so he is as the Shepherd of his flock from his throne in glory.
A. He shall feed his flock
Ezekiel 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country 14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.—there shall be one fold and one Shepherd!
B. For it is his flock
1. By His Father’s Gift.
2. By the Purchase of His Blood.
C. And He is our Shepherd--With that same strong arm that wrought redemption effectually, our Shepherd gathers his lambs to himself. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.
D. When he walked this earth, he was yet “in the bosom of the Father”—though his lambs walk this earth we are in the bosom of our Savior.
E. None shall be lost—for he gently leads those that are with young.
1.Into green pastures of rest
2. Beside still waters
3. He restoreth our souls
4. Into paths of righteousness for his name’s sake
5. Through the valley of the shadow of death.
6. His rod and his staff comforting us along the way
7. He prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies
8. Anoints our head with oil and fills our cup to overflowing
9. He goes before us and Goodness and Mercy follows us 10. So He will lead us into final glory.
Application: Is this word of Comfort to you dear sinner? Is Christ all your salvation?
Behold your God—Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus is The Successful Victorious Redeemer
He is the good, great and chief Shepherd of his flock.
1 Peter 2: 25: For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
May he be pleased to make this to be so of each one here today:
AMEN!