Series:
Isaiah
Title:
Where Can a Believer Be Found?
Text:
Isaiah 53: 1
Date:
August 25, 2013
Place:
SGBC, New Jersey
Isaiah 53: 1: Who hath believed our report?
and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
I. FIRST, LET’S GET THE MEANING OF THESE
WORDS.
Our Report
The
word “report” means “hearing the word preached” “hearing the declaration of the
gospel” “hearing the good news proclaimed.” Just before this, we read in:
Isaiah 52: 7: How beautiful upon the mountains are the
feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth
good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God
reigneth!
Then
here in
Isaiah 53: 1: Who hath believed our report? and to whom
is the arm of the LORD revealed?
To show
you that this word “report” means “to hear the gospel preached” turn over to
Romans 10. By the Spirit of God, when declaring that faith is given by God
through hearing the preaching of the gospel, the apostle Paul quoted both of
those verses.
Romans 10: 13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved. 14: How then shall they call on him in whom they have
not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15: And how shall they preach, except
they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that PREACH
THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16: But they have
not all obeyed the GOSPEL. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our REPORT?
17: So then faith cometh BY HEARING, and hearing BY THE WORD OF GOD.
So
first of all, this word “report” refers to “hearing the gospel preached.” Many heard Isaiah preach, but God had not
given many faith to obey the gospel. Isaiah
said, “Lord, who hath believed our report?”
Our Message is Concerning God’s Arm, Christ
Jesus
Now,
what is the message of our report, our gospel? A man cannot be expected to obey
our gospel if he does not know the message of the gospel. Our gospel is
concerning the “Arm of the Lord.”—v2: To
whom has the Arm of the LORD been revealed?
Arm
refers to the power of the LORD. There are proportions of power that God puts
forth in his works. God does some things with his finger. In Egypt, after God
made the dust turn to lice, “Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the
finger of God.” (Ex 8: 19) When the LORD
gave Moses the law. Scripture says they were written on tables of stone “with
the finger of God.” (Ex 31: 18; Deut 9: 10)
When the Lord Jesus cast devils out of men, he said, “But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the
kingdom of God is come upon you.” (Luke 11: 20) God does some things by “the
finger of God.”
Then we
read of the “hand of God.” When the
Philistines had taken the ark of the LORD, we read, “there was a deadly
destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.” (1
Sam 5: 11) Job said we receive good as
well as evil by “the hand of God” (Job 2: 10); Believers are taught, to “humble ourselves
under the mighty hand of God.” (1 Pet 5: 6) The hand is more powerful than the
finger. God uses more or less power depending on the work. Well, the mightiest work of God is the
salvation of his people.
So
scripture says, “He hath shewed strength with his Arm.” (Luke 1: 51) “Arm of
the Lord” represents “the power of God.”
Christ is the Arm, the Power of God.
1 Corinthians 1: 23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto
the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24: But unto them
which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
By
Christ all things were made and all things are upheld and consist—he upholdeth all things by the word of his
power. (Heb 1:3) But most importantly, the eternal salvation of God’s
people is wrought by the exceeding greatness of his mighty Power, his Arm,
Jesus Christ the Son of God—v1: who hath
believed our report? to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2: For HE shall
grow up before him as a tender plant,…
Our
report, our gospel, is concerning God’s Arm, the Son of God the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Romans 1: 1: Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to
be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2: (Which he had promised
afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3: Concerning his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4:
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Our Message—the Righteousness of God
What is
our message when we preach Christ? Our message is “the righteousness of
God”—the way in which God can be just and Justifier of those who believe.
Romans 1: 16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17: For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from Faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by
faith.
Romans 3: 19: Now we know that what things soever the law
saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped,
and all the world may become guilty before God. 20: Therefore by the deeds of
the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is
the knowledge of sin. 21: But now the righteousness of God without the law is
manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is
by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is
no difference: 23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24:
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to
be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this
time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth
in Jesus.
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.
Isaiah 52:10: The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the
eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the Salvation
of our God.
Luke 2:
26 And it was revealed unto him by the
Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
27 And he came by the Spirit into the
temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after
the custom of the law, 28 Then took he
him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in
peace, according to thy word: 30 For
mine eyes have seen THY SALVATION, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of
all people;
In John 12 we will see plainly that Christ is the Arm of
the LORD spoken of in our text.
John 12: 34: The people answered him, We have heard out
of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man
must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? 35: Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a
little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness
come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36: While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of
light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
37: But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not
on him: 38: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he
spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord
been revealed?
So this is what we’ve seen in our first point:
1) Our
report is the gospel.
2) Our
gospel is concerning Christ Jesus the Son of God, the Arm of the LORD, the
Power of God.
3) Our
message is that by Christ’s finished work, God is both just and the Justifier
of those who believe on Christ.
II. SECONDLY, LET’S FIND OUT WHY ISAIAH MADE
THIS STATEMENT—Isaiah 53: 1: Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the
arm of the LORD revealed?
In
Isaiah’s day, very, very few believed the gospel he preached—that is why he
said, “Who hath believed our report?” Where can a believer be found who
believes on your Son who we preach?”
Application: Brethren, do you ever feel discouraged because there are
so few in the world who believe the gospel?
Well,
you are not alone. That is what Isaiah is saying here. “Lord, where can a man be found who believes
our report.”
Why Do Sinner’s Hate the Gospel
The
reason folks hate the gospel is because it makes that which men think is their
righteousness to be just filthy rags; the gospel strips a man of his fig leaves;
the gospel declares the sinner vile, an abomination in God’s sight.
The
gospel declares there is nothing the sinner can do to make himself righteous so
that God will accept him.
The
gospel declares Christ and Christ alone is the Righteousness of God. This means the sinner must take his hands off
everything and trust Christ to present him to God. And the gospel declares the sinner cannot
even do that, unless God has mercy on him.
Many think they have good reason to reject us because the majority
rejects us.
Application: Sinner, you’d be wise not to judge something right
simply because the majority of sinners do. When it comes to God and matters of
eternal salvation, the majority is always wrong.
God Saves Remnants
THE
report—the gospel of Jesus Christ—has never been received by the majority in any
given generation. Not in Isaiah’s day, not in Christ’s day, not in our day.
Isaiah said this.
Isaiah 1:9: Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very
small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto
Gomorrah.
Isaiah 10: 22: For though thy people Israel be as the
sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with
righteousness.
As we
saw in John 12, Isaiah was not only speaking of his own day, he was speaking
prophetically of the day in which the Lord Jesus walked this earth. Very few believed on Christ when he walked
this earth in person. The apostle Paul
tells us why, applying Isaiah’s words to his own day,
Romans 9: 27: Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though
the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall
be saved: 28: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness:
because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
The
Lord Jesus entered his public ministry at the age of 30. And finished the work
God gave him to do in a little over 3 years.
·
Christ finished the transgression
·
Christ made an end of sins
·
Christ made reconciliation for iniquity
·
Christ rought in everlasting righteousness
·
Christ sealed up the vision and prophecy
·
Christ anointed the most Holy
That is
why in John 12, Christ warned them, saying, “Yet a little while is the light
with you. Walk while ye have the light.” Sinner, heed those words. Christ may return today. What will you do if that is the case? Paul says,
Romans 9: 29: And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord
of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto
Gomorrha.
Speaking
of his own countrymen—those of the nation of Israel—Paul said, “Except the Lord
had left us a seed”—unless God had chosen an elect remnant. (Rom 11: 3-5) Left
to themselves the majority in Israel rejected God in human flesh, Christ Jesus. But God had a remnant according to the
election of sovereign grace.
Romans 9: 30: What shall we say then? That the Gentiles,
which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even
the righteousness which is of faith.
God
showing that salvation is of God who shows mercy to whom he will. The Gentiles
did not have the scriptures or the prophets. They were not seeking to be
righteous before God. Yet God sought his elect among the Gentiles. Christ did
so by sending Paul to them with the gospel--“Who hath believed our report?” Through the gospel, God regenerated some and
revealed to them that a sinner is made righteous by Christ, and receives
righteousness-ready-wrought by faith, not by his works—“Who hath believed our report?”
So by God’s grace they repented from
their works and believed on Christ—“Who hath believed our report?”
But
what about those from the nation of Israel—who had the law and the
prophets? Why do men reject Christ?
Romans 9: 31: But Israel, which followed after the law of
righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Those
in the nation Israel had the law and the prophets and wanted to be righteous.
Yet, they did not attain to righteousness.
Romans 9: 32: Wherefore? Because they sought it not
by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.
But
they heard the same gospel as the Gentiles, so why didn’t they stop working and
believe on Christ.?
Romans 9: 32:…For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33: As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of
offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Christ
is a Rock of offense to the man trying to work his way into God’s presence. Here
is why. This is why the true gospel is hated by men, especially the most pious
in religion.
Romans 10: 1: Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to
God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2: For I bear them record that
they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3: For they being ignorant
of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4: For Christ is
the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Application: For those who believe on Christ, the law makes no
requirement that we haven’t fulfilled in Christ. The judgment of God makes no
demands that have not been fulfilled in Christ, past, present, our future.
Romans 8: 33: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of
God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34: Who is he that condemneth? It is
Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
In our
day, very, very few in churches will say they are working for
righteousness. But preach Christ, give
Christ all the glory, declare every man totally ruined and unable to please
God. They might stand it for a little
while—but they will not bear to hear Christ receive all the glory all the
time!--“We will not have this man to reign over us.” (Lu 19: 14)
III. WHO THEN WILL BELIEVE OUR GOSPEL?—V1: Who hath believed
our report? The answer is given in the second part of the verse—those v1: “to whom the Arm of the LORD is REVEALED.”
The
Lord Jesus told Peter,
Matthew 16:17:…Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh
and blood hath not REVEALED it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
1 Corinthians 1:24: But unto them which are called, both
Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
The
gospel goes out to many—many are called in that sense—but few are chosen. Few are
called effectually. Most are too wise and prudent in their own estimation of
themselves.
Matthew 11:25: At that time Jesus answered and said, I
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these
things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Illustration: Do you remember what it was like to be a little
child? When you had absolutely no
worries because you trusted that your father had everything taken care of? That
is what the believer is—a babe—trusting Christ with child-like faith.
Mark 10:15 Verily
I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
Those
who are called effecually are called for this reason:
Isaiah 52: 6: Therefore my people shall know my name:
therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it
is I.
John 10: 27: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and
they follow me: 28 And I give unto them
eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck
them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which
gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them
out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my
Father are one.
You who
are sheep-love what our Savior just said.
But what do the goats do when they hear those words of our Savior?
John 10: 31: Then the Jews took up stones again to stone
him. 32: Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father;
for which of those works do ye stone me? 33: The Jews answered him, saying, For
a good work we stone thee not;
Let a
man preach Christ as a healer of the sick, a feeder of the hungry, an example
of good works and for a good work we stone thee not! But let a man preach that
Christ is God; God who does the work of saving his people; God who receives all
the glory—A-Z. Then they say…
John 10: 33:…but for blasphemy; and because that thou,
being a man, makest thyself God.
Let me
close, what have we seen hear today?
1) Our
report is the gospel of Jesus Christ—that God is just and Justifier of those
who believe—by the finished work of Christ Jesus.
2) We
learned why Isaiah said, “Lord, where can a believer be found?” Only God’s remnant believe. Except the Lord had chosen a people we would
be destroyed.
3)
Those who believe—do so because the Lord had revealed Christ in them. If you believe on Christ, rejoice—flesh and
blood did not reveal this to you, but our Father in heaven!
Amen!