Series: Isaiah
Title: The Servant’s Inheritance
Text: Isaiah 54: 13-17
Date: April 27, 2014
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
In
Isaiah 54: 17 we read this, Isaiah 54:
17: This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD…
The
LORD is Jehovah—our triune God, manifest in the person of Christ Jesus the Son
of God. “Heritage” means inheritance or portion or estate. “This is the inheritance of the servants of
the LORD.” Every believer is a “servant”
of the LORD.
So our subject is: The Servant’s Inheritance
Are there
any believers here who are interested in what Jehovah promises to us, who serve
him?
Proposition: In our text, the LORD God promises each of his people
education, justification, protection and vindication.
This by
no means exhausts this subject. The Holy
Spirit declares to every believer “all
things are yours.” (1 Cor 3: 21) Also, we have already seen in this chapter
a great part of our inheritance in the verses we have covered. Christ our
Husband promises to make us—the church, his bride—fruitful. (vv1-3) Christ our Redeemer makes an everlasting
covenant, promising, we shall never be ashamed or put to shame, but shall have
everlasting mercies from his hand. (vv4-10)
Christ our Builder promises us—we—his temple—shall be adorned with the
precious stones of Christ and his grace. (vv11-12)
I. SO TODAY, LET’S BEGIN WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
FOR US WHO NOW BELIEVE, ALL THE CHURCH’S CHILDREN SHALL BE SPIRITUALLY EDUCATED—TAUGHT
OF GOD—Isaiah 54: 14: And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and
great shall be the peace of thy children.
Every
individual elect child of God shall be taught of God in the new heart. What
shall we be taught? He shall teach us his Son and all his glories! It pleased
God from eternity for Christ, his Son, to have all preeminence. So God will see
to it that Christ has all preeminence in the hearts of each of his saints. That
means God will teach each child in the heart our total depravity, our total
unrighteousness, our total helplessness and our total unworthiness in sin. He will teach each of his children that salvation
is entirely of God’s grace—from election, to redemption, to regeneration, to
sanctification, to preservation, to resurrection, to glorification—all is of
God’s free and sovereign, distinguishing, grace. God will teach each child that Christ Jesus
is All and in all his people. The
effectual result is that we shall all come to Christ in saving faith.
John 6: 44: No man can come to me, except the Father
which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45: It is
written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man
therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Once,
God has drawn us to Christ in saving faith then shall we find great,
everlasting, abounding peace—“great shall be the peace of thy children.”
II. THE PEACE CHRIST IS, AND THAT CHRIST
GIVES, IS FOUNDED UPON THIS SECOND PART OF OUR INHERITANCE—JUSTIFICATION—Isaiah
54: 14: In righteousness shalt thou be established:….
In
righteousness—as opposed to oppressive injustice and robbery, oppressive fear
and oppressive terror—by which Satan cast us down by Adam’s transgression in
the garden and held us—until Christ saved us.
The
chief attribute of our God is holy righteousness; the chief characteristic of
Christ’s kingdom and reign is holy righteousness; the foundation on which his
church is built is perfect holy righteousness
Ours but Not of Us
This
righteousness is ours—but it is not produced by us—
Ecclesiastes 7:20: For there is not a just man upon
earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Romans 3:20: 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.
Not one
of us here—nor any sinner on this earth—can keep the law of God nor put away
our sins by anything we do. We cannot
make ourselves righteous and justified by our deeds. But we must be righteous or God will not
receive us. How then can a man be just with God?
Our
righteousness is Christ our God and Savior—Isaiah
54: 17:…THEIR righteousness is OF ME, saith the LORD. All is by the person and finished
accomplishments of Christ Jesus.
God the
Son took a nature like his people and Christ Jesus fulfilled the righteousness
of the law for all God’s elect so that in Christ we have perfectly established
the whole law of God.
Matthew 5:17: Think not that I am come to destroy the
law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil….19:…whosoever
shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of
heaven.
Christ
is that Great One in the kingdom of heaven.
He has done the law and he teaches each of his redeemed that it is
finished!
Furthermore,
Christ purged the sins of all God’s elect when he took our place on the cross.
Hebrews 9: 26:…now once in the end of the world hath he
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
1 John 3:5: And ye know that he was manifested to take
away our sins; and in him is no sin.
Christ
established every elect child of God in perfect righteousness, which shall be imputed
to each one for whom Christ died through faith in Christ when we are born of
God and brought to forsake our filthy rags for Christ our Righteousness.
Romans 4: 21: And being fully persuaded that, what he had
promised, he was able also to perform. 22: And therefore it was imputed to him
for righteousness. 23: Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was
imputed to him; 24: But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe
on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25: Who was delivered for
our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 5: 1: Therefore being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2: By
whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice
in hope of the glory of God.
And
because Christ is God eternal, this work is eternal. He not only restored us
completely in righteousness, but he has made you who believe, everlastingly
righteous.
Christ
our Righteousness is the totality of our inheritance, and is by far, the most
important part of our inheritance. Every other aspect of our inheritance listed
in this chapter is rooted and grounded and flows from Christ and the truth that
he has established his people in his perfect righteousness.
III. Not only is our inheritance education
and justification, THIRDLY,
OUR INHERITANCE IS PROTECTION—Isaiah 54: 14:…thou shalt be far from oppression;
for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
First
and foremost, this has to do with the oppression and fear and terrors of the
Devil and his messengers of oppression.
Hebrews 2: 14: Forasmuch then as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;
that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is,
the devil; 15 And deliver them who
through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Brethren,
because of Christ our Righteousness in whom we are established in perfect
righteousness forever, though Satan and wicked impostors join hands in every
way to oppress and terrify us, our Lord Jesus will see to it that they accomplish
nothing.
They Shall Gather Together
God
gives us a sure expectation—Isaiah 54:
15: Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me. The enemies
of Christ shall surely gather: often
in the name of Christ, often in
disguise, often as personal friends and loved ones. They shall surely gather together—those who are enemies to each
other will gather together as friends to persecute Christ and his church. The
enemy shall gather together in great numbers—to the physical eye they gather in
greater numbers than the church of God. But remember, the young man with Elisha when
he saw all that host surrounding him. He said,
2 Kings 6: 15:…Alas, my Master! How shall we do! 16: And
[Elisah] answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that
be with them. 17: And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his
eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he
saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round
about Elisha.
Our
Lord says, “They shall surely gather together but not by me.”—that is their heart is not to do God’s will; their
heart is not to exalt Christ and abase man but to exalt man. But rest assured, the
enemy is under God’s sovereign control!
They Shall Fall for Thy Sake
God
promises us, Isaiah 54: 15:…whosoever shall gather together against
thee shall fall for thy sake. Those who are God’s elect among them shall be
conquered by God’s grace through the gospel and shall fall before God in
submission to him and join with us. And those who are God’s enemies shall fall
by God’s sovereign power and justice.
Hebrews 10: 12: But this man, after he had offered one
sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13: From
henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
God
says this shall come to pass “for thy sake.”—or “because of the love that I bear
toward you.”
Psalm 105: 12: When they were but a few men in
number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. 13: When they went from one nation
to another, from one kingdom to another people; 14: He suffered no man
to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; 15: Saying,
Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
The Enemy and Their Purpose
Where
does the enemy come from? Why would God
even allow the enemy to exist amongst his people? They serve God’s purpose. The Lord, in
absolute sovereignty brings forth the manufacturer—Isaiah 54: 16: Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals
in the fire. And God overrules the instruments they make—and that bringeth forth an instrument for his
work; And God overrules the user and the use of those instruments—Isaiah 54: 6:…and I have created the waster
to destroy. Brethren, Christ led
captivity captive. He shall use the destroyer to destroy the destroyer; his
enemies to destroy his enemies.
Revelation 13: 10: He that leadeth into captivity shall
go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the
sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
So
since God rules even the destroyers, he gives his people this sure promise—Isaiah
54: 17: No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. This is true of the whole church, as well as
each individual member of his body.
Proverbs 12: 21: There shall no evil happen to the just:
but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.
Brethren,
through the scriptures over history, we see at times the LORD would not allow
the enemy to even touch his people.
·
Pharaoh at the Red Sea
·
Haman toward Mordecai and the Jews
·
Joshua and Israel at Jericho
Other
times, though the LORD may allow the enemy to touch his saints, yet he
glorifies his name by it, gives us grace to endure it and betters his saints by
it. But God never allows us to be
separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This is the most important and best
news we could receive from God. Listen:
Romans 8: 38:…neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39: Nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalm 91: 1: He that dwelleth in the secret place of the
most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2: I will say of the
LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3: Surely
he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome
pestilence.
IV. So our inheritance is education,
justification—and because we are made righteous in Christ—we have divine
protection. FOURTHLY,
GOD PROMISES US THAT OUR INHERITANCE SHALL BE VINDICATION—Isaiah 54: 17:…and
every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
We Shall Condemn Satan
The
devil is the accuser of the brethren. But get this:
Revelation 12:10: And I heard a loud voice saying in
heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the
power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which
accused them before our God day and night.
God
says of all those for whom Christ died, who are brought by Christ to put their
trust in Christ,
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.
The
Lord Jesus guards us, as our righteous Advocate before God the Father.
1 John 2: 1: My little children, these things write I
unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2: And he is the propitiation for our sins:
and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
We Shall Condemn the Enemies of the Gospel
Furthermore,
those who would rise against us by discrediting our gospel, we shall condemn. Every false gospel is created by Satan—“he is
the father of lies.” The devil raises up religions, Christ casts them down. The
only religion that will stand the test of eternity is the gospel of Christ and
him crucified! But if we preach Christ
we can expect to be treated like the world treated Christ.
Matthew 10: 24: The disciple is not above his
master, nor the servant above his lord. 25: It is enough for the disciple that
he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the
master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his
household? 26: Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that
shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27: What I tell you in
darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that
preach ye upon the housetops. 28: And fear not them which kill the body, but
are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell.
We Shall Condemn
Those Who Lay Personal Charges
Furthermore, every individual slander and accusation
against your own person you shalt condemn—even those made by our own old
fleshly, sinful man. Christ teaches us through the Holy Spirit, through the
apostle Paul, through his word:
Romans 12: 19: Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but
rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is
mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20: Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed
him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of
fire on his head. 21: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
1 Corinthians 4: 3: But with me it is a very small thing
that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own
self. 4: For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he
that judgeth me is the Lord.
In the
great day of judgment, Christ shall declare that there is no condemnation for
you who are in Christ, he will declare that our gospel was true, and that every
charge laid against us was false and “every tongue that shall rise against thee
in judgment thou shalt condemn.”
Brethren,
what an inheritance we have by the righteousness of Christ Jesus: fruitfulness,
everlasting mercy, precious stones for precious stones. And as we have seen
today, education for they shall be all taught of God; justification for we
shall be established in righteousness and great peace; protection for no weapon
formed agaisnt thee shall prosper; and vindication for every tongue that shall
rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. “This is the heritage of the
servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” (v17)
Amen!