Isaiah 56

EXAMINATION Chapter S FIFTY-FOUR THROUGH FIFTY-NINE

DEFINITION

(Define the following words or phrases as they were discussed in the comments.)

enlarge your tent

Moloch

waters of Noah

terebinth

leader and commander

covetousness

foreigners

afflicted our soul

watchmen

adder and viper

rest

peace

sorceress

intercessor

MEMORIZATION

Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the ______, and he that hath no ______; come ye, buy, and ______; yea, come, buy wine and ______ without money and without price. Wherefore do ye _____ money for that which is not _____? and your labor for that which ______ not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is _____, and let your _____ delight itself in fatness. Incline your _____, and come unto me; _____, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting _____ with you, even the sure _____ of David. (Isaiah 55:1-3)

EXPLANATION

Explain how Jehovah used marriage to describe His relation to His people.

Explain how unique, in a Hebrew dispensation, it is to speak of all being taught by the Lord. Explain how Jesus quoted this passage in John’s Gospel.

Explain how God could teach salvation by grace in the O.T.

Explain the relationship of God’s everlasting covenant with His promised mercy to David.

Explain how foreigners minister to Jehovah.

Explain why there is no peace to the wicked.

Explain Isaiah’s emphasis on keeping the Sabbath.

Explain how man’s sin separates him from God.

APPLICATION

(In its context every scripture has one meaningthe author’s intended meaning. How may the following be applied in the believer’s life?)

Do people today still need to understand that God offers salvation by grace, not by earned merit?

Is it still necessary today to teach what Isaiah does about God’s word being above man’s thoughts or ways?

Is it necessary today to stress keeping covenant with God as Isaiah did?

May we apply the Hebrew meaning of peace to the Christian experience?

Is there any application of the believer’s marriage to God to human marriage?

What application for the N.T. age may be made concerning the lethargy of the religious leaders of Isaiah’s day?

May we apply the attitude expressed by the sinners of Isaiah’s day of weariness with sin, to any attitudes of sinners today?

Is the admonition of Isaiah against the hypocrisy in fasting and worshiping relevant for the church today? How may his admonition be applied?

**THE WISDOM OF GOD

OBC Chapel Sermon**

by Paul T. Butler

… For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:22-24

He (Christ) is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30

INTRODUCTION

I.

WHAT IS WISDOM?

A.

Some ancient philosophers believed man was incapable of wisdom that it was only attainable by God (Socrates). In fact, Socrates said the wise man will not seek wisdom.

Yet, most men have continued to seek wisdom; and all of their own.

Many of the ancients were driven to despair, cynicism and hopelessness because they could never find wisdom.

THEY LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS, BUT THEY COULD NEVER FIND WISDOM.

B.

Solomon (in Eccl.) probably tried every human source available and concluded that the hope of finding wisdom was vain!

C.

Because wisdom is, as one modern philosopher has said, Whatever else wisdom may be, it is in some sense an understanding of life. Abraham Kaplan, in The Pursuit of Wisdom, The Scope of Philosophy, pub. Glencoe Press, pg. 16. Wisdom is a matter of seeing thingsbut as they are, not subjectively.

II.

MAN’S TROUBLE WITH WISDOM

A.

He has been deceived by the devil that wisdom may be found in knowing evil as well as good.

B.

God, man’s creator, plainly told man that wisdom was in truth, goodness, humility, righteousness, holiness, purity.

C.

But the devil, Genesis 3, convinced man that if he would partake of the forbidden, he would be as wise as God knowing both good and evil!

D.

The biggest lie of all is, of course, that man is wise if he dispenses with God. Wisdom is found in freedom from any and all divine meddling in man’s attempt to enjoy life.

E.

Modern philosophy (from Nietzsche on) declared the death of God and began to construct Utopia on earth through science, politics, education and economics, and psychology.

F.

But the wisdom of man brought on economic depression, war, illiteracy, exploitation, pollution, and on and on.

H. G. Wells, a believer in the sufficiency of science, had earlier prepared blue prints for Utopia, entitled his last book, Mind at the End of its Tether and said, Homo sapiens, as he has been pleased to call himself, is played out.

Others are saying, Man is a useless passion. Meaning is found in meaninglessness. There is no meaning to life.

DISCUSSION

I.

POWER OF THE WISDOM OF GOD

A.

It destroys false wisdom which enslaves and destroys people and society.

We have seen through Francis Schaeffer’s films the power of the Word and Wisdom of God moving through societies and cultures, redeeming society and individuals.

The wisdom of God redeems, regenerates and transforms men and reunites them with their Creator for the blessed end for which He created them (Hebrews 2).

It converted Pharisees, publicans, harlots, cruel soldiers, pagan philosophers and politicians.

It changed homosexuals, thieves, murderers, drunkards, fornicators and liars in the decadent city of Corinth into people after the image of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

In the late 1700’S the mutineers on the British ship, Bounty, landed on Pitcairn Island in the South Seas. With some of the native women they established a settlement which rivaled Sodom and Gomorrah for its iniquity. Sometime later while rummaging through a sailor’s chest, the sole survivor of the mutineers, Alexander Smith, came across a Bible. He made it the textbook and standard of conduct for the community. When an American whaler landed there in 1808, the crew found an ideal commonwealth governed by Smith. No illiterates, thieves, liars, drunkards, profaners, adulterers, or murderers cast their stigma on the community, but righteousness and its fruits of happiness blossomed everywhere. A single copy of Scripture transformed that tropical cesspool into a moral paradise.

What has human wisdom, separated from God done for the world? It has created a Nietzsche and a Hitler, a Marx and a Stalin. Human wisdom, separated from God, decays, degenerates and destroys! It destroys humanness, socialness and nature! Take all the military force, economic wealth, erudite philosophy, theology aristocracy, cultural refinement and put it all together in one human system and you still do not have power worthy to be compared with the transforming power of the wisdom of God, incarnated in Jesus and inscripturated in the Bible! TAKE IT IN YOUR HAND, LEARN IT WITH YOUR MIND, RECEIVE IT INTO YOUR HEART AND PROCLAIM IT WITH YOUR LIPS AND LIFE!

B.

It builds and sustains Life as God intended Life for man.

It restores man to fellowship with His Creator; puts man in harmony with his fellow man; puts man in harmony with creation.

Man learns where he came from; what his reason for existence is; and what his destiny is.

The wisdom of God explains history; gives purpose and solves the fragmentation of life without God.

All the experiences of human life (suffering, pain, evil, joy, goodness, truth, falsehood, ugliness) are inexplicable, frustrating and maddening without the Word of God. All human experience is epitomized and sanctified and explained in the life of the perfect human, Jesus.

Christ has given us an example that we should follow in His steps (1 Peter 2). He came and partook of our nature to bring many sons to glory (Hebrews 2).

A real note found by a real policeman:

To anyone in the world who cares. Who am I? Why am I living? Where am I going? Life has become stupid and purposeless. Nothing makes sense anymore. The questions I had when I came to college are still unanswered and now I am convinced that there are no answers. There can only be pain and guilt and despair here, My fear of death and the unknown is far less terrifying than the prospect of the unbearable frustrations, futility, and hopelessness of continued existence. Glancing at the lifeless, sheet-draped form on the bed, the officer shrugs his shoulders heavily and turns away. For him it is routinejust another suicide. For the ambulance crew it is routinejust another DOA. And, tragically, it is becoming all too routine all over America, especially on college campuses.

In contrast:

Charlie Powell was student body president of the University of California at Berkeley during the Free Speech Movement and at the height of that crisis made a decision for Christ. Looking back, he said, for the first time in my life I began to see that, if Jesus Christ were really the person He claimed to be, then He had the answers to my problems as student body president as well as in my own personal life.

C.

It produces unity among believers in the kingdom of God.

It is interesting that Paul says it is the wisdom of God alone which brings unity and on the other hand the practice of unity gives evangelistic power to the gospel (Isaiah 1:17).

If ever the world is to be convinced of Christ’s saving power, the unity of believers will have a great deal to do with it!

And yet churchmen and theologians keep insisting on trying everything under the sun to promote unity except the Word of God!

The church at Corinth was trying many things to make the congregation a happy, unified, successful, respected congregationBUT WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS CAUSING MORE DIVISION THAN UNITY.

a.

Forming parties and groups following famous men

b.

Showing off how much more sanctified they were than others by comparing miraculous gifts

BUILDINGS, BUDGETS AND BANQUETS. PROGRAMS, PROMOTIONAL GIMMICKS AND ENTERTAINMENT ARE NOT UNITY, NOT PROOF OF UNITY, NOR CAN THEY SUSTAIN UNITY. Those things are sometimes good and useful as means, but are also sometimes harmful. I-’ve seen more division and fighting over buildings, budgets and programs than I care to recollect. I-’ve seen church people come to church fellowship dinners and separate themselves from other members and never speak because of unconverted hate and unforgiveness! ONLY THE POWER OF THE CONVERTING WISDOM OF GOD WILL BRING UNITY.

II.

PROPOGATION OF THE WISDOM OF GOD (Its transmission to men)

A.

The wisdom of God cannot be reduced to and bound by human wisdom!

Not in human art, not in human music, not in human sermons!

None of these dare claim the inspiration or verbal inerrancy of the Holy Spirit!

The primary reason for this is that the wisdom of Godthe redemptive program of Godis outside human experience. That a sinless, Incarnate God, should willingly die for a sinful world, is humanly inexplicable.

Not only that, it is moral outrage to human pride. THIS IS THE MAIN CAUSE FOR UNBELIEF. FOR RESISTANCE TO THE WORD AND WISDOM OF GOD.

I-’ve quoted so many times in my class, the little excerpt from Bishop Oxenam in Baker’s Dictionary of Theology article on Atonement, The doctrine of the atonement to me is immoral.. That someone else should atone for my sins is immoral.. they are my sins, I will atone for them.

Of course, through human forms of expression we may point people toward, and motivate them toward the wisdom of God found in His Word, but it is still the plain, uncluttered, Word of God that does the begetting of the Spirit. not our eloquence, or expertise.

HUMAN SERMONS, HUMAN MUSIC, HUMAN ART, HUMAN METHODS, COME AND GO, BUT THE WORD OF GOD ABIDES FOREVER!

B.

The wisdom of God is undiscoverableit has to be revealed.

God is a Person, an objective person, just like I am a person and you are persons, but God is infinite, omnipotent and omniscient, while I am finite.

Now finite man cannot even know the mind of another finite person unless that mind is revealed to him either by directly talking and acting in one another’s presence or by communicating through writing to one another.

If I should want to know what a man’s mind is on some subject, I have to let him tell me. I can-’t ask anyone else; I can-’t guess; I can-’t find it within myself subjectively. Almost every time we say, I just have this feeling that this is what God wants me to do, it is usually what we want to do.. It is presumptuous to say, I just have this feeling that this is what so-and-so would want me to do. How MUCH MORE PRESUMPTUOUS FOR US TO SAY, I HAVEN-‘T REALLY SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES ABOUT THIS, I JUST FEEL LIKE IT HAS GOD’S APPROVAL! NOW THE QUESTION IS, WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD. THE NATURAL MAN DOES NOT RECEIVE THE MIND OF CHRIST. THAT IS, THE NON-APOSTLE, DOES NOT RECEIVE THE MIND OF CHRIST, IN A REVELATORY MANNER.

All Calvinistic commentaries, I know, say 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 to the unconverted man not able to understand spiritual things. that is contextually erroneous as well as unsuited to the teaching of the Bible as a whole.

How can the invitation be to whosoever will if one must wait for the miracle of Holy Spirit quickening of the mind before we can understand the gospel message? What is the point of preaching if we must preach and then hope the Holy Spirit will quicken the mind apart from the Word so the man may understand? THE POINT IS THAT ONLY THE APOSTLES RECEIVED THE REVELATION OF GOD, THE MIND OF GOD, TO TRANSMIT TO ALL MANKIND FOR ALL AGES! David Lipscomb paraphrases: Who of you uninspired hath known the mind of God, so as to be joined together with Him? But we inspired men so understand him that we are united in him in teaching his will, we are laborers together with God. The whole trend and meaning of the chapter is that none could know or teach the will of God by human wisdom. They were dependent upon the revelation made by God’s Spirit through the apostles for a knowledge of His will, and only through receiving this could any become co-workers with Him in saving men.

THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO TEST THAT WHICH CLAIMS TO BE THE MIND OF CHRIST.. DOES IT AGREE WITH APOSTOLIC REVELATION.. 1 John 4:1-6

It is one thing to say, I am persuaded by historico-grammatical study that this is what the biblical author has revealed to be the mind of God.. and quite another thing to say, I-’ve put it before the Lord and He revealed to me that I should do this or that.

C.

The wisdom of God is revealed only through the apostles, but in human terms. in human words

The will, the mind, the Person of God came in flesh. Jesus was the Incarnate God, and the Incarnate Holy Spirit, ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD DWELT IN HIM BODILY!

He was the Word of God, John 1:1-18, in human form.

The words He spoke were the words of God, the mind of God, the wisdom of God.

The words He gave the apostles after He ascended back into heaven, through the work of the Holy Spirit, are just as powerful in redeeming and saving and regenerating as they were when He was here in the flesh

John 6:63; 2 Peter 1:3-5. through this word (promises) we are made partakers of the divine nature; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, they may make the man of God complete! 1 John 3:24, they complete our fellowship with Christ.

THE WORD OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH THE APOSTLES IS THE SAME WORD AS THE INCARNATE WORD.. IT HAS THE SAME AUTHORITY. IT HAS THE SAME POWER! WE NEED NO FURTHER REVELATIONS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT! WE DON-‘T EVEN NEED ANY MORE MIRACLES TO CONFIRM THAT IT IS THE WORD AND WILL AND MIND OF GOD! Some will say, There is no power in the words on this printed page of the Bible, the power is in the Person.. Be careful of such statements. Of course, we do not worship a book, but you can no more separate the words on the Bible’s pages from the Person than you can separate the words of any man from his person! THE WORD OF CHRIST IS THE MIND OF CHRIST, THE WORD IS THE POWERFUL, ENERGIZED AGENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN CONVERSION AND SANCTIFICATION! By the word, Paul begat the Corinthians. The word is the incorruptible seed. The word is implanted. Sanctify them in the truth, thy word is truth. If we abide in His commandments we abide in Him and He in us. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. The word that I have spoken to you is Spirit and life. The miracle of regeneration occurs through the Word. WE HAVE LOST RESPECT FOR THE AUTHORITY AND POWER OF THE WORD.. Jesus said, All authority. etc., Go and make disciples. teach them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you. THERE IS AN INSIDIOUS GRASPING FOR HUMAN AUTONOMY IN CHRISTENDOM TODAY THAT IS JUST AS UNBELIEVING AS THAT RATIONALISTIC HUMANISM OF A CENTURY AGO. IT IS SUBJECTIVISM. HOW I FEEL. MY EXPERIENCE. RATHER THAN WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY! YOU see that evaluates the Bible by my feeling or my experience rather than evaluating my feeling-experience by what the Bible actually says.

Full Gospel Business Men’s International lead article claims the whole movement built first on the experiences, testimonies, of alleged, extra-biblical workings of the Holy Spirit. and what the Bible says follows that second in importance.

A missionary’s paper points out how some of the Pentecostals in Chile teach their people that much study of the Bible is a sin. They are opposing the work of Christ and the Bible correspondence work because they declare that the Holy Spirit will teach them without having to read or study the Word of God! This leads some to believe that God does all our thinking and deciding for us. We don-’t even have to decide. But that would keep us immature, moral runts.

III.

PURPOSE OF THE WISDOM OF GOD, 1 Corinthians 3-4

A.

To build the temple of God by begetting Christians through the gospel and by edifying them through the apostolic doctrine.

The purpose of the wisdom of God is NOT:

a.

To erect a brain-washed, psyched, structured, non-thinking American corporation!

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS A COMMUNITY OF OBEDIENT BELIEVERS STRUCTURED ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE, BUT UNSTRUCTURED WHERE THE SCRIPTURES DO NOT SPEAK AND FREE TO THINK AND GROW MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST!

b.

To form a society through which man may build a physical, material Utopia on this present earth! THE GOSPEL IS PRIMARILY TO REGENERATE MINDS AND SAVE SOULS IN SPITE OF PHYSICAL CIRCUMSTANCES.. Of course, Christian love wants to relieve physical suffering and wherever it can it should. But first priority is preaching the Word.

c.

Just to Christianize society to save a human culture. THE WISDOM OF GOD IS TO CALL OUT AND SAVE FROM ALL DYING CULTURES, A PEOPLE OF HIS OWN WHO ARE ZEALOUS FOR GOOD DEEDS.

d.

To make men famous. WHEN MEN USE THE PULPIT TO GAIN PERSONAL FAME AND FOLLOWING, THEY EMPTY THE CROSS OF ITS POWER (1 Corinthians 1:17). HUMAN BEINGS HAVE A TENDENCY TO THINK OF THE CHURCH AND HER LEADERS AS THEY DO HUMAN LEADERS! PAUL FOUGHT THAT IN CORINTH AND EPHESUS, AND ROME, AND COLOSSAE AND THESSALONICA AND EVERYWHERE HE WENT.

B.

To make men truly wise through humility

1 Corinthians 3:18-22. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you think that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

Humility is the queen of virtues.

PRIDE IS THE CAUSE OF UNBELIEF. Unbelief is not because God hasn-’t given enough evidence. We don-’t need more evidence, we need MORE HUMILITY.

IF YOU LEAVE THESE CLASSROOMS KNOWING THE BIBLE AND KNOWING HOW TO PREACH IT. BUT PROUD AND ARROGANT. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE WISDOM OF GOD!

C.

To teach man how to live (1 Corinthians 3:6) according to the scripture

NOT TO GO BEYOND WHAT IS WRITTEN

Dean Seth Wilson has a little printed essay entitled, What the Bible Does Not Say About a Christian’s Life and Conduct.

HE ASKS, IS THERE ANY PART OF LIFE ON WHICH THE BIBLE HAS NO TEACHING? HE ANSWERS, NO! There are precepts and principles in the Bible to cover every aspect of human life.. all things that pertain to life and godliness.

CONCLUSION

I.

THE VILLAGE THAT LIVES BY THE BIBLE

November, 1960, Reader’s Digest:

Soldiers in 1945 found this village which had been formed from two men converted by a missionary who left them a Bible and a hymn book. Picking their way through the Bible, the two converts had found not only a Person on whom to pattern a life, but sound precepts on which to base their society.. Nurtured on this Book a whole generation had drawn from it their ideas. the result was plain to see. Shimabuku for years had had no jail, no brothel, no drunkenness, no divorce; there was a high level of health and happiness.. The soldiers attended a worship service and observed the lives of the people for a few days. A sergeant whispered to his lieutenant, So this is what comes out of only a Bible and couple of old guys who wanted to live like Jesus!. then, with a glance at a shell hole, he murmured, Maybe we-’re using the wrong kind of weapons to make the world over!

II.

THE WISDOM OF GOD IS POWERFUL: THE WORD OF GOD IS POWERFUL BECAUSE IT IS THE REVELATION OF THE WISDOM OF GOD

A.

If you think words and ideas are not powerful, think of what Adolph Hitler did with lies, words. Marx and Lenin have captured more than two-thirds of the total population of the world with false ideas expressed through words.

B.

The gospel is infinitely more powerful than all those put together.

A. Campbell said, The work of redemption is a system of work, or deeds, on the part of Heaven, which constitute the most splendid series of moral facts which man or angel ever saw.. When these facts are understood, or brought into immediate contact with the mind of man, as a moral seal or moral prototype, they delineate or stamp the image of God upon the human soul. Mr. Campbell goes on to point out that it is through the preaching of the gospel and through man’s obedience to the scriptures (the revelation of the works and deeds of God) that the image of God is stamped upon the soul of man and through no other means. The love of God in the death of Christ never drew a tear of gratitude or joy from any eye, or excited a grateful emotion in any heart among the nations of our race to whom the testimony never came. (The Christian System, pg. 90-102. Fact, Testimony, Faith, Feeling.)

III.

BUT THE INFINITE POWER OF THE WISDOM OF GOD IN THE GOSPEL WILL PRODUCE NOTHING IF IT IS NOT PROCLAIMED.. Leaven will not make bread if it is not put into contact with the lump.

THAT IS WHAT OZARK BIBLE COLLEGE WAS FOUNDED TO DO.. FILL MEN AND WOMEN WITH ALL THE FULNESS OF CHRIST IN WHOM ARE HIDDEN ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE AND SEND THEM FORTH TO DECLARE THE WISDOM OF GOD TO A FOOLISH AND DYING WORLD! THAT IS WHAT FACULTY AND STAFF HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO.. THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE SUPPORT THE COLLEGE FOR.. THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE RECRUITED YOU FOR.. IF YOU HAVE COME FOR ANY OTHER REASON THAN THAT, YOU ARE SHORT OF THE MARK. I SAY TO YOU IN THE WORDS OF EDWARD JOHN CARNELL: IF IT IS TRUE THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS TO SAVE SINNERS, HAVE WE ANY RIGHT TO SAY THAT WE LOVE SINNERS IF WE FAIL TO CONFRONT THEM WITH THIS TRUTH? AND WHERE CAN WE FIND A DIVINELY VALIDATED ACCOUNT OF THIS TRUTH APART FROM SCRIPTURE? IN SUM, WE CAN EXPRESS NO HIGHER LOVE TO LOST HUMANITY THAN TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN THE PRECISE FORM IN WHICH GOD HAS BEEN PLEASED TO REVEAL IT!

**SPECIAL STUDY

WHAT IS TO BE DONE CONCERNING FALSE TEACHERS AND TEACHING**

Compiled by Paul T. Butler

Beware of them (be on the lookout for). (Matthew 7:15)

Know them (by their fruits, their works and doctrines). (Matthew 7:16)

Beware of their leaven-like doctrines. (Matthew 16:5-12) (cf. Galatians 5:9)

Follow God’s word even when the teachers may be hypocritical or partisan. (Matthew 23:1-3) (cf. Philippians 1:15-18)

Let them alone. (Matthew 15:13-14)

Even if their doctrines are a result of centuries of national heritage, we must follow divinely revealed truth. (John 4:24)

Must not hear the voice of hirelings if we want to remain in the One true fold. (John 10)

We must follow only those who keep the word of the apostles. (John 15:20; John 17:20)

We must follow only those who strive for unity. (John 17:21-23)

We must cautiously resist any teaching lest we be found fighting against God. (Acts 5:38-39)

We have apostolic precedent for debate with false teachers to defend truth. (Acts 6:8-10; Acts 9:28-29; Acts 10:1-18; Acts 11; Acts 13:6-12)

We are not to resist evil opposers to the point of reckless and foolhardy throwing away of our life. (Acts 14:1-7)

Their doctrine must be investigated in the light of revelation by the leaders of the church and the true doctrine preached polemically (Acts 15:1 to Acts 16:5) in churches.

When they oppose and blaspheme the truth we should refuse to continue with them. (Acts 18:6) (cf. Matthew 7:6)

Separate the disciples from those who speak evil of the Way. (Acts 19:9)

Those sincere believers who have not learned and are not teaching the complete revelation need to be taught privately. (Acts 18:24-28; Acts 19:1-7)

Elders are to take heed; feed; watch; admonish with tears night and day; command the flock to God’s word as preventive polemics. (Acts 20:28-32)

Opinions are not necessarily false teaching until someone makes them laws. (Romans 14:1 to Romans 15:7)

Mark themturn away from them in their divisive doctrines. (Romans 16:17)

Those who claim to be prophets or teachers must acknowledge the apostles-’ letters as divine revelation. (1 Corinthians 14:37-38)

We are not to be yoked together with those who teach falsely or live falsely. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

Beware of their abilities to fashion themselves into angels of light and ministers of righteousness. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

They are to be anathematized. (Galatians 1:6-9) (They anathematize themselves.)

Rebuke publicly (to the face) in some instances. (Galatians 2:13-14)

Stand fast in freedom of the gospel (do not be bound by false laws added to it). (Galatians 5:1)

If a brother trespass in false teaching we are to seek his restoration in a spirit of gentleness. (Galatians 6:1-5)

We are to grow up in faith to prevent being carried away by false teaching. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

We are to speak boldly the truth in loveeach member of the body fulfilling his part in this speaking of the truth. (Ephesians 4:15-16)

Not to be partakers (associate) with them (Ephesians 5:6-11) and to prove all things by bringing God’s revelation to shine upon themwe are to expose false teachings.

We are to redeem the time by learning and understanding what the will of the Lord is in order to prepare for combating falsehood. (Ephesians 5:15-18)

We are to recognize that we wrestle against supernatural power (Ephesians 6:10-18)and we must arm ourselves with truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, with prayerwe must be wise as to Satan’s devices. (2 Corinthians 2:11)

We are to pray for knowledge to prove what is excellent. (Philippians 1:9-10)

Mark them and beware of false teachers. (Philippians 3:2; Philippians 3:17-19)

Take heed and beware of philosophies of men. (Colossians 2:8)

Let no man judge us in matters of expediency. (Colossians 2:16)

Train ourselves to answer false teachers. (Colossians 4:6)

Declare the gospel in face of great opposition and beware of those who preach to please men. (1 Thessalonians 2:1-6)

We are not to be ignorant. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

We are to prove all thingshold fast to the good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

We are to strengthen one another with pure doctrine. (1 Thessalonians 4:18)

Withdraw from every brother that does not abide in apostolic doctrines. (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

Have no company with disobedient (2 Thessalonians 3:14)but admonish like a brother.

Charge false teachers to refrain from their teaching. (1 Timothy 1:3-4)

Paul delivered two unto Satan who, through their blasphemy and apostacy, had shipwrecked the faith. (1 Timothy 1:19-20)

Preachers are to expose the hypocrisy and demonical nature of false doctrines. (1 Timothy 4:1-6)

Refuse profane doctrines. (1 Timothy 4:7)

Evangelists are to train themselves in the Word to withstand these false doctrines. (1 Timothy 4:11-16)

We are to shun those who do not agree with sound doctrine and who have a morbid craving for controversy. (1 Timothy 6:3-11)

We are to fight the good fight and withstand false doctrine. (1 Timothy 6:12)

We are to turn away from false teachings and guard the truth. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

Charge brethren in the sight of the Lord not to strive about words. (2 Timothy 2:14)

Shun profane babblings. (2 Timothy 2:16-17)

Refuse foolish and ignorant questionings. (2 Timothy 2:23)

Correct in spirit of meekness those that oppose themselves. (2 Timothy 2:25)

Turn away from false teachers. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

We are to imitate the apostles in their dealings with false teachersto teach, correct, reprove, instruct. (2 Timothy 3:10-17)

We are to preach constantly, reproving, rebuking, exhorting. (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

We are to exhort in sound doctrine, convict (show them for what they really are) the gainsayers. (Titus 1:9)

The mouths of false teachers must be stopped. (Titus 1:11)

The false teachers are to be reproved sharply. (Titus 1:13)

Shun foolish questionings, (Titus 1:9)

A factious man is to be refused after a first and second admonition. (Titus 3:10)

We are to exercise our senses to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14)

We are to obey elders as those who watch for our souls. (Hebrews 13:17)

We are to pray for divine wisdom to guard against demonical wisdom. (James 1:5)

We are to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus lest we be carried away. (2 Peter 3:17-18)

We are to remember that God’s word foretells false teachers arising. (2 Peter 3:1-7)

We are to take heed to what the apostles have warned about false teachers. (1 John 2:18-25)

Believe not every spirit but prove (test) each teacher. (1 John 4:1-6)

Test teachers as to how they listen and heed the apostolic doctrine. (1 John 4:5)

We are not to fellowship with false teachers (2 John 1:5-11)we are not to receive them into our home nor give them greeting (those who deny the deity of Jesus Christ).

We are to contend (agonize) earnestly for the faith which is once for all time delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1:3)

Remember that false teachers have been prophesied. (Jude 1:17)

We are to build ourselves up in faith, pray in the Spirit, keep ourselves in love (Jude 1:20-21) as a method of combating false teaching.

On some who are teaching falsely not of perverse nature but out of doubt, we are to convince in an attitude of mercy. (Jude 1:22-23)

Try those who claim apostolic authority to teach. (Revelation 2:2)

Isaiah 56:1-5

C. WORLDWIDE IS THE INVITATION TO COVENANT RELATIONSHIP, CHAPTER 56

1. DISTINCTIONS DESTROYED

TEXT: Isaiah 56:1-5

1

Thus saith Jehovah, Keep ye justice, and do righteousness; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

2

Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that holdeth it fast; that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

3

Neither let the foreigner, that hath joined himself to Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah will surely separate me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

4

For thus saith Jehovah of the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and hold fast my covenant:

5

Unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

QUERIES

a.

Why single out the sabbath as a mark of righteousness?

b.

How could a foreigner join himself to Jehovah?

c.

Why would a eunuch be worried that he was a dry tree?

PARAPHRASE

This is what the Lord says, I am soon going to establish My covenant of salvation by grace through the Suffering Servant. It is your responsibility to enter into My covenant by doing justice and righteousness. Blessedness for all men shall be found in keeping My covenant according to My terms. All the former distinctions that hindered foreigners and eunuchs from full covenant relationship will be abrogated when My salvation through the Servant becomes a reality. So the Lord says, Let the foreigners and eunuchs be faithful in keeping My covenant terms out of a heart that chooses to do so, and I will give them a relationship to Me of much more value than any earthly blessing or reputation; I will give them an eternal reputation of blessedness.

COMMENTS

Isaiah 56:1-2 COVENANT ESPOUSED: On the basis of the Suffering Servant’s atonement and the offer of a new covenant relationship through His accomplishment, the emphasis is now put on man’s espousal or choice of that covenant. Jehovah’s salvation is near! In His salvation, His righteousness will be revealed (cf. Romans 1:17; Romans 3:21-26). Logically, then, those who choose the benefits of His righteousness must accept the responsibility of such a choice which is to do righteously. Those who want the results of righteousness must practice righteousness! Practicing righteousness can be clearly defined! Doing what God’s revealed covenant terms say is right and refraining from what God’s covenant says is evil is practicing righteousness. The apostle John amplifies this principle in his writings (John 14:15; John 14:21; John 14:23; John 15:10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 2:24; 1 John 3:19-24; 1 John 4:6; 1 John 5:1-3, etc.). In our text here, Isaiah uses the sabbath as an example of man’s obligation to keep God’s covenant according to God’s terms. Next to circumcision, the sabbath was the central sign of the covenant (cf. Exodus 31:13 ff; Ezekiel 20:12 ff). This does not mean the sabbath day was to be a commandment of the New Covenant which the Messiah would establish. Sabbath is used in a number of messianic prophecies to exemplify the prediction that members of the future messianic kingdom would be covenant-keepers instead of covenant-breakers like the Jews of the days of the prophets (cf. Isaiah 66:22-23; Ezekiel 44:24; Ezekiel 45:17; Ezekiel 46:3). Sabbath-day keeping in the New Covenant dispensation is definitely abrogated as a law of God since the O.T. ordinances were nailed to the cross (cf. Colossians 2:13-15; Hebrews 9:10; Hebrews 10:1, etc.). Sabbath-keeping is, at best, merely a matter of opinion in the New Dispensation (cf. Romans 14:1-12; Colossians 2:16-23). The use of the sabbath by Isaiah in this messianic text is a clear example of times-coloring in prophetic literature. How is a prophet 700 years removed from the messianic age to communicate the idea of sincere covenant-keeping to his audience? He must do it in terminology and practices contemporary with his own dispensation and age. Therefore, he idealizes the concept of covenant-keeping with one’s sincerity in keeping the sabbath!

Isaiah 56:3-5 CONTEMPTIBLE EXALTED: Foreigners (nakerily, Heb.) and sojourners (ger, Heb.) might become citizens and members of the covenant people but they were prohibited from participating in full fellowship with the people of the land (cf. Exodus 12:43-49; Leviticus 16:29; Leviticus 17:12; Leviticus 18:26; Leviticus 22:10; Leviticus 25:35; Leviticus 25:40; Numbers 15:15; Numbers 16:29; Numbers 19:10; Numbers 35:15, etc.). Eunuchs were also barred from the temple of God (Deuteronomy 23:1). Naturally, when they heard Isaiah’s magnificent predictions of the glorious messianic age to come they would assume second class citizenship to be their lot in that age also. Taking the case of the eunuchs first the Lord says they shall have an inheritance in the messianic kingdom in spite of the fact that they could produce no progeny. In the Jewish mind messianic inheritance was tied directly to the land and tribal inheritances. If a man could produce no offspring he had ho hope in the messianic future. But there will be no such limitations or hindrances to full favor in the messianic age. If men will keep God’s covenant in the new dispensation and choose what pleases the Lord, they will be brought into God’s house in full fellowship. Outward observance is not sufficient (Matthew 5:17 to Matthew 6:18; John 4:21-24; Matthew 15:1-19), the new covenant will be written on the heart (Jeremiah 31:31-34). In the messianic kingdom there will be no distinctions as to race, physical perfection, economic or educational status (cf. Galatians 3:23-29). All will be full-fledged sons of the covenant, descendants of Abraham according to faith, heirs of the promises of God (Ephesians 2:11-22, Romans 8:12-17, etc.). We have a specific example of the fulfillment of this in the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). Here is one eunuch indeed who has a name that is far more honored than it could have ever been by a long line of illustrious descendants. The primary reason for restrictions about sojourners and eunuchs in the O.T. was ceremonial uncleanness. But those who shall choose the covenant terms of the Messiah and keep them shall be cleansed of all defilement (ceremonial and moral) (cf. Zechariah 12:10 to Zechariah 14:21; Malachi 3:1-6; etc.).

QUIZ

What salvation is predicted as near?

Why the exhortation to keep justice and do righteousness?

Is sabbath-keeping a literal requirement for the messianic age?

What is times-coloring?

What status did foreigners and eunuchs have in relationship to the O.T. covenant?

How does Isaiah’s promise to the eunuchs here fit in with N.T. doctrines?

Cite an example of a eunuch in N.T. times being accepted into Christ’s covenant.

Isaiah 56:6-8

2. DOERS ARE DISCIPLES

TEXT: Isaiah 56:6-8

6

Also the foreigners that join themselves to Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, everyone that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast my covenant;

7

even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

8

The Lord Jehovah, who gathereth the outcasts of Israel, saith, Yet will I gather others to him, besides his own that are gathered.

QUERIES

a.

How can these foreigners be brought to God’s holy mountain?

b.

Who are the others of verse eight Jehovah will gather to Himself?

PARAPHRASE

When My new covenant is established by the Servant, many Gentiles will love the Lord and join themselves to Him and serve Him through obedience to the terms of the Servant’s covenant. I, the Lord, will bring them to Zion and cause them to partake of all My blessings there; I will also allow them to minister to Me in Zion. Indeed, My new house shall be the the house of worship for all nations. The same Lord who gathers the believing scattered ones of Israel will gather others from all the Gentile nations to join the gathered of Israel.

COMMENTS

Isaiah 56:6 GODLY: Already there has been an abundance of predictions from Isaiah that Jehovah will join foreigners (Gentiles) to Zion in the coming messianic age. There are also a number of predictions that these New covenant citizens will become ministers in the New dispensation (cf. Isaiah 60:3; Isaiah 60:7; Isaiah 60:10; Isaiah 66:18-23; Zechariah 14:16-19, etc.). These ungodly foreigners will love the name of Jehovah and keep His covenant ordinances (the new covenant). The foreigners, excluded from the covenant of Israel because of ceremonial and moral uncleanness, will be accepted because they love the name of Jehovah and choose to become His, taking His name as theirs (cf. Isaiah 43:1-5). Every member of the new covenant is a priest (minister) (cf. 1 Peter 1:5; 1 Peter 1:9;Hebrews 13:15-16).

Isaiah 56:7-8 GATHERED: Jehovah will not necessarily bring foreigners to the literal hill of Moriah where the Jewish temple stood. He will bring them to Zion (Hebrews 12:22 ff), the N.T. church (cf. Isaiah 2:1-4). The following descriptive phrases, … prayer. joyful. sacrifices accepted., point to full covenant membership for foreigners. Gentiles will be restored to loving fellowship with the Creator through the Messiah and His new covenant. The Messiah’s sacrifice (once for all, cf. Hebrews 10:1-18) will atone for all men’s sins. God’s new house, Zion, will be for men of all nations (Ephesians 2:11-22) a house of prayer (cf. Mark 11:17) because the Messiah will cleanse God’s house of those who profane it.

That Jehovah would someday give full covenant membership to Gentiles should not have been such an unlikely thing to the Jews. Verse seven is quoted by Jesus in Mark 11:17. Verse eight is quoted by Jesus in John 10:16. Yet, when Jesus stood and read Isaiah 61:1-2 and applied it to God’s mercy extended to Gentiles, even in O.T. times, they wanted to kill Jesus for it. The following excerpts illustrate the incorrigible obstinacy of the Jewish theologians to accept the predictions of their prophets that Jehovah would accept the Gentiles into full covenant relationship:

THE JEWISH VIEW OF GENTILES

(Everyman’s Talmud, p. 66 & 371)

-Kill the best of the Gentiles! Crush the head of the best of snakes!-’ (Mech. to xiv, 7; 27a).

-Gentiles are addicted to licentiousness-’ (Jeb. 98a). The Rabbis were revolted by the low standards of conduct they saw practised around them and were thankful for the finer ideals which their religion offered them. A prayer, composed to be said on leaving the House of Study, reads: -I give thanks before Thee, O Lord my God and God of my fathers, that Thou has set my lot among those who sit in the House of Study and the Synagogue, and hast not set my lot with those who frequent the theatres and circuses; for while I labour to inherit Paradise, they labour for the pit of destruction-’ (p. Ber. 7d). The Holy One, blessed be He, clears Himself with respect to the gentile nations by giving them their reward for the minor precepts which they observed in this world so as to judge and sentence them in the World to Come, that they may have no plea to make and no merit can be found on their behalf (Tanchurna Kedoshim I).

-R. Eliezer declared, No Gentiles will have a share in the World to Come; as it is said, -The wicked shall return to the nether-world, even all the nations that forget God-’ (Pas 9:17); -the wicked-’ refers to the evil among Israel. R. Joshua said to him, If the verse had stated -The wicked shall return to the nether-world and all the nations,-’ and had stopped there, I should have agreed with you. Since, however, the text adds, -that forget God,-’ behold, there must be righteous men among the nations who will have a share in the World to Come-’ (Tosifta Sanh. xiii. 2). That the righteous of all peoples will inherit the bliss of the Hereafter is the accepted doctrine of Rabbinic Judaism.

The daughter of an Israelite may not assist a gentile woman in childbirth, since she would be assisting to bring to birth a child for idolatry. (Mishnah, A. Zar 2.1)

Isaiah is not the only prophet to predict Gentile acceptance; see also Amos 9:11-12 (Acts 15:12-21); Micah 4:2; Micah 7:15-17; Zechariah 8:20-23; Zechariah 9:9-10; Zechariah 14:16-21. The point of Isaiah’s remarks here seems to be that anyone who loves the name of Jehovah and keeps His covenant terms will be acceptable (cf. Acts 10:34-35). Doers are disciples!

QUIZ

How could Gentiles become ministers (priests)?

What do the words prayer, joyful, sacrifices point to for Gentiles?

Where does Jesus quote the verse about house of prayer?

Where does Jesus quote verse eight?

How adamant were Jews that Gentiles should not be allowed standing before God?

Isaiah 56:9-12

3. DUMB DOGS DENOUNCED

TEXT: Isaiah 56:9-12

9

All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

10

His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

11

Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.

12

Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, a day great beyond measure.

QUERIES

a.

Who are the dumb dogs?

b.

Were the shepherds of Israel actually drunkards?

PARAPHRASE

Come like wild beasts, all you pagan nations, and devour this helpless people of Mine, says Jehovah. The watchmen of this people are blind to unbelief and covenant-breaking which is crippling them. The men who are supposed to be spiritual leaders of My people are like stupified dogs; they should be barking the alarm, but they do not because they have sated themselves with self-indulgence so they lie around lazily sleeping and dreaming. These so-called spiritual leaders are like greedy dogs that never get enough. They are like shepherds who cannot seem to understand that an enemy is about to attack their flock because they are completely engrossed in their own selfish pursuits of making money and they are oblivious to the needs of the flock. Not only are they profligates themselves, but they are busy trying to seduce others into their debauchery. They are advocating deliberate drunkenness in order to blot out any concern or responsibility for the spiritual problems facing Israel.

COMMENTS

Isaiah 56:9 DESTRUCTION: This section (Isaiah 56:9-12) connects to the main topic under considerationCovenant Relationship. This section focuses on the major reason Isaiah was having such a difficult time getting the majority of his countrymen to renew their messianic relationship with Jehovah. The spiritual leaders were corrupt. Because the nation of Israel had defaulted on its theocratic uniqueness, by dividing into two warring nations (Israel and Judah) and by assimilating idolatry, God was letting her suffer the due penalty of her error in her own body-politic. She tried to deceive pagan empires with treaties and alliances, pitting one against another. Israel exchanged her covenant relationship with the omnipotent Jehovah for vain and destructive covenants with God-opposing nations. Now those empires are poised to wreak destruction upon her (cf. Jeremiah 12:9; Ezekiel 34:5; Ezekiel 34:8). The figure of speech under which Isaiah here delineates the nations which were enemies of God’s people is beasts and is used elsewhere in Scripture for the same identification (cf. our comments, Daniel, College Press, pgs. 259-260; see also Revelation 13:1 ff where Rome is symbolized as beasts).

Isaiah 56:10-12 DRUNKENNESS: The watchmen (spiritual leaders such as priests and judges) of Israel were blind. Isaiah refers to spiritual blindness which is a deliberate blindness; a blindness of the heart by choice. The spiritual leaders of Israel refused to acknowledge the dangers that were everywhere apparent to men of faith like Isaiah. Micah, (Micah 1:5) a prophet-contemporary of Isaiah, put his finger on the root cause of the sin of both Israel and Judah when he pointed to the capital cities of both nations as the place where corruption began and was at its worst. When the political and spiritual leadership of a nation is decadent, it does not take long for corruption to filter down into the entire fibre of the whole nation at grass-roots levels. Those who would aspire to positions of such leadership have a responsibility beyond their own personal livesthey have a responsibility to those who look to them for leadership in character as well as function.

Isaiah calls the leaders dogs! Dogs are mentioned about 40 times in the scriptures. They were not the friendly, domesticated dogs we know in the Western world today. They were half-wild, with some mixture of jackal or wolf, thin from want of food and ill-natured, which roamed the streets or sometimes traveled with the nomadic shepherds of Palestine, (cf. Job 30:1, etc.). The apostle Paul uses dogs to symbolize the vicious Judaizers who were always trying to attack him and the church (cf. Philippians 3:2 ff). Here, however, the dogs have lost their alertness and activeness because they have sated themselves on self-indulgence. They are mute! They just cannot get up the energy to bark. They really do not care to bark. No warning will come from these critters Every farm-boy has seen an illustration of this in the old hound who has filled himself with food and has gone off to lie down in the shade of a tree, hardly opening an eye when someone approacheshe just doesn-’t care. The whole picture is one of devotion to self-enjoyment and satisfaction and neglect of duty.

These dogs (leaders of the nation) are greedy gluttons. They are never satisfied. They must always have more. They are interested only in their own gain. Nothing will bring the downfall of a nation more rapidly than selfish hedonism in its leadership. When public servants serve only themselves, they set the same moral tone for the whole populace. The leaders of Israel prayed upon the flock (cf. Ezekiel 34:1-10). They exploited and abused their constituents until the whole nation was sapped of its economic and moral fibre. Then the nation collapsed without the will to reform its morals, resist its enemies or return to the Lord. These leaders encouraged one another and the whole nation to drunkenness, (cf. Isaiah 5:11; Isaiah 5:22; Isaiah 24:9 to Isaiah 28:7; Isaiah 29:9; Isaiah 24:20; Isaiah 51:21; Micah 2:11; etc.) Rather than face the reality of the consequences of their careless indulgence, they advocate an alcoholic stupefication that will anesthetize their reasoning ability. Thus they will create for themselves a fool’s paradise, saying, … tomorrow shall be as this day, great beyond measure.

QUIZ

How does this text connect to the previous discussion of Covenant Relationship?

Why does Isaiah use beasts to refer to pagan nations?

Why is it so dangerous for a nation’s leadership to become drunkards?

Why is the word dogs so appropriate for the leaders of Isaiah’s day?

Why the encouragement by the leaders for all the people to become drunkards?