Isaiah 57
OGCEXAMINATION 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 57:1-5
D. WEARINESS TO WICKED WHO BREAK COVENANT WITH THE LORD, CHAPTER 57
- SORCERY
TEXT: Isaiah 57:1-5
1
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
2
He entereth into peace; they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness.
3
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
4
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
5
ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
QUERIES
a.
Who are the sons of the sorceress?
b.
Were the Israelites really slaying children?
PARAPHRASE
These insensitive, indulgent leaders of Israel have produced a whole nation of uncaring people. These are times when good men are being destroyed and dying and no one seems to care or wonder why. Most do not realize that when the good man dies he is being taken away from these calamitous times. When the good man dies he enters in to a peaceful rest from the trials of this life. But you followers of sorcery and idolatry, prepare yourselves to face the wrath of Jehovah. Who are you making fun of? Who are you mocking with your impudent face-making? You are the sinners, aren-’t you? You passionately indulge in the sexual orgies of idol worship in the groves of terebinth trees and let your children be slain as human sacrifices in the rocky valleys of Palestine, do you not?
COMMENTS
Isaiah 57:1-2 THE RIGHTEOUS: The problem Isaiah addresses here has been a problem for mankind ever since the Fallwhy is it that the wicked seem to prosper and the righteous suffer? Of course, it is a problem only because of faulty perspective. History looked at from the human perspective (limited to the past and the present; limited to this world and this life only) does seem to substantiate the idea that it does not pay to be good. But history seen from the divine perspective (by faith in the revelation of God about the past, present and future) says quite the opposite. The righteous man may perish (-avad in Hebrew which means destroy) and the world evaluates it as something to be shunned. But the prophet of God says when the righteous man dies it is far from a tragedy for he is taken away from the evil to come. That is, the righteous man is delivered from the trials and tribulations of this world (cf. Revelation 7:14-17; Revelation 14:13; Psalms 116:15). Hosea, a contemporary of Isaiah, writes of the social chaos in the northern Ten Tribes (Israel) (cf. Hosea 4:1 ff). No doubt the same kind of injustice and destruction was being directed against the righteous in the southern kingdom (Judah). Micah, also a contemporary of Isaiah, speaks of the ungodliness of Judah (cf. Micah 2:8-11; Micah 3:1-3; Micah 6:6-16; Micah 7:1-6). Micah agrees with Isaiah that the godly man has perished from the earth. (Micah 7:2). The Hebrew word yanuhu is translated rest and has the connotation of repose (relaxation, ease). It is more precise than the usual Hebrew word for rest which is shavath (sabbath). Isaiah likens this rest unto sleep in the bed. The word shalom at the first of the verse indicates the utter peacefulness which death brings to the man who walks in righteousness (cf. Daniel 12:10-13). Even if the righteous man must walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (cf. Psalms 23). The wicked covenant breakers of Isaiah’s day have it all wrong! They are self-deceived. They think the righteous have come to an untimely death because of their stubborn faithfulness to keep God’s covenant. But it is the wicked covenant breakers who shall suffer!
Isaiah 57:3-5 THE RIOTOUS REBROBATES: Thus the prophet arraigns the riotous leaders whom he had just characterized as dumb dogs (cf. Isaiah 56:9-12). These leaders and their followers (which was the majority) are now characterized as sons of the sorceress. The Hebrew word used here for sorceress is -onenah which means literally one who divines by the clouds. All divining, soothsaying, magic, astrology was prohibited by Mosaic law (cf. Exodus 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:9-15). In the passage in Deuteronomy 18:9-15 Moses categorizes the pagan practices as:
me-onenone who bewitches with the evil eye; a cloud diviner
menaheshan enchanter; snake-charmer; mesmerist; hypnotist
mekashephmutterer of incantations; ventriloquial whispers as under the influence of the spirits of the dead
khoverone who inflicts a spell by weaving magical knots
-ovlit. means bottle indicating something like one who pretends powers over genii
yidde-‘oniya wizard; one who interprets the ravings of a medium
doresh -el-hammethiyma necromancer; one who calls up the spirits of the dead
Moses placed Moloch-worship at the head of his list, probably to show the integral connection between the practice of magic and idolatry. Making their children pass through the fire (human sacrifice) was more intimately connected with soothsaying (delving into the future) and magic than any other practice of idolatry. See Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 44:25 and Ezekiel 21:21 for more on this. Men have, ever since Eden, been possessed with the desire to penetrate the future and to manipulate its course. History clearly demonstrates that such power is not within the realm of the natural abilities of man. Men therefore have always attempted to gain the help of beings (departed dead, demons, Satan, angels, etc.) supposedly possessing such knowledge and power. But this is strictly forbidden by God and His word. By faith in God and obedience to His word men may know all (past, present and future) that pertains to life and godliness (cf. 2 Peter 1:3-4).
The majority of people in Isaiah’s day no longer sought the word of God but had turned to wizards (cf. Isaiah 8:16 ff), This inevitably led to the other abominable practices of paganism and idolatryadultery, fornication, and human sacrifice. They were an impudent, scornful, profane people (cf. Ezekiel 2:1-7; Ezekiel 3:1-11, etc.). They were making malicious sport at someone else’s expenseprobably the poor and the righteous; they were making impudent gestures with their faces, sticking out their tongues in derision. This showed their real character. They proved their falseness by these actions. They mocked the righteous man who died an untimely death, but they were really profaning themselves!
Isaiah’s generation was as sick as our generation. The Hebrew word hannechamim means literally, violently, passionately, but is translated, inflame yourselves in verse five. They indulged in the violent, passionate, sexual orgies among the terebinth (-elim) trees. The terebinth is related to the pistachio trees. In Palestine it grows sometimes as high as 40 feet and spreads its branches, with their thick, dark-green foliage, over a wide area (cf. 2 Samuel 18:9 ff). The same Hebrew word is sometimes translated oak and sometimes green tree. It was the tree that provided the groves in which the pagans practiced their idolatry and adultery (cf. Deuteronomy 12:2; 1 Kings 14:23; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:6; Jeremiah 3:13; Jeremiah 17:2; Hosea 4:13 ff; Ezekiel 6:13, etc.). The worst of the idolatrous practices was child sacrifice. This was often carried out in the Valley of Hinnom, within sight of the Temple of God (cf. Jeremiah 32:35; Ezek. 26:26-31). In the valleys suggests the many rocky valleys of Palestine walled on each side by clefts of the rocks. Archaeologists have uncovered earthen jars containing the bones of sacrificed infants from various cities and villages of ancient Palestine, confirming the statements of the prophets. Ed. J. Young points out that the description in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks is certainly not applicable to Mesopotamia. Another piece of the cumulative evidence that the latter portions of Isaiah were written by the prophet Isaiah who lived in Palestine before the Babylonian captivity, and not by some unknown postexilic Deutero-Isaiah.
QUIZ
What is the problem with the righteous dying Isaiah deals with in this text?
Is it a tragedy when the righteous man dies?
How many different kinds of sorcerers might have practiced in Palestine?
What kind of sorcerer did Isaiah name in verse three?
How were Isaiah’s people demonstrating their profaneness?
How intense was their indulgence in idolatry?
What bit of evidence do we have for the authorship of Isaiah here?
Isaiah 57:6-10
- SENSUALITY
TEXT: Isaiah 57:6-10
6
Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?
7
Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
8
And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial: for thou hast Uncovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
9
And thou wentest to the king with oil, and didst increase thy perfume, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol.
10
Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain; thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not faint.
QUERIES
a.
What is the portion called among the smooth stones?
b.
Where is behind the doors and the posts?
c.
How could they be wearied and yet find quickening of strength?
PARAPHRASE
You stupid people. You go down into the valleys and take the stones worn smooth by the rains and winds and make them your gods. You have declared that these rocks are the focus of all your existence. You worship rocks with wine and grain offerings. Do you think this is acceptable to Me, the Living God? You have not allowed any obstacle to deter you from entering into the gross sexual immoralities connected with your idolatry. You laboriously carry your beds up steep mountains and set them there to aid in your indulgence. Up there you also haul all your offerings and sacrifices. The scripture plaques that are supposed to be where they can be seen on the door-posts of your homes you have deliberately hidden behind the posts. You have done this because you have committed yourselves to total intimacy in idolatry and immorality. You take off your clothes and climb into your large beds up among the groves of the hills along with those prostitutes you have paid to have sexual intercourse with you. This is your consuming passion, Israel! You spared yourself no trouble in developing these abominable practices as your way of life. A long time ago you sent merchants and envoys to pagan kings trading your goods for their gods. You continued to go out of your way to make yourself more and more comfortable to heathen practices. You allowed yourself to be debased with a rottenness like that of the grave in order to practice your immorality. All this made you physically and psychologically weary but you never admitted the stupidity of it all because you found a certain intoxicating, exhilaration in your rebellious immorality. So, you kept it up!
COMMENTS
Isaiah 57:6-8 PRESENT: The depravity of the rulers and leaders infected the whole nation. The smooth stones of the valley apparently are to be linked to the idolatry being practiced. Perhaps they were using these smooth stones to build altars (which in itself was forbidden; not even to Jehovah was an altar to be built anywhere except in Jerusalem) to pagan gods. They might have been using the smooth stones to chisel into images of Molech or other idols. The question of Jehovah through His prophet is, almost incredulous, Do you actually believe this is acceptable to Me, the Living God!? Worshiping rocks!? The worship of Molech (in Hebrew the word means, governing), god of the Ammonites, was best noted for its gross sexual orgies and sacrifice of children. It was already forbidden by Moses (Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 20:1-5); allowed by Solomon to please his foreign wives (1 Kings 11:7); principally worshipped in the valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) (2 Chronicles 33:6). The words Moloch, Molech, Milcom (1 Kings 11:5) and Malcam (Zephaniah 1:5) are all variations of the same image. (See Minor Prophets, by Clinton Gill, College Press, pgs. 22-38; and Ezekiel 16:20; Ezekiel 23:37-39; Jeremiah 7:9-11; Jeremiah 7:31; Jeremiah 19:4-13; Psalms 106:35-42; for further information on the worship of Molech.)
Setting up a bed upon a high and lofty mountain indicates extensive and elaborate preparations were made by the Hebrews in order to engage in these Canaanite fertility-cult practices. There were special groves of trees, well-kept flower gardens and elaborately furnished temples high up in the hills of Jehovah’s holy land where the men and women went to worship at the throne of flesh. Great amounts of labor and money were spent building and maintaining these whore-houses. The worship of flesh is not dead! Great amounts of labor and money are expended today to build and maintain modern sophisticated whore-houses. The Anglo-saxon fertility cult has its groves, prophets, priestesses, publishing-houses, and temples today in both America and Great Britain.
One might wonder how the Hebrew people could ever succumb to such gross depravity. They had the Law of Moses. They even copied some of those Laws and fastened them to the doorposts of their houses so they might be reminded constantly of Jehovah’s presence and His revealed will. Verse eight tells the tragic story! These people had deliberately taken these memorials of scripture off their door-posts and hidden them behind the posts. Out of sight, out of mind! The Hebrew people had long ago rejected the word of God (2 Kings 17:19; 2 Chronicles 36:16; Amos 2:4, etc.). Incredibly, the books of the Law of the Lord had even been lost at one point in Judah’s history (cf. 2 Kings 22:8 ff). These people had prostituted themselves to pagan gods. What they were doing was no accident. It was not because they had been socially deprived, or because they were born in a ghetto. They voluntarily chose to uncover themselves to another. This is a figurative description of the intimacy with which they joined themselves to their idols. They really gave themselves to idolatry; they married their pagan gods (made. a covenant). That is not unique. People today marry their possessions, their jobs, their recreation. These Jews loved their idol-beds (orgies). They were not forced into idolatry.
Isaiah 57:9-10 PAST: Judah’s past history was replete with instances of her kings and leaders going to pagan kings for help in bringing idolatry into the land of Jehovah (cf. 2 Kings 16:10 ff; 2 Chronicles 28:22 ff; Isaiah 30:1 ff; Amos 5:25-27, etc.). Ezekiel’s graphic parody of Judah’s idolatry (spiritual adultery) pictures the nation, the bride of Jehovah, as an adulterous nymphomaniac! She did not play the part of a normal prostitute accepting pay for her adultery. She went after her lovers, paying them to practice spiritual harlotry with her (Ezekiel 16:23-34)! Judah could not invent enough idolatry on her ownshe had to send ambassadors to other nations to copy their idolatry for themselves. Sheol symbolized the grave, the place where human flesh rots. Graves were associated with that which was unclean according to the Mosaic Law. Isaiah declares Judah debased herself even unto rottenness, corruption and death by joining herself so intimately and wholly to idolatry.
Judah expended great effort, millions of shekels, and willingly allowed herself to be humiliated before pagan kings in her insatiable lust for idolatry. Judah wore herself out running after every opportunity to engage in it. Prophets likened Israel’s pursuit of idolatry to a wild ass in heat (cf. Jeremiah 2:23-24; Hosea 8:9 ff). Pursuing idolatry as Judah did was expensive, exhausting and debasing, but she never would admit the obvious: It is vain. As a matter of fact, she found a certain intoxication and exhilaration in it. Sin and rebellion is enticing because it intoxicates with a false sense of power. Man in rebellion against God falsely assumes an exhilarating sense of sovereignty. His brain, intoxicated with this false sovereignty, is philosophically and psychologically addled and he will not admit the stupidity of his rebellion. He floats in a fantasy-land of philosophical inebriation like the drunkard. He has a false sense of strength. This was Judah. She would not admit the stupidity of idolatry (cf. Isaiah 44:9-20) because she was inebriated with the indulgent pleasure and false sovereignty she felt in practicing it.
QUIZ
What were the people doing with the smooth stones?
What was involved in the worship of Molech?
To what pains did these people go to practice their idolatry?
Would the Hebrew people reject the Law of Moses?
To what extent did Judah go after idolatry?
What is so invigorating about sin and idolatry?
Isaiah 57:11-13
- STUPIDITY
TEXT: Isaiah 57:11-13
11
And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou liest, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of long time, and thou fearest me not?
12
I will declare thy righteousness; and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.
13
When thou criest, let them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away; but he that taketh refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.
QUERIES
a.
What righteousness did Judah have to declare?
b.
When would Judah cry?
PARAPHRASE
Israel, what has preoccupied you and possessed you? Who has so impressed you that you have so thoroughly devoted yourself to that which is false? Why have you forgotten Me? Apparently you no longer fear Me because I have withheld My hand of judgment so long from you. Let Me tell you that I am soon going to show you, in no uncertain terms, what I think of your alleged righteousness. I am also going to show you that the idols you have made for yourself are not gods at all. Then you will cry out for deliverance but I will say, Let your idol-gods deliver you. They will be proven to be absolutely useless. They will disappear like a feather in a windstorm. In that time of trial, the person who puts his trust in Me will be able to look forward in hope that I will fulfill My promises to the faithful.
COMMENTS
Isaiah 57:11 ENTRENCHED: The Hebrew word da-‘agethe is translated afraid but more properly means anxious or preoccupied. The word thyire-‘yi is from the root yera-’ and is translated fear; it is the most generic word for fear in Hebrew and generally means reverential fear. These people were not trembling with a paralyzing terror; they were just totally preoccupied with worshipping their idols and all the false living that went with it. They were living a lie and had totally committed themselves to it. This was a result of their breaking covenant with Jehovah. It was stupidity. And Jehovah was about to expose that stupidity. They were so thoroughly engrossed in their plunge into self-indulgence they did not remember Jehovah. How quickly men forget!
The goodness of God in holding His peace and withholding His judgments did not cause them to remember Him in thankfulness. They were not moved by His grace to repent. Their selfish, twisted minds rationalized that they were getting away with their wickedness. Israel had wanted to be like the nations for a long time (cf. 1 Samuel 8:4 ff). For centuries she had preoccupied herself with the approval of men. When that consumes a nation or a man, Jehovah is forgotten. You cannot be a friend of the world and a friend of God (James 4:4).
Isaiah 57:12-13 EXPOSED: All the time the Hebrews were engaging in idolatry they were also maintaining a facade of righteousness by offering sacrifices in the temple and by observing certain Sabbath regulations (cf. Amos 8:4-6; Isaiah 1:10-15, etc.). But Jehovah will not hold His peace forever. He will soon come forth in judgment upon this people and then their sham righteousness will be exposed. The world will see then just where Israel has put its trust. Jehovah will demonstrate that all their pretended righteousness was unacceptable to Him. Not only that, He will expose once and for all the impotency of the idols they worshipped. Their enemies (Assyria and Babylon) will come in succession and attack them, destroy their cities and carry them away into exile. Their enemies will also carry their idol-gods away on horseback, Their idol-gods will not deliver them from their enemies. Their enemies will mock their idols, their temple, their worship and even Jehovah, Of course, Jehovah will not be mocked. He will eventually destroy their enemies also, When the Hebrews cry out for deliverance, they will see clearly that idols are not gods. What misery and wretchedness is in store for the one who has been so thoroughly preoccupied and possessed by idol-mania. Despair, frustration, shame and guilt will be his end.
To the contrary, the one who has listened to the prophets of God and trusted Jehovah’s word will find blessedness. The Hebrew word khoseh, translated refuge, means confidence, trust, or flee to for safety. The man whose preoccupation is to seek the approval of the Lord will find fulfillment, satisfaction and hope in the ultimate blessings of God. This is the man who keeps covenant with Jehovah.
QUIZ
What kind of fear did the people have?
What was false about them?
Why had they forgotten Jehovah?
What was God going to do about their sham righteousness?
What is the character of the man who receives Jehovah’s blessing?
Isaiah 57:14-19
- SMITING
TEXT: Isaiah 57:14-19
14
And he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.
15
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16
For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made.
17
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid my face and was wroth; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
18
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19
I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.
QUERIES
a.
What is the stumbling-block in the way of His people?
b.
Whose spirit would faint before Him?
c.
Who is the one far off to whom peace is declared?
PARAPHRASE
And it will be said by the Lord, Build up a roadway, Build up a roadway; make a way that is prepared for My people. Take every obstacle over which they might stumble out of their way. This is the declaration of The High and Lofty One who dwells beyond time and space in eternity and who is Absolute Holiness. This One says, I dwell in the realm of Absolute Holiness beyond time and space, but I also dwell in people who are of a broken, penitent and humble spirit. I am the One who supplies the power to regenerate the broken and humble hearted. I have smitten My people time and again, but I will not smite forever (in fact, I am working toward a peaceful reconciliation with those who will be reconciled), for if I smote them forever and did not provide a way of reconciliation then all mankind would perishall the souls I have made. It was on account of My people’s greed and defrauding of one another that I smote them. Time after time I withdrew My presence and protection from them but they went right on rebelling and turning away from Me to their own devices. Yes, I have been fully aware of Israel’s rebellions, yet, I will accomplish My work of reconciliation and offer Israel healing by My grace. I will offer Myself to Israel for leadership and I will restore blessings to her I promised her long ago. The work of reconciliation and its proclamation will come from Me, says Jehovah, I will accomplish and proclaim peace to everyone in the world who will accept itto Israel who has been in special covenant relationship to Me and to all the Gentiles who have not. This reconciliation will heal all who accept it of the sickness of their rebellion.
COMMENTS
Isaiah 57:14-15 RELIEVED: Although the Lord has recounted the sorceries, sensualities and stupidities of Israel and although He has smitten them in the past (and will smite them again in the captivities), He now addresses Himself to the future reconciliation He is going to accomplish through the Servant which will begin in the restoration from the captivity and be offered to all mankind through covenant relationship. Jehovah will command, Build a roadway, build a roadway. The Hebrew words sollu sollu are from the root word salal which means heap up as in building up a road-bed. In rescuing His people from captivity (the first and imperative step toward messianic fulfillment) Jehovah commands their captors not merely let my people go, but Put your hand to the task, O captors of My people, and assist them by working for their return to their land! And thus it was so! Cyrus and the Persians contributed financially and in other ways to return the Jews to Palestine (cf. Ezra, Chapter s 1-6). The Persians also removed a number of stumbling-blocks (Hebrew mikeshol, obstacle) from the way of the Jews.
It is the omnipotent Jehovah, the high and lofty One who has decreed this redemption of those He will soon smite in captivity. Jehovah is God without beginning and end. He dwells in absolute unendingness (eternity). He sees all things at once. There is no time with Him. Thus He is able to talk about Israel’s captivity and redemption all at the same time. The same perspective is available to human beings through faith in Jehovah. This is hope in the midst of trouble. Jehovah is about to make the Valley of Achor (Trouble) a door of hope (cf. Hosea 2:15; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11). Jehovah is also absolutely holy (righteous, pure, true, just, faithful). He keeps His word. What He is and says is always good. And, although He dwells in the high and holy place, He also dwells with men who are of a contrite and humble spiritfor that is good. The Hebrew word daka-’ means literally, bruise, break in pieces, crush, contrite. Men who wish to be filled with the goodness God can supply must first of all be poor in spirit (cf. Matthew 5:3-9; Psalms 34:18; Psalms 51:17; Isaiah 66:2). The Hebrew word shephal means, made low, depressed, thrown down, sit down low, humbled. The Lord could not dwell with the nation as it was during the days of the prophets for it was haughty (Isaiah 2:11; Isaiah 2:17; Isaiah 3:16; Isaiah 10:33; Isaiah 24:4; Ezekiel 16:50; Zephaniah 3:11; Micah 2:3). He exhorted them to be humble (Micah 6:8). The Lord cannot dwell in a church that is haughty either (Revelation 3:17, etc.). How is it that the Lord requires humility and contrition in order to dwell in the human heart on the one hand and then on the other hand promise to revive the spirit of the humble? In this case, of course, the Lord is not going to revive haughtiness. He is going to regenerate. What a man boasts in determines his state of aliveness. If he boasts in himself, he is dead because human power is impotent. If he boasts and trusts in the Lord he is humbled but he has hope because he shall receive an imputed exaltationan imputed righteousness and eternal life. And, of course, the only way an imputed exaltation can be received is by faith in the One who is alone able to impute itGod! That is why David was a man after God’s own heart. In his contrition and humility David cried out, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10).
Jehovah is going to smite His people in captivity in order to make it possible for those who will to be contrite and humble. Then He is going to redeem them and revive them and form a faithful remnant from among them through which to bring to fruition His ultimate redemptive work in the Suffering Servant.
Isaiah 57:16-19 REASON: The reason for the smiting and the reviving is now proposed. If He should contend forever there would be no redemption for anyone! All have sinned. All deserve eternal punishment. But, amazing grace, God has a divine plan by which He will offer salvation to those who will accept it. He will punish sin in His Son, thereby justifying His holiness and at the same time justifying those who believe (cf. Romans 3:21-26)! Man’s salvation originates absolutely in the grace of God! Had it not, all spirits would faint before Him and all the souls that He made would perish.
Certainly, for the iniquity of man’s covetousness God was, by His very nature, moved with wrath and condemnation. The question is not, How could a good God send anyone to Hell?. the question is, How could a good God send a sinner to Heaven? He could not. Therefore, He woked out a way to make sinners good enough to go to Heaven. The Hebrew word batsa-’ is translated covetousness and means unjust gain, to spoil, to plunder, to defraud, It was this deliberate, often violent defrauding of one’s fellow man that moved Jehovah through the centuries to smite Israel. Still she kept on turning away from Him (Heb. shovav) or backsliding. To turn away from God is to go backwards. Many men have thought that turning away from God and the Bible was to advance. But history has proved over and over that turning away from God and the Bible is regression for humanity.
Now the purpose of God’s smiting is to heal. This healing is a spiritual healinga healing of the inner man (cf. Isaiah 19:22; Isaiah 53:5; Hosea 5:13; Hosea 6:1; Hosea 14:4; Jeremiah 17:14; Jeremiah 30:17, etc.). God, the divine surgeon, had to use drastic, radical surgery to heal Israel, for she resisted it adamantly (cf. Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 8:11; Jeremiah 15:18, etc.). The healing process began with the smiting at the captivity, continued through the rescue from captivity and the indignation of the post-exilic centuries, and was finally accomplished in the Servant through whose stripes we are healed, (Isaiah 53:5 ff). And that is precisely, we believe, the relationship of Isa 57:19 to this context, inasmuch as it appears to be fulfilled in Acts 10:36 and Ephesians 2:17. God’s healing was reconciliation of Himself to man (Isaiah 53:1 ff). Reconciliation (healing) in the plan of the God of all mankind was ultimately to be provided for all men. Thus, when peace (reconciliation) was declared to those near and to those afar, it was done in the completed work of the Messiah. Again, the missionary call rings forth from the Gospel prophet of the O.T.
QUIZ
What does the term Cast ye up. imply about the Hebrew return from captivity?
Why stress the nature of God here?
Why emphasize that God dwells in the contrite and humble hearted?
How does God revive the humble hearted?
Why did God have to smite Israel to heal?
Who all are to be recipients of God’s healing?
Where is the fulfillment of Isa 57:19?
Isaiah 57:20-21
- SEETHING
TEXT: Isaiah 57:20-21
20
But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
21
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
QUERIES
a.
Why are the wicked like the sea?
b.
Is there really no peace to wicked people?
PARAPHRASE
But the wicked are never healed in the inner man because they are filled with a restlessness of soul that keeps boiling up within them like the sea whose waves never stop rolling in, bringing up filth and muck. There is no secure feeling of being at peace with the wicked.
COMMENTS
Isaiah 57:20 CONSCIENCE: The contrite and humble man will be healed. He will be healed in the inner man where the conscience dwells. He will receive, by grace, through faith, an imputed righteousnessa cleansed conscience. But the wicked man’s conscience is like the constantly rolling sea. It is never completely at rest. It may be calmed at times, but it is forever boiling and churning and more often than not it is casting up all the mire and muck thrown into it. The wicked, said Calvin, … are terrified and alarmed by conscience, which is the most agonizing of all torments and the most cruel of all executioners. Luther said, Conscience is a savage beast and a devil. There is nothing which so much disturbs the peace or causes so much unrest as a frightened heart. It turns pale at the flash of lightning and at the rattle of a leaf. From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of September 22, 1941 comes the following story:
Seven years of tortured nights, when he awakened screaming at the specter of the man who had befriended him and whom he had killed, have ended for Harold Malmberg. Malmberg, 27 years old, died yesterday in the Nebraska Penitentiary hospital from poison he swallowed three days before, Warden Neil Olson said. During his seven years, Malmberg was a model prisoner, who never complained and did not seek parole, Olson added. But he could not face his conscience.
Malmberg had few nights of peace after he shot Russell Goodwin three times in 1934 and left him beside the road to die, after Goodwin, a traveling salesman, had picked up the hitchhiking youth. In prison he had nightmares in which the man he admitted murdering came back every night to sit on his bed and talk to him, the warden explained. In the daytime, Malmberg was a jovial sort who did the tasks required of him cheerfully and well. While he steadfastly refused to tell what he had swallowed, doctors labored continuously over Malmberg from the time he was discovered ill early Friday morning until he died. The poison apparently had been stolen from the prison photographic darkroom where he worked. Malmberg consistently denied he intended to kill Good-win when he ordered the salesman out of his car at pistol point. The jury did not accept his pleas of insanity, and the Des Moines, Iowa, youth was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Man may escape the punishment of human courts and judges. His evil deeds may be kept in absolute secrecy from everyone else. He may carry them with him to the grave, but he cannot hide himself from his conscience, nor can he escape from its tormenting judgment. Every man must live with his own conscience, and woe to him whose conscience has become his judge and executioner. Be assured of this, If our hearts (conscience) condemn us, God is greater than our heart (1 John 3:20-21).
Isaiah 57:21 CONFLICT: A guilty conscience may become a frightful tormentor and a source of intense agony and distress leading to mortal sorrow and, sometimes, even suicide if the sense of guilt cannot be removed effectively, A guilty conscience may even prove disastrous to the physical and mental health of an individual. The wicked, unfaithful, covenant-breaker can never have security, peace of mind and soul.
The point of these last two verses is to make a sharp contrast between the healing that will come to those of contrite and humble hearts and their turning to the Lord and His promises to be eventually accomplished in the Servant, and the wicked who refuse healing and reconciliation. The guilty conscience can only be healed through imputed righteousness. The cleansing of the conscience can only come by grace through faith in the substitutionary atonement of Christ (cf. 1 John 1:8-9; 1 John 2:1-6; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:19-22; 1 Peter 3:21). One of the important reasons there are certain actions required of men for entrance into covenant relationship with Christ (faith, repentance, immersion in water) is to provide man a series of overt actions and a point of reference in time to which he may relate his inner, invisible spiritual person with the cleansing of his conscience. In other words, man needs such reference points by which to express his faith and experience access into the grace of God (cf. Romans 5:1-2). It is in our obedience to the word of God that we have assurance of the purification of our souls (cf. 1 Peter 1:22-23).
QUIZ
How is the contrite and humble man healed?
Have you experienced the truth of Isa 57:20-21 in your conscience?
Have you experienced the cleansing of your conscience?
How are we assured, what is the source of our assurance, that we may have our conscience cleansed?