This sermon delves into the deep teachings of Isaiah chapters 40 to 66, highlighting the importance of humility, trust in God's ways, and the need for true repentance and righteousness. It emphasizes the role of believers as witnesses and intercessors, the promise of God's vindication, and the power of prayer and fasting. The sermon also touches on the significance of God's grace, the coming of Jesus as the Messiah, and the call to be a light in the world despite facing rejection and opposition.

Okay, we can begin, we'll turn to Isaiah now, to the second section of Isaiah which begins at chapter 40. Now you would have noticed in a number of books that we've been studying, there are certain parts that I have spent more time over, and certain other parts where I just give you the reference, say a few words and move on. Now this is not because those other portions are unimportant, but to me it's like teaching you to, or let's say if I were to teach a small child, how to make a jigsaw puzzle. And if a jigsaw puzzle has got a hundred pieces, the child has probably never made a jigsaw puzzle before, like many of you have probably not seriously studied the scriptures before. So what you do is you tell the child, okay, this is where you put this, this is where you put this, this is where you put, and show them the picture, and put a few pieces, and then leave the other 75 pieces for the child to do on its own, and there's something exciting about the child completing that jigsaw puzzle on its own, instead of you doing the whole thing for it. So, that's what I'm doing, just putting a few pieces here and there, and saying now you complete the puzzle, and make the picture yourself, and there's something exciting, because that will drive you to the Holy Spirit. I've always sought in my ministry, not to explain everything to people in such a way that they don't need to go to God anymore, they've just got to come to me. God is very jealous. He's a jealous husband, who does not want me to rob his bride. A lot of preachers rob the bride of Christ, and get married to them themselves. So we don't want to do that. We want you to be united to Christ, your bridegroom, and the Holy Spirit's very jealous that you should have a personal relationship with Him, that you listen to Him, and so my duty is only to give you a little appetizer, and to give you a foretaste, and a little taste rather, of what wonderful riches are in this book, in whichever book you go to, it's there. And to show you some of the hidden treasures here and there, so that you can go to it more in yourself, and find out a lot more that can thrill your heart in the years to come. I'm still excited when I study the Scriptures today. We now come to chapter 40, I told you this is like the New Testament portion of Isaiah. A lot of prophecies here about new covenant life. It begins with chapter 40, verse 3 to 5. Again, I won't have time to go into detail, but I can give you these verses, you write them down, and see what I've done is given you some of the most important verses in the book of Isaiah, in the last study. Here are some of the most important verses in the New Covenant section. First of all, verses 3 to 7, speaks about, 3 to 5, speaks about the ministry of John the Baptist. It's significant that this section of Isaiah begins with how the New Covenant begins, New Testament begins. A voice of one crying in the wilderness, saying, clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness, make smooth the desert, and the way this applies to us is, Jesus is coming back a second time, like he came the first time. And like there was a John the Baptist, who prepared people for the coming of the Lord, today, you and I are the John the Baptist, the church is John the Baptist, to prepare people for the second coming of the Lord. So, our message is essentially the same as John the Baptist's, to prepare people for the coming of the Lord. What is that? Verse 4, valley must be lifted up. There's no place for you to sit down in the valley, discouraged, depressed, saying, I'm good for nothing, I'm useless. Don't keep saying that forever. You gotta be lifted up, be encouraged, God has accepted you. That's the message we preach. No need to live in the dumps in the valleys. You're a child of God, you're a son of the king, you're a daughter of the king. Be lifted up. Secondly, the mountains, verse 4, must be brought low. All the pride that is in you must be brought down. And the rough ground must become a plain. That means there are a lot of rough areas in your life, and they have to be smoothened out, and you've gotta be gracious and gentle. And then if you read the corresponding passage in Luke chapter 3, where this is quoted, he says the crooked will become straight. So there are crooked things in our life. Lack of righteousness and money matters. All those crooked things must be straight. These four things are mentioned. Valleys lifted up, mountains brought down, rough places made smooth, and crooked made straight, and then what will happen? Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed in your flesh. In your flesh, people will see the glory of Jesus Christ. And that is the way we prepare people for the coming of the Lord. That's the message we proclaim. The mouth of the Lord has spoken it, and all flesh will see the salvation of the Lord in us also. And then this verse is quoted in 1 Peter 1, verse 24 and 25, verse 6 and 7. All flesh is like grass. Please remember that. I said earlier that all flesh is like dust, which has got breath in it. Remember also that all flesh is like grass, and all the honor of men is like the flower of the grass. All the honor that you can get in the world from people, it's only like the small teeny weeny flower that grows on some grass. The grass withers. The flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. And Peter says, but the word of the Lord endures forever. So those who have lived by the principles of God's word will remain when all the glory of man one day is wiped out. You must always keep that in mind. Everything I see around me is all going to perish one day. If I live by the word of God, I'll have something eternal. Verse 10 and 11 speaks about the coming of the Lord. The Lord will come. His reward is with him. And like a shepherd, verse 11, he will take care of his flock. He will carry the lambs in his bosom. Beautiful verse. Verse 12 to 17 speaks about the power of God in the control he has over the whole universe. How he created everything from nothing. And this verse, verse 13, is the verse that's quoted in 1 Corinthians 2, 16. Who has taught the Holy Spirit? Or has his counselor informed him? No. And it goes on to speak about all the nations of the earth, verse 17, as being nothing before him. They're all regarded as less than nothing and meaningless. We must see something of the sovereignty of God if we are to serve him. That all the people in the world are like dust. Particularly, you know, when we go to difficult places and there are people who appear to be so powerful because they've got all the authority of the state behind them and they oppose us as we seek to serve the Lord. We must remember some of these verses and see the tremendous power of God. All the people of the earth are like dust. The dust in the balance. Nothing at all. And further, in verse 22, there's a little expression here which I want you to see. It says, it's talking about the Lord. Don't you know, verse 21, have you not heard? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth. Six hundred years ago, man discovered that the sun is the center of the solar system and gradually discovered that the earth is a circle. But 2,700 years ago, Isaiah wrote it in the Bible that the earth is not flat. The earth is a circle. It's here. I just thought I'd point out that to you, something very interesting. And verse 26, it says, look at the one who controls the stars. He's given them all names. See, Isaiah was given a vision of this tremendous almighty power of God. Not only his holiness, but his almighty power. And I believe these are two visions of God that we must always have before us when we serve him. One, his tremendous holiness, and the other, his almighty power. Verse 29 to 31, if this is the God we worship and serve, he will give us strength when we are weak. And if we lack might, he will give us power. He will give us health to serve him. He will give us strength to serve him. Young people, verse 30, will grow weary and tired. Vigorous young men, verse 30, will get exhausted trying to serve the Lord. But those who wait on the Lord, what a wonderful promise. No matter what their age is, they will gain new strength. And while the young people are collapsing, these older men who wait on the Lord will mount up with eagles. They will run, and they won't get tired. They will walk, and they will never become weary. I want to encourage you from early on in your life, learn to wait upon God. Learn to, it says here, they will gain new strength, or some translations say they will exchange their strength. That means, Lord, I give you my strength, you give me yours. Exchange, it's wonderful to exchange things with the Lord. All that I have is yours Lord, and all that you have is mine. Like Jesus said in John 17, verse 10 and 11. So it's good to have that type of exchange with the Lord. Exchange our strength. Because in the Lord's service, you need the Lord's strength. You need the Lord's power, even physically, to endure till the end. And sometimes, we really need to trust the Lord to give us that supernatural strength from above. Resurrection power, not only in our spirit, but resurrection power in our bodies. To serve the Lord so that we never get tired, and even in old age, we continue to bear fruit for Him. Chapter 41, verses 8 to 18 are tremendous verses. These are verses, you know, those of us who serve the Lord, some of these verses are fantastic, you know. Isaiah 40 to 66, the second section of 27 chapters, has been a very precious portion of scripture for me through many, many years. Isaiah 49 was the chapter through which God called me to His service on the 6th of May, 1964. I remember it very vividly, very precious these passages have been. And I want to encourage all of you who serve the Lord to take these chapters very seriously. There are some tremendous promises here for those who are wholeheartedly seeking to serve God in the footsteps of that first true servant of Jehovah, our Lord Jesus Christ. So verses 8 to 18 speak about, I've chosen you, verse 9, and not rejected you, verse 10. Don't be afraid. I'm with you. What are all promises when we are in the midst of difficult situations? Don't anxiously look about you for help. Verse 10, I'm your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my right hand. All those who are angry with you, verse 11, will be ashamed and dishonored. Those who fight with you will become as nothing. They will perish. You will look for those who quarrel with you, verse 12, but you won't find them. Those who make war with you will become nothing and non-existent one day. Because I am the Lord your God. I hold your right hand. I say to you, don't fear. I will help you. You're a worm, verse 14. But don't be afraid. I'll help you. And even though you're so weak, I'm going to make you, verse 15, a new, sharp, threshing sledge with double edges. Because the word of God, the two-edged sword, is in your mouth. And you will thresh these mighty mountains to pieces, pulverize them. You'll make the hills like chaff. And you will rejoice, verse 16, in the Lord your God. Take it to heart, dear brothers and sisters who seek to serve the Lord. Apply it to yourself and claim it in Jesus' name. Verse 17 and 18. When the afflicted and needy, God is always interested in the poor. Are you poor? Are you needy? God is interested in you. And you're seeking for water, seeking for the Holy Spirit. When your tongue is parched, say, Oh God, I cannot live without the power of the Holy Spirit. I, the Lord, will answer them. I will open rivers, verse 18, in their lives. Springs in the midst of their lives. I'll make their life like a pool of water. And the dry life will become like a fountain of water. I thank God for the tremendous blessing and encouragement verses like this have been to me for nearly 40 years. I pass them on to you. Chapter 42 speaks about the servant who is anointed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is one of the main themes of the New Testament. And the Holy Spirit is also one of the main themes of Isaiah 40-66. Okay. Behold, my servant, this is referring to Jesus Christ and applies to us also, whom I uphold. A true servant of God is upheld by God, not by American money or Christian organizations or by any such thing. It's by the Lord. He's the one who should uphold you. You may get your money from any source, that's not the point. But don't depend on it. Uphold means what are you dependent on? We must be dependent on the Lord alone. That's very important. And when you come to that place of helplessness, God will put His Spirit upon you. You see, it's the helpless person who depends on the Lord, who's trusting God, upon whom the Spirit comes. And look at this lovely verse which refers to Jesus. Verse 3. A bruised reed... First of all, verse 2. He will not cry out or raise His voice in the streets. Beautiful verse. It's quoted in Matthew 12, verse 18, I think. He will not make His voice heard in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break. That means a discouraged person. He will not discourage Him further. He will encourage Him and heal that broken reed. And that wick of a candle will just about die out. He won't just put it away. He will blow it and make it into a flame. So God is interested in weak believers. God is interested in those who are discouraged and depressed. He wants to lift up their spirits. And if you are a true servant of the Lord, wherever you go, you'll have a ministry of encouragement. Lifting up the spirits of people who are depressed. And people who feel, well, I can't do anything for the Lord. You'll stir them up and say, God's not going to break a bruised reed. He's not going to blow out that burning wick. Please seek for such a ministry. Because everywhere in our churches, people need it. Verses 5 to 8. The Lord who created the heavens says, I've called you in righteousness, verse 6. I've called you to open blind eyes, verse 7. To bring out prisoners from the dungeon. And one thing, please remember all your life. Very, very, very important verse. Verse 8. The Lord says, I will never give my glory to another person. Don't ever take glory to yourself. That is like stealing. It's like going into somebody's room and stealing his property. It's like taking somebody's purse and taking out money from his purse. To take glory to yourself, which belongs to God, is a very, very serious crime. God will use you, He'll bless you, He'll do many things for you, but He'll never give His glory to you. Once you start touching the glory of God, you will destroy yourself. Once you start taking honor to yourself, once you start promoting yourself before people, drawing people to yourself instead of to the Lord, once you start claiming credit for what you did instead of what God did, you're on very dangerous ground. This is how many people have lost the anointing. Verse 19 and 20. I want to interpret this for you, perhaps in a different way than usually accepted. You could take it as sarcasm, saying who's blind but my servant, but it appears as though it's referring to Jesus. And if that is the case, my servant in verse 1 is definitely Jesus. And when it says who is blind but my servant, what does that mean? Was Jesus blind? Who is deaf like my messenger? Who is so blind as the one who is at peace with me totally? So blind as the servant of the Lord. This is not sarcasm. A true servant of God must be blind and deaf to many things. That means, verse 20, you see many things but you don't observe them. You don't go looking for sin. You don't go looking for things to judge. You don't go listening to catch somebody on some word that he said. You know, the Pharisees were like that, always listening to catch Jesus in some word. And there are some people like that, always waiting to catch somebody in some word because they are jealous of his ministry. Don't be like that. Be deaf. Be blind to a lot of things in the world. That means you heard that somebody said a bad story about you. Supposing you were deaf and I come and tell you this is what somebody is telling about you. You can't hear a thing. Be like that. Isn't it good for a servant of God to be blind when he is tempted by pretty women? Who is blind like my servant? Who is deaf like my messenger? A tremendous challenge. You have eyes but you don't look. You have ears but you don't want to hear all that because you don't want to judge by your eyes what your eyes tell you or what your ears tell you. It's got a connection with what we saw in Isaiah 11. Okay? We go to chapter 43 Verses 1-5 Tremendous promise again. Don't fear. I have redeemed you. Verse 2 When you pass through the waters, I'll be with you. When you pass through difficult situations, rivers, they won't overflow you. When you walk through the fire, it will not hurt you nor will the flame burn you. Another tremendous promise. For I am the Lord your God. You are precious in my sight. It says in verse 3 The last part, I gave Egypt for your ransom. To us, he says, I gave the blood of my son for your ransom. Therefore, you are precious in my eyes. Verse 5 Don't be afraid. You know the number of times in Isaiah this word comes. Fear not. Fear not. Fear not. The word that Jesus frequently spoke to his disciples. Fear not. Fear not. Fear not. Fear not. Fear not. A word I tell you in the days to come in India, the word that God's servants need to hear is this. Fear not. I am with you, says the Lord. That's why I would encourage all of you to really seriously take these 27 chapters of Isaiah. I believe it has a word, a prophetic word for the times in which we are living in India today. Verses 10 to 12 You are my witnesses, says the Lord. I am the Lord. There is no savior beside me. You are my witnesses, verse 12. Verse 18 and 19 Don't think about your past life. Forget it. Forgetting the things that are behind. Put it behind you. I will do something new. I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Look ahead. Don't worry about your past failures. Isaiah is tremendously encouraging. These are prophecies of comfort like the previous first section was prophecies of judgment from the throne of the Lord. Here are prophecies of comfort from the Lamb who was slain. And chapter, verse 25 I am the one who wipes out your transgressions and I will not remember your sins anymore. A new covenant promise. Chapter 44, verse 3 A promise for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It's all new covenant stuff here. I'll pour water on the thirsty ground. I'll pour my spirit on you and your children. And my blessing on your descendants. You know, these are promises of God. 2 Corinthians 1, 20 says all the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ. So we can claim these promises in Jesus name. This is a new covenant book for us today. Okay. And we come to chapter 44 and verse 8 Don't tremble. Don't be afraid. Again that. Don't be afraid. You are my witnesses. Is there any God beside me? Why are you worried about these people who worship idols? And then it speaks about the folly of idolatry. In the remaining verses and then in verse 21 It says, You are my servant. I have formed you. You will never be forgotten by me. Sometime when you are serving the Lord in some lonely place and everybody has forsaken you because you are true to the Lord. Remember this promise. You will not be forgotten by me. Sometimes when you think your prayers are not heard and it looks as if God has forgotten all about you. Take this promise to heart. You will not be forgotten by me. And further in verse 26 to chapter 45 verse 6 is a prophecy about King Cyrus 150 years before Cyrus came on the scene and took over the leadership of the kingdom of Medo-Persia after the Babylonian Empire Isaiah prophesied about his coming by name. Verse 1 of 45 Thus says the Lord to Cyrus verse 44-28 I say to Cyrus he is my shepherd. It's an amazing passage that refers to something that Cyrus would tell the Jews to go back and build the temple. We saw that in the book of Ezra. 200 years before the temple was built Isaiah before the captivity before the Babylonian Empire was destroyed speaks of the kingdom that's going to come after Babylon and names the ruler of that kingdom Cyrus. Okay, we go on to 45 in verse 8 Let the heavens drip down. Let the clouds pour down righteousness. And verse 9 Woe unto the man who quarrels with his maker. Don't argue with God in the way he deals with you. And earthenware vessel that's what we are. Can the clay say to the potter what are you doing? The basic meaning of this verse is humble yourself in all the dealings God is taking you through. He takes you through difficult situations humble yourself. He is molding you into a vessel and don't criticize him. And when God is making you don't say what are you doing. And it speaks here I think this has got reference to our situation in India where you know in many parts of India there are parents who do not like a girl baby. They always want boys. And there are sad cases where girl babies are left at the doorsteps of some orphanage or thrown in the garbage bin and even killed sometimes. Here is a verse for such people. Verse 10 Woe! There is a curse on the one who says to a father what are you a begetting or to a woman what are you giving birth to? Is this a girl? I wanted a boy. And the Lord says there is a curse on people who speak like that. Or even if it's a retarded child we have no right to kill a retarded child because it's retarded. A retarded child can make us people of great compassion if the Lord decides to give us a child like that. Don't say what are you begetting? Don't do an abortion. This is a verse against abortions. Okay, that's just in passing. Then verse 17 You will the last part is a beautiful verse. You will not be put to shame or humiliated to all eternity. That means in an eternal way. Jesus was humiliated and we will be humiliated that way. But from the eternal standpoint, we will never be put to shame. We will never be humiliated if we follow the Lord. It's full of encouragement. That's why I tell you when you're discouraged, go to Isaiah chapter 40 to 66. At least you know where to turn in the Bible. Almost any chapter you'll find something that encourages you. And verse 22 Turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth. I'm God. There is none else. I'm just giving you the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle. You can put it in place and see the beautiful picture that finally comes out. Okay, chapter 46 verse 4 is a beautiful verse. As you grow older and those of you who are older even to your old age, the Lord says, I will be the same. I don't grow old, says the Lord. Even when your hair has become gray, I shall carry you. I have done it or in other words, I created you, I made you and I will carry you. I will bear you. I will deliver you. To whom can you liken me and make me equal and compare me with? The Lord says the contrast here is it's a very humorous contrast. Idols people have to carry their gods. You, I carry you. That's the contrast. Do you carry your God or does your God carry you? That's the question. That's the contrast in this chapter. And the Lord says even if you're an old man, I'll carry you to the very end and keep my anointing upon your life. Chapter 47 verse 8 refers to Babylon again. You know, sitting as a queen as a widow, I will not sit as a no, it says I will not sit as a widow. This is quoted in Revelation 18 verse 7 I'm a queen I won't have any problems a comfortable Christianity that does not know God, that does not walk in humility. Chapter 48 verse 10 Behold, I have refined you but not as silver I have tested you in the furnace of affliction for my own sake I will act for how can my name be profaned and again that word my glory I will never give to another person. 48 11 In case you missed it the first time, the Lord reminds you a second time. Don't touch his glory. And when you go through affliction take this verse I'm refining you better than silver I'm testing you in the furnace of affliction I'm testing you to see whether you're faithful it's not going to be forever you don't put gold in the fire forever the gold is put in the fire, purified and then it hangs around, you know, sits on the crown of some king or hangs around the neck of some queen it doesn't stay in the fire forever and you also one day God will take you up and make you part of his crown but now he has to purify the gold okay and he does it for his own sake, verse 11 then verse 15 I have spoken, come near verse 16, listen to this I have not spoken in secret from the time it took place, now the Lord has sent me in his spirit verse 17, I am the Lord who teaches you to profit who leads you in the way that you should go therefore if only you had listened to my commandments paid attention to them your well-being would have been like a river and your righteousness like the waves of the sea and when the Lord leads us, it says in verse 21 they did not thirst even when they went through the deserts and he made the water to flow from the rock but for the wicked verse 22, there is no peace, now these 9 chapters, 40 to 48 are prophecies of deliverance in various situations and now we come to chapter 49 to 57 where we have specific prophecies about the Messiah, about Jesus and it applies to us also chapter 49 is a wonderful chapter it's been a tremendous chapter for me as I told you earlier for last 36 years I don't have time to go into it all think of verse 2 he has made my mouth like a sharp sword when we speak God's word we speak like a sharp sword at the same time we also speak words of comfort in the shadow of his hand he has concealed me he has hidden me in his quiver he speaks of discouragement here in verse 4, the servant of God can be discouraged sometimes, Lord I wasted my life, I have not spent my strength usefully, and the Lord says don't worry I am going to use you, I am going to make you, verse 6, a light to the nations, and there is a beautiful verse here in 14 to 15 can a woman forget her nursing child verse 15, you say I have forsaken you, can a woman forget to have compassion on the son of her womb see when God wants to compare his love with human love the best example he can get on earth is the example of a mother's love for a child, that's why he says he doesn't say can a husband forget his wife, husbands may forget their wives can a wife forget her husband wife may definitely forget her husband but a mother mother forgetting the child, just born impossible, he takes that example as the greatest example of love on earth can a woman forget her child even they may forget but I will not forget you remember that verse all your life because, verse 16 I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands, when Jesus looks at the palms of his hands and he sees the hole there he thinks of you that's a great verse and verse 23 last part has been a tremendous encouragement to me through many many years those who hopefully wait for me will never be put to shame praise God you come to the Lord and you say Lord I'm trusting you for this thing according to your word you will never in your life be put to shame and verse 25 49 and verse 25 I will feed your enemies with their own flesh and the last part sorry sorry, verse 25 the captives of the mighty will be taken away and those who fight with you, I will fight with them and those who fight with your children I will fight with them and I will save your children those of us who are married, who've got children who are facing problems here is a tremendous verse I will save your sons take it before the Lord and claim it ok we go to chapter 50 verse 49 is a very clear promise about prophecy about Jesus and it says about Jesus that he had a very disciplined tongue verse 4 the servant of God must have a disciplined tongue and a tongue by which he can sustain a weary person with a word in chapter 49 we saw that his mouth was like a sharp sword verse 2 but here in 50 verse 4 it is not only like a sharp sword that cuts people you serpents, you generation of vipers, it is also a word, a tongue that would encourage people go in peace your sins are forgiven neither do I condemn you go and sin no more he knew how to sustain a weary person with a word the tongue of a servant of God must be sharp to denounce sin and comforting to those who are sorrowful for their sin and Jesus woke up morning by morning verse 4 to listen I've been emphasizing listening, he says his ear was awake, verse 4, 50 verse 4 to listen to what the father had to say and when he heard something he was not disobedient, he did his father's will even if it involved verse 5 he was not disobedient verse 6 even if it involved other people slapping him other people hitting him on the back verse 6 other people spitting on him he did not turn back is this disgraceful that people are spitting on you, verse 7 I'm not disgraced because he says the lord is with me, what is the matter if people spit spit on me if my father is with me therefore even if they spit on me, I've set my face like a flint, verse 7, not to take revenge on them, not to threaten them forgive them, bless them and press on, and I know verse 7, I will not be ashamed, very good verses for us to think of in the coming days, because the one who vindicates me, verse 8 is near me and who will fight with me, let us stand together have you got a case against me, you want to take me to court, come the lord god will help me verse 9, who is there the one trying to accuse me and condemn me they will all wear out like a garment, verse 10 and 11 are also important, when you fear the lord and you obey the voice of your servant it's possible that sometimes you don't have light the lord doesn't give you light you have to move in darkness verse 10, what should you do in times of darkness there's a beautiful expression I heard as a young man which I have never forgotten never doubt in the darkness what god has shown you in the light never doubt in the darkness what god has shown you in the light supposing somebody has given me a 100 rupee note in the clear light I see it's a 100 rupee note I put it in my pocket and then it's night and then at night I say have I got any money and I wonder and I pick it out, it's pitch dark is this really 100 rupees I have my doubt because I can't see at all but you saw it in the light why do you have doubts about it now never doubt in the darkness what god has shown you in the light, there are times when the light is bright when you're encouraged god shows you something, believe that there are other times of pressure, discouragement don't doubt what he showed you in the light and at that time don't try to create your own fire like Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 behold all you who kindle your own fire and you make your own fire instead of waiting for god, you know the darkness has come and you try to make your own fire no no no, if you do that you will lie down in torment let god in his own time that means don't try to defend yourself god will defend you chapter 50 we saw, now we go to chapter 51 it says here, those who seek the lord those who pursue righteousness, verse 1 look to the rock from which you were honed and the quarry from which you were dug that means never never forget what you were before you were converted what a sinner you were, what a good for nothing person you were you were out in the quarry in a pit don't ever forget that I want to tell all of you till the end of your life never forget then you won't despise other people, you won't look down on other people never forget what you were when the lord picked you up and then verse 7 listen to me you who know righteousness don't fear the reproach of men don't be afraid of their revilings and verse 12 I am the one who comforts you why are you afraid of man who dies and the son of man who is just like grass verse 16 I put my words in your mouth I've covered you with the shadow of my hand you must go to the church to Zion and say you are my people don't be afraid when you are encouraged yourself you can encourage others chapter 52 verse 7 in a first of all verse 5 the last part my name is blasphemed among the heathen the whole day long very true of India the name of Jesus is dishonored in India not because of the heathen but because of the way Christians are living the way Christians fight with each other India has not rejected Christ India has rejected the Christ they have seen in Christians which is not the true Christ that is what I go everywhere saying India has not rejected Christ India has rejected the Christ they have seen among Christians the name of the lord is blasphemed because of the way we Christians have lived but now we are called to proclaim a new message verse 7 how lovely on the mountains are the feet evangelists this is a message for evangelists how lovely on the mountains are the feet of those who proclaim the gospel good news means gospel who announced peace bring the gospel of happiness and say to Zion your God is reigning remember this the good news is not just that Jesus died but also that Jesus is reigning that's the good news spoken here who say to Zion your God is reigning Jesus Christ is lord of heaven and earth that's the gospel we have to proclaim and then it says about Jesus on the cross verse 13 and 14 that when Jesus died on the cross his face was so marred that it did not look verse 14 like the face of a human being you know you see these beautiful pictures of Jesus hanging on the cross he was not like that it was blood flowing all over there were stripes and scars and blood flowing everywhere all over his body I hardly ever seen a realistic picture of Jesus hanging on the cross all of them look so beautiful he wasn't beautiful to look at at all I tell you he was the most beautiful person that walked on the earth but when he hung on the cross it was so marred that it says it did not look like the face of a human being chapter 53 is the central chapter of this section right in the middle it speaks about it says who has believed our message who can believe that this is the way the Messiah will come not with power but like a root out of a dry ground he grew up verse 2 before his father the secret of his life he didn't grow up before men he grew up before his father 53 2 he had no appearance that we should be attracted to him he was not attractive the message of the gospel is not attractive Christ was not accepted by the world in the first century he's not accepted by the world in the 20th century no the Christ that people accept is a false Christ not the real one not the real one who speaks against sin not the real one who speaks against the love of money not the real one who says you got to love your enemies that Christ is not accepted even today there is another Christ a conglomeration of various scriptures put together and you form a Christ which is not the real one the real one even today is despised verse 3 forsaken rejected and if you're a servant and a follower of this Christ I tell you in Jesus name you will be rejected you'll be rejected by Christendom you'll be despised just like Jesus was it's not the Greeks and Romans who despised him it's the Pharisees the fundamentalists it'll be the same today but who has believed our message who wants to listen to such a message all these wonderful things you heard till now you get so excited and now we come to the way of the cross but they go together you cannot follow Jesus and just get comfort you have to go this way of being rejected despised by men he carried our griefs and it says here you know this is all about the cross he took our sins he was oppressed and afflicted he did not open his mouth notice it says here three times in verse 7 he did not open his mouth he was silent he did not open his mouth Christians must know how to open their mouth and shout at a time of praise and how to keep their mouth shut when they are insulted criticized slandered Jesus knew how to praise his father he also knew according to this verse how to be silent unfortunately many Christians do not know how to shout and praise the lord but they do know how to shout and defend themselves when somebody accuses them they got it all upside down Jesus shouted when he was praising the lord and he was quiet when people accused him that's the right way ok we read about the lord was pleased verse 10 to crush him and therefore he will see his seed verse 11 and he was numbered with the transgressors verse 10 sorry he will see his seed and prolong his days that means a result will come out of that prolong his days means he will be resurrected and the good pleasure of the lord will prosper in his hand now this is the way for us to go also he was numbered with the transgressors verse 12 that means people will misunderstand us and put us in the same category as sinners chapter 54 verse 4 5 and 6 a word for widows the lord is your husband and don't be afraid you will not you will forget the shame of your youth and the reproach of your widowhood and verse 10 my covenant of peace will not move from you my loving kindness will not be removed verse 13 another wonderful promise for parents I remember when my wife and I were married before we had children we had this promise all your sons will become disciples of the lord and the well being of your sons will be great she got it independently I got it independently and I believe it's a wonderful promise for all parents this is a promise for parents in Jesus name take it and say lord I want all my children to be taught by the lord discipled by the lord made disciples of the lord and their spiritual well being must be great it doesn't mean that your children will never get sick it doesn't mean that your children will not have the struggles that teenagers and those in their youth go through but ultimately they'll come through have that faith parents and cling on to it and if anyone fiercely fights with you verse 15 they will fall and then this wonderful promise to all servants of the lord verse 17 no weapon formed against you will ever prosper oh I have praised the lord for that promise for more than 35 years I believe that no weapon formed against me will ever prosper if I walk in humility in serving god and every tongue verse 17 that accuses me will be condemned one day Jesus was accused Paul was accused Peter was accused if you follow the lord you'll be accused people may believe those accusations let them believe it one day god will shut their mouths and vindicate you their vindication is from me don't try to defend yourself follow this principle I've been greatly encouraged to follow that all these years of my life people accuse me say all types of false things the lord says keep your mouth shut let them believe what they like let them believe you're the devil himself let them believe you're a false prophet keep your mouth shut let them believe you're teaching wrong things one day I will vindicate you I will show the world are you willing to listen to that if you want to truly serve the lord don't think that you can escape being accused falsely you go and you'll hear stories spread about you remember this verse at that time live before god's face and leave it to god to defend you chapter 55 an invitation preaching the gospel come and listen come and buy freely the gospel message and verse 8 and 9 the lord says my thoughts are not your thoughts my ways are not your ways as the heavens are higher so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts teaching us that we have to learn god's ways verse 11 my word that goes forth out of my mouth says the lord will never return empty listen to what god is saying and speak it that word will never come back empty don't just speak your bright ideas from your head speak god's word all my spoken ministry through these years I've always spoken from the bible and again and again referred people to the bible because this word is more important than my word be a man of the book be a man of the bible in your preaching chapter 56 and he's speaking about the sabbath and it speaks there about the importance of the sabbath and for us it applies in hebrews 4 I'll come to that when we go to hebrews about coming into rest and the lord this verse 7 is quoted by jesus in mark 11 17 my house should be called a house of prayer for all people don't ever turn the church into a place of business where you make money for yourself it's a house of prayer a lot of people have turned christian work into a place of making money for themselves just like those people in the temple and jesus is going to turn them out one day chapter 57 verse 1 godly people are perishing and no one is taking it seriously where are the godly people so difficult to find godly people devout men are taken away righteous men are taken away we need to be concerned verse 15 the lord says I dwell in two places I dwell in heaven and I dwell in the heart of a humble person there are only two places where god lives one is in heaven and the other is in the heart of a humble lowly person you want god dwelling in your heart you got to be humble and lowly and verse 19 to 21 the lord says peace peace to those who are far and near this is quoted in ephesians 2 17 saying that jew and gentile are brought together but the wicked are like the troubled sea always bringing up mud from the bottom those who keep on bringing up old matters and causing quarrels are wicked people they never have peace chapter 58 speaks about the true fast the right type of fast where we share our bread verse 7 with the hungry care for the poor and the naked and where we stop verse 9 last part pointing our finger at other people accusing them verse 9 and if we give ourselves to the hungry verse 11 the lord will first of all your light will arise in darkness and the lord will guide you and it says he will give strength to your bones you will be healed and you'll be like a spring of water whose waters fail not if you stop accusing other people be concerned about the poor and don't make fasting a ritual chapter 59 verse 1 the reason the lord doesn't hear is because of your sins he can hear but your sins have separated you verse 2 verse 16 the lord is astonished that there are no intercessors verse 19 from the east it says here in one translation it says when the enemy comes in like a flood the king james version says the spirit of the lord will lift up a banner against him verse 21 the spirit i put upon you will rest upon your children as well chapter 60 arise shine your light has come the glory of the lord has risen upon you and chapter 61 is the chapter that jesus quoted in the synagogue in nazareth we'll see it again when we come to that chapter the spirit of the lord is upon me to set people free i want you to notice one thing verse 2 the favorable year of the lord 365 days and the day of vengeance one day god's proportion of grace and vengeance is 365 to one a year of favor and grace one day of vengeance that's a great encouragement for us to know that and chapter 62 verse 3 and 4 speaks about our marriage to the lord and we will not be forsaken and those who are intercessors it says in verse 6 and 7 don't rest until the lord makes jerusalem the church a praise in our land don't ever give up keep on seeking the lord till the lord makes the church a glorious place a glorious thing in this land chapter 63 verse 8 to 10 says in all our affliction verse 9 he was also afflicted the angel of his presence saved them but in those days they grieved his holy spirit and that's a warning for us chapter 64 a prayer for revival verse 1 verse 4 is quoted in 1 corinthians 2 i has not seen nor you heard the wonderful things god has prepared for those here it says those who wait for him 1 corinthians 2 says those who love him to love him is to wait for him when you compare scripture with scripture you see that those who love him wait for him but 1 corinthians 2 says but the holy spirit has revealed these things to us isaiah 64 6 our righteousness our good deeds are like filthy rags no use bringing them before the lord isaiah 65 verse 5 don't be like those proud people who look down on others and say i'm holier than you such people are a stench in god's nostrils like fire going into god's nose he detests it people who are like this and look down on others and verse 24 before they call i will answer wonderful promise for prayer while they are yet speaking i will hear isaiah 66 verse 1 and 2 if you want the lord to come and look at you it says here last part of verse 2 be one who is humble and broken and who trembles at the word of god god looks at those who read his word and tremble at it verse 5 hear the word of the lord you who tremble at his word let your brothers hate you let your brothers exclude you the lord will be glorified in you verse 13 the lord says as a mother comforts her children again it's like a mother not like a husband or wife you will be comforted and finally verse 19 to 23 says about the day when the lord will come there will be verse 22 new heavens and new earth is there so those who are of abraham's spiritual seed will have eternal life forever but it speaks about hell in the last verse about the worm that does not die and the fire that's not quenched wonderful book a new covenant book i put a few pieces of the jigsaw puzzle for you please put the rest of it and see the glory of the lord in this book let's pray