Series: Isaiah
Title: Praising the True God
Text: Isaiah 25: 1-5
Date: February 14, 2010
Place: Sovereign Grace Baptist Church, Princeton, NJ
The sure, effectual result of grace is praise to God continually. The believer offers praise to God through Christ Jesus and for Christ Jesus.
Proposition: Praise is giving all glory to God for who he is and what he has done in saving our souls.
Isaiah was sent forth declaring that the end of national Israel was coming. He declared that the true King, Christ Jesus, the son of David, was coming to take his rightful throne. As Isaiah looked toward that glorious day--this gospel age in which we now live and to final glory with Christ--his heart burst forth into praise for God. Let’s read verses 1-5.
I. THE CONFESSION OF FAITH
Isaiah 25: 1: O LORD, thou art my God
The Lord, Jehovah, in this text is God incarnate, the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Savior.
Isaiah 24: 23: Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
Isaiah 25: 8: He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. 9: And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
The sun, and moon, and stars
All the spiritual light given to that one nation in Israel, the very things that had once been to them symbols of heavenly power and favor were shaken to the very foundation, and became to them a snare and a stumbling block when Christ came the first time. So shall it be in the whole earth when he comes again.
Our King, the Godman, Jesus Christ the root of Jesse, the son of David, came forth just as Isaiah said. He has established his spiritual kingdom in righteousness and judgment. He reigns from his throne in glory over his spiritual nation even now. When the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead to his throne in glory, the graves of a host of believers who had died already were opened and they rose with him. He reigns before those ancients in glory even now. And those on this earth, in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells reign here as kings and priests unto God, his elect "ancients". Through the eye of faith, we see him reigning before us gloriously. (Rev 20: 1-6.) And brethren he is coming again to make a new heavens and a new earth wherein those he has made righteous shall dwell with him for all eternity. Isaiah's confession was:
Isaiah 25: 1: O LORD, thou art my God
Faith confesses that Jesus Christ is God. And faith confesses that Jesus Christ is God our Savior.
Jehovah is God our Savior. Jesus Christ of the new testament is the express image of the invisible Jehovah of the old testament. Christ is the image of the invisible God. Christ is the Revelation of the true and living God. Christ is the Word of God. The man, Jesus of Nazareth, is himself Almighty God
Col. 2:9: For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
I hear men all the time say I was saved when I was in free will religion but when I came to the doctrines of grace I had to change my system of doctrine. That was not the apostle Paul's testimony. Paul claimed to be worshipping Jehovah before Christ came to him in power. But when he was truly born of the Spirit, Paul did not merely change his doctrine, he changed God's. For the first time, he worshipped Jehovah, God the Savior, by faith in Christ Jesus the Lord. And he said, those things that were gain to me, I count but dung! Before he had a form of religion, but denied the power--after he confessed, Christ the Power and Wisdom of God.
Salvation is not changing from false doctrine to true. Salvation is not changing from one denomination to another. Salvation is a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation comes in power, in spirit and in truth. He makes sinners repent from our idols and believe on the true and living God.
The jesus who died for all men without exception is the jesus whose blood is not effectual. That is not the true and living God, the Christ of God. The jesus who is depending upon man to make himself holy is not the true Sanctifying Christ of God. The jesus who has done all he can but can not send forth the Holy Spirit to effectually make his sheep submit to him is not the King of heaven and earth--he is an idol. Man's idol-jesus reveals nothing of God's holiness, his righteousness, his love or any of the glory of God. That jesus may make you cry and feel warm and fuzzy but he never saved a soul. Religious idolaters say, "Not so! But God says,
Romans 10: 14…and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15: And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Isaiah 1: 27: Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
The gospel is Christ, the all-sufficient Savior--wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption--all our salvation and acceptance with God (I Cor. 1:30.) The effectual Savior--my sheep hear my voice and follow me, and a stranger they will not follow. (John 10:16, 28-30). The Savior whom God has accepted (Heb. 9:12; 10:10-14)--by himself purged, sat down, perfect forever his people. The successful Savior (Isa. 42:4; 53:10)--Isaiah 42: 4: He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
Faith confesses that Christ is MY Lord and MY God.
Thomas doubted but when he beheld Christ he said,
John 20: 28: And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Those who turn from their idol do so because they are no longer ashamed of the true Jesus.
Romans 10: 11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Do you realize the opposition that Isaiah faced in his day? The whole religious host was compromising around him. Yet, he boldly declared:
Isaiah 8:12: Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
What hypocrisy it would have been if he had spoken against their confederacy, when all along he in confederacy with them. But Isaiah said, Isaiah 25: 1: O LORD, thou art my God;
II. FAITH IS DETERMINED TO DO ONE THING ONLY.
Isaiah 25: 1:…I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name;
Unregenerate man exalts self.
This world's religion is nothing like true religion--vain religion exalts: man's will, man's intellect, man's seeking, man's work, and man's worth, its symbols, its provisions, its prayers, its service and so on.
But true faith exalts, magnifies, honors and praises God alone as he is revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ By God's grace, dependant upon God, this is what the believer is determined to do:
I will exalt thee.
Exalting the Lord Jesus Christ includes these three things:
1. The believer trusts that “Salvation is of the Lord!”
· God elected a people in Christ
· God predestinated them to adoption into his household
· God purchased--redeemed--his people by his own blood in Christ Jesus.
· Regenerates and Calls each one he everlastingly loved
· He preserves his people so that we persevere unto the end
· God shall perfect each believer body, soul and spirit when he raises us to heavens glory.
2. The believer trusts him all in daily affairs--“Casting all your care on him.”
3. The believer submits to his will in all things. That is what it is to exalt him.
I will praise thy name!
1. JEHOVHAH Jireh--I AM the Lord will provide (Gen 22: 14).
2. JEHOVAH Rapha--I AM the Lord that healeth thee (Ex 15: 25-26)
3. JEHOVHAH Nissi--I AM the Lord your banner (Exo 27: 15)--the flag you wave as you go forth to war against sin, death, hell and the grave?
4. JEHOVAH Tzidkenu--I AM the Lord your Righteousness (Jer 23: 6; 33: 16)
5. JEHOVAH Shalom--I AM the Lord your peace (Judg 6: 24)
6. JEHOVAH Shammah--I AM the Lord is there (Eze 48: 35)--in his church--his guarded city--the Lord is there.
7. JEHOVAH Ra-ah--I AM the LORD your Shepherd (Ps 23).
AND ALL THESE NAMES OF COVENANT GRACE MEET IN ONE NAME: JEHOVAH Jesus--I AM the LORD your Savior.
Isaiah 43: 3: For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour:
Matthew 1: 21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Faith's chief desire is "I will exalt thee and I will praise they name!" Inwardly - in my heart. Publicly - in my words. Practically - in my life. Continually - in all my circumstances.
III. THE REASON FOR PRAISE TO GOD
Isaiah 25: For thou hast done wonderful things.
(V25) Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
The casting off of national Israel was not a new thing with God. God was not reacting. He was acting according to what he had determined before to be done. The counsel of God is as old as eternity--turn to Ephesians 1: 3-6--now to 2 Tim. 1: 9.) Christ Jesus willingly became Surety of those given to him. By the Son's agreement to redeem them with his own precious blood, God the Father looked upon his elect as redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world (2 Tim 1: 9.) God the Holy Spirit entered into covenant to regenerate, call and preserve each elect, redeemed child of God in irresistible grace - (II Thess. 2:13-14).
II Thessaonians 2: 13: But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
I will praise you and exalt you because you fulfill your counsels of old.
Isaiah 24: 2: For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. 3: Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.
The things that come to pass in this world is God doing in time what he purposed to do before he made time. God’s faithfulness to his people is God fulfilling his own covenant word.
Illustration: The nation Israel. God created the nation Israel to illustrate what he does for his spiritual Israel.
We have seen all the cities he destroyed with the king of Assyria. Then he destroyed Assyria with Babylon then he destroyed Babylon. And eventually destroyed Jerusalem in 70AD. The lesson is this: when God destroys the nations of the world in his wrath, he is saving an elect remnant for the glory of his own name.
Isaiah 43: 3: For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. 4: Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. [I will call all my children from the 4 corners of the earth] 7: Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Some of the strong people, shall be made to bow by grace in saving faith and some in the day of judgment, but all shall bow.
Isaiah 45: 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. 24: Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. 25: In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
These are wonderful things for which we praise him. God has made his decree. He has and is and shall continue to fulfill all he purposed using all things for his glory.
The believer praises God because he fully provides for the believer in this world as he brings his purposes to pass.
Isaiah 25: 4: For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Are you poor in Spirit?--Christ the Lord is Strength. Are you needy in distress? Christ the Lord is Strength. Is the storm of God's wrath heavy upon you? Are the storms of this life sweeping you away? Is the fire of God's law, the heat of hell and persecution hot upon you? Christ Jesus the Lord is a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Illustration: Jaime's boat in the storm--waves against a wall.
But not only do we praise him because he is a refuge to us from our enemies, but…
We praise and exalt him because he shall put DOWN our enemies.
Isaiah 25: 5: Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.
Strangers are those who hate our God and our gospel. They are noisy--but he shall bring down their noise. Our branch is Christ, we are his fruit. Their branch is Satan: but he shall bring the branch of the terrible ones low.
Romans 16: 20: And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Illustration: Scaffolding. All are his servants.
Application
Have you confessed Christ as did Isaiah? Are you exalting and praising his name? Are you at peace, resting in what he has, is and shall do?
Everything you have heard here today is the truth of a wonderful Savior worthy to be praised? This is the God of this bible, the God of heaven and earth, the God you will face. Do you believe on him, renouncing all else as dung! If not, then why? You need to answer that question.
If you come before him trusting in you, your noise will be brought down. If you come by faith in his Son, he shall give manifold reason to praise him with great joy forevermore!
Amen!