Series: Isaiah
Title: It Shall Be Said
Text: Isaiah 25: 9-11
Date: March 11, 2010
Place: Sovereign Grace Baptist Church, Princeton, NJ
Brethren, do you ever imagine one day closing your eyes while in this body of death then opening them in glory with a perfect sight of your beloved Redeemer? No sin to distract you, no tears to cloud your eyes, nothing but perfect conformity and perfect communion with the Lord of your salvation. That day shall be a perpetual, unending, eternal day. That final, eternal day is a day of which every elect, predestinated, redeemed child of God shall have a foretaste in this life, many times over.
The child of God experiences this joy in that day of conversion when the Holy Spirit shall draw each chosen child to Christ irresistibly, when God delivers you from trials, when he restores you after you have fallen and when God brings seasons of reviving to your souls. It is called the Lord's day--the day of his grace.
Proposition: There is a most sure word that his effectual grace puts upon the lips of the believer in that day. It is sure. It shall be.
Isaiah 25: 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. 10: For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. 11: And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.
I. WHAT SHALL BE SAID?
Isaiah 25: 9: 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.
This passage speaks of Christ Jesus our Lord.
Christ Jesus is God, the LORD Jehovah, Jesus our Savior. The passage speaks of:
· The feast he prepares for his people in this mountain his church
· The feast of this gospel of his accomplished purchase and protection of each of his elect.
· His removing the covering of sin and the veil on the hearts of his people through the Holy Spirit through his gospel
· He shall make every particular sinner for whom he died to know that he has swallowed up death in victory, and shall comfort our hearts in this mountain continually.
But the day of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a single day--the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ is eternal.
Psalm 90:4: For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
We see it illustrated here in the fact that in Isaiah's day, in the midst of great tribulation, he put this song upon Isaiah's lips, before as yet Christ come forth in the likeness of our flesh.
Application: How helpless the sheep of God truly are in ourselves! If we were left to ourselves, we would perish under the weight of sorrow. But listen to his sure word of promise:
In Zion, his church, our Redeemer appoints unto his children that mourn: beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified (Isaiah 61:3.)
He gives the beauties of holiness instead of this unholy ash called our flesh. The Holy Spirit--the Comforter--refreshes our hearts with the joy of complete salvation in Christ. The garment of the righteousness of Christ replaces that spirit of heaviness within his children.
He appoints this comfort unto us for two reasons:
1. He knows we are but dust, we would surely perish under the spirit of heaviness. But by his sufficient grace he makes each believer immoveable trees of righteousness--the planting of our Husbandman.
2. That HE MIGHT BE GLORIFIED! Our text says Isaiah 25:: 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
He will save us: from the Penalty of Sin, from the Power of Sin and from the Consequences of Sin. He will save us!
We have it on record in the word of God to show us this promise is sure to his redeemed.
1. Simeon (Luke 2: 25-32)
Luke 2: 25: And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26: And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27: And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28: Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29: Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30: For mine eyes have seen thy Salvation, 31: Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32: A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
2. John the Baptist said,
John 1: 33: And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34: And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
When John saw him he declared with a loud voice: "Behold the LAMB OF GOD."
3. Andrew, ran to his brother Peter and said
John 1: 41:…We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
4. Philip ran to Nathaniel and said,
John 1: 45:…We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46: And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
5. Centurion many women who were with him--after Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost:
Matthew 27: 51:--the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom;--the earth did quake,--the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53: And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54: Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. 55: And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 56: Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.
Peter declared boldly on the day of Pentecost--
Acts 2:36…let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Isaiah 25:: 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.
II. WHERE, WHY AND HOW SHALL THIS WORD BE GIVEN?
Isaiah 25: 10: For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.
First, where? In this mountain
The earthly mountain in Jerusalem is symbolic of the church [his people] and of the "house of the Lord." The mountain of Jerusalem is where God promised to meet with his people.
God is everywhere. He comforted David when he was in the cave. But David longed to be in the house of the Lord. Why? Our Lord promises this blessing particularly where his saints gather together to hear his gospel. The wise of this world says that is foolish!
1 Corinthins 1:21: For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Isaiah 25: 6: And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things…10: For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest,
Secondly, why shall this word of rejoicing be given and be sure on the lips of his saints? Because he rests his hand in this mountain.
When his hand is stretched out it means judgment:
Isa 9:12: The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still….17: Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still…
When the LORD rests his hand it means judgment is over. The very feast by which he refreshes and protects us is that his Son made his people righteous and satisfied justice for us:
2 Corinthians 5: 19:…God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; [but what about his holiness, what about justice?] 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
I Peter 3: 18: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Hebrews 10: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13: From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14: For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
NOW IN THIS MOUNTAIN HIS HAND RESTS--in the preservation and provision of his people. To know that his hand rests upon us! To protect us! To comfort us! To bring us to this mountain! What peace! What rest for our souls!
Thirdly, he gives this word on our lips by bringing down all our enemies.
Isaiah 25: 10:…and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.
Moab represents the curse and the enemy of God. Christ has won the victory over our enemies. (Col. 2:15.) In this mountain he shall pull down satan’s strongholds by the preaching of his person and victorious work (II Cor. 10:4),
Application: When we need comforting the most, usually, we have many enemies within and without to keep us from the one thing needful--to hear Christ in his word in this mountain. But he is able to keep his children, to speak to us from heaven and to bring us again to this mountain to hear his voice. One of the greatest ways he makes us to bear witness of Christ to our friends and our brethren is by coming to this mountain.
D. Fourthly, here is how he will give this word of rejoicing? He will do this irresistibly with ease. Will any be able to resist his power to keep this word on our lips?
Isaiah 25: 11: 11: And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.
Application: Whether it be in trial or good times, in famine or great plenty, whether it be our flesh, or satan, or those who oppose our Lord, with the ease of a swimmer through water the Spirit of our Lord swims in the midst of his people making you--his regenerated child--to know:
· He was made a curse for you.
· He perfected righteousness for you.
· He satisfied justice for you.
· He made you the beauties of holiness.
· We were enemies in our minds by wicked works but he washed us in regeneration. Many times over in our fleshly thinking, we become enemies in our minds, but he continues to wash us through this gospel.
· He brings down the pride of our enemies--without and within. He empties the hands of all worldly spoils--without and within--theirs and even ours.
This is the sweet peace he gives--the Lord's hand rests in sovereign, irresistible protection over you and he will only do you good.
In this mountain: whether in conversion, in deliverance from trial, in the refreshing of our souls,
Isaiah 25: 9:…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.
AMEN!