Series: Isaiah
Title: How Is the Victory Won?
Text: Isaiah 31: 1-9
Date: September 19, 2010
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
As believers, we are surrounded in this world by enemies. The idolatry of Rome is flourishing--not only amongst the Papist but in many denominations that claim to believe the doctrine of free grace. Islam, Judaism and hosts of man-made religions abound. The world is more religious than ever and more godless. But we have no reason to despair. Though our enemies are many, they shall be put down.
In the day Isaiah was sent to God's remnant in Judah, things looked mighty bad all around them. They were surrounded by a religious people who drew near the Lord with their mouth, who had removed their heart far from him. As God used the Assyrian, as a rod in his hand to chasten the people, Isaiah cried--his gospel is our gospel--"Their strength is to sit still." Rather than hearkening to the gospel of Isaiah, the majority went on looking to Egypt for help.
Yet, God promised his children through his prophet that their enemy would be defeated. God makes that same promise to you and I today.
How Is The Victory Won? The gospel of our salvation is this: trust Christ alone and thou shalt be saved. The God of heaven and earth reigneth! The Savior I preach is "Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins."
The backdrop for our message: Sennacherib, King of Assyria, came against Jerusalem with his army. When he did the Jews went down to Egypt to help.
Proposition: In Isaiah 31, the Lord calls for his people to trust him alone. Are there any of his people here this morning? Any here who are without strength? Any here who behold the enemy round about is too mighty for you? God promises protection and deliverance to those who trust him.
3 Simple Statements:
1. The Believer's Help is Not Below
2. The Believer's Help is God Above
3. We Obtain This Help By Believing God
I. THE BELIEVER'S HELP IS NOT BELOW, IN THIS WORLD (Isaiah 31: 1)
Illustration: Stuck in the mud
Judah had been delivered out of Egypt's bondage by the Holy One of Israel, the LORD. Now, rather than look to the LORD, they went back down to Egypt. If you have been called, delivered, redeemed out of the bondage of this world, what an insult to God and a proof of your own ignorance to befriend this world.
A. It may appear this world's security is strong. But when you look with the carnal eye, rather than the eye of faith, you will be fooled.
1. Judah thought Isaiah was foolish and they were more wise than he, when he told them what I am telling you now (Listen to the Holy One--Isaiah 31: 2.)
2. They looked to the horses and chariots--because they were many, because they are very strong. (Listen to the Lord-Isaiah 31: 3.)
3. God's servant, God's church, God's preachers do not need anything from the King of Sodom
Genesis 14:21: And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not [take] from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that [is] thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
Psalm 37: 25: I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Ps 125:5: As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: [but] peace [shall be] upon Israel.
Application: Christ Jesus was crystal clear:
Matthew 6: 24:…Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
James 4: 4:…the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Those who put confidence in the flesh, who glory in what they constrain men to do, the believer has no communion, no fellowship with them.
Philippians 3:18: (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 4:1: Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, [my] dearly beloved.
The Believer's Help is Not Below.
II. THE BELIEVER'S HELP IS GOD ABOVE.
A. Our LORD protects us with the fierceness of a lion (Isaiah 31: 4.)
Illustration: Feeding the dogs--just dogs.
1. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
2. God gave him a people and he set his affection on them as a lion to its prey
3. Multitudes of shepherds came out against him--
- Satan,
- Princes of this world,
- Established religion of this world,
- The philosophers--the wise and prudent
- Men who enjoyed the spectacle of the cross
4. Yet, he was not afraid, he did not draw back because of their noise. He came down and fought for Mt. Zion.
- Fulfilled all righteousness
- Set his face like a flint and bore the reproach of men
- The shame of the cross
- The wrath of God
- Justified his people by his own blood
Our Savior protects his children like a lion.
B. God protects his children as a mother bird protects her children (Isaiah 31: 5.)
1. As birds flying--quickly
2. Defending he will deliver
3. Passing over he will preserve
Illustration: The crows and the robin with her nest
Deuteronomy 32:11: As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:--so the Lord leads his people.
Psalms 91:4: He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler.
III. We Obtain This Help By Believing on Christ alone (Isaiah 31: 6-7.)
A. Our problem is a deep revolt--it’s a heart problem.
Isaiah 29: 15: Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? 16: Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
"man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."
B. Is God speaking to you in the heart right now?
1. He knows the thoughts and intents of your heart
2. Have you asked God to cleanse you throughly?
3. To create in you a clean heart?
4. This gospel is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
C. What will you do if God speaks in the heart? (Isaiah 31: 7; not a maybe, but a certainty--Isaiah 30: 21-22.)
D. What will the enemy do when you cast all your care on the LORD? (Isaiah 31: 8-9.)
1. Hezekiah had sent presents to the king of Assyria
2. But when he delivered his boastful letter to king Hezekiah in Judah, saying he was about to destroy Judah, you know how Hezekiah won the victory?
2 Kings 19:14: And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest [between] the cherubims, thou art the God, [even] thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. 16 LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. 17 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, 18 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they [were] no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou [art] the LORD God, [even] thou only. 20: Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, {God speaks through his prophets to honor Christ the Prophet} Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, [That] which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. 21 This [is] the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, [and] laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. 22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted [thy] voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? [even] against the Holy [One] of Israel….27: But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. 28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest…31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD [of hosts] shall do this. 32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it. 33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. 34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. 35: And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they [were] all dead corpses. 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
For God's own sake, for the sake of Christ Jesus his Son, he will not allow one of his elect children perish. He sends forth his angels round about to protect his heirs of salvation.
Hebrews 1: 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Remember when the host of enemies surrounded Elisha and the young man.
2 Kings 6: 16: And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17: And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
3. Our victory is won through faith in Christ, through the word of this gospel (Isaiah 30: 29-32)
· My people shall know it is my voice, it is I
· How beautiful are the feet of HIM--the feet of THEM
· We lift up our voice together with THE VOICE--the voice of One--of Christ--crying in the wilderness--Our God reigneth! Singing our song!
Isaiah 30: 31: For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.
4. Our enemies are afraid of the Ensign--the Banner--Christ Jesus our Banner--the victory is won by faith in Christ, by repenting with the calves of your lips, by praise unto him, by this gospel of his free salvation--Christ our Banner!
Isaiah 31: 9: And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.
His fire is in Zion to protect his children and consume our enemies
1 Peter 5:6: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith…
Psalm 12:5: For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set [him] in safety [from him that] puffeth at him.
Application: You who have never confessed Christ
· Can you find any place in this book where God was unfaithful?
· Can you find any place in this book were the enemy was too strong for God to deliver?
· Has God changed? Why don't you cast your care on him?
Believer: If God be for us, who can be against us?
· He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
· Who shall lay anything against the charge of God's elect?
· Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
· Believer, "we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
The only thing we really should concern ourselves with is how we can better serve him in the furtherance of his gospel. Believe him and find quietness and assurance for your souls!
Amen!