We begin the weighty book of Isaiah. Often called the fifth gospel.
Isaiah 1:
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
The Wickedness of Judah
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: "Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."
4 Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.
5 Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.
7 Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.
8 And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.
9 If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
12 "When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?
13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations--- I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.
18 "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
The Unfaithful City
21 How the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water.
23 Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them.
24 Therefore the Lord declares, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: "Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes.
25 I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy.
26 And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city."
27 Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
28 But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks that you desired; and you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen.
30 For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water.
31 And the strong shall become tinder, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them.
Isaiah 2: The Mountain of the LORD
1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it,
3 and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.
The Day of the LORD
6 For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners.
7 Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots.
8 Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.
9 So man is humbled, and each one is brought low--- do not forgive them!
10 Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendour of his majesty.
11 The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
12 For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up---and it shall be brought low;
13 against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan;
14 against all the lofty mountains, and against all the uplifted hills;
15 against every high tower, and against every fortified wall;
16 against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft.
17 And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
18 And the idols shall utterly pass away.
19 And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendour of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.
20 In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
21 to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendour of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.
22 Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?
Things to think about…
1. Isaiah 1:1 gives the time and breadth of ministry that Isaiah was ministering in. Uzziah ruled from 790BC – 740BC, Hezekiah ruled from 716BC to 687BC. So Isaiah had a long ministry in the history of Israel through a very turbulent time. One that saw trial as well as triumph as we will see.
2. Isaiah doesn’t hold back his words in this first chapter. He says Israel doesn’t know her master – an ox and a donkey know their owner, how is it that Israel doesn’t the Lord their Deliverer, Isa 1:3. Israel had turned away from her identity in the God of Israel. What a tragedy it is when the Christians turn away from their identity in Christ, where they look more like the world than their Saviour.
3. Isaiah says Israel has become like Sodom and Gomorrah morally, Isa 1:9,10. These cities were judged. He says they were acting like a whore, 1:21 but will one day be governed by justice, Isa 1:27. The warning was to Israel that it was about to be judged. This eventually did come via the Babylonian captivity, but the Lord gave many opportunities and warnings to repent before that point. When Christians hear what their Saviour is calling them to and then reject His Spirit, discipline then follows. The warning from a Pastor or church leader is to be preferred rather than the discipline that comes directly from the Lord. Let’s be sensitive to the Spirit and listen to what He says through His Word and Spirit.
4. After setting the scene that Israel and Judah were in moral decay in Isaiah 1, Isaiah then prophesies about the future of Israel in Isa 2:1-5. This will be when the Lord rules the earth from Jerusalem and the nations will flow into the land. This is during the Millennial reign of Christ. There will be peace on the earth during this period vs 4.
5. Isaiah says come to Zion, the mountain of the Lord, Isa 2:1-5. He councils them to listen to the Lord, to teach His ways, to walk in His Law, Isa 2:3. Come to the God of peace, Isa 2:4 and walk in the light of His word, Isa 2:5. Jesus of course is the Word of God and we walk in His light as we obey His voice and are led by His Spirit, Jn 1:14-18.
6. The Day of the Lord, Isa 2:11 will come. In this day the pride of man will be exposed. Isaiah’s simple council to conclude the chapter is to “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?”, Isa 2:22. Jesus puts it this way “"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.”, Luke 12:4. Is there anyone you are listening to or taking advice from that you shouldn’t be?
7. Isaiah then returns to his original message of judgement upon Jacob (Israel), vs 6. Israel is still rebellious against Yeshua today. From verses 12 to 16 we see the word “against” used 10 times. The Lord will be against Israel in the future to bring them to repentance. There are many scriptures that affirm that just before the Lord returns Israel will suffer intense persecution.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Life groups Wednesdays. Ric Benson will be looking at the life of Christ in the church.
Pastor Jay has started the young adult’s life group after Sunday mornings café time. Open discussion around difficult topics and defending our faith is the focus.
Prayer Points
1. New people that they are welcomed into church life.
2. Those who are considering baptism.
3. Church finances to cover all expenses.
4. Pray for of Kids@Church, Life groups and church community days.
5. The conflicts in Israel and Ukraine. Praise for the peace of Jesus to reign.
6. Mathys has a prayer time at church on Monday afternoons. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.
7. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you to be saved. Pray for the blessing over the new pastoral care and hosting program.
8. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. More visitors on Sunday, pray that they are encouraged.
2. Continue to pray for Tad to gain strength at home. Continue to pray for Glenys as she now has a splint to gain full use in her left arm. This is very frustrating for Glenys as you can imagine. It has been many weeks and she is desiring relief. Any encouragement you can give will be greatly appreciated.
3. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Working Bee – Saturday March 25th 8am to 12pm. Please sign the jobs task sheet.
2. Life Groups Wednesday night at Church – 6:30pm.
3. Young Adults apologetics Life group after the service – 25th Feb 2024.
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
5. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for March...
Q. 18. What did God give Adam and Eve besides bodies? A. He gave them souls that could never die.
