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Prophetic Insights from Isaiah: God's Sovereign Plan - Isaiah 48
January 3, 2025 · 14 min
Uncover the prophetic wisdom in Isaiah 48, where God's guidance and foreknowledge are evident, 200 years before historical events unfolded.
Series Stand on the Word - Video On Demand January 3, 2025 · 14 min · Stand on the Word - Video On Demand
Uncover the prophetic wisdom in Isaiah 48, where God's guidance and foreknowledge are evident, 200 years before historical events unfolded. ...more Show the full description Show less Uncover the prophetic wisdom in Isaiah 48, where God's guidance and foreknowledge are evident, 200 years before historical events unfolded.
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God's Sovereignty and Prophecy 0:10 Good morning. Welcome to stand on the word, an amazing chapter today with Isaiah chapter 48 verse 17. Thus says the lord your redeemer, the holy 1 of Israel, I am the lord your god who teaches you to profit,0:22 who leads you in the way you should go. This really is an amazing chapter with tremendous insight into the workings of god as it pertains to the fallen nature of man. Now as we read through0:34 this, keep in mind that Isaiah is prophesying the release of the Jew the the people of Judah, the the southern kingdom, from Babylonian captivity 200 years before it0:46 actually happens. Now just to kind of put that in perspective, United States of America will soon be 250 years old. I mean, think about someone predicting 200 years ago what would be taking place in our nation today.0:58 So how could God do that? Well, as we'll read, he declared from the beginning what would unfold with this nation of Israel which he created. He said, I declared it, and I'll bring it to pass. And he has, he1:10 is, and he will. Verse 1, chapter 48. Hear this, oh, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and have come forth from the wellspring of Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and make mention of the1:22 God of Israel, but not in truth or in righteousness. For they call themselves after the holy city and lean on the God of Israel. The Lord of hosts is his name. Now these first 2 verses1:34 really tell us almost everything we need to know. They called themselves by the name of Israel. They swore by the name of the Lord. They made mention of the God of Israel, but1:46 they did not do it in truth and in righteousness. They didn't live according to the word and the ways of God. They were what we might call ancient rhinos, righteous in name only. They talked about God,1:58 called themselves by his name, but worshiped idols, and they practiced wickedness. Sounds a little bit like the United States. We may claim roots as a Christian2:09 nation, but it's not found in our practices and our policies today. Not when we're promoting for the highest offices in this land, the very practices that god2:21 calls an abomination. Identifying as a Christian is not the same as living as a follower of Christ. Now here here, by the way, is a relevant side note to to this passage.2:33 Let me ask you this. Where did it say they came from? It says the wellsprings of Judah. Now this is where the term Jew comes from. Judah, along with Samaria, where2:45 the northern tribes were located, was where about 80 percent of what we read in the Bible took place. Yet this area of Israel that is internationally referred to as2:57 the so called West Bank is the land that Israel is being pressured to give up to the Palestinians for them to create a state of their own, the so called 2 state solution. In fact, let me let me show you3:09 this map. Right? This is a map of Israel, and as you see here, this is Judea and Samaria. And this is what's3:21 called the West Bank. This area that's in the, kind of the the orange or yellow is is what the international community want wants Israel.3:33 You see all the this land of Israel. This is about 20 percent of the the land mass. And as it says, about 80 percent of what happened in the Bible occurred here in this area, and that's what they3:45 wanna give up. That's where the term Jew came from, Judah. Anyway, let me let me move on. That's a topic for another day, but scripture makes very3:57 clear who this land was given to. Alright? Verse 3, I have declared the former things from the beginning. They went forth from my mouth. I and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly,4:09 I did them, and they came to pass. You see, the god god declared it, and God made it happen. From the beginning with Abraham, God declared the steps they would take. It was not by chance. Verse 4.4:21 Because I knew that you were obstinate, and your neck was iron sinew, and your brow bronze. Even from the beginning, I have declared it to you. Before it came to pass, I proclaimed it to you, lest4:33 you should say my idol has done them, and my carved image and my molten image have commanded them. You have heard, see all this, and will you not4:44 declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, even hidden things, and you did not know them. They are created now and not from the beginning. And before this day, you have not heard them, lest you should4:56 say, of course, I knew them. Surely, you did not hear. Surely, you did not know. Surely, from long ago, your ear was not open. For I knew that you would5:07 deal very treacherously and were a transgressor from the womb. Wow. Hard language. The captivity was predicted by god so that they would know I mean, this is5:19 200 years before. It was predicted by god so that they would know that it came from god and not from the idols that they had worshiped or not worshiped. And now he tells them a new thing.5:32 They're released from captivity. Don't say, oh, we knew we knew this was coming. Don't attribute it to your idols. Is is there anything that we've been told in the New Testament5:43 about the future? Well, in fact, there is quite a bit. 1 thing that comes to mind is is Jesus in Matthew chapter 24, where his disciples say this to tell us when will these things be as he's talking about5:55 the end times, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age? And Jesus answered then said to them, take heed that no 1 deceives you. For many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will6:06 deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,6:16 and there will be famines, pestilence, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and will and you will be6:28 hated by all nations for my name's sake. Like the lord telling Judah what would happen so that it would not be misinterpreted or misattributed,6:41 Jesus has told us the warning signs of the end times. Now so don't attribute it to the idols of our day. You know, science, education, climate change.6:53 Right? So moving on here, why and how is god going to deliver them? He makes it very clear here. Verse 9. For my name's sake, I will defer my anger. And for my praise,7:05 I will restrain it from you so that I do not cut you off. Verse 11, for my own sake, for my own sake, I will do it. For how should my name be profaned? And I will not give my glory to7:17 another. Wow. There's really a message of hope here. You you you are never what this is communicating is that we're never beyond the reach of god's mercy and his grace. Why?7:30 Well, it's not because we deserve it. It's not because they deserved it, but for the sake of the lord's name. Look at what Jesus said about this in the New Testament, multiple places. Matthew chapter 18 verse 20,7:42 for 2 or where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, I will be among them. And these sign Mark 16 17, and these signs will accompany those who believe in my name. They will cast out demons. They7:53 will speak in new tongues. Luke 9 48, and they said to them, whoever receives this child in my name receives receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. John 14 13, whatever you ask in my name, this I8:05 will do that the father may be glorified in the son. John 14 14, if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. John 14 26, but the helper, the holy spirit, whom the lord will send in my name, he will teach you all8:17 things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. The name of god. This is about god. It's about his name. It's about him being glorified. Say, oh, well, that that that sounds nice, but you really8:29 don't know my situation. Well, god anticipated Judah responding in a very similar fashion to the promise of their deliverance from captivity. There was no way. There was no way they could be8:41 delivered from Babylonian captivity, the strongest, dominating empire of that day. They were powerless. They were helpless. Here here's something you need to grab a hold of8:52 today. Nothing is beyond the power of the creator. Verse 12, chapter 48. Listen to me, oh Jacob, and Israel, my called. I am he. I am the first, and I am also9:04 the last. Like, it it it starts and it ends with me. It's what god says. Indeed, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has stretched out the heavens. When I call to9:16 them, they stand up together. All of you assemble yourselves and hear. Who among them has declared these things? The lord loves him. He shall do his pleasure on Babylon, and his9:28 arms shall be against the Chaldeans. I, even I, have spoken. Yes. I have called him. I have brought him, and his way will prosper. Now this is another reference to to Cyrus who was going9:40 to be the agent that god would use to bring the deliverance of his people. Verse 16, come near to me. Hear this. I have not spoken in secret from the beginning. From the9:52 time that it was, I was there. And now the lord god and his spirit have sent me. Thus says the lord your redeemer, the holy 1 of Israel, I am the lord your god who teaches you to profit,10:04 who leads you by the way you should go. Oh, that you had heeded my commandments. Then your peace would be like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of10:16 the sea. Your descendants also would have been like the sand, and the offspring of your body like the grains of sand. His name would have not been cut off nor destroyed10:28 from before me. Now if you would have just listened to me, the lord says, my word teaches you to profit. It teaches you to make the most of life. My10:40 words lead you in the right way. He says my word my word brings peace like a river into your life. My word establishes righteousness in your life. My10:52 word provides a future. This is why we are in the word of God. This is why we need to abide in Christ in his word, reading his word, knowing his word, and calling upon him to11:04 perform his word. Verse 20 chapter 48. Go forth from Babylon, free flee from the Chaldeans. With a voice of singing, declare, proclaim this, utter it to the ends of the earth.11:16 Say, the lord has redeemed his servant Jacob. That is a declaration of freedom. And and they were told, go out of Babylon declaring your freedom. But there11:28 here here is the not so small print that accompanies this declaration. Look at the last verse, verse 22. There is no peace, says the lord, for the wicked. Now none11:39 of us are righteous. As Paul wrote in Romans, we've all fallen short of the glory of god. But through the righteousness the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we can be made righteous.11:52 If, again, as Paul writes in Romans 10 10, if we do this, he says, for with the heart, 1 believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.12:05 We can be righteous. We can put on the righteousness of Christ as we believe in our heart, and we confess with our mouth that he is the lord of our lives. Father, we thank you for your word. And,12:17 lord, I pray, lord, that your word would saturate our souls, that we would abide in your word. Your word is true. Your word is life. And and your word, Lord,12:28 leads us in the right way if we'll just yield to it. So I pray, father, that we would yield to your word, and may the Holy Spirit continue to to lead us and guide us on this journey. We thank you, Lord, and we12:40 pray for your hand of direction upon us in this new year. May we bring honor and glory to you in all that we do. In Jesus' name, amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning. And, again, I would encourage you to12:51 invite someone to join us on this journey. As we begin a new year, it's fine. They can jump right in here in the book of Isaiah and, and and and take the the challenge to allow the word13:02 of God to to transform us into what he's called us to be, followers of his son, Jesus Christ. Alright. Until next time, keep standing on the word.13:15 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at frc dot org slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you13:27 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:10 God's Sovereignty and Prophecy
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