Series:
Isaiah
Title:
Peace like a River, Righteousness as Waves
Text:
Isaiah 48: 16-22
Date:
September 16, 2012
Place:
SGBC, New Jersey
The
simplest way I could figure out to show you Christ in this text is this
way. As I read our text to you, first I
will tell you what took place in what we will refer to as the “historical
fulfillment”. Then I will tell you how
it pictures Christ and the spiritual fulfillment. We will read each portion twice.
Verses
16-17. Historically, Isaiah was sent of God to declare God’s word to Israel.
Isaiah 48: 16: Come ye near unto me, hear ye
this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it
was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. 17:
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD
thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that
thou shouldest go.
Now spiritually,
see Isaiah as a type of Christ. So as we
read verses 16-17 again, this time, hear Christ speaking to Jerusalem when
Christ walked this earth. And here
Christ speaking to us here this hour.
Isaiah 48: 16: Come ye near unto me, hear ye
this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it
was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. 17:
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD
thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that
thou shouldest go.
Verses
18-19: historically Israel was in bondage in Babylon. God turned them over to that bondage because
they would not heed his commands. He
tells them what they forfeited.
Isaiah 48: 18: O that thou hadst hearkened to
my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as
the waves of the sea: 19: Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring
of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off
nor destroyed from before me.
Spiritually, in the day Christ walked this earth,
Israel was in spiritual bondage, moreso than they were in bondage to Rome. All
they had to do was to heed Christ’s command to believe on the Lord Jesus who
the Father has sent. But they would not. You remember toward the end of his ministry,
Christ said:
Matthew 23: 37: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest
the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have
gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings, and ye would not! 38: Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Now
read verse 18-19 again hearing Christ speak.
Isaiah 48: 18: O that thou hadst hearkened to
my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as
the waves of the sea: 19: Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring
of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off
nor destroyed from before me.
Verse
20. Historically, when Cyrus redeemed Israel from Babylonian captivity, he sent
messengers to give the decree throughout the ends of the earth for the remnant
to come out.
Isaiah 48: 20: Go ye forth of Babylon, flee
ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even
to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
Spiritually,
after Christ accomplished his work of redemption at Calvary, he sent forth his
apostles to call his elect remnant among them to leave Jerusalem, which had become spiritual Babylon. Christ sent hiis preachers not just to the Jews but to
the Gentiles—to the ends of the earth—to sing of the good news of Christ’s accomplished
redemption of his spiritual Jacob. Now
read verses 20 again hearing God’s charge to his gospel preachers and his call
for his elect to come out of the spiritual
Babylon which is false religion and every false way.
Isaiah 48: 20: Go ye forth of Babylon, flee
ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even
to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
Verse
21. Historically, after Cyrus delivered the remanant out of Babylon, the Lord
provided the kings highway, the Lord provided all provisions, so the remnant that left Babylon travelled along safely till each one entered
safely back into Jerusalem.
Isaiah 48: 21: And they thirsted not when
he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock
for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
Spiritually,
after Christ ascended to the Father and sent forth his apostles to preach the
good news, from his throne in glory Christ brings each one out, providing all provision for them, just as
he continues to provide for us today, and as he calls out his elect into Christ
our King—Christ our HighWay. All his redeemed are travelling to, and shall arive safely in,
heavenly Jerusalem because Christ is providing all for us along the way.
Isaiah 48: 21: And they thirsted not when
he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock
for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
Lastly
verse 22. Historically, this speaks of the sad state of those who refused
Cyrus’s decree, choosing instead to remain in Babylon and serve their gods. Spiritually
it speaks of those who heeded not the call of the gospel but remained in Jerusalem and of those in our day who choose to remain in spiritual
Babylon which is false religion and every false way.
Isaiah 48: 22: There is no peace,
saith the LORD, unto the wicked.
Now let
see a few things from each portion of this passage.
I. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS GOD THE SAVIOR
His
command is for you to draw near and hear his word—v16: Come ye near unto me, hear ye this.
The gospel call goes out to all.
It is the general call. If any will not come it is not because the Lord
has not issued the call. It will be because sinners will not come near unto Christ
and hear this.
Christ
has spoken openly for all to hear—V16: I
have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am
I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. Christ has not
spoken in secret. Christ has been
speaking from the beginning—from the beginning of time—from the time that it was, there am I—Christ was speaking through
Isaiah in the day Isaiah delivered this word. Christ existed before his
incarnation. He existed as the Word and Son of God from
all eternity. He was with God his Father from
everlasting. He was by him, and brought up with him,
and lay in his bosom from the “the time
that it was.” But now, in the end of the world, Christ has come in the
flesh and spoken openly in the earth—v16:…and
now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
Hebrews 1: 1: God, who at sundry times and in divers
manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2: Hath in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the worlds;
John 8: 42: Jesus said unto them, If God were your
Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came
I of myself, but he sent me.
John 18:20: Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world;
I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always
resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
This is
Christ’s gospel to us—
·
He is God--v17:
Thus saith the LORD. When you read
in scripture capital LORD is means Jehovah God.
Jesus Christ is Jehovah Jesus—the GodMan. Everything he accomplished as
the righteous Son of man is eternal because Christ is the eternal Son of God.
·
He is the redeemer of a particular people—v17:
THY Redeemer. Isaiah 53: 8 says, “He was taken from prison
and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out
of the land of the living: for the transgression of MY PEOPLE was he stricken.” Christ being the Redeemer means he did it. Christ successfully,
fully, freely, forever redeemed his people from the curse of the law. He
purchased each one with his own blood and Christ shall lose none of his
purchased possession.
·
He is the Holy One of his spiritual, elect
Israel called out from among Jew and Gentile—v17: The Holy One of Israel. Christ sprang out of Israel. He
came to save the elect who are the Israel of God (Matt. 1:21). He
is the “Holy One”, who knew no sin, therefore is the only one fit to be our Redeemer
and Savior (II Cor. 5: 21). He is the Holy One who makes us Holy by
creating us a new in holiness and robeing us in his righteousness and holiness.
·
He teaches us and leads his children in the
profitable way—v17: I am the LORD
thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that
thou shouldest go. The Lord only teaches us that which is profitable. If you learn the gospel of grace it will be
because he taught you through his gospel.
The Lord only leads us in the way that is best for us. He is the Way. Christ leads each of his
redeemed in the way of truth, in the way faith, in the way of grace which is the way each of his
elect shall go.
Note: I said
to you that this is the general call of the gospel, but this call is effectual
when he teaches you in the heart. And he
shall teach each of his elect in the heart and we shall hear. This word is specifically to you who he has
called by his grace. Have you heard
him? Can you draw near? Praise him if you can for he alone is to be
praised for working this miracle of grace in you.
II. GOD OUR SAVIOR IS THE TENDER, LOVING
SAVIOR.
To you
who regard God as hard, who refuse to draw near, hear what he says—v18: O that thou hadst hearkened to my
commandments! His commandments are not grievous. 1 John 3: 23 says, “And
this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus
Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” His doctrine is of grace freely given. Grace to the underserving. Grace to sinners who cannot save themselves. Salvation is of the Lord by his grace.
All who
perish shall do so, not because the fault lies in God but because the fault
lies in the sinner. Our Lord said of
those in Jerusalem, “I would have gathered you—and YE WOULD NOT!” The will that men have by nature is
not a will to draw near and believe on him. It is a will NOT TO BELIEVE ON HIM—YE
WOULD NOT! Those who keep boasting of their will
need to answer this question, “Why then will you not believe on him?” The reason is you are not willing—YE WILL NOT. And if you are honest with yourself then you
will admit that you cannot make yourself willing. That ought to make you at
least cry for mercy for him to make you willing. And even if you are able to do so you will
find that it was Christ working in you that gave you the willingness to cry for
that mercy. The enmity, the disgust, the
rejecting, the bitterness, the unrest, the hardness of heart is all of man, out
man’s own breast. But never imagine
that the true and living God takes pleasure in the death of the wicked. And
for us who believe him, by his grace, we learn that when God corrects us for
our sins, he takes no pleasure in it.
Ezekiel 33: 11: Say unto them, As I live, saith
the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the
wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for
why will ye die, O house of Israel?
God
never says he “delights in vengeance.” Judgment is called his “strange
work.” But it is written “He delighteth
in mercy.” (Micah 7: 18) While he walked this earth, every needy sinner who
came to him seeking mercy found mercy. Those who came for mercy to be healed,
he healed. The Lord is that Father who
runs out to greet and kiss the returning prodigal. The Redeemer is he who washed the feet of
his disciples. Jesus Christ is God our
Savior the tender, loving, merciful Savior.
Our God
delights in peace and righteousness—v18:…then
had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.
I love
a river. My favorite place to go when I
was teenager was to the river. I loved
to be on the river at night, to stop the engine, turn out the light and just
float and listen to “drum” under the water.
The river was the most peaceful place on earth to me. Even
now when Melinda and I are travelling and we cross a river I almost always look
up and down that river.
Those
who believe on Christ have peace like a river. Reconciliation wrought for us by Christ laying down his life for
us is “the peace of God which passeth all understanding.”
Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified, by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus.
Psalm 85:10: Mercy and truth are met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Isaiah 32: 17: And the work of righteousness shall be
peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
The Holy
Spirit has washed us inwardly, renewed us in regeneration. Now the believer has peace which our Lord
Jesus Christ made by the blood of his cross which has sealed the believers
acceptance forever with the Father. Perfect peace is peace that can never be
changed between my satisfied God and this child he has saved by his grace. In the midst of all of this world’s
tribulation Christ Jesus says, ‘My peace I give to you.”
·
Peace like a river ever flowing that can’t be
dried up.
·
Peace like a river for its steadiness.
·
Peace like a river for its refreshing.
In the
darkness, Christ is my Light. In the deep, underneath are the everlasting arms.
In the storm, Christ voice says, “Peace be still. And there is peace.” In sickness, Christ is my health. Whatever the providence, my times are in his
hands.
The
believer has righteousness as the
waves of the sea. Where did the water in
the sea come from? It came from God and
likewise the righteousness of his people—their
righteousness is OF ME, saith the LORD. (Is 554: 17) How long have the
waves of the sea been coming one after another?—his righteousness is everlasting righteousness. (Ps 119:
142) The overwhelming power of the waves
of the sea is unstoppable. Likewise, nothing
is more powerful than the LORD our Righteousness! None are powerful enough to lay
anything to the charge of God’s elect since Christ put away our sin. (Rom 8:
33)
Spurgeon said, “I was born in sin and shapen in iniquity, but
Christ is “that holy thing” which is born of the Virgin, and the holiness of
Christ’s birth takes away the unholiness of my nativity….I committed sins in my
childhood, sins against my parents; but Jesus Christ was a child full of the Spirit. Christ’s childish perfection is imputed to me,
and hides my childish sins….I have had heart-sins; but Christ had heart-virtues….I
have had sins in worship; but Christ purged the temple, and served the Father
in perfection, in Spirit and in truth….I have the sins of a servant, Christ has
the virtues of a servant.”
His
obedience has been made my obedience.
And by his blood our sins and iniquities he remembers no more. (Heb 10:
17) Those born of his Spirit have been made the righteousness of God in Christ through
faith in him. (2 Cor 5: 21)
Our
Savior has made us fruitful—v19: Thy
seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel
thereof. The whole family in heaven
and earth is ours and we are being filled with the fruits of righteousness which
are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God. (Eph 3: 15; Php 1: 11)
Our name shall not be cut off because it is Christ’s name—v19: his name should not have been cut off
nor destroyed from before me. A man
may build up his name in this earth. He
may come to God in his many wonderful works which were done in man’s own name. But such a man and his name will be cut off
forever. But those who take Christ’s
name by his grace through faith shall never have our name cut off because our
name is Christ’s name and the name of Christ shall not be cut off forever.
(Note: “his name” in Jer 23: 6 is the name wherewith “she” shall be called in Jer
33: 16)
III. THE LORD JESUS COMMANDS US TO GO FORTH
DECLARING WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US.
We
declare that our salvation from
spiritual Babylon is by his effectual call of grace—v20: Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans. Sinner do you hear him this morning? Those who hear come out of spiritual Babylon
and flee from the harlot to Christ in heavenly Jerusalem.
Revelation 18:4: And I heard another voice from heaven,
saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and
that ye receive not of her plagues.
We
declare our full complete redemption has been accomplished by Christ our
Redeemer alone—v20: with a voice of
singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth;
say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
We declare
to the ends of the earth what we have lacked.
Believer, have you have lacked anything since Christ called you by his
grace?—v21: And they thirsted not when
he led them through the deserts. This
world is a desert, but he leadeth
his dear children along and we lack nothing!
John 4:14: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be
in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
We
declare that it is our Redeemer who continually gives us this Water of Life
from Christ our Rock and provides all necessary things for us in this earth—v21:
he caused the waters to flow out of the
rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out. Christ is
our Rock. He causes the water of life to flow to us
because Christ clave the rock when he willingly he gave his back to the smitters,
when he willingly gave his body to bear our sins, when he willingly gave his
blood to justify us. And the waters
gushed out—life, pardon, righteousness, peace with our God.
But what
a sad word to those who will not submit to Christ in faith—v22: There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. Let history teach us: Those who remained in
Babylon perished with Babylon, those who remained in Jerusalem perished with
Jerusalem and those who refuse to come out of spiritual Babylon the harlot—who
judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life—shall perish with her!
May God
give each of us grace to heed Christ’s command—Come ye near unto me, hear ye this.
Believe on Christ and thou shalt be saved!
Amen!