Series: Isaiah
Title: The New Song
Text: Isaiah 42: 10-43: 1
Date: September 11, 2011
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Isaiah 42: 10: Sing unto the LORD a new song,…
To whom do we sing? “Sing unto the LORD”. This song is a NEW song in that it is no ordinary or common song. It is an excellent, beautiful, song because it is the song of God’s glory and grace in saving his people. Only the Spirit of God can teach a sinner this song. This is the song of sinners saved by grace. It is a song of new mercies made new every morning by the Spirit of God. Verse 12 tells us what this new song is, “Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise….” You and I who now believe sing praise to God and celebrate his goodness.
Title: The New Song
Divisions: 1: Song of electing grace; 2. Song of the successful Savior; 3: Song of his quickening power through his gospel; 4: Song of judgment
I. THE NEW—EXCELLENT—SONG OF ELECTING GRACE (vv10-13)
Isaiah 42: 10: Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. 11: Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. 12: Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
What a word! God saves by his own sovereign, electing grace. We see salvation is truly of God’s mercy in choosing whom he will when we consider just this one phrase--the villages that Kedar doth inhabit. Kedar was the second son of Ishmael.
Genesis 25:13: And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,
Remember, Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael was the son Abraham produced by the work of his own hands with his marriage to his bondmaid, Hagar. God told Abraham to send Ishmael and Hagar away. Isaac was the son of promise given by God. They are not all Israel who were of Israel—the children of promise are counted for the seed. So not all the Gentiles are shall be lost, some belong to God by divine election.
God’s people are his elect whom God shall call OUT OF EVERY kindred, tribe, tongue, people and nation from the end of the earth. God declares they will be taught this new song. Each one will be sanctified on Christ our Altar and give glory and praise to God who saved them.
Isaiah 60: 7: All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
Revelation 5: 9: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
How do you know his elect shall be saved? Because this is the
II. NEW—EXCELLENT—SONG OF THE SUCESSFUL SAVIOR (vv13-15)
Isaiah 42: 13: The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
Illustration: The winter at Valley Forge our patriots were taught to yell when they attacked. The army went forth as a mighty man, roaring as they went forth into battle. That is the picture here of our Lord “stirring up zeal like a man of war—he shall cry, yea, roar.
Isaiah 42: 14: I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman;
For a long time God suffered the Gentile world--to walk in their own ways, to worship their idols—even Israel who used his oracles to do so.
Acts 17: 30: And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
When the fullness of time was come—the LORD came forth! Christ Jesus the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace—“he shall prevail against his enemies.” Verse 4 says “he shall not fail till he hath set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.”
This is the New Song—Excellent—because of the One who Accomplished and accomplishes this Salvation—the King of Righteousness
Isaiah 32: 1: Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
This King is like no other: this King is God in human flesh—the LORD shall go forth.
Isaiah 7: 14: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel…9: 6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Our Song is New (Excellent) song, unlike any other song, because of how our King came forth. HE CAME FORTH AS A SERVANT--THE CHOSEN SERVANT OF GOD.
In a kingdom you had a King and you had servants. But it was never before heard that the King took the form of a servant. But Christ our King did to glorify God and do for his people what they could not do for themselves.
Isaiah 42: 1: Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth;..3:…he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4: He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth:..13:…he shall prevail against his enemies.
When John was given the revelation of Jesus Christ, John began to weep because he saw no one worthy to open the book,
Revelation 5: 5: And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
God foretold that the scepter would not depart from Judah until Shiloh the King came--the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David—the King of Judah, the King of David came. He did. And he has prevailed in justifying his people and bringing in everlasting righteousness. So John looked to see this King in all his glory. But he behold a Lamb:
Revelation 5: 6: And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain,…
The King of kings came as a servant—made flesh like unto those he came to save—and through death—God says,
Isaiah 42: 15: I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
He took out every obstacle between his people and himself---he glorified his Infinite Name, fulfilling his law and justifying his people, bringing in everlasting righteousness on their behalf.
Romans 8: 3: For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The righteousness of the law is fulfilled by travail of his soul--Christ the Mighty Man. All the requirements of the law have been met by Christ the Mighty Man in behalf of his people
May God give us eyes and ears this morning—Isaiah 42: 20: Hear ye deaf, and look, ye blind that ye may see…v20 Seeing many things, but thou observes not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. 21: The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
This song is ever new and excellent to the believer—because it is a song of electing grace, because it is a song of the King Servant who effectually redeemed his people, our Righteousness in whom we rest. And it is the
III. NEW—EXCELLENT—SONG OF OUR KING WHO QUICKENS HIS OWN AND BRINGS HIS PEOPLE OUT OF DARKNESS INTO LIGHT WITH HIS WORD (v16)
He gives this effectual commission to those he saves, Isaiah 42: 12: Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands. As he sends forth this gospel, he that is Faithful and True goes forth on his white stallion, conquering and to conquer! (Revelation 6: 2)
Revelation 19: 15: And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword
Isaiah 42: 16: And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
Just as God set judgment in the earth in Christ—satisfying his own justice—he also receives the glory for setting spiritual discernment—judgment—in the heart of all his elect scattered throughout the earth
God is doing it through this song—the proclamation of Christ and him crucified! His effectual word stirs up jealousy—zeal—like a man of war—he cries, yea roars--through Isaiah’s preaching, through Paul’s preaching, when the gospel goes forth today--the Lion of the tribe of Judah roars.
He destroys ever obstacle—giving us a new heart to worship him alone (Ezekiel 11: 19; 36: 26.) His people are redeemed out of the nations and tongues under heaven. From Ishmael came 12 sons—the religion of Islam with all kinds of factions. From Isaac came Jacob and the 12 tribes of Israel—the religion of Judaism with all kinds of factions. The majority in Judah did not believe Isaiah’s gospel or John’s gospel, or Peter’s gospel. And there are a host of other religions worshipping multiple gods from the imaginations of sinful fallen man. From the tribe of Judah came the Lord Jesus Christ—the Lion of the tribe of Judah—and there are factions even among those who take Christ’s name. And all came from Adam.
Will God leave his elect in the blindness of his heart? Will the God of truth who gave his Son to set judgment in the earth save through a gospel that is not another? Will God leave his elect in their vain imagination? Absolutely not!
Isaiah 42: 16: And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
If that is bigotry then it is the bigotry of the apostle Paul who said,
Galatians 1: 6: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Of John who said,
2 John 1: 10: If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Like a man throne from a sinking ship as long as he sees one plank by which he thinks he can save himself, he will turn to it with his whole heart. The POWER of the gospel makes that one Way Christ! When God speaks into the heart, saying, v10—sing the new song—his praise—v12: give glory unto the Lord, declare his praise in the islands—his people do.
Our Mighty, Prophet, Priest and King knows where his elect are in the forest, he sends his gospel voice in their midst:
Psalm 29:9: The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
Ezekiel 11: 19: And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you;…they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
The Spirit of God frees the believer from the carnality of our fleshly mind, writes the word of his grace in our hearts and sets us on Christ who has made us the righteousness of God, accepted! (Romans 8: 2, 6-9.) By nature, we are blind in sin, but we think we see.
We must be blinded as was Saul of Tarsus, before we will walk in the Light of Christ that we may entirely rely on his promises. God turn his children’s darkness into light by his presence in the soul. Verse 13: He shall prevail against his enemies—against some in mercy but to those who refuse his Light this is a song of judgment.
IV. WE SEE GOD’S JUDGMENT (Isaiah 42: 17, 23-25)
Revelation 14:3: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4: These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5: And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. 6: And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7: Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
But this is the word of grace to God’s Jacobs called out from the end of the earth. We are Jacob in ourselves, but Israel (as a prince thou hast prevailed), in the Lord Jesus who hath prevailed—Isaiah 43: 1.
AMEN!