Series: Isaiah
Title: Loosening the Loins, Opening the Gates
Text: Isaiah 45: 1-6
Date: January 1, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Are you in prison this morning? Do you sit in darkness of doubt and unbelief? Are your hands shackled so that you can’t reach forth? Are your feet held fast in the stocks so that you can’t take a step? You see the light through the bars of the window. You admire the joy of those on the outside. Yet you can’t free yourself into the bliss and freedom of the faithful.
That was the case of God’s elect remnant in the nation of Israel once. They were in bondage in Babylon. There because of their own sin and unbelief—they simply would not believe the word of the Lord. Babylon represents falsehood, sin only Christ can deliver his people from.
Revelation 17: 5: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6: And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:
Proposition: God elect remnant fell into spiritual bondage of sin and death in Adam’s transgression. God allowed it for the same reason he turned Israel over into Babylonian captivity. So that God himself might raise up the Deliverer—Christ Jesus. So that when he delivers his elect child we believe and give all glory to God our Salvation, Christ our Redeemer.
Title: Loosening the Loins, Opening the Gates
Divisions: 1) Salvation accomplished by Christ Jesus; 2) Salvation of an individual sinner; 3) The reason for the salvation of sinners
I. SALVATION BY CHRIST JESUS--v1—Thus saith the LORD, to his anointed Cyrus. Cyrus was king of Persia (Iran.) He was sent of God to deliver the elect out of Babylonian bondage and to build God’s house. He is a type of Christ Jesus the Son of God our Savior.
A. Isaiah 45: 1: Thus saith the LORD to his anointed,
Christ Jesus is God’s chosen, anointed, shepherd, the Messiah—“Thy salvation,” Simeon said.
B. v2: whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him;
Christ is God the Son therefore everything Christ did was God doing it—he is God with us.
2 Corinthians 5: 19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Christ as Man was assured of success by God—whose right hand I have holden to subdue nations. No obstacle could hinder our Redeemer. No foe could resist our Liberator. No power could keep him from setting his people free and rebuilding the house that sin destroyed. No power CAN! Is 42: 4: He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth:
Illustration: Politicians seek endorsements
Christ received the endorsement of heavens glory. God the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove; God the Father spoke from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased” (Mt 3: 16-17.) All power in heaven and earth belongs to Christ our Savior—God has given the nations before him and made Christ rule over kings? (Is 41: 2)
C. Christ Conquered All Our Captors—v1--and I will loose the loins of kings,
Belshazzar –Daniel 5: 6: Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. Daniel told him, “God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Likewise Satan—the Prince of the Power of the Air; along with “The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27:…both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28: For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done” (Acts 4: 26.)
Be sure you get this: God is in control at all times. God himself loosed the loins so that with their own wicked hands Christ was crucified, but doing so Christ busted the head our enemy wide open.
D. v2: to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut.
By being made sin for his people, By purging his elect of all sin, By redeeming us….
Hebrews 2: 14…through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15: And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
By his finished work on the cross, Christ forced open the gates of hell which held captive his elect remnant in Babylon
Matthew 16: 18: And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
E. Christ makes the crooked sin and unrighteousness of his people to be all righteousness in Christ--v2: I will go before thee, make the crooked places straight, I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
· He magnified the law
· He made the law honorable
· Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes
F. God has given to Christ all his Treasure--Isaiah 45: 3: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places,…
Christ’s elect children are the treasure God has given to Christ his Son. We were hidden in Babylon, in darkness and in secret places. But Christ found us. Believers are the spoils of his victory. How does all that apply to me the sinner?
II. THE SALVATION OF INDIVIDUAL SINNER
Now we are looking at Cyrus the sinner—God said to Cyrus
Isaiah 45: 3: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel…v4: I have even called thee by name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. 5: I am the LORD, and there is none beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me.
A. God chose each child he saves before the foundation of the world, before we ever knew God
Cyrus was an idolator in a foreign land, not seeking God—that is you and I--but God chose him and called him. So it is with every born again child of God.
In the season of his Power, the Spirit of God enters in each of his elect, binds the strong man and creates life where there was only bondage and fear of death.
Isaiah 42: 7: To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Isaiah 49: 9: That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
Isaiah 26: 2: Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
Christ leads us OUT of Babylon into heavenly Jerusalem. As we walk through this earth in Christ, Christ Jesus makes every valley to be exalted, every mountain and hill to be made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain.
· I have called thee by thy name
· I have surnamed thee—anointed thee
· I girded thee—God clothes his child in the righteousness of Christ
B. God gives to his born again child the hidden riches in secret places
· The unsearchable riches of Christ: Wisdom, Righteousness, Holiness, Redemption
· Christ is All and in All.
C. He promises each of his redeemed children:
· I will hold thy right hand
· I will loose the loins of kings before you
· I will open the gates and they shall not be shut
· I will go before thee and make crooked places straight
· I will break the gates of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron
Why does our Savior save us in such a sure and powerful way? V3:…THAT THOU MAYEST KNOW that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel…v5: I am the LORD, and there is none else…
Every one here who truly believes on the Lord Jesus Christ--all the glory goes to God for raising us up in righteousness, even as he did Cyrus.
Isaiah 41: 2: Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.
Brethren, believe God. Our enemies are already conquered. The way only appears rough when we look through our fleshly eyes…but through the eye of faith the way is plain in Christ theWay.
What about all the enemies we face? Dust to our sword and driven stubble to our bow—because of Christ.
Romans 8: 36: As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Now I want you to see why all this was done.
III. WHAT IS THE REASON GOD HAS CALLED YOU AND DONE ALL THIS FOR YOU, BELIEVER?
Isaiah 45: 4: For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect,…
A. God saves each individual sinner to use us for the furtherance of his gospel for the saving of his elect throughout the world
Why did God send his Son?— Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:28.) Why did God call and make his name known to Cyrus and use him to do this work?—For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect. God saves individual sinners because God uses his believing children to save the rest of his elect—this is how God builds his temple.
B. Christ provides all. Turn to Ez 1: 1-11.
I love this. Christ has charge of the storehouse to provide all our provision for the building of his house. God did not give the temporal riches of the spoils directly into the hand of his children, he gave them to Cyrus. But when the time came to build the temple, the riches were in Cyrus hand to give to the children—a picture of Christ receiving all the glory for providing all we need in his work.
Why doesn’t God just give all the temporal blessings into the hands of his children first? Because riches are deceitful. We would trust our plenty rather than Christ. Plenty never does anything but wait on more plenty.
Illustration: The rich young ruler was too rich to follow Christ—Rich in temporal riches, Rich in youth—there will be more time tomorrow, Rich in religion—(ruler)—let us always be content in Christ, but always eager to follow Christ in the work he has given us to do. “Easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God…”with men it is impossible, with God all things are possible.”
For our own good, God doesn’t allow his church to operate on a surplus. But Christ has charge of the storehouse. All things are ours, brethren. When God stirs up the spirit in his people then God gives out what is needed. This way we are given food convenient for us.
You are listening to a sinner that knows exactly what you suffer, my brethren. How often we who are delivered, yet find ourselves, in captivity to our own sinful flesh, our own doubts and cares of this world. But God has put us together so that when we are discouraged there is always someone in the midst to encourage us with these sure promises of Christ our Redeemer.
Examples: The spies looked at the giants in the land—they discouraged all who would listen; Caleb and Joshua looked at Christ—going in was a sure thing to them—they encouraged everyone.
Israel’s mightiest men were afraid of Goliath—David went out to meet him with a sling and five smooth stones in his bag. The stone of: 1: who he foreknew, 2: he did predestinate, 3: he did call, 4: he did justify, 5: he did glorify (Rom 8: 29-30.) Fives stones in the one living Stone—Christ Jesus. Why?
1 Samuel 17: 47: And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
Hear the word of the Lord and believe God. He says v2: I will go before thee, make the crooked places straight, I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron. The victory is ours in Christ. The Treasure is Christ, “saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.”
App/Illus. Baby fighting a roaring lion
C. Why does God use his babes to call out his elect from the four corners of the earth? To declare before this whole wicked world what he has taught us in our heart.
Isaiah 45: 6: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Let me give you something to take home:
The question is not, “Will the LORD do what he says?” “Will the LORD build his house.” The question is not, “Will the LORD call out his sheep.” God answers that for us plainly, saying,
Isaiah 45: 13: I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
The question is, “Has the Spirit of God loosened your loins and opened the gates before you? Has the Lord delivered you to believe the word of the true and living God?”
I pray the Lord frees you from that dungeon of gloom into this liberty of our all-sufficient, all-providing Redeemer!
Oh, what a way it would be to begin the New Year! Believe God. Christ our Savior is all our need. He has and shall provide all.
Brethren, we can set our hand to the work and whistle while we work:
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.
This is all our confidence and assurance:
Isaiah 45: 17: Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be confounded world without end.
AMEN!