“Trusting God”
                                                    Isaiah 7:1-9

         Three Keys to Trusting God:

1.            Identity: We belong to God.

·        Ahaz had been defeated by Aram and Ephraim earlier: 2 Chron 28:5-8

·        There would be a remnant: Isaiah 1:9

·        Remember, “The stump in the land.” Isaiah 6:13

2.              Fear Not

·        As all this is going on Ahaz is seeking an alliance with Assyria:  2 Kings 16:7-9

·        Because of being over-run by the Assyrians, they intermarried and thus became the             Samaritans, losing their nationalistic identity: 2 Kings 17:24

3.               Stand Firm

·        This is the point of no return; to fail to respond now by trusting the lord’s promises is              to bring about the final heart-hardening: Isaiah 6:9-10

·        The choice is panic and live on shaky ground or build on God’s word:  Isaiah 7:2

·        What is the foundation of your life:  Mt. 7:24-27

·        Stand Firm:  Proverbs 10:25

·        This alliance with Assyria was destructive: 2 Chron 28:22-23

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                                    “The Stump in the land”

                                              Isaiah 6:1-13

            Four steps to being God’s Seed:

1.         Vision

·        Under his leadership Israel had grown in every way: 2 Chron 26:4

·        This great king also failed the Lord, just as Israel is failing: 2 Chron 26:19

·        Their root problem; They were trusting in man instead of God: Isaiah 2:22

·        Feet influence the path we take: Pr. 4:2

·        God’s way or the highway!  Proverbs 3:5-6

2.            Confession  

·        What come out of the mouth matters: Mt. 15:11

·        He realizes he is in dangerous territory: Ex 33:18-20

3.            Cleansing

·        Fire was part of the Day of atonement: Lev 16:1

·        God deals with confessed need: 1 John 1:9

·        The sin had to be paid for by blood: Heb 9:22

·        The suffering servant: Isaiah 53:7-10

4.            Commission:  Mt. 28:18ff

·        9&10 are quoted by Jesus & attributed to the Holy Spirit: Mk 4:11-12; Acts 28:25ff

·        The gospel is very simple, yet rejected: 2 Tim 3:7

·        The Bad News

         1.      Material ruination.  Prophecy fulfilled… Dt. 29:23

         2.      Deportation: Prophecy fulfilled… Dt. 29:28

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                                          “The Sovereignty of God”

                                                    Isaiah 5:26-30

• Remember, they were taunting God: Isaiah 5:19

• The early church recognized Gods Rule:

1.      God had decided Jesus fate:Acts 4:27-28

2.      All Authority is established by God: Rom 13:1

• ·Free will: We choose – John 3:16
• ·The paradox: Proverbs 16:9;
• ·Work out our own salvation: Phil 2:12-13

3.      God gives us time to change 

• None should perish: 2 Pet 3:8-9

4.      The Messiah will Reign: Rev 11:15

•  Is Jesus the Messiah? 
• ·Professor Peter W. Stoner: Mathematical Proof!

• They are well armed and prepared for battle: Jer 4:13

•  Israel will be helpless in three ways:

1.            Like the prey of a lion.

2.            Like a person in the midst of a storm            .

3.            Like a person lost in the dark

•  Darkness means the absence of God:  Micah 3:6
•  God is light:  1 John 1:5
• ·When you know God, it is all good: Phil 1:21-2                   

Conclusion:  

• ·The scientist calls him the Intelligent designer
• ·The philosopher calls him the unmoved mover.
• ·The believer calls him Father.
•  C.S. Lewis said it comes down to one of three choices; Jesus is either a liar, lunatic or The Lord.

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                         “Delusion of Grandeur”

                                 Isaiah 5:18-25  

·        Our main Idea: V-21

     Six Evidences of Self-delusion:

1.            Lifestyle Sin

·             They have no relationship with God: 1 John 3:6

2.            Spiritual Ignorance  -  Isaiah 5:13

·              They have become fools: Psalm 14:1

3.         Moral Confusion

·            Sin becomes acceptable in two ways:

              1.       Publicly (Darkness becomes light)

               2.       Privately (bitter takes the place of sweet).

·                        We are all born to sin: Rom 3:10-12

·                          In Christ, there are choices: 1Cor. 10:13

4.            Glorification of Self-indulgence      

·              The great men of the nation are only great behind the bar: Proverbs 23:29-32

5.            Legal Corruption

·              For the self-deluded it is always about more: Isaiah 1:23

6.            Rejection of the Word of God

·               Look at the last part of verse 24!

·              They have turned their backs: Isaiah 1:4

·              God’s Word is our connection to Him: 2 Tim 3:16-17

·              God’s word gives us purpose: Isaiah 55:10-11

·               Without the Word our achievements are reduced to dust and ashes: Deut 4:24

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                     “The Ruins of the Rich”

                             Isaiah 5:8-17

• So you get it all? Mt. 16:26

    Three  Ruinous Behaviors

1.   Greed – vs. 8-10

•          Land in Israel could only be leased, never sold, because parcels had been                   permanently assigned to individual families: Lev 25:23
•          The rich took advantage of the poor and increased their holdings Isaiah 3:14
•          Greed is at the heart of Idolatry: Col 3:5 
•          God can take it all away in a moment:  Jeremiah 17:11

 2.   Debauchery or Excess  – Vs. 11-14 

• ·        Sensual indulgence does not lead to spiritual perception:  Eph 5:18
• ·        They had lost respect for God: Psalm. 100:3
• ·        The blind are leading the blind: Mt. 15:14
• ·        Turning your back leads to lack of knowledge: Is. 1:4
•          The grave is the great equalizer:  Job 3:13-15

3.        Arrogance – Vs. 15-17

• ·        Arrogance is at the heart of their disease: Proverbs 16:5
• ·        We are called to reflect the Essential Nature of God: Mic. 6:8

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            Four sections of this passage:

1.         The Introduction:  Setting – Vs. 1-2

·        Love for God is an important part of Old Testament piety: Deut 6:5

·        How do we express love—obedience:  1 John 5:3

·        All his efforts yielded only bad fruit, lit. “Stink fruit:”  (Why) John 15:5-8

·        They had turned their back on God: Isaiah 1:4

·        What is fruit in our lives?  Gal. 5;22-23

2.         The Verdict - Vs. 3-4

·        Nathan and David:  2 Sam 12:5-7

3.         The Decision – Vs. 5-6

·        Parable of the Talents (Bags of Gold) Mt. 25:14-30

·        The owner gave 5, 2, 1  “Each according to his ability.” V-14

·        The owners decision: Mt. 25:26-30

4.         The Application – V-7

·        God is into social justice; how we treat each other is a reflection of our love for God:             Matthew 22:36-40

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·        God’s glory was exclusive: Ex. 40:35

·        David’s family tree: Jer 23:5-6

·        They sought transient beauty:  "... instead of beauty, branding". Isaiah 3:24 (end)

·        Beauty will be seen in God’s presence: Col 1:15 

·        Glory and Pride had been their destruction: Isaiah 2:11

            Three Results of God’s Presence: 

     1.            Holiness: Set apart to God…

·        Through the Messiah the remnant has been made fit for His presence; they are
          spiritually changed: Heb 10:10

·        It is not about our initiative, but our response to the Divine initiative: Mal 3:16

·        The Book of Life: Ps. 69:28

    2.         Purity: Washed or Cleansed

·        The Lord will cleanse us of all sin: Zachariah 13:1

·        Isaiah was aware of his sinfulness: Isaiah 6:5-7

·        There is a process of removing Sin:

         1.    Judgment: the atonement.

         2.    Fire: Test our Kingdom work: 1Cor 3:12-15

   3.        Guidance & Protection: 

·        Verses 5-6 recall Israel’s desert wanderings: Guidance and protection: Ex. 13:21-22

·        The consummation of the covenant; the canopy always refers to the marriage
          chamber: …Let the bridegroom  leave  his room and the bride her chamber.
          Joel 2:16

·        If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
         10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will                    command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift                you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will           tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
         Psalm 91:9-13

·        God’s has our backs: Rom 8:38-39

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 The Nation has turned its back: Isaiah 1:4b

Three Characteristics of the Profiteer: 

1.            Arrogance

·        The result is arrogance: Isaiah 2:11

·        The Kingdom system is the opposite:  Mt. 19:30

·        Where do you keep your Treasure: Mt. 6:19-21

2.         Wealth

·        It is clear that the plunder of the poor is in clear view here: Isaiah 3:14

             These verses personify Jerusalem as a destitute woman: Lam. 1:4

3.            Desperation: 

·        Men were also desperate for a leader: Isaiah 3:6

·        Both genders will find that you can’t trust man over  God: Isaiah 2:22

  Conclusion:   When you stop trusting God, you trust in your self; life becomes about                                    present gains over losses.

·        The real road to the top involves loss not gain:  Mt. 19:29-30

·        The world is about short-term gain; bottom line thinking.

·        The Kingdom is long-term thinking; it is about forever!: Mark 8:36

·        What about you?  You have a choice.  Acts 2:37-38

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                         Isaiah 3:1-15

           The wide and narrow roads: Mt. 7:13-14

            Results of taking the Wide Road

 
1.            Societal Collapse 

                 God removes Two keys to their survival: 

                  1) Basic needs: Food and Water.

                  2)  Leaders: three types  (command structure collapse)

                       a.   Military (hero, warrior, Captain & regular army)

                       b.  Political (judge, elder, counselor)

                       c.  Religious (prophet, soothsayer, craftsman, enchanter)

·        God gives us leaders: Rom 12:1

·        Youth has its disadvantages: Jeremiah. 1:6

 2.    Retributive Justice: Punishment

       Isaiah gives Four reasons why they deserve punishment

               1) Wickedness: They are defying God, face to face.

               2) Shame:  They brought disaster upon…

·                  They should know better: Deut 5:32-33
                   There is good news for the followers: Psalm 73:23-24
                   Many good people are swept into the fate of the wicked: Rev 2:10

               3) Oppression: The immature rule (youths).

·                  The LORD--Commander & Chief to Judge: Ps. 50:1-4

               4) Exploitation: “The poor.) also in verse 15

·                   God cares about the poor: Duet. 15:10-11
                    Leadership caries immense responsibility:  Heb 13:17

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“Trust God, Not Man”

            Main Idea: V-22

Results of placing your faith in Humans: 

1.            Abandonment  

·        They have turned their backs: Isaiah 1:4b

·        As Christians we are promised relationship: Mt. 28: 20

·        They are conforming to the world: Rom 12:2

·        Practicing divination: Lev. 19:26

·        They are doing just what they want: Rom 1:28

     Isaiah lists their Conformity: 

     1) Material wealth : Self-sufficient. 

     2)  Military Mite:  Security

     3)  Idolatry: Hand-crafted gods.
 

2.            Brought Low: Humbled.

·        Isaiah has experienced God’s glory: Isaiah 6:5

·        Religious arrogance is the worst: Luke 18:10-14

3.            Fear

·       The result of cultural conformity: Mt. 24:42-44

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