The Day of Salvation: Isaiah 25-35 (3)

Pray Psalm 79.8, 9.
Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us!
Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us,
For we have been brought very low.
Help us, O God of our salvation,
For the glory of Your name;
And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins,
For Your name’s sake!

Read Isaiah 29.

Reflect.
1. The people of Judah and Jerusalem kept their feasts and religious services “year to year”. But they came under the judgment of God. Why?

2. The chief sin of the people of God had to do with their relationship to His Word. How had they gone wrong?

Meditate.
Lest there be doubt in anyone’s mind about the immediate future of Jerusalem and Judah, Isaiah lays it out plain, and it’s not pretty (vv. 1-8). The “Lion of God” (Ariel) will be trampled to the dust in “heaviness and sorrow” (v. 2), as a multitude of nations visits the woe of God upon His people.

The reason is simple: The people have scorned the Word of God (vv. 9-16). The people kept up their traditional worship of God (v. 13), but that’s all it was – tradition. They may have been very sincere and diligent about their feasts, sacrifices, alms, and other rituals, but there was no heart in it, for to the people of Jerusalem and Judah, the Word of God was a closed book (vv. 11. 12). They had turned from God’s revelation to their own best ideas about how to keep their city and traditions (vv. 15, 16), but God would bring even that “wisdom” to an end (v. 14). 

Let the reader beware.

Yet a day of restoration is promised “in that day” (vv. 17-24), when the deaf shall hear, and the eyes of the blind will be open, and the humble will rejoice in the Lord. The poor will be blessed, and sinners and all iniquity will be rooted out from the people. All shame will be removed when God accomplishes His great work of restoration (v. 22), and the people will hallow God’s Name and fear Him, so that their understanding of sound doctrine returns, and they are redeemed (vv. 23, 24).

God disciplines us when we neglect or turn away from His Word; but by that same Word He promises to renew us when we humble ourselves, admit our blindness and poverty, embrace the work He has done for us in Jesus, and return to Him in worship and obedience.

Prepare.
1. Why do we ever set aside God’s Word to do something other than what He has revealed as the way of life?

2. Do we still need our ears and eyes to be opened to the revelation of God? Explain.

3. What does it mean to “hallow” the Name of the Lord (cf. Matt. 6.9)? How is this related to fearing Him? To living humbly before Him? What is promised to those who hallow the Name of the Lord?

According to what the prophet says, “This people honors me with their lips, though their hearts are far from me.” To them the Holy Spirit exclaims, “But to the wicked person God says, ‘Why do you recite my statutes and profess my covenant with your mouth?’ ” It is as if he were saying it does you no good to praise God. It is profitable for those who live well to praise him, but if you praise him and do not abandon your sins, it avails nothing. Caesarius of Arles (470-543 AD), Sermon 133.4

Let all my service to You be from the heart, Lord, so that I…

Pray Psalm 79.
Pray for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted in various places, and that the Lord would deliver us from our sins and complacency. Pray for revival and for a greater experience of the Lord’s salvation, and give Him thanks and praise for all His goodness.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 79 (Passion Chorale: O Sacred Head, Now Wounded)
O God the nations all Your inheritance have spoiled!
Your City have they ruined, Your temple they have soiled!
Your servants’ bodies all to the birds of heav’n are thrown;
The flesh of all Your faithful the jaws of beasts now own.

The blood of faithful servants like water flows around;
And none are there Your saints to commit into the ground.
Our neighbors mock and scorn us: How long, O Lord, how long?
How long will You be angry and scorn our mournful song?

Pour out, O Lord, Your wrath on all who deny Your Name;
Who trust You not nor seek You, bring down to deepest shame!
For they have with great rancor Your precious saints devoured;
Lay waste their habitation at this late dreadful hour.

Why should the nations mock and say, “Where now is their God?”
Let there be known among them harsh vengeance for our blood!
Hear, Lord, our groans and sighing; preserve us by Your pow’r.
For we are fairly dying each day and hour by hour.

Reproach those who reproach us with judgment sevenfold!
Let thanks and praise to You by Your precious flock be told.
We are Your sheep, O Savior, we thank You all our days.
Look on us with Your favor as we declare Your praise.

T. M. Moore

Where do the prophets fit with the rest of Scripture? How can I be a better student of God’s Word? Our course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, can help you gain a better approach to and understanding of the Scriptures. Watch this brief preview video, then register at The Ailbe Seminary and enroll in this free online course.

Forward today’s lesson to some friends, and challenge them to study with you through this series on Isaiah. Each week’s lessons will be available as a free PDF download at the end of the week. Get a copy for yourself and send the link for the download to your friends. Plan to meet weekly to study Isaiah’s important message.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).