Notes from a sermon on Sunday 11 December 2011
Isaiah 9 verses 1 – 9
Chapter 9 of the book of Isaiah opens up with one of the most loveliest words you could find in the word of God – “nevertheless”. Every child of God needs that word. In Psalm 46 the Psalmist spoke of “the mountains being carried into the midst of the sea” yet if that did happen he didn’t have to fear. Why? Because my God is the God of heaven and He is my refuge and strength. The word needed in Isaiah’s day brought cheer and contentment to the peoples heart. The situation had been brought about by their own neglect and stubbornness. They had disobeyed God. God sees all of this and says “nevertheless”. Maybe you need that word today. Maybe there has been a faltering, a growing cold. God comes and looks at it all and says “nevertheless”. The God of heaven loves you. That is why the word is so important. God is still in control. Chapter 8’s final verses are marked by practice and personality but as you go into chapter 9 they are changed to privilege and promise. It is to that word promise I want to think of today. There is a picture of God’s determination. That is what that word means to me today. God looks back on time of rebellion and says “nevertheless”. He has determined from a time of this darkness now they have seen a great light – verse 2. God has determined a great light to come. The people were sitting in darkness and then seen a great light. As the Lord walked through the streets of Jerusalem and preached the word of God the people saw that great light. He told them I am the light of the world. “The god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them which believe not less the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4 verse 4). He keeps the gospel so that no matter how hard we witness or try to preach the god of this world has blinded their eyes. He covers their minds less the glorious light of the gospel shall shine in. Thank God today that light is available. In Matthew 4 verse 14 we see the very fulfilment of this prophecy of Isaiah. 500 years before the birth of Jesus Christ Isaiah was specifying Jesus coming into the world. God’s promise teaches us he sees everything that is happening. God would determine that time when Christ would come into the world. Maybe there is something in our lives in this present time, a determined time, a dark time, we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. God has the time determined. God knows all about it. He determines how long it will be. He is controlling the situation as you go through it. In this passage we see a darkness brought on by the people by their own unbelief and disobedience. Chapter 8 verse 19 the people turned away from God, they wanted to know the future. They were going to familiar spirits who could speak to the dead. It is a knowledge only God has - our future, our plans, the way we should take. The people were not content to wait for God. Remember King Saul who went to the witch of Endor. The same thing is very popular today – horoscopes in the newspapers and on television but they are from the very pit of hell. They bring a darkness to our minds. The knowledge people are seeking after only God can give that. This verse is saying there is a time determined by God. Maybe you are going through a difficult time – remember God is in control and you can leave it with him. He knows all about it. He has it determined. 2 Kings 19 show something of the determination of God. The King of Assyria came up against the nation of Israel. Hezekiah goes into the room and spreads a letter he has received before God. In verses 32 and 33 of this chapter we see God sets the limits for the King of Assyria. Look at Job chapter 1 verse 12. God gave to Satan the power on his family and house but not on Job himself. The bounds were set for Satan. In chapter 2 Satan wanted God to touch this man’s body with disease. In verses 5 and 6 the God of heaven said to the devil my child is in your hand but save his life. You can take his body but you cannot take his life – why – because God is in control. God determines the time. In Acts 18 Paul is preaching at Corinth but people were opposing him. God came to him that night and told him “no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city.” God had put a determination on him. That is his promise. God said to the nation of Israel “you have rebelled and as a result you are experiencing a time of darkness but there is a great light coming on this situation.
God delivers – verse 4 of chapter 9 “for thou hast broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian”. God is now stepping in. Now it is a day of trouble. One of these days God will step in. Job went through all that suffering. Some expositors would say it lasted for 2 years then finally in chapter 38 God steps in. It took 500 years before God stepped in to the nation of Israel. Maybe tomorrow or the next day or next week but God will step in. There is only so much suffering and temptation we will go through. When in the midst of it God will make a way of escape from it Paul said. God has promised this people a time of delivery. The yoke was something put on 2 heifers to keep them together. God says I will step in and break that yoke for Israel. It was a yoke of darkness and unbelief. There are many yokes that burden us and rob us of our freedom. Paul preaching to the city of Galatia saw many people saved, they were full of rejoicing and the joy of the Lord but then something happened. Unbelievers came in, taught the wrong way so that the people lost their freedom and brought them into bondage. The moment you take the Lord as Saviour, openly confess your sin, ask the Lord to take away your sins, forgive you, make you his child of God you feel wonderful. In those tender years immediately after this happens you need to be careful and watch the path we take. People give you so many rules and regulations about how you should live as a Christian. Following these will bring you so much bondage. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.” (Romans 8 verse 15) The reference to Midian in this verse goes back to Gideon in Judges. An angel came and told him he would deliver this nation. Gideon knew there was an army of 32,000 men and thought this would be sufficient to defeat the enemy but God had other plans. He cut the number right down to 300. God went into the camp of Midian before Gideon and the people fled. God will deliver you in a way that you will look back and say to yourself “how did I ever get through that? Daniel in the lions den was delivered by God. Maybe you are in the lions den at the moment – God will go through it with you. There is a great light that has been shone into this world.
God delivers – verse 4 of chapter 9 “for thou hast broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian”. God is now stepping in. Now it is a day of trouble. One of these days God will step in. Job went through all that suffering. Some expositors would say it lasted for 2 years then finally in chapter 38 God steps in. It took 500 years before God stepped in to the nation of Israel. Maybe tomorrow or the next day or next week but God will step in. There is only so much suffering and temptation we will go through. When in the midst of it God will make a way of escape from it Paul said. God has promised this people a time of delivery. The yoke was something put on 2 heifers to keep them together. God says I will step in and break that yoke for Israel. It was a yoke of darkness and unbelief. There are many yokes that burden us and rob us of our freedom. Paul preaching to the city of Galatia saw many people saved, they were full of rejoicing and the joy of the Lord but then something happened. Unbelievers came in, taught the wrong way so that the people lost their freedom and brought them into bondage. The moment you take the Lord as Saviour, openly confess your sin, ask the Lord to take away your sins, forgive you, make you his child of God you feel wonderful. In those tender years immediately after this happens you need to be careful and watch the path we take. People give you so many rules and regulations about how you should live as a Christian. Following these will bring you so much bondage. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.” (Romans 8 verse 15) The reference to Midian in this verse goes back to Gideon in Judges. An angel came and told him he would deliver this nation. Gideon knew there was an army of 32,000 men and thought this would be sufficient to defeat the enemy but God had other plans. He cut the number right down to 300. God went into the camp of Midian before Gideon and the people fled. God will deliver you in a way that you will look back and say to yourself “how did I ever get through that? Daniel in the lions den was delivered by God. Maybe you are in the lions den at the moment – God will go through it with you. There is a great light that has been shone into this world.
God delights. God delighted in Job and gave him something far better than ever he had. God will bring you through whatever trouble you are going through and he will delight us with all he has for us.
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