Pastor Michael Talley | September 1, 2024
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Isaiah 13-27
September 1, 2024
Good morning. If you have your Bible, please turn to Isa 13. If you enjoy listening to music, perhaps you have noticed that the music industry has changed over the past few years. Most bands are choosing to release singles & EPs instead of full-length albums. I suppose this is just how the industry works now, with most of the revenue coming from streams instead of record sales. But I think it’s a sad day. (I talked with Hunter about this). There were few joys in life as good as unwrapping a new CD from your favorite band, going on a long drive, & absorbing 12 songs. The album was a massive accomplishment that told a story. The only problem with the album is that it is really hard to pull off 12 quality songs. Most of the time, around track 7 or 8, the band will throw in a few duds. And so, when I listen to my favorite albums, I instinctively skip the 2 or 3 songs that I don’t like.
I discovered this week that I treat Isaiah the same way. I love this book so much, but I’ll be honest with you: whenever I arrive at ch13, I reach for the skip button. I tune back in around ch25. Of course, I still read these chapters, but quite frankly, I have never seen the point of these long, brutal chapters. They felt like unnecessary filler material. Starting in ch13, Isaiah will spend 11 chapters pronouncing judgment against the surrounding nations of Israel. It’s not exciting. When I mapped out a 12-week preaching schedule to get through Isaiah, it didn’t even cross my mind to include chapters 13-24. These are not my favorite songs on the album. But of course, as I got closer to the week, I felt the Lord correcting me. Maybe this section deserves a closer look. Here’s the thing about the Bible: God wrote it. There are no filler chapters. If it’s there, it matters. It turns out that these chapters are a major part of Isaiah’s message that we need to hear today.
So, this morning we are going to cover 15 chapters, instead of 3 like I had originally planned. Let’s remember the context. We have seen over the past few weeks that Isaiah began his ministry in a very turbulent season of world politics. The nation of Judah had experienced about 50 years of relative ease under the leadership of King Uzziah, but when he died in chapter 6, & Isaiah was called to ministry, the city of Jerusalem was being darkened by the shadow of the Assyrian Empire. The world had never seen anything like the Assyrians. They were set on total domination, & the early reports suggested that they had the army to pull it off. When they began their march into the Middle East, the little pagan nations around Judah went into full scale panic mode. The kings of these nations were making calls, striking deals, & doing anything they possibly could to survive. To Isaiah’s utter dismay, the King of Judah, who sat on David’s throne, was caught up in the panic. Isaiah confronted the king in chs7-12 & urged Ahaz to trust in God, but he refused. They would solve their problems without God.
This is in the backdrop when you turn to chapter 13. The nation was confused, looking for help. But Isaiah wants them to remember that they have God. Look no further! In these chapters, he will go back to the drawing board & teach them the basics. It is foolish to trust in anything or anyone besides the sovereign Lord of the universe. (John Oswalt – lessons in trust). Isaiah will teach us 2 lessons that will serve as our outline today.
•First, in ch13, he will tell the citizens of Judah to look around. You’re looking for salvation out there, but you’re not going to find it. God has a plan for those nations that is far greater than anything you can imagine!
•Second, in ch25, he will tell them to look ahead. Your salvation is coming & it’s worth the wait. God has a plan for the faithful that is far greater than anything you can imagine!
Look around & look ahead. This is how you trust. These same lessons are for us today!
First, look around. Let’s read the first few verses in chapter 13 – [1] The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. [2] On a bare hill raise a signal; cry aloud to them; wave the hand for them to enter the gates of the nobles. [3] I myself have commanded my consecrated ones, and have summoned my mighty men to execute my anger, my proudly exulting ones.
Out of nowhere, it seems, Isaiah starts talking about the downfall of Babylon. For the next chapter & ½, Isaiah will outline in graphic detail the dismantling of this once-great nation. It will culminate when Sheol swallows up the king of Babylon. It’s a gruesome picture, but he’s just getting started. Over the next 12 chapters, Isaiah will compose prophecies against Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Damascus, Cush, Egypt, Jerusalem, Tyre, & then in ch24, the entire world. We skip these chapters because the destruction of Moab & Cush means nothing to us. We didn’t even know they were countries so why should we be sad to see them go?
But to the Jews in the 8th Century, these nations were everything. Cush & Egypt were potential allies in the south, the last beacon of hope to a fearful nation. They could have been like France in the American Revolution, providing just enough support to tip the scales to an unlikely victory. When the Jews looked to these nations, they saw salvation. But God saw something else. They were worthless saviors. Isaiah wants us to see these nations like God sees these nations. This is a long & complex section, but I have done my best to summarize 3 key points. This is how God saw the global political situation.
First, God loves the local cultures surrounding Judah. This one seems random, & quite frankly it surprised me, but I had to include it because it’s all over the text. If you only skim these chapters, you might think that God hates these nations. But if you slow down & read closely you will discover that God loves these nations. In c16, God is weeping as he destroys Moab. – [7] Therefore let Moab wail for Moab, let everyone wail. Mourn, utterly stricken, for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth… [9] Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; for over your summer fruit and your harvest the shout has ceased.
I couldn’t get over the fact that God weeps for the loss of raisin cakes. I don’t love raisins, so it sounds kind of weird to me. (Raisin cakes make me think of the clump of raisins at the bottom of the red box). But they were most likely a local delicacy that the Moabites had perfected – like one of Stick Boy’s seasonal scones. God will also mourn over the loss of the fishing industry when the Nile dries up. He’s grieving over the loss of their summer fruit. When you read these chapters, you cannot escape the fact that God loves the local cultures of the world. Not just Israel. Everywhere.
But here’s a 2nd point: when you read through these chapters, you cannot escape the fact that God is opposed to the idolatry & pride in any culture. It doesn’t matter where you live, or how beautiful your land is, or how strong your army is, or how far your Empire reaches: when you reject God, you will suffer his wrath. Isaiah wanted to remind Israel that these surrounding nations would soon be judged. Listen to his word against Babylon in ch13. [11] I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. And then against Egypt in ch19: Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.
This is the smallest sample, but it’s all over these chapters: God cannot stand idolatry & pride. Yes, God loved these nations, but they had rebelled, so he would punish them. The Jews of all people should have known this, but they had forgotten. When they looked at Assyria, they did not see a proud & rebellious nation under God’s wrath; they saw a powerful god of war & they were terrified. When they looked at Egypt, they did not see an idolatrous nation under God’s wrath; they saw a potential ally. They feared Assyria & trusted Egypt. Their own God was nothing to them. By chapter 19, there was a mass exodus of Jews to Egypt. Let me repeat what I just said because it is stunning. There was a mass exodus to Egypt. Moses showed us that the Egyptian gods were nothing, but the Jews were running there for salvation against Assyria.
God’s people were spiritually blind. So, in chapter 20, Isaiah will use one of his most alarming tactics to wake them up. God told Isaiah to take off his clothes & sandals & go about the city naked for 3 years. This is the fate of the Egyptians. Here is a picture of your champion, Israel. There is no salvation outside of God. If you run to these nations to save your lives, you will be destroyed.
But this leads to the 3rd & most amazing point. In these chapters, we learn that God will judge the nations in order to save them! Assyria & Egypt were under God’s wrath, but very soon, they would be humbled & return to the God of Zion for healing & salvation. Look at ch19: [23] In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, & Assyria will come into Egypt, & Egypt into Assyria, & the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. [24] In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt & Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, [25] whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, & Assyria the work of my hands, & Israel my inheritance.”
(You thought the OT was just about the Jews… God’s goal has always been the world).
How tragic that God’s people were flowing out of Jerusalem to find salvation in the nations, when the nations would flow into Jerusalem to find salvation in God. The Jews wanted to save their little vineyards & parties, so they ran to Egypt for help. But they failed to see that God was up to something greater: Egypt would very soon be coming to them for help…
Church, I believe we face a similar temptation in our own world. After several decades of relative ease, the church has grown comfortable. The dark cloud of secularism is beginning to cast a shadow over the church, & many people are getting out. They’re joining up with the proud & arrogant society (that is under God’s wrath) because they want to save their lives. But there is no salvation outside of the church! Jesus Christ is the only hope of the world. God is working to bring lost sinners to him. Why would we abandon the church to keep our comfortable lives? People need Jesus! This is the first lesson in trust. Look around: there is no salvation outside of Jesus.
But the second lesson flows out of this. In ch.25, Isaiah will teach us to look ahead. If we want to stay faithful in these dark days, we must develop an eternal perspective. We must live for something beyond the next 10-15 years. If you are living for this life, the church will be of no value to you. In fact, Jesus will repeatedly tell you to leave this world behind. If you want to trust God in these dark days, you need a strong & compelling vision of eternity (more than a harp & wings). And this is exactly what Isaiah does in chapter 25. In these chapters, Isaiah will take us to an amazing day in the future when the last battle has been fought & the last tear has been shed. I hope you will spend some time in these chapters because they are stunning. It makes you want to be home. That’s what we need.
As we close our time this morning, I want to take you on a quick tour through these 3 chapters so you can know what is coming for those who wait on God. When I wrote this section earlier in the week, I focused on the stuff in these chapters (the people & food & music) because it’s amazing. But I had to re-write this section because it occurred to me that, as great as all the stuff is, it’s not the stuff that will make heaven so great. It’s God. (This world has plenty of good stuff, but it’s not enough. We need God.) Ch25 v9 captures this very well. [9] It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” The focus of these chapters is God. As we tour these pages, I want you to behold God. Here are 6 things he will do on that day.
First, he will wipe away your tears. Look at 25v8.– [8] …the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.
I think it’s amazing that we will get to heaven with tear-stained faces. This life is hard, & when we get there, it will show on our faces. If the grief & sorrow doesn’t show on your face, you might not be living for the Lord. Paul said that we must enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations. But one of the first things that God will do when we get there is wipe our faces clean. All the rejection you faced because you followed Christ will be wiped away in a moment. When God touches your face, you will draw in the biggest breath of your life & exhale a lifetime of sorrows. Behold our God. He is worth the wait.
Second, he will swallow death. Look at 25v7–[7] And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. [8] He will swallow up death forever. We live under the dark covering of death in this broken world. We feel the sting of death when our loved ones die, & the fear of death haunts us every day. But this covering that haunts us will be removed! On that day, God will destroy death forever, and he will do it in the most remarkable way. He doesn’t simply cast it into the sea. He doesn’t arrest death, or even kill death. He will swallow it. He will destroy death by taking it upon himself. When John saw the vision of God on the throne, he saw a lamb that had been slain. Behold our God! He is worth the wait.
Third, he will wake up dead saints. Look at 26v19 – [19] Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead. On that day, God will call the names of the faithful men & women who have died, & they will wake up from their sleep. Death is nothing to God. When Jesus called Lazarus, he was giving us a taste. He is the resurrection & the life. If you believe in him, you will not die; you’ll just take a nap. Behold our God! He raises the dead with a single word. One of the strengths of the church for the past 2,000 years is that we are not afraid of death. We have a vision of the future that is better than this life. If we want to stay faithful in these dark days, we must recover that confidence! I believe in the resurrection!
Fourth, he will destroy Leviathan, our ancient, slithering enemy. Look at 27v1 – [1] In that day the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. I love this one, probably too much. God will thrust his strong & hard & mighty sword through the heart of Leviathan. And when he dies, he will not rise again. When God wounds us, it is ultimately for our healing; but when God wounds Leviathan, it is for JUSTICE. He will not rise again. In a moment, the father of lies – who separates close friends & tears apart families – will be cut in half. In an instant, the snake that is behind the destructive ideologies that is wreaking havoc on our world & stealing our children will be destroyed. His blood & guts will be all over the mighty sword of God. Behold our God! He is worth the wait.
Fifth, he will unsuccessfully look for weeds. Do you remember the song of the vineyard in ch5? God planted a vineyard, but it produced stink fruit, so he had to destroy it. Well, in ch27, he finally has his grapes. [2] In that day, “A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! [3] I, the LORD, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day; [4] I have no wrath. Would that I had thorns and briers to battle! I would march against them, I would burn them up together. [5] Or let them lay hold of my protection, let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me.” When I was in college, my dad landed 2 tickets to the Masters. If you are a sports fan, you know how rare that is. Before we left, somebody told me an Urban Legend that if you find a weed at the Masters, they’ll give you a free round of golf. I knew it wasn’t true, but I was going to test it. I would find a weed & present it to someone that looked important. But here’s the only problem: I literally couldn’t find a weed. And I looked. This is what God will be doing in heaven. He will have his work gloves on, but they won’t be dirty. There will be no weeds to pull. Can you imagine a world that perfect? No problems, no frustration. God almost wants someone to try to harm his people so he could destroy them! This is what lies ahead for those who wait on God’s salvation. We will have perfect peace & perfect protection! Behold our God! He is worth the wait!
Finally, he will be cooking a feast. Look at 25v6 – [6] On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. This picture of God makes me so happy. When we get to heaven, God will have his apron on & he will be standing by the grill. When I was a kid, I loved visiting my grandparents’ house in Fuquay Varina. It seemed like every time we pulled up, my grandpa was putting the cheese on the burgers. He had his messy apron on & he was crooning a Frank Sinatra tune. My grandma would pull out the cokes, which was a rare delicacy in our home. And we would enjoy a feast together.
This is what awaits us in heaven. I realize this is a provocative image of God, and perhaps it even makes you a bit uncomfortable. But I think that is Isaiah’s point. He wants to stir the affections of your heart so that you will not give up in these dark days. He could have simply said that heaven will be good & happy, & we would have held on to that. But instead, he gives us a story to hold on to. God is in the kitchen right now preparing a feast. He’s aging the wine & selecting the perfect cut of meat. His apron is messy and he’s humming a tune. When we get home, the feast will be ready & we will be hungry. We will take our seat at the table, with the resurrected saints. Christ will sit at the head of the table & we will feast. Behold our God. He is worth the wait.
This is the first Sunday of the month, so we will celebrate communion this morning. It’s a mini feast to prepare for that feast. If you did not get the elements on your way in, please raise your hand and we’ll make sure you get them. We believe this is a family meal, so if you are a Christian, we welcome you to join with us this morning. If you are not yet a follower of Christ, there is a seat at the table for you. Simply repent of your sins and accept the grace that God freely gives in the blood of Jesus.
I don’t know when these prophesies of Isaiah 25 will come true, but I hope they come soon. Until then, I believe that one of the best ways to strengthen our faith is to eat together. Food heals wounds. Last Sunday night, Laura & I both returned home at about 8:30 after a long & exhausting day of ministry. She had attended a difficult funeral & I had been pouring myself out in ministry. When we got home, some dear friends had brought us dinner. After our kids had eaten and gone to bed, we sat on our couch & enjoyed some of the best spaghetti & meatballs we have ever had. We could feel the weight of the world wash away & hope returned. We went to bed lighthearted. Food heals. One of the best things we can do as we wait for that feast is to feast together here.
In fact, I think this is the heart behind communion. Jesus gave us a very special feast to strengthen our faith, to heal our wounds with God, and to heal our wounds with one another. This food gets us to that food. We eat together & we remember that great feast that lies ahead. I want to give you a moment to respond to the text this morning. Think of that day in the future when you will eat with him. Perhaps you have been led astray by some lesser god. Use this time to repent & restore your relationship with God.
I want to invite you to take the bread & hold it in your hand. I will read this passage & we will eat together.
[23] For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, [24] and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Take the side with the juice. It’s just a taste of what is coming.
[25] In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” [26] For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.