WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.720 --> 00:00:07.000 Isaiah sixty through sixty two. As I said in a 2 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:09.960 moment where just we're going to stand and we're going 3 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:15.359 to read these three chapters of dense Hebrew poetry, and 4 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:18.199 because it is dense Hebrew poetry, I just want to 5 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.800 orient us a little bit for the reading. I think 6 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:24.480 it'd be helpful for us to think of this as 7 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:29.199 what Isaiah gives us here, as kind of a destination 8 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:32.399 that God is taking. Is why I've titled de serm 9 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:34.679 in the way I have this train is bound for glory. 10 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:38.719 God is taking his people to a place, and he's 11 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:44.759 telling us about that. And as he does, I would 12 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:48.119 just I would have you look for in our reading 13 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:55.600 the way that God paints the pictures of this destination. 14 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:00.240 What are the pictures that He is painting for where 15 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:04.439 we're headed? And also what are I'm gonna call them 16 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:08.840 the plot twists. You'll see this throughout these three chapters, 17 00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:13.200 especially at the beginning of sixty one, how God is 18 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:15.959 not only taking to us to a place, but that's 19 00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:19.439 gonna involve a lot of reversals. A lot of things 20 00:01:19.480 --> 00:01:21.599 that we wish were different now are going to be 21 00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:25.560 different in his timing. So look for reversals, plot twists, 22 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:29.519 and then third, I would encourage you to as we read, 23 00:01:29.879 --> 00:01:36.120 look for how earnestly God is promising this to his people. 24 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:42.879 You'll notice it. The Lord swears by his right arm 25 00:01:43.319 --> 00:01:46.439 right things like that. How earnestly he's promising these things. 26 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:49.400 So look for those things as we read about this destination. 27 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:52.280 If you would stand for the reading of God's word, 28 00:01:52.280 --> 00:01:55.280 if you are able, I'm gonna read all three chapters, 29 00:01:56.280 --> 00:02:00.400 and I think standing is gonna help us focus. All right, 30 00:02:01.719 --> 00:02:07.040 Isaiah sixteen, Allow along as I read aloud, arise, shine, 31 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:09.599 for your light has come. The glory of the Lord 32 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:13.759 has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, 33 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:16.560 and thick darkness the peoples. But the Lord will arise 34 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:19.639 upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you, 35 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:23.080 And nations shall come to your light and kings to 36 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:26.120 the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, 37 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:30.759 and see they all gather together. They come to you. 38 00:02:30.759 --> 00:02:33.400 Your sons shall come from Afar, and your daughters shall 39 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:36.319 be carried on the hip. Then you shall see and 40 00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:40.680 be radiant. Your heart shall thrill and exult, because the 41 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:42.800 abundance of the sea shall be turned to you. The 42 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:45.159 wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude 43 00:02:45.159 --> 00:02:47.960 of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian 44 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:50.199 and Epha, all those from Sheba shall come. They shall 45 00:02:50.199 --> 00:02:53.120 bring gold and franknsonce. They shall bring good news, the 46 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:56.360 praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall 47 00:02:56.360 --> 00:02:59.479 be gathered to you. Then the rams of Nebaev shall 48 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:03.199 minister to you. They shall come up with acceptance on 49 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:07.840 my altar, and I will beautify my beautiful house. Who 50 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:10.759 are these that fly like a cloud like doves to 51 00:03:10.840 --> 00:03:13.800 their windows? For the coastlands shall hope for me. The 52 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:17.199 ships of tarsish first to bring your children from Afar. 53 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:20.680 They're silver and gold with them. For the name of 54 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:22.919 the Lord, your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, 55 00:03:22.919 --> 00:03:27.240 because He has made you beautiful. Foreigners shall build up 56 00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:29.439 your walls, and their kings shall minister to you. For 57 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:31.400 in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor 58 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:34.520 I have had mercy on you. Your gates shall be 59 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:38.439 opened continually day and night. They shall not be shut, 60 00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:41.240 that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, 61 00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:45.199 with their kings led in procession from for nation and kingdom. 62 00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:47.400 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you 63 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:51.280 shall perish. Those nations shall be utterly laid waste. The 64 00:03:51.319 --> 00:03:54.280 glory of Lebanon shall come to you the cypress, the plain, 65 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:57.479 and the pine, to beautify the place of my sanctuary. 66 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:01.639 And I will make the place of my feets. The 67 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:05.000 sons of those who afflicted you shall come bending low 68 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:07.599 to you, and all those who despise you shall bow 69 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:10.400 down at your feet, and they shall call you the 70 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:13.199 city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One 71 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:17.560 of Israel. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, with 72 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:20.519 no one passing through, I will make you majestic forever, 73 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:23.240 a joy from age to age, and you shall suck 74 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:25.079 the milk of nations. You shall nurse at the breast 75 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:27.480 of kings and I, and you shall know that I 76 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:30.680 the Lord, am your Savior and your redeemer, the Mighty 77 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:34.399 One of Jacob. Instead of bronze, I'll bring gold instead 78 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:37.759 of iron. I'll bring silver instead of wood, bronze instead 79 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:41.439 of stones, iron. I will make your overseers beeasts, and 80 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:47.879 your taskmaster's righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in 81 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:52.759 your land, devastation or destruction within your borders. You shall 82 00:04:52.800 --> 00:04:56.839 call the wall your walls salvation, and your gates praise. 83 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:01.160 The sun shall know more your light be by day, 84 00:05:01.879 --> 00:05:04.360 nor for brightness shall the moon give you light. But 85 00:05:04.439 --> 00:05:06.680 the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God 86 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:09.519 will be your glory. Your son shall no more go down, 87 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:13.319 and your moon no more withdraw itself, for the Lord 88 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:16.160 will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning 89 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:21.399 shall be ended. Your people shall all be righteous, and 90 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:24.279 they shall possess the land forever. The branch of my 91 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:27.319 planting the work of my hands, that I might be glorified. 92 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:30.800 The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest 93 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:34.639 one a mighty nation. I am the Lord. In its time, 94 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:39.319 I will hasten it. The spirit of the Lord is 95 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:42.040 upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring 96 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:44.519 good news to the poor. He has sent me to 97 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:47.319 bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the 98 00:05:47.399 --> 00:05:50.199 captives and the opening of the prison to those who 99 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:53.360 are bound, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor 100 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:55.879 and the day of vengeance of our God. To comfort 101 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:59.439 all who morn, to grant those to those who mourn 102 00:05:59.480 --> 00:06:02.639 in zion, to give them a beautiful head dress instead 103 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:06.720 of ashes. The oil of gladness instead of mourning, the 104 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:10.839 garment of praise, instead of a faint spirit, that they 105 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:13.920 may be called the oaks of righteousness, the planting of 106 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:17.560 the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build 107 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:20.439 up the ancient ruins. They shall raise up the former devastation. 108 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:24.519 They shall repair the ruined cities, the devastation of many generations. 109 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:28.319 Strangers shall stand in ten your flocks. Foreigners shall be 110 00:06:28.360 --> 00:06:31.360 your plowmen and vine dressers. But you shall be called 111 00:06:31.399 --> 00:06:33.600 the priests of the Lord, and they shall speak of 112 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:36.279 you as the ministers of our God. You shall eat 113 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:38.759 the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you 114 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:42.279 shall boast instead of your shame. There shall be a 115 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:47.600 double portion instead of dishonor. They shall rejoice in their lot. Therefore, 116 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:49.800 in their land they shall possess a double portion. They 117 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:55.920 shall have everlasting joy. For I the Lord love justice, 118 00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:00.360 I hate robbery and wrong. I will faithfully give them 119 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:03.680 their recompense. I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 120 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:07.040 Their offspring shall be known among the nations and their 121 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:09.920 descendants in the midst of the people. All who see 122 00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:12.720 them shall acknowledge them that they are an offspring of 123 00:07:12.759 --> 00:07:17.319 the Lord. That the Lord has blessed, I will greatly 124 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:20.240 rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall exalt in my God, 125 00:07:20.279 --> 00:07:22.600 for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. 126 00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:25.600 He has covered me with the robe of righteousness. As 127 00:07:25.639 --> 00:07:29.319 the bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, 128 00:07:29.399 --> 00:07:32.680 and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For 129 00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:36.639 as the Lord spring brings forth its sprouts, and as 130 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:39.879 a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, 131 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:44.959 so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to 132 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:49.279 sprout up before all the nations. For Zion's sake, I 133 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:52.560 will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake, I will 134 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:57.800 not be quiet until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, 135 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:02.639 and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall 136 00:08:02.759 --> 00:08:07.240 see your righteousness and all the kings your glory. You 137 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:10.199 shall be called by a new name, and the mouth 138 00:08:10.519 --> 00:08:12.639 that the mouth of the Lord will give you should 139 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:14.319 be crown. You shall be a crown of beauty in 140 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:16.839 the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in 141 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:20.040 the hand of your God. You shall no more be 142 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:24.279 termed forsaken. Your land shall no more be termed desolate, 143 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:27.079 but you shall be called My delight is in her 144 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:31.439 and your land married. For the Lord delights in you, 145 00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:34.200 and your land shall be married. For as a young 146 00:08:34.519 --> 00:08:37.840 man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you. 147 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:41.879 And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall 148 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:47.720 your God rejoice over you. On your walls of Jerusalem. 149 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:51.720 I have set watchmen all the day and all the night. 150 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:56.000 They shall never be silent. You who put the Lord 151 00:08:56.039 --> 00:09:01.159 in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest 152 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.879 until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in 153 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:10.440 the earth. The Lord has sworn by his right hand 154 00:09:10.679 --> 00:09:14.320 and by his mighty arm I will not again give 155 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:17.120 your grain to be food for your enemies. Foreigner. Shall 156 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:20.159 not drink your wine for those for that which you've labored. 157 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:23.240 For those who garner it shall eat it, and the 158 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:25.879 praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it. 159 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:31.120 In the courts of my sanctuary. Go through, Go through 160 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:34.559 the gates, prepare the way for the people, Build up, 161 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:38.279 build up the highway, clear it of stones, Lift up 162 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:41.759 a signal over the people's behold. The Lord has proclaimed 163 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:45.279 to the ends of the earth. Behold yourself to say 164 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:48.759 to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your salvation comes. Behold, 165 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:53.120 his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 166 00:09:53.320 --> 00:09:56.679 And they shall be called the Holy People, the redeemed 167 00:09:56.679 --> 00:09:59.440 of the Lord. And you shall be called sought out, 168 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:04.399 a city not forsaken. This is the word of the Lord. 169 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:12.960 You may be seated. Thank for saying, thank you for 170 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:16.679 standing up with that. I think that did probably help 171 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:23.000 our focus. It's a lot. It is what I would 172 00:10:23.080 --> 00:10:35.519 call a vision of hope, a promised destination, and Isaiah, 173 00:10:35.799 --> 00:10:40.080 the Book of Isaiah is given to the people in 174 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:47.120 a time of deep confusion and deep trouble and deep doubt, 175 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:50.120 and in the midst of that some of the worst 176 00:10:51.159 --> 00:10:54.399 this vision of hope is given to them as sort 177 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:56.240 of the culmination of the Book of Isaiah. I know 178 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:58.679 we have a few chapters left to go, but really 179 00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:01.000 the next two major sections are just a prayer of 180 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:03.720 repentance and then like response to fork in the road, 181 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:07.679 which way you're gonna go. This is the climax of Isaiah, 182 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:14.559 this promised destination, and it comes to them, and it 183 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:19.159 really it comes to us. It comes to us whether 184 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:22.759 maybe right now, you are or aren't, in a time 185 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:29.080 of deep confusion or doubt or trouble. Maybe this morning 186 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:33.919 you're not even a Christian and you're here. But whatever 187 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:38.879 the circumstances may be, God is holding out this vision 188 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:44.600 of hope, a promised destination for all those who will 189 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:48.200 trust in him, And in it, he shows that He 190 00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:51.240 is a God that we can trust with our biggest hopes. 191 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:59.759 So here we are. We're not there right a promised destination. 192 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:03.120 It means we're still on the tracks. We're still on 193 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:07.080 the train, and it is not always pleasant on this train. 194 00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:13.679 How do we rightly travel with the destination like this 195 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:18.399 in our hearts? How do we handle this? Do we 196 00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:22.000 ignore it? Do we set it aside? Do we try 197 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:27.759 not to think about it? I think the answer has 198 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:32.960 everything to do with how we handle three elements of 199 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:38.519 this promised destination. Three elements. They are how we handle 200 00:12:38.519 --> 00:12:44.679 the pictures, how we handle the plot twists, and how 201 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:48.840 we handle the promises. Three elements about how we are 202 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.320 going to travel rightly as we are on this train 203 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:57.240 to this promised destination. Three elements, the pictures, the plot twists, 204 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:05.320 the promises. Let me explain number one. First element, the pictures. 205 00:13:06.519 --> 00:13:11.960 Here's what I mean. You noticed in chapter sixty, I 206 00:13:12.039 --> 00:13:16.440 mean all these chapters, really, but especially chapter sixty. It's 207 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:22.919 dominated by these descriptions of this promised destination that's coming. 208 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:26.799 Like even the sheer number of shalls is a little overwhelming. 209 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:30.120 Did you notice that all the shalls. Let me give 210 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:34.679 you some of my favorites, like verse four lift your 211 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:39.440 son's shall come from Afar. Like verse five, your heart 212 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:44.519 shall thrill and exult. How about verse eleven skipping over 213 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:46.879 a lot of shalls here, but your gates shall be 214 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:50.720 opened continually. Or verse fourteen, they shall call you the 215 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:55.679 city of the Lord. Picture after picture of what is coming. 216 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:05.360 What are they picture of? Well, you see the text emphasize, 217 00:14:05.399 --> 00:14:12.519 over and over again, beauty. You see the text emphasize 218 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:18.399 all will be righteous, praise the Lord, that that people 219 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:20.840 will come from Afar, that all of this will happen 220 00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:23.799 under the glory of the Lord. Over and over again, 221 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:26.399 the text emphasizes these things. I'll summarize it like this, 222 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:29.879 A beautiful city. Here's the picture of the destination. A 223 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:36.919 beautiful city of righteous people from all nations under the 224 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:44.279 glory of God. A beautiful city of righteous people from 225 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:49.320 all nations under the glory of God. And there are 226 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:53.000 some of you, I don't know how many some of 227 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:59.039 you who right now are eaten up with this question. 228 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:02.519 I don't think it's the most important question, but it's 229 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:11.559 some of you are just like, Okay, when what is this? Is? This? 230 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:15.519 Is this? Is this supposed to be? Now? Is this? What? What? 231 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.919 What is this a picture of? When? Not? Just what? 232 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:21.639 When is this a picture of? And if that's not 233 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:24.879 you just know that. Buckle up a little bit, because 234 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:29.320 I'm gonna explain a few things to people who do care. Okay, 235 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:36.840 when is this? Is this already? Is this a picture 236 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:40.200 of the church? Is this not yet? Is this picture 237 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:41.919 of the new heavens and the new Earth? Is? Like? 238 00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:44.919 All this Israel languages? Does Israel have a place here? 239 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:48.480 And here's my reading, My reading is the answer to 240 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:54.120 all those questions is yes, Here's what I mean. He 241 00:15:55.440 --> 00:16:02.440 this is a picture of not yet, this is a 242 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:05.600 new heavens and a new Earth. Right when verse nineteen 243 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:09.879 and twenty say the sun shall be no more your 244 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.679 light by day, your brightness or your for brightness? Shall 245 00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:17.360 the moon give you light? Like this is calling to 246 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:22.720 Revelation twenty one of the New Jerusalem, where it says 247 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:25.159 the same thing, no sun or moon, because God is 248 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:28.039 going to be your light. The gates will never shut. 249 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:30.919 Like I read this as new heavens and new Earth, 250 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:39.720 this is a picture of not yet, but b this 251 00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:44.320 is also a picture with ancient roots. In other words, 252 00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:49.879 there's a lot of specific israel Land language here. So 253 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:53.279 is there a role for that sort of thing in 254 00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:55.840 the new heavens and the New Earth? Regarding Israel? I 255 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:59.600 think yes. We see in Romans chapter eleven, verse twenty 256 00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:03.519 five that there's been a partial hardening on the people 257 00:17:03.559 --> 00:17:06.559 of Israel until the fullness of the gentiles will come in, 258 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:11.359 and that way all Israel will be saved. So yes, 259 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:14.920 we don't see right now all the ways in which 260 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:18.759 God is working to bring about these promises, but clearly 261 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:26.440 there's a role for Israel in it. But see also, Yeah, 262 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:36.640 this is a picture with features you can recognize already. Already, already, 263 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:39.240 this is a picture of Christ and his people. As 264 00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:43.559 much as the Redeemer has come, the nations are being gathered, 265 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:47.519 a restored people is being formed. All of this, yes, 266 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:50.839 will be consummated in a final new creation. But it's 267 00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:58.759 a picture with features you can already recognize. So how 268 00:17:58.759 --> 00:18:03.519 do I answer the question of when, yeah, it's already 269 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:07.799 and not yet? And I sort of wanted to get 270 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:10.799 that out of the way because I know that that 271 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:14.039 question sort of eats at some of us, and because 272 00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:16.359 I also think it's not the most important question when 273 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:21.359 it comes to these pictures. I think here's the question. 274 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:25.279 I think the question is what do we do with 275 00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:36.839 these pictures? What do we do? I think the answer 276 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:42.799 is this, we are meant to stare at them until 277 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:48.279 they change our faces. We are meant to stare at 278 00:18:48.359 --> 00:18:54.720 these pictures until they change our faces. Where do I 279 00:18:54.759 --> 00:19:01.839 get that? I get that from the way verse four 280 00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:06.880 and five and one and two are put together. Like 281 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:10.279 if you look at verse four, this is one of 282 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:15.119 the only present tense statements in the whole chapter. Present 283 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:24.839 tense in sorry in chapter sixty, and there's a few 284 00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:28.440 pages to deal with it. Lift up your eyes all 285 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:32.240 around and see, it says, they all gather together, they 286 00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:36.440 come to you. Lift up your eyes now see now 287 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:41.519 present tense now. But then verse five says, then you 288 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:45.200 shall see and be radiant. Then your heart shall thrill 289 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:52.039 and exult. So, in other words, the instruction to look 290 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:56.200 now and see. Now is that the instruction to look 291 00:19:56.759 --> 00:20:01.720 and see the picture of what? But you will look 292 00:20:01.880 --> 00:20:06.920 and see, look and see what I'm telling you is 293 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:11.200 coming here. You're on the train. Let me give you 294 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:15.000 the brochure of where we're headed. Look and see. You 295 00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:20.240 don't see it all yet, But look and see. Look 296 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:25.480 at what I'm giving you. Lift your eyes and see 297 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:29.039 what you can only yet see by faith, what you 298 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:31.799 can only yet see in my word, what you can 299 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:34.799 only yet see in the pictures that I've given you 300 00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:41.680 to hope in stare at them, look and see, And 301 00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:45.720 I say, stare at them until they change our faces. Because, 302 00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:53.680 similarly to verses four and five, the other present tense 303 00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:56.920 verses in verse one, what is it? What's the instruction? 304 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:02.920 Arise and shy, A rise and shine, for your light 305 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:05.839 has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen 306 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:10.480 upon you. But then verse two, he shall arise upon you, 307 00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:13.319 and his glory shall be seen upon you. Everything else 308 00:21:13.400 --> 00:21:20.119 is shall so shine because of what he's started, and 309 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:25.480 especially especially because of the destination he's pictured for us. 310 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:31.319 Are you tracking with me on this Look and see 311 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:37.880 a rise and shine. Let my pictures of the destination 312 00:21:38.119 --> 00:21:46.039 I'm taking you to change you now. It's like a 313 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:54.720 kid on a train at night, staring at the brochure 314 00:21:56.039 --> 00:22:00.119 of the place his dad is taking him to. He 315 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:05.799 can't see much, but he can see where they're headed. 316 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:09.920 And he is staring at all those pictures with his 317 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:15.119 face enraptured and his eyes glistening because of what he 318 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:21.599 sees that he can't see, because of what he sees 319 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:25.920 that his dad has promised him. What are we meant 320 00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:28.440 to do with these pictures? Were meant to stare at 321 00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:33.599 them until they change our faces. Now, even though they're 322 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:40.480 pictures of what's to come, we should stare at these 323 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:45.359 pictures until they change our outlook, they change our loves, 324 00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:50.559 change our eyes. It's these pictures that hold out the 325 00:22:50.599 --> 00:22:54.279 hope of a destination that's way better than this train ride. 326 00:22:54.279 --> 00:22:56.960 I mean, yeah, sure, I'm sure that the view from 327 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:02.799 this train is sometimes beautiful. Sometimes the view from this 328 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:06.160 life is even suggestive of the beauty that's to come. 329 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:15.279 But often often this ride is pretty dark and cramped. 330 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:26.680 Often this ride is more like real long distance train travel, 331 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:33.000 not the movies. I've been on long distance trains. It's 332 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:37.480 not pleasant, It's not like the scenic train that you 333 00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:40.039 take in the loop that they built just so that 334 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:44.680 you can see the like the landscape that's not train travel. 335 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:47.559 Train travel is dark and cramped and stinky, and there's 336 00:23:47.559 --> 00:23:56.119 a persistent sense of nausea throughout. And our Father has 337 00:23:56.160 --> 00:24:04.079 given us these pictures and says, look and see, arise 338 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:09.799 and shine? How are you going to rightly travel in 339 00:24:09.880 --> 00:24:15.079 this life with God's promised destination actually in your heart? 340 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:18.720 And has everything to do with how you handle the pictures. 341 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:24.400 We stare at the pictures of where He's taking us 342 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:31.039 until they change our faces, because if we stare at 343 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:37.440 what is around us on this train, we will lose hope. 344 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:40.279 It has everything to do with how we handle the pictures. 345 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:42.720 But also I said the three elements, here's the second element. 346 00:24:42.920 --> 00:24:44.359 It has everything to do with how we handle the 347 00:24:44.359 --> 00:24:49.160 plot twists. How we handle the plot twists. What I 348 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:52.119 mean by that, well, I'm talking about all the reversals. 349 00:24:52.119 --> 00:24:55.039 Did you see them? Did you see all the reversals 350 00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:58.480 that we read as we were reading these three chapters. 351 00:24:58.519 --> 00:25:02.240 I mean it's starting in say, chapter sixty one, especially 352 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:06.880 chapter sixty one one through nine. This begins with the 353 00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:09.960 one that Isaiah calls the servant of the Lord speaking, 354 00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:15.240 and look there at what he proclaims. He proclaims good 355 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:23.359 news to the poor or the afflicted. He proclaims binding 356 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:28.400 up or healing to the broken hearted. He proclaims liberty 357 00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:34.400 to the captives, favor, but also vengeance comfort to those 358 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:41.400 who mourn headdress instead of ashes. On and on, these reversals, 359 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:44.119 these plot twists, they go until finally, in verse nine, 360 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:48.720 he says, all who see them will acknowledge that they 361 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:52.279 are offspring. The Lord has blessed it's coming. I've got 362 00:25:52.359 --> 00:25:56.440 plot twists coming in this life. On this train, there 363 00:25:56.519 --> 00:26:00.839 are miseries, but one day God is bringing so plot twists. 364 00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:09.920 The question is will you trust him with the when 365 00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:16.079 and the how that he's bringing those plot twists, those reversals. 366 00:26:18.599 --> 00:26:21.519 That's key. Will you trust him with the win and 367 00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:28.599 the how? Because the servant of the Lord showed up, 368 00:26:31.960 --> 00:26:37.880 Jesus Christ announces his ministry with these verses. Right here. 369 00:26:38.680 --> 00:26:40.839 He shows up to the synagogue, the place where the 370 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:44.319 discussion of God's promises would rightfully take place. They hand 371 00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:47.559 him the scroll of Isaiah. He unrolls to this spot 372 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:49.799 right here. I don't know how long that takes with 373 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:53.000 sixty six chapters. He enrolls to this place right here, 374 00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:56.799 and he announces the spirit of the Lord is upon me, 375 00:26:57.240 --> 00:27:00.160 because the Lord has anointed me to bring good, good 376 00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:02.880 news to the poor. He sent me to bind up 377 00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:06.599 the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives. I'm 378 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:10.240 the servant of the Lord. I'm the one who's proclaiming. 379 00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:14.559 I've come to handle the plot twists. It's all up 380 00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:17.200 to me. I've got a plan. And when he says 381 00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:22.240 I've got a plan, the people in the synagogue say, 382 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:27.799 we've got a plan. Plot tists. We're all about it. Reversals, 383 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:33.480 we want them right now. And Jesus says, you know 384 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:36.160 what you're gonna end up saying to me, physician, heal yourself. 385 00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:40.720 He says, you know, when it comes to plot twists, 386 00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:42.920 you just need to understand when it comes to the 387 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:44.960 how and the when, when it comes to who's in 388 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:49.759 charge of this, just realize there were many widows in Israel, 389 00:27:51.400 --> 00:27:54.400 but it was a widow in Sidon who was blessed 390 00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:58.079 by the prophet. You know, there were many lepers in Israel, 391 00:27:59.319 --> 00:28:03.799 but it was the name in the gentile who is healed. 392 00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:08.119 You're gonna have in other words, you're gonna have to 393 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:12.119 trust me with the when and the how and even 394 00:28:12.160 --> 00:28:18.440 the who of these plot twists, of these reversals. And 395 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.960 you know what they did at that point, they tried 396 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:29.160 to throw them off cliff. The question is not is 397 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:35.039 God bringing reversals? Is God bringing plot twists? The question 398 00:28:35.160 --> 00:28:38.480 is will you trust him with the when and the 399 00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:46.359 how that he brings him He's the one to trust, 400 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:50.440 He's the one with the when and the how. But 401 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:54.960