Sermon #9 Series:
Isaiah
Title: The
Glory of Zion
Text: Isaiah 2:1-5
Subject: Isaiah’s
Prophecy Of the Gospel Church
Date: Sunday Evening - May 14, 1989
Tape #
Introduction:
My subject tonight is The Glory of Zion. Our text is only a small part of
Isaiah’s second recorded sermon. I
suggest that you read the whole sermon at one sitting, so that you can get the
whole message. This sermon begins at
Chapter 2 verse 1 and ends in Chapter 4 verse 6. Tonight we will study just the first five verses of Chapter 2.
Proposition: In
these verses Isaiah gives a prophecy of the gospel age in which we now live and
of the great glory, excellence, and benefit of the gospel church, which is
Zion, the spiritual kingdom of Christ.
This is “the Word,” the message of
God, “that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw,” perceived and understood, by the
revelation of God the Holy Spirit, “concerning Judah and Jerusalem,” the church
and people of God.
Isaiah begins his sermon by telling us
that it concerns the last days. It is a
prophecy of The Glory of Zion in the
last days - “And it shall come to pass in the last days.” Now here is something that will help you to
understand the Old Testament prophets:
Whenever the last days are mentioned, the reference is to this gospel
age in which we now live - “This is the last time” (I John 2:18).
1.
The last days began with the coming of Christ and the
dissolution of Judaism and Mosaic economy (Hab. 2:3; Heb. 1:2).
2. There is no future day of grace to come, tribulation period or millennial age, in which men will be saved by their works, or by a return to Jewish worship! There is no grace but that which is to be found in the gospel (Gal. 1:8-9).
3. When Christ comes the second time, “Then cometh the end” (I Cor. 15:24).
In these five verses Isaiah prophesied
of the great glory of the gospel age, the spiritual kingdom of Christ, The Glory of Zion, by foretelling six
things that characterize the church and people of God.
I.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH (v. 2).
The prophet is here telling of Christ
building his church and establishing his kingdom in this world. The church of God is here called “The
mountain of the Lord’s house; established in the top of the mountains.” What does this mean?
A. The church is
the house of God (I Tim. 3:15; I Cor. 3:16; Mt. 18:20).
1.
It is built by the Lord himself (Matt. 16:18).
2. He dwells here.
3. He will beautify, glorify, and exalt it.
4. The materials of this house are lively stones, true believers, built upon Christ, the foundation (I Cor. 3:11, Eph. 2:19-22).
5. The only door of entrance into the house and kingdom of God is Christ himself, who is the Master over his own house (John 10:9; 3:5-7).
B. The kingdom of
Christ and the gospel of it is to be openly preached and professed.
The church of God is “established,” prepared, “in the top of
the mountains,” in clear view and hearing of all. This is no secret society with secret orders.
1.
Our Lord compared his church to a city set upon a hill,
which cannot be hid (Matt. 5:14).
2. Christ himself spoke openly to all the world (John 18:20).
3. The gospel preached by the apostles was not done in a corner (Acts 26:26).
That which was everywhere spoken
against had been everywhere spoken of.
Beloved, the message we preach is a banner to be lifted up, a standard
to be held high. It is not something to
be hid. Let the whole world hear and
every man know the wonderful works of our God (Matt. 28:18-20).
C. The church and
kingdom of God is firmly fixed, immovable, and sure to prevail, as the majestic
mountains.
1.
It is built upon the Rock, Christ Jesus.
2. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
John Gill puts it this way - The
church of God is immovable, “being secured in the everlasting and electing love
of God, and in the unalterable covenant of grace, founded on the Rock, Christ,
and guarded by the mighty power of God.”
D. And Isaiah
here declares that the church and kingdom of God shall be exalted above all the
hills of the earth.
The truth of God shall prevail. The kingdom of Christ shall be exalted.
1.
Exalted above Mt. Sinai and earthly Jerusalem (Heb.
12:18-24).
2. Exalted above all the religions of antichrist (Rev. 11:11-12).
3. Exalted in the esteem of chosen, redeemed, and called sinners.
4. Exalted above all the creation of God (Rev. 21).
II.
THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE CHURCH - “And all nations shall flow
into it” (v. 2).
It was never our Lord’s intention that
his kingdom be limited to the Jewish nation alone. From the beginning he was determined to have a church made up of
men and women of every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue for the praise of his
name. The church of God is a universal
family, a universal kingdom, and a universal body.
A. Christ has
broken down every wall of partition that naturally separates men from one
another in this world (Eph. 2:11-18; Col. 3:11).
1.
The Door of God’s church is open to all.
2. All who enter in, enter in upon the same grounds.
3. All who enter in by Christ the Door are equals.
4. And all who enter in are brethren.
B. “All nations
(all nationalities) shall flow into it.”
Like streams of water from the four corners of the earth,
God gathers his elect into his kingdom by almighty grace. Yet, no one is forced in. All who come, come willingly. They flow into Zion upon the river of
grace. To Christ shall the gathering of
the people be (Ps. 110:3; Gen. 49:10; Isa. 60:1-5).
Note: We do not in anyway lessen
the importance of the local assembly.
But one great aspect of the church’s glory is its universality.
III. THE UNITY OF
THE CHURCH (v. 3).
Here Isaiah describes the mutual love, encouragement, help,
and assistance God’s people give to one another. “And many people shall go and say, come ye, and let us go up to
the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach
us of his ways, and we will walk in his path.”
(See Ps. 122:1).
A. Here is
Evangelism at its best - “Come ye, let us go up to the house of God.”
B. Here is the object of public worship - “He will teach us of his ways.”
1.
God himself is our teacher.
2. He teaches us of His ways.
· His Way of Grace.
· His Way of Providence.
· His Way of Obedience.
C. Here is the
resolution of every renewed heart - “We will walk in his paths.”
If he will show us his way, by his grace, we will walk in
his paths.
That church is truly united in Christ
which is united in seeking the salvation of God’s elect, seeking the
instruction of God the Holy Spirit, and seeking obedience to the will of God.
IV. THE POWER OF
THE CHURCH - (v. 3).
The means by which God saves his
people, teaches them his ways, and leads them in his paths is the preaching of
the gospel - “For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem.”
The power of the church is not its
size, it wealth, its talents, or its pastor, but the gospel of the grace of God
which we preach (Rom. 1:15-16).
A. The gospel of
Christ is the law of His kingdom (I John 3:23).
· The law of faith.
· The law of love.
· The fulfilling of the law.
B. The gospel of
Christ is the word of God by which men are saved and born into His kingdom (I
Pet. 1:23-25).
This is the rod of his strength sent
out of Zion into all the world (Ps. 110:2).
V. THE HEAD OF
THE CHURCH - (v. 4).
Isaiah saw Christ exalted as Head over all things for his
church (Eph. 1:21-23). “And he sahll
judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people.”
He whose word goes forth out of Zion shall by that word
subdue many of his enemies to himself and rule them.
· In wisdom and justice, Christ Jesus orders and rules all the affairs of this world for the good of his church.
· He rebukes and restrains everything and everyone that opposes the interests of his kingdom.
· And by his spirit, he makes his enemies to be his servants, converting many by his almighty grace (John 16:8-13).
VI. THE PEACE OF
THE CHURCH - (v. 4).
Here Isaiah describes the great peace that comes upon men
and women by the gospel, when the prince of peace rules among them - “They
shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning
hooks: nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”
This is not a dreamy-eyed prophecy of
some Utopian millenial ago. This is a
prophecy of that which is experienced right now in the kingdom of God.
A. The gospel of
Christ makes peace and slays enmities.
B. The gospel of Christ reconciles those who are natural enemies.
Illustration: Cherokee!
Jamaica!
Mexico!
C. The gospel of
Christ makes men peaceable, softens their hearts, and sweetens their spirits.
The love of Christ, when it is shed abroad in the hearts of
men and women, constrains them to love one another (John 13:34-35).
Application: “O
house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord” (v. 5). Here the prophet of God issues a call to all
the house of Jacob, those men and women who are chosen, redeemed, saved, and
kept by the grace of God. Whatever
others may do, in the light of what our God has done for us, “Let us walk in
the light of the Lord.”
1.
Walk circumspectly as the children of light.
2. Walk humbly in the light of his grace.
3. Walk peaceably in the light of his peace.