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.