Sermon #46 Series: Isaiah

Title: The Day Of God’s Wrath

Text: Isaiah 13:1-14:1

Subject: The Wrath of God

Date: Sunday Evening - July 1, 1990

Tape #

Introduction:

There is a day coming in which Almighty God will punish the wicked. There is a day coming when God will judge the world in his wrath and fierce anger. No man can describe the astonishment and terror which shall seize the hearts of men, or the horror of God’s wrath in that day. And I will not attempt to do so. I can hardly think of it without terror. God Almighty will punish sin. In that great day God will show himself as an Adversary without mercy! “Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty!” “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it!”

Tonight, it is my awesome responsibility to warn eternity bound men and women of The Day Of God’s Wrath. At the outset I must tell you these four things.

1. You fully deserve the wrath of God.

2. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Refuge for your soul from the storm of God’s wrath.

3. If you trust Christ you will never experience the wrath of God.

4. If you refuse to trust Christ, if you persist in your proud, sinful rebellion to Christ the Lord, there will be no mercy for you in The Day Of God’s Wrath.

In Chapters 1-12 Isaiah’s prophecies related only to Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem. But now he begins to look ahead to the nations and kingdoms of the earth. And he begins to describe the doom of the nations of the world who have forgotten God. Though they do not own him as such, The King of the saints is also The King of the nations. He made them; he rules them; and he will dispose of them according to his own purpose of grace toward his elect (Deut. 32:8-9).

The threatenings we find here, and in the next several chapters, against Babylon and the nations of the world, are designed by God to comfort those who fear him. God’s saints in this world are often oppressed, persecuted and affected by the ungodly. But we need not be terrified by the wicked. “In the last day God’s saints shall rule over their oppressors” (14:2).

Without question Isaiah 13 and 14 were addressed to Babylon and her king. This was a prophecy of the destruction of the godless city. But Babylon, throughout the scriptures, refers to all false religion. And so the prophecy before us is a prophecy of God’s wrath upon all who despise the light of the gospel and choose the path of darkness - (Rev. 18:1-8).

· Babylon represents all free-will, works religion throughout history, raised up in opposition to the gospel of the grace of God.

· The sons and daughters of Babylon are you who hope to escape the wrath of God by your own works.

· Babylon and her children shall be utterly destroyed, without mercy in the day of God’s wrath.

Proposition: There is a day appointed in which God will judge the world by the Lord Jesus Christ - (Acts 17:31).

Divisions:

1. In the Last Day God Will Use His Enemies To Execute His Wrath Upon His Enemies (vv. 1-5).

2. The Day Of God’s Wrath Will Be A Day Of Destruction Without Mercy (vv. 6-18).

3. The Day Of God’s Wrath Will Be A Day Of Destruction Without Remedy Forever (vv. 19-22).

4. The Day Of God’s Wrath Will Be A Day Of Mercy, Grace And Deliverance For His Elect (14:1).

I. IN THE LAST DAY GOD WILL USE HIS ENEMIES TO EXECUTE HIS WRATH UPON HIS ENEMIES (vv. 1-5).

As the Medes and Persians, though they knew not God, were the instruments God uses to bring Babylon to desolation, so in the last day he will use satan, the demons of hell and wicked men and women to torment one another forever, to execute his wrath.

Here God describes those whom he uses as instruments of his wrath.

A. They are Effectual (v. 20.

B. They are His Servants (v. 3).

C. They are His Mighty Ones (v. 3).

D. They are for His Honor (v. 3) - “Them that rejoice in my highness.”

That is to say, they willingly serve the interests of his honor in executing his anger.

Though Darius and Cyrus had no regard for God, they gladly served his purpose to destroy Babylon. And though the reprobate men and angels hate God, they will gladly inflict torments upon one another in hell.

Whatever the tormentors of your soul are in hell, they will be an army mustered by God almighty and weapons of destruction in his hand (vv. 4-5).

II. THE DAY OF GOD’S WRATH WILL BE A DAY OF DESTRUCTION WITHOUT MERCY (vv. 6-18).

How can I make you hear me? Spirit of God, give this people ears that they may hear. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” “Our God is a consuming fire!” If you meet God without Christ, he will consume you in his wrath forever!

A. Every Man’s Heart Will Melt With Fear In the Day Of God’s Wrath (vv. 6-9).

B. The Day Of God’s Wrath Will Be A Day Without Comfort, Hope, Or Light (v. 10).

C. The Day Of God’s Wrath Will Be the Execution Of His Justice (v. 11).

1. God will punish your evil, your deeds of wickedness.

2. God will punish your iniquity, your failed efforts of righteousness.

3. God will punish and destroy your pride.

D. In the Day Of God’s Wrath You Will See And Acknowledge the Value Of Christ, the God-man, the Sinner’s Substitute (v. 12). (See Phil. 2:9-11).

· His Blood.

· His Righteousness.

· His Gospel.

· His Intercession.

E. The Day Of God’s Wrath Will Be A Day Of Universal Destruction (vv. 13-14).

F. In the Day of God’s Wrath There Will Be No Mercy (vv. 16-18).

Justice is Blind!

III. THE DAY OF GOD’S WRATH WILL BE A DAY OF DESTRUCTION WITHOUT REMEDY FOREVER (vv. 19-22).

· God’s Wrath is Sudden!

· God’s Wrath is Thorough!

· God’s Wrath is Forever!

IV. THE DAY OF GOD’S WRATH WILL BE A DAY OF MERCY, GRACE AND DELIVERANCE FOR HIS ELECT (14:1).

Compare Revelation 18:20-19:7!

Application: There is only one Refuge for our souls from the wrath of God, and that Refuge is Jesus Christ.

· Christ is the Mercy-Seat.

· Christ is the Ark.

· Christ is the City of Refuge.

· The Way is Open!