Sermon #47                                                            Series:  Isaiah

 

          Title:       The Purpose Of God

          Text:       Isaiah 14:1-32

          Subject:  The Purpose Of God Toward  His   Enemies  and

                         People

          Date:      Sunday Evening - July 8, 1990

          Tape #

 

          Introduction:

 

                   As I read through Isaiah 14, I am fully aware that it was a prophecy given to Israel, assuring that nation that, though they must for a time be oppressed by the Philistines, the Assyrians and Babylonians, God would at last deliver them to their own land again and destroy their enemies.  I know that this prophecy relates to those historic events in the distant past.  And I do not pretend to have a clear understanding of all the things described in this prophecy.  But the more I study this chapter the more increasingly convinced I am that there is much more described here than a period of Jewish and Babylonian history that ended several thousand years ago.  This chapter, like all the rest of the scriptures, is written for us, for our learning and our admonition.  This inspired prophecy, I am certain, is, if properly understood, as practical and needful, and beneficial to us as the 14th chapter of Romans.  It has at least as much to say to God’s church in 1990 as it did to the nation of Israel in the year that King Ahaz died - (II Tim. 3:16-17).

 

          The subject of this chapter is spiritual conflict that began before God made man upon the earth.  It is the conflict of the ages, between God and satan, between Christ and the serpent, between the sons of God and the children of the devil.  No one can understand history who does not understand this conflict.  And no one can understand the Bible, its history, its doctrine, or its prophecies, who does not understand this conflict.

 

Proposition:  It is the purpose of satan to overthrow the throne of God, defeat the purpose of God, and destroy the people of God, and it is the purpose of God to destroy satan, his works, and his followers for the salvation of his people and the glory of his name.

 

Divisions:  I will not attempt to explain every phrase in this chapter.  But I do want to show you four facts revealed in these 32 verses about the purpose of God - “This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth.”

 

1.   The Lord God Will Have Mercy Upon Jacob - (vv. 1-3).

2.   The Lord God  Will Overthrow and Destroy All His Enemies - (vv. 4-23).

3.   The Lord Our God Will Accomplish All His Purpose - (vv. 24-27).

4.   God Will Build, Preserve and Save His Church - (vv. 28-32).

 

I.      THE LORD WILL HAVE MERCY UPON JACOB (vv. 1-3).

 

          Jacob is God’s elect, the house of God’s chosen.  The nation of Israel was typical and representative of the church and kingdom of God - We who believe are the sons of Jacob, the Israel of God, the people of God’s covenant (Rom. 2:28-29; Gal. 3:7; 6:16; Eph. 2:11-14; Phil. 3:3).

 

          In all that God does or allows to be done, he will have mercy upon his own elect (Rom. 8:28).

 

A.  Having chosen us in Christ in eternal election, as the objects of his mercy, God will never turn from us to do us good - “He will yet chose Israel.”

B. God will bring His elect into the land of promise - “Their Place.”

 

·        By Promise!

·        By Purchase!

 

C. In the end; God will cause us to rule over our oppressors.

D. And He will give us everlasting rest - (Heb. 4:9-10).

 

·        From Sorrow!

·        From Fear!

·        From Bondage!

 

II.   THE LORD GOD WILL OVERTHROW AND DESTROY ALL HIS ENEMIES (vv. 4-23).

 

          Without question, the immediate reference is to the king of literal Babylon, either Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar.  But to limit the passage to either of these men is a mistake.  This prophecy looks beyond the days of Israel’s deliverance from Babylon.  It looks to the end of time, the time of the restitution of all things.  It looks even beyond the day of judgment to the new creation and the redemption of God’s creation from all the consequence of sin - (See vv. 7-8).

 

          God will destroy Babylon, all false religion, and the king of Babylon, satan.  He will deliver his creation from the influence of evil.

 

A.  God will destroy satan and the religion of this world (v. 4).

 

·        Babylon - “The Golden City” (Rom. 16:20).

 

B. The powers of darkness shall be destroyed (v. 5).

C. The persecutor shall be persecuted (v. 6).

D. The whole earth shall be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God (vv. 7-8) - (Rom. 8).

E.  Satan and the man of sin shall be cast into hell (vv. 9-11).

F.  And the saints of God shall rejoice and sing, taunting satan forever (vv. 4, 12-23).

 

          Lucifer, in this passage, most certainly refers to a man, a mere Babylonian king.  But that Babylonian king was a type, a picture, and a servant of the devil himself.  And there is in this more than an allusion to satan and his fall.

Read vv. 12-23 - Compare all to satan and his children.

 

III. THE LORD OUR GOD WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL HIS PURPOSE (vv. 24-27).

 

·        In Creation!

·        In Providence!

·        In Grace!

·        In Heaven!

·        In Earth!

·        In Hell!

 

IV. GOD WILL BUILD, PRESERVE AND SAVE HIS CHURCH (vv. 28-32).

 

          If in the end God destroys the Babylonian and the Assyrian, the Philistines will surely flee before him.  His church and kingdom is safe.

 

          This is our assurance - (v. 32).

 

A.  “The Lord hath founded Zion!”

B. His people shall be gathered into it!

C. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

 

Application:  II Corinthians 7:14-18.