Sermon # 159             Series: Isaiah

 

Title: Good News For Dark Times

Text:  Isaiah 51:1-23

Subject:  Comfort, for those who Fear God but Walk in Darkness

Date:  Sunday Evening – August 15, 1993

 

Introduction:

 

The title of my message tonight is Good News For Dark Times.  In chapter 50 verse 10 the prophet tells us that…

 

1.  There are times when the people of God walk in darkness and have no light, no shining, brilliant light, no light to give them confidence, assurance, peace, and joy.  Dark times are times of trouble, sorrow, and fear.    And we have these times, when we walk in darkness and have no light.

 

NOTE:  Isaiah is talking to true believers, men and women who fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servant.  Yet, they walk in darkness and have no light.

 

a.  Individual believers sometimes walk in darkness and have no light.

b.  Local churches have their times of darkness and no clear, shining light.

c.  The Church of God in this world as a whole is often brought into troubling times of darkness.

 

2.  In these times of darkness, trouble, and fear, when God appears to have forgotten us, when it seems that he has cast us off, when our enemies appear to triumph over us, we have only one course of action.  There is only one thing we can do and one thing we must do – “let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.”

 

Chapter 51 was written for and addressed to those who fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servant, but walk in darkness.

 

Proposition:  In this chapter the prophet of God shows us why we must and should trust in the name of the Lord and lean upon our God in these dark, dark, trying days – This chapter is designed for the comfort and encouragement of God’s people in dark times.  It is full of Good News For Dark Times.

 

How slow we are to believe our God in dark times.  When the providence of God and the word of God appear to contradict one another, we tend to doubt his goodness and question his word.  Our unbelief is horribly evil.  And that is the cause of our greatest trouble in dark times.  Therefore the prophet of God, the messenger of grace calls for us to hearken unto him three times (vv. 1, 4, 7).  Then, the last two paragraphs begin with the words, “Awake, awake!”

 

In verses 9-16 God’s people call upon him to awaken and help them.

 

In verses 17-23 the Lord God calls upon us to awake and help ourselves.

 

Tonight, I want to give you a brief overview of this glorious chapter.  In this chapter the prophet Isaiah gives us six words of assurance, six gracious promises from God by which he encourages us to believe our God in times of darkness and trouble.

 

I.  Here is our first word of assurance – God, who raised us out of the pit of corruption, can and will preserve us in times of darkness and revive us by his almighty grace (vv. 1-3).

 

A.  First, Isaiah identifies the people to whom these gracious promises are made – “Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord.”

 

1.  God’s people are a people who pursue righteousness – (Heb. 12:14).

 

a.       We pursue the righteousness of God in Christ (Phil. 3:8-14).

 

b.       We pursue the righteousness of God in our lives – we follow the paths of righteousness.

 

2.  And all God’s Saints seek the Lord.

 

a.       They know their need of him.

b.       They seek him earnestly, with all their hearts.

c.       They seek him where he is to be found – In His Word – In His House!

d.       They seek him continually (Phil. 3:13). – “To whom coming!”

 

B.  Next, the prophet of God calls for us to remember what God has done for us by his grace (vv. 2-3 – “look”)

 

1.  Remember what you were when God saved you and where you were – (v. 1).

2.  Remember how small the household of faith was in the beginning – (v. 2).

3.  Remember what God has done for his chosen – (v. 2).

 

C.  Then, in verse 3, Isaiah assures us that times of refreshing and revival shall come to Zion.

 

1.  The Lord will preserve his people.

2.  He will revive his church.

3.  He will give us days of gladness, rejoicing, and thanksgiving.

 

II.  Our second promise is found in verses 4-6 – God’s salvation is both sure and everlasting.

 

A.  He will cause his gospel (his law) to go forth for from Zion into all the world (v. 4; Isa. 2:3).

 

B.  There is a people whom he will save (v. 5).

 

1.  His righteousness is near (Rom. 10:8).

2.  His salvation is gone forth.

3.  Chosen sinners shall trust his arm – Christ (Isa. 53).

 

C.  God’s salvation is an everlasting salvation (v. 6; Eccles. 3:14).

 

III.  God’s third word of assurance to us is this – Our enemies are weak and perishing (vv. 7-8).

 

A.  Again Isaiah identifies God’s saints.

1.       They know righteousness – Christ!

2.       The law of God is written in their hearts – The New Birth!

 

B.  Those who trust the living God have no reason to fear the reproaches and revilings of dying men!

 

C.  God’s salvation is forever! – He repeats his word to reassure our hearts.  He will not forsake his own!

 

IV.  This fourth assurance ought to quieten our fearful hearts – The very same power and grace by which God did wonders for his people long ago is engaged to protect, deliver, and preserve us today (vv. 9-11).

 

Our God who cut off Rahab (Egypt), wounded the dragon (Pharaoh – Ezek, 29:3) – Satan), and brought Israel across the Red Sea, will save his ransomed people today- (Isa. 43:1-7).

 

A.  The redeemed of the Lord shall return to him!

B.  His chosen shall inherit gladness forever!

C.  All sorrow shall flee away!

 

V.  The fifth thing by which the Lord God encourages us to trust him is the assurance that – the very purpose of God in the creation of this world is the everlasting salvation of his elect – (vv. 12-16).

 

In these verses the Lord God chides us for our unbelief.

 

A.   God our Comforter is God our Creator (vv. 12-14).

B.  The Lord our Savior is the Lord of Hosts (v. 15).

C.  God who preserves us is the God of an absolute, unalterable purpose; and his purpose is a purpose of grace (v. 16; Rom. 8:28-30).

 

VI.  Here is the sixth word of assurance for dark times such as the church of God now faces – Deplorable as the condition of God’s church now appears to be, our ultimate triumph is sure (vv. 17-23).

 

A.  The Lord God calls us to Awake- (v. 17).

 

B.  Without question, we are living in perilous times (vv. 18-20).

 

  1. God has given us the cup of trembling.  (v. 17).
  2. The Lord has not raised up any guides for his church (very, very few) from among her sons.  (v. 18).
  3. God has brought us into times of great sorrow and trial.

4.  Those who should be strong and valiant guides for God’s church have fainted (v. 20).  Like a bull caught in a net, rather than bowing to the will of God, many try to accomplish deliverance rather than wait for it, and thus only make matters worse.

Illus:  “We let her drive!”  (Acts 27:15).

 

C.  Yet, for all this, the Lord God will not forsake his own – Deliverance will come!  (vv. 21-23).

 

  1. The Lord Jehovah is still – “Thy God!” (v. 22).
  2. He pleads the cause of his people.
  3. He will take away our trouble.
  4. He will cause his people to prevail and triumph over all their enemies (v. 23).

 

Application:

 

    What shall we do in the light of these things?

1.       Walk on with God – Do your duty!

2.       Trust in the name of the Lord!  “Let her drive!”

3.       “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord!”

“The battle is not yours, but the Lord’s!”