Sermon
#1360 Miscellaneous
Sermons
Title: The
Day Of Divine Visitation
Text: Isaiah
12:1-6
Subject: The Day Of Grace
and Salvation
Date: Sunday
Morning –
Tape# V-43a
Introduction:
There is a
day, which God has appointed for each of his elect, which will be for them the
day of salvation. Today, I am going to talk to you about that day. The title of
my message is: The Day Of Divine Visitation. My text for this message is found in
Isaiah chapter twelve.
And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise
thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou
comfortedst me. (2) Behold, God [is] my
salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my
strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation. (3) Therefore with joy shall ye draw water
out of the wells of salvation. (4) And
in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his
doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. (5) Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done
excellent things: this [is] known in all the earth. (6) Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of
I fully realize that the work of our Lord in
redeeming and saving his people is an eternal work. There can be
no question about that fact. Long before time began, our great God, in his
eternal counsel, purposed to have a people like Christ. This is the will of
God. And he sovereignly works all things after the counsel of his own will - (2
Tim. 1:9; Eph.
·
His Covenant of Grace is called “The Everlasting Covenant” (Heb.
·
His Son is described as “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world” (Rev. 13:8).
·
His People are called “The Elect,” chosen in Christ before the
world began (Eph. 1:4-6).
There is no getting around
this fact: Salvation is God’s eternal
work. “Known unto the Lord are
all his works from the beginning.” Our God declares the end from the
beginning. All that he does in time
by the power of his grace he did from eternity by the purpose of his grace in
sovereign predestination.
One of
these days, the Lord Jesus Christ, the angel of the covenant, shall stand, with
one foot on the sea and one foot on the earth, and declare that time shall be
no more, and that the mystery of God is finished (Rev. 10:6-7).
Then, when Christ comes again,
there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. In that great day the dead shall
be raised and stand before God. All the elect shall be
gathered unto God, holy, unblameable and unreproveable in his sight. And all
the wicked shall be cast into hell. “This
corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is
swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54). And we shall reign forever with
the Lord in everlasting glory (Rev. 21:1-7). In that day the purpose of God in
eternal election and predestination shall be fulfilled (Rom.
I also
realize that the work of our Lord in redeeming and saving his elect is a
lifelong work of grace.
We have been saved (in election, redemption, and regeneration), we are being
saved (in providence and preservation), and we shall be saved (in resurrection
glory). And “Now is our salvation nearer
than when we believed” (Rom.
·
The hand of God is upon his elect from the womb to the tomb (Jer. 1:5;
Gal.
·
The Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in the heart of the chosen sinner,
when it pleases God (Gal.
Illustration: As
God said to Simeon, it can be said, with regard to all his elect, “he shall not see
death, before he has seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke
·
And once we are born of God, called and saved by grace, it is by the
power and grace of God that we are kept in Christ - (Phil. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:3-5;
Jude 24-25).
Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto
a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through
faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
We have come to Christ. We
are coming to Christ. And by the grace of God we shall come to Christ. God will
see to it - (Jer. 32:38-40).
And they shall be my people, and I will be
their God: And I will give them one
heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and
of their children after them: And I
will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from
them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall
not depart from me. (Jeremiah 32:38-40)
He
will keep me ‘til the river
Rolls
its waters at my feet;
Then
He’ll bear me safely over,
Where
my Savior I shall meet!
Though
this glorious, divine work of redemption and salvation is an eternal work,
though it is through the good providence of God a continual revelation of
Christ, a continual coming to Christ, and a continual growth in the grace and
knowledge of Christ -- There is a day of divine visitation, when the sovereign Redeemer is pleased to meet chosen sinners and
reveal himself in salvation.
Illustration: The Adulterous Woman -
John 4
I am not talking about a twenty-four
hour day! You do not need a calendar to mark the time of your
conversion. You do not need to remember a time, or place, or day in which you
first met the Lord. In fact, if you have to look back to a given event as the
proof that you are saved, you are not saved.
Illustration: Birth Certificate Assurance
But you can
mark this down: There is a day of Divine visitation. There is a time when the living
God gives life, repentance and faith in Christ to his sheep, by the power of
his Spirit through the preaching of the gospel of his grace.
Proposition: There
is a day appointed when God will meet every chosen, redeemed sinner in saving
power and grace - (Ezek. 16:6-8).
And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live. (7) I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: [thy] breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou [wast] naked and bare. (8) Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time [was] the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. (Ezekiel 16:6-8)
Illustrations: Jacob
- Moses - Job - Paul - Isaiah.
I want us
to look at a few passages of Isaiah’s prophecy and notice how this phrase is
used -- “In that day.” Isaiah uses
the words “in that day” to indicate
the presence of the Lord and the work of the Lord in redeeming, saving grace.
And he tells us five things about The Day Of
Divine Visitation.
I. First, in Isaiah 2:11-12 and
17, the prophet shows us that THE DAY
OF DIVINVE VISITATION IS A DAY OF HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTION.
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and
the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted
in that day. For the day of the LORD
of hosts [shall be] upon every [one that is] proud and lofty, and upon every
[one that is] lifted up; and he shall be brought low: (Isaiah
And
the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be
made low: and the LORD alone shall be
exalted in that day. (Isaiah 2:17)
When God the Holy Spirit comes into a sinner’s heart in saving power and grace, he always comes to reprove and convict. He reproves and convinces all whom he calls “of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). Where there is no conviction, there is no conversion. Where there is no reproof, there is no regeneration. If you have never experienced Holy Ghost conviction, you have never experienced Holy Ghost salvation.
·
Judgment always precedes grace!
·
Emptying always comes before filling!
·
Humbling always comes before exaltation!
·
Stripping always precedes clothing!
When God visits his people in grace, whether in regeneration or in revival, he humbles man and exalts himself! Until you have been humbled before him and Christ has been exalted in your eyes, you have not experienced God’s salvation.
This convicting of the
Spirit is threefold:
[John
16:8-11] "And when he is come, he
will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: [9] Of sin, because they believe not on me; [10] Of
righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; [11] Of
judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
A. He convicts us of our sin. – UNBELIEF!
B. He convicts us of Christ’s righteousness. – Righteousness accomplished, “because I go to my
Father.”
C. He convicts us of accomplished redemption, of God’s judgment of sin and
satisfaction made for sin in the death of Christ. – Judgment Finished (Rom.
8:1).
II. Now turn to Isaiah 11:10, and you will see that THE DAY OF DIVINE VISITATION IS A DAY OF GRACIOUS REVELATION.
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10)
In order
for us to have faith in Christ, Christ must be revealed in us. We cannot trust
an unknown, unrevealed Christ. He is revealed to us and in us by his Spirit
through the Word.
Illustration: The Woman at the
Well
Saul of
Our Savior
is called by many names. He is: The Root of Jesse, The Seed of Woman - That
Prophet - The Priest - The King - The Lion of the Tribe of Judah - The Rose of
Sharon - The Son of David - The Banner (Ensign) of the People - (Isa. 9:6).
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)
Once he is
revealed, we look to him; and looking to him, we find that his rest is
glorious!
·
His Rest As Our Mediator. -- “His rest is
his glory.”
·
Our Rest In Him. – Christ our Sabbath (Matt
III. Thirdly, in Isaiah 25:9, we
see that THE DAY OF DIVINE VISITATION
IS A DAY OF SAVING FAITH.
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this [is] our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this [is] the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isaiah 25:9)
When Christ is revealed in the heart, faith is born
in the heart. Faith is born of and rests upon the revelation of Christ in our
hearts (2 Cor. 4:3-6).
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them
that are lost: In whom the god of this
world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them. For we preach not ourselves, but
Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:3-6)
Illustrations: Simeon
- “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation!”
Thomas - “My Lord and my God!”
Paul - “Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do?”
·
Faith in Christ is more than embracing a doctrine!
·
Faith in Christ is more than making a profession!
·
Faith in Christ is more than coming to a position!
·
Faith in Christ is more than reforming a misspent life!
·
Faith in Christ is submitting to, trusting and embracing a Person! “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for
him, and he will save us: This is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be
glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Salvation is knowing, trusting, loving, following, obeying a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is not a theory! He is not a doctrine! He is not a creed! He is a Person!
·
“Christ is all and in all.”
·
“Christ in you, the hope of
glory.”
·
“Til Christ be formed in you.”
·
“I am crucified with Christ;
never the less I live; yet, not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which
I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me,
and gave himself for me.”
IV. Fourthly, Isaiah tells us in
chapter 26 verses 1-4, that THE DAY
OF DIVINE VISITATION IS A DAY OF JOYFUL ASSURANCE.
In that day shall this song be sung in the
In that day of conviction, revelation and faith, God’s elect have a song to sing and a rock upon which to rest, whatever the trial - (2 Tim. 1:12; 4:6-8). Faith in Christ gives a joyful assurance to the heart.
For the which cause
I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I
have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have
committed unto him against that day. (2
Timothy 1:12)
For I
am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished
[my] course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown
of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that
day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
·
We have a strong city of refuge.
·
We are surrounded by the walls of salvation (Rom.
·
We have entered the gates of life.
·
We are kept in perfect peace by faith.
·
The Lord, Jehovah, is our Rock.
“My
hope is built on nothing less
Than
Jesus’ blood and righteousness:
I
dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On
Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand,
All
other ground is sinking sand.”
V. Once more, in Isaiah 12:1-6,
we see that THE DAY OF DIVINE
VISITATION IS A DAY OF HEARTFELT PRAISE.
And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I
will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away,
and thou comfortedst me. (2) Behold,
God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH
[is] my strength and [my]
song; he also
is become my salvation. (3)
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. (4) And in that day shall ye say, Praise the
LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention
that his name is exalted. (5) Sing
unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this [is] known in all the
earth. (6) Cry out and shout, thou
inhabitant of
When the Lord God visits his elect with saving
grace, they praise him with joyful hearts and praise him alone. No flesh will
ever glory in his presence. Those who know the Lord, those who are visited by
the Lord, glory in the Lord - (Ps. 115:1; 1 Cor.
I will
glory in the Lord, because…
A. He is my Comforter -
(v. 1).
And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I
will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and
thou comfortedst me. (Isaiah 12:1)
B. He is my Salvation -
(v. 2).
Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)
“Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and not
be afraid.”
1.
The Lord Jehovah is my Strength.
2.
The Lord Jehovah is my Song.
3.
The Lord Jehovah is my Salvation.
C. He is my Supply - (v. 3).
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of
salvation.
(Isaiah 12:3)
1.
Christ is the Fountain of Living Water -- For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the
fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that
can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)
2.
Drawing from Christ the Water of
Life, I am both full and overflowing - (John
In the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet [given]; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39)
D. He is my Testimony - (v.
4).
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the
LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention
that his name is exalted. (Isaiah 12:4)
Illustration: “Could you give us your
testimony?”
This is my confession? This is my testimony. This is my counsel to you…
1.
Praise the Lord!
2.
Call upon His Name!
3.
Declare His Doings among the people!
4.
Make mention that His Name is Exalted!
E. Once more, I will glory in
the Lord because He is my Message
- (vv. 5-6).
Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent
things: this [is] known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of
“Great is the
Holy One of
“He shall be great.”
“How great thou art!”
1.
Great in His Person!
2.
Great in His Purpose!
3.
Great in His Propitiation!
4.
Great in His Pardon!
5.
Great in His Preservation!
Application: The
Day of Divine Visitation is:
·
A Day of Conviction!
·
A Day of Revelation!
·
A Day of Faith!
·
A Day of Assurance!
·
A Day of Praise!
It begins
the moment a sinner is born again by God’s almighty grace in Christ. It begins
the moment the Daystar rises in your heart. It begins as soon as the Sun of
Righteousness arises in your soul, with healing beneath his wings. And that day
shall never end. It only grows brighter and brighter, until at last we reach
that glorious land of eternal day, in which there is no darkness at all. May it
please God to visit you this very day. I pray that all
here today enjoy The Day Of Divine Visitation, for Christ’s sake.
AMEN.