We can turn back to our reading in Isaiah chapter 26.
We can just read again at the beginning of this chapter, Isaiah 26.
!
It may seem strange to talk about a storm today when outside is such a gloriously sunny day.
But the storms of life is something that's always a reality to us.
And I'm sure maybe you've heard of a phrase called the perfect storm.
It's when two low pressures will come, maybe from different directions and merge together,
and they bring a more serious storm that brings so much devastation and destruction with it.
This was a case in a film that was made a number of years ago now called by that name,
The Perfect Storm.
And it showed just how it happened on that occasion back in the 90s.
It was, I think.
And it just showed the devastation and destruction that these kinds of storms can bring.
It may seem a strange thing to call a storm a perfect storm when all it brings is devastation with it.
But the perfect storm is something that the Bible speaks about as well.
It speaks about it in a way when we see a collision taking place of different things merging together
that bring a sense of devastation with it.
We see the perfect storm of sin.
And everything that sin brings into this world.
And how the more that sin brings its forces together, the more devastation and destruction it brings.
And when we think of a natural storm, when we think of the destruction that that brings,
what do we look for at a time when a storm is coming?
We look for shelter.
We seek shelter.
And that is what Isaiah is talking about here.
In chapter 26, he's talking there about not a perfect storm,
but he's talking about a perfect peace.
And the peace that the Lord is able to give.
You keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.
And so there is a place to find that perfect peace.
And here in chapter 26,
what we're seeing is a song that the Lord is giving to his people.
And a place that they can find this perfect peace.
And it is in a city.
It's a song of a city.
We have a strong city.
It says at the start there in the middle of verse 1.
And Isaiah is writing in the midst of this storm of sin.
If you look back in chapter 24, just a page previously,
the heading of that chapter is judgment on the whole earth.
And this judgment is like a storm.
See how it speaks about it in verse 12.
Desolation is left in the city.
The gates are battered into ruins.
A city that is devastated.
And it's really by sin.
That's what Isaiah is highlighting for us here.
The city that is battered,
that is left in desolation as sin.
Passes through.
And so it's in the midst of this sense of judgment
that Isaiah is writing.
But it's also at a time
when the people are thinking that they have peace.
And so it stands as a warning.
What keeps us going from day to day so often?
What keeps our hearts filled with joy
and a sense of release in many different ways?
What gives us hope in difficult times?
So often it's song.
So often it's music that we turn to.
When we think of finding a sense of release and of joy,
how often do we just start maybe singing a song?
It's expressed in song so often.
And we all maybe have our own favorite song.
And this time of year is a time
when we're often maybe hearing songs being played
when people are outside enjoying the good weather,
whether it's in the garden or on the beach
or out in the streets as we'll see in this coming week
and out in the grounds as the weekend comes.
When the tents go up,
we'll hear a lot of song.
We'll hear a lot of music being played.
We'll hear a lot of people
who are finding a sense of joy in that.
But do we have that true sense of the joy of the Lord
and the peace that he gives in the songs that we sing?
Well, here Isaiah is reminding the people
that in all the different things
that they have going on in their lives,
and they themselves would have probably been singing
their own songs in many different ways
and many different situations.
Well, Isaiah is reminding them of the need
to have this song of the Lord in their hearts.
That it's the song of the Lord
that is able to bring peace.
A song that speaks not just for the moment for today
and a song that's forgotten in the days
or the weeks ahead.
We move on to the next one.
But it's a song of a city,
a song of salvation,
a song of the joy that the Lord gives.
We want to just think about this song
that Isaiah is giving here.
And just think about it under three different headings.
And we see three different things about this song.
The first thing is it's the song of a city.
So it's directing us towards a place.
It's also directing us towards salvation.
So it's a song of salvation.
And it's also a song of remembrance.
A song that helps us to go back
and reflect on these things again and again and again.
A song that we can keep singing.
How often do you hear a song
or even just a few lyrics of a song
and it's stuck in your head the rest of the day?
I'm sure it happens very often to people.
You just hear a little snippet of a song
and it's just there in your head
the rest of the day or even the rest of the week.
Well, here is a song that should resonate in our hearts
and stay in our hearts
and stay with us through all the ups and downs of life
to see a place of perfect peace
that the Lord is able to give.
So the first thing we see is it's a song of a city.
In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah, it starts.
And then the song itself starts with these words,
we have a strong city.
We have a strong city.
Cities were so important in the days of Isaiah.
Indeed, throughout the Old Testament into the New Testament,
you see the importance of cities.
They were more than just a place to live or to work or to study
as we might think of today.
They were places of safety, of security.
They were places where people felt they could dwell
and dwell in that security to know that they were safe
from the outside enemies.
But no city was ever 100% secure.
There's always the fear that the enemy would attack
and bring devastation.
That devastation that we see in chapter 24 of Isaiah
that the Lord was showing was going to come.
And you think of these cities in the days of Isaiah,
their walls were thick, their doors were strong.
They tried to have as few doors as possible
so that there wasn't easy access into the city.
And everywhere was well guarded.
And secure.
They would have their towers where people would be on watch,
looking out to see if the enemy was coming.
And so the people had this sense of security in this city.
But Isaiah is warning that the city that they are putting
their trust in is not going to keep secure.
Battles are fought over cities.
They have been throughout all generations.
Here in the Old Testament, into the new to our present day,
you find that when there's conflicts going on,
cities or vantage points, high places,
they're always important and they're always fought over.
Isaiah writes as God's people are enjoying this peace and security,
but a battle is on the horizon.
And at the heart of this battle that's coming
is not just the enemy that's around them,
but the enemy within them.
You see, their hearts have gone cold towards the Lord.
They've forgotten the Lord.
They have been disobedient to the Lord.
They've forgotten all his goodness to them,
and they've just started doing their own thing,
turning to their own ways.
And that's what this song is about.
It's got warning in it,
but it's also got reminders in it as well.
That as the battle is on the horizon,
as the enemy is about to attack,
that they can look to God
and see with him that he has a city for his people,
a city where they will dwell secure.
We have a strong city, he says there.
He sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.
So there is a city of God,
a place of refuge.
And what a song that is to sing
in the midst of the enemy attacking,
that they have the Lord on their side.
But it's a question to us today,
do we have the Lord in that sense?
Do we look for just the here and now
and the cities or the towns or the villages
that we live in and have our sense of peace
and that all is well?
Is that the way that we are living our lives just now?
Are we thinking about the future?
Are we thinking about eternity?
Are we thinking where we will dwell secure forever?
Or is that just something for way down the road
or for not at all?
Well, God gives his people a city to look forward to.
A city that will be a secure place for his people
for all eternity.
So no matter what this world brings to us,
that we have a place to look forward to.
A place described in Revelation 21,
where John sees this vision of a city.
He says there in verse 10,
he carried me away in the spirit to a great high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God,
having the glory of God,
its radiance like a most rare jewel,
like a jasper clear as crystal.
It had a great high wall and with 12 gates.
So John there in Revelation is looking to the city
that God has promised for his people.
The same city that Abraham, by faith,
was able to look to as well.
In Hebrews 11, verse 9,
it speaks about Abraham there.
By faith, he went to live in the land of promise,
as in a foreign land,
living in tents with Isaac and Jacob,
heirs with him to the same promise.
For he was looking forward to the city
that has foundations,
whose designer and builder is God.
God is preparing a city for his people.
So we won't just live with our minds
on this world and this place
and the fulfillment that we seek in this life,
but instead that we will think of God
who has prepared a place for his people.
A battle has been fought for us
that we maybe even don't realize
that the Lord Jesus came into this world
to go to battle,
to go to war for his people,
that they might dwell secure
in a city of salvation forever.
Do you realize what this city means?
In this world, in this day,
we sing our songs,
and so many do sing their songs
of enjoyment and fulfillment,
but it's only temporary.
But here we have a song for the ages,
a song for the generations,
and a song for eternity,
a song of a city that is strong and secure,
and for God's people,
we have a strong city.
Whatever may come,
we will remain secure
if we are trusting in God.
We also see the second thing here,
it's a song of salvation.
We have a strong city.
He sets up salvation as walls
and bulwarks.
If you go through chapter 24 to 27 here,
salvation is what ties it all together.
When you see the devastation of chapter 24,
even in the midst of that,
as we saw in verse 12,
where it speaks about desolation
is left in the city,
you jump forward to verse 14,
and it speaks of the joy of song.
They lift up their voices,
they sing for joy
over the majesty of the Lord.
They shout from the west.
Therefore, in the east,
give up glory to the Lord.
And so it goes on.
In the midst of devastation,
there's still singing,
there's still song.
And what is the song?
It's the song of salvation in the Lord.
This chapter,
and you see it too in chapter 27 there,
it begins with these words,
in that day.
So it's looking to a point
where God is going to act.
And sometimes it's talking about God
acting in the now,
and sometimes it's talking about God
acting finally in the day of judgment.
But at all these points,
we see that God is acting.
God is doing something for his people.
If you look at how it's in verse,
chapter 25, verse 9 there,
it speaks about,
it'll be said on that day,
behold, this is our God.
We have waited for him
that he might save us.
This is the Lord.
We have waited for him.
Let us be glad and rejoice
in his salvation.
So all throughout,
the fact that judgment is coming
is the hope of salvation.
that there is this joy,
that there is this singing
and song of salvation
that the people of God have
when they trust in him.
We have this song, he says,
and salvation is at the heart of it.
And we see here,
God is working.
And that this salvation comes
from relationship with him.
In verse 3 in chapter 26,
you keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you
because he trusts in you.
There is this relationship.
There is this joy in knowing
the Lord as our refuge,
as our strength in time of trouble.
Salvation comes from knowing God.
And salvation comes through faith
in Jesus Christ.
And we set our mind on him.
And when you think of the battle
that Jesus has won for his people,
when he was taken outside of the city,
outside of Jerusalem,
onto a hill at Calvary,
and there he fought a battle
that we could never fight ourselves.
There he gave his life
that we might have salvation in him.
We read that in Hebrews 13, verse 12.
And so Jesus also suffered,
it says, outside the city gate
to make the people holy
through his own blood.
He went outside of the city.
He went to face the enemy for us
that we might have salvation
through him.
There was an army chaplain
during the First World War.
He was called John Esselmunt Adams.
He was 49 years old
when the war broke out.
And he'd been a minister in Scotland.
And within a month or two
of the war starting,
he found himself
at the front line of battle
in the trenches
alongside the other troops.
And there he spoke
about the reality of war
and how people would see
their own eternity
there before them,
of how many were lost
in a moment,
in a blink.
And he spoke about it
in this way of seeing,
fighting men.
He spoke,
multitudes have had
their faith deepened
and multitudes have learned
as never before
the need and the value
of faith in God.
When the reality was right
in front of them
of their eternity,
their need of God
was made so much clearer.
And for us,
we've maybe lost
that perspective
of eternity
and eternity
being before us.
But we're reminded
again and again
and again
of how eternity
is within a blink.
The tragedies
that we see happening
all around us.
Famous people,
we've seen it
with a footballer,
two footballers,
two brothers,
Diego and Andre
died in a tragic car accident.
The devastation
that that brings,
eternity in a moment.
We saw it in the last week
with the devastating floods
in Texas.
How just in a moment
so suddenly
eternity is there
before our eyes.
and we seem
to think
that we're living
in peace.
But none of us
know
what is ahead
of us
and how in a moment,
in a blink,
eternity is there.
But do we have
this song
of salvation?
John Esselstyn
Adams,
he spoke about
where these men
found their hope
in the time of need.
he said
the most read book
was the New Testament.
And he said
one man,
a machine gun officer,
he writes to say
he never read
so much of it
at home,
but that it's the only book
he can settle
to read
as he sits
through the long nights
in the trenches
beside his gun.
He found his hope
in the gospel,
in the word
of God.
And here is the word
of God
before us today.
The word of God
that gives us
a song
of salvation
to sing.
Salvation
that has come
at a great price
because the Lord Jesus
gave
his life
so that we might
have
eternal life.
Eternity
is before
us all.
But are we singing
the song
of salvation?
Are we trusting
in the Lord
with all our hearts?
You keep him
in perfect peace
whose mind
is stayed on you
because he trusts
in you.
Do you have
that peace?
Are you trusting
in the Lord?
Well,
it's a song
of remembrance
finally we see
here as well.
Song of a city,
a song
of salvation
and a song
of remembrance.
In verse 4
there we are told,
Trust in the Lord
forever
for the Lord
is an everlasting
rock.
And then in verse 8
and 9,
In the path
of your judgments,
O Lord,
we wait for you.
Your name
and remembrance
are the desire
of our soul.
My soul
yearns for you
in the night.
My spirit
within me
earnestly
seeks you.
And so we see
here it's a call
to remembrance.
To remember
the Lord
today.
To remember
the Lord
as we have
opportunity.
To yearn
for him.
To trust
in the Lord
forever.
Peace
is something
we speak of
and pray for
often.
and yet
in this world
that's full of sin
it's always
only temporary.
Wars
and conflicts
and suffering
goes on
generation
after generation.
And so
it will be.
Because the word
of God
tells us
there will be
wars
and rumors
of war
until the
coming
of the Lord.
Lord.
But are we
learning
anything
in the midst
of it?
Are we
learning
anything
for our
own soul
even today?
Do we
have
that peace?
Do we
have this
song
that we
can call
to remembrance?
A song
that gives
us hope
in the midst
of all
the different
things
that we
experience
in life?
When you
hear a song
being played
that you're
familiar with
very often
it will
take you
back to
a moment
or a time
in your
life
to an
experience.
It might
be a day
in your
life.
It might
be a
portion
in your
life.
But a
song can
often take
us back
to remember
different
things,
to remember
different
times,
places,
and people.
But this
song,
it always
takes us
back to
think of
God.
The song
of a
city.
We have
a strong
city,
a city
of salvation,
a city
that we
are to
remember
every day
that we
have a
hope in
the Lord.
So as we
go on
trusting in
the Lord,
we call
to mind
his goodness,
his mercy
that follows
us all
the days.
And the
question could
be asked
as we
call these
things to
mind,
how do
we get
in to
this city?
How do
we find
this place
of refuge,
this place
of rest?
We can
be used
to coming
and going
from cities
as we
please.
We can
drive into
cities from
all different
directions.
We arrive
by planes,
trains,
cars,
all sorts
of ways.
But in
the days of
Isaiah,
to find your
way into
a city,
it was
more
complicated.
You had
to find
that gate
that let
you in.
You had
to pass
through a
gate that
had to
be opened
for you.
You had
to be
let in.
Well,
here it
speaks about
getting
into this
city.
Call to
remembrance
your name
and the
desire of
our soul
is to
see you.
But when
we think
of getting
into this
city,
we have
to think
about,
well,
what is
the way
in?
Well,
the way
in is
through
faith.
You think
about going
in to
a football
match or
a stadium
for a
concert.
How do
you get
in?
You go
through a
turnstile.
You go
through a
narrow
axis.
And you
have to
give your
ticket or
scan your
code or
whatever it
is, but
there has
to be a
way where
you gain
access in.
You can't
just appear
and go
through the
gate without
any ID or
any access,
any ticket.
You won't
get in.
Well,
the way
in to
this city,
the way
into this
place that
God is
speaking about
here is
by faith.
By faith
in the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
It's the
only way
to get
in.
By
trusting
in him.
to gain
access is
to believe.
And to
believe in
the only
one who
is able
to save.
We have
to fix
our mind
on him.
Keep
your mind
on the
Lord Jesus.
Trust in
him.
Trust in
the Lord
forever.
For the
Lord God
is an
everlasting
rock.
He is a
place of
security.
An
eternal
place.
He has
access to
this city.
He is the
access to
this salvation.
And we are
to call to
mind and
remember all
that the
Lord has
done.
In verse
12, it
speaks of
there, O
Lord, you
will ordain
peace for
us.
You have
done for
us all
our works.
He has
done
everything
for us.
Are we
singing
this song
of salvation?
In our
week, when
we will
hear many
songs being
sung, many
that we may
be familiar
with and
sing along
with ourselves,
may we
remember
this song
of a
city,
this song
of salvation,
this song
to remember
what the
Lord has
done for
his people.
let us
trust in
him.
Let us
pray.
Lord, our
gracious
God, we
do thank
you that
you give
that joy
of song
in our
hearts and
that song
that is
able to
express the
hope that
we have
in you.
In a
city you
have prepared
for your
people, a
place of
peace and
rest for
all who
put their
trust in
you.
And we
do pray,
Lord, that
your blessing
would help
us to call
these things
through
remembrance
in all
the days
ahead, that
you would
guide us
by your
spirit, guide
us by your
truth, by
your word, to
be able to
look and fix
our hearts and
our souls, our
minds on our
Lord Jesus
Christ and to
follow him the
way to perfect
peace.
Hear our
prayers and
continue with
us.
That's all we
ask.
We ask in
his precious
name.
Amen.
We're going
to conclude
by singing
to God's
praise in
Psalm 48a,
the Sing
Psalms version.
Find this
on page
63.
Psalm 48a
will sing
from
verse 9
down to
the end
of the
psalm.
We
contemplate
your
steadfast
love within
your house,
O God, for
like your
name, your
praise extends
through all
the earth
abroad.
All that
you do is
righteous,
Lord, Mount
Sion's joy is
great, and
Judah's towns
rejoice as
they your
judgment
celebrate.
And then
you have
these words
in verse
12,
round Sion
walk and
count our
towers, view
every citadel.
Speaking
there about
that city
of peace
and protection,
and then
it goes on
to say,
so that
to children
yet unborn
her story
you may
tell.
It's a
song that
is to be
shared and
remembered
for all
generations.
We'll sing
from verse
9, the
tune is
Morvan,
9 to
14, we
stand to
sing to
God's
praise.
Amen.
We
contemplate
praise.
Let your
steadfast love
within you
house, O God.
For like your name,
your praise extends
through all the earth abroad.
All that you do is righteous, Lord,
Mount Zion's joy is great,
and Judah's times rejoice
as they your judgments celebrate.
Round Zion walk and countertiles
view every citadel,
so that to children yet unborn
a story you may tell.
For God the Lord, who is our God,
forever will abide,
he is our God forevermore,
and to the end our guide.
We'll close with a benediction,
and after the benediction,
I'll go to the door to my left.
Now may grace, mercy, and peace
from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
rest upon and abide with you all
now and forevermore.
Amen.