Good evening, Brunsfield. I hope you're all keeping well and continue to survive this period of our pandemic and lockdown.
It's a great privilege to be with you this evening and also a great privilege to be joining you in your series in the book of Isaiah.
For what a wonderful book that is, Isaiah, full of prophecies to do with our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Prophecies that truly build our faith.
But if we're very honest, Isaiah is also often a book that gets picked over a little, where we jump from nice passage to nice passage.
So it is good for us this evening to look perhaps to a passage that is maybe not as well known.
Certainly a passage that is a dark and sad chapter in this whole book of Isaiah.
We're told at the beginning of our passage in verse 89 that this is a prophecy concerning the northern kingdom.
Even though Isaiah's main ministry is to the south, he does address things to do with the northern kingdom,
partly so that the south may respond accordingly to the warnings that are spoken to the northern kingdom.
We know this because Samaria would have been the capital city of the northern kingdom,
and Ephraim and Manasseh would have been the two largest tribes.
Also, our prophecy, or our section, continues.
The prophecy already started in chapter 8, verse 19 and following.
So I think you looked at that last week.
Our section very handily falls into four parts.
It's a poem.
And every time, every section finishes with these incredibly powerful words,
where God says through Isaiah his prophet,
For all this, his anger has not turned away.
His hand is outstretched still.
We find this in verse 12, verse 17, verse 21, and also in chapter 10, verse 4.
So the first thing we really need to consider this evening is the reality of God's anger expressed in these words.
For all this, his anger has not turned away.
Now, anger is a tricky thing, is it not?
I grew up being told that to be angry is always wrong, bad.
For anger, as Ed Welch puts it so beautifully,
specializes in indicting others,
but is unskilled at both self-indictment and love.
So it's true that certainly human anger is broken and easily self-serving.
And yet the Bible is clear that, yes, on the one hand,
we need to watch ourselves when it comes to anger and be self-controlled.
Yet we're not to repress it either.
And my personal experience with anger is one that I've wrestled with anger,
particularly when I was younger,
in a way that my anger would be best described as nearly uncontrollable temper
or that rage or, you know, the red flag to the bull,
ready to hurt someone.
This particularly came out on the sports field,
where I did find it hard sometimes not to have a go at my opposite player.
I guess the good news is, and praise be to God,
that he has been at work in me
and that the fruit of his spirit has become more evident in my life since then.
But that's human anger.
God's anger is different.
God's anger is a good anger,
a righteous, sinless indignation,
a holy wrath.
And it's an anger against the crimes committed against him.
These crimes deserve to be punished.
God has made this clear from the very beginning.
So for some who think that the Old Testament always speaks of a God of anger
and the New Testament, great, it's about a God of love.
Actually, this is not true.
For as much as in Genesis,
as well as the Gospels and the Epistles like Romans,
it is very clear that the anger of God is a reality.
But we're also told that God's anger is not only a righteous anger
and a good anger, but also a slow anger.
I guess an obvious question to ask when we come to this passage in Isaiah,
how do we get here?
What has happened so far?
Well, in many ways, what happened is that God
in his generous, amazing love
chose to create this earth and this world and us in it.
For him to share what he has enjoyed for all eternity with mankind.
His love even went so far as to call
and to choose a particular individual called Abraham.
And for Abraham to be invited into this life with God,
which would be filled with blessing, blessing of offspring, blessing of land.
And God even went as far as securing those promises
in a loving covenant with Abraham.
And then we find that when Abraham's descendants end up in Egypt,
which sounds like a nice holiday destination,
but in those days ended him in and subjected to slavery,
God rescues his people.
Again, incredible love.
Again, a powerful display of what his covenantal love looks like.
But sadly, despite the fact that God's people were loved,
were rescued, were protected,
time and time again throughout history,
mankind chooses to walk away,
to rebel, to complain,
even to defy God's wisdom.
We see that as soon as they've come out of Egypt,
the people of God complain.
We see it particularly in the time of the judges,
where people continuously,
from generation to generation,
chose what was right in their own eyes.
And we see it again in the times of the kings.
And really, there's perhaps only one good king,
King David,
and maybe a little bit of Solomon when he started off well.
But after that,
and particularly when the kingdom split to the north and the south,
it seems a downward spiral,
including the current king of the north,
King Ahaz,
who even sacrificed his own son
in the religion,
and to be like the nations around them.
And so when you reflect on the whole time,
from creation up till now,
we see a God who is patient,
who is indeed very slow to anger,
very patient indeed,
giving his people chance after chance after chance
for nearly 1,300 years have elapsed
after God's promise to Abraham
by the time Isaiah proclaims this message
that we read today.
So let it be clear that God is rightly angry,
even after all,
and especially after all this time,
and that his anger is a good anger,
for it is part of his love,
not the opposite of.
It is part of his love for his creation
to reign with justice.
The Bible is very clear that God hates sin
for its opposite of everything that he is himself,
and therefore he will not choose to ignore sin.
Now sometimes that seems very harsh,
but if you've ever been the victim
of any type of injustice,
however small or big that may be,
it is truly good news that there will be a day
in which justice will truly reign.
Justice will one day set everything right,
and actually one day there will be no more sin
in the world that we will share for eternity
with our God.
And so we find that one day God's generous love
will actually do all these things for his people.
Now again, sometimes we think that really what we want
is a God who only loves,
in the idea of never being angry with us.
But that's like imagining a family
in which parents never become angry
and only love their children,
and we can only guess the result.
We would have to spoil children,
maybe even neglected children.
For loving parents,
at times,
because of their love,
will be angry.
And so God's love likewise
is so great
that he won't hold back
discipline
which he knows
would bring about
good in our lives.
So God's anger is real.
God's anger is good.
God's anger is slow,
but it is also
incredibly frightening.
As verse 14 and 15
tell us, for example,
that the Lord
here
speaks his anger
as saying
he will cut off from Israel
head and tail,
palm branch,
and reed
in one day.
With these words,
he's dealing with Israel's leaders
and also with God's spokespeople,
the prophets.
And his anger
will very much
make these
give account
for what they have done
with the responsibility
given to them.
they will be dealt
accordingly.
For these were people
who had not only
neglected their responsibility,
but actually
had abused it
and led the people
under their care
astray.
And the picture
of the branch
and reed
gives us
even a picture
of totality
that actually
God will deal
with the most eminent
to the most lowly.
Actually,
in many ways,
in verse 17,
it gives us
a picture
of what is
perhaps the most
frightening thing
of what God
will do in his anger.
Not only keeping
us to account,
but it also tells us
that God's joy
and compassion
will be withdrawn.
Indeed,
actually,
the most frightening
part of God's anger
is when
he withdraws
and leaves us
to the consequences
of our choices.
And that is
exactly the picture
that we see
in verse 18
and following
where it reads
that wickedness
burns like a fire.
It consumes
briars
and thorns.
It kindles
the thickets
of the forest
and they roll upwards
in a column of smoke.
And through the wrath
of the Lord
of hosts,
the land is scorched
and the people
are like fuel
for the fire.
No one
spares
another.
Wickedness
burns
like fire.
Do you remember
that song,
It Only Takes
a spark?
Well,
that's the same
of evil.
Spreads
like wildfire.
And when it says
that by the wrath
of Jehovah
of hosts
the land is scorched,
it means that actually
the wrath of God
allows it to happen,
but it's clear
that that's not
the fuel
that makes it happen.
And the end result
when God
lets go
and lets the people
fall into the consequences
of their own choices
is ultimate civil war
where we find
that the people
from the north
turn against
their fellow brother
down south
in Judah.
Wow.
So God's anger
is slow,
God's anger
is real,
and it certainly
is frightening.
So let's move on
to the next thing
that we ought to see
from this passage.
Secondly,
let us see
what causes God
to be angry.
So we've looked
at the reality
of God's anger.
Now let's see
what causes
Him to be angry.
Look with me
to verse 17.
Verse 17 tells us,
For everyone
is godless
and an evildoer,
and every mouth
speaks folly.
I want us to note
how wrath
is not being inflicted
without the reasons
for wrath
being made clear.
There's grace
right there.
So God's wrath
is not being inflicted
without the reasons
of wrath
being made clear.
Well,
what are these reasons?
Well,
in verse 17,
it speaks of the godless.
And the godless,
this word refers
to apostasy.
So people who
walk away
from God.
Or perhaps
it can cover
those who
bring upon
themselves
defilement
through disobedience.
And evildoers,
well,
evildoers in the Bible
refer to those
who break
the moral law,
who violate
the moral law.
So both these terms
actually cover
not only the whole
of the Ten Commandments,
but the whole
of God's will.
That it's those
who have stopped
loving the Lord
their God
with all their heart,
mind,
and strength,
and soul,
and also those
who do not love
their neighbor
as their self,
the two greatest
commandments
as Jesus
had taught us.
Now it's interesting
that in Scripture
evil
is not
just the very bad,
but actually
describes all
who sin.
It's very clear
that when we're not
children of God,
we are enemies
of God.
And this strong language
which we often
struggle with,
for we often
compare ourselves
to others
and think actually
I'm not that bad.
But this strong language
which we naturally
associate with
the greatest wickedness
and darkness
out there
reveals to us
God's perspective
on sin
which often
isn't ours.
Anything
other than God
is darkness.
All aspects
astray from God
is the opposite
of light.
this is backed up
by the use
of Isaiah's
phrase there
of the mouth
and folly.
The word folly
comes up a lot
in wisdom literature,
for example,
in Proverbs.
And you'll find
that folly
doesn't mean
silly or foolish
or funny.
Actually,
folly
is very much
in the meaning
of all people
who choose
to live
life
without God.
those people
are
the people
who are
the folly
in the Bible.
Now,
that's not the only reason.
We also find
in verse 10
that perhaps
the cause
of all of this
is pride
and arrogance.
We read there
that they say
in their pride
and arrogance
of heart
meaning great
arrogance
that the bricks
have fallen
but we will build
with dressed stones
and the sycamores
have been cut down
but we will put
cedars
in their place.
Their pride
was what I would
call a defiant
pride.
It's as if they're
saying
peace,
peace
when there is
no peace.
They're fixing it
rather than
listening to
God
and paying attention
to his warnings.
It's as if
they're saying
well disaster
has come upon us
but we will sort it
and we will rebuild
even better
than what it was.
this is not only
defiant
arrogance
and pride
it is dangerous
and it is blind
even stubborn
self-confidence.
We especially
probably see this
this pride
in their whole
empty religion
already addressed
by the prophet Isaiah
and by God
through him.
In the opening chapters
we get this picture
that in that time
perhaps Israel
and the people
of God
were busier
than ever
visiting the temple
bringing all their
sacrifices
doing all the
right things
and yet with a heart
that was far
from God
empty religion
fueled
and an expression
of this arrogant
pride.
But on top
of all of this
we then read
in verse 13
that there is
no repentance.
So
everyone is
evildoers
everyone is
godless
they're all
full of pride
and arrogance
but then there's
no repentance
the people did not
turn to him
who struck them
nor inquire
of the lord
of hosts.
Surely a result
of their pride
but also revealing
just how
conscious
their decision
is
to not only
ignore God's
message
but to ignore
God himself
while pretending
that all
is
well.
That's the situation
that Isaiah
speaks
into.
But I guess
before we
tut-tut the
northern kingdom
and point our
finger and say
how bad they are
we do well
to remember
perhaps Paul's
words in Romans
chapter 3
or just simply
look at our
own lives
and think
we may pretend
that all
things are
well
but we also
fall short
of the glory
of God.
How many of us
do not struggle
with pride
with arrogance
with actually
saying
maybe perhaps
not in such
words
but even in
our actions
that we know
better
than God
in particular
areas
in our lives.
It is certainly
a scary thing
that even
many serious
Christians
can fall
into a
practical
atheism
maybe proclaiming
God with
their mouth
but denying
him with
their actions.
I certainly
find Proverbs
chapter 3
verse 5
one that can
be very
challenging
to put into
practice
where we're
called to
trust in the
Lord with
all our
heart
and not to
lean on
our own
understanding.
How often
do we not
do the
opposite?
And if we're
still not
convinced that
we're no
better than
the northern
kingdom
what about
those greatest
commandments?
Do we truly
love God
with all our
heart,
mind,
soul and
strength?
And do we
love our
neighbor as
ourself
the way that
Christ loved
his father
and loved
us
dying on
the cross
for us?
So people
actually
not only is
God's anger
a reality
not only is
God rightly
angry
with the
northern
kingdom
with his
own people
but God
is rightly
angry
even with
us.
But thirdly
let us then
understand how
Israel could
have known
that God
was angry.
How could
Israel have
known?
Because you
may say
well the
anger may
have been
there,
may have
even been
fair,
but perhaps
they didn't
know.
Well here
we can truly
see God's
grace at
work.
For first
God
clearly
and directly
spoke to
his own
people.
We see
that again
in verse
8 and
verse 9
it says
that the
Lord has
sent a
word against
Jacob.
This is a
wonderful
reference to
the ministries
of two
prophets
Hosea
and Amos
who both
inward
as well as
with visual
aids
declared
God's
warnings
and
invitation
to
return.
They were
without
excuse
in that
sense.
But not
only did
God speak
directly
through
his
prophets
to them,
God also
spoke to
them through
adversaries.
In verse
11 and
12 we
see that
the Lord
raises the
adversaries
of resin
against them
and stirs
up his
enemies.
Now what's
happening here
is that the
hostile nations
became tools
in the hands
of God
almost like
a megaphone
to try to
get through
to them.
And this
wasn't the
first time
that he
has done
that either.
Think for
example the
young Joseph
who had
his dreams
and was
also struggling
with pride.
God actually
used his
adversaries,
his brothers,
to ultimately
protect him
from himself
and actually
through all of
that ended
up protecting
his brothers
and his
family from
dying of
hunger by
sending him
to Egypt.
So in
some ways
if that
hadn't
happened
maybe the
story wouldn't
have continued
after him.
But the
same of course
happened in
the time of
the judges.
That on the
one hand
God allows
as a
consequence
of people's
sin these
adversaries
to come and
raise themselves
up but
actually it
was also
God's tool
to bring
them back
to return
to him
to cry
out to
him.
And
unfortunately
it seems
that often
that is
what is
needed
for God
to be able
to get
our
attention.
But almost
when all
these seem
to fail
for even
in the
phase of
adversity
the people
of God
were adamant
that they
were okay
God then
also spoke
through direct
action.
And we've
looked already
at this verse
but in verse
14 we see
that after all
this God
then cut
off from
Israel
head and
tail or
certainly
promised to
do that as
we're not
totally clear
of all these
things have
already taken
place.
Now these
direct actions
can at times
feel very
harsh.
Think for
example of
Acts chapter
5 where
Ananias and
Sapphira both
are killed
due to their
sin
being
hypocritical
and
untrue
about
their
donation
to the
church
and what
they're
holding
back to
themselves.
Or even
the Old
Testament
example
of
Yuzah
who
stretched
out his
hand
to
stabilize
the ark
and yet
he was
killed
on the
spot.
We struggle
with this
and yet
very often
these were
necessary
to stem
the flow
of ongoing
sinfulness
and at
the same
time always
left room
for a
remnant
to respond.
These things
were in many
ways never
final.
And so
again here
although
difficult and
challenging
to think of
a God who
would even
raise
adversaries
and in
direct action
would confront
his own
people we
must see
God's grace.
We must
see God's
grace in
that there's
grace before
action.
that the
word
came before
the direct
action.
And there's
even grace
in action
where God
in what
he does
has only
one purpose
in mind
and that
is for
his people
to come
back
to him.
God
deals
in that
sense
rightly
with those
who are
responsible.
He deals
with those
who are
not innocent.
He deals
with them
who have
been warned.
He deals
with them
who have
had time
to repent.
He deals
with those
who have
been
good
joled
by the
enemies
and he
speaks
before
acting.
What an
amazing
loving God
even
gracious
in his
anger.
And people
in the exact
same way
you and I
can know
the reality
of God's
anger
in our
lives.
Through
God's word
just like
them
that similarly
we get
to hear
direct
warnings
as well
as
examples
and there's
plenty
in the
Bible
of
examples
not to
follow
and in
many ways
we are
incredibly
privileged
aren't we
for the
fact that
we don't
just have
Hosea
and Amos
but we
have the
whole
of
scripture
including
the teachings
of Jesus
himself.
But I
also believe
that even
adversaries
and direct
action
can be
ways
in which
God
still
tries to
get through
to us
and explains
his anger
to us.
Now I've
got to pause
here for a
moment
and speak
very sensitively
regarding this
for it must
be clear to
all of us
that I'm
not saying
that all
opposition
or disaster
are a sign
of God's
anger
yet all
of what
happens in
our lives
are always
an opportunity
even a
spurring on
to that
repentance
for us
to
and for
us
to
start
seeking
after him
yet again.
So his
anger
whether that
is in
our lives
or not
is not
the final
word
but may
it drive
us back
to him.
Like I said
I do want
to be
sensitive
because I
acknowledge
that perhaps
there is
pain out
there in
your life
of things
that you've
been wrestling
pain that
you have
been facing.
Perhaps
you do
know full
well
God's
warnings
for choices
that you've
made and
yet you
still made
them.
Perhaps
you're dealing
with guilt
or even
uncertainty
of some
kind.
Maybe you
have a
sense that
God is
far away
that God's
blessing
has been
withdrawn in
your work
in your
life
or in
your
relationships.
Perhaps
you're
experiencing
adversary
or
opposition.
Does that
mean that
God is
angry?
That his
hand is
outstretched
still in
your life?
Well it
can be.
But as I
said
whatever it
may be
for your
opposition
may also
be simply
the result
of Satan
who goes
around like
a roaring
and prowling
lion seeking
who he may
devour.
and actually
he's trying
to seek
us out
because
actually
we are
following
God
and serving
him
wholeheartedly.
It may be
God's
discipline
rather than
his anger
that he
wants to
teach us
and to
guide us
at this
stage in
our lives
mold and
mature us
so that we
become more
and more
like him
and reflect
his character
in all
that we
do.
Or perhaps
it could
simply just
be the
consequences
of choices
that we
have made.
But
whatever
as I
said it
may be
we do
well to
read the
lessons of
our experience
and in
all circumstances
to turn
to God.
If it's
for wisdom
if it's
for wisdom
but if it's
for repentance
certainly
repent.
And may
it be a
sincere
repentance
and a
sincere
seeking
after him.
And do
it without
delay.
Do it
tonight.
These are
important
things
for us
to hear.
God's
anger
is real.
We know
the reasons
why he's
angry.
We also
understand
that he
makes it
clear to
us
through
his
word.
For
example
through
his
word
here
through
Isaiah.
So
may we
respond
and turn
to him
tonight.
But
there's
one more
thing
that we
must think
about.
And so
fourthly
after looking
at the
reality
of God's
anger
as well
as the
reason
for his
anger
as well
as how
we are
to know
about his
anger
we must
hear how
we can
truly be
saved
from God's
anger.
See when
you read
this chapter
there is
an ultimate
question
that the
chapter raises
and I believe
that the
Israelites
should have
asked.
And that's
this.
what can
turn
God's
anger
away
and stop
his arm
from being
outstretched?
How can
we all
face
the day
of reckoning
mentioned
in chapter
10 verse
3?
Is repentance
truly the
answer?
Well,
yes and
no,
but only a
temporary one.
Repentance
is the right
response
and yet
it doesn't
necessarily
deal with
the deeper
underlying
problem.
And that is
the problem
of the
heart,
the human
heart,
and the
injustice
that still
needs to
be set
right.
Therefore,
listen carefully.
May we
tonight
be assured
that God
is not
and never
has been
content
to show
wrath
no matter
how holy
it is.
But that
because of
that God
sent
his very
own son,
Jesus Christ,
who himself
was the
word and
who took
upon himself
the wrath
of God
for us.
It was
Jesus who
willingly
allowed himself
to be
cut off
from the
Father so
that we
don't have
to.
It was
Jesus who
defeated the
greatest
adversary,
the greatest
enemy of
all,
so that
we can
no longer
be devoured
by them.
And it
is through
Christ's
sacrifice of
himself,
the innocent
Son of
God,
that God's
anger was
satisfied,
that justice
was fulfilled,
and now
in God's
hand is
the gift
of Christ's
righteousness
that will
be bestowed
on all
who bend
the knee
and acknowledge
and accept
Jesus as
their Lord
and their
Savior.
And so I
hope we can
see that
even a dark
and sad
chapter
teaches us
something
crucially
important.
For let
us,
unlike the
people of
God then,
understand
and see
the reality
of God's
anger,
whether we
like it or
not,
but he is
angry against
all evil,
including our
own pride
and arrogance.
Let us
never trifle
with God
or trivialize
his love,
for we will
never stand
in awe
of being
loved by
God until
we reckon
with the
seriousness of
our sin
and the
justice of
his
wrath
against us.
So let us
heed the
warning,
let us
repent
and seek
the Lord
and may
we then
know that
in the
Lord Jesus
Christ,
God will
once again
rejoice
over us
with joy.
May God
bless his
word to us
tonight
and may we
respond to
him without
delay.
Amen.
So let's
stay
there
again
for