WEBVTT

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 Children are dismissed to Children's Church.

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 Thank you, worship team.

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 I know it sounds like a broken record, but I'll tell you, I am blessed each week by the ministry of our worship team and praise team.

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! Thank you, John. Thank you, team, for leading us to the throne week after week. What an amazing blessing that is.

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 It's a blessing because it doesn't appeal to our emotion as much as leading us to the throne.

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 And in our study now, as we are now moving back to the Old Testament, as we're going to be picking things up and looking at the book of Isaiah,

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 consistently we're going to find ourselves in a place where maybe we haven't been before.

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 And that is at the throne with a real, vivid picture of our God.

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 Who He is and what He stands for and what He expects in His people.

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 That's where we're going to find ourselves beginning today and moving forward as we continue this study in the book of Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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 But maybe you've had some opportunities in your life to travel overseas a little bit.

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 Anyone had a chance to do that?

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 And you show up in this place, especially if you're by yourself.

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 And there are some things that look a little familiar.

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 You can recognize there are buildings, there are roads, there are cars, and there's some semblance of familiarity in that.

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 But then you look at the signs.

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 And the signs are oftentimes in letters and characters you don't even know how to discern, how to pronounce them, let alone what they mean.

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 And then there's the language and the people and the way they dress and the way they relate to one another.

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 And there is this sense, if you're anything like me, of just feeling a little bit overwhelmed.

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 And so you look for those things that are familiar.

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 And so if you've had a chance to be in a different country, you can kind of spot there's the American over there.

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 He's wearing a lot of the same stuff and he's asking some of the same questions.

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 And if you were both here in the States, you wouldn't give a rip about getting to know them.

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 But the fact that you're over there and you kind of share this common connection, there's now an interest in getting to know them a little bit.

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 Well, this morning as we begin our study in the book of Isaiah, I think it may be a little like that experience.

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 Where there are some things that are familiar, certain terms that we've heard before in Sunday school class.

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 But by and large, the landscape of the Old Testament is so far removed from our own personal experience.

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 There are challenges to overcome.

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 There are difficulties that we need to come against and try to break through in order to have some access to this study.

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 Now, we've learned about Abraham and Moses and we've learned about Daniel and David.

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 But when it comes to the kings, especially kings like Uzziah and Ahaz and Hezekiah, we're like, who?

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 Who are they?

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 Where do they show up in the Old Testament?

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 What were they like and what did they do?

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 And you can feel a little overwhelmed by the study and just check out before it even begins.

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 What I want to help us understand this morning is that in our study through the book of Isaiah, there is going to be some common ground.

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 And I want us to understand some points of reference to help make this study through the book of Isaiah accessible to us today.

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 There may be some distance for us in terms of history, the fact that it happened 750 years before Christ even showed up on the earth.

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 And we're familiar with this three-year stretch of time where Christ walked on the earth.

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 We're familiar with Roman culture.

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 We've spent a lot of time in the Gospels and we've become familiar with that.

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 But when it talks about hundreds of years of history and kings, we can't even pronounce their names, in nations and empires that don't even exist anymore.

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 We think, is this really relevant to me?

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 Is this really significant in the 21st century?

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 I thought that the Old Testament dealt with the law and dealt with certain religious standards.

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 And I thought that God in the Old Testament was a God of justice.

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 But now in the New Testament, we're dealing with a whole new different culture, right?

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 We're dealing with grace and we're dealing with mercy and compassion and forgiveness.

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 And so we can set the Old Testament on the shelf and not really give a whole lot of attention to it.

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 At least that's the tension in our hearts.

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 But the reality is, and my prayer and desire, not only for this morning, but my desire through this study is to help us understand that the book of Isaiah is preeminently about God.

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 And that's why we're here in the book of Isaiah today.

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 There are three reasons I just want to cover briefly why the book of Isaiah and why a study about this prophetic piece of literature in the Old Testament that seems so far removed, so distant from us.

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 Well, first, I want us to grow in our love for God.

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 All of Scripture is about God.

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 It's preeminently about Him.

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 We know this to be true.

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 Jesus, in His ministry, refers and quotes from the book of Isaiah numerous times throughout His ministry.

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 As a matter of fact, He actually opens His ministry in Luke chapter 4 with a statement from Isaiah that sets the course for what He means to accomplish.

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 His mission statement, as it were, His mission statement, as it were, comes from the book of Isaiah.

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 And then towards the end of His ministry, in His time of meeting with the disciples on the road to Emmaus,

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 He tells them, it says,

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 He opens to them all of the scriptures beginning with Moses and all of the prophets, the things concerning Himself.

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 The scripture, and Isaiah is no exception, is preeminently about God.

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 The God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

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 We're going to come to terms with that in our study in Isaiah.

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 We're going to see that God is consistent.

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 God is dependable.

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 God is faithful.

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 God is trustworthy.

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 God is the same in the Old Testament as He is in the New Testament.

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 We can trust Him for the continuity of His character.

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 God is the same in the Old Testament as He is in the Old Testament.

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 His standards are absolute.

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 It sets Him apart.

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 It makes Him distinct.

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 And it influences the way that He interacts with the nations.

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 The purifying purpose towards His people.

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 And the punishing force of God, the hand of God to punish those from the nations who go against His holy standard.

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 But also as the Almighty God, we find that nothing can stand in His way.

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 What He says He will do.

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 There is no power.

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 There is no force that can thwart His plans.

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 And in this way, God is the divine initiator.

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 He will accomplish all that He has said He will do.

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 He cannot be hindered.

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 He cannot be prevented.

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 And what He says rests on His ability to carry it through.

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 Not on our ability to make it happen.

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 We will come to love, hopefully more, the God that we serve.

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 The God who has called us into relationship with Him.

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 But secondly, to gain perspective of ourselves.

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 We see here in Isaiah chapter 1, verse 1.

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 And if you have your Bibles, I would encourage you to turn there.

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 We're going to look at this first chapter together.

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 If you're a guest with us this morning, it's on page 566 in the Pew Bible ahead of you.

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 It says this in verse 1.

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 Just the first phrase.

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 It says,

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 The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amos, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

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 Here, the target audience is these individuals living in Judah.

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 Particularly in Jerusalem.

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 During this period of time, about 750 years before the time of Christ.

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 We find that these people, Judah, are not so different from ourselves.

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 Although they may carry out their sin issues in different ways, the heart issues are the same.

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 The conflict that they have with the world and the conflict they have with God is very similar.

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 There is unfaithfulness in a lack of devotion.

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 They are dominated by self-interest.

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 They are greatly influenced by their culture.

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 There is a disregard for God's standard.

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 There is complacency in their devotion.

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 We find them going through the motions in religion.

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 There is a fear of the future.

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 There is a desire to control the outcome.

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 A deficiency in their faith.

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 And a heart of pride.

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 Can you identify?

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 Regardless of how it connects with the outworking of your life, we can understand the similar heart conditions.

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 Because these are the things we struggle with as well.

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 So Isaiah addresses it in the relevance of the culture, but the answer is still the same.

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 We'll see that this morning.

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 It may express itself in different ways, but the heart condition is similar.

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 And thus, God's remedy is also the same.

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 But finally, the final reason why we're going through Isaiah is to make it accessible.

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 My desire as we're going through this study is to kind of whet your appetite.

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 To let you see that there is some overlap.

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 There is some relevance to this study in this unfamiliar book.

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 And I have to confess that for myself, I chose Isaiah because of this sense of unfamiliarity.

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 Although I've read it numerous times, I've never really dug in to appreciate all that it has to contain.

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 All the treasures that are involved.

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 Now, maybe this morning you're wondering, okay.

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 Now, there are 21 chapters in the Gospel of John.

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 It took us three and a half years to go through.

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 If I parse that out to 66 chapters, doggone it, we're going to be in this book forever.

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 Well, the goal for us in going through Isaiah, we've chosen to take 66 chapters and do them in 20 weeks.

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 The goal is for us just to whet your appetite.

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 To give you kind of an overview.

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 To introduce you to the greatness of God in this Old Testament book.

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 And to encourage you to dig in for yourself.

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 To make it accessible.

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 To make it a little more familiar.

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 And so as we walk through this together, the goal is to introduce certain concepts.

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 And to become familiar with some of the history.

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 And look at the people.

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 And look at our God.

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 And come to cherish the God of the Old Testament.

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 That's the desire.

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 We're going to find that the God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New Testament.

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 There is something for us to learn.

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 There's something for us to appreciate.

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 So we'll spend 10 weeks in the first 39 chapters that kind of deal with God's judgment.

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 His chastisement of Israel.

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 Of Judah and the nations.

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 And then we'll spend 10 messages dealing with chapters 40 to 66.

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 That gives us the rest of the story.

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 His compassion.

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 His comfort.

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 And the hope that we can experience.

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 Now, I could spend about 20 minutes right now rehashing the historical context.

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 I'm not going to do that to you this morning.

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 And so what I'm going to do instead is I'm going to show you a video.

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 And if you're wondering what in the world that insert is in your bulletin.

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 That's what it's for.

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 It's to help you follow along and also give you the link so that you can go on the website and check it out again for yourself.

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 We do want to make this accessible.

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 Not just for you as parents but also for your kids.

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 So that your kids understand, hey, there's something a little interesting about this book.

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 So let's check out the overview of Isaiah from the Bible Project.

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 The Bible Project.

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 Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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 Isaiah.

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!

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!

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!

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 In a strange experience, God commissions him with a very difficult test.

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 He is to keep announcing his coming judgment.

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 But because Israel has reached a point of no return, his warnings are going to have a paradoxical effect of hardening.

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 But Isaiah is to trust God's plan.

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 Israel is going to be chopped down like a tree and left like a stump in the field.

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 And that stump will itself be scorched and burning.

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 But after all of that burning, God says that this smoldering stump is a holy seed that will survive in the future.

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 It's a small sign of hope, but who or what is that holy seed?

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 The rest of the section offers man.

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 Isaiah confronts Ahab, a descendant of David and the king of Israel.

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 And he announces his downfall.

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 God says that it is the great empire of Assyria who will first chop Israel down and death.

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 But there's hope.

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 Because of God's promise to David, he's going to send, after this destruction, a new king named Emmanuel.

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 The king of God.

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 And Emmanuel, the kingdom, is going to set God's people free from violent oppression.

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 And Isaiah describes this coming king as a small troop of new growth that will emerge from the old stuff of the dangerous family.

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 It's this king that's holding him.

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 And the king is going to be empowered by God's spirit to rule over a new Jerusalem and bring justice to the poor.

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 And all nations will look to this messianic and his guidance.

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 His kingdom will transform all creation into the kingdom.

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 Now, if you finish chapters 1 through 12, it's a pretty good understanding of Isaiah's message to the judgment.

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 And that brings us to the first two chapters.

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 And that brings us to the next section of the book.

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 So first, we have a large collection of poems that explore God's judgment and hope for the nation.

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 We learn, first of all, of the fall of Babylon and Israel's neighbor.

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 Isaiah received a serious world power would one day be replaced by the empire of Babylon,

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 a nation even more destructive than Israel.

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 Babylon's kings claimed that they were higher than all other gods,

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 and so God vowed to bring Babylon down.

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 And not only Babylon, Isaiah goes on to list Israel's neighbors

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 accusing them all of the same kind of pride and injustice.

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 But remember, for Isaiah, God's judgment is never the final word for Israel or the nation.

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 And that leads to the next section, with a series of poems that tell a tale of two cities.

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 There's a lofty city that has exalted itself above God and become corrupt in Israel.

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 This city is an archetype of rebellion to humanity,

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 and it's described with language that's all borrowed from Isaiah's earlier description,

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 Ruth-Long, Syrian, and Babylon.

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 This city is destined for Israel.

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 And one day, it's going to be replaced by the new Jerusalem,

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 where God reigns as king over a redeemed humanity from all nations,

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 and there's no more death to the side.

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 These chapters are the climax of this section,

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 and it shows how Isaiah's message pointed far beyond his notice.

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 It was a message for all who were waiting for God,

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 to bring his justice on a violent, oppressive kingdom,

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 and bring his kingdom of justice and peace.

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 The following section returns the focus of the rise and fall of Jerusalem.

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 And first, we find a whole bunch of poems where Isaiah accuses Ruth-Long's leaders

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 for turning to Egypt from military to Texas.

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 He knows this will back them.

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 And Isaiah says that only trust in their God and repentance and save his peace,

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 which gets illustrated by the following story,

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 about the rise of Hezekiah's kingdom.

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 Just as Isaiah predicted, the Assyrian armies come to try to attack the city,

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 and so Hezekiah humbled himself to for God,

00:21:48.059 --> 00:21:50.059
 and he prays for divine deliverance,

00:21:50.419 --> 00:21:52.759
 and the city is miraculously saved over.

00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:56.939
 But Hezekiah's rise is immediately followed by his fault.

00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:59.820
 So he hosts a delegation from Babylon,

00:22:00.080 --> 00:22:03.279
 and he tries to impress him by showing everything in Jerusalem,

00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:05.640
 the treasury, the temples, the palaces,

00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:09.820
 clearly an effort to make another political alliance with his text.

00:22:10.100 --> 00:22:13.420
 Isaiah hears about this, and he confronts Hezekiah from his foolishness.

00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:17.160
 He predicts that this ally will one day betray him,

00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:19.519
 and return at the enemy of the Jerusalem.

00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:25.180
 And we know from 2 Kings 24-25 that Isaiah was right.

00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:28.720
 Over a hundred years later, Babylon would turn on Jerusalem,

00:22:29.180 --> 00:22:31.019
 come and destroy the city, its temple,

00:22:31.400 --> 00:22:34.019
 and carry it to the Israelites away, and exile him back.

00:22:34.620 --> 00:22:38.539
 And so all of Isaiah's warnings of divine judgment in chapter 1-39,

00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:39.640
 lead us to this.

00:22:40.039 --> 00:22:43.500
 He's shown to be a true prophet, because it all can't pass.

00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:48.740
 But remember, the purpose of God's judgment is to purify the root,

00:22:49.099 --> 00:22:52.539
 and bring the holy seed of the Messiah to all nations.

00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:56.359
 And it's that hope that gets explored in the next part of the world.

00:22:56.519 --> 00:22:59.779
 But for now, that's what Isaiah chapter 1-39 is.

00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:04.059
 All right, I know there's a lot there,

00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:06.819
 but you have the notes, you can take them home,

00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:09.180
 you can watch that video again.

00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:11.799
 But let's dig into the text now,

00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:15.980
 and we're going to look at five ways or reasons why

00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:18.720
 the study of Isaiah is relevant to you.

00:23:19.340 --> 00:23:21.560
 How does it connect to where you are?

00:23:22.140 --> 00:23:27.420
 How is it pertinent to the things that you need in the 21st century?

00:23:28.320 --> 00:23:30.700
 The first, as we look in verse 1,

00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:34.980
 we see front and center that it is the same word.

00:23:35.600 --> 00:23:38.180
 We find the same word.

00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:39.759
 Notice in verse 2.

00:23:40.580 --> 00:23:43.720
 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth,

00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:47.200
 for the Lord has spoken.

00:23:48.940 --> 00:23:51.100
 Right at the beginning of this book,

00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:53.560
 all the way through the rest of this chapter,

00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:57.560
 and on through the rest of the book of Isaiah,

00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:00.620
 we find preeminently the word of God

00:24:00.620 --> 00:24:03.200
 coming and rising to the surface.

00:24:04.100 --> 00:24:06.980
 We find it here in verse 2.

00:24:06.980 --> 00:24:08.839
 We find it in verse 10,

00:24:08.920 --> 00:24:09.299
 where he says,

00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:10.539
 Hear the word of the Lord,

00:24:10.940 --> 00:24:14.220
 and then give ear to the teaching of our God.

00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:16.220
 We find it again in verse 11,

00:24:16.420 --> 00:24:16.839
 where it says,

00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:17.900
 Thus says the Lord.

00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:19.839
 And in verse 18,

00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:21.380
 Says the Lord.

00:24:21.900 --> 00:24:23.579
 Verse 20 and 24,

00:24:23.980 --> 00:24:26.620
 point to the Lord's word.

00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:27.460
 The Lord has declared.

00:24:27.579 --> 00:24:28.440
 The Lord has spoken.

00:24:28.440 --> 00:24:32.059
 And throughout the rest of Isaiah,

00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:36.100
 we find phrases that the Lord has spoken,

00:24:36.320 --> 00:24:38.340
 or the word of the Lord is.

00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:41.980
 We cannot walk away from the book of Isaiah

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:44.000
 without coming to grips with the fact

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:46.160
 that God's word is preeminent.

00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:48.460
 That what God says,

00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:49.660
 He will accomplish.

00:24:50.019 --> 00:24:51.059
 It's authoritative.

00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:52.480
 It's directive.

00:24:53.080 --> 00:24:54.000
 It can be trusted.

00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:57.799
 It's not to be mishandled.

00:24:58.460 --> 00:24:59.200
 It's to be understood,

00:24:59.460 --> 00:25:02.220
 to have the authority and the standard of God.

00:25:03.500 --> 00:25:05.680
 We think about the centrality of the word

00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:09.539
 from beginning of creation to the end of time.

00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:12.859
 The word of God comes to the surface

00:25:12.859 --> 00:25:15.339
 through the creation of the stars.

00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:17.839
 Remember that creation account in Genesis?

00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:22.299
 Where in every day of the creation record,

00:25:22.399 --> 00:25:22.679
 it says,

00:25:22.899 --> 00:25:23.759
 And God said,

00:25:24.199 --> 00:25:25.039
 Let there be light.

00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:26.359
 Or God said,

00:25:26.439 --> 00:25:29.039
 Let the expanse be between the waters.

00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:31.240
 And day after day after day,

00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:33.720
 the word of God comes to bear

00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:36.639
 on the development of creation.

00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:40.179
 The word of God is also influential

00:25:40.179 --> 00:25:42.500
 in the creation of a nation,

00:25:42.639 --> 00:25:43.899
 the people of God,

00:25:44.379 --> 00:25:45.819
 in Exodus chapter 19.

00:25:45.819 --> 00:25:49.319
 As He's calling out the people

00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:51.519
 at the Mount Sinai

00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:54.859
 and developing a covenant relationship with them.

00:25:55.679 --> 00:25:56.179
 He says,

00:25:56.339 --> 00:25:57.980
 If you obey Me fully

00:25:57.980 --> 00:26:00.000
 and keep My covenant,

00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:01.879
 then out of the nations

00:26:01.879 --> 00:26:03.519
 you will be My treasured possession.

00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:06.839
 Although the whole earth is Mine,

00:26:07.159 --> 00:26:09.659
 you will be for Me a kingdom of priests

00:26:09.659 --> 00:26:11.220
 and a holy nation.

00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:14.419
 These are the words you are to speak

00:26:14.419 --> 00:26:15.519
 to the Israelites.

00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:19.659
 He tells Moses to communicate to the people.

00:26:20.439 --> 00:26:21.839
 It was through the words of God

00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:23.359
 that a nation was established.

00:26:24.519 --> 00:26:25.879
 It was also through the word of God

00:26:25.879 --> 00:26:28.119
 that leaders of Israel were sustained.

00:26:29.099 --> 00:26:32.759
 I remember in Joshua chapter 1 verses 8 and 9,

00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:34.279
 what is this directive to Joshua,

00:26:34.399 --> 00:26:34.980
 this new leader?

00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:35.599
 He says,

00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:38.700
 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth,

00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:41.460
 but you shall meditate on it day and night.

00:26:42.159 --> 00:26:43.919
 And then you will make your way prosperous,

00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:47.160
 and then you will have good success.

00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:52.180
 The future of Israel was also anchored in the word of God.

00:26:52.920 --> 00:26:55.460
 We find that in Deuteronomy chapter 28.

00:26:56.120 --> 00:26:57.380
 If you obey My commands,

00:26:57.539 --> 00:26:59.380
 then these things will happen to you.

00:26:59.380 --> 00:27:02.880
 If you disobey what I tell you this day,

00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:06.240
 then you can expect that these consequences,

00:27:07.020 --> 00:27:08.620
 these curses will come upon you.

00:27:10.360 --> 00:27:11.920
 But front and center for us,

00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:13.380
 near and dear to our hearts,

00:27:14.660 --> 00:27:17.580
 familiar to us is John 1.1,

00:27:17.579 --> 00:27:20.259
 which says,

00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:23.059
 in the beginning was the Word.

00:27:23.899 --> 00:27:25.399
 The Word was with God.

00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:27.099
 The Word was God.

00:27:27.619 --> 00:27:29.939
 He was in the beginning with God.

00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:35.099
 We find the Word of God preeminent in the Gospel of John,

00:27:35.159 --> 00:27:39.500
 and the Word of God preeminent through the prophecy of Isaiah.

00:27:39.500 --> 00:27:39.579
 Isaiah.

00:27:41.420 --> 00:27:46.559
 Jesus was wrapping up His public ministry during the Passion Week,

00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:53.299
 and He calls the people to recognize the seriousness of His Word in John chapter 12,

00:27:53.359 --> 00:27:54.200
 when He says this,

00:27:54.200 --> 00:28:19.980
 What is your response to the Word today?

00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:24.599
 What is the posture of your heart to the Word that God has spoken?

00:28:26.420 --> 00:28:30.079
 God has called His people to respond to His Word,

00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:32.759
 His authoritative Word, His pure Word.

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:36.900
 He's calling the children of Israel to respond.

00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:39.779
 He calls us to respond to that Word as well.

00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:43.720
 But we also find in verse 2,

00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:48.039
 not only is the same Word, but also the same identity.

00:28:48.039 --> 00:28:50.659
 Notice what He calls them here.

00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:53.359
 At the middle of verse 2, He says,

00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:56.639
 Children have I reared and brought up,

00:28:57.079 --> 00:28:59.819
 but they have rebelled against Me.

00:29:00.839 --> 00:29:03.139
 Now that should sound familiar as well.

00:29:03.700 --> 00:29:05.220
 Children of God.

00:29:06.379 --> 00:29:10.379
 He refers to the children of Israel as His children,

00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:12.059
 His prized possession.

00:29:12.059 --> 00:29:18.839
 Now this is an amazing portrait of God's compassion and mercy to a people.

00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:23.299
 Remember, He calls Abraham out of the nations.

00:29:24.200 --> 00:29:28.500
 Now there wasn't anything particularly appealing or attractive about Abraham.

00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:33.679
 He didn't come with a lot of things to offer up to God,

00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:37.419
 but God called him out of this foreign nation,

00:29:37.420 --> 00:29:39.480
 and called him into the land of Canaan,

00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:40.200
 and said,

00:29:40.560 --> 00:29:42.860
 I will make you a people.

00:29:43.740 --> 00:29:45.880
 I will bless those who bless you,

00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:47.759
 and curse those who curse you.

00:29:47.840 --> 00:29:51.039
 In you, all the nations will be blessed, Abraham.

00:29:51.700 --> 00:29:53.880
 I will do this for you.

00:29:54.080 --> 00:29:55.340
 It rests on Me.

00:29:55.420 --> 00:29:57.279
 It doesn't rest on you.

00:29:57.279 --> 00:30:02.839
 So God makes Abraham and the descendants of Abraham,

00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:04.639
 His special people.

00:30:05.819 --> 00:30:09.180
 Those who would represent Him to the nations.

00:30:10.339 --> 00:30:14.319
 Those who would be the conduit of His blessing to all peoples.

00:30:15.139 --> 00:30:17.599
 Those who would be marked by God's favor.

00:30:18.399 --> 00:30:22.700
 Who would enjoy His presence and experience the benefits of His power.

00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:28.279
 There are over 621 times throughout the Old Testament

00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:34.660
 when God refers to this nation as the children of Israel.

00:30:34.860 --> 00:30:36.900
 His special people.

00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:42.160
 They would be a portrait of God to the nations.

00:30:42.840 --> 00:30:44.779
 When people see the children of Israel,

00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:48.240
 they get a picture, a portrait of God Himself.

00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:53.000
 And so, as they represent Him well,

00:30:53.120 --> 00:30:56.319
 they give a clear picture of the God they serve.

00:30:57.900 --> 00:31:02.900
 So God has a vested interest in the purity of His people,

00:31:03.079 --> 00:31:05.920
 and how they mark Him out to the world.

00:31:07.700 --> 00:31:10.180
 Similarly, we find in John 112.

00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:13.079
 What does it say in John 112?

00:31:13.079 --> 00:31:17.220
 But to all who did receive Him,

00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:19.380
 who believed in His name,

00:31:19.579 --> 00:31:24.120
 He gave the right to become children of God.

00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:26.579
 Similar identity.

00:31:28.620 --> 00:31:33.620
 Those who experience the favor in the relationship of God

00:31:33.620 --> 00:31:36.180
 through now the conduit of Jesus Christ.

00:31:36.299 --> 00:31:39.140
 Not through the channel of the symbols

00:31:39.140 --> 00:31:41.299
 and the channel of religion,

00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:43.120
 but through the channel of Christ.

00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:46.480
 He is the seed of Abraham.

00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:49.420
 He is the channel of blessing.

00:31:50.200 --> 00:31:52.380
 He is the source of righteousness.

00:31:53.420 --> 00:31:56.059
 He is the means of acceptance.

00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:59.160
 The perfect fulfillment of the law.

00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:03.799
 He is the one that we can come to,

00:32:04.059 --> 00:32:04.759
 by faith,

00:32:04.860 --> 00:32:08.079
 to experience this relationship with God.

00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:10.799
 This personal relationship,

00:32:10.980 --> 00:32:12.380
 intimate relationship with Him,

00:32:12.380 --> 00:32:15.220
 being called children of the Almighty.

00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:20.240
 This truth blew John away.

00:32:20.840 --> 00:32:22.360
 So that in 1 John he says,

00:32:22.500 --> 00:32:22.980
 Behold,

00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:26.640
 what manner of love the Father has given to us

00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:29.800
 that we might be called the children of God.

00:32:29.799 --> 00:32:32.879
 Can you imagine it?

00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:35.220
 A child of the King.

00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:37.359
 A child of the Almighty.

00:32:38.259 --> 00:32:40.960
 One who experiences the favor of God

00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:42.599
 in relationship with Him.

00:32:42.599 --> 00:32:47.959
 But in spite of that special privilege,

00:32:48.139 --> 00:32:50.699
 in spite of that distinct relationship

00:32:50.699 --> 00:32:52.980
 that set them apart

00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:54.740
 and led them into Canaan

00:32:54.740 --> 00:32:57.079
 and established them as a people,

00:32:57.699 --> 00:32:59.519
 giving them legacy and favor,

00:32:59.679 --> 00:33:01.839
 there was still rebellion in their heart.

00:33:02.379 --> 00:33:04.119
 That leads us to the next point.

00:33:04.219 --> 00:33:06.019
 They have the same heart.

00:33:06.639 --> 00:33:07.799
 The same heart.

00:33:07.799 --> 00:33:10.480
 We can identify with Him

00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:11.759
 because of the same word.

00:33:12.119 --> 00:33:13.399
 We can identify with Him

00:33:13.399 --> 00:33:14.619
 because of the same identity.

00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:16.339
 And let me tell you this morning,

00:33:16.460 --> 00:33:19.259
 you can identify with this group of individuals

00:33:19.259 --> 00:33:21.639
 because you have the same heart.

00:33:22.339 --> 00:33:23.359
 It's unfortunate,

00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:24.599
 but it's true.

00:33:25.639 --> 00:33:27.839
 Let's see their heart here in verse 4.

00:33:28.099 --> 00:33:29.379
 How does the prophet

00:33:29.379 --> 00:33:31.720
 and how does God describe that heart?

00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:34.659
 Ah, sinful nation.

00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:37.240
 A people laden with iniquity.

00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:39.519
 Offspring of evildoers.

00:33:39.940 --> 00:33:41.579
 Children who deal corruptly.

00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:44.019
 They have forsaken the Lord.

00:33:44.139 --> 00:33:46.099
 They have despised the Holy One.

00:33:46.399 --> 00:33:48.579
 They are utterly estranged.

00:33:49.899 --> 00:33:51.960
 Can you resonate a little with that?

00:33:53.159 --> 00:33:55.180
 A heart that tends to be distracted.

00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:59.180
 A heart that tends to be stubborn and willful.

00:34:00.440 --> 00:34:04.159
 It is a deep problem for this people.

00:34:04.539 --> 00:34:07.720
 A people heavy laden.

00:34:07.799 --> 00:34:08.599
 With iniquity.

00:34:09.779 --> 00:34:13.019
 A severe iniquity marked their lives.

00:34:14.039 --> 00:34:15.820
 It was a pervasive problem

00:34:15.820 --> 00:34:17.639
 as we find in verse 5.

00:34:17.739 --> 00:34:18.039
 It says,

00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:21.340
 Why will you still be struck down?

00:34:21.860 --> 00:34:23.440
 Why will you continue to rebel?

00:34:23.579 --> 00:34:25.579
 The whole head is sick

00:34:25.579 --> 00:34:27.440
 and the whole heart faint.

00:34:28.719 --> 00:34:29.659
 As a nation,

00:34:29.840 --> 00:34:33.059
 from the upper classes of the nation

00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:35.179
 to the lowest classes of the nation,

00:34:35.179 --> 00:34:39.719
 they were prevalently antagonistic towards God.

00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:41.739
 It was a pervasive problem.

00:34:42.820 --> 00:34:46.480
 They had forsaken Him wholly as a people.

00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:48.219
 And notice,

00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:50.260
 it's also a painful problem.

00:34:51.179 --> 00:34:52.500
 He points to that in verse 6.

00:34:52.500 --> 00:34:53.139
 Verse 6.

00:34:53.300 --> 00:34:55.820
 From the sole of the foot to the head,

00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:57.420
 there is no soundness in it,

00:34:58.139 --> 00:35:00.900
 but bruises and sores and raw wounds.

00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:04.500
 They are not pressed out or bound up

00:35:04.500 --> 00:35:05.960
 or softened with oil.

00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:07.639
 It created pain.

00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:08.920
 The sin in their life,

00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:11.340
 the rebellion and hostility towards God

00:35:11.340 --> 00:35:12.159
 led them,

00:35:12.539 --> 00:35:14.480
 led them to suffering,

00:35:14.659 --> 00:35:16.000
 led them to heartache,

00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:17.920
 led them to consequence.

00:35:20.920 --> 00:35:23.840
 And like the people of Israel,

00:35:23.980 --> 00:35:25.099
 we can identify.

00:35:26.900 --> 00:35:29.039
 We know our own tendencies.

00:35:29.240 --> 00:35:30.720
 We know our own hearts.

00:35:30.719 --> 00:35:33.439
 We know how distracted we can be

00:35:33.439 --> 00:35:35.919
 from doing what God has called us to do.

00:35:36.899 --> 00:35:38.739
 We know that even in showing up

00:35:38.739 --> 00:35:39.659
 on a Sunday morning,

00:35:39.779 --> 00:35:41.259
 there are so many other things

00:35:41.259 --> 00:35:42.879
 going on in our minds.

00:35:44.619 --> 00:35:49.679
 There is an outward expression of duty,

00:35:50.139 --> 00:35:51.659
 of going through the motions,

00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:56.439
 but in the center of our hearts,

00:35:56.559 --> 00:35:58.079
 there is not alignment with God.

00:35:58.799 --> 00:36:00.659
 Do you see that to be true in your life?

00:36:00.659 --> 00:36:01.980
 As I do in mine at times.

00:36:02.819 --> 00:36:04.539
 The devotion that you desire

00:36:04.539 --> 00:36:06.139
 to be true of your life

00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:08.239
 ends up being mechanical,

00:36:09.460 --> 00:36:11.460
 ends up being routine,

00:36:12.259 --> 00:36:13.599
 ends up being empty.

00:36:14.339 --> 00:36:15.699
 You're going through the motions,

00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:18.000
 but there is no true heart

00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:19.719
 of love or devotion to God.

00:36:21.619 --> 00:36:23.440
 Certainly that is what is happening

00:36:23.440 --> 00:36:25.299
 with this group of individuals.

00:36:26.219 --> 00:36:29.059
 We find that they're going through the motions.

00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:34.179
 We see that here in verse 11 of chapter 1.

00:36:34.279 --> 00:36:38.460
 Notice the result of their mechanical worship.

00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:40.279
 What does it do for God?

00:36:41.579 --> 00:36:44.179
 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices,

00:36:44.719 --> 00:36:45.460
 says the Lord?

00:36:46.139 --> 00:36:48.559
 I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams

00:36:48.559 --> 00:36:51.000
 and of the fat of well-fed beasts.

00:36:51.079 --> 00:36:53.400
 I do not delight in the blood of bulls

00:36:53.400 --> 00:36:54.500
 or lambs or of goats.

00:36:54.500 --> 00:36:56.880
 When you come to appear before me,

00:36:57.019 --> 00:36:58.159
 who has required of you

00:36:58.159 --> 00:36:59.820
 this trampling of my courts?

00:37:00.820 --> 00:37:02.800
 Bring no more vain offerings.

00:37:03.500 --> 00:37:04.920
 Incense is an abomination.

00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:06.780
 The new moon and the Sabbath

00:37:06.780 --> 00:37:07.820
 and the calling of conversations

00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:09.679
 or convocations.

00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:11.719
 I cannot endure iniquity

00:37:11.719 --> 00:37:13.619
 and solemn assembly.

00:37:13.619 --> 00:37:16.539
 And you ask yourself the question,

00:37:16.679 --> 00:37:17.339
 wait a second,

00:37:17.500 --> 00:37:19.440
 they're doing all the right things.

00:37:20.699 --> 00:37:22.900
 They're going through all the right procedures.

00:37:23.940 --> 00:37:26.799
 They have all the right rituals in place

00:37:26.799 --> 00:37:30.980
 and yet their heart is out of sync with God.

00:37:32.159 --> 00:37:34.339
 And God knows that to be true of their life.

00:37:34.340 --> 00:37:39.860
 Listen to the language of God

00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:43.079
 as He speaks to them

00:37:43.079 --> 00:37:45.600
 in verse 11 through 15.

00:37:45.720 --> 00:37:50.120
 It is a language of unwillingness

00:37:50.120 --> 00:37:52.380
 to be appeased by outward religion.

00:37:53.640 --> 00:37:56.340
 He is not satisfied with duty and obligation.

00:37:57.460 --> 00:38:00.820
 He is not convinced by counterfeit obedience.

00:38:00.820 --> 00:38:05.960
 As if we could pretend and mislead Him.

00:38:06.720 --> 00:38:10.059
 As if we could play games and deceive our God.

00:38:10.300 --> 00:38:11.700
 He sees the heart.

00:38:12.780 --> 00:38:16.360
 He is not fooled by what is happening in your heart.

00:38:18.760 --> 00:38:21.519
 John chapter 2 gives us a glimpse of Jesus

00:38:21.519 --> 00:38:22.960
 coming into the temple.

00:38:23.120 --> 00:38:25.300
 Remember that in John chapter 2

00:38:25.300 --> 00:38:27.019
 at the beginning of Jesus' ministry?

00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:30.180
 All of the things are in place.

00:38:30.179 --> 00:38:32.339
 The temple is built correctly.

00:38:32.779 --> 00:38:34.859
 The right people are manning their stations.

00:38:35.139 --> 00:38:37.059
 The right furniture is in place

00:38:37.059 --> 00:38:39.319
 with the altars and the utensils.

00:38:39.579 --> 00:38:41.199
 And all of the things are happening

00:38:41.199 --> 00:38:41.879
 the way they should.

00:38:41.980 --> 00:38:42.480
 And yet,

00:38:43.579 --> 00:38:45.460
 Jesus identifies a heart

00:38:45.460 --> 00:38:47.799
 that is out of sync with true worship.

00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:51.500
 And so He purges the temple.

00:38:52.259 --> 00:38:53.599
 He purifies it.

00:38:53.599 --> 00:38:57.920
 And zeal for the house of the Lord

00:38:57.920 --> 00:38:59.119
 consumed Him

00:38:59.119 --> 00:39:01.420
 and compelled Jesus to action.

00:39:03.000 --> 00:39:05.579
 Where is your heart today?

00:39:07.079 --> 00:39:10.579
 Where is your devotion to God?

00:39:10.799 --> 00:39:13.019
 Do you find yourself playing games

00:39:13.019 --> 00:39:15.960
 as sometimes I find myself doing?

00:39:15.960 --> 00:39:18.500
 God is not deceived.

00:39:18.699 --> 00:39:22.400
 He is not fooled by your mechanical worship.

00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:24.559
 Don't convince yourself

00:39:24.559 --> 00:39:26.320
 that you are deceiving Him.

00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:28.740
 But fortunately for us,

00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:29.480
 there is mercy.

00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:30.960
 And that is the next point.

00:39:31.619 --> 00:39:33.519
 There is mercy that we find

00:39:33.519 --> 00:39:35.900
 from verses 16 to 18.

00:39:36.139 --> 00:39:38.280
 The same mercy that was available

00:39:38.280 --> 00:39:40.480
 to this rebel people

00:39:40.480 --> 00:39:41.900
 is available to us.

00:39:41.900 --> 00:39:45.940
 Notice in verse 16 what it says.

00:39:47.440 --> 00:39:48.340
 Wash yourselves.

00:39:49.519 --> 00:39:50.720
 Make yourselves clean.

00:39:50.960 --> 00:39:53.160
 Remove the evil of your deeds

00:39:53.160 --> 00:39:54.420
 from before my eyes.

00:39:55.200 --> 00:39:56.320
 Cease to do evil.

00:39:56.519 --> 00:39:57.619
 Learn to do good.

00:39:57.980 --> 00:39:58.800
 Seek justice.

00:39:58.980 --> 00:39:59.820
 Correct oppression.

00:40:00.320 --> 00:40:01.980
 Bring justice to the fatherless.

00:40:02.300 --> 00:40:04.079
 Plead the cause of the widows.

00:40:05.440 --> 00:40:08.619
 Now, Isaiah is not talking about self-help.

00:40:09.059 --> 00:40:10.720
 He's not talking about you

00:40:10.719 --> 00:40:12.539
 getting your own life together.

00:40:12.679 --> 00:40:13.739
 But what he's talking about

00:40:13.739 --> 00:40:15.559
 is you having the right posture.

00:40:16.459 --> 00:40:17.759
 You aligning your heart

00:40:17.759 --> 00:40:18.619
 in the right way.

00:40:19.879 --> 00:40:21.919
 And then the remedy will come.

00:40:22.859 --> 00:40:24.219
 We find that remedy

00:40:24.219 --> 00:40:25.859
 in the following verses.

00:40:26.839 --> 00:40:28.500
 In verse 18, it says,

00:40:28.639 --> 00:40:31.239
 Now come, let us reason together,

00:40:31.319 --> 00:40:31.799
 says the Lord.

00:40:31.899 --> 00:40:34.419
 Though your sins are like scarlet,

00:40:34.480 --> 00:40:35.779
 they shall be as white as snow.

00:40:36.419 --> 00:40:38.519
 Though they are red like crimson,

00:40:38.519 --> 00:40:41.199
 they shall become like wool.

00:40:42.380 --> 00:40:44.300
 The stain of your life

00:40:44.300 --> 00:40:48.500
 can be corrected by the God of love,

00:40:48.579 --> 00:40:49.400
 the God of mercy,

00:40:49.519 --> 00:40:50.460
 the God of forgiveness.

00:40:51.880 --> 00:40:53.579
 That same God of mercy

00:40:53.579 --> 00:40:56.019
 who is active in the Old Testament.

00:40:56.639 --> 00:40:57.940
 We see him here

00:40:57.940 --> 00:41:00.099
 is also active in the New Testament,

00:41:00.500 --> 00:41:02.219
 forgiving and showing mercy

00:41:02.219 --> 00:41:05.300
 to those who have a heart

00:41:05.300 --> 00:41:06.840
 to be cleansed and forgiven.

00:41:06.840 --> 00:41:09.560
 Who are changing the posture

00:41:09.560 --> 00:41:10.240
 of their life

00:41:10.240 --> 00:41:11.180
 in repentance

00:41:11.180 --> 00:41:12.519
 and turning away

00:41:12.519 --> 00:41:14.320
 from those things of life

00:41:14.320 --> 00:41:15.700
 that were detrimental

00:41:15.700 --> 00:41:17.360
 and ungodly

00:41:17.360 --> 00:41:19.000
 and turning towards the things

00:41:19.000 --> 00:41:20.180
 that please him.

00:41:22.600 --> 00:41:24.740
 God brings mercy

00:41:24.740 --> 00:41:26.280
 and forgiveness

00:41:26.280 --> 00:41:27.180
 and cleansing

00:41:27.180 --> 00:41:29.580
 to those whose hearts

00:41:29.580 --> 00:41:31.320
 desire to be clean.

00:41:31.320 --> 00:41:33.780
 And finally,

00:41:34.160 --> 00:41:36.380
 there is the same judgment.

00:41:37.380 --> 00:41:39.200
 The same judgment.

00:41:40.280 --> 00:41:43.340
 We find that in verses 21 to 31,

00:41:43.480 --> 00:41:45.660
 but particularly in verse 26.

00:41:47.280 --> 00:41:48.360
 It says,

00:41:48.740 --> 00:41:50.200
 But rebels and sinners

00:41:50.200 --> 00:41:52.160
 shall be broken together,

00:41:52.700 --> 00:41:55.320
 and those who forsake the Lord

00:41:55.320 --> 00:41:57.400
 shall be consumed.

00:41:58.360 --> 00:41:59.780
 For they shall be ashamed

00:41:59.780 --> 00:42:00.560
 of the oaks

00:42:00.560 --> 00:42:01.400
 that you have desired,

00:42:01.540 --> 00:42:02.740
 and you shall blush

00:42:02.740 --> 00:42:03.380
 for the gardens

00:42:03.380 --> 00:42:04.200
 that you have chosen.

00:42:05.260 --> 00:42:07.120
 For you shall be like an oak

00:42:07.120 --> 00:42:09.760
 whose leaf withers

00:42:09.760 --> 00:42:10.620
 and like a garden

00:42:10.620 --> 00:42:11.400
 without water.

00:42:12.060 --> 00:42:14.019
 The strong shall become tender,

00:42:14.360 --> 00:42:15.960
 and his work a spark,

00:42:16.220 --> 00:42:17.120
 and both of them

00:42:17.120 --> 00:42:18.080
 shall burn together

00:42:18.080 --> 00:42:18.780
 with none

00:42:18.780 --> 00:42:20.400
 to quench them.

00:42:23.019 --> 00:42:23.980
 Verse 17.

00:42:24.080 --> 00:42:25.380
 Let me read that one as well.

00:42:25.380 --> 00:42:27.200
 Zion will be redeemed

00:42:27.200 --> 00:42:28.100
 by justice,

00:42:28.099 --> 00:42:30.039
 and those in her

00:42:30.039 --> 00:42:30.860
 who repent

00:42:30.860 --> 00:42:32.599
 by righteousness.

00:42:34.219 --> 00:42:35.779
 God's word will stand

00:42:35.779 --> 00:42:37.679
 in that he will purify

00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:38.460
 his people.

00:42:39.639 --> 00:42:40.799
 He will purify those

00:42:40.799 --> 00:42:41.319
 whose hearts

00:42:41.319 --> 00:42:42.400
 are turned to him,

00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:44.059
 and he will extinguish

00:42:44.059 --> 00:42:45.559
 those whose hearts

00:42:45.559 --> 00:42:47.380
 are turned away from him.

00:42:48.799 --> 00:42:50.259
 God will punish

00:42:50.259 --> 00:42:52.099
 according to his standard.

00:42:52.639 --> 00:42:54.339
 He will purify a people

00:42:54.339 --> 00:42:55.339
 whose hearts

00:42:55.339 --> 00:42:56.420
 are committed to him.

00:42:56.420 --> 00:42:59.019
 But he will extinguish

00:42:59.019 --> 00:42:59.940
 the hearts of those

00:42:59.940 --> 00:43:02.119
 who rebel against him.

00:43:03.280 --> 00:43:04.099
 He is holy.

00:43:05.320 --> 00:43:07.740
 His standard will go forward.

00:43:08.019 --> 00:43:09.519
 He is the pure

00:43:09.519 --> 00:43:10.539
 and radiant one,

00:43:10.680 --> 00:43:11.940
 the holy one,

00:43:12.360 --> 00:43:14.119
 who will have his way

00:43:14.119 --> 00:43:14.960
 in his people.

00:43:16.559 --> 00:43:17.639
 They will not be polluted.

00:43:18.780 --> 00:43:19.980
 He will purify them.

00:43:21.139 --> 00:43:23.220
 We see the same concept,

00:43:23.440 --> 00:43:24.500
 the similar statement

00:43:24.500 --> 00:43:26.139
 in John chapter 15.

00:43:26.980 --> 00:43:28.199
 In John 15,

00:43:28.280 --> 00:43:29.500
 verses 1 and 2,

00:43:29.539 --> 00:43:30.219
 it says this,

00:43:30.219 --> 00:43:31.539
 I am the vine,

00:43:32.099 --> 00:43:33.079
 and my Father

00:43:33.079 --> 00:43:34.260
 is the vine dresser.

00:43:35.179 --> 00:43:36.199
 Every branch in me

00:43:36.199 --> 00:43:37.199
 that does not bear fruit,

00:43:37.280 --> 00:43:37.920
 he takes away.

00:43:38.639 --> 00:43:39.699
 And every branch

00:43:39.699 --> 00:43:40.860
 that does bear fruit,

00:43:40.980 --> 00:43:41.699
 he prunes

00:43:41.699 --> 00:43:43.039
 that it may bear

00:43:43.039 --> 00:43:44.139
 more fruit.

00:43:44.940 --> 00:43:46.099
 Does that sound familiar?

00:43:46.980 --> 00:43:49.260
 The gracious hand of God

00:43:49.260 --> 00:43:50.960
 in moving his people

00:43:50.960 --> 00:43:52.380
 towards righteousness,

00:43:52.380 --> 00:43:54.680
 towards his righteous standard,

00:43:54.800 --> 00:43:56.059
 coming alongside them

00:43:56.059 --> 00:43:57.780
 and removing those parts

00:43:57.780 --> 00:43:58.599
 of their life

00:43:58.599 --> 00:43:59.980
 that are keeping them

00:43:59.980 --> 00:44:01.200
 distracted and impure,

00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:03.940
 but then purifying

00:44:03.940 --> 00:44:04.579
 his people,

00:44:05.280 --> 00:44:06.360
 those whose hearts

00:44:06.360 --> 00:44:08.019
 are wicked

00:44:08.019 --> 00:44:09.640
 and hostile towards him

00:44:09.640 --> 00:44:10.820
 and removing them

00:44:10.820 --> 00:44:11.460
 from his sight.

00:44:12.740 --> 00:44:14.039
 God has a holy standard

00:44:14.039 --> 00:44:15.220
 and we'll find that

00:44:15.220 --> 00:44:16.460
 through this study

00:44:16.460 --> 00:44:17.019
 in Isaiah,

00:44:17.019 --> 00:44:19.639
 God can be trusted

00:44:19.639 --> 00:44:20.579
 to carry out

00:44:20.579 --> 00:44:21.400
 his word.

00:44:21.500 --> 00:44:22.440
 But there is mercy,

00:44:23.179 --> 00:44:24.340
 there is forgiveness

00:44:24.340 --> 00:44:25.920
 for those who

00:44:25.920 --> 00:44:27.039
 turn their hearts

00:44:27.039 --> 00:44:27.880
 towards him

00:44:27.880 --> 00:44:29.019
 and ask him

00:44:29.019 --> 00:44:29.679
 for forgiveness

00:44:29.679 --> 00:44:31.440
 and the righteousness

00:44:31.440 --> 00:44:32.019
 of Christ

00:44:32.019 --> 00:44:32.619
 will robe

00:44:32.619 --> 00:44:33.480
 their lives.

00:44:35.119 --> 00:44:36.639
 As we look at this

00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:38.400
 book together,

00:44:39.239 --> 00:44:40.820
 I want us to understand

00:44:40.820 --> 00:44:42.579
 that there is

00:44:42.579 --> 00:44:43.139
 relevance,

00:44:43.500 --> 00:44:44.000
 there is

00:44:44.000 --> 00:44:45.500
 nearness,

00:44:45.500 --> 00:44:47.219
 there is proximity

00:44:47.219 --> 00:44:49.760
 to this book of Isaiah

00:44:49.760 --> 00:44:50.639
 and as we look at it

00:44:50.639 --> 00:44:50.980
 together,

00:44:51.119 --> 00:44:52.159
 we'll be reminded

00:44:52.159 --> 00:44:53.460
 of who our God is

00:44:53.460 --> 00:44:54.679
 and who we are

00:44:54.679 --> 00:44:55.320
 as people

00:44:55.320 --> 00:44:57.519
 and how we need

00:44:57.519 --> 00:44:58.880
 to come

00:44:58.880 --> 00:44:59.760
 and to worship

00:44:59.760 --> 00:45:00.840
 and to adore

00:45:00.840 --> 00:45:02.260
 our God.

00:45:02.619 --> 00:45:03.139
 Let's pray.

00:45:06.139 --> 00:45:07.119
 Father, we thank you

00:45:07.119 --> 00:45:07.659
 this morning

00:45:07.659 --> 00:45:09.800
 for the book of Isaiah.

00:45:10.539 --> 00:45:11.420
 We understand

00:45:11.420 --> 00:45:12.059
 that there are

00:45:12.059 --> 00:45:13.219
 so many unfamiliar

00:45:13.219 --> 00:45:13.760
 concepts.

00:45:13.880 --> 00:45:14.440
 We pray, Lord,

00:45:14.440 --> 00:45:15.039
 that you would be

00:45:15.039 --> 00:45:16.000
 gracious to us

00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:17.480
 to help us

00:45:17.480 --> 00:45:18.760
 sift through

00:45:18.760 --> 00:45:20.019
 those and come

00:45:20.019 --> 00:45:20.519
 to grips

00:45:20.519 --> 00:45:22.019
 with the way

00:45:22.019 --> 00:45:22.659
 that this connects

00:45:22.659 --> 00:45:23.700
 our heart to yourself.

00:45:25.300 --> 00:45:26.400
 May we stand

00:45:26.400 --> 00:45:27.119
 in awe

00:45:27.119 --> 00:45:28.320
 of your glory.

00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:29.960
 May we stand

00:45:29.960 --> 00:45:30.380
 in awe

00:45:30.380 --> 00:45:31.099
 of your character,

00:45:31.260 --> 00:45:33.039
 your personhood.

00:45:34.300 --> 00:45:34.780
 May we come

00:45:34.780 --> 00:45:35.200
 to grips

00:45:35.200 --> 00:45:36.019
 with who we are

00:45:36.019 --> 00:45:36.700
 as individuals,

00:45:37.400 --> 00:45:38.220
 as broken,

00:45:38.920 --> 00:45:39.539
 as rebels,

00:45:40.320 --> 00:45:40.980
 as needing

00:45:40.980 --> 00:45:42.119
 a savior,

00:45:42.240 --> 00:45:42.920
 a deliverer.

00:45:42.920 --> 00:45:44.300
 thank you

00:45:44.300 --> 00:45:44.619
 that you are

00:45:44.619 --> 00:45:45.420
 a God of mercy,

00:45:46.260 --> 00:45:47.099
 a God who forgives.

00:45:48.019 --> 00:45:48.539
 We pray,

00:45:49.240 --> 00:45:49.920
 Lord, this morning

00:45:49.920 --> 00:45:50.659
 if there are any

00:45:50.659 --> 00:45:51.980
 in our midst

00:45:51.980 --> 00:45:52.780
 who do not know you

00:45:52.780 --> 00:45:53.400
 as their savior,

00:45:54.760 --> 00:45:55.340
 God, that they would

00:45:55.340 --> 00:45:56.539
 enter into relationship

00:45:56.539 --> 00:45:57.019
 with you

00:45:57.019 --> 00:45:58.119
 through faith in Jesus.

00:45:59.280 --> 00:46:00.220
 Thank you for that

00:46:00.220 --> 00:46:01.980
 precious privilege

00:46:01.980 --> 00:46:02.900
 of being called

00:46:02.900 --> 00:46:03.500
 children

00:46:03.500 --> 00:46:04.760
 of God.

00:46:05.420 --> 00:46:06.139
 And we ask

00:46:06.139 --> 00:46:06.559
 that you would be

00:46:06.559 --> 00:46:07.820
 pleased through our time

00:46:07.820 --> 00:46:08.680
 in Isaiah

00:46:08.679 --> 00:46:09.859
 and through the rest

00:46:09.859 --> 00:46:10.259
 of this week

00:46:10.259 --> 00:46:11.279
 as we go

00:46:11.279 --> 00:46:12.000
 to our various

00:46:12.000 --> 00:46:12.679
 small groups

00:46:12.679 --> 00:46:13.519
 this evening

00:46:13.519 --> 00:46:15.159
 and as we engage

00:46:15.159 --> 00:46:15.759
 our community

00:46:15.759 --> 00:46:16.460
 through the week.

00:46:17.159 --> 00:46:18.480
 May we show Christ

00:46:18.480 --> 00:46:19.879
 through our lives.

00:46:20.399 --> 00:46:21.379
 We pray in Jesus' name.

00:46:21.819 --> 00:46:22.079
 Amen.

00:46:22.079 --> 00:46:22.199
 Amen.

00:46:22.199 --> 00:46:22.199


00:46:22.199 --> 00:46:23.319
 Amen.

00:46:23.319 --> 00:46:23.319


00:46:23.319 --> 00:46:23.319


00:46:23.319 --> 00:46:23.319


00:46:23.319 --> 00:46:23.319


00:46:23.319 --> 00:46:23.319


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00:46:23.319 --> 00:46:23.319


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00:46:23.319 --> 00:46:23.319


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