›Isaiah 63:7-14
›A Forgetful People
7 I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD,
the praises of the LORD,
according to all that the LORD has granted us,
and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that he has granted them according to his compassion,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
8 For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely.”
And he became their Savior.
9 In all their affliction he was afflicted,
and the angel of his presence saved them;
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit;
therefore he turned to be their enemy,
and himself fought against them.
(Isaiah 63:7-10, ESV)
11 Then he remembered the days of old,
of Moses and his people.
Where is he who brought them up out of the sea
with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them
his Holy Spirit,
12 who caused his glorious arm
to go at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
to make for himself an everlasting name,
13 who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
they did not stumble.
14 Like livestock that go down into the valley,
the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest.
So you led your people,
to make for yourself a glorious name.|
(Isaiah 63:11-14, ESV)
›Main Point
› These verses reflect on the ways of God
› They rejected God spurning the hand that held them
› This caused enmity between God and His people
› They remember that God was with them
› When compared to their own devices, God’s ways are far greater than their own
Application Points
›A Forgetful People
– Isaiah has a way of speaking to the people that it is hard to remember the historical context
– Their society sounds far too similar to our own
– It is not that history repeats, but that people do not change
– The ancients experience with God was wonderful
– He provided for the people all their needs
– What occurred? Rebellion
– The people who experienced God and still rebelled against Him
– Sinfulness is rebellion by definition
– We have been given our own Law which that freedom should adhere to
– While nature is not free to disobey its laws, we are
– The sun will continue to shine until it’s energy has been depleted…it will not choose to stop shining
Application Points
›A Forgetful People (2)
– Humans, however, are quire different
– We openly reject the Law which is given
– Rebels is the right word to use
– Just as it was for them so it is with us
– We find ourselves squandering all that He gives
– We owe all loyalty to God yet we rebel because we prefer sin, darkness, pride, rather than what is good
– “Surely we’re different! We have Christ!”
– We are living in a different time, after the coming of the Servant
– How often is it that Christ Himself is our Exodus?
– How many times is the temptation there to say, “No more.”
– I see many people who turn away from the fruit of all goodness, prefer the ways of the world rather than God
Application Points
›A Forgetful People (3)
– If one were to look at the state of Christian music today, one would be hard pressed to find many faithful artists
– What is causing these individuals to falter?
– To spurn the Exodus of our souls and the love of God?
– It’s not just the artists
– I know of a man who was actively involved in his Church
– He now has a running group who drinks
– He says that he experiences the same feeling of fellowship with them
– How is it that we have so many who are so interested in what is spiritual, yet being misled by demons?
– Another individual I know actively seeking…now she’s a Wiccan
– Ancient paganism is rearing its ugly head at an alarming rate
Application Points
›A Forgetful People (4)
– Is it happening because people are different, or is it happening because people are exactly the same?
– Is this not something new, but something quite common
– What we are seeing is the same thing Isaiah saw
– A people who have redemption right in front of them, and then shut the door
– They prefer the prison cell of sin rather than the freedom found in the love of God
– A few weeks ago we had our friends from family life here
– We were reminded of the necessity of perseverance
– He warned of those running so well only to be moved from their present course
– The world will seek to eat you up and spit you out
– It will seek to enlist you into open rebellion against God
– We have every reason to consider these words from Isaiah
– We would be wise to take heed from their own failures, as to not stumble into the same pits, traps, and snares
–
“17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.”
(Romans 11:17-24, ESV)
Application Points
›A Forgetful People (5)
– Paul recognizes what Isaiah says in this passage
– God loves you, He saved you…but you spurned Him
– Kindness to redeem
– Severity to those who would rebel
– We have every reason to consider Paul’s warning
– Remember God’s kindness
– Thanks be to God that we have the memory of them, for it reminds us God has done incredible things
– The past reminds us that no darkness is stronger than His light
– We are a repetitious people
– We can find freedom from our rebellion by recognizing He alone is King
– Let us join Isaiah in recognizing what God has done, so we can know His great love here and now
Application Points
› The Gospel of Christ
– Origins
– Fall
– Redemption
– Glorification
