“The Lord Excels in Wisdom”
[Isaiah 28:14-29]
May 19, 2019, Second Reformed Church
Last week, our text returned to the time of Isaiah’s life – about 722 B. C. We saw that the Assyrians conquered Israel except for Samaria and since the Samaritans found being drunk all the time more important and enjoyable than knowing and obeying God’s Word, God sent the Assyrians to conquer them and take most of the people into captivity. God gave the remnant a chance to obey, but they did not, so the Assyrians came back and slaughtered them.
This morning’s text turns to Jerusalem in Judah – just south of Samaria. And we see two things – and we’ll walk through the text.
First, if you fight God, you’ll lose.
“Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem!”
One of the purposes of God disciplining Israel and Samaria is to get Israel to repent and obey God. But the leaders of Jerusalem – along with the people – look at what happens to Israel and Samaria and say, “That was them. God will never allow the destruction of Jerusalem, the Holy City. We’re safe, not matter how angry God may get, God will not strike us, because God will look bad if His city falls. Besides which, we have made a strong alliance with Egypt, and, together, no one can defeat us.”
“Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter’;”
They said, “We have an agreement with death and Sheol – because we are Jerusalem – the Holy City of God – death and Sheol can never take us. Death can’t touch us. God has to protect us to keep His reputation safe. Even as God brings down the whip on all the others who have disobeyed, He will not come after us, because we are Jerusalem.”
In the fifth century A. D., the Holy Roman Empire and the Eternal City of Rome said something very similar. God allowed them to conquer all the nations around the Mediterranean Sea, and they thought they were invincible – protected by God so they would never be able to fall. And yet, in 476 A. D., the barbarians did just that –they overthrew Rome.
There are different people and cults that say the United States can never fall because it is a special country to God. Be assured, God can allow the United States to be destroyed, and He would be absolutely just to allow this country to be conquered.
On an individual level, we have experienced scenes like this: a parent and child in the supermarket, and the child runs ahead, smashing jars on the floor. The parent comes at the child, and the child says, “You can’t touch me, I’ll call DYFS!” And God says to Jerusalem, “Do you want to make a bet!”
“therefore thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: “Whoever believes will not be in haste.”’”
God tells them, “Your agreements are worthless. I laid the foundation in Zion. Salvation is Mine. You are My creation.”
Peter explains that God’s words are fulfilled in Jesus:
“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:
“’Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’
“So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“’The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’
“and
“’A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’
“They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do” (I Peter 2:4-8, ESV).
Similiarly, Solomon writes, “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:1-2, ESV).
If you think God doesn’t care what you do because you’re a believer, you’re wrong.
If you think God will wink at your sin because you’re a believer, you’re wrong.
If you think you have something or believe something that will keep God from disciplining you for your sin, your wrong.
Jerusalem has sinfully, foolishly, convinced themselves that God will never touch them, and they are tragically wrong.
God says,
“’And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.’
“Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it.
“As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.
“For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in.”
God says, in righteousness, He will evaluate Jerusalem, and if they are lacking – if they are sinners, He will rain down hail upon them. Hail will come down until Jerusalem is flattened. The whip will come down on Jerusalem, and it will come down and come down and come down, until they are so terrified by its sting – maybe then, they will understand what God has commanded them.
Then God says that the protection they think they have in Egypt and in their place before God is like a bed that is too short and a blanket that is too small – you don’t fit – it doesn’t work for you – there is no comfort or rest in it.
Then God refers to two historical events in their history to give them an idea of what is coming:
“For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work!”
They remember that through the men of God and through the control of nature, God easily defeats His enemies and the enemies of His people. And since Jerusalem is become His enemy, they will receive this type of treatment.
First, we read:
“When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?’ And the LORD said to David, ‘Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.’ And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, ‘The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.’ Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.
“And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, ‘You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.’ And David did as the LORD commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer” (II Samuel 5:17-25, ESV).
Second, we read:
“And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, ‘Do not relax your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us.’ So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.’ So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. And the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword” (Joshua 10:6-11, ESV).
“Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord GOD of hosts against the whole land.”
And in 586 B. C., God gave Jerusalem into the hands of the Babylonians, and they destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple and took the people into exile.
Second, discipline is not forever.
Isaiah then gives them three pictures showing why discipline is not forever:
First:
“Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech. Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? Does he continually open and harrow his ground? When he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter dill, sow cumin, and put in wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and emmer as the border? For he is rightly instructed; his God teaches him.”
Isaiah asks Jerusalem if a farmer continually digs up the ground of his farm day after day. And the answer is “no.” If you have ever had a garden, you dig up the soil – break it up and aerate it – and then you plant something and do not keep digging up the dirt – otherwise, you’d kill whatever you are trying to grow.
Discipline is like this: it is harsh and tearing, but it does not continue forever – there is an end so something new can grow.
Second:
“Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin, but dill is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod.”
Isaiah asks Jerusalem if every plant – every crop – is harvested the same way. And the answer is “no.” Each crop is harvested in a different way – crops are harvested in a way that is suitable to the crop.
If you have grown a field of wheat, you wouldn’t pick each kernel of wheat off the stalk by hand – rather, there is a machine that you can drive through the field that breaks them loose.
If you have a field of strawberries, you wouldn’t use a machine that roughly beats the strawberries off the vines. No, you would gently pick the strawberries off the vine.
Similarly, each person – each nation – is disciplined by God in the way that is suitable to that person or nation – the way that will achieve the results that God intends.
Third:
“Does one crush grain for bread? No, he does not thresh it forever; when he drives his cart wheel over it with his horses, he does not crush it.”
Again, Isaiah askes Jerusalem if the farmer threshes the grain forever. Does the farmer use the right method of harvesting and continue to use it on the same grain over and over without end. Again, the answer is “no.” The grain is harvested in the appropriate way and it is made ready in the way and time necessary – no longer.
God disciplines with the proper method and the proper amount of time to achieve the results He intends – reconciliation and restoration.
When we are under the discipline of God, we need to remember that God is using the method that He knows will work with us, and He will continue that discipline only for the amount of time that is necessary. The Lord excels in wisdom and always accomplishes His goals by the best method.
“This also comes from the LORD of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.”
Jerusalem would spend seventy years in captivity and then be returned to the land.
Wisdom knows how to achieve its desired results. And God knows what best accomplishes His purposes.
The result would be accomplished with Jerusalem. Will it be accomplished with you and me? God has promised us joy in Jesus if we obey. Still, we sin and need to receive our loving Father’s discipline – He would not discipline us if He didn’t love us. Let us acknowledge the wisdom of God and strive by God the Holy Spirit to follow God in obedience and in the Name of Jesus. And let us always run to our Father and ask Him to forgive us for our sin.
Keep what Paul wrote in mind:
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“’For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’
“’Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’
“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:33-36, ESV).
Let us pray:
Almighty God, the author of Hebrews tells us, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11, ESV). We thank you for the witness of Your dealings with Jerusalem, and we ask that You would help us to follow after You in holiness and to submit to Your discipline when we sin, knowing that You excel in wisdom and will do what is best for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment