“The Ransomed Return”
[Isaiah 35:1-10]
August 25, 2019, Second Reformed Church
Last week we looked at the holiness and power and justice of the Lord in subjecting all those who never believe in Jesus as God and Savior to judgment. We saw that God would not hesitate to bring down the full wrath that is deserved by each one who never believes. And we saw that the Creation will become full of thistles and thorns and the wild animals will take over inhabiting the land.
In this morning’s text, we turn to look at what will happen on the last day to the redeemed. Those people who do believe in Jesus savingly – confessing Him with their mouths and hearts as God and Savior – these are the redeemed. And what does it mean to be “redeemed?”
Many of us will remember “green stamps” or “trading stamps” and how you would collect them and then once you got enough of them pasted in your book, you would redeemed them for an exciting gift – like a hair drier or a flashlight. The “green stamps” paid the price to set the blackhead remover free from the store and into your hands.
Paul explains to the Galatians: “In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:3-7, ESV).
And he tells Titus: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14, ESV).
And we are ransomed – John hears the choir sing:
“And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth’” (Revelation 5:9-10, ESV).
So, all we who believe that Jesus is God the Savior do so because Jesus has redeemed us from lawlessness and impurity and the punishment that goes with it by giving Himself to be sacrificed for us – on our behalf. He has ransomed us from that future by His Blood.
We are looking at what will happen with regards to the redeemed – the ransomed of the Lord.
And we see, the Glory of the Lord transforms the Creation.
“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God.”
Whereas the wicked – who never believe in Jesus savingly – find the Creation curling up and becoming all the more inhospitable to them, those that Jesus has ransomed from the curse of the Law will find the Creation restored – bright and beautiful – ready to meet them and greet them – bubbling over with joy and full of singing.
The initial hope for the people of Judah – who have yet to be conquered and taken into captivity – is that God will bring them back. After the right time of discipline in exile, the Father Who loves them will bring them back to the land – and the land will welcome them – the glory of the Lord will be seen in the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple and the vegetation and the animals will burst forth in continuous bloom and life and fruitfulness.
Still there is a greater hope for all we who believe. As Peter preaches to the Jews, he says:
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago” (Acts 3:19-21, ESV).
Paul says this as well, “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:19-23, ESV).
Habakkuk say: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14, ESV).
When the glory of the Lord fills the earth and the Kingdom has come in its fullness and the Creation is restored – never more to die or fade away – but glorious as the resurrected and changed bodies of we believers, there will be no hint of sin or evil or death or corruption – all will be well. All will be well.
In marriage and in the moment that the Creation that takes our breath away, in the birth of a baby, we have glimpses of the glorious Kingdom that is coming – the glory of the Lord brighter than the brightest brightness from every direction, casting shadows away.
God said it. It will be. The day will come. The Glory of the Lord will transform the Creation – including us – as the Kingdom comes in all its fullness.
Second, God will save His people – so don’t fear.
“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.’”
Judah would spend seventy years in captivity.
As different captors came along, their lives would improve in captivity, but they were still captive – they were still separated from the land and worship in the Temple.
The Psalmist tells us that some of the captors were psychologically and emotionally cruel:
“By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there, we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’” (Psalm 137:1-3, ESV).
Have you ever come to a time when you seemed trapped? When you didn’t know how to recover what you loved? A time of sorrow – of beating your breasts – perhaps even considering hurting yourself as a way out?
We may have not suffered in captivity – or, for example, in the Holocaust – but on some level…
God says to you: “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”
God will settle all accounts – through Jesus or on those who never believe. But if you are a believer, God is bringing grace – He has given you grace. He has saved you through the Blood of Jesus. Jesus is preparing a place for you in the Kingdom. Don’t be afraid – no matter what happens – God has you – you are His.
And so God prepares the Israelite captives and us, telling us to trust in Him – in all that He has said. Know the God Who has saved you and understand that He cannot fail you because He is God!
And then He gives us work to do – He doesn’t say, “believe in Me and My promises, and just lie there on the floor.” No, He says, “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.”
God says, “with the grace I have given you – with the power I have given you by God the Holy Spirit – with the blessings I have showered down upon you, do everything you can to strengthen yourself in body, mind, spirit, and soul. Strive after holinesses. Fight temptation. Learn and believe and apply everything you can from My Word that you will be strong in the times of suffering.”
The author of Hebrews talks about this as he reflects on the necessity of discipline: “Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed” (Hebrews 12:12-13, ESV).
And Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7, ESV).
God will save you; don’t fear.
Third, the coming of Messiah brings restoration.
One of the sets of laws about worship concerns those who have physical handicaps. Those who had any type of handicap were not allowed into the Temple. The blind, the deaf, the lame, the mute, and others, were not allowed to go into the Temple to worship.
But Isaiah says, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.”
But Isaiah prophesies that when the ransomed return – blessings beyond measure will descend in the total healing of the body. This did not happen when the Israelites returned to Jerusalem. But it did begin to happen – and all we who believe are waiting on the fullness of this blessing to come to pass.
John the Baptist was waiting to be executed, and we read: “Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me’” (Matthew 11:2-6, ESV).
Jesus is quoting Isaiah and telling him, “Yes, I Am the One you have been waiting for. I Am God the Messiah – the Savior – I Am the One Who came to heal and will bring cosmic healing on the last day. Don’t be afraid to die for My sake.”
Don’t be afraid to die for Christ’s sake.
Paul tells the Corinthians:
“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (I Corinthians 15:51-58, ESV).
Not just we shall change, but everything:
“For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.”
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the whole Creation will be lush and alive and bountiful.
The coming of Messiah brings restoration.
And fourth, the ransomed of the Lord will return.
“And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
The good news for Jerusalem – even though they would eventually be conquered and taken into captivity is – when the time is done – some seventy years – God will bring them back – all those that God has ransomed and set free will come home. They will travel safely – neither vicious man nor beast will keep them from making it to Jerusalem. Not even the devil is able to stop the ransomed of the Lord from reaching Jerusalem. They will sing and rejoice and be filled with gladness and joy forever.
Ultimately, this is about the ransomed of the Lord Jesus – all those that Jesus has ransomed and set free by His Blood – all those who will enter the Kingdom forever – filled with singing and rejoicing and gladness and joy forever.
Jesus says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14, ESV).
And we might pause for a moment and get scared: the unclean shall not enter. Sinners are unclean. I am a sinner. I am unclean. Do you ever get stunned as you pray for forgiveness as you think over your sins?
Can you relate as Michael Been sings:
“He says, ‘We'll walk in the front door
“’And proudly raise our heads’
“I say, ‘Man you must be foolin'
“’Our hands are covered in blood red’" (https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b1d&q=the+call+%22our+hands+are+covered+blood+red%22&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZu8-Gk5nkAhUkm-AKHdcWAJsQBQguKAA&biw=1303&bih=694)
Remember Isaiah’s realization:
“And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!’
“Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for’” (Isaiah 6:5-7. ESV).
“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’” (John 8:34-36, ESV).
Jesus ransomed all those who will ever believe savingly in Him – through His life and death. He has washed we sin-soaked sinners with His Blood and has set us free. And now we are called to walk the way of holiness – to quickly repent of sin, to seek forgiveness, and to walk the way that Jesus has set before us. In thanks to Jesus for what He has done, with the hope of the New Jerusalem before us, let us walk the way of holiness. Let us strengthen ourselves in His Word and keep going back to the way of holiness each time we fall.
The Lord has ransomed us and is bringing us home. He will come and make everything and all of us sinless and holy in fact forever. Let us strive hard towards Him with these facts deeply planted within us.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, Your servant, Paul wrote, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:7-10, ESV). We thank You that Your Son has ransomed us, and we look forward to our entrance into the Kingdom with joy and gladness and singing. Send the Holy Spirit to cause us to strive to walk the way of holiness – for You are worthy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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