Isaiah

[0:00] The word upon my heart to speak from this morning you'll find in the lesson that we read together in the 66th chapter of Isaiah's prophecy, verses 1 and 2.

[0:23] Isaiah chapter 66, verses 1 and 2.

[0:35] Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that ye build unto me?

[0:49] Where is the place of my rest? For all these things hath mine hand made, and all these things hath been, saith the Lord.

[1:04] But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

[1:16] Amen. These verses, together with others, particularly in this prophecy, bring home to us so clearly the greatness, the transcendence of God.

[1:37] God, the all-powerful, the all-seeing, the ever-present one. The God whom we can never escape from.

[1:49] And as the children sometimes sing in the Sunday school, should I go to some cave unknown, where human feet had never trod, there I could not be alone.

[2:02] On every side there would be God. One we cannot escape from. And as the psalmist David so aptly speaks in his 139th psalm, he clearly speaks there of God knowing whatever we do, wherever we are, whatever our thoughts are.

[2:28] When we are sitting down, when we are sitting down, or when we are walking abroad, he knows whatever we are doing. And I want to draw your attention to, initially, the greatness of God set before us.

[2:47] Heaven is my throne. Heaven is my throne.

[3:19] Heaven is my throne.

[3:49] And he saw one upon the throne. And he saw that which represented the whole church of God, crying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, which is, and which is to come.

[4:09] And John, he realized the gloriousness and the greatness of this ever-living God.

[4:22] He is upon the throne. And similarly, Isaiah. We are brought to this in the sixth chapter, where we read of King Uzziah dying.

[4:38] It was in that particular year that Isaiah had that wonderful vision. Uzziah, the king of Judah.

[4:50] He had been wonderfully helped until he was strong. And then he was uplifted to his own destruction.

[5:00] And he died in a very ignominious way as a leper. And the prophet Isaiah, he was very upset about this.

[5:14] And evidently, he went one day into the temple. And the Lord showed him not an earthly king, but a heavenly king.

[5:25] One who had all power, both in heaven and in earth. All the greatness of this God. The Lord, he reproves those who have little views of himself.

[5:44] He said to one on one occasion, If I were hungry, I would not tell thee. As he was seeking to reprove and rebuke that one.

[5:59] Who thought that God was such a one as himself. And the Lord, he, as Isaiah went into the temple, He saw those celestial beings, the seraphims, the burning, shining ones, veiling their faces and their feet.

[6:22] Crying one to another, Holy, holy, holy. And Isaiah felt that he couldn't join in that song. Because of his sinfulness.

[6:35] Realizing that he was, Although a child of God, And a servant of God, He was nevertheless a sinner. And all his sin, It seemed to concentrate upon his lips.

[6:51] So that he cried out, Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips. And I dwell amongst a people of unclean lips. For I have seen the king himself.

[7:04] The majesty and the glory of this one. And being on the throne, God is in complete control of all things.

[7:16] He is working out his purposes, Day by day, Week by week, Year by year, Throughout time. And nothing can happen in this world That is not under his divine control.

[7:32] He has that master plan and purpose. And with him there is no variableness Or shadow of turning.

[7:44] What God has planned to do, That he will perform at his appointed time. Nothing can impede or thwart that hand.

[7:54] As he proceeds as Daniel speaks in his prophecy, According to his own will, Upon the earth, And amongst the armies in heaven.

[8:07] Now God is upon his throne in heaven, Controlling everything by his great power. And the text also speaks of the earth Being his footstool.

[8:22] As if the prophet is trying hard to find language In which to convey something Of the greatness of God.

[8:33] And just as we have perhaps a store In the chapel or in our homes On which to rest our feet. God is so great That the earth on which we are living Is just like God's footstool.

[8:49] In considering the magnitude Of the heavens formed by God, Perhaps we can understand something Of what God is speaking here.

[9:01] As he speaks of the earth being As his footstool on which he can rest his feet. We think of the fact of space Known as the second heaven so vast That man with all his technological skill And understanding Seeing further and further afield Discovering new stars And galaxies And we see in this The immensity Of the world's maker Things are being found out Which formerly We never knew about In the realm of space The second heavens Consider the magnitude The colossal distances Traversed And Our minds cannot really

[10:01] Assimilate The magnitude Of what God has made Consider for instance Simply Just the Milky Way As it just seems like A streak of light Across the sky It is that Because there are Myriads Of stars In that little group Just a group Like that together And yet it contains Billions upon billions Of stars And Isaiah He tells us In this chapter 40 That God knows them All by name Not one is unknown To him Such is Our God Whom we seek To worship How great Thou art Human language Is too insignificant To describe Or understand The greatness Of our God But One of the

[11:04] Evidences Of the greatness Of God Is That Although he is So great He is so infinite That That he can still See The movement Of our hearts He knows Our thoughts He understands Our ways And each individual And he looks upon Each individual As though they Were the only ones That his eye Is upon And yet He is still Working His purposes Out Our times Are in His hand The heaven Is my throne And the earth Is my footstool Where is the house That ye build Unto me Saith the Lord How could it be Possible For the Lord To be contained In a building

[12:04] How could it be Possible For us to Design And erect A structure Where God Could live Or where God Could be Contained How is that Possible Now God Is so great That he Who created The world He was Happy Within himself God Is self Sufficient He didn't Have to Make the world He didn't Have to Make any Of us And we Asked Why did He then And the Only answer We can give It was Because of His own Good pleasure According to The counsel Of his Own will How is it Possible then That this God Who made Everything Could be Provided with That in which He could dwell And rest He who Fainteth not

[13:04] Neither Is weary There is no Searching Of his Understanding And having Thought of The Transcendence Of God Consider His Condescension We read For all These things Hath my Hand Made And all These things Hath been Saith the Lord But To this Man Will I Look Even to Him That is Of a Poor And a Contrite Heart And Tremleth At my Word The Almighty He will Pass by The glory Of the Temple Made By man You recall That the Temple Which was Made For God By Solomon At the Instructions

[14:05] Of David And David Provided much Of the material Himself For its Erection That was A glorious Place The pride Of Israel And the Glory of All nations Later to Be destroyed And yet Rebuilt Yet God Tells us That he Will pass By the Glory of That magnificent Place And he Will bow The heavens And come Down And where Will he Dwell It is Here In the Heart Of a Regenerate Human Being No matter Who they Are Whatever Their Background Boys Or girls Young People Men And women Of this Nation Of that Nation Of whom It is His pleasure To come To Even To him There is Of a Poor And a Contrite

[15:05] Spirit And that Tremleth At his Word The Vastness Of the Earth And the Heavens God says This is my Temple And this Earth On which We live Is where He puts His feet How is it Possible Then For him To make A place Where He can Dwell And then Having Expressed That He says How is it Possible For man To make A place For me To rest In And having Said that He says To this Man Will I Look Yes To that Person Will I Look There Will I Dwell Where there Is a Result Of that New heart A regenerate Heart The heart

[16:06] Of one Who by God's Wonderful Grace Loves God Seeks To serve God And seeks To submit To the Will of God His Son Jesus Christ Oh what A precious Truth This is That God Should pass By the Great Earthly Temple And bow To heaven And come Down And be Pleased To dwell In human Beings Such as We are Insignificant That we are Compared With the Glorious Heavens Of God Remember In the Fourteenth Chapter Of John That the Lord Jesus Christ Says If a Man Love me He will Keep My Words And my Father Will love Him And we Will make Our abode With him There will

[17:07] I come And make My residence He says In that One The Father And Jesus Will come To that Heart That loves Him And take Up their Place There How amazing This is Such Grace But consider This a little Deeper This person With a Regenerate Heart Notice how Such a One Is Described Even To him That is Poor Now That doesn't Mean Necessarily Financially Poor Nor lacking In this World's Good Necessarily But it Is Certainly True Indeed That there Are many Poor People Who By God's Grace Have been Brought to Know And to Love The

[18:08] Saviour We Must ever Remember Those Words Of the Saviour When he Says How Hardly Can They Which Have Riches Enter Into The Kingdom Of God And There Have Nevertheless Been Those In All Ages And Amongst The People Of God Who Been Wonderfully Blessed Called By God's Grace And They Have Been Blessed As Wise Stewards As They Mingled Amongst The People Of God As An Assistant To Them In Financial Support In The Gospel Of Luke The Saviour He Speaks Of Those Who Ministered To Him Of Their Own Substance And

[19:09] Some Of The Names Are Given One Of Whom Is Joanna The Wife Of Chusa Who Was Herod's Servant He Was The Head Of The Household Of Herod And Had Great Responsibility And Would Have Been A Very Rich Man Indeed Now His Wife Was A Believer And She Was Much Used To Minister To The Lord And In More Recent Times Of Course In The Eighteenth Century And Particularly I'm Thinking About There Was That Godly Notable Woman Selina Countess Of Huntington Who Was Wonderfully Used As a Wealthy Woman In Supporting Many Of The Lord's Servants And Instrumental In Erecting Places Of Worship Which Were Used Of God

[20:09] She Was Noble Of Birth And She Used Her Substance And Ability Personally In Support Of The Cause Of God Now Our Text Doesn't Mean That Kind Of Poorness To Which I Mention The Prophet Says I Will Look To Him That Is Poor Not Necessarily Then Bereft Of The Things Of This Life Though We Know That There Are Many In The World Who Are Desperately Poor Who Love The Lord Jesus Christ We Have Met Some Perhaps From Eastern European Countries In That Point Who Whose Only Clothes Are The Ones That They Stand Up In And Wear Now This Word It Means Primarily Of Course Poor In

[21:09] Spirit That Is Poor In Their Own View Of Themselves In What Way Then Well They View Themselves As Sinners By Birth And Sinners By Practice They Sinned Against A Holy God His Holy Law Has Been Broken And There Is Nothing Of Our Own That We Can Bring To Him We Cannot Bargain With Him Because We've Got Nothing To Bargain With We Are Debtors Bankrupt And The Only Way That We Can Come The Poverty Of Spirit Which Is So Aptly Described By That Well Known Him Nothing In My Hand I Bring Simply To His Cross I Cling Naked Look To The For Dress Helpless Fly To The For Grace Black

[22:09] I To The Fountain Fly Wash Me Saviour Or I Die That's The Poverty Of Spirit It Is Necessary For Us To Have That Spirit Have A Realistic Vision Of Ourselves As In God's Sight Having No Merit Free From Any Confidence That We Might Have In Ourselves Or Relying Upon Good Works Becoming Empty Handed And Venturing All Without Exception On The Lord Jesus Christ Failing That When We Have Done All We Are Most Unprofitable Servants And Our Very Righteousness Is Are As Filthy Rags To Be Disguarding Now In

[23:10] Such A Heart As That Has That Spirit Such A Void There Is Room For God And The Word Is Very Emphatic To This Man Will I Look To This Man Will I Come You Am In May become nor lean wholly upon him when we've got these things with us.

[24:20] Because there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved. It is in Christ and him alone to this man, to this woman, to this boy or girl and young person will I look.

[24:40] And then the word, it goes on to speak of him that is poor and of a contrite spirit.

[24:54] That means smitten, broken, crushed, bruised, something like that.

[25:05] The original, I understand, it has something of this, being pulverised. Someone lacking in pride. It does mean that, of course.

[25:18] Someone who is humble. Yes, they may be humble. But that is not exactly what it is expressing to us. It includes these things, but expresses much more.

[25:32] For real contrition of spirit is this sorrow for sin. Being sorry for our sin and not wishing to do that sin again.

[25:47] Repentance is to leave the sin we did before and show for sin we truly grieve by doing so no more. Now let me take an illustration for instance.

[26:01] There is that well-known one of Peter, who denied his Lord and Master three times, And then he heard the cock crow, according to the Lord's prophecy.

[26:17] And we read that the Lord turned and he looked upon Peter. It broke his heart. He went out and he wept bitterly.

[26:29] Now I believe that kind of look, it said, pity. And it bruised his heart. It just pierced Peter through and through.

[26:41] And he went out and he wept bitterly. It is true that Judas, he went out and wept. But there was a difference between the two.

[26:55] He was full of remorse because of what he'd done. But he was not sorry for his sin before God.

[27:06] Whereas Peter, he had that broken and contrite heart and he realized what he'd done. There was that real godly sorrow and contrition of spirit.

[27:19] And after that real repentance, the Lord, after his resurrection, had a personal interview with Peter. We don't know exactly what transpired or what the Lord said to him.

[27:34] But we can be sure of this, that he bound up Peter's wounds to this man when I look. Wasn't this the Lord's mission to heal those that are bruised?

[27:47] Didn't he promise not to break the bruised reed? That aquatic grass showing life?

[27:58] Yes, it may weep when it's bruised. But he said he would never break it. To this man will I look who has this brokenness of spirit.

[28:18] The one who hates sin loathes it and exhibits that true repentance. But it's not only sorrowing for sin, but there is a desire to leave that sin.

[28:34] To run away from it. And often there is a feeling to fail as we want to leave that particular sin.

[28:48] But deep down there is that real love to the Lord Jesus Christ. a hatred of that which he hates. A lying for that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.

[29:02] The one to whom the Lord will look, it will exhibit this godly sorrow for sin and hope, and it will hope in that mercy of God.

[29:18] I will dwell with that one. I will look upon that one, says God. Because such a one is being sorry for their sin and they are trusting alone in my perfect sacrifice.

[29:34] Such a one has a faith. Albeit very little, but the little which a righteous man hath is better than the revenues of many wicked. But that faith, however great or little, is centered on what Christ has done.

[29:52] I will make my residence there because there is a dependence upon me. Do you remember what David said in his 51st Psalm?

[30:03] He said this, For thou desirest, not sacrifice, else I would give it. Thou delightest not in burnt offerings.

[30:17] The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a broken and a contrite heart. O God, thou art not despise. This is the sacrifice that God requires.

[30:31] Not a burnt offering, not a sacrifice on an altar, but the sacrifice of a broken spirit, a contrite heart.

[30:43] O God, he says, thou art not despise. And then, thirdly, the one that trembleth at my word.

[31:01] Those who know what it is to tremble at the word of God. And that, for two reasons, I would suggest. First, because of the condemning nature of the word, because the word, it condemns us for our sin.

[31:24] It says this, The soul that sinneth, it shall die. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no, not one.

[31:38] All we, like sheep, have gone astray. We have wandered every one to his own way. And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. And so we shall know what it is to tremble at the word, for it gives us no hope as we see that we are sinners.

[32:00] And then we shall tremble not only because of its condemning nature in that we have broken the holy law of God. And because it exposes our sin, but because of the fickleness of our hearts, how we fail constantly.

[32:20] We may have good intentions to seek to do better and to keep the word of God. But we are just like Israel of old.

[32:32] We try to do better, but we do not succeed. We invariably fail. We are fickle in following the Lord.

[32:44] But there is another aspect of trembling at God's word. It is to tremble with a sacred joy because of the love and the mercy and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[33:02] It's made known in his word. And when we think of those salient verses of scripture and passages that we have that speak of salvation by grace, take for instance Romans chapter 3 where Paul speaks of Jesus Christ as being the propitiation for sin.

[33:28] And it means being set forth in a very public way that in all we see here in God's propitiation for sin how that there is that bearer away of the sin which is so necessary.

[33:47] The one who is also an appeaser of that sin and the one who is also the diverter of that sin. And the propitiation which is God's way in which sin can be forgiven.

[34:06] And then Paul says in order that God might remain just. Well at the same time as being just how does he justify those who have broken his holy law?

[34:22] How can he remain just and at the same time justify those of us who are lawbreakers? Well there is only one way and that is by taking all of their sin and all of their unrighteousness and putting them on somebody else and that person dying so to remove those sins and suffering the penalty for that sin instead.

[34:55] That's the only way that God can be just. Now that is exactly what God has done.

[35:07] He has taken those sins of his people and he's laid them upon his dear son Jesus Christ the first and the last. Discharge all of those liabilities those debts and he's satisfied the law of God his father so that God is just and he fully justifies those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and in truth.

[35:43] He took their sin out of the way nailing it to his cross says Paul when he writes to those Colossian Christians. It speaks to us of course of that oriental custom that prevailed in those days that when a debt had to be settled either in full payment or forgiveness it was the custom of the creditor to take the cancelled bond and nail it over the doorpost of the one who had owed it so that all the passers-by the public might see it and that it was paid fully.

[36:30] But it is a blessed story isn't it of the remission there's the cross behind which lies a bankrupt world in hopeless debt in its plight to the law we see Jesus though the surety he comes forth with that tremendous list of indebtedness in his hand and he lifts it up where God and the world and angels can see it and there it is seen and then the nail it goes through his hand and it goes through the hand of our transgressions to cancel them so for blotting out forever obliterating the handwriting of ordinances that was against us

[37:31] I even I he says am he that blotteth out thy transgressions and will remember thy sin no more all the wonder and the completeness of this forgiveness such as the immensity of the love of Christ and the eternal love of the father in sending his only son sometimes your children at the seaside you may be on the sandy shore and you walk along the shore and the tide is coming in and as you look back along the shore you see footmarks and then you proceed on perhaps a little further and the sea it's been coming in and those footmarks when the sea recedes again are completely obliterated now this is the forgiveness of sin he cast the sin of his people behind his back and will remember it no more forever forever oh the sacred joy of trembling that a sense of this forgiveness brings to those who realize it those who look to the

[38:59] Lamb of God so that there is a cure in a look on our part as in heeding that exhortation which we have in the prophet look unto me and be saved or the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else oh the wonder of the transcendence and the condescension of this God whom we seek to worship now thirdly there is the mercy and the blessing of God almighty he who fills the heavens and yet he dwells in the soul that trusts him and seeks to love him and adore him but to this man will I look that's a blessing I will dwell abide take up my residence there and this it shows to us a number of things

[40:04] I believe firstly that God he looks with approval on that one to this one will I look with approval because we are accepted in the beloved the scripture says that ye are complete in him and God so no longer looks upon the sinner in his or her sin he sees that one now in Jesus Christ so aptly put in one of their hymns but since my saviour stands between in garments dyed with blood tis he instead of me is seen when I approach to God God therefore he looks upon the saved sinner with approval since he sees the result of his own son's meditorial work his finished work in that one and so he looks upon that sinner with approval because he is or she is one who has no confidence in the flesh looking to Christ and his father alone but not only is God's look one of approval it is also one of acceptance he now accepts that one in Jesus

[41:47] Christ accepted into the kingdom of God as his dear son one of the family a dear child I love those that love me and they that seek me early shall find me but as he looks with approval and acceptance also with affection and how deep that affection is it is an everlasting love that affection I love that one with everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn them he loved them in Christ and in time and in history they were born into the world he drew them by the cause of a man by his grace he brought them into that saving relationship with himself it was a love which began before the world's way and the foundation of the

[43:01] Lord it stand is sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his and so he drew them by irresistible grace how amazing is that love that he's loved them with God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners he died for us but again the word it means that he will look with adoption too and he adopts them into his family as he says come ye out from among them and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing and I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty which have mercy upon thee Paul when he was speaking to the Ephesian believers he said at one time you were without

[44:03] Christ being alienated from the commonwealth of Israel strangers from the covenant of promise but you are no longer in that situation you were without hope you were without God in the world now therefore ye are no longer foreigners and strangers but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God to this man will I look and I will look upon that one too with attention God looks upon his people poor in spirit contrite in heart truly trembling at his word with attention with that concern and care over them constantly 24 hours a day his eye is ever upon the righteous his ear is ever open unto their cry it may not be an audible cry it may be the thought of the heart or the inward tear he has said

[45:15] I will never leave thee nor forsake thee wherever you go wherever you are no matter where you find yourself whatever difficulty you find yourself in whatever pleasurable situation I will be there with you when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee they shall not overflow thee and when thou passest through the fire the flame shall not kindle against thee neither shalt thou be burnt he is caring for you as you seek to cast all your care upon him he said I will guide thee with my counsel and afterward receive thee to glory my God shall supply all your need spiritual providential need according to his riches in glory and how rich he is you will never lack his attention his eye is ever there upon you to uphold you and to keep you to keep you from falling and we need that keeping power it's so necessary for us to pray every day I believe hold thou me up and

[46:36] I shall be safe hold me up lest I fall well the Lord is your keeper his eye of attention is upon you from the beginning of the year to the end of the year and as he's begun to teach you of his ways and leading you on step by step he will always teach you to profit we're each as Christians in a school curriculum and we shall ever be taught until the work of grace is complete he has given you many things and he leads you on through his word he has given you the ministry of his word and he has blessed you with that growth in instruction now all this is to prepare us for eternity for the safety of that home one of those many mansions which the father has prepared for them that love him remember

[47:49] John 17 father I will is that all prevailing prayer that they whom also whom thou has given me be with me that they may behold my glory yes some on earth had a vision like John the beloved favored Isaiah all but it will be to see that glory without cessation and all that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out it is true that there is a work here for his people to do generally speaking and it is that for a brief period at the longest however long we may be living here on the earth but it is all preparatory to an entry into that mansion but to this man will

[48:53] I look to him that is of a poor and a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my word all happy truly happy is that man who has the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God and as that is so on earth that happiness in heaven will be indescribably complete all that you each by God's grace may be enveloped in this precious truth for his name's sake amen our final hymn is hymn number 257 tune rivo 396 ye humble souls complain no more let faith survey your future store how happy how divinely blessed the sacred words of truth attest 257 one time impact하게 throes some followers of Kids men and

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[51:10] Give ley the song to the Dr. Philip Jorgen with guidance. Give sight to your God for your love CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS

[52:26] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS The day and heavenly day While thy sweet child Be found away The sacred power And truth shall stay Have learned forever The holy day Then shall your eyes May craft your view

[53:30] The glorious end That I call you That I will ransom That I will raise The crown of joy And song of praise Jesus to thee I bring thy crown Will thee a proper God bless you.

[54:49] now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God the Father and the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit rest and abide with you each Amen Amen Amen