1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,480 I'd invite you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:05,720 book of Isaiah. We're picking up where we left 3 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:08,240 off. We'll be looking at chapter 51 4 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:13,720 and into chapter 52 and find the page printed for you, page 5 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:15,080 number printed for you in the bulletin. 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,520 If you're using the red Bibles and the chairs around you, 7 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:29,000 Isaiah 51. I'll begin reading in verse one, 8 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:33,360 and we're going to read down through verse 12 of chapter 52. 9 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,440 And as we do, I want you to be listening and looking for three 10 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:46,600 words in particular. Listen awake, depart. 11 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:55,080 Let's read God's Word. Listen to me, you who pursue 12 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,160 righteousness, you who seek the Lord. 13 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:00,720 Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry 14 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,960 from which you were dug. Look to Abraham and your father, 15 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,680 and to Sarah who bore you. For he was but one when I called 16 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,000 him, that I might bless him and multiply him. 17 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,360 For the Lord comforts Zion. He comforts all her waste 18 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,040 places, and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the 19 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,320 garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found 20 00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:24,880 in her Thanksgiving and the voice of song Give attention to 21 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,240 me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation. 22 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,520 For a law will go out for me, and I will set my justice for a 23 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,200 light to the peoples. My righteousness draws near. 24 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:39,600 My salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples. 25 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,880 The coastlands hope for me and for my arm They wait. 26 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,440 Lift up your eyes to the heavens and look at the earth beneath, 27 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,240 for the heavens vanish like smoke. 28 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,320 The earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in 29 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,480 it will die in like manner. But my salvation will be 30 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,160 forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 31 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,240 Listen to me, you who are righteous, the people in whose 32 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:08,280 heart is my law. Fear not the reproach of man, 33 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:10,919 nor be dismayed at their violence. 34 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,000 For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm 35 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,400 will eat them like wool. But my righteousness will be 36 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,720 forever, and my salvation to all generations. 37 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,480 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake as in the 38 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,400 days of old, the generations of long ago. 39 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:33,080 Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? 40 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,600 Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great 41 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,440 deep, who made the depths of the sea away? 42 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:43,080 For the redeemed to Passover, and the ransomed of the Lord 43 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,880 shall return and come to Zion with singing. 44 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,640 Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. 45 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,760 They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing 46 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,760 shall flee away. I, I am he who comforts you. 47 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,520 Who are you that you are afraid of man, who dies of the Son of 48 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,800 Man, who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord your 49 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,000 Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations 50 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,880 of the earth? And you fear continually all the 51 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,280 day because of the wrath of the oppressor when he sets himself 52 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,000 to destroy. And where is the wrath of the 53 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:18,760 oppressor? He who has bowed down shall 54 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,880 speedily be released. He shall not die and go down to 55 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,720 the pit, neither shall his bread be lacking. 56 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,400 I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that it's 57 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,640 waves roar. The Lord of hosts is his name. 58 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,080 And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the 59 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,480 shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the 60 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:43,600 foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, you are my 61 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,080 people, wake yourself, wake yourself. 62 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:50,560 Stand up, O Jerusalem. You have drunk from the hand of 63 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,680 the Lord the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs, the 64 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:59,200 bowl, the cup of staggering. There is none to guide her among 65 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,120 all the sons she has born. There is none to take her by the 66 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,720 hand among all the sons she has brought up. 67 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:06,960 These two things have happened to you. 68 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,640 Who will console you? Devastation and destruction, 69 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,600 famine and sword, Who will comfort you? 70 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,920 Your sons have fainted. They lie at the head of every 71 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,079 street, like an antelope and a net. 72 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,960 They are full of the wrath of the Lord, the rebuke of your 73 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,160 God. Therefore hear this, you who are 74 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,560 afflicted, who are drunk but not with wine. 75 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:33,920 Thus says your Lord, Thus says your Lord, the Lord, your God, 76 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:35,760 who pleads the cause of his people. 77 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:40,280 Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering, the 78 00:04:40,280 --> 00:04:43,840 bowl of my wrath. You shall drink no more, and I 79 00:04:43,840 --> 00:04:46,920 will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said 80 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,360 to you, Bow down that we may pass over, and you have made 81 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,200 your back like the ground and like the street for them to pass 82 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,880 over. Awake, awake, put on your 83 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:01,200 strength those on, put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, 84 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,240 the holy city, for there shall no more come into you, the 85 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:09,320 uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake yourself from the dust, 86 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,520 and arise. Be seated, O Jerusalem, loose 87 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,440 the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 88 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:19,920 For thus says the Lord, you were sold for nothing, and you shall 89 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:23,880 be redeemed without money. For thus says the Lord God. 90 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:28,200 My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there, and 91 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,000 the Assyrian oppressed them for nothing. 92 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,440 Now therefore, what have I here? Declares the Lord. 93 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:37,320 Seeing that my people are taken away for nothing, their rulers 94 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,560 wail, declares the Lord. And continually all the day my 95 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:44,040 name is despised. Therefore my people shall know 96 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,640 my name. Therefore in that day they shall 97 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,440 know that it is I who speak, Here I am. 98 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,960 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feed of him who brings 99 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,880 good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of 100 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:01,960 happiness, who publishes salvation, Who says to Zion, 101 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:06,120 your God reigns the voice of your watchman. 102 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,000 They lift up their voice together. 103 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,720 They sing for joy, for eye to eye. 104 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,920 They see the return of the Lord to Zion. 105 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,000 Break forth into singing. You waste places of Jerusalem. 106 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,200 For the Lord has comforted his people, He has redeemed 107 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,640 Jerusalem, The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of 108 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:27,040 all the nations. And all the ends of the earth 109 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,400 shall see the salvation of our God. 110 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:35,520 Depart, depart, go out from there, Touch no unclean thing, 111 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,840 go out from the midst of her. Purify yourselves, you who bear 112 00:06:39,840 --> 00:06:43,000 the vessels of the Lord. For you shall not go out in 113 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:47,240 haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go 114 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:51,680 before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. 115 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:59,560 Let's pray together. Father, Your word is powerful. 116 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:04,880 And so we would be so bold as to ask for the Holy Spirit to be at 117 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:11,160 work using your powerful Word to deepen our understanding of the 118 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:17,680 gospel, to deepen our love for You, and to change us to form 119 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:22,480 and to shape us that we might more and more be conformed to 120 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:25,600 the image of our Savior. For it's in his name we pray. 121 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:33,280 Amen. Well, if you've ever flown on an 122 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,160 airplane and had to navigate an airport, then we've all had a 123 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:40,840 common experience. You get to the gate from which 124 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:45,280 you are going to be leaving, and you then begin to wait until 125 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,120 it's time to get on the plane. And everybody in the area does 126 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,920 their own thing. Some people have their phones 127 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,560 out, they might be playing games, they might be listening 128 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,800 to music. Some people might be reading a 129 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:58,680 book. Others might be grabbing a bite 130 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:00,520 to eat. There might be some young 131 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:05,040 children playing on the floor. But as the departure time gets 132 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:09,360 closer and closer, everyone listens. 133 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,560 They're waiting to hear that the boarding is about to start 134 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:22,080 listening for when their zone is called, and when it does, it's 135 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:26,320 like a great awakening. Everybody stands up, everybody 136 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:30,200 puts everything in their bag, and everybody moves toward the 137 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:34,240 door. Everybody's ready to depart, to 138 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:36,919 get onto the plane and depart for their destination. 139 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:43,120 Every once in a while there's that one person perhaps sitting 140 00:08:43,159 --> 00:08:47,000 across the hallway at another gate, or maybe at an adjacent 141 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:52,480 gate to stay out of the the mess of people that are there, not 142 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,440 paying attention, not doing a good job of listening for the 143 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,960 announcement, not awaken to the boarding process beginning. 144 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:07,120 And what happens eventually the boarding door is closed and that 145 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:09,800 person is not able to depart with the plane. 146 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:19,680 Listening, awakening, departing, three things that important 147 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:22,960 things that we do in so much of our lives. 148 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,800 And we have all three words here in our passage today. 149 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:32,600 In fact, listen, awake, depart. They are three imperative verbs 150 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:36,920 that are used, commands that God gives for what God's people are 151 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,960 to do and how they are to live. And it was true for God's people 152 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,840 in captivity, in exile in Babylon in the 6th century BC, 153 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:49,320 and it's true for God's people in this building in 2026. 154 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,880 So let's take a few moments and look at our passage and see what 155 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,360 we can learn about these three commands for us today and 156 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,760 reflect how they apply into our lives. 157 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,520 The 1st is listen. It's how our passage begins. 158 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,200 You see it at the beginning of verse one. 159 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,720 Listen to me. You see it again at the 160 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,640 beginning of verse 4. Give attention to me, my people, 161 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:15,560 and give ear to me. Again, at the beginning of verse 162 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:22,760 7, listen to me. All imperative verbs, the call 163 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,600 for God's people to listen to the Lord. 164 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:30,200 And did you notice here in these beginning verses of chapter 51 165 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:33,400 that as they are called to listen to the Lord, what does he 166 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,200 point them to? Well, in verses one through 167 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,160 three, he points them to look back. 168 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:42,160 You see that the end of verse one, look to the rock from which 169 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,120 you were hewn and to the quarry from which you were dug. 170 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,400 Verse 2, look to Abraham and Sarah, he says. 171 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,120 Verse three, he points to Eden, the garden of the Lord. 172 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:59,560 The call is for his people to remember the past to to look 173 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:04,840 back at how the Lord has been at work with his people, reminding 174 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:09,200 His people of his faithfulness to them, of how he fulfilled the 175 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:13,920 promises he made to Abraham. How he has kept his promise to 176 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:17,640 not forsake his people and how He is even preserving them while 177 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:21,400 they're now in exile. The promise that they would 178 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:24,760 return to the promised land. But but he doesn't just tell 179 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,680 them to look back as he calls them to listen to Him. 180 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,760 He also points forward. And you can see that in verses 4 181 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,960 through 6. Notice that in these verses he 182 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,120 mentions the things that He will do in the future. 183 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,640 His, His law will go out from Him. 184 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,280 He, He will set justice for a light to the nations. 185 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:48,280 He says His righteousness will draw near, and He will judge the 186 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:52,480 peoples. His arm, a sign of strength, 187 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:57,000 will bring hope for the people. He says a day is coming when the 188 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:03,200 heavens and the earth will be no more, but His promised that his 189 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:07,800 salvation will be forever. His righteousness will never be 190 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,800 dismayed. He's pointing his people to the 191 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:13,880 future to to look forward, to look ahead to. 192 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:17,960 The Lord has not abandoned his people in the past, and he will 193 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,360 continue to be at work in their lives in the future. 194 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,240 He will bring them out of exile. He will bring them back to their 195 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,600 home. And even in, in a greater way, 196 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,800 he points ultimately to the end of time when there will be a new 197 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:35,480 heavens and a new earth. Look back, He says, listen to 198 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:37,760 me. Look back, look forward. 199 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,800 But notice he says that as you look back, as you see the 200 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,600 faithfulness of the Lord, as you see his faithfulness to his 201 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,720 promises over and over again to his people, as you look forward 202 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,520 and see all of the things that the Lord is going to do, what 203 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,000 does he tell them they should do as a result? 204 00:12:53,480 --> 00:13:02,400 Verses 7 and 8, fear not. They should have No Fear of man. 205 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,760 Fear not the reproach of man. Don't be dismayed or discouraged 206 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,840 at the doings of man. They are temporary, They are 207 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,440 finite. They will pass away like a moth 208 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,920 eats a garment. But the righteousness of the 209 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:21,440 Lord will be forever. His salvation will never end for 210 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,120 His people throughout generations. 211 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,000 He will redeem His people. So there's no need to fear. 212 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,400 So here's the first command, the command of God to his people. 213 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:41,160 Listen, listen to the Lord. Secondly, awake, awake. 214 00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:43,160 You see it at the beginning of verse 9. 215 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:46,520 Awake, awake again in the first part of verse 17. 216 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,680 Wake yourself. Wake yourself, he says. 217 00:13:49,680 --> 00:13:53,760 And again in chapter 52, the beginning of verse one, awake, 218 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,640 awake, God calls on his people to awake. 219 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:04,720 But interestingly, note first it's God who awakes. 220 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,280 That's what we read in verses 9 through 11 of chapter 51. 221 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:14,920 Verse 9 is the people calling on the Lord to awaken, to come to 222 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,840 their aid, to help them, that they call for the arm of the 223 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:23,000 Lord to be active, a sign of his strength and power and might. 224 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,480 And they say, wasn't it you who cut Rahab to pieces? 225 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:31,960 Now you may remember that that name Rahab was used to refer to 226 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,400 Egypt. Isaiah used it that way back in 227 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:39,120 chapter 30. They say, wasn't it you who 228 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,680 pierced the dragon? Probably a reference there to 229 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,320 Psalm 74, where the psalmist talks of the Lord crushing the 230 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:51,680 sea monster, the great leviathan, the dragon, 231 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:56,440 ultimately Satan himself. Here in verses 9 through 11, the 232 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:58,080 people are crying out to the Lord. 233 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:02,080 They're calling for him to awake and to come to their aid. 234 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,320 And as we move to verses 12 through 16, look at the 235 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:10,880 assurance that God gives them of His help, the Lord's response to 236 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:14,400 their cry for His help, for him to awake and come to their 237 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,440 rescue. He reminds them that it is He 238 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,040 who is the one who comforts them. 239 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:22,960 The Lord is the one who has stretched out the heavens, who 240 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,040 has laid the foundation of the earth. 241 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:28,720 He is the one who stirs up the sea and causes the waves to 242 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,960 roar. He is the Lord of hosts, it 243 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:37,560 says. He has put his words into their 244 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,480 mouths and He has covered them in the shadow of His hand. 245 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,200 He reminds them once again that they are still His people, His 246 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:49,680 precious treasure. They have no need to fear, no 247 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,960 need to fear any oppressors. The wrath of the oppressors, He 248 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,680 says, will be as nothing for them. 249 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:00,720 The people call for God to awake. 250 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:05,040 The Lord responds by reminding them that He is the one who 251 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:09,160 brings comfort to His people. The wrath of their oppressors 252 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:11,680 will be as nothing for them. But notice as we move to verses 253 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,680 17 to 23, not only will the wrath of their oppressors be as 254 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:21,960 nothing for them, the Lord's cup of wrath, the justice that 255 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,920 people have drunk, referring to their punishment in exile, the 256 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,320 the how they have drunk, the dregs of the bowl of wrath and 257 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:32,760 the cup of staggering. He says, I have removed that cup 258 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,640 from you. You will drink from it no more. 259 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:42,480 It will be your tormentors, those who oppose the Lord, who 260 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:48,640 would now drink from that cup. So first of all, God awakens. 261 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:52,360 The people call for His help, and He responds with His strong 262 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:56,600 arm of salvation and redemption. And He protects and He preserves 263 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,800 His people and He removes the cup of judgement from them. 264 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,920 They will drink from it no more. The exile will come to an end. 265 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,920 And remember, the people that are reading these words for the 266 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:13,680 first time are in exile. How encouraging this these words 267 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,599 must have been to them. But then notice after the Lord 268 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:21,480 awakens, God's people are called to awake. 269 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:29,000 Look at verse 1 of chapter 52. The Lord says awake, awake. 270 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,880 Put on your strength, O Zion, to call for God's people to awake. 271 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,480 God has awakened, He has initiated, He has acted, He has 272 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,000 provided salvation and redemption and righteousness, 273 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:43,280 and now his people are to respond. 274 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:48,800 They too are to awake. And notice what that entails, 275 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:53,360 verses one through three. They are to put on new garments, 276 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:59,120 beautiful garments, it says. It reminds us of the very end of 277 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:02,720 the Bible in Revelation chapter 19, where we see the marriage 278 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:07,160 supper of the Lamb Jesus with his beautiful and glorious 279 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:11,400 bride, the church, and she is dressed in beautiful garments 280 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,280 that are provided by Jesus, and we're told there that they are 281 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,560 the glorious good works of the church. 282 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,880 Beautiful garments are often used as a metaphor for inward 283 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,960 character. This is a call for God's people 284 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:30,360 to respond to God's work by living like who they are. 285 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:37,600 Verse 2, they're not able to break the chains of bondage, but 286 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:42,800 once the Lord breaks them, they are called to throw off their 287 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:46,560 bonds and chains. You can see how they're able to 288 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:50,080 do that. Verse 3 Because the Lord is 289 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:56,280 redeeming them, He will do so. He says without money, He will 290 00:18:56,280 --> 00:19:01,880 pay nobody for their release. Their salvation would not be 291 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:07,120 bought, but it was going to cost the Lord dearly. 292 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:12,280 Next week we will come to the following passage, chapter 52, 293 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:16,080 verse 13, all the way down through chapter 50, the end of 294 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,640 chapter 53, one of the greatest sections of the Bible. 295 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:26,480 The suffering servant, the great and ultimate servant, would come 296 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:30,200 and bear our griefs, carry our sorrows. 297 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:34,600 He would be stricken, smitten by God, He would be pierced for our 298 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:38,080 transgressions, He would be crushed for our iniquities, and 299 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,120 on him would be laid chastisement that would bring us 300 00:19:41,120 --> 00:19:44,120 peace, and through his wounds we will be healed. 301 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,760 And the Lord would lay on him the iniquity of all God's 302 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:52,520 people. God's people are called to awake 303 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,640 and to put on new garments, and to throw off the chains that 304 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:58,720 have been broken for them, and to live like who they are 305 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:05,480 because they have been bought. With an incredible price, they 306 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:09,160 are God's precious and treasured people, the people that He has 307 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,520 redeemed to the cost of the death of His own Son. 308 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:15,920 Not only are they supposed to put on new garments, you can see 309 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,040 in verses 4 through 6. Another aspect of the call for 310 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,960 God's people to awaken it is to realize that they're in a new 311 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:26,240 relationship with the Lord. Verses 4 through 6 are have the 312 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:30,080 language of relationship, a relationship between God and his 313 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:33,480 people. And verse four he says my people 314 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:40,480 again in verse 5, my people. And in verse 6 he says my people 315 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:44,600 shall know my name. They shall know that it is I who 316 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:51,120 speak here I am. This is language of a 317 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:54,120 relationship between God and His people, a relationship that was 318 00:20:54,120 --> 00:20:56,640 established by His covenant with them. 319 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:02,280 The relationship was never fully severed or cut off, but it was 320 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:06,360 severely damaged as the people rebelled against the Lord as 321 00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:08,440 they abandoned His ways and His law. 322 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:11,600 Like the prodigal son, they demanded their inheritance and 323 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:15,000 then departed. Because of their sin and 324 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,160 disobedience, they were sent away into exile, and the 325 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:22,840 relationship was damaged. But it was never severed. 326 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,920 It was never ended. The Lord never cut them off. 327 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:31,000 And here he reminds his people the relationship is moving into 328 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:35,560 a whole new era. The exile is about to be over. 329 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,320 You are going back to the promised land, and once again we 330 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,040 are in fellowship with one another. 331 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:45,720 You have been, you are, and you will be my people, he says. 332 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:54,400 And you will know my name. After the Lord awakens and 333 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,840 redeems and rescues his people, the people are called to awake 334 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:03,120 as well. And then notice they're called 335 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:07,960 to depart. Now that last command imperative 336 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:12,080 is actually down in verse 11. Depart, depart, go out from 337 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:13,800 there. But before we get to that 338 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:18,960 command in verses 7 through 10, this last section of our passage 339 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:24,240 today moves into a party. A party that breaks out as a 340 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:26,880 result of the good news of the Lord's salvation. 341 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,440 Look at it in verses 7 through 10, a picture of a messenger 342 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:35,640 coming with news. It's often done in times of war 343 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:39,280 and battles when a messenger would be sent back home to bring 344 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,680 news about the war. And as the messenger drew close, 345 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,280 the watchman on the towers would wonder, will it be good news or 346 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:49,080 bad news? Are we winning or losing? 347 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,760 Has the king survived or has he been killed? 348 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:57,280 And here the messenger, the beautiful feet of the messenger, 349 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:03,200 brings good news. Good news of happiness says news 350 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:08,240 of peace, salvation, that our God reigns. 351 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:13,160 So much so that when the good news of happiness and peace is 352 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:16,720 announced, even the watchman on the wall begins singing. 353 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,000 It says they break out in singing for joy, joyfully 354 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:22,960 praising the Lord for returning His people to Zion. 355 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:27,520 A call for even Jerusalem itself to break out into singing. 356 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:29,840 For the Lord has comforted his people. 357 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,400 The Lord has bared his holy and powerful arms and for all 358 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:37,240 nations to see. Everybody will see the salvation 359 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:42,360 of our God. And so the Lord calls his people 360 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:50,320 to a new exodus, depart, depart. He says the people are called to 361 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:52,920 come out of Babylon, to come out of exile. 362 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:59,280 But but notice here in verse 12, this new Exodus is not like the 363 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:01,640 old Exodus, the exodus from Egypt. 364 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:07,000 There they had to hurry, they had to leave in haste under the 365 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,640 cover of darkness. And here the Lord says you will 366 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:13,800 not go out and haste to cross the river as if Pharaoh and his 367 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,040 army were trying to recapture. You know the Lord will go before 368 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:20,640 you and protect you, and he would also be your rear guard, 369 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,680 ensuring your safety. There's nothing to fear. 370 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,600 There's no one to fear. You will travel home safely and 371 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:33,280 securely and surely. But notice he does call on them 372 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:36,840 not to bring with them any of the unclean or impure wickedness 373 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:42,120 of Babylon. Well, what do we do with all of 374 00:24:42,120 --> 00:24:48,280 this? Well, it seems like 3 pretty 375 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:56,160 good takeaways for us today would be listen awake, depart, 376 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:01,560 listen. As God's people today, we are 377 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:06,880 called to listen to the Lord. Like he said in chapter 51, 378 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,680 verse 1, He calls us to to listen to me. 379 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:14,360 You who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord, we're 380 00:25:14,360 --> 00:25:16,920 called to listen, quick to listen. 381 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:21,960 How do we listen to the Lord today? 382 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,080 How does He speak to us? It is through His word. 383 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:31,480 It is through the Scriptures reading and meditating on the 384 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:34,640 Word of God that is how we listen to the Lord. 385 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:39,360 And just like God's people in exile and Babylon, we too need 386 00:25:39,360 --> 00:25:42,800 to look back. Back to what the Lord has done 387 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:45,680 in history. All of the promises that He has 388 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:50,200 already fulfilled faithfully. The faithfulness of the Lord to 389 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,120 uphold and fulfill all that He says that He will do. 390 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:57,360 And especially to look back to the Lord Jesus Christ coming 391 00:25:57,360 --> 00:26:01,160 into this world, all that he accomplished, a life of perfect 392 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,680 love and obedience to his Father, of voluntary death on 393 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:07,320 the cross and resurrection from the grave. 394 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,480 We too need to look back. But we also, like God's people 395 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,120 in exile and Babylon, we need to look forward. 396 00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:21,160 Forward to the promises that God has made but haven't yet been 397 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,520 fulfilled. The promise that Jesus would 398 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,440 come back again. The promise that we have of 399 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:28,760 eternal life through faith in Christ. 400 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,480 The promise that all sad things will come untrue. 401 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:37,040 The promise that everything wrong will be made right, that 402 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,280 injustice will be replaced with justice and righteousness. 403 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:44,560 The promise that the Lord who began a good work of redemption 404 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:47,640 and sanctification in our life will bring it to completion. 405 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:52,440 If the Lord has been promises, has been faithful to his 406 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,480 promises to his people so far, we can trust that he will be 407 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:01,800 faithful to fulfill the rest of the promises that He's made to 408 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:06,480 us. And as we look back, as we 409 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:09,240 listen to the Lord by looking back and as we look forward, 410 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:13,640 just like the people in exile, we are not to fear. 411 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:17,400 We are not to fear the reproach of man. 412 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:21,840 What are the ways that you fear man? 413 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,720 What are What are the ways that you fear the the reproach of 414 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:33,680 man? Maybe you have a fear of sharing 415 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,840 the gospel, of sharing the hope that you have in Christ because 416 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:38,840 you don't want to be ridiculed or dismissed. 417 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,960 Maybe you have a fear of others knowing that you're a Christian 418 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,560 because you'll be looked down on or made fun of or passed over. 419 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:55,040 Maybe you have a literal fear of man, a fear of what our 420 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:58,080 governing officials might do or decide. 421 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:03,960 We're called to listen to the word of God, to to look back at 422 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:08,120 his faithfulness, of his sovereignty and power and 423 00:28:08,120 --> 00:28:12,240 holiness and in majesty. We are called to look forward to 424 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:15,760 the wonderful promises that he has made for us that will be 425 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:19,200 accomplished in his timing in Providence. 426 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:22,800 And as we do that, we are called to put off fear. 427 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:27,200 We serve the Lord God Almighty, the Lord of hosts. 428 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:34,960 Who are we to fear? We need to listen to the Lord. 429 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:41,240 We need to awake now. For some here today, that might 430 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,840 mean a call to awake spiritually for the first time. 431 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:49,120 Have you never put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? 432 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:54,000 Have you never acknowledged that you are a Sinner and that you 433 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,640 sin against God's Word, and that as a result you're at enmity 434 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:01,600 with God, unable to go to heaven? 435 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:06,560 Have you never admitted that you need a Savior to pay for your 436 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:11,360 sins? Acknowledge that Jesus is that 437 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:16,040 Saviour. If you haven't acknowledged 438 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,200 those things, then let today be that day. 439 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:23,080 There's a prayer in our bulletin at the bottom of page 14 that 440 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:26,320 you could use to help guide you, asking the Lord to forgive you 441 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,920 for your sins. Or you just could use your own 442 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:34,000 words and pray to Him. Confess your need for a Savior. 443 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,800 Confess that you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and believe 444 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:41,320 that He died on the cross to pay for your sins and that you want 445 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,840 a relationship with Him. Can I say that if you are here 446 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:49,840 and you do that for the first time, tell someone. 447 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,280 Tell Pastor Steve or myself. Tell one of our elders or 448 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,240 deacons. If you're a young person, tell 449 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:04,160 your parents. For others of us to awake may 450 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:08,600 mean a call to awaken from our spiritual slumber. 451 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,760 Maybe you're already a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, but 452 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,920 your way that you're living your life could accurately be 453 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:19,480 described as a spiritual slumber. 454 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:25,520 Not making use of the means of grace to grow in your faith to 455 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:29,760 to grow in Christian maturity. Not spending time with other 456 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:31,920 Christians for fellowship and community. 457 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:36,640 Not spending any time in prayer, talking with the Lord, deepening 458 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:39,680 your relationship with the Lord. If that's you, the Lord is 459 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,280 calling to you this morning and he says awake. 460 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,480 Part of awakening from our spiritual slumber could involve 461 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:53,440 thinking about and meditating on our adoption into the family of 462 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:55,320 God. It's one of the things we've 463 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,200 been reflecting on in our adult Sunday school class as we've 464 00:30:58,200 --> 00:30:59,960 been going through the book of Galatians. 465 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:04,320 The idea of being adopted into the family of God, of being made 466 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,520 a child of God through faith in Christ. 467 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:09,720 It's a significant part of Paul's argument in that letter. 468 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:13,880 And if you are a Christian, if you are in Christ and you've 469 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:18,200 been united to Jesus by faith, then you are a child of God. 470 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:22,720 You have been adopted into the family of God, and that is your 471 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:31,280 official unchangeable status. And if you're a child of God, if 472 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:34,000 you have been adopted into the family of God, then you are an 473 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:39,440 heir to the precious promises and eternal inheritances. 474 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:45,520 The idea of our adoption into the family of God is a powerful 475 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:48,680 agent to awaken our hearts and our souls. 476 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:53,200 If we have been made a child of God, if we have been adopted 477 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,640 into the family of God, if other Christians are now our brothers 478 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:59,760 and sisters in Christ, won't we want to wake up from our 479 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:03,240 spiritual slumber, our spiritual lethargy? 480 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:08,800 As we meditate on the gospel, God's grace to us, his uniting 481 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:11,440 us to Jesus and all of his benefits? 482 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:15,120 As we meditate on the reality of our adoption and all that that 483 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,800 means for us, we will be more and more motivated and empowered 484 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:23,360 to read the Word of God, to spend time with the Lord in 485 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:30,240 prayer, to worship from our hearts, to be in fellowship with 486 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:32,040 our brothers and sisters in Christ. 487 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:38,360 Because our God is awake and has secured our redemption, because 488 00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:43,240 He has broken off our chains of bondage, He calls us to awake to 489 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:47,160 live like who we are, the adopted children of God. 490 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:54,640 Lastly, depart now. The call for God's people in 491 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:59,880 Babylon in the 6th century BC was to depart Babylon, to depart 492 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:03,440 the exile and to return home. Now that's not an application 493 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:06,240 for us today. We're not called to leave exile, 494 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:11,200 return to the promised land. But we saw as we looked in those 495 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:16,800 commands in verses 11 and 12 of chapter 52, that there was 496 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,880 something else that he included. There wasn't just leave Babylon, 497 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:23,520 but we we saw that he said depart and go out from there and 498 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:27,080 touch no unclean thing. Go out from the midst of 499 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:29,640 Babylon's evil and purify yourselves. 500 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:33,280 He says. So the imperative that the 501 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,640 command to depart also has a sense of departing their old 502 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:40,000 ways, their wrong ways of living. 503 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:44,960 That part of departing still applies to us today. 504 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:53,040 So as we finish, ask you to reflect what are the things in 505 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:54,880 your life that you need to depart from? 506 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:00,320 What are the things in your life that you need to depart from? 507 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:04,160 Maybe it's ongoing, unrepentant sin. 508 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:10,639 Maybe it's a resetting sin that you find so easy to give into. 509 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:15,360 Maybe it's an unhealthy relationship in your life, a 510 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:20,760 relationship that causes your Christian life to suffer and to 511 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:22,560 languish rather than to flourish. 512 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:33,600 Maybe you need to depart from over commitment, having no 513 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,960 margin, going in too many directions, having too many 514 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:41,320 irons in the fire, saying yes to every opportunity. 515 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:48,840 Maybe you need to depart from worry, worrying about things 516 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:52,840 that you can't control, worrying about possible things and 517 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:54,639 outcomes in the future that are not certain. 518 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:03,880 Or maybe you need to depart from cynicism about other people, 519 00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:07,920 about brothers and sisters in Christ, about your children, 520 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:14,960 about your spouse, about our politicians and governing 521 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:20,280 authorities, about other evangelical churches in town. 522 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:26,280 What are the things in your life where you need to depart? 523 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:32,920 God calls on us today to listen to Awake and to depart. 524 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:34,400 Let's pray together.