Isaiah 32
Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Wednesday March 4, 2009
ISAIAH 32
C32 cycles through three realities: Life in the Millennial age (Christ physically present)/life in the age of law/life in the age of grace (Christ spiritually present). As we will see, the essence of life in the Millennium and life in age of grace are the same. All that was desired through alliance w/ Egypt is found in reliance upon God.
1-2 Christ is King and the saints are princes! The rulers will not oppress, but will be a strength to the people
One who judges righteously pays attention to God. One who judges justly pays attention to man – get to the bottom of a situation. They have time to be bothered by the things that bother you. Their position isn’t for them, but it’s for the people. When a position is held for personal gain, there can be neither justice or righteousness.
Great picture of spiritual leadership whether offered by a pastor/ elder/home group leader/friend/parent. Protection from the wind/ storm/drought/sun – a refuge/shelter/stream/shade – this is the community of Christ!
3-4 When righteous/just l’ship is in place, the impact is awesome.
Eyes Revelation Many blinded by sin in spiritual l’ship
Ears Obedience
Mind Understanding Hasty: rash/don’t think through or ahead
Tongue Testimony
RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION, BUT SIN IS A DISGRACE TO ANY PEOPLE.
5-8 When justice reigns, the fool/rogue will not be honored. Nobility of wealth and power will give place to nobility of character.
Why would a fool be called noble and a rogue, generous? Either through coercion or ignorance. Either the people who are calling them noble know that they are not, but are intimidated into honoring them, or because the people’s values are such that they truly believe that the fool/rogue are noble. Today: gangster/ sexual deviancy culture/abortion/euthanasia is honored. But because of righteous/just l’ship, the people will see as God sees – understand/speak as God does. Christ flips the culture.
9-14 REBUKE OF THE WOMEN NOT LONGING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
9 Women are, by nature, more sensitive and more easily affected than men. But Isaiah’s words have made no impression on them. They are ‘at ease’ – comfortable. They believe that the prophesied doom will not touch them – because they feel privileged and secure in Abraham/Moses as the people of God? Cf. Jn. 8:33 They think they are in a place where they don’t need to pay attention to I.
This increasingly describes our culture – we are in a place where we think we don’t need to pay attention to the Word of God. Either because there are so many competing truth claims and we can’t be expected to choose between them or because someone has convinced us that the Bible is not the Word of God or because the conscience is so dull that the message of danger doesn’t impact us.
There are so many really smart people who tell us that there is no God and that we don’t need someone who isn’t there and if we feel like we need him, he won’t come anyway. If you need a god, you’re weak. If you think he’s there, you’re dumb. Many see Christians as dumb and weak. Many look at us like Elijah looked at the prophets of Baal who were making fools of themselves as they called upon the name of their god.
Though I can’t convince the women who are at ease concerning the approaching judgment, he still announces it. Vv10-11: you will be troubled and you will tremble. Isaiah doesn’t allow their unbelief to hinder his ministry. 12-14
15 The devastation of God’s judgment will be experienced until which time the Holy Spirit is poured out. Interesting to note that the devastation of judgment isn’t overturned at the decree to return to Jerusalem, but when the Spirit is poured out. The glory of God is the true measure of restoration – not walls and gates.
Joel 2:28; Zech. 12:10 speak of the outpouring of the Spirit. J – at Pentecost and Z – at end of tribulation on nation of Israel. The church is not the church w/o the Spirit and Israel is not true Israel w/o the Spirit.
One of the works of the Spirit is to bring forth justice. Cf. v2 – princes are Spirit filled and not self-centered. If not filled w/ the Spirit, man will oppress man. What Christ will accomplish when physically present is what the Spirit of Christ is seeking to accomplish today.
16 Justice/righteousness characterize the Messianic reign. Justice is the rule of law and righteousness is a life ruled by law. R: stiff/ straight – conformity w/ the rule of God’s law. This doesn’t point to legalism as much as it indicates the triumph of God’s revelation over human reason – accomplished by Spirit poured out. W/o the Spirit, the Word doesn’t do its full work.
17 Work = to make something into something. Righteousness is worked into peace, it produces peace. There can be no peace w/o righteousness. Righteousness has two meanings in Scripture: right w/ God and right w/ man. There can be no peace for the one who sins against God and against man.
Righteousness has assigned task: to maintain quietness/confidence.
Quietness – rest from war in Joshua 11:23/Undisturbed in Judges. To be quiet in your spirit is to have nothing that is an annoying preoccupation – all issues are settled.
Confidence – 1st time used in Scripture describes a city confident of not being attacked. Opposite: anxiety and tension. This peace/ quietness/confidence is the fruit of righteousness – a life lived in conformity to God’s revelation.
18-20 Security in the face of calamity
C31 begins w/ alliance w/ Egypt due to fear and C32 ends w/ resting in the Lord because of faith.
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ISAIAH 32
C32 cycles through three realities: Life in the Millennial age (Christ physically present)/life in the age of law/life in the age of grace (Christ spiritually present). As we will see, the essence of life in the Millennium and life in age of grace are the same. All that was desired through alliance w/ Egypt is found in reliance upon God.
1-2 Christ is King and the saints are princes! The rulers will not oppress, but will be a strength to the people
One who judges righteously pays attention to God. One who judges justly pays attention to man – get to the bottom of a situation. They have time to be bothered by the things that bother you. Their position isn’t for them, but it’s for the people. When a position is held for personal gain, there can be neither justice or righteousness.
Great picture of spiritual leadership whether offered by a pastor/ elder/home group leader/friend/parent. Protection from the wind/ storm/drought/sun – a refuge/shelter/stream/shade – this is the community of Christ!
3-4 When righteous/just l’ship is in place, the impact is awesome.
Eyes Revelation Many blinded by sin in spiritual l’ship
Ears Obedience
Mind Understanding Hasty: rash/don’t think through or ahead
Tongue Testimony
RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION, BUT SIN IS A DISGRACE TO ANY PEOPLE.
5-8 When justice reigns, the fool/rogue will not be honored. Nobility of wealth and power will give place to nobility of character.
Why would a fool be called noble and a rogue, generous? Either through coercion or ignorance. Either the people who are calling them noble know that they are not, but are intimidated into honoring them, or because the people’s values are such that they truly believe that the fool/rogue are noble. Today: gangster/ sexual deviancy culture/abortion/euthanasia is honored. But because of righteous/just l’ship, the people will see as God sees – understand/speak as God does. Christ flips the culture.
9-14 REBUKE OF THE WOMEN NOT LONGING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
9 Women are, by nature, more sensitive and more easily affected than men. But Isaiah’s words have made no impression on them. They are ‘at ease’ – comfortable. They believe that the prophesied doom will not touch them – because they feel privileged and secure in Abraham/Moses as the people of God? Cf. Jn. 8:33 They think they are in a place where they don’t need to pay attention to I.
This increasingly describes our culture – we are in a place where we think we don’t need to pay attention to the Word of God. Either because there are so many competing truth claims and we can’t be expected to choose between them or because someone has convinced us that the Bible is not the Word of God or because the conscience is so dull that the message of danger doesn’t impact us.
There are so many really smart people who tell us that there is no God and that we don’t need someone who isn’t there and if we feel like we need him, he won’t come anyway. If you need a god, you’re weak. If you think he’s there, you’re dumb. Many see Christians as dumb and weak. Many look at us like Elijah looked at the prophets of Baal who were making fools of themselves as they called upon the name of their god.
Though I can’t convince the women who are at ease concerning the approaching judgment, he still announces it. Vv10-11: you will be troubled and you will tremble. Isaiah doesn’t allow their unbelief to hinder his ministry. 12-14
15 The devastation of God’s judgment will be experienced until which time the Holy Spirit is poured out. Interesting to note that the devastation of judgment isn’t overturned at the decree to return to Jerusalem, but when the Spirit is poured out. The glory of God is the true measure of restoration – not walls and gates.
Joel 2:28; Zech. 12:10 speak of the outpouring of the Spirit. J – at Pentecost and Z – at end of tribulation on nation of Israel. The church is not the church w/o the Spirit and Israel is not true Israel w/o the Spirit.
One of the works of the Spirit is to bring forth justice. Cf. v2 – princes are Spirit filled and not self-centered. If not filled w/ the Spirit, man will oppress man. What Christ will accomplish when physically present is what the Spirit of Christ is seeking to accomplish today.
16 Justice/righteousness characterize the Messianic reign. Justice is the rule of law and righteousness is a life ruled by law. R: stiff/ straight – conformity w/ the rule of God’s law. This doesn’t point to legalism as much as it indicates the triumph of God’s revelation over human reason – accomplished by Spirit poured out. W/o the Spirit, the Word doesn’t do its full work.
17 Work = to make something into something. Righteousness is worked into peace, it produces peace. There can be no peace w/o righteousness. Righteousness has two meanings in Scripture: right w/ God and right w/ man. There can be no peace for the one who sins against God and against man.
Righteousness has assigned task: to maintain quietness/confidence.
Quietness – rest from war in Joshua 11:23/Undisturbed in Judges. To be quiet in your spirit is to have nothing that is an annoying preoccupation – all issues are settled.
Confidence – 1st time used in Scripture describes a city confident of not being attacked. Opposite: anxiety and tension. This peace/ quietness/confidence is the fruit of righteousness – a life lived in conformity to God’s revelation.
18-20 Security in the face of calamity
C31 begins w/ alliance w/ Egypt due to fear and C32 ends w/ resting in the Lord because of faith.
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