Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Wednesday June 23, 2010

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Isaiah 62

1  Isaiah is excited about the revealed will of God.  God has revealed His will concerning J’lem.  Cf. 46:13 – salvation in Zion, glory for Israel; 58:8 – light will break forth and righteousness go b4u.  This speaks of the glorious restoration of J’lem. Isaiah is excited about the revealed will of God for J’lem. Isaiah makes the promise/will of God his prayer.  Isaiah takes what has been revealed and begins to pray it.  He just couldn’t go on to the next thing until he had prayed about what God had said.  Cf. Dan. 9:1-3  Take the promises/purposes of God and make them part of the substance of your prayer life.  The Word of God informs us/prayer helps to form in us the will of God.

Kids say to dad, “Remember yesterday when you said you would take us to the park today?  We’re ready.  Let’s go!”  What dad had said excited them.  Their request was only what Dad had promised.

I think that one reason many struggle in their prayer life is because the Word of God doesn’t excite them/doesn’t grip their heart.  If you don’t want what God wants, you won’t pray about it – you won’t remind God.  If the kids didn’t want to go to the park, but instead stay home to play video games, they would have conveniently forgotten the promise about the park.  If what God says doesn’t line up w/ what I want, I won’t make that my prayer.  I will pray my desires, not His – end up frustrated.

Isaiah is excited about the revealed will of God, but God has said so many things that don’t thrill the hearts of His children and so they don’t respond to these things.  Like you, I receive much spam e-mail promising me $M.  I don’t even respond.   

So, what God says to us becomes part of what we say to Him.

Applied to children – Phil. 1:6; Mt. 12:20  Battered reed/smoldering wick – not broken/extinguished.   

Applied to provision – Mt. 6:33; Phil. 4:19  Note: the context is seeking God/putting Him first.  If you’re not putting God first/seeking His kingdom, you need to get in line w/ the purposes of God – repent!  His purpose is that He be #1 in your life.  Don’t pray the promises w/o embracing the purposes of God – don’t pray blessings w/o pursuing holiness.

2  In the future, all nations will see what God has always intended Israel 2b.  Dt. 28:1-14  The words most often associated w/ Israel today are ‘illegal/criminal/oppressive.’  This kind of abuse is true of the church, too.  But, like Israel, our greatest days lie b4 us.

When the Lord restores Israel, there won’t be an ad campaign promoting the ‘new, improved’ Israel.  All will see it w/ their eyes.  Cf. Is. 60:3 – the nations will come to your light….  A man was asked, “Are you a Christian?”  He replied, “You’ll have to ask my family/neighbors whether or not I’m a Christian.”  His operating assumption is that of this verse – righteousness/glory are something 2b seen.

3  Crown/diadem – in His hand.  Normally, when we see this kind of crown/wreathe in Scripture, it is on someone’s head.  Why not on His head/why in hand?  She has been given so much glory, but Israel humbles herself b4 the Lord and she gives it all n2 the hand of the Lord.  Cf. Rev. 4:4, 10.  Like elders, cast crowns b4 the Lord

4  Complete reversal of judgment.  Instead of forsaken, married.  Instead of desolate, delightful.  (Dwelling in Beulah Land).   

5  A virgin is one who has not been w/ any man.  So many today have claims upon J’lem – the Jews/Muslims/Christians.  So many are trying to have their way w/ her.  But there is coming a time when she will be for God alone.  She will be washed clean.

6-7  Isaiah leaves the future hope of the city in vv1-5 and comes to the present situation.  God will raise up those who have the same heart as Isaiah to pray the promises/purposes of God for J’lem.  2bn step w/ God’s purposes is 2bn line w/ His passion.  He has a passion for J’lem.  To have God’s passion makes it easy to pray.   

If God’s will is certain and will come to pass in the time of His choosing, why pray about what God has promised?  Will prayer make it happen sooner?  Will prayer speed up the timeline of God?  Is God pressured by the prayers of the saints?

Prayer says to God, “I want what You want.  I desire what You desire.  My heart is fixed on this and I want 2c Your promises/ purposes come to pass – this is my passion.”  Your problem isn’t prayerlessness.  Your problem is a heart that is not passionate for God and the things of God.  The solution isn’t redoubled discipline, it is searching/examining/repenting.

A prayerless heart is a heart not captured by the purposes of God/not gripped w/ a passion for God.  A prayerless heart is a wandering heart, not anchored in the revelation of God.   

…take no rest for yourselves… Rest = ‘to come to an end/bring to closure’.  Don’t accept closure/don’t think the Lord has spoken the last word until J’lem is exalted.  “I refuse to take the humbled condition of J’lem as Your final word.”  Apply to children/provision/ministry.

Image is taken from temple where Levites kept watch by night.  They cry out, lift up their voices, at regular intervals.  But the watchmen can grow dull and no longer be attentive – Is. 56:10.

A devotional strategy is to read your Bible looking specifically for the promises/purposes of God that can become the basis for prayer that day.  (Have someone choose a passage and demonstrate).

8-9  This hasn’t happened yet and so we know that this prophecy pertains to the future life of Israel.  In the millennium, there will be a 3rd temple in J’lem.   

10  The gates are opened/the road is cleared/ flags are flown – the way is clearly marked/easily traveled.

11  We are to prophesy to Israel: “Your salvation comes.”  Recompense = wages.  Reward or recompense, which do you want?  

12  Reversal:

Holy - not unholy

Redeemed – not rejected

Sought out – not forsaken