The Glory Of God

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Introduction

This is the last in a series this spring on Isaiah. We'll come back and finish the book (chapters 61-66) next spring, God willing. If you don't want to wait until then, can I recommend The Bible Speaks Today volume on Isaiah by Barry Webb?


A QUICK RE-CAP ON ISAIAH

With Isaiah, it's easy to get bogged down in the detail and miss the big picture. So, let's do a bit of summing up. Isaiah begins:

The vision concerning Jerusalem and Judah that Isaiah… saw… (1.1)

So, the whole book is a written-down vision. God supernaturally enabled Isaiah to see into the future. Isaiah lived 7 centuries before the Lord Jesus. And in his vision, he saw that God was going to do three main things:

1) take his people into exile as a judgement on their misbehaviour; 2) allow his people to return from exile and rebuild Jerusalem; and 3) that, beyond those events, God would send from his side someone called the Lord's 'servant' (52.13), who would come to put right everything that was wrong with God's people, and judge the whole world.

Now, we are privileged to live 'AD' - after the Lord Jesus' first coming. We can therefore look back and see that parts (1) and (2) of Isaiah's vision have been fulfilled, and that part (3) has been partly fulfilled.

The exile has happened. The return from exile has happened. And, beyond those events, the Lord has sent his 'servant', in the form of Jesus, his own Son. He died on the cross for our sins, was raised from the dead, and is now back with his Father in heaven. From there, he can forgive us our sins and come into our lives by his Spirit to start transforming us from the sinful people we are until one day - in heaven - we will be sinless: the way God meant us to be.

The only part of Isaiah's vision still to be fulfilled is that Jesus has yet to come a second time - to wrap up this present creation as we know it, and to judge and separate people into those for him and those against. So, beyond that lies the eternity of both heaven and hell. Isaiah 56-66 (the part we've been looking at this spring) is basically about living between the first and second comings of Jesus. Ie, it's about the period in which we are living. In fact, the apostle Peter said this:

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1.10-12)

So, Isaiah knew that at least some of the things he was writing were not for his contemporaries, but for us. So, what is he saying to us? Well, in his vision, Isaiah saw that even after the exile, the return and the coming of the Lord's servant (ie Jesus' first coming), God's people would still be far from perfect. We saw that in chapter 59. For example:

So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. (Isaiah 59:9)

It's important to understand what the Bible means when it talks about 'light' and 'darkness' - especially when reading Isaiah 59-60. The Bible says, 'God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.' (1 John 1.5). Ie, 'light' stands for God's character - moral purity, holiness. Being in 'darkness', then, stands for not knowing God - stumbling around in life, not knowing where you came from, why you're here, or where you're heading. Whereas, having the 'light' (60.1-2) stands for knowing God and therefore walking through life with light shed on your pathway.

Well, in chapter 59, Isaiah sees a vision of the professed people of God seemingly in darkness: unbelieving, disobedient - a dishonour to God. And he saw that, this side of heaven, God's people (the church as it is now) would never be perfect. And that the faithful ones among them would always be painfully aware of that. The faithful ones would know that they individually, and God's people corporately, failed to be the witnesses to the world for God that they were meant to be. Those faithful ones, aware of their own failings, are who Isaiah was addressing back in 57.15:

For this is what the high and lofty One says - he who lives for ever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse for ever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me - the breath of man that I have created. [Isaiah 57.15-16]

Often, we will feel failures individually. I think of one Christian. He came to faith in Jesus and in the early days of his Christian life, he kept 'blowing it' in the area of alcohol. He got drunk. I remember him saying what a failure he felt; how he'd let God down; how he now reckoned he was useless; how he couldn't possibly be a witness for the Lord any more - surely he'd lost his credibility, hadn't he? And of course some people around him took the opportunity to express their hostility to Jesus: 'Call yourself a Christian, and you still do that?!' In Isaiah's words, his spirit was 'faint'. He felt he was on the floor and couldn't get up again. That was it. Failure. The end. On the Christian scrap-heap. And, in some area or other, we who are believers will be able to relate to that.

But then, often we feel failures corporately, as the church. If you've been here over the past few months, you'll have heard the statistics about church decline in this country. It's very discouraging. And it does make - and should make - the faithful feel 'contrite' (ie, sorry, mournful). Sorry for the part our own sinfulness and half-heartedness has played in the decline of God's church. Sorry that Jesus' name is so dishonoured around us. We feel that the church is on the ropes - if not on the floor. And the world around takes the opportunity to express its hostility to Jesus - to rub it in. And if you're a believer, you'll be able to relate to that.

The temptation in both situations (individual failure; corporate failure) is the same. The temptation is: to stay crushed on the floor; to give up all ideas of being useful to God as a witness; to keep our heads down; to keep quiet about Jesus; to make our faith a private hobby; to withdraw into the ghetto of the church (or CU, or both); to become defensive, inward looking, cut off from the non-Christian world around us; and to go into 'survival mode' until heaven. Because we know we've failed in the past. And we know it's going to be tough 'out there' in the future. Isn't safer to stay quietly 'floored'? Isaiah says, 'No!':

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. [Isaiah 60.1]

'Arise, shine.' Ie, 'Get up, and get out there!' Get up off the floor of failure and fear. And get out there to speak for the Lord and live for him publicly. Or, to put it another way,


First, YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (vv1-2)

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. [Isaiah 60.1-2]

Isaiah is saying to us, 'You have the light. You know God. While other people are still in the dark. So, get up and get out there, because they need what you've got.' In Isaiah's day things were so bad that he talked in terms of darkness (eg, Isaiah 8.19-22). To us - who live beyond the exile, the return and the first coming of Jesus - Isaiah says, 'your light has come' (v1). Which really means 'Jesus has come.' Remember some of the things John's Gospel says:

Jesus… said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but have the light of life.' (John 8.12)
The true light [ie Jesus] that gives light to every man was coming into the world. (John 1.9)
This is the verdict: Light [ie Jesus] has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. (John 3.19)

So John 1.5 can then be taken as a description of the whole time between the first and second comings of Jesus:

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

The point of Isaiah 60.1-2 is the contrast between 'them' (v2a) and 'us' who have the light (ie, know God through the Lord Jesus). Isaiah wants us to realise how privileged we are. We have the light! When we ask what's right or wrong, what's good or destructive, what matters and what doesn't, what life's about (etc), we know the Person with the answers. Whereas, the non-Christian world ('the earth', 'the peoples', v2) doesn't. It needs what we've got. Past failure and future fears make us want to keep our heads down. The temptation to the ghetto / defensive / survival mentality is always there. But that does the world no good. They need what we've got.

Some of you will remember John Chapman, the Australian evangelist who came and helped us with two Mission weeks a few years ago. Later, I heard him give his testimony of how he came to faith in Jesus. It was through a Christian friend at school. In the process, John Chapman gave that friend a very hard time. Doubtless that friend felt a failure; felt like giving up on John Chapman; felt fearful of getting his head bitten off again. And I remember John telling the story with tears rolling down his cheeks as he said how grateful he was that that Christian friend didn't give up. 'Arise, shine,' says Isaiah. Or rather, says the Lord Jesus speaking through Isaiah (see 1 Peter 1.10-11). And Jesus said it again, when he was here in the flesh:

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. [Matthew 5.14-16]

In the face of past failure or future fears about witnessing to the Lord, the temptation is to hide. The Lord says: don't. Get up. And get out there. They need what you've got. You are the light of the world.


Secondly, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WILL COME TO GOD THROUGH YOU (vv3-14)

Verses 1 and 2 are a command ('Arise, shine') with a challenging motivation ('for your light has come', while others remain in darkness). Verses 3-14 are then a sustained promise of what God will do as we 'get up and get out there' (notice how many times the word 'will' promises something will happen). One of our fears about being witnesses for the Lord is that when we try to communicate to others about him, nothing will happen. To which Isaiah says, 'Not so! Something will happen!':

Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. All Kedar's flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple.
Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests? Surely the islands look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your sons from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honour of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendour. [Isaiah 60.3-9]

Now, you may be wondering exactly what he's on about. Who is coming? Where? And what's all this about money and camels? Well, in vv3-14, Isaiah is looking ahead to the evangelisation of the whole world by the church, but he's picturing it in the terms that made sense to him. For us, those terms are a bit alien until they're explained. Remember that for Isaiah, the people of God were a nation. They had a geographical 'HQ', Jerusalem (or 'Zion' - see v14). That's where the temple was (see vv7, 13), where God's presence dwelt with his people.

So, Isaiah looks ahead to the evangelisation of the whole world, in those terms. He 'sees' Jerusalem and its people and its temple like a great beacon of light at the centre of a world in darkness (v2). He 'sees' people from all the nations of the world (vv3, 5-9) being attracted to Jerusalem and its people (v14) and its temple, like moths being attracted to the light. (Although one shouldn't push that illustration too far: moths tend to come to a sticky end.) And he 'sees' people from all nations being converted to the Lord (v6 - 'proclaiming the praise of the Lord'; v7 - making offering to the Lord; v9 - honouring the Lord).

Now from our point of view, we know it doesn't quite happen like that. How it happens is not so much them coming to us, but us going to them with the news about the Lord Jesus (see Matthew 28.18-20, Luke 24.46-49, Acts 1.8). The way people from all over the world will come to God through us is as we go to them, living out our Christian lives among them and speaking to them about the Lord (or bringing them to where the Lord is being spoken about, or lending books, or tapes… however we communicate).

So, back to vv3-14. It's a sustained promise about the fruitfulness of evangelism (ie spreading the knowledge of Jesus). What motivations are there here for sharing our faith? Well,

a) There will be fruit (v3). Not every individual we evangelise will come to faith (there's a hint of that in v12). But as we evangelise as a church, some will come to faith. The temptation is to think nothing will happen. But it will.

b) We must look at those around us through the eyes of faith, not the eyes of fear or pessimism (v4). 'Lift up your eyes and look about you,' says the Lord through Isaiah. And when he was here in the flesh, Jesus repeated that: 'I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields [meaning the non-Christians around us]! They are ripe for harvest [meaning, many will respond to our evangelism].' (John 4.35) Fear or pessimism looks around and says, 'They won't want to know. Or they'll bite my head off. I'll keep quiet.' But faith says, 'There are people around me whom God wants to bring to himself. I must try to get the gospel of Jesus to them, somehow.'

c) There is no joy like the joy of being used by God as he brings another person to know him (v5a): 'your heart will throb [literally, be filled with awe/fear] and swell with joy.' It is an awesome thing, and a great joy, to be involved as a link in God's chain of bringing someone to himself. I think it was the preacher Charles Spurgeon who used to say, 'I wish for everyone to have the joy of seeing a soul come to Christ. It would spoil the world for them.' Ie, all other joys would pale by comparison.

d) We must remember that the honour and glory of God is at stake. It's right to think of the needs of non-Christian people: the need for forgiveness and reconciliation with God, the need for light so they know what life's about, etc. But our primary motivation for spreading the gospel is the glory of God. God should be honoured: people should be living for him. After all, he is God! And that's what vv6-9 picture: people coming, with all they are and all they have (camels, wealth, silver, gold), and laying themselves at the Lord's feet, to serve and honour him with their lives from now on. That's the human side of conversion (ie, repentance - re-orientating your whole life around God as your King).

e) We must remember that God makes friends of his enemies. That's what vv10 and 14 are about:

Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favour I will show you compassion.
The sons of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. [Isaiah 60.10, 14]

Verse 10 says that people who were once against God will join the side of building for God's cause. Verse 14 says there will be those who change from being against God and his people to serving God and his people. The point is: God makes enemies his friends. We think of people as 'likely' and 'less likely' to become Christians. Not so! Until God draws them to himself, all are enemies (Romans 5.10). But God can - and does - draw anyone.

f) We must remember that evangelism is an urgent business. Sandwiched in vv10-14 is v12:

For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined. [Isaiah 60.12]

People who will not come to God are ultimately on a collision course with him. If we say 'No' to God throughout this life, then when we meet him at the judgement, he will say 'No' to us. We will be left outside, which will only be what we have chosen. Those are the motivations for evangelism that vv3-14 give. That's why we do Parish Visiting: there are people behind those doors in the parish whom God wants to bring to himself through us. We have to get up and get out there. It's also why we're concerned for international students, and run things like The Globe café. Here, the situation is just as Isaiah describes it: students come to Newcastle from all over the world. We don't have to move countries to take the gospel to them. We don't even have to learn a new language. They come to us. And many come to JPC or The Globe, giving us the opportunity to share the gospel with them. Hundreds come. And The Globe team is creaking at the seams! We could do with two or three times as many helpers. People from all over the world will come to God through you, says Isaiah.


Thirdly, HEAVEN WILL FAR OUTWEIGH THE SORROWS THAT GOD'S PEOPLE EXPERIENCE NOW (vv15-22)

Remember the issues Isaiah is addressing: faithful people who experience sorrow over their own individual sin and failure to be a witness; sorrow over the church's sin and failure to be a witness; and the sorrow of hostile reactions from the unbelieving world around. Those sorrows can make you feel like giving up the Christian walk. So in vv15-22, Isaiah is allowed to 'see' beyond the second coming of Jesus, to a new creation. Verses 19-20, for example, make that clear:

The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. [Isaiah 60.19-20]

Those verses show that Isaiah is describing something 'out of this world' - beyond history as we know it. And if you read Revelation 21, you'll find that's exactly what he's on about: the 'heavenly city'. So why does Isaiah turn to speak of heaven? How does that help address the problems and sorrows he's tackling? Well, read through vv15-22:

Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no-one travelling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations. [Isaiah 60.15]

Christians can be 'forsaken' or 'hated' for their witness to the Lord (cf Luke 6.22-23). It can seem like no-one wants to know. It can seem like, if anything, the world pities us for what we believe, rather than admires us: 'Just think what you're missing out on, living the Christian life!' But, second half of v15: when we're in heaven, 'the everlasting pride and joy of the generations', we'll be eternally glad to be there - glad that we weathered the storms of disapproval, leg-pulling, insults, difficulties and worse; glad that we didn't give up. It will be a royal existence:

You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts. Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Saviour, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. [Isaiah 60.16]

And it will be better, superior, in every way to all we've so far known:

Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. [Isaiah 60.17]

That's not to be taken in a crass, materialistic way ('We'll all be filthy rich'). It's picture language for everything being better. In fact, everything being perfect, unspoilt (cf 1 Peter 1.4). What makes heaven heaven is not the material side of things, but the visible presence of God, and the complete absence of sin and all its consequences:

I will make peace your governor and righteousness your ruler. No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land for ever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendour. [Isaiah 60.17b-21]

There will be, v17, 'peace' (no broken relationships or divisions) and 'righteousness' (at last, we will live perfectly as God means us to as his people, after a lifetime of our desire for godliness being greater than our actual godliness). God will be visibly present with us in some way we can't imagine, vv19-20, and living with the light, we ourselves will be rid of all traces of darkness (cf 1 John 3.2). 'Then will all your people be righteous' (v21). And whereas in this life, we often feel like a beleaguered minority, in heaven we will be a vast number:

The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. (v21)

Compare that with Revelation 7.9.

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

For all those reasons in vv15-22, we are to keep going in our Christian walk and witness. To think of giving up because of temporary sorrows doesn't make sense, when we have the eternity described in vv15-22 to look forward to. And remember what the apostle Peter wrote:

We have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. [2 Peter 1.19]

'We have the word of the prophets made more certain.' Ie, we who can look back to the first coming of Jesus should be more certain that these promises of vv15-22 will come about. We should be more certain of the future of heaven. Because we know that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead, leaving the door to heaven open behind him for all believers. We have the promise of heaven clothed in the events of that first Easter.

There we must leave Isaiah for another year. Isaiah is speaking to us. To people living between the first and second comings of Jesus. To people conscious of our failure to be the witnesses we should be. To people experiencing the sorrows of ongoing sinfulness and the hostility of the world. To people tempted to retreat from the world into the Christian ghetto - or to give up the Christian walk altogether. And Isaiah says:

You are the light of the world. People from all over the world will come to God through you. Heaven will far outweigh the sorrows that God's people experience now.

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