God’s Truth. (331)

Introduction

Commit to living according to God’s revealed #truth

1. Why do people today question the reliability of the Bible?
2. What opinions do people today voice about the Word of God?

The brief historical situation of Judah.

Rather than depending on God, Judah depended on an alliance with Egypt for protection from Assyria; but that alliance would fail
(30:1-17). Despite Judah’s sin, God loved His people and would act to save them. He would call the people of Judah back to Him, restore them, and destroy Assyria (30:18-33).

Isaiah stressed trust in human forces and plans ultimately leads to ruin but patient trust in God leads to true security even in times of difficulty (31:1-9).

Reject Self-deception
Isaiah 28:14-15 (HCSB)

Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you mockers

This kind of statement is typical of the Book of Isaiah. He emphasized his message came straight from God.

14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you mockers
who rule these people in Jerusalem.
15 For you said, “We have cut a deal with Death,
and we have agreed with Sheol;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through,
it will not touch us,
because we have made falsehood our refuge
and have hidden behind treachery.”

#Mockers

Isaiah referred to Judah’s political leaders as mockers, the Old Testament’s strongest term to describe wicked individuals. Those who arrogantly believe their way is right

Proverbs 21:24 NASB
“Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names, Who acts with insolent pride.

Mocking God’s way and mocking those who follow God

Proverbs 1:22 NASB
“How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?

a deal with Death (agreement with Sheol )

The leaders had #deceived themselves by choosing their schemes rather than God’s #truth.

1. some believe the leaders may have entered a pact to battle their enemy to the death rather than surrender.
2. others suggest the leaders had begun to worship gods of the underworld hoping those gods would protect them while destroying their enemies.
3. still other scholars think the leaders had made a treaty with a foreign nation, most likely Egypt.
   • Judah’s leaders might have had to worship these pagan gods to seal the treaty.
4. others understand the deal with Death to be a rejection of God and complete trust in human plans, alliances, and armies.

Isaiah probably intended both the third and fourth interpretations. Faced with choosing life or death, Judah’s leaders had decided not to trust patiently in God and experience life but to trust in Egypt’s military might. How ironic that those who had a covenant with the living God chose to trust instead in a covenant with Death.

#Overwhelming scourge

• a mixed metaphor. Over-whelming refers to flooding while scourge refers to a whip.
• describes the stinging of rain driven by a strong wind or the beating of hail.
• symbolizes the devastation to be caused by the coming Assyrian invasion.

The underlying point remains the same. Judah’s leaders believed they could escape by their strategy, but their strategy would fail. Like flood water sweeping away everything in its path and a whip laying bare a person’s back, God’s judgment would strike and punish Judah.

1. What are examples of national self-deception today?
2. How are personal and national self-deception related?
3. What forms of self-deception do God’s people need to reject today?

Rely on God’s #Foundation
Isaiah 28:16-18 (HCSB)

16 Therefore the Lord GOD said:
“Look, I have laid a stone in Zion,
a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
the one who believes will be unshakable.

17 And I will make justice the measuring line
and righteousness the mason’s level.”
Hail will sweep away the false refuge,
and water will flood your hiding place.

18 Your deal with Death will be dissolved,
and your agreement with Sheol will not last.
When the overwhelming scourge passes through,
you will be trampled.

A Stone in Zion

Bible scholars have suggested a variety of interpretations of the “stone in Zion.” These include

• God’s law,
• the temple,
• a new king from the Davidic monarchy,
• a new building project designed to provide protection for God’s people,
• God’s saving work among His people,
• a faithful remnant,
• faith,
• God Himself.

The stone seems to be part of a new work of God rather than a continuation of something begun earlier, which has led some to eliminate God’s law, His saving work among His people, and God Himself from consideration.

Many scholars believe Isaiah may have thought of a new, cleansed temple or a new godly king to renew the people’s faith; Possibly another building project such as Hezekiah’s water tunnel (2 Kings 20:20) to inspire confidence in God’s protection;

2 Kings 20:20

Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

It might also mean a faithful remnant whom God would #preserve through the coming punishment

Isaiah 10:20-22 NASB

20 Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who has escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
21 A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.
22 For though your people, O Israel, maybe like the sand of the sea, Only a remnant within them will return; A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

In the new testament,

Romans 9:33 NASB
just as it is written,
“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE,
AND HE Who BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

Peter later picked up the image of the stone in Zion and stated Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s #prophecy.

1 Peter 2:4-6

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone,
AND HE Who BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

Paul also described Jesus as the #cornerstone of the church

Ephesians 2:20

having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone,

Jesus applied the image of a #rejected stone becoming the #cornerstone to Himself

Matthew 21:42

Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,
THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone;
>THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND It IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES´?

Jesus is the ultimate #fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. In Jesus, God did something new by coming Himself to provide us with the true foundation on which we can rest our life.

• What was predicted for Judah if the nation continued to reject God’s foundation?

The prediction in Isaiah 28:16-18 is not about building a building but about building a godly life or a nation.

The importance is on building one’s life on God’s #foundation.

A strong foundation is important but is only the beginning of a house. The house must be built according to certain standards.

1. How would you contrast a life built by worldly standards with a life built on the sure foundation of God’s revealed truth?
2. What are God’s standards for constructing a life?
3. justice, right living
4. How can believers put God’s justice and right living into practice in today’s world?

Credits

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Scriptures in the show notes and episode are quoted from the King James Version, except when read by Keith, then it’s the NASB.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
🡪

“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Used by Permission HCSB ©1999,2000,2002,2003,2009 Holman Bible Publishers. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Some commentary extracted from:
Explore the Bible
Spring 2006
April 2, 2006

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