Category: Isaiah
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“Come! Enter into the Blessings of the Everlasting Covenantâ€
Early in his book, Isaiah spoke of another sign, that of a child born of a virgin, whose name shall be called Immanuel, God with us (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:21). Immanuel will fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy by giving God’s people true food and drink, abundant pardon of sin, and everlasting joy and peace.
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Why Obey the Voice of the Lord
In many evangelical churches, pastors invite unbelievers to become Christians so that they may reap material blessings from God. Very few call on the congregation to listen to the voice of God and to seek after righteousness given by Christ.
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“You Are My Witnesses”
As God’s witnesses, you present not your works, but Christ and his redemptive work.
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Two Prayers, Two Answers, and an Ominous Ending
How did God hear Hezekiah’s prayers for forgiveness and salvation? Only through the fulfillment of God’s promise to his father David: the Son of David who would sit on his father’s throne forever, whose kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom. Jesus the Messiah would teach us that he is the One who saves his people from…
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Why Trust in Egypt?
Isaiah 19:23-25 anticipates the time when Assyria and Egypt will represent all people from all nations who will turn to God. All three nations will be connected by a “highway†through which God comes to his people and by which he leads his people to himself. Jesus, is the “new and living way†to God’s…
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The Glorious Eternal Kingdom of the Lord
Isaiah 11:9 precludes sinners in the age to come. No one “shall hurt or destroy in all my holy mountainâ€â€”the new earth—deeds that only sinners are able to do. And if “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the seaâ€â€”indicative of universal righteousness—during the millennium, how could…
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A Sinner Before a Holy God: “Woohoo!” or “Woe!”
Isaiah’s encounter with God is unlike that of most evangelicals—unbridled irreverence in sensual hip-swaying, discordant and noisy music, woohooing, shouting and clapping. For Isaiah, a direct encounter with God meant death and judgment. Why would an encounter with God evoke such terror? What did Isaiah see and hear?
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The Unfruitful Vineyard in the Hands of an Angry God
Jesus told the Pharisees that God will evict the Jews, the old tenants, and bring in new tenants into the vineyard. The Jews perceived what Jesus meant: God will take the kingdom away from the Jews as his chosen people, and his new kingdom will now be expanded to include the Gentile nations. Psalm 118:19-24;…
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New Sermon Series: Isaiah
This Lord’s Day, May 1, 2011, we begin a new series, this time from the Old Testament book of Isaiah. Why study a book about events many centuries ago (8th-6th century B.C.), in lands far, far away, with cultures, languages, and societies so different from ours (ancient Near East)? What relevance could this large book…
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True Comfort for God’s People (Isaiah 40:1-5)
Jerusalem’s destruction and her seventy years of captivity are fitting judgment for a rebellious people, but they are not sufficient to pay for her sins. Rather, the message of comfort for Israel is grounded upon the Lord’s Servant who must come to their rescue.