Chapter 8 begins the next major section of the book. It also marks a turning point in the history of Israel. Here we discover how God’s people came to be a nation ruled by kings. But this all came about as they experienced yet another crisis of faith. Once again Israel was faced with a […]
In chapters 5-6, we follow the exiled ark of Yahweh as he continues to gain victory over his enemies and eventually returns to his place among his people. And while this story is certainly a cause for us to rejoice, it is a cause for us to rejoice with trembling before our holy God. In […]
Since Isaiah 40 we’ve been hearing God’s comforting word to his soon-to-be-exiled people. To be sure, he’s had some uncomfortable words for them as well, calling them out for their sin and rebellion and idolatry and hypocrisy. It was for these reasons they would eventually lose their temple, their city, and their land, and go […]
Having just declared that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that the God of Israel is the one true God, Isaiah presses this reality further by describing the fall of Babylon and all of her idols. The Lord shows his people what happens when you trust in idols, when you look […]
After the promises made in Isaiah 44:1-5, the Lord Yahweh speaks once more to remind Israel of his uniqueness, that he is the one and only God, and to reassure them there is no one else who can be their sure foundation. Rather than be like the nations, who seek deliverance from idols, God’s people […]
In this sermon, pastor Keith walks through the text to answer the question, “Who can contend?” in two ways. First, who can contend with God? No one. Second, who can contend with this broken idolatrous world? God’s Anointed One. He answers those two questions with the two “beholds” of the text. First, “Behold, idols are […]
While it is clear that we are living in an increasingly secular age, it is actually quite religious. More and more people desire a spiritual identity that gives them purpose and meaning in this life, and seek to fill the void left by religion with a host of idols such as entertainment, self-expression, romance, wellness, […]
In this sermon from Isaiah’s oracles against the nations, Pastor Matt reminds us that the glory of this world is a fading glory that will pass away, and that were created to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Note: This sermon was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, when our Lord’s […]
The persecuted church in Jerusalem had been scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, preaching the Word as they went. Philip the evangelist had gone to Samaria, where the city received the gospel with joy. But Luke also includes a specific incident involving a Samaritan sorcerer name Simon. This story serves to illustrate a profound truth related […]
Ever since the Fall and the entrance of sin into the world, pride has characterized the heart of man. We refuse to submit to God’s rule and continue to believe the lie that we must exalt ourselves to find true joy and fulfillment in life. The prophets were sent to expose the various sins produced […]
One of the central issues addressed by Isaiah and the rest of the prophets is that of justice—faithfully living according to the standard of what is right in our relationships with others. It’s only as we do justice, as we live righteously, that we will flourish as a society under God’s loving rule. But when […]
Though surrounded by the enemies of our God, nations hostile to his sovereign rule, and spiritual forces of evil within and without, we nevertheless rest in God’s infinite wisdom, perfect justice, unchanging character: “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Ps. 115:3). We trust that his purposes will be accomplished and that his kingdom […]
The northern kingdom of Israel experienced the judgment of God for their idolatry and was destroyed. Jeremiah now prophecies to the southern kingdom of Judah, proclaiming that God’s judgment would likewise fall upon them for their similar sin of idolatry, their failure to worship God as he deserved, and rejection of his laws. But what has […]
