WHAT MORE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE?- -ISAIAH 5:1-30

WHAT MORE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE?

ISAIAH 5:1-30

Key verse: v. 4, “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?”

Introduction:

In this chapter, under the parable of a vineyard and its ruins, the Jews and their destruction are presented to us. The reason presented is their manifold sins and transgressions. God deals with them and His anger is manifested and yet He still extends His hand to them if they will come by faith to Him. The Lord never gives up and continues even to this very hour to present His Son, Jesus Christ, as the only Hope of mankind.

I. THE GREAT FAVORS GOD HAD BESTOWED UPON HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL

A. He acknowledged them as his own, Psalms 80:8, “Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.”

B. The soil they were planted in was extraordinary; it was a very fruitful hill, Isaiah 27:3, “I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.”

1. It was furnished with abundance of good things, Psalms 103:5, “Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

2. He fenced it, took it under his special protection, kept it night and day under his own eye, lest any should hurt it, v. 2; Isaiah 27:2, 3, “In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. 3- I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.”

II. GOD LISTED THE SINS OF ISRAEL

A. God appeals to them, Isaiah 1:18,“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

B. God looked for judgment in Israel, Zechariah 7:9-10, “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: 10- And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.”

C. Man is inflamed by the desire of gain, v. 8; Micah 2:2, “And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.”

D. God reproves their confounding the distinctions between virtue and vice, v. 20; Proverbs 17:15, “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.”

1. They are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge, v. 13; Isaiah 1:3, “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.”

2. Today the multitude of young people are dried up with thirst for lack of the truth, Amos 8:13, “In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.”

III. HELL HAS ENLARGED HERSELF

A. Death had opened its mouth widely, v. 14; Habakkuk 2:5, “Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:”

1. The glory, i.e., the nobles, Psalms 55:15, “Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.”

2. The multitude, i.e., the common people, Psalms 49:14, “Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.”

3. Their pomp, i.e., the rich, Luke 12:19-20, “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20- But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”

B. Not just death but HELL was receiving those unbelievers, Psalms 9:17, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

III. BUT HIS HAND IS STRETCHED OUT STILL

A. Though His anger was kindled against them, God did not forsake Israel, v. 25; Deuteronomy 31:17, “Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?”

1. God hides His face for a while, Deuteronomy 32:20, “And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.”

2. He caused them to question their lack of faith, Isaiah 63:17, “O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.”

B. His hand is still stretched out to them, Isaiah 9:17, “Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.”

1. God has not abandoned Israel, 1 Samuel 12:22, “For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.”

2. Nor has He abandoned America, Psalms 89:31-34, “If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32- Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 33- Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. 34- My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.”

CONCLUSION

Even though the times look bleak and trouble is everywhere, the Lord is still near. His hand of love and grace is extended to those who will trust His Son Jesus Christ as their Savior.

THE PROMISE OF GOD--ISAIAH 9:6-7

THE PROMISES OF GOD

ISAIAH 9:6-7

Introduction:

The promise of God is the only sure thing in this world. His Word is truth and we can depend on it. He has promised many things in His Word and it is up to us whether we will trust Him to fulfill that Word.

Consider these few things today as we look to the Promises of His Word regarding a promised Savior. This story is six thousand years old and some say that it is not relevant for our day, however, it is still the only way to Heaven and man has not come up with a better plan yet, anyway.

I. THE PROMISE OF LIFE ETERNAL

A. Is in Christ Jesus, 2 Timothy 1:1, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,”

B. Is through the righteousness of faith, Romans 4:13, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”

C. Is the promise to you, Acts 2:39, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

II. THE PROMISE OF COMFORT

A. The Unbeliever has no Comforter, Ecclesiastes 4:1, “So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.”

1. Unbelief limits what God can do, Matthew 13:58, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

2. Man does not enter into God’s comfort or rest because of his unbelief, Hebrews 4:6, “Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:”

B. The Believer’s Comforter is the Holy Spirit of God, John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

C. The Holy Spirit is from the Father, John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”

III. THE PROMISE OF PEACE

A. This is not the world’s peace, John 14:27, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

1. This is the Lord’s Peace, “my peace I give unto you,”

2. This peace is not like the peace of the world, “not as the world giveth,”

3. This is the peace that passes understanding, Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

B. This is the peace of safety, Psalm 4:8, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”

C. This is the spiritual peace that is to be sought after peace, Psalm 34:14, “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”

IV. THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING

A. Where is the promise of his coming? 2 Peter 3:4, “And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”

B. Be patient, for the Lord is coming, James 5:7-8, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”

1. As the farmer waits for the fruit of the earth, so we must wait patiently for the Lord, “Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”

2. We must establish our hearts, “stablish your hearts.” Psalm 27:14, “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

CONCLUSION

The promise of God is sure. Our life is based on faith in Jesus Christ. He will fulfill His Word. Psalm 111:7 says, “The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.”

THE COVENANT OF GRACE--ISAIAH 55:1-3

THE COVENANT OF GRACE

ISAIAH 55:1-3

Introduction:

The Lord is speaking through Isaiah offering an “everlasting covenant,” not just to Israel, but all mankind as well. In the following verse 1 of this chapter, the Lord appeals to the senses of man saying “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

In verse two He asks some pertinent questions inviting man to listen to God’s argument.

I. INCLINE YOUR EARS

A. The ears to hear God’s Word, Psalm 78:1, “Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.”

B. Incline your heart, Psalm 119:112, “I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.”

II. Come unto me,

A. Come for rest for your soul, Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

B. All that the Father gives will come, John 6:37, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

1. The Father draws man, John 6:44-45, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45- It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”

2. If any man thirst, John 7:37, “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”

II. HEAR AND YOUR SOUL SHALL LIVE

A. Blessed are the hearers, Matthew 13:16, “But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.”

B. This is the Son of God speaking, Matthew 17:5, “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

C. The hearers and doers will pass from death unto life, John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

III. I WILL MAKE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH YOU

A. The Redeemer offers everlasting kindness, Isaiah 54:8, “In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.”

B. He offers an everlasting covenant, Isaiah 54:8, “In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.”

1. This covenant is based on the Abrahamic covenant, Genesis 17:7, “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.”

2. It is also based on the Davidic covenant, 2 Samuel 23:5, “Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things , and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.”

IV. A SURE COVENANT

A. I will not turn away from them, Jeremiah 32:40, “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.”

B. “My covenant will stand fast,” Psalm 89:28, “My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.”

1. The Lord declares the surety of it, Jeremiah 33:20-21, “Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; 21- Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.”

2. Theses are the “sure mercies of David,” Acts 13:34, “And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.”

CONCLUSION

There is a great deal to know about the Lord and His Word. This everlasting covenant is generally called the Covenant of Grace. It started with Adam after he sinned against the Lord. God had all of the provisions ready.

THE BOOK OF ISAIAH--OUTLINE

The Book of Isaiah

Introduction:

“This book is called, in the New Testament, sometimes "the Book of the Words of the Prophet Esaias," Luke 3:4, sometimes only the "Prophet Esaias," Acts 8:28, 30, and sometimes, as here, the "Book of the Prophet Esaias," Luke 4:17.

It stands first of all the prophets; though the order of the prophets, according to the Jews, is, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and the twelve. But it is here placed first, not because Isaiah prophesied before the other prophets; for Joel, Jonah, Hosea, and Amos, begun before him, namely, in or before the days of Jeroboam the Second; but because of the excellency of the matter contained in it.

It is that no one writes so fully and clearly of the person, offices, grace, and kingdom of Christ; of his incarnation and birth of a virgin; of his sufferings and death, and the glory that should follow, as he does. John, the forerunner of Christ, began his ministry with a passage out of him concerning himself, Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23.

Our Lord preached his first sermon at Nazareth out of this book, Luke 4:17-21 and it was in this the eunuch was reading when Philip came up to him, who from the same Scripture preached to him Christ, Acts 8:28-35. --- John Gill’s Expositor.

The Prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, (not Amos,) was one of the most distinguished of the Hebrew prophets. He began to prophesy at Jerusalem towards the close of the reign of Uzziah, about the year 759 B. C., and exercised the prophetical office some sixty years, under the three following monarchs, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Isaiah 1:1.

His Call and Anointing: Isaiah 6:1-8.

His Family: Isaiah 7:3; Isaiah 8:3-4.

Isaiah is generally regarded as the Greatest of the Old Testament Prophets:

1) Because he is preeminently the Prophet of Redemption.

2) Many of the passages in his book are among the finest in literature. Some modern scholars have studied this poetical prophecy as a botanist studies flowers, dissecting and analyzing them. By the use of this scientific method the beauty and unity of the book, like that of the rose, is almost forgotten as the different parts are pulled to pieces for examination.

A Brief Summary of the Book:

Section 1: Refers chiefly to events leading up to the Captivity, Isaiah 1:1--39:8.

1) Exhortations and warnings of Divine Judgments mingled with predictions of better days and the coming of the Messiah, Isaiah 1:1-12:6.

2) Prophecies respecting surrounding nations, -Assyria, Babylonia, Moab, Egypt, Philistia, Syria, Edom, and Tyre, etc., Isaiah 13:1--23:18.

3) Writings concerning the sins and misery of the people, promises of salvation, a song of Confidence in God, and his care over his vineyard, Isaiah 24:1-27:13.

4) Chiefly woes pronounced upon Ephraim (name often used for the northern kingdom of Israel, Isaiah 11:13; Jeremiah 31:6; 50:19.) and Jerusalem (southern Kingdom of Judah and Benjamin), especially for trusting in foreign alliances, Isaiah 28:1-31:9.

5) Promises of a Righteous King, and the outpouring of the Spirit, the exaltation of the Righteous, and the turning of the wilderness into a Garden of the Lord, Isaiah 32:1-35:10.

6) Hezekiah’s deliverance from the Assyrians, and the lengthening of his life, Isaiah 36:1-39:8.

Section 2:

The second part of the book contains Predictions, Warnings, and Promises which refer to events beyond the Captivity, and reach on down the centuries through the Christian Dispensation. This portion of the prophecy is especially rich in Messianic references.

Key Word: “Salvation.” “Isaiah” means, “Salvation of Jehovah.”

Salvation:

1) Wells of, Isaiah 12:3.

2) Joy of, Isaiah 25:9.

3) Walls of, Isaiah 26:1.

4) Everlasting, Isaiah 45:17.

5) Day of, Isaiah 49:8.

6) Feet of the heralds of, Isaiah 52:7.

7) Spread of, Isaiah 52:10.

8) Arm of, Isaiah 59:16.

9) Helmet of, Isaiah 59:17.

10) Garments of, Isaiah 61:10.

11) Light of, Isaiah 62:1.

Seven Everlasting things Mentioned:

1) Strength, Isaiah 26:4.

2) Judgments, Isaiah 33:14.

3) Joy, Isaiah 35:10.

4) Salvation, Isaiah 45:17.

5) Kindness, Isaiah 54:8.

6) Covenant, Isaiah 55:3.

7) Light, Isaiah 60:19.