All right, let's let's pray and we'll get into it. Heavenly Father, we want to praise you and thank you. You are so good to us. You know our hearts. You know how easily we get entangled and get distracted, how we wrestle and struggle, Lord God, to stay focused. We genuinely desire to know you, to be intimate with you.

And at times when we feel helpless, we pray, Father God, that our community of believers would cause us to strive together as iron sharpening iron, that we may be sharpened as a result of our fellowship, that our study of your word, Lord God, would penetrate deep into our hearts, that it would not just cause us to understand superficially, but that it would be convicting, that it would judge the thoughts and intentions of our heart.

I pray that you give us fertile hearts, Lord God, as you are the potter and we are the clay. Mold us the way you desire us. So we pray that the study of Isaiah would mold your church, that we may be people who truly genuinely loves you and honors you.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen. All right. All right. So each week what we're going to do is each day there's questions and we're going to we're going to the teaching is going to be going down the list of the questions that you have and highlighting certain things. Okay.

So the first section is in Isaiah 51 through five. That was a Thursday question. The two questions that was brought up was what does the imagery of giving the certificate of divorce to Israel signify? In other words, what is what is he trying to get at? And what was the reason that Israel was not delivered when they were oppressed by their enemies?

Okay. So if you look at Isaiah chapter 50 beginning, he begins by asking a rhetorical question. Where is your mother's confidence of divorce with which I sent her away? Okay. So what does the imagery of giving the certificate of divorce to Israel signify? Right. Is it too small? Can you guys in the back seat?

Everybody can see. Okay. All right. Good. All right. So God is not divorces people as some may have been accusing God of. Right. And why, why do you think some of them were thinking that? What was what's happening during Isaiah's prophecy? Right. Asir has already come and conquered. And then there's prophecy about the Babylonians are knocking at their door and that they may also be conquered.

So they're being oppressed by every every which way. And so they're basically crying out, why has God forsaken us? Right. So Isaiah comes in and he's trying to answer that question. Where did I, if you, if you're claiming that I somehow forgot about you and divorced you and allow the creditors take you away, that is not the case.

Right. Why weren't they delivered? Right. He said, God is basically saying that he has never divorced Israel or sent her away. It's because of their own iniquities and transgressions. And he says, why, when I came, was there no man? Why when I called, was there no one to answer?

In other words, God drew near. It wasn't that God was hiding from them. He drew near. And it wasn't because his hand was short that he couldn't read, didn't redeem them. He said, ultimately it was because of their own sins. Instead of sending them away as they were, they were accusing God of possibly, they were the ones who did not answer him.

So in other words, this is the psyche of an individual or a nation that's being oppressed. You know, like when hardships come into your life, the natural reaction sometimes when we don't trust in God is why is God doing this? Why is God allowing this to happen? And so God's answer to them specifically, right?

Hardships don't always come into our life just because we sin. But in this particular case, it was God's discipline. And that's what God is trying to reveal. It wasn't because of God. It was because of their unrepentant sin. So the only thing keeping God's people away from God is unrepentant sin.

And that's what God was trying to tell the nation of Israel. What you are experiencing, you're experiencing because you refuse to repent. But again, the whole point of why he says this, again, if you've been following along in chapter 50, is not simply to condemn, right? The first 39 chapters, what's the main theme of the first 39 chapters of Isaiah?

Judgment, right? Why is judgment coming upon the nation of Israel? What is the primary theme from 40 to 66? Redemption. So in the context of his primary theme of redemption, he's reminding them again, like this is where you are because of your sin. But the reason why he's doing that is because he's trying to introduce to them the solution.

So the other question is before the servant of the Lord could speak, what did the Lord do to him every morning? So again, this is a prophesy. One of the questions that was emailed to me, which I thought was a very good question, was how do you just assume that he's talking about the servant and not Israel or not Isaiah, right?

And the reason why I just kind of put the question without explaining is because the previous verses, previous chapters, it was pretty clear the servant is referring to the Messiah, right? So in the context of the previous chapters, it's clear that he's prophesying about the Messiah that's coming. And he said the Messiah has deep fellowship with the Father, verse 4.

The Lord has gone and given me the tongue of those who are taught that I may know how to sustain with the word. Him who is weary, morning by morning he awakens. He awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. And again, John 14.10 talks about how Jesus always woke up early in the morning to have fellowship with his Father, to pray with his Father.

And again, you'll see, you'll see, the more we dig into it, the more we see how much it looks like Jesus' life, right? It says his ears will be opened, right? Verse 5, the Lord God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who strike and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard.

I hid my face from disgrace and spitting, right? So when it says his ears were opened, it means two things. One, that he was eager to obey. His ears were opened, meaning that whatever God was saying, he's eager. What do you have to say to me that he wanted to obey?

The other part of it is related to the Old Testament. To be eared, ears to be opened or to be pierced was symbolic of a slave who was submitting. And I'm not going to get into that because of time, but in Exodus 21 to 5 to 6, it actually gives instructions to a slave to go back and resubmit yourself to the Master.

And it's described as piercing your ear, right? Opening your ear toward the Master. So Jew would have understood that right away when he says my ears were opened or pierced, means that he's willing to obey, he's willing to submit, right? So the servant is going to come, there's going to be intimacy between him and the Father, and that he was going to willingly submit.

And when this servant comes, the Messiah comes, how would he be treated? Talks about physical abuse, verse 6, "I gave my back to those who strike." The imagery of the servant turning around, giving his back, again, is the imagery of voluntarily giving himself. So what he's come to do, he didn't come begrudgingly, God didn't send him and say, well, why do I have to go?

He said he turned his back and he turned his cheek and let them have him. And why does the Messiah say his strength came from the Lord? And I think we've gone through this so many times, just like it says in Philippians 2, 6, that his incarnation meant that he absolutely humbled himself.

He didn't come in his full glory. He experienced all the weaknesses, hunger, pain, rejection, living, growing up in a poor family, he experienced all of that and all human limitations, he deliberately. So everything that Jesus experienced and everything he did, he did as a humbled human being, dependent upon the Spirit.

So in this passage it describes him as someone who is strengthened because he relies on him, because he prays to him. It says, "Because the Lord God will help him, the Messiah has set his face like a flint, meaning he has resolved to carry out God's plans." Again, so we see, you see what's going on, just kind of give you the flow of chapter 50, he says it's not because God's arm was short that they were experiencing discipline, it was because of their sins.

But the whole reason why he reveals that is to give the solution, and the solution is the coming Messiah. So this Messiah who's going to come is going to be sent by the Father, he's going to have deep intimacy with God, he's coming voluntarily, he's going to be mistreated, right, and then he says he's going to turn his face, right, and make his face like flint, meaning he's going to be resolved to do this.

He's not doing it begrudgingly. In fact, Luke 9, 51, it says, "When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem." And so that was the imagery, like, that's where he said he's going to the cross, and he's not dragging his feet, God is not, like, you know, pushing him and dragging him, he was resolved to go.

Just like it says in the first three chapters of Ephesians, it was his will, it was his purpose, it was predestined, it was elected, that from the very beginning, this was his intention, right? So his servant is going to come and volunteer to offer his life to be abused because of the sins of Israel and sins of his people.

I think the battery's dead. Do I have more batteries? I think it's a battery. Hopefully it's a battery. All right, thank you. Which is the positive? This one? Okay, all right, good. So what does God call Israel to do? In light of his sacrifice, what does God call them to do?

He's called to obey, verse 10 through 11, "Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of the servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God." So because of what the servant is going to do, again, you see the flow?

Basically it's the gospel message. He's saying, he reveals the sin, and it is because of your sin, not because God is not willing. The solution comes and the Messiah is going to come and he's going to offer his life. And as a result of what the Messiah is going to do, he said, all those who desire to come to him and obey.

So it's not that because Jesus died for you and took care of your sins, so therefore now you're free to do whatever. He said as a result of what he has done, he's caused everyone to come and obey. So in verse 11, "Behold, all who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches, walk by the light of your fire and by the torches that you have kindled." What does he mean by kindle a fire?

When you were reading through that, what, what, how did you understand those who kindle the fire? Want to get warm? Do you think that's a good imagery, bad imagery? Huh? , I think it's a bad imagery because they're kind of lighting their own fire, trying to earn their own righteousness, whereas God is telling them to walk trusting him instead of putting us to their own fire.

Right, it's definitely negative, right? Because he's saying what you're trying to do, you got to do, right? You should be benefited for yourself. But what do you, what do you think of when you think of fire? Riots? That's so specific. Yeah, riots. Yeah, I think of riots. Yeah. But I mean, yeah, but more specifically, riot.

No, I think he does. I think of, I think of riots. I'm trying to save you, man. He's not wrong though. He's not wrong. I think of it like judgment, like a mob, right? A mob who's got the light fire and they're looking for vengeance because these people have been oppressing them.

They kindle a fire and they're looking for a fight, right? So what is he saying? Those who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning, with burning torches, walk by the light of your fire, right? The same thing that your righteous indignation, first light it and you walk by it, right?

Walk by the light of your fire and by the torches that you have kindled. So the, so the righteous indignation you feel, he said, turn that toward yourself, right? So those who first be affected by that light, those who call others to submit must first learn to submit as the Messiah did.

So in other words, first come humble yourself before the Messiah, before you stand up for righteousness, right? And what is the basis on which Israel ought to base their trust in the Lord? In verse one to three of chapter 51, he said, listen to me, right? And you'll notice that all throughout chapter 52 and all along to chapter 50, no, chapter 51, 52, he says over and over, listen, right?

Carefully pay attention, listen. So as you're studying through, see how many times he says over and over again, wake up, listen, wake up, listen, right? And then he goes through, like, do you remember? Remember what I have done? Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord, look to the rock from which you are hewn and to the query from which you were dug.

Look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who bore you, for he was but one when I called him that I might bless him and multiply him. What encouragement is he trying to give through that imagery? Remember Abraham, you who are righteous, who are seeking me, remember Abraham? He was only one man and how God blessed him.

And so all these things, all these blessings came out of this one man. What is the encouragement he's giving to the righteous here? >> To trust God, to trust his faithfulness, to trust his goodness. >> To trust God, definitely. What do you think is specific of this one man?

He was only one man, but God blessed him. So definitely the big picture is... >> Yeah, his faithfulness, his covenant through me. >> Even this one man, right? Is that what you were going to say? >> Even the Lord. >> Right, okay. So specifically, it's God used this one man to bless everybody.

And so he said, if you're searching me and you are not the majority, right? And you're coming to God and all you see are your enemies. Everybody's coming to oppress you. Nobody seems to be interested in God. And even though you feel like you're standing alone, remember that God blessed one man and through that one man brought the nation of Israel, right?

So in other words, what is he telling the righteous man? Don't look at people, right? Don't look at people. Look at God, keep your eyes on him. So he reminds them that God's faithfulness is to one man, one man to lead to what Israel is. And so when he says, when he comes, what will he bring with him?

So along with that context, he says, you know, don't be fearful because you're a minority and all these other people. It seems like there are more people who are against God than those who are for God. He says, do not fear. And what is one of the reasons why he says not to fear?

Because when he comes, he will bring reward to the righteous and judgment to the unrighteous. So instead of fearing them, you should pity them because the real judgment is coming to them. And what is the, why was it that the righteous man was fearing the people? So do not fear the reproach of man or their reviling against you because they are the ones who will be judged.

God's going to turn the table around, right? At this moment, they may be oppressing you, but they are the ones who are ultimately going to be repressed. Okay. Oppressed. And here's a question that, did everybody get this email, the correction? Yes. Most of you guys got it. Okay. I worded it poorly because after I got the email and I read it, I said, okay, that's not what I meant.

Okay. So basically the corrected version of it was, why was it not Israel? In fact, what is God trying to do and why, like who is, who is the one who sustained the nation of Israel? So in other words, your pride, even when things were going great, he goes down the history of Israel and all the things that God has done, he's reminding them that it wasn't you, right?

It was the Lord. He was the one that the right, the arm of the Lord is the one who delivered you. Arm of the one who performed miracles, right? So even though at this time you may look on the horizon and it seems like enemies are surrounding you, that in the end, all the great things that happened, it wasn't because of you, that it was ultimately because of God, right?

So his faithfulness to the past is a guarantee of his faithfulness for the future. And again, we've been talking about justification by faith and how we have been saved. And because if God has been faithful for our justification, how will they not be faithful in sanctification and glorification, right?

So it's not like he thought we were helpless in justification and then just kind of let you guys go and try it yourself. But he who is justified, he will sanctified and ultimately will glorify. So he again repeats the history over and over again because their confidence comes from who God is, not what they're able to do, not some new technique that they somehow found that works that didn't work in the previous generation, but the solution is always to look to the past, right?

And that's what's unique about Christianity, where everything around us is trying to progress. You're trying to find a new way to do things, new way to do church, new way to do small group, you know, new way to reach out to new people because we have a new generation.

But Christianity is always about sticking to the past, right? And I'm not talking about how we dress or the style of songs, but in the end, our source of strength and power comes from our past, from who God is, right? God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the same God was faithful to them, is the same God who is faithful to us today.

So our goal ultimately is to dig back and to recognize that God who saved you is the God who will continue to save you, will ultimately save you. So again, Revelation chapter three, right? Forsaking your first love, to restore your first love, what does he say? Remember the height from which you had fallen.

Always remember, right? If you want to bear fruit, what does he say? Remain. He doesn't say go forward, turn forward. He says, no, remain. Remain with Christ, continue with Christ, right? And so that message is consistent all throughout scripture, even in the Old Testament. He's trying to encourage these people because of these trials.

And where did the source of strength come from? Look at your past, right? Look at who God is. Keep your eyes on him and don't lose hope. What was the primary reason why they were fearful? Because they forgot who God is, right? And isn't that ultimately the reason why we become anxious?

Because we get disconnected. We forget that we have a God who is the creator of the universe. If he loved you enough to send his only begotten son, would he not love you enough to provide for you? Would he not love you enough to answer your prayers, to protect you?

That he somehow, you know, went out of his way to send his only begotten son, but then he has no power over your health, he has no power over your wealth, he has no power over your family. It doesn't make any sense, right? The only reason why anxiousness and fear come is because we've forgotten who he is.

And finally, on Wednesday, what was God's discipline of Israel meant to do for Israel? To awaken them, right? And over and over again, Israel was called to awake, awake. Even in the midst of enemies coming and crashing in, they were relying on their religiousness. So the Babylonians are coming, the Assyrians are coming, the Egyptians are coming, and what was their solution?

Go to the temple and offer meaningless sacrifices, right? Go to the temple, you know, give sacrifices, give to the temple. And so they were constantly doing these rituals, and God's looking at that, and said, "That's not real sacrifice. How can you be sitting outside the temple, and somehow by coming into the temple and doing righteous things, that somehow that's going to erase your sins?" Right?

So he calls them, he says, "No, awaken. Come to me, listen to me, awaken." So basically he's calling for revival in the nation of Israel. And the reason why he's allowing discipline to come is so that they would open their ears and start paying attention to God instead of relying on their religiousness.

Oh you know what it is? Maybe it's these chairs. You think it's these chairs blocking the way? Either they're too high or I'm too short. Let me see, let me see. If this works. No, my theory is no good. Okay. So God's there. What does God promise to do again to the nation of Israel?

Next one. God will take away the cup of wrath that they were under. So if you look at verse 17, chapter 51 verse 17, he says, "Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord, the cup of His wrath." So again, when the scripture uses the imagery of the cup, it typically talks about His wrath.

Remember when Jesus says to the disciples, let me sit to the left and to the right, and He says, "Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?" And the cup He's referring to is a wrath that He's going to take upon Himself. And so He says, "The cup of wrath, do you not know that the cup of wrath came to you for a reason?" And then He says in verse 22, "Thus says the Lord, the Lord your God, who pleads the cause of His people, 'Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering.'" In other words, God gave the cup for the purpose of disciplining.

But time's going to come when God's going to take away the cup, right? The bowl of my wrath, you shall drink no more. Even though your sins are many, my servant is going to come, He's going to make His face like flint, and He's going to go toward the cross, take our sins upon Himself.

He's going to be beaten by the multitudes. He's going to have deep fellowship with the Father, right? And ultimately, He's going to take away our sins. And so the wrath of God is going to be taken away. So again, it doesn't spell it out here, it gets more detailed.

All of this is a setup for chapter 53, right? And you know what He's going to say in chapter 53, is the most detailed description of what Jesus is going to do for us. So how is this wrath going to be taken away? Is God just going to say, "You know what?

I'm just not going to remember your sins." He doesn't just say, "You know what? I'm tired of disciplining you, I'm just going to let you go." That's not what He'd do. If He did that, He would be going against His righteousness and His holiness. Imagine if you're raising kids and you did that.

"I'm tired of disciplining you. I'm just going to pretend like you did sin and nothing happened. Just kind of like, I'm just going to look the other way." Imagine what that would do to that child. If you really loved your child, you wouldn't do that. So God's not saying, "I'm just going to take away." It's like, "Oh, you know, I'm so sick of bringing judgment.

I think I'm just going to bless you now." So He's going to have that wrath diverted to His Son so He absorbs it. And when He absorbs it, He doesn't just absorb our sin. We'll talk about that more later. He doesn't just absorb our sins. He dies and He resurrects and He makes us new creation.

So that His sacrifice affects us so deeply that we become new creation. So He's not just simply saying, "Ah, forget it. I don't remember your sin because Jesus took your sins." But by doing so, He made us new creation. So that He can put new wine into new wineskin.

Okay. All right. So for the next about 10 minutes. And I told you, I don't think I can do this. I'm not sure if I can do this every week. But I think I wanted to take some time to worship with you again. And just kind of along with the theme that we're studying.