2013 Isaiah
8 September 2013
Lecture 14
SEE, A KING WILL REIGN
Isaiah 32:1-35:10
Key Verse 32:1-2
“See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.
Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a
thirsty land.”
In last week’s message we learned that we have a Father God in heaven who
longs to be gracious to us. In the chapters we are looking at today we see how that
great grace is shown by sending a king who will reign in righteousness and rule with
justice. The happiness of people depends on the king who they are under. The people
of Judah had been suffering greatly because of the evil king Ahaz. In today’s passage,
Isaiah proclaims the hope and vision of a new king who is the true source of shelter
and security from the storms of this life. My prayer is that we may meet more deeply
our king Jesus and find shelter in him. This message covers Chapters 32-35 but our
focus will be on Chapter 32. It is divided into 3 parts.
I. See a King will Reign and shelter
Look at verse 1. “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule
with justice.” This was such a great message of hope to those who had been suffering
greatly under King Ahaz. Remember we came across him in chapter 7. He was the
evil king 4ho had followed the detestable ways of the nations the Lord had driven out
before the Israelites. He had sacrificed to the high places and even sacrificed his son
to the pagan god Molech (2Ki 16). In any age the kind of ruler determines the
happiness of the people. In our own time we see the devastation of oppressive rulers in
countries such as Zimbabwe and Syria, that has a huge impact on a people, with
unthinkable suffering. At the time of Ahaz people were wounded and spiritually
devastated because of the godless, evil practices of their king. But now Isaiah was
prophesying about a new king, one who would come and reign in righteousness and
rule with justice.
As often is the case with Isaiah, he prophesies both in the immediate future,
and the distant future, sometimes simultaneously. In this case, the king to reign in
righteousness referred to King Hezekiah, who is mentioned in 2Ki 18, he did what
was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. He removed the
high places and smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. We are
told that “Hezekiah trusted in the LORD the God of Israel. There was no one like him
among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the LORD
and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses.”
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(2Ki 18) One can imagine what it was like to have such a king after the experience of
King Ahaz. Superstition, fear, injustice and cruelty was replaced by spiritual reform,
of turning back to God in repentance and obedience to his word. When there is no
justice in society, that society becomes crippled just as people are crippled in their
hearts and moral. Hezekiah would bring about a new condition, both legal and
spiritual where people could begin to prosper once more.
Yet Hezekiah though great, was stilled a flawed, sinful human being. Isaiah’s
prophecy reaches beyond him to one who would embody righteousness and justice, a
Messiah King who would bring his kingdom into men’s heart’s and souls, Jesus Christ.
The righteousness of Jesus, is perfect righteousness, not tainted by any sin. His
righteousness is given to anyone who believes and accepts him as king, a
righteousness that comes from faith rather than works. His justice is not partial but
perfect justice. He sees everything, he sees those who are wrongly judged or
mistreated or misunderstood. He will come again as judge establishing his justice for
eternity. Such knowledge, the knowledge that when Jesus is our king we are assured
righteousness and justice gives us peace in an unjust world. We can get on with our
lives in the knowledge we are forgiven and loved children of God.
Look at verse 2. “Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge
from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a
thirsty land.” Each man refers to anyone and everyone who enjoys the grace of being
ruled by such a king. People suffer in this world through the wind and storms. Under
the reign of an evil king, there is no place for them to come and be comforted. But,
Isaiah was saying when the new king comes he will be a shelter and a refuge. When I
left UCL as a young graduate 23 years of age I went on a long pilgrimage walk to
Santiago de Compostella, 1000 miles across France the Pyrenees and to the west coast
of Spain. Often there were wind and rain storms, and I learned what it meant to get
completely soaked in the middle of nowhere, 15km to the nearest village. It was on
that walk that I learned the Spanish term ‘refugio,’ meaning a small, simple cheap
shelter for pilgrims. I cant tell you the relief I felt at the end of the day, finding this
basic accommodation, tired, cold and hungry, it felt better than the most luxurious
hotel! It was a place to find rest, protection, sustenance and shelter from the storm.
In our life, sometimes through hardships and difficulty, we feel like we are
walking in the desert without any shelter to rest. God allows his children to be
exposed by storms of one kind or another. They can be storms of doubt, “Am I going
the right way, doing the right thing?” They can be storms of unforeseen suffering,
illness of a love one, persecution, loss of job, they can be storms of temptation, when
everything seems to be going fine and then bang, a disproportionate amount of
temptation hits one, whether lust or materialism or some other idol. And then their can
be storms of anxiety, over sin and the need for reassurance and peace.
It is at such a time that we an remember we have a king that offers such shelter.
King David says in Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an everpresent help in trouble. Also in Psalm 55:8 that I would hurry to my place of shelter,
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far from the tempest and storm.” A shelter works by simply by us coming out of the
storm and entering. Dwelling with Jesus. This is a king who longs to be gracious, who
is quick to forgive all our sins, who went through agony on the cross to pass his
righteousness to us. This is a king who by rising from the dead, has taken away the
sting of death threatens us and the lives of our loved ones. He actively shelters us by
praying and interceding for us even when Satan threatens to sift us like wheat. Jesus is
the streams of water in the desert who alone can refresh our dry thirsty souls. One
question to consider is whether we value the shelter Jesus provides. The nature of a
refuge is that it is humble, just like the manger. It can be easily ignored, forgotten and
despised when we have everything. Yet it is only through the storms and in the dry
heat of the desert that we come to find its true value. It is at such time we cry out and
thank Jesus for the relief, peace and strength he provides.
Look at verse 2 again. “Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a
refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great
rock in a thirsty land.” This verse also refers to “Each man” who receives the graceful
shelter of Jesus who in turn can offer shelter to others. Jesus called his disciples to be
with him, to enjoy his shelter, receive his living water, but also he sent them out in
twos to be like “little refuges” of the Kingdom of God. As a royal priesthood we are
all the rulers mentioned in verse 1, we all have a commission to bring people news of
Jesus and his shelter. I was sharing last night how often studying the Bible with Moses
Yoon as a young guy, brought me to Jesus’ words and refreshed my soul. People are
so dry these days, they are constantly battered by one storm after another, they need
the shelter of Jesus Christ and we can share it with them.
What happened when this King comes? First, each person is restored
according to the need. Look at verse 3,4. “Then the eyes of those who see will no
longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The mind of the rash will
know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.” What is
striking here is the personal impact this king will have, individual on each of his
subjects. Often Kings, even good kings like Hezekiah are limited in reforming the
structure of a country that then effect individuals, but the king referred to here helps
each persons eyes and ears and speech. Jesus when he came served each person very
intimately, laying his hand on each one, bringing sight to a blind man with his mud
and spit, and restoring people’s rash decisions with a new life direction and calling.
Second, people have spiritual insight and right value system. Look at verse 5-8.
“No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected. For the
fool speaks folly, his mind is busy with evil: He practices ungodliness and spreads
error concerning the LORD; the hungry he leaves empty and from the thirsty he
withholds water. The scoundrel's methods are wicked, he makes up evil schemes to
destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just. But the noble man
makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.”
Without Jesus, we cannot have spiritual insight or right value system. We
value and judge wrongly spend our time in folly and even pursue schemes that are evil.
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Yet, when Jesus comes into a man’s heart and life, he begins to make noble plans and
live by noble deeds.
II. A Warning towards complacent women (9-14)
Isaiah who was proclaiming the hope and vision of the new king suddenly
starts to warn people of God’s judgements. Look at verse 9. “You women who are so
complacent, rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have
to say!” Here, complacent women are those who don’t think of future but who are
only thinking of now and live complacent lives. Their concern becomes simply to feel
secure. Isaiah had already singled out women in Chapter 3 for their haughtiness and
flirting with mincing steps. It is interesting that Isaiah warns women not men here.
Women are spiritually sensitive. – more sensitive than men. When women are
spiritually complacent, families and societies are in danger of getting complacent too.
In that sense, from a spiritual viewpoint, they are the hope of society. So, if they live
complacent lives without hearing the words of God or being sensitive to them, it
means that there is no hope in the society. Then, what message do the complacent
women need to hear?
Look at verse 10-14. “In little more than a year you who feel secure will
tremble; the grape harvest will fail, and the harvest of fruit will not come. Tremble,
you complacent women; shudder, you daughters who feel secure! Strip off your
clothes, put sackcloth around your waists. Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for
the fruitful vines and for the land of my people, a land overgrown with thorns and
briers— yes, mourn for all houses of merriment and for this city of revelry. The
fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower will
become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks.”
Isaiah was warning the complacent women that winter was coming to their
lives. They were only focusing on the present and enjoying little pleasure. They
needed to realize that in less than a year, the time of harvest would come and when it
came, those who were fruitless before God would suffer regret. The fortress would be
abandoned, the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower would become a wasteland
forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks. All those things that looked
beautiful and glorious would be destroyed when the day came.
III. The Spirit is poured upon us (15-20)
Judah –because of complacent women – became like a wasteland. There
seems to be no hope for that land. Yet, now Isaiah starts proclaiming the great hope of
God. Look at verse 15. “till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert
becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.” The hopeless land of
Judah, destroyed by sin, again becomes the land of hope because God pours his Spirit
upon them. People in this would try their best to make a land of curse into a land of
hope and vision. Yet, without the coming of Holy Spirit, no fundamental change can
happen. Only the Spirit of God can give us true hope. When the Spirit is poured onto
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the land, the desert becomes a fertile land. A new life comes to grow and blossom.
People can live a truly blessed life on that day.
Look at verse 16-20. “Justice will dwell in the desert and righteousness live in
the fertile field. The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness
will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling
places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. Though hail flattens the forest
and the city is leveled completely, how blessed you will be, sowing your seed by
every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.”
It’s interesting that the security that the complacent women sought in verse 9
is the same word as security mentioned inverse 18. When the Spirit is poured into our
hearts, then we can enjoy the true security that the women earlier sought in the world.
Our hearts that have been devastated by the thorns of sin will be restored. The fruit of
righteousness and peace will grow in our hearts – in our society and in this world.
Fruit, peace, quietness, confidence, secure homes, undisturbed places of rest, these are
all things people look for in the world, in the comfort of home or holiday or success,
but ultimately this can only be given by the Holy Spirit poured onto us and is the fruit
of repentance.
Chapter 33 talks about the near future when Assyria attacks Israel. The future
of Assyria – though it looked so strong – would be betrayed and destroyed. Israel
prays to God for salvation from Assyria. Look at verse 2. “O Lord, be gracious to us;
we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.”
Humanly, there seems to be no way for Israel’s redemption. However, when there is
nothing we can do, that is time when we trust in God who fights and works for his
people. God is incomparably more powerful than Assyria. God would destroy them
completely. Through the punishment of Assyria, Israel came to have holy fear of God.
Our God is our King. He is the King of this world. And he is our redeemer. Therefore,
at the time of hardship and suffering, we should pray – pray to our God Almighty with
holy fear. No matter what unimaginable, unthinkable problems we face, God can save
us.
Chapter 34 is regarded as the chapter on God’s final judgement. On that day,
the Lord’s sword would be upon Edom. Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch,; her
dust into burning sulfur. Her land will become blazing pitch! It will not be quenched
night and day; its smoke will rise forever. From generation to generation it will lie
desolate; no one will ever pass through it again. Chapter 35 speaks of Israel’s glory
on the last day. This is in contrast with Edom who was judged severely. Israel will be
restored on that day. A desert will become a fertile land. Our Messiah Jesus will come
and rescue them. On that day, the blind will see, the deaf will hear. People will leap
like deer with joy. The mute will sing a song. This prophecy was fulfilled through the
coming of Jesus Christ. When we meet our Lord Jesus, our spiritual eyes are open and
we can also hear. People who had been conquered by the power of sin and death will
rise and jump around like a deer. They will praise God with joy and thanks. Those
who are redeemed by messiah will enjoy everlasting peace and joy.
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