投稿者: otawara-1

Today I would like to talk about Isaiah 49. The title of the message is “The song of the Lord’s servant”. There are four passages in the book of Isaiah that are prophesies about Jesus Christ as the Lord’s servant. Today’s passage is one of them. The first one to appear is Isaiah 42:1-4. It records the calling of the Lord’s servant. In today’s passage is written the mission of the Lord’s servant, for what purpose the Lord’s servant, Jesus Christ will come to this world. Then 50:4-9 is prophesying about the Lord’s servant’s suffering and crucifixion and 52:13 to 53:12 is prophesying about the Lord’s servant vicarious substitute death and resurrection. All four prophecies are about the Lord’s servant, Jesus Christ. Today let’s look at for what purpose the Lord’s servant, Jesus Christ came to this world, his mission and purpose.

I. The Lord’s servant will display God’s splendor (Vs. 1-3)
First of all the Lord’s servant will display God’s splendor. Please look at verses 1 to 3.
Verses1-3
Verse 1 says, “Before I was born the LORD called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.” This “I” is as verse 3 says, “You are my servant, Israel, “this is God’s servant, Israel. However, this Israel is called “you” and “I” in the singular form. So we know that this is not just Israel. This is Jesus Christ. In the Bible Jesus Christ is expressed as “Israel” in several passages in the Bible. For example, if you look at Hosea 11:1, it says, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” If you look at Matt. 2:15 you will see that this was fulfilled by Christ. King Herod heard that Christ had been born as King of the Jews and was filled with fear so he had every boy 2 years old and under killed. Therefore, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to flee to Egypt. Thus, Joseph fled to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died. In the Bible it is written that this was so that what was written in Hosea would be fulfilled. In other words, this Israel refers to Jesus Christ. Like this there are some passages in the Bible where Jesus Christ is expressed as Israel. Jesus Christ was called before he was born and from his mother’s womb the Lord spoke his name.
The reason why Jesus Christ was called is given in verse 3. It says, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” The Lord God will display his splendor in Christ. Put in other words, Through Jesus Christ God’s glory will be shown. Here the purpose of God’s servant, Jesus Christ’s coming is written. That is to show God’s glory. The purpose of Jesus Christ coming to this world was to show God’s glory.
This is also the purpose of living that God’s servants, Christians, have. The purpose for our living is to show God’s glory. We are living now not for doing what we want to do, but to show God’s glory. Please open your Bibles to I Cor. 10:31.
I Cor. 10:31
Here Paul says, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (I Cor. 10:31) This is the ultimate purpose of your life. Your job, your studies, spending enjoyable time with your family, meeting people, being involved in a project; everything is for God’s glory. We are not living to do the job that we like, nor for leisure, nor for our hobbies, but are living for God’s glory. I am not saying that these other things are wrong. That is not so, but including these things, we should whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, “do it all for the glory of God.“ (I Cor. 10:31)
This summer the World Championships in Athletics held in Moscow finished. Every day in the heat heated competitions were unrolled. Among them while I was watching the Women’s running broad jump　an athlete, Brigitte Barrett, was shown on T.V. jumping and leaping preparing herself in her free time. I don’t know why but the camera caught the heel of Barrett’s shoes. The heel of her shoes had “Jesus” written on them. They showed it on the T.V. for several seconds. That is her faith. “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (I Cor. 10:31) Probably she didn’t think that would become a testimony, but it could have been her prayer. However, by the whole world watching and seeing that “Jesus” was written there it was surely a huge testimony. After that next her finger nails were shown on T.V. A cross was designed on them. My goodness, even her nails became a testimony! Whatever we eat or drink or whatever we do, we must “do it all for the glory of God.“ (I Cor. 10:31)
That is not just the good things. Both the good things and the bad things, everything can be done “for the glory of God.“ (I Cor. 10:31)
For example if you look at John 13:31, it says, “When he was gone, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him.’” The setting of this verse is the Lord’s Supper. “He” is Judah. Judah left to betray Jesus. He stood up at the Lord’s Supper and left the room to betray Jesus. This was by human eyes, the worst time. However, even by such a terrible event God’s glory can be shown. Even if such a thing happens, it is also a part of God’s plan of salvation and by that God’s work will be seen.
In our lives too there are many things like this. In our lives too there are times we are betrayed by others. Also there are times when we are abandoned. However, even if such things occur, and if by that God’s work is seen, then it too will be for God’s glory. Even if it is something that is difficult for you to accept, even if it is painful, if by that God’s work is shown, that is also for God’s glory. The event of Jesus being hung on

the cross was the maximum. Jesus was by the jealousy and conspiracy of the Jews put on the cross and died. He had to spend 3 days in a dark, cold tomb. However, God raised Christ from death on the third day. By this God’s glory was shown.
Therefore, in our lives too not everything is all good. There are things that we think are bad, difficult things and painful things. However all these things too are used for God’s glory. In short, we must remember for what purpose we are living. If we remember that we are living for God and we living to so that through us God’s glory will be shown, then even if it is a painful thing, God’s peace will be there. It is will be like God promises your peace will be “like a river.” (18)
In the reverse, a life of living for yourself is not like this. 48:22 says, “There is no peace…for the wicked.” Living for your dream to be accomplished, to be successful, no matter what kind of life you spend for yourself, you will have no peace. When you die, everything is over. That is really vanity. However, a life that is lived for God’s glory is different. It is connected to eternity and peace and blessings will flow like a river into your heart and fill it.

II. The Lord’s servant does not labor in vain (Vs. 4)
The second point is that the Lord’s servant who like this lives for God’s glory “does not labor in vain.” (4) Please look at verse four. “But I said, ‘I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due me is in the LORD’S hand,
and my reward is with my God.’”
Does this mean the Jesus labored in vain on the cross and that he spent his strength for nothing at all? No that’s not what it means. Of course, Jesus if you look at Jesus’ life, especially the last 3 and half years of his public ministry it may look like it was in vain. However, that was not so. The last part of the verse is written, “Yet what is due me is in the LORD’S hand, and my reward is with my God.” (4)
Humanly speaking he labored in vain. However, God knows everything, and his reward is with God. He will definitely be rewarded. It doesn’t matter whether he was successful by the world’s standards or not. What is important is how it looks in God’s eyes. Then if it is according to the will of God, even if there isn’t even 1 disciple left, it doesn’t matter. “My reward is with my God.” (4) That was Jesus’ assurance.
Also that should be our assurance too. At times we have spent our strength laboring for the Lord, but there are no results and we wonder for what purpose we have labored and we think that our labor has been in vain. We wonder what meaning there is in what we have done up until now. However, if it was for God’s glory, then there will definitely be a reward. Even if you are abandoned by everyone and there is only one person left, or even if there is no one, if that is the will of God, God will certainly give the reward. That is how Jesus’ work was. Even though when Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000 men plus women and children, with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, large crowds gathered around him, the minute that Jesus spoke spiritually, the minute he spoke about the cross and dying, many disciples left him. Finally in the end the only disciple that was left was John along with the women who followed Jesus. Everyone else left. However, Jesus　gave up his life for such a few people and died on the cross. Just for one person. That is what Jesus did and it was definitely not in vain.
Over and over again it seems like we have “labored in vain” (4) doing the work of God. Things don’t go as we expect. Lots of people aren’t happy. Lots of people aren’t saved. Lots of people don’t follow until the end. Even though I worked that hard, toiled that much, and spent so much in funding, everyone drifted away and there is only one person left. Now one is saved. My ministry failed. “I labored in vain.” (4) We think this way.
However, that is not so. God’s work definitely is not just laboring “in vain” (4) and spending all our strength. If you give all to the Lord and live for God’s glory, if you spend all your strength for God’s glory, there isn’t even one wasteful thing. Your reward is with God. Even if you aren’t rewarded in this life, there will come a time in heaven when you will be rewarded. That is because your treasure is stored in heaven.
Therefore even if there are no results, it is not necessary to become discouraged or to worry. Don’t worry even if day after day you have meetings, but no one comes or no one is saved. The important thing is not how many were saved, but for what purpose you did it. If you did it for God’s glory, God will definitely reward it. That is God’s promise to His servants. If you have given all for God’s glory then there is definitely not one thing that was wasteful.
Before there was a little church in Western Aizu Village in Fukushima prefecture. It was a church started by a missionary named Miss Palmer. Now the work is continuing as Keisen Christian Church’s Aizu chapel.
Miss Palmer worked in a London accounting office until 1961. After the war when the condition of missionaries was sporadic she received a letter from a missionary working in Japan saying, “Please come right away and help me!” She had the assurance that this was her Macedonian call, and answered the call. At that time she was 47 years old and thought that it was impossible for her to be a missionary to a foreign country, but she was given several passages of scripture and she had the assurance that it was the Lord’s calling and came to Aizu Wakamatsu. At the beginning she was a member of the Aizu Christian Fellowship and supported the other missionaries for 8 years. After that she returned to England for 1 year, but 1 year later dedicated herself to the Lord as a single missionary. In 1970 at the age of 56 she came again to Western Aizu Village. Miss Palma did anything in order to lead people to Jesus. There was only a little fruit. Then for 25 years until 1995 she never once returned to England but continued to serve in the Western Aizu Village. In 1995 at the age of 81 Miss Palma handed the work over to the Keisen Christian Church and returned to England. However, when the Keisen Christian church built a new church in Aizu, the first offering that was given was an offering from Miss Palma.
Miss Palma’s work was very small so in human eyes it may have seemed like nothing, but the Lord’s reward was great. In 2005 she went to heaven, but how great a reward she must have received! In human eyes it may have looked like she labored in vain, like she spent her “strength for nothing at all.” (4) However it wasn’t a waste. “My reward is with my God.” (4) Let’s remember that the Lord’s servant will receive such a reward.

III. By the Lord’s servant God’s salvation will reach to the ends of the earth (Vs. 5,6)
Lastly, let’s look at verses 5 and 6. “And now the LORD says-
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD
and my God has been my strength-
he says:
‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’”
Here another commission of the Lord’s servant is recorded. That is “to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself.” (5) The number one commission of Jesus’s coming was to bring God’s people, the Israelites, back to God. When the tax collector Zacchaeus repented, Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10) Just like a shepherd looks for his lost sheep and saves him, Jesus came to look for the lost sheep that had wandered away from God and save them.
However, that is not all. If you look at verse 6, it says, “he says:
‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’” He will not just bring the Israelites back to God. He was sent as “a light for the Gentiles” (6) that God’s “salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (6) He was sent not only for Israel, but as “a light for the Gentiles,” (6) as a light to the world so that God’s “salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (6) That was Jesus’s commission. That was the commission that was given to God’s servant, Israel. However, they failed to do this. They fell in to disbelief, rejected God, and didn’t receive their Messiah. More than that they put the Messiah on the cross and killed him. Then God gave that commission to the new God’s servant, the spiritual Israel, Christians. Christians have been given the commission to bring God’s salvation “to the ends of the earth.” (6)
In II Cor. 5:18-21 Paul says, “All this is from God, who reconciles us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf; Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors.” (II Cor. 5:20) “An ambassador of Christ” (II Cor. 5:20) is a person who carries on the same work as Christ as Christ’s representative. Like Christ we too have been given “the ministry of reconciliation.” (II Cor. 5:18) This is tied to our commission to bring the lost to God. He has sent us out to bring reconciliation between God and sinners who are in a hostile relationship with God by faith in Jesus Christ through Christ. We must accomplish this “ministry of reconciliation.” (II Cor. 5:18) We need to be people who bring God’s salvation “to the ends of the earth.” (6) If we don’t, we too will like Israel lose God’s blessings. Like Israel too we will be scattered throughout the world, and go through various persecutions and struggles. It is amazing that they weren’t completely wiped out. It was only by the mercy of God that they weren’t. We need to remember why we are here, our commission, and then we must be people that live for that commission.
If we look at Acts 27, it is recorded that they didn’t listen to Paul’s warning. “When a gentle south wind began to blow,” (Acts 27: 13) Julius, the centurion, thought now was the time to leave, “so they weighed anchor and sailed.” (Acts 27: 13) Then “a wind of hurricane force, called the ‘northeaster,’ swept down’” (Acts 27:14) on them. Then for many days they were in the dark and they couldn’t eat anything. When they had lost all hope of being saved, Paul preached about the peace that God gives. “I urge

you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost…Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid’…I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” (Acts 27:22-25)
This is what we have to proclaim. Now the world is really being hit by a “northeaster” wind of hurricane force and is like a boat with no hope of being saved. Only the Word of God can save us from the “northeaster” wind. We must preach this Word of God. That is why we are here. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matt. 5:14-16)
Let’s shine our lights before men. Let’s shine our lights before men, that they may see our good deeds and praise our “Father in heaven. (Matt. 5:16) That is why we have been sent. That is why we are here now.

Today’s message title is “Peace like a river”. Verse 18 says, “If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” The Lord teaches us what is best for us and leads us the way we should walk. If you pay attention to the Lord’s teachings, if you pay attention to His commands, then peace will flow to you like a river. Today I would like to talk about 3 aspects of this.

I. Listen to me (Vs. 12-16)
First please look at verses 12 to 16. Verse 12 says, “Listen to me, O Jacob,
Israel, whom I have called:
I am he;
I am the first and I am the last.
Here the Lord commands Jacob to, “Listen to me.” (12) They are to listen attentively to the new thing that is going to occur to Israel. That is because it is a very important thing. You can tell how important it is because three times it is repeated that they are to listen. That is in verse 12, 14, and 16. In verse 14 it says, “Come together, all of you, and listen.” In verse 16 it says, “Come near me and listen to this.”
What are the contents of what they are to listen to? Verse 12 says, “I am he; I am the first and I am the last.” This means that God never changes. God is the first and the last. By His “own hand” (13) He “laid the foundations of the earth,” (13) and His right hand spreads “out the heavens.” (13) In other words, God eternally never changes. By His Word the heavens and the earth were created and he controls all that he created. In this world there are many gods, but the Lord is saying that He is the real God. “I am he.” (12)
What is the evidence of this? Please look at verses 14 and 15. “Come together, all of you and listen; Which of the idols has foretold these things? The LORD’s chosen ally will carry out his purpose against Babylon; his arm will be against the Babylonians. I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I will bring him, and he will succeed in his mission.”
The evidence is that the Lord “has foretold these things.” (14) “These things” are that “The LORD’s chosen ally will carry out his purpose against Babylon;” (14) and also that “his arm will be against the Babylonians.” (14) “The LORD’s chosen ally” (14) is the Persian King Cyrus. That the pagan King Cyrus is called “The LORD’s chosen ally” (14) seems unfitting, but he is called this in the respect that he destroyed Babylon and set Israel free from captivity. King Cyrus was the Lord’s powerful “arm” (14) that performed the will of God.
Who ““has foretold these things”? (14) Not the pagan gods. “They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see, they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell.” (Psalms 115:5,6) Only the true God can do that. “I am he.” (12) In other words, God who is the creator of the heavens and the earth, who controls history only is God. Just only God can foretell “these things” (14) and fulfill them as he foretold. This was actually fulfilled 150 years after Isaiah prophesized this. This didn’t occur by coincidence, but was performed by the work of God. This is what they are to listen carefully to and pay attention to.
Please look at the first part of verse 16. Here it says, “Come near me and listen to this.” They are not to just listen. They are told to “come near” (16) and listen. To “come near” (16) and listen is to listen well. It is to listen, concentrating on what is being said. God wanted Israel to listen well to His Words, and to look carefully at what is going to occur. This is not something that is just now beginning. It has been like that since way back when. God has spoken to them over and over again through the prophets telling them to listen well. However, the Israelites themselves didn’t listen at all. They weren’t attentive at all. Even if they heard, they didn’t concentrate on it at all. It went in one ear and out the other. The Words of God didn’t remain in their hearts.
Aren’t there times when we are like this too? Now the Lord is speaking to us by different methods, but we don’t accept the message as words spoken to our lives. We accept it only just as events that occurred in Israel’s history, or events of long, long ago, or as one myth. In many cases we don’t listen to it as words for living and as words to be put into our own actual life. We need to concentrate more on listening to God’s Word. We must come near to God and “listen to this”. (16)
Now, please look at the end of verse 16. Here it says, “And now the Sovereign LORD has sent me, with his Spirit.” Suddenly “me” (16) was sent. Suddenly “me” (16) appears. Who is this “me” (16)? Thinking in this context it is King Cyrus who was sent to set Israel free from Babylon. Also this King Cyrus is a pattern or type of Jesus Christ. In 45:1 Cyrus is called, “his anointed”. Therefore, this “me” (16) can be said to be Jesus Christ. This Messiah, Savior, Christ was sent by “the Sovereign LORD”. (16) The word here for “LORD” (16) is Jehovah so it is written in capital letters. “The Sovereign LORD”, (16) Jehovah, is the form used for God the Father. “The Sovereign LORD has sent me, with his Spirit.” (16) You probably realized it, but here all 3 persons of the trinity appear. In the Bible the word “trinity” does not appear, but its concept can be seen throughout the entire Bible. “The Sovereign LORD (The Father) has sent me (Jesus Christ), with his Spirit.(The Holy Spirit)” (16)

If you look at Matthew 3:16 and 17, when Jesus was baptized and went up out of the water, God’s Spirit descended like a dove and lightened on him. Then a voice from heaven was heard, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17) From here Jesus begins his ministry. The Father sent his Son, “with his Spirit.”
“I have called him, and he will succeed in his mission.” (15) Just as Jesus was faithful unto the cross and filled his mission of redemption from sin, Cyrus was “The LORD’s chosen ally” (14) and “will succeed in his mission” (15) of setting Israel free from Babylon. Israel was to listen to this. Also we must listen to the fact that Jesus was sent to this world of sin to set free all of mankind from sin. He is the Savior, the Messiah.

II. Your peace will be like a river (Vs. 17-19)
Next verses 17 to 19 say, “This is what the LORD says-
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
‘I am the LORD your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river,
your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Your descendants would have been like the sand,
your children like its numberless grains;
their name would never by cut off
nor destroyed from before me.”
Here it is recorded, “If only you had paid attention to my commands.” (18) In other words, that if you listen to the Word of God, “your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains.” (18,19)
“Peace” in “your peace would have been like a river” (18) is the Hebrew word “Shalom”. “Shalom” is a peace that includes happiness. It is complete peace with no defects. It refers to the condition of being completely filled with peaceful happiness. It is an ideal condition. That is Shalom. Such a peace will flow to you like a river.
There is an English Song, “Peace like a River”.
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
Isn’t this wonderful! This expression “like a river” (18) expresses a constant flow with no pauses or end. God’s shalom constantly flows onto our soul.

For that there is only one condition. That is we must pay attention to God’s “commands”. (18) We must pay attention and follow the Word of God. If so, “your peace would have been like a river…Your descendants would have been like the sand.” (18)
Abraham who was called “the father of faith”, was told by the Lord, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:1,2) Then when Abraham just like these words say, left his country, and left for the land that God showed him, God blessed him greatly. Abraham is honored by the Jews, Christians, and Moslems as “the father of faith”. Now that is by over half of the world. He is honored that much for following the Word of God.
How about you? Do you listen to the commands of God and follow them obediently? Or do you think they aren’t for your benefit and they’re not important? Let’s praise God who teaches you what is best and leads you the way you should go and listen to that teaching and obey.

III. Flee from Babylon (Vs. 20-22)
Therefore, the conclusion is to “flee from Babylon”. (20) Please look at verse 20. Let’s read it together. “Leave Babylon,
Flee from the Babylonians!
Announce this with shouts of joy
and proclaim it.
Send it out to the ends of the earth;
say, ‘The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob.’”
Here this says to the Israelites who were captured by Babylon to leave there, and to flee from there. That was because even though they heard that, there were some people who were staying there. Although God rose up King Cyrus to destroy Babylon and set them free, there were some people who attempted to stay there.
It may be unbelievable, but that is reality. Although God through Jesus Christ saved us from our sins, there are people who don’t leave them, and don’t flee. Your sins are forgiven. God performed the acts of salvation for you. God sent his son Jesus Christ to the world for you and died on the cross for you sins. He redeemed you from your sins. If you believe in Jesus as your Savior, all your sins are forgiven. That is the good news. That is the Gospel. Even so there are people who don’t believe in the Gospel and want to continue just as they are as slaves of sin. There are quite a lot of people like this who are content the way they are. That is really too bad.
Please look at verse 21. “They did not thirst when he led
them through the deserts;
he made water flow for them
from the rock;
he split the rock
and water gushed out.
This refers to the events of the Exodus. The liberation from Babylon is being described as the second Exodus. In the Exodus it was great that they left Egypt, but right away the Egyptian army pursued them and right before their eyes the Red Sea loomed large ahead of them. However, God made a dry road for them to pass through on. Also when they thought they might die from thirst in the desert where there was no water, the Lord “made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out.” (21) In other words, the Lord who saved them from Egypt will without fail save them from Babylon. This is ultimately a model of the coming kingdom of heaven. In other words, the Lord who will save them from Babylon will save the people from suffering in their sins and without fail lead them to the kingdom of heaven.
However, no matter how wonderful the promise is, if you don’t believe it then there is no meaning. Even if they are told “Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians,” (20) if they stay under the control of Satan, continue just as they are as a slave of sin, and think that just want to enjoy life, and more than believing in God do as they please living freely, no matter how wonderful a promise it is, it has no meaning. What God says to such people is as it says in verse 22, “There is no peace…for the wicked.” You are free to believe or not to believe, but “There is no peace” (22) for those who don’t believe.
In April of this year MTC had their annual meeting and after that was the World Mission Conference. There this year too Rev. Akira Takimoto spoke. He spoke about a book the Rev. Oswald Smith wrote.
I forgot the name, but when a revival occurred in a Canadian town, the people in the town started going to church. Then all the people of the town came to the meetings. People were saved, repented of their sin, marital relationships were restored, robbery disappeared, and it became a wonderful town.
However, among them were people who weren’t happy about the revival. They were the owners of the taverns. They weren’t happy because the people who had come to the taverns and enjoyed drinking stopped coming to the tavern and quit drinking so it messed up their businesses.
So then a tavern owner got mad, “We must disturb and interfere a meeting!” He went to gangsters and asked them to disturb the meetings. The gangsters that he had hired barged into the meeting to disturb it, but while looking for a chance to do so, they became frightened by listening to the message.
“Ah, the way we are we’re going to go to hell! Oh, no” I repent. I will believe in Jesus!” Then they repented and believed in Jesus. How wonderful!

How wonderful it would be if such a revival came to Japan. However, the owner of the tavern was furious that the gangster members that he sent believed in Jesus so next he himself went to disturb and interfere the meeting.
He sat down in a center seat and waited for a chance to disturb and interfere. Then the messenger prayed, “Show me where I should speak today’s message from”, and the Lord said to speak from Isaiah 38:1. That passage is words spoken to Hezekiah. “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the LORD say; Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’” (38:1)
The literary style of the words that the Lord spoke, “; Put your house in order, because you are going to die” (38:1) are “You will definitely die”.
These are words that Prophet Isaiah spoke to Hezekiah who was King, but God told the preacher to speak these words. “Put your house in order, because you are going to die.”
However, the preacher thought that it would be difficult to preach on those words, but God said, “Speak”. Therefore, the preacher stood up, and he had just barely started to speak saying, “Let’s read tonight’s passage, ‘ Put your house in order, because you are going to die’” (28:1) when the tavern’s owner stood up and shouted, “What are you saying! Christ is a lie!” God doesn’t exist!” and the meeting was about to be completely spoiled. Everyone was concentrating on the man.
Just then the man’s voice came to a dead stop. As soon as he stopped, blood spurted out of his mouth, he collapsed and died.
Rev. Oswald Smith said that sometimes we don’t fear God, and even though we do something bad we think that God is love so He will forgive us, but if we continue to resist God, then we will die.
You are free to believe or not to believe, but those who don’t believe, that don’t pay attention to God’s command, this will be the result. You can’t buy peace by your own strength. No matter how much money you have, no matter what abilities you have, by your power you can’t win peace. In order to get peace, you have to just listen to God. You must listen to God who said, “Listen to me.” (12) If you listen to God, God will certainly teach you what is best and lead you on the path you should go.
The path is Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) No one has peace except through Jesus Christ. If you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you won’t have real peace. If you desire it, please stop useless effort, and let’s believe in Jesus. Then let’s “announce this with shouts of joy and proclaim it. Send it out to the ends of the earth.” (20) Jesus puts value on your belief.

Isaiah　４８：１－１１ “God who refines”

Israel becoming captive to Babylon is recorded about in this passage. Isaiah prophesized about it 150 years before it occurred. Even so, why was Israel destroyed by Babylon and taken as captives? That was because they were prideful. Even though they were the people of God, they turned their backs on God and lived however they wanted to live. They made idols and worshipped them. Therefore, God punished them by Babylon. God punished them not because He hated them, and not because He detested them, but to refine them. God loved them so He didn’t treat them as illegitimate children, but treated them as his own children. Today let’s look at the refining of Israel by God.

I. The external faith of Israel (Vs. 1-5)
First please look at verses 1 to 5. Verse 1 says, “Listen to this, O house of Jacob,
you who are called by the name of Israel
and come from the line of Judah,
you who take oaths in the name of the LORD
and invoke the God of Israel-
but not in truth or righteousness-“
Here it says, “house of Jacob”, “the name of Israel” and “the line of Judah.” (1) This is referring all to the same people. “Jacob” means deceiver or he who grasps the heel. This expresses Jacob’s carnal nature. This Jacob wrestled with God and overcame so he was called “Israel”. This says that this Israel came “from the line of Judah.” (1) “Judah” (1) was the fourth son of Jacob. His name means “a person of praise”. “From the line of Judah” (1) King David was born. From David’s descendants the Messiah, the Savior, was born. This is Jesus Christ. Therefore, here that they are called “house of Jacob”, “the name of Israel” and “the line of Judah” (1) expresses that they are legitimate Jews. At least they had a sense of pride. On the outside they thought that they were “from the line of Judah” (1), were “called by the name of Israel” (1) and were the chosen people of God.
However, they missed the most essential things. What they were missing were “truth” (1) and “righteousness” (1). “Truth” (1) is a heart that has an unchanging dependence upon God. “Righteousness” (1) is walking appropriately in the way of God. In other words they took oaths not in the name of other gods, but “in the name of the LORD” (1) and they invoked “the God of Israel,” (1) but even so the substance of their faith was not carried out. It was an empty faith.

What became of them is written in verses 3 to 5. “I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. For I knew how stubborn you were, the sinews of your neck were iron, your forehead was bronze. Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you, so that you could not say, ‘My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’”
“The former things” (3) are the series of acts of God that occurred in Israel’s history. Especially here this refers to the events of the Exodus. That was “foretold” (3) by God. Then one day suddenly God acted, and the things that God had foretold “came to pass.” (3) The reason that God told them about these things before they happened was because if he didn’t they might say, “My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.” (5) They were that “stubborn”. (4) While saying that they believed in the God of Israel, at the same time they had idols with them. Is that possible? That happens! While saying that we believe in God, at the same time we depend upon our own abilities. If we believe in our own knowledge, experiences and financial ability, that is worshipping idols at the same time as believing in God. They were just like that.
For example, by the almighty power of the Lord they were saved from Egypt. After that, they were led to the desert. When Moses climbed Mt. Zion to receive the 10 commandments, Moses didn’t come down off the mountain for a long time, so they got tired of waiting for him. Therefore, they said to Aaron, “Come make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” (Exodus 32:1) They made a golden calf and worshipped it. That is not just them. Christians too are apt to be at the risk of committing the same sin. There are cases when while saying that we believe in the real God, at the same time we make our own gods.
Israel by this sin was destroyed by Babylon and was taken to Babylon as a captured people. Next they began to worship the gods of Babylon. Therefore, before God set them free from there, he “announced” (5) that He was going to do so. That was so they “could not say, ‘My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’” (5) They were that “stubborn”. (4) Verse 4 expresses this like this. “I knew how stubborn you were, the sinews of your neck were iron, and your forehead was bronze.” They were so stubborn that the sinews of their neck were iron and their “forehead was bronze.”(4) “Your forehead was bronze” (4) expresses how stubborn and stiff necked Israel was. No matter how much God’s prophecies were fulfilled, they doubted that God had fulfilled it, and went to the point of having the mistaken idea that the idols had done it.

They had become that “stubborn”. (4) They were “called by the name of Israel and” (1) came “from the line of Judah.” (1) They took “oaths in the name of the LORD and” (1) invoked “the God of Israel”, but even so their faith had no substance. It had no “truth or righteousness.” (1)
This is also a warning to us Christians. We believe in Jesus and are saved, and we might not worship the idols of the people of the world. However, there are cases when our faith is separated from our hearts. We are content with being saved, and without noticing it fall into a Christian life in form only. There is danger of being pulled to the gods that you make like the idols of the pleasures of this world, or the idols of your own fleshly desires.
Please open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7. In verse 22 of Matthew chapter 7 many of those who will not be able to enter the kingdom of heaven in the Day of Judgment will say to the Lord, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” In answer to these people Jesus will clearly say, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matt. 7:23) The reason is that “not everyone who says to” (Matt. 7:21) the Lord, “’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of” (Matt. 7:21) God.
Therefore, Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matt. 7:24-27)
No matter how hard the storm blows, the house that is built on the rock does not move at all. This is the people who hear the Word of God and do it. God does not look at how much we do. What God look at is how faithful we have been before Him. Also how much we walked in the will of God.
Let’s read together Micah 6:8. “He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
“To walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8) does not mean to walk a perfect life without making even one mistake. It is a life of obeying: following God, being supported by grace and even if you make a mistake in your life, by the grace of God, repenting. In the eyes of man, it is thought that a mistake in life simply represents failure. However, if you look at it from God’s eyes, it isn’t so. Therefore, even if you look at your past and you feel that your life has had no value, whenever God reveals a sin to you, each time repent, humble yourself, and walk with God. “Walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) Also let’s make God’s desire for us to walk in His will, our desire.

II. A new creation (Vs. 6-8)
Next please look at verses 6 to 8. “You have heard these things; look at them all,
Will you not admit them?
From now on I will tell you of new things,
of hidden things unknown to you,
They are created now, and not long ago;
you have not heard of them before today.
So you cannot say,
‘Yes, I knew of them.’
You have neither heard nor understood;
from of old your ear has not been open.
Well do I know how treacherous you are;
you were called a rebel from birth.”
Israel had looked “at them all.” (6) “At them all” (6) is up until now in Israel’s history everything that God has spoken about has all been fulfilled. They looked “at them all.” (6) Therefore, what is necessary for them to do is to “admit them”. (6)
Then God will tell them “new things”. (6) Those “new things” (6) “are created now”. (7) It is a new creation. That is directly a chain of acts of salvation by God in saving Israel from Babylon. No matter how much they heard the Word of God they were “stubborn” (4) and didn’t understand and lacked faith. However, the Lord didn’t destroy them, but is going to save them. Then God used the pagan Persian King Cyrus to fulfill this. This was the new method that God “created”. (7)
However, this is ultimately God’s acts of salvation from sin for all mankind. That was “created now.” (7) It is a new creation. God used a method that couldn’t be thought of to save us from our sins. That is the cross. God’s only sinless son took upon human form just like us and was born. He became the substitution for our sin and died on the cross. Three days later he rose again. Who could ever thought of this method! This is a method that no one except God could have thought of. This is the wisdom of God that no human person can imagine.
Paul talks about this wisdom of God in I Corinthians 1:18 to 25. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent will frustrate.’
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Cor. 1:18) This is something that cannot be understood by the wisdom of this world. Who would think that the words of the cross would be salvation! For the people of this world “the message of the cross is foolishness,” (I Cor. 1:18) “but to those whom God has called…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (I Cor. 1:24) By a method that by our wisdom we wouldn’t be able to think of at all, God saved us. That is the one and only plan of God by which we are saved from our sin.
There are geese in South Africa. Geese are very strong and can live in areas that other farm animals can’t live and they were ever increasing. However, one day a large number of geese died. They researched the cause and it was found that one variety of grass that they always ate　made an abnormal amount of the substance, tannin, in their stomachs.
Actually the plants that they always eat have an interesting characteristic. About two minutes after animals come and start eating them, they produce a powerful substance, tannin. By not allowing the animals to eat more than that, the plants are protecting themselves. After eating for about two minutes, they go to the next grassy area, and again two minutes later they go to another place. Here and there they eat for about two minutes at each place. Therefore, over a large area a large amount of plants are needed.
However, one time the humane society to protect the geese from poaching made a fence around their home. Therefore, the geese’s, area of activity was limited. They couldn’t go here and there eating a little at a time. It couldn’t be helped, so what they did was to continue to eat the grass that produces tannin for over two minutes. Then tannin collected in their body and they died.

As a result the geese were destroyed because man made a fence to protect the geese. If they hadn’t made a fence, the animals and plants would have lived together and flourished together. Here is the limit to man’s wisdom. What you think is good and you do, at times threatens the other person’s life.
However, God’s wisdom is different. God’s wisdom is perfect. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (I Cor. 1:25) “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Cor. 1:18) God in order to save us thought of a method that we never would imagine. That was the cross and resurrection. That is the new creation.
Galatians 6:14 and 15 says, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.”
This “new creation” (Gal. 6:15) can be said to be the new method that God made. It is the completely new method that mankind can’t even imagine. It is a completely unexpected method! That is the cross. That is “what counts” (Gal. 6:15) for us; “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything.” (Gal. 6:15) In order to save us God planned the method of our Lord Jesus Christ’s cross and resurrection. For “what counts is” (Gal. 6:15) to live following this criterion.
How about you? Are you following this criterion? Is there anything else other than “the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14) that you are boasting in? “What counts is a new creation.” (Gal. 6:15) Let’s boast “in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14) Let’s walk following this criterion. That is a Christian.

III. God who refines you
Lastly, let’s look at verses 9-11. The Israelites were treacherous and were called a rebel from birth, but God didn’t destroy them. In verse 9 it says, “For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely.” We might think that it is better to just destroy those who are treacherous from birth right away, but God didn’t. God continuously gives us blessings according to the promise given by His grace. Even though the Israelites rebelled against God, God delayed His judgment and made them realize it through His slight punishment.
Please look at verse 10. Here it says, “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have rested you in the furnace of affliction.” God used “the furnace of affliction” to purify the Israelites. What is “the furnace of affliction”? The furnace of affliction is a furnace that breaks their obstinate thoughts they have through affliction. Here it is talking about Babylon. God used Babylon to break their obstinate hearts. He made them obey God through their life as captives in Babylon.
In Deuteronomy 4:20 it says, “The Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt.” Here it talks about the iron-smelting furnace, not the furnace of affliction Even though the kinds of furnace are different, the purpose is the same. Over 400 years of their life in Egypt was truly a life of discipline in the iron-smelting furnace. However, in the midst of their sufferings, they cried out to God and depended on Him. People tend to not cling to God unless they experience this kind of painful experiences. This is why God put them into Egypt’s imprisonment, and sent them into the iron-smelting furnace.
And now it is the furnace of affliction instead of the iron-smelting furnace. God made them cry out to Him and be obedient to Him in the midst of their affliction. What happened to the Israelites after they were saved from this furnace of affliction? After being able to return back to Jerusalem through King Cyrus, they hated idols and eliminated their marriage with the pagans. This was because those were things that God hated the most. We can see this by looking at book of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Bible. Because they went through this furnace of affliction, their obstinate hearts were broken and they were changed to be obedient towards God.
We are the same. We also tend to be arrogant like the Israelites. God sends us to the furnace of affliction or to the iron-smelting affliction in order to cleanse us. However, this is to punish us, and not to destroy us. It is to purify us. God loves us so much that He uses the furnace of affliction to work on us.
In Hebrews 12:5-6 it says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
God treats you as His child. Is there a father who wouldn’t discipline their child? If you are someone who hasn’t given the punishment that everyone else has gotten, then you are just an illegitimate child, and not a true child. Because we are God’s true child, He disciplines us to train us. If so, we should be thankful to God when He puts us through the furnace of affliction or through the iron-smelting furnace, and accept it as lashes of love from God. We should also accept what God has prepared as the training of our faith and be patient. Normally we are people to be punished by God for being disobedient towards Him. But we should be thankful to God for His generosity of waiting in patience for us to come back to Him. We should also be thankful to God for His patience of delaying His punishment because of His grace and compassionate promises. This is God’s patience and mercy that surpasses far our imagination.
The author of Psalms wrote, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” (Psalms 119:71) We too should confess like this. It was good for me to be afflicted. I learned your decrees. What is your affliction? What is the furnace of affliction for you? Those are lashings of love from God to train you. Let’s believe that and look up to God even in the midst of that affliction, and walk with Him in repentance.

The title of today’s message is “God opposes the proud”. In the passage that was read this morning a prophecy of the judgment on Babylon is written. Put in one word the reason that Babylon was destroyed was pride. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” “God opposes the proud.” (James 4:6) Babylon was prideful so it was destroyed. In what ways was Babylon prideful? Today I would like to talk about three points of this.

I. Only I am special (Vs. 8,9)
First of all Babylon was prideful saying to herself, “I am, and there is none besides me.” (8) Please look at verses 8 and 9. “Now then, listen, you wanton creature,
lounging in your security
and saying to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none beside me,
I will never be a widow
or suffer the loss of children.’
Both of these will overtake you
in a moment, on a single day
loss of children and widowhood.
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and all your potent spells.”
“You wanton creature, lounging in your security” (8) is Babylon. They indulged in carnal pleasures and lived in idleness. “Loss of children and widowhood” (9) is a prophecy that Babylon will be destroyed. In the course of time, the Persian King Cyrus came and destroyed them. Babylon that was said to be impregnable will be destroyed in one day. Ｎo one ever thought that that the tall walls surrounding the City could be broken down and so they drank, and indulged in carnal pleasures, living in security. Their problem was that in their hearts they were saying to themselves, “I am, and there is none beside me.” (8) They thought they were special. Even though they weren’t, they assumed they were.
These words, “I am, and there is none beside me” are almost a claim of deity. Please look at Isaiah 46:9. Here it says, “I am God, and there is no other.” This is a declaration of God. In other words, these are the words of God. These words of God are used here by Babylon. In other words, they are saying that they themselves are really God.

Behind Babylon was the presence of Satan. Last week too we saw that if you look at Isaiah 14, Satan said, “I will make myself like the Most High,” (14:14) and was “brought down”. (14:15) He was originally the brightest angel. He was the “morning star” (14:12), Lucifer. This “morning star” (14:12) fell because he said, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will set enthroned on the mount of assembly on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” (14:13, 14) He is stressing himself so he was “brought down”. (14:15)

In the same way “I” is being stressed by God. Isaiah 46:4 says, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Here God is stressing “I”. I am the one who will rescue you. “I will carry you.” (46:4) “I am he” (46:4) Satan is saying the same thing. In other words, Satan is saying that he is exactly the same as God and is trying to make himself God. Babylon said, “I am, and there is none besides me.” (10) Babylon is self-centered, not God centered.
Self-centeredness is to think that you are absolute. It is to think that you are special. In reality that is the thinking of atheists. Atheists say that there is no God. They can’t believe in God. They believe only in themselves. However, no one other God can say this. Only God is able to exist by himself. God said, “I AM WHO I AM”. (Exodus 3:14) We can’t say this at all. We can’t breathe by ourselves, and we can’t move our heart by ourselves. We are a being that must depend upon the sun, water, food, and etc. which are all outside of ourselves to live. However, God can exist by only himself. Only by himself God can live eternally. Therefore, it is o.k. for God to be God centered. God is the one and only God. He can say, “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” (46:9) Babylon stole these words and said them just as they are. That is the problem. How prideful! “A catastrophe …will suddenly come upon” (11) such prideful people. No matter how many sorceresses you go to, no matter how strongly you say magic spells, “A catastrophe …will suddenly come upon” (11) you.
During the American civil war, the Alabama 21st regiment put on the first protective uniform that was developed and triumphantly stood in front of the enemy’s soldiers. They called out to the enemy saying that if they had this type of protective uniforms then they would definitely not die. Just then, a bullet came flying and a soldier fell there. The enemy didn’t shoot at the chest where the soldier was wearing protective clothing, but at his head. The soldier was protected in one place and thought that by doing so that he was completely protected, but unfortunately as a result of his stupidity he lost his life.

To think that you lack nothing and so you don’t seek the Lord is being prideful. It is stupid. The Bible says to always recognize God. Step by step we mustn’t depend upon our knowledge and skills, but we must seek the Lord’s leading. To seek the Lord’s leading means to humble ourselves and put ourselves under God and to follow the Lord’s leading. In the Psalms it says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” (Psalm 127:1) In the end, whether people recognize God or don’t recognize God, God rules over everything. If God doesn’t help then it is meaningless. No matter how much man puts out effort, if God doesn’t do it then it is meaningless. Let’s humble ourselves below God’s hands. If we do that, at just the right time, God will raise us up.

II. No one sees me (Vs. 10 & 11)
Next, please look at verses 10 and 11. Babylon says to themselves, “No one sees me” (10) and trusted in their own wickedness.
“You have trusted in your wickedness
and have said, ‘No one sees me.’
Your wisdom and knowledge misled you,
when you say to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.’” (10,11)

Babylon trusted in their own wickedness and said, “No one sees me.” (10) Babylon had become this prideful because they didn’t fear God. Even though they didn’t fear God their wisdom and knowledge increased. This misled them. Proverbs teaches us that fear is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. They didn’t fear the Lord so such wisdom and knowledge misled them.
We do bad things because we think, “No one sees me.” (10) We deceive and steal because we think, “No one sees me.” (10) If someone is looking we can’t do such things. When we think, “No one sees me,” (10) we commit many sins. Babylon thought, “No one sees me.” (10) and did whatever they wanted to do.
However, God sees everything. God who can’t see with his eyes, sees everything concerning you. He is able to see through to the insides of your heart. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7) God knows the thoughts of our hearts. Please open your Bibles to Psalms 94:7 to 11. Here it says, “They say, ‘The LORD does not see;
The God of Jacob pays no heed.
Take heed, you senseless ones among the people;
you fools, when will you become wise?
Does he who implanted the ear not hear?
Does he who formed the eye not see?
Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
Does he who teaches man lack knowledge?
The LORD knows the thoughts of man;
he knows that they are futile.”
To think, “There is none besides me” (10) is a huge mistake. The Lord sees everything. The Lord looks out over everything. God sees everything about you. Another way of saying it is that even from before you were born God always looked out over you. Therefore, it is impossible to deceive God. Therefore, we must fear God. Daily fear God, be conscious of God, and honor God. To think, “There is none besides me” (10) is prideful. It is stupid. If we don’t know this, we will meet the disasters of verse 11.
However, in reverse those who fear the Lord will be blessed. Psalms 121:5-8 says, “The LORD watches over you-
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.”
“You” (5) is Israel. They are the people of God that have been redeemed by God so they will not be harmed. Also this is a promise for us Christians who have been redeemed by God. Those who believe in Jesus will never be harmed. That is because Jesus was harmed for us in our place.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18)

Therefore, whoever believes in the Son of God “is not condemned.” (John 3:18) What a blessing! However, even if we are a Christian if in our hearts we think, “I am, and there is none besides me,” (8) then “Disaster will come upon you.” (11) In this case this disaster will be the work of reaping the sin that you sowed. Man must reap what he sows. When you drop a glass on the floor, the glass breaks and what was in the glass goes flying out and the carpet gets dirty. In the same way when a Christian sins, he is affected by his sin. The person may lose his family. He may lose his health. He may lose his name and respect. Like this our sin takes many things from us. Therefore, when we sin the person that suffers the most is the person who sinned himself.
Therefore, so this suffering (disaster) doesn’t happen to us, don’t trust in your wickedness saying, “No one sees me.” (10) Also don’t have prideful thinking like, “I am, and there is none besides me,” (10) We must reap what we sow. We must suffer the “disasters” of the sin we commit. However, God declares, whoever believes in Jesus Christ “is not condemned.” (John 3:17) We suffer from the consequences of our sin, but we will never be condemned or judged. Therefore, we must just fear God, honor God, and follow God.

III. There is not one that can save you. (12-15)
Let’s finish by looking at verses 12-15. “(12) Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror. (13) All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions mouth by mouth, let them save you from what is coming upon you. (14) Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by. (15) That is all they are to you –these you have dealt with and labored with since childhood. All of them go on in their error; there is not one that can save you.”
Babylon’s image is pictured here as trying to save themselves just through their own wisdom and knowledge, and through solutions by their own know how instead of being afraid of God. “The magic spells, which you have labored at since childhood.” are the magical practices that existed from a long time ago. The sutra from Buddhism is one of them. Reading sutras might calm you, but it won’t solve the real problem.
What about the counsel that is written in verse 13? There are a lot of counsels around us. Such are counseling, things that are said through TV and magazines, internet, things that other people say, and things that each specialists say. There are a lot of counsels, but do these help you? Unfortunately, even if we listen to that advice, most of the times things said are all different according to what you listen to, and you get confused not knowing what to listen to. There is a TV program called “Nainai answer”. It’s a program where people listen and give advice to one artist’s problem. There’s about 20 experts from different areas there, and they give advices from their own perspective, but there’s so many advices that you don’t know which advice to listen to. There are even times when there are two completely opposite advices. That kind of advice might just wear people out instead of helping them.
Then what about your astrologers, or those stargazers who make predictions mouth by mouth? This represents Babylon’s old astrology. Babylon is the place of origin for astrology. From there it was passed over to Greece, India, and China. Horoscope,
which is one kind of western astrology also started from here. ONMYODO, the way of yin and yang, which also was passed over from China to Japan also started originally in Babylon.
Even nowadays many people rely on these magic spells that have been passed on for many years. There are people who check their fortune-telling of the day through radio, TV, newspaper or magazines. Many people rely on blood type fortune-telling, animal fortune-telling, and things like lucky cards.
I had a meeting with the Baptist church group in Sendai, and in the train coming home, some high school people were talking about fortune-telling. They were saying that fortune-telling is always successful, so that they wanted to go there again.
But these things will not save you. Please look at verse 14.
Here it says, “Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by.”
These magic spells and many sorceries, many counsels and stargazers which have labored during childhood will not save you. Rather, if you continue to rely on these things, it will bring bitter experiences to you. God is a God who judges strictly.
Then what should we do? At the end of Ecclesiastes it says, “(13) Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. (14) For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Fear God. Obey God’s commandments. This is all a human being needs to do. God will judge those who think that they are special or those who are arrogant that they think they are more than others. God is a God who judges people who are arrogant, and a God who brings blessings to those who are humble. The only way for us to receive blessings is just to be humble towards God.
In I Corinthians 10:12 it says, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” There are times when we feel like we are standing by ourselves even though it is through God’s grace and blessing that we are able to stand. In the Bible it says that God gives life to each one of us and God is the one who provides everything. Yet, there are times when we have times when we feel like we are doing everything by ourselves. How about you? Everything is through God’s grace. We must not think that we are able to stand through our own power. Of course there might be times when we do things by our own power, but we as Christians should remember that it is all through God’s blessings and grace that we are blessed.
At times when we are able to be so successful in life, that is all because of God’s blessings and grace, and therefore, we need to be careful to be thankful to God and those who support us. God judges people who are arrogant, but brings blessings to those who are humble.

Today I’m going to preach from the first half of Isaiah chapter 47. Here it talks about the fall of Babylon. Even though Babylon was said to be impregnable, why did it fall? Let’s find out why from looking at three points.

I. I will take vengeance (1~4)
Please look at verses 1~4. Verse 1 says, “Go down, sit in the dust, Virgin Daughter Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne; queen city of the Babylonians. No more will you be called tender or delicate.”

Here, Babylon is called “Virgin Daughter Babylon”. The reason why Babylon is called like this here is because it has never been invaded by a foreign enemy. The wall was 90m tall, 24m thick, each side was 24km long, and 96km long around. It was certainly an impregnable city. There was no enemy who could attack this impregnable Babylon. Babylon also had a different name, “Chaldean”.

This Babylon, also called “Chaldean” is told to “go down, sit in the dust”, and to “sit on the ground without a throne.” Sitting in the dust is often used to express sadness, but here it is used to lower their position. Sitting on the ground without a throne means that Babylon which ruled on the throne for a long time is moved to a vulgar seat. Why is Babylon like this? It’s because “You are not called tender or delicate anymore.”

“Tender or delicate daughter” refers to elegance of Babylon. Babylon was surrounded by tall walls with the Euphrates River flowing in the middle. In the center of the city, there was a tower called “Etemenanki”, which looked like the tower of Babel. Next to it, there was a nice temple sacred to a God of Babylon called “Marduk”. And there was also hanging gods of Babylon there which is one of the seven great mysteries of the world. Also, there was the famous Ishtar gate which was too beautiful to express in words. Here, such a beautiful Babylon is compared to a “tender or delicate daughter.” Eventually this beautiful Babylon will not be called tender or delicate daughter anymore. Because as it is said in verses 2 and 3 “take millstones and grind flour; take off your veil. Lift up your skirts, bare your legs, and wade through the streams. Your nakedness will be exposed and your shame uncovered”, Babylon eventually becomes the most vulgar woman slave. Taking millstones and grinding flour was a woman’s job. Taking off your veil was a cloth that noblewoman used to cover their faces. The Babylonians who became slaves do not need a cloth to cover their faces because it disturbs them when they grind flour. Lifting up your skirts and baring your legs refers to Babylon being destroyed, conquered, and taken to a hostile country by King Cyrus. Lifting up your skirts and being naked is to expose shame. Not only that, Babylonian’s clothes being taken off by the conqueror will bring shame. The Queen Babylon that enjoys gorgeousness and its luxuries falls down to the position of a vulgar woman slave.

Why does this happen? Please look at verse 3. Here it says, “I will take vengeance; I will spare no more.” God’s judges Babylon. God takes vengeance to those who afflict the Israelites who are God’s people.

Our God is a God who avenges. Please look at Psalms 94, verses 1~7. “(1) The Lord is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, whine forth. (2) Rise up, judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. (3) How long, Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant? (4) They pour our arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. (5) They crush your people, Lord; they oppress your inheritance. (6) They slay the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless. (7) They say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.”” and verses 22 and 23. “(22) But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. (23) He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them.”

God repays them for their sins and destroys them for their wickedness. Remember that our God is a God who avenges. The reason why God does such a thing to the Babylonians is because of their wickedness. It is because they afflicted the Israelites who are Gods people and because they treated themselves arrogant as if they were God themselves.

Please remember, vengeance is what God does, not us. Because we don’t know everything, we might judge wrongly. However, God is so righteous that He can make right judgment in everything. Therefore, we are to commend the judgment to God.

However, this is said not only for those who harm us, that is, those who bring us these avenges or stir up our anger. It is true that our God avenges people who harm us. That is not only them, but He also avenges us. He has no mercy even on you. The first thing we need to focus on is how we are ourselves. If we sin against God, God avenges us for our sins. If God sees them as sins, then God judges it according to His righteousness. Otherwise, God’s righteousness will be distorted. God treats everyone equally.

But we don’t have to be afraid because we will never be judged anymore. The moment we believed in Jesus Christ, all of our sins have been forgiven. Our sins are all forgiven because Jesus was crucified on the cross and He received the judgment instead of us. We will never be judged. We are considered innocent. What a wonderful news this is. This is the gospel. Gospel is called “good news”, but this is surely “good news.” Therefore, we don’t have to be afraid even if God says He is going to avenge.

Let’s listen to God’s word of promise. Please look at John 5:24. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me as eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

If you listen to God’s word and believe in Him, you will receive eternal life and will not be judged, but will cross over from death to life. Do you already believe in Him? Do you believe in Jesus Christ who carried all of your sins and was crucified and died on the cross instead of you? If you believe in Him, you don’t have to be afraid of anything. This word is given to those who have not believed in Him yet. Till we believed in Jesus Christ, we had to live our life in fears. We were like condemned criminal who had to wait for the judgment. That was what we were in the past. But we were relieved from that fear at the moment we believed Jesus Christ.

Let’s look at verse 4. “Our Redeemer –the Lord Almighty is his name –Is the Holy One of Israel.”

Our God is our redeemer. His name is the Lord almighty, the holy one of Israel. Do you know His name? Have your sins been redeemed by Him? Is He your Holy one? If you still don’t know Him, give yourself to Him and pray like this.

“Lord, I have just come to know you. You are the one who redeems my sins. Please forgive my sins. Please take all my sins away and cleanse me. I want to be loved, and not be judged.”

If you pray like this God redeems you and carries you all the time. As it said in Psalms 46 verses 3 and 4, even to your old age and gray hairs, He will continue to carry you. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your savior, then you will be saved. Then you don’t have to be afraid with what is written in Psalms 47:3.

II. It is just a tool (5~6)
Please look at verses 5 and 6. “(5) Sit in silence, go into darkness, queen city of the Babylonians; no more will you be called queen of kingdoms.”

Here Babylon is told to “sit in silence” and to “go into darkness.” “Go into darkness” is a symbol of judgment. That is to say that Babylon will be judged by God and will be destroyed. That’s because “no more will you be called queen of kingdoms.” This is the same as it is said in verse 1. It said in verse 1 that “No more will you be called tender or delicate.”, but here it is said that “No more will you be called queen of kingdoms.” When we think of a queen, Queen Elizabeth in England is very famous, but this presents a person having absolute power. Babylon used to be a queen with absolute power to conquer all countries, but it fell down to the position of a woman slave.

What was the problem? The answer is written in verse 6. “(6) I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you showed them no mercy. Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke.”

What does this mean? “My people” refers to the Israelites. Because the Israelites who were God’s people turned against God, God brought them to Babylonian’s hand to discipline them. However the Babylonians didn’t take pity on them, and even the old people carried a yoke. That is to say, even though Babylonians were God’s tool to discipline the Israelites who turned against God, they deviated from their position and arrogantly they went too far. Even though they were just a spank stick, they didn’t just stay at their position, but used that position to beat them up. Do you know a spank stick? It is a stick to spank people’s bottoms. It is a stick to punish a child who doesn’t listen to you. Even though it is just a tool of punishment, they went way beyond that, and did a cruel thing. So God dragged them down from their position and made them sit in silence and go into darkness.

This is not a problem just among the Babylonians. We also have a tendency to be like Babylonians, don’t we? We have times when we go too far that we are strict on others and behave roughly towards others. And we sometimes lack in mercy.

For example, in Japan we are familiar with the sentence, “the customer is always right”, but we don’t know how much this sentence is bringing unhappiness to people in Japan. This expression is used for the spirit of hospitality to treat the customer nicely like how you treat God, but the customer sometimes behaves as if he can say anything he wants, and can do anything he wants. On the other hand if you were to be a clerk, your customer will show the same attitude toward you. Our attitude changes according to where we stand.

However, I was surprised when I went to America and saw the people working at the supermarket. The clerks don’t bow their head and say “Welcome” as we see in Japan. You don’t know if they are thankful to the customers or not. If anything, sometimes they have a bad attitude as if we as customers have done something bad. But actually it is not so. Americans try to be individual and don’t try to go along with other people, but for Japanese, that feels kind of strange. On top of all that, the customer is the one who says “thank you” when they buy something. Of course, the store clerk also says “thank you” to that, but such behavior sometimes makes you think that the store will go out of business.
When I asked my wife about it when I got home, she said, “Of course! The store clerk served us, so it is natural for us to say thank you to them.” The customer is not particularly great. Both the seller and the buyer are equal, and there shouldn’t be any hierarchical relationship among the two. Yet, it is strange that we have times when we are arrogant or times when we just apologize to people. We have times when we say too much towards people, and lack in mercy if we aren’t be careful.

God said to the master who didn’t forgive the servant who borrowed ten thousand bags of gold, “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (Matthew 18:33). However, we should understand that we are just a tool and be merciful as people who are forgiven much by God. That is what Christ wants us to do.

III. Fools find no pleasure in understanding (7)
Let’s finish by looking at verse 7. Here it says, “You said, ‘I am forever –the eternal queen!’ But you did not consider these things or reflect on what might happen.”

What does this mean? “You” that is used here presents the Babylonians. The Babylonians were thought to be the eternal queen. This is completely from their pride. The Babylonians thought they will continue forever. They thought their lives of elegance like a queen would continue forever. They didn’t think of the end of their lives and went on their own way. If they thought more of what would happen if they continue to live a life like this, they might have been able to desist from doing so. But they didn’t consider what will happen if they continued to be arrogant and foolish, and they were absorbed in pleasure. They “did not consider these things or reflect on what might happen.” God judged the Babylonians. He dragged them down from the seat of the queen, had them sit in silence, and had them sit on the ground without a throne. In the Bible it says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (James 4:6). Also it says, “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.” (Proverbs 18:2). The most important thing in our life is to not be proud. You will lose blessings if you continue to be proud.

Why did morning star, son of the dawn fall from heaven? It’s because they were proud of themselves. In Isaiah 14:12~15 it says,
“(12) How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
(13) You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
(14) I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
(15) But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.”

“Son of the dawn” is called “Lucifer” in Latin. Lucifer is an archangel who was the head of the angels. This Lucifer fell. It’s because he rebelled against God. In Ezekiel 28:12 it says here that he was “the seal of perfection”, and “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” He was fuddled with himself and was so proud. And he also tried to be like God by assigning himself to the throne of God. So God put him down. This is the beginning of Satan. Satan is not what God made, but is the angel who rebelled against God, who fell down because of his arrogance of wanting to become like God.

In English, there’s a word “pride” for the meaning of “haughty” or “arrogance”. It is spelled “P.r.i.d.e”. What is the alphabet in the center? It’s “I”. It is a sin and the essence of being arrogant, to be self-oriented instead of putting God in the center of your life. Lucifer entered the heaven, put his throne on top of God’s throne, and tried to be the utmost high person. This is why he was dropped.

Please remember that this is the stratagem of Satan. Satan’s stratagem is to let you be arrogant when you succeed. “That’s great. You are wonderful.” is what Satan will say to you. Babylonians too, they thought of being the eternal queen when they became like the queen of kingdom. They were absorbed in pleasure and lived in idleness. They didn’t think of what might happen, and didn’t humbly serve God. That was the problem. However, according to the Bible, “fools find no pleasure in understanding.” Being humble is very important.

In Genesis 16, it talks about the story of Abraham who eventually was called the father of the Jews. Abraham didn’t have children for a while. God promised Abraham that He will bless his descendants, but he didn’t have children even after he turned 80. His wife Sarah was a very beautiful woman. Wherever Abraham went, even when he went to Egypt, he asked Sarah to tell everyone that she was Abraham’s sister. However, even though he just got older and older, he never received a child at all. Then one day Sarah said to Abraham, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave Hagar.” Abraham was a very religious man but agreed to what Sarah said. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. However, when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to despise Sarah.
It is when people look down on someone that they get arrogant. Some people look down on people thinking that there’s nobody who is smarter than them, or that they are better than other people. To look down on people is a critical thing and it is being arrogant.
Sarah is the one who suggested Hagar to be Abraham’s wife. However, Hagar despised Sarah even though it was because of Sarah that she was able to get pregnant.
Because Hagar despised Sarah, Sarah got mad and said to Abraham, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering.” Abraham told her, “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarah mistreated Hagar. So Hagar fled from her. After going through a wilderness and coming near a spring in the desert, God found Hagar and said, “Hagar, where have you come from?”
God doesn’t abandon even people who are arrogant. He calls out to those people. People might say “you can’t enter this house again” if you go against somebody. However, God said to Hagar, “Where have you come from, and where are you going?” She answered, “I’m running away from my mistress Sarah.” Then God said to her.

“Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” (Genesis 16:9)

The Lord says that if we submit, then we are blessed. It is important in our lives to submit ourselves. Don’t be arrogant. If you submit and humble yourself, you will be blessed. Let’s be humble and submit ourselves. Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.

In Isaiah there are many passages that people memorize and that continuously support and encourage them. For example, “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (40:31) is one of them. Also, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (43:2) is another. Also in today’s passage verses 3 and 4 are also one such passage.
Verses 3 & 4
These are really wonderful words！However when you ask people who love these verses and for whom these words have been a support for their lives, most of them don’t know what proceeds and comes before this passage. There are a lot of cases where this is loved as an independent text.
Today while considering the context, what proceeds and comes before it, I’d like us to experience the wonderfulness of this passage.

I. I will sustain you (Vs. 1-8)
First please look at verses 1 to 8. Here by comparing the real God and idols, it tells us how wonderful the real God is. First let’s read verses 1 and 2.
Verses 1 & 2
Here in verse 1 the names “Bel” and “Nebo” appear. These are names of the Babylonian idol gods. “Bel” (1) is another name for Marduk, the chief deity in Babylon. At that time in Babylon there were 50 gods, but the chief one was Marduk, “Bel”. (1) “Nebo” (1) was the god of learning and writing and was the son of “Marduk”. (1) There was a Babylonian King named Nebuchadnezzar. The god’s name was used in the King’s name. It means “God’s messenger”.
About these two gods here it says, “Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary.” (1) In the course of time Babylon will be destroyed and the idols that they believed in will become a burden. In ancient times in the Near and Middle Eastern world they thought war was fighting between the gods of the nations. So when you lost in the war, you fled with your idols. This is what this is saying. In other words, the gods of idols “are carried about” (1) and the gods “are burdensome”. (1)

Then 150 years after Isaiah said this this was fulfilled. When Babylon was destroyed by the Persian King Cyrus these idols were “borne by beasts of burden” (1) and are carried away with their worshipers. Like this, when you are in a pinch, idols are of no use at all. Instead they “are burdensome, a burden”. (1) Idols are like this. Even so lots of people stoop and bow down and pray to these gods.
How about you? Are there any idols that you are bowing down to? As I have talked about before, the first commandment in the 10 Commandments is “You shall have no other gods before me. “ (Exodus 20:3) If you put anything in front of God, this is your god. If you put your job in front of God, or studying in front of God, or your friends in front of God, or your hobbies in front of God, those are idols. They are the same as “Bel” (1) and “Nero”. (1) Such things are all important, so they are not things that can be neglected, but no matter how important they are we must not put them before God. If we put them before God, then not only will they become an idol, but they will in the course of time become “burdensome, a burden” (1) and make you weary.
How is the real God compared to this? Please look at verses 3 and 4. Let’s read them together. “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all of you who remain of the house of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since you were conceived,
and have carried since your birth.
Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
In contrast to the idols who cannot save people and “they themselves go off into captivity” (2) being carried “by beasts of burden” (1) the real God has upheld you “since you were conceived” (3) and has carried you “since your birth.” (3)
Please open your Bibles to Jeremiah 31:3 too.
Jeremiah 31:3
Here this isn’t just “since your birth.” (3) Here it is “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3) God’s love is “an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
What kind of love is “an everlasting love?” (Jeremiah 31:3) “? It is eternal. There is no sense of time. It is not controlled by the time of the past, present and future. It is always. God is always with you and loves you. There isn’t even a moment when he doesn’t love you. Up until now and from now on he will continue to love you. No matter how terrible a person you are, no matter how horrifying a sin you commit, he will definitely not change, but always love you. Rather, from the beginning he was fully aware of it and even so he continues to love you. This is God’s love. This is “everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3) (Jeremiah 31:3) God loves us with this love.
Man is different. Man always puts conditions on love. If you are or do this, then I will love you. Therefore, we live always in fear of when a relationship is going to fall apart. However, God’s love is different. God always loves. God has “loved you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3) God has carried you.
What is interesting is the word “upheld” in verse 3. This is exactly the same word that is used in verse 1 that is translated as “burdensome”. In the previous context the idols “are burdensome, a burden.” (1) Here in verse 3 we are “burdensome”. In reality we “are burdensome, a burden” (1) for God. We are originally self-centered, and more than believing in God, and more than following God, we live like we want to and are selfish. Such mankind is of no use for God. He is nothing more than “a burden” (1) for God. Even so God uphold us and carries us. Then he took the burdensome burden of sin that we aren’t able to bear upon himself. This ultimately expresses the cross. God through His son, Jesus Christ, who by being put on the cross and dying in our place, he took upon himself all of our burdens.　So that “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Therefore, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. “ Matt. 11:28.
Jesus died in exchange for you on the cross, so Jesus bore all your burdens so if you go to Jesus, your sin will be forgiven, and your burdens will disappear. Your tiredness will be healed, and your spirit can obtain peace. Like this you have been upheld. That compilation is the cross of Jesus Christ. Therefore if you come to Jesus, if you believe that he took upon himself your burdens of sin and bore them, then you will be saved.
That’s not all. If you look at verse 4, this will be the same from now on. “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
Do you have any gray hairs? There is no problem with having gray hairs, but one meaning is that it is a characteristic of older people and without realizing it they are losing strength. There will come a day when they don’t react to the pleasures of the world. In society too they are treated as worthless and unusable, and many feel lonely.
In Japan the average life span is the highest in the world, but by the progression of change to nuclear families, the insecurity of old age is increasing. There is no guarantee that we will be able to be fine not depending upon any one and financially o.k. until we die. 　
However, the Creator God who made the heavens and the earth, the real God promises “even to your old age” (4) to uphold you and “sustain you.” (4) This is not just a guarantee for your future life, but it is also assurance that in the severe last years of your life God will be with you and take care of you.
Why God can say that is given in the first word of verse 4, “even.” God has upheld you “since you were conceived.” (3) He has carried you “since your birth.” (3) God has always upheld you and carried you and “even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.” (4) From now on too God will always uphold you and carry you just has he has up until now. In other words, God who never changes who up until today without fail has carried you in perfect grace will from now on too care you in the same way.
There is the poem, “Foot prints”. You have heard it many times, I think. All Christians can relate to it. This is because we think that up until now we have walked all alone, but we realize that in reality that is not so. The Lord walked with us. He upheld us. Then we are given confidence that in the future too in the same way he will watch over us.
Foot prints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two set of footprints in the sand, one belong to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.
This really bothered him, and he questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow You, You would walk with me all the way; but I have noticed that during the most troubled time of my life there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why You would leave me during the times when I needed You most.”
The Lord replied, “My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”
God has upheld you “since you were conceived” (3) and had carried you since birth. Even when you were struggling the most, even at the hardest times, he did not forsake you or abandon you, but watched over you. From now on too he “will sustain you.” (4) “Even to your old age and gray hairs…he…will sustain you.” (4) The Lord will sustain you and carry you.
Please look at verse 8. Let’s read it together. “Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.”
“This” (8) is thought to be what has been said up until now. In other words, the idols are gods that “are carried about”. (1) In contrast the real God “will carry you”. (4) We must “remember this”. (8) That is because if we don’t know this, if we don’t realize

this, our hearts are always moved and can’t stand firmly. Those who “remember this” (8) can always stand firmly in the Lord. Have assurance that the Lord is God, “and there is no other” (9) and can live depending only on this God.
Are you still depending on your own thinking and your own abilities? Have you been pulled by the world and is your heart lost? Please “remember this.” (8) Let’s stand firmly in faith in this God.

II. My purpose will stand (Verses 9-11)
Next please look at verses 9 to 11. “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come, I say; My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.”
Here, the Lord says, “Remember the former things.” (9) This is Israel’s chain of past history. Especially this refers to the events of Israel being saved from Egypt. This says to remember this. That is because by remembering the former things, we can have hope. This is the hope that they will be saved from Babylon. Israel in former times experienced amazing grace. For 430 years they lived in Egypt as slaves, but by the great acts of God they were set free.
However, as time passed, they forgot God’s grace, and began to serve the idols around them and they lost their strength, were weary, and were eventually destroyed by Babylon, and were driven away from their country. Next they were captured by Babylon and taken away as captives. There was no hope. What they needed to do was “Remember the former things” (9) and what God had done for them. They needed to “Remember the former things” (9) and how much mercy God had shown them. They were to do this because by doing so they would receive hope. The hope that the same Lord would set them free from Babylon would be given.
We are the same. There are times when we are put in a situation where we are captured by Babylon. We can’t see the future at all. There are times when we have lost all hope. At such times what we need to do is “Remember the former things.” (9) How has God shown you mercy? Remember what great things God has done for you. Jesus died in your place to save you. Even though we are worthless and so deeply sinful that we deserve to be abandoned, Jesus died on the cross for us and saved us from our sin. We must remember this. There are some people here who have just been saved recently. There are some who were saved in the last few years. Still others have been

saved for 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years. No matter how recently or how long ago it doesn’t matter we always need to remember this and return to our first love. If so, then we will be able to overcome our difficulties and continuously have hope.
Please look at verse 10. It says, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come, I say; My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.”
“My purpose” (10) and “all that I please” is God’s plan to save Israel which was captive to Babylon. God’s purposes “will stand, and” (10) God “will do all that” (10) He pleases.
Verse 11 tells how God “will do all that” (10) He pleases. “From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.” “A bird of prey” are birds like eagles or hawks which quickly catch their prey. This refers to King Cyrus. At this time King Cyrus hadn’t been born yet. He appeared on the stage of history 150 years after this prophecy was declared. While King Cyrus still hadn’t been born yet, while Israel was still captive to Babylon, God spoke about how Israel will be saved from Babylon. God planned to use King Cyrus to destroy Babylon and save Israel. What God has said, He will “bring about.” (11) God also made a plan to save all mankind. That is the cross. God’s only son, Jesus, was put on the cross and died, and three days later rose again was God’s plan “from the beginning, from ancient times.” (10) God’s purposes “will stand.” (10)
Also God has a plan for your live and God will fulfill that plan. If that is the case, then we can see that to put our life in the hands of God who holds our future is the most blessed thing.
How about you? Are you concerned about tomorrow? Jesus said not to worry about your life: what you are going to eat, what you are going to drink or about your body, what you are going to wear. Your life is more important than food and your body is more important that clothes. Jesus said to look at the birds of the air. They don’t plant seeds and they don’t harvest. They also don’t store up food. However, our Father in Heaven feeds them. Also look at the lilies of the field. They don’t work, but our Father in Heaven takes care of them. Therefore, won’t God take even greater care of you? You are a child of God saved by the everlasting love of God. God will do what is best you, His child. What you need to do is “Remember the former things, those of long ago.” (9) Remember what God has done for you and then leave all in His hands.

III. My righteousness is near (Vs. 12 & 13)
Lastly, let’s look at verses 12 and 13. “Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,
you who are far from righteousness.
I am bringing my righteousness near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
my splendor to Israel.”
“You stubborn-hearted, you who are far from righteousness” (12) are the same as the “rebels” of verse 8. In other words this refers to the Israelites who have ignored God’s warnings, have turned their backs on God, and who have lived self-centeredly. They haven’t listened to God and haven’t followed Him so they were destroyed by Babylon and have become a captive people. However, amazingly God declares to such people, “I am bringing my righteousness near.”(12) Even though they are “stubborn-hearted…far from righteousness” (12), and “rebels” (8) and as a result were punished and are captives to Babylon, God declares, “I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away.” (12) That is because God’s “salvation will not be delayed.” (12) It will go according to plans. No matter how “stubborn-hearted” (12) man is, no matter how much he ignores God, God’s plans will be fulfilled. It will not be too late or too early, but in God’s best timing, it will be fulfilled in superb timing.
We have a second nature of self- centered thinking so if something is delayed we get panicky thinking, “why didn’t he do something about this sooner,” or “if it continuous like this, everything will be spoiled,” or “It’s all over!” God doesn’t panic. According to His plans, God’s work of salvation quietly progresses. “Salvation will not be delayed” (13) nor will it come too quickly so if you trust in God you won’t be shaken up, or get panicky and you will be given perfect peace.
Even if we are “stubborn-hearted…far from righteousness” (12), or “rebels” (8), God will have mercy on us. Of course, it doesn’t mean that its o.k. to remain a rebel. It doesn’t mean that it’s o.k. to be stubborn-hearted. However, even if you are such a person, God comes near and brings His righteousness near. If God didn’t come near and bring his righteousness near, then we would be eternally in the dark and eternally damned. Even though we are “stubborn-hearted…far from righteousness” (12), and “rebels,” (8) God came near us and brought his righteousness, salvation, to us.
This can be seen in the parable of the prodigal son in the Gospel of Luke. The son who received half of his father’s inheritance in advance and used it up as if money was growing on trees had nothing to eat and was hungry to the point that he wanted to eat the pig’s food. Then he came to his senses and thought about his father who had lots of servants that were given more bread than they needed to eat. Therefore, he thought he would go back to his father and apologize to his father and ask him to let him be one of his servants because he didn’t deserve to be his son any more.

Then he returned to his father. He was dragging his feet, but when he was still far away “his father saw him, and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20) Then the father dressed him in his best robes, put a ring on his finger and put shoes on his feet. Then he joyfully said “Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.“ (Luke 15:23,24)
God is really a God that runs to us. The father said, “this son of mine was dead.” (Luke 15:24) A dead person does not get up and start walking around on his own. A dead person can’t come near someone on his own. 2,000 years ago Jesus came down from heaven and lived among us. He didn’t commit any sins, but he became just like us. He experienced our pains, sadness, and hardships. In addition he bore all our sufferings on the cross and died. God came near and saved us. This is grace, isn’t it? Before we sought God, God sought us. Before we loved God, God loved us.
God took the initiative. We are deeply sinners and helpless creatures. We can’t save ourselves. If God doesn’t come near us, if God doesn’t work we are only headed towards damnation. Ephesians 2:1 says, “You were dead in your transgressions and sins“ God came to us even though we are the same as a dead person. Jesus came near us and saved us from death. He gave us life to live eternally, eternal life.
Here the salvation is the salvation from Babylon captivity, but spiritually this is salvation from sin. Just as Israel was saved from Babylon and returned to Jerusalem, we too are saved from sin and are able to return to heaven, Jerusalem. “It is not far away; and…salvation will not be delayed.” (13) God has come near you. You need only to accept the salvation that is being offered to you. If so, you too will be able to receive that righteousness.
“Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart.” (8) If so you will be able to stand firmly. God who upheld you “since you were conceived” (3) and has carried you “since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs…will sustain you.” (3,4) From now on God will continue to do the same for you. God will set you free from all chains. “It is not far away” (13) Let’s travel the road of life with this hope.

Today’ title is from verse 22. “Turn to me and be saved.” If we “turn to” (22) God, we will be saved. That is because the Lord is God. “there is no other god.” (14) Today I would like to talk about three things concerning this.

I. God who has been hiding himself (Vs. 14-17)
First please look at verses 14 to 17. First I will read verse 14.
Verse 14
In the passage before this the prophecy that the Lord will anoint Cyrus and the Israelites will be set free from Babylon is spoken. That was so that all people will know that the Lord is God. When they see such a great act before their eyes, the Gentiles and all the people on the earth will see these great acts, and they will recognize that “there is no other god.” (14) and they will bow to the God of Israel. Egyptians, Ethiopians, and also the “tall Sabeans“(14) will become the Lord’s people. They will recognize the Lord’s authority. They will say that the Lord is God and “there is no other, there is no other god. “ (17)
Please look at verse 15. Here it says, “Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself, the God and Savor of Israel.” This is an interesting expression. God does more than humans can ever comprehend. Who would ever think that God would use King Cyrus, a pagan, to set Israel free from Babylon! However, God like this works far above what we think. God doesn’t just use Christians. God uses people who aren’t Christians, and people who still don’t believe in God. God might even use people who are hostile towards God to perform his own acts. Really God “has been hiding himself.” God uses everything for his purpose and to fulfill plans.
Therefore, as it says in verses 16 and 17,　“All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced.” However, Israel is not like this. Israel “will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting.” “Israel will be saved by the LORD, with an everlasting salvation.” (17) will definitely never be shamed. That is promised to us too. If we look at the intertwined conditions that are full of intricacy that we can see with our eyes, at times we may become discouraged. We may have no hope feeling helpless so we lose desire to do things. However, if we know that in our background God is always working more than we ever thought and if you “turn to” (22) God, we can have victory.
A father gave his child who had just entered elementary school a difficult problem. “If you can put this world map that was torn into little pieces together within 10 minutes, I’ll buy you some delicious snacks.” Since the map was torn into little pieces

the father thought that even if he had an hour it was beyond his child’s ability. Besides the child had just entered elementary school so he hadn’t memorized the entire world map so from the beginning it was an impossible problem.
However, in less than 5 minutes his child with a triumphant air brought the map with all the pieces together. How was he able to put all the pieces together?
When the father asked him how he did it, the child answered, ”It was very easy! On the back of the map was a face. I just looked at that and put it together. Therefore, buy me some snacks!”
Our lives are at times like this torn up world map. Our life is like a tangled cobweb. We don’t know what to do. However, God is “a God who has been hiding himself.” (15) In our background God rules over everything and leads. If we look to Him, depend upon Him, we can find hope in the midst of a tangled cobweb life.

II. A righteous God and a Savior (Vs. 18-21)
Please pay attention to verses 18 to 21. Verse 18 says, “For this is what the LORD says-he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited-he says: “I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
God who works in hidden places “created the heavens…and made the earth, he founded it…formed it to be inhabited.” (18) “Empty” (18) is the same word that is used in Genesis 1:2. “The earth was formless and empty.” The word means being in chaos or confusion. Therefore, God with intention made it into good order. God’s intention was that it “be inhabited”. (18)
God “fashioned and made the earth…to be inhabited.” (18) God “did not create it to be empty” (18) or purposeless. God made it so man could live there so he made it into good order. If you look at the order of the creation of the heavens and earth, you can see this too.
First of all God made light and divided the light and darkness. Then he made the skies. He made the heavens. Then he made the land and the seas. God gathered the waters below the heavens into one place and made dry places. That was the earth. Then there God planted plants and fruit trees that bear fruit each according to its kind. That was the third day. Then God on the fourth day made the sun, moon, and stars. Then God made the animals that live in the ocean and the birds that fly in the sky. That was on the fifth day. Then on the sixth day God made the creatures on the earth. God made the domestic animals, “all the creatures that move along the ground,” (Genesis 1:25) and the wild animals. Then after that God made man. God made man to be like God, in the image of God.

Looking at this the world that God made is in good order and logical. God made the heavens and earth in this way so that man could live there. Soon my daughter will have a baby. I heard her say that so whenever the baby is born it will be o.k. she changed the curtains, redecorated the room, prepared a crib, prepared diapers, etc. So that the baby can be born at any time they prepared everything that the new born baby will need for living. In the same way God before he made man, God made and prepared everything that is necessary for man to live. God had that special purpose when he made the heavens and earth and definitely didn’t make them by chance. Moreover man didn’t evolve from monkeys. Also man didn’t evolve from a very small microbe 38 billion years age either. Man was made by God for a specific purpose. God is “the LORD, and there is no other.” (18) “He who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth…formed it to be inhabited” (18) is the real God.
Please look at verse 19, “I have not spoken in secret,
from somewhere in a land of darkness;
I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,
‘Seek me in vain.’
I, the LORD, speak the truth;
I declare what is right.”
This is interesting. In verse 15 God is “a God who has been hiding himself,” and here God says, “I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness.” (19) “A God who has been hiding himself”(15) has not hidden his plans and has clearly revealed them. God doesn’t use a method that can’t be understood like fortune telling or spiritualism to talk. God uses clear and definite word, the Bible, to tell us His will. The Lord says just as the Bible reveals to seek Him. God is really a God of truth. He declares “what is right.” (19) Also what God speaks without not even one exception everything he says happens as He says. This proves that he is really God.
Next please look at verses 20 and 21. “You fugitives from the nations” (20) are　not only the people of the Jews, but those of other nations that were by Cyrus released out of captivity in Babylon．God says to these people, “Gather together and come; assemble.” (20) They are to assemble to debate about who is the real God. They have put their expectations in idols who cannot save them who cannot help them. God is telling such idol worshipers to show their evidence. Who can “declare what is to be”? (21) Who foretold about King Cyrus “long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD?” (21)

I have talked about this many times, but Isaiah prophesized this 150 years before this happened. God “foretold this long ago.” (21) God declared and foretold what was going to happen. Moreover, God foretold concretely and precisely. Even though God prophesized it, there were no mistakes. What God says is a real prophecy and will be fulfilled 100%. The God who like this can precisely declare is the real God. “There is no God apart from” (21) the Lord. The Lord is “a righteous God and a Savior;　there is none but” (21) but the Lord.

III. Turn to me and be saved. (Vs. 22-25)
As a conclusion God says this in verse 22, “Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.”
This is calling not only the peoples of the nations that were by Cyrus released out of captivity in Babylon, but to all the people at all “ends of the earth”. (22) This is God, himself’s invitation of salvation. “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth.”(22) How are you responding to God’s invitation of salvation?
In the 19th century the biggest church in the world, the Metropolitan Tabernacle Church, was pastured by Charles Haddon Spurgeon who was converted by this passage. Later in a message that he gave, he testified about his conversion saying,
“ For years, as a child, I tried to learn the way of salvation; and either I did not hear it set forth, which I think cannot quite have been the case, or else I was spiritually blind and deaf, and could not see it and could not hear it; but the good news that I was, as a sinner, to look away from myself to Christ, as much startled me, and came as fresh to me, as any news I ever heard in my life. Had I never read my Bible? Yes, and I read it earnestly. Had I never been taught by Christian people? Yes, I had, by mother, and father, and others. Had I not heard the gospel? Yes, I think I had; and yet, somehow, it was like a new revelation to me that I was to ”believe and live.” I confess to have been tutored in piety, put into my cradle by prayerful hands, and lulled to sleep by songs concerning Jesus; but after having heard the gospel continually, with line upon line, precept upon precept, here much and there much, yet, when the Word of the Lord came to me with power, it was as new.
When, for the first time, I received the gospel to my soul’s salvation, I thought that I had never really heard it before, and I began to think that the preachers to whom I had listened had not truly preached it. But, on looking back, I am inclined to believe that I had heard the gospel fully preached many hundreds of times before, and that this was the difference,–that I then heard it as though I heard it not; and when I did hear it, the message may not have been any more clear in itself than it had been at former times, but the power of the Holy Spirit was present to open my ear, and to guide the message to my heart….

I sometimes think I might have been in darkness and despair until now had it not been for the goodness of God in sending a snowstorm, one Sunday morning, while I was going to a certain place of worship. When I could go no further, I turned down a side street, and came to a little Primitive Methodist Chapel. In that chapel there may have been a dozen or fifteen people. I had heard of the Primitive Methodists, how they sang so loudly that they made people’s heads ache; but that did not matter to me. I wanted to know how I might be saved, and if they could tell me that, I did not care how much they made my head ache. The minister did not come that morning; he was snowed up, I suppose. At last, a very thin-looking man, a shoemaker, or tailor, or something of that sort, went up into the pulpit to preach. Now, it is well that preachers should be instructed; but this man was really stupid. He was obliged to stick to his text, for the simple reason that he had little else to say. The text was,–‘
LOOK UNTO ME, AND BE YE SAVED,
ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.
Isaiah 45:22KJV
He did not even pronounce the words rightly, but that did not matter. There was, I thought, a glimpse of hope for me in that text. The preacher began thus:–‘
‘My dear friends, this is a very simple text indeed. It says, ‘Look.’ Now lookin’ don’t take a deal of pains. It ain’t liftin’ your foot or your finger; it is just, ‘Look.’ Well, a man needn’t go to College to learn to look. You may be the biggest fool, and yet you can look. A man needn’t be worth a thousand a year to be able to look. Anyone can look; even a child can look. But then the text says, ‘Look unto Me.’ Ay!” said he, in broad Essex, ”Many on ye are lookin’ to yourselves, but it’s no use lookin’ there. You’ll never find any comfort in yourselves. Some look to God the Father. No, look to Him by-and-by. Jesus Christ says, ‘Look unto Me.’ Some on ye say, ‘We must wait for the Spirit’s workin’.’ You have no business with that just now. Look to Christ. The text says, ‘Look unto Me.’ ”
Then the good man followed up his text in this way:–
do ”Look unto Me; I am sweatin’ great drops of blood. Look unto Me; I am hangin’ on the cross. Look unto Me; I am dead and buried. Look unto Me; I rise again. Look unto Me; I ascend to Heaven. Look unto Me; I am sittin’ at the Father’s right hand. O poor sinner, look unto Me! Look unto Me!”
When he had gone to about that length, and managed to spin out ten minutes or so, he was at the end of his tether. Then he looked at me under the gallery, and I daresay, with so few present, he knew me to be a stranger. Just fixing his eyes on me, as if he knew all my heart, he said,
”Young man, you look very miserable.”
Well, I did; but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made from the pulpit on my personal appearance before. However, it was a good blow, struck right home. He continued,
”and you always will be miserable–miserable in life, and miserable in death,–if you don’t obey my text; but if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved.”
Then, lifting up his hands, he shouted, as only a Primitive Methodist could do,
”You man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin’ to do but to look and live.”
I saw at once the way of salvation. I know not what else he said,–I did not take much notice of it — I was so possessed with that one thought.. There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that instant, and sung with the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and simple faith which looks alone to Him. Oh, that somebody had told me this before, ”Trust Christ, and you shall be saved.”…
This happened when Spurgeon was 16 years old. He clearly understood how a miserable sinner is saved and was converted. That is by looking (turning) to Christ. Looking to Christ is believing. Those who believe in Jesus are all saved. Those who look to (turn to)Jesus on the cross are saved. All you have to do is look to Jesus. All you have to do is believe. Then you will be saved. This is the Gospel. This is the good news. This was declared by God as the way for us to be saved “from the distant past” (21) ever since the first man Adam fell to sin.
Therefore, when Israel complained and grumbled in the desert and when they complained to Moses, the event occurred where God sent venomous snakes and many of the people were bitten by them and died. What they needed to do to be saved was to make a bronze “snake and put it on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” (Numbers 21:8) In the Bible bronze is a symbol of judgment. The snake is a symbol of sin. Therefore for the bronze snake to be put on a pole expresses sin being judged. This symbolizes Jesus Christ being hung on the cross. . In John 3 Jesus himself said that referred to him. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:15)
In order to be saved from sin, we must look at (turn to) Jesus. This is the good news. Jesus bore your sins in your place. He has already died on the cross. Then to show that this is really true, Jesus rose from the dead. If you believe this, you too will be saved from sin, and receive eternal life. That is because “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Spurgeon lived a miserable live. It was an empty life. No matter how hard a person works in life, no matter how interesting it is, no　matter　how　crazy a life he lives, it will someday be finished by death. Then that is a completely an empty life. However, there is a life that doesn’t end when you die. That is eternal life. If you have that life, there is no fear of death.
Lastly let’s look at the end of verse 23 to verse 25. “Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength. All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult.”
“Christ Jesus; who, being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, He “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being formed in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:6-8) That is so “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God.” (Phil. 2:10,11)
This is not only the descendants of Israel. Here it says, “All who have raged against him.” (24) “All who have raged” (24) are those who don’t believe in Jesus at all. They are the people who think that there is no God. It says that such people too will all some day come before God, and bow down to him and “confess the Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:11)
However, there is a difference in the manner. Those who believe in Jesus and are saved of their sins will with joy and exultation will confess, “Jesus, you are our Lord”, but the people who aren’t like that, those people who don’t believe in Jesus “will come to him and be put to shame” while they say “that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:11)Even those who die not believing in Christ will end the too confess “that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:11) What type or kind of person are you? Do you believe in Jesus and with joy and exultation confess “that Jesus Christ is Lord”? (Phil 2:11) Or while raging against Jesus, “will come to him and be put to shame” while you say “that Jesus Christ is Lord”? (Phil. 2:11)
“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth.” (22) If you turn to Jesus, at that moment you too will “be saved.” (22) “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day salvation.” (II Cor. 6:2) When you die, it is too late. Now, believe and be saved. Then in the course of time when you bow before God, you will with joy and thankfulness confess “that Jesus Christ is Lord”? (Phil 2:11)

Today let’s start Isaiah chapter 45. Today I would like to talk about leaving everything to the will of God.

Ｉ. Cyrus, the anointed (Vs. 1-3)
First please look at verses 1 to 3. Verse 1 says, ”This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus.” Cyrus was as I said last week the King of the Medo-Persian Empire which destroyed the Babylon Empire. About Cyrus it says, “His anointed” (1) “Anointed” is in Hebrew “Messiah”. It means “Savior”. He was a Pagan, but he was called “His anointed.” (1) That was because he set Israel free from its captivity in Babylon. God used the pagan King Cyrus to save Israel. How Cyrus will save Israel is written in verses 1 to 3. Let’s continue reading from where we left off. “whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut; I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”
Here it tells us how he will destroy Babylon and describes what it will be like. “Whose right hand I take hold” (1) means that God is going to bring Cyrus onto the stage of history and that Cyrus will rule by God’s authority. “To subdue nations before him” shows that Cyrus will destroy Midia, Lydia, new Babylonia and unify the Mesopotamia. “To strip kings of their armor” (1) means that the kings will lose their strength. Just as these words say, this actually happened to the last king of Babylon, King Belshazzar. If you look at Daniel 5 you will see, but when he “gave a great banquet”, (Daniel 5:1) “suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall.” (Daniel 5:5) The king’s “face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.” (Daniel 5:6) Also “to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut” is that the Babylon wall that was called an Impenetrable wall and it was thought that it was impossible for it to fall will be opened. As I explained last time the town of Babylon was surrounded by a wall that was 90 meters high and 24 meters wide so to break down the wall was unthinkable. However, the Lord gave Cyrus wisdom and showed him a novel way. Cyrus and his army dried up the Euphrates. They diverted the Euphrates into a canal so that the water level dropped, which allowed them to march directly through the river bed to enter the city at night and with no problem killed the Babylon King who was drunk at a party. Without shedding any blood and in only 1 day Babylon was over thrown. That is what this verse refers to.
Verse 2 “I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron” is the same thing. It is a prophecy that Babylon which was called an Impenetrable wall and it was thought that it was impossible for it to fall will be broken into small pieces. Also verse 3 says, “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places.” Usually when you lost in war so that you won’t be plundered you hide your treasures and riches in secret places so that they won’t be found. However, God will make it so Cyrus will find the hidden treasure and riches stored in secret places. Among the treasures will probably be the sacred things from the temple that the Babylon King Nebuchadnezzar brought back from the temple in Israel. Such treasures will all be given to Cyrus and then given back to Israel.
Why will God do such things for Cyrus? Cyrus didn’t believe in Israel’s God. He believed in Zoroastrianism, which the Persians believed in so he believed in a pagan god. The reason why God poured out oil and anointed Cyrus is written in verse 3. “So that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” That is so Cyrus will know that God is “the LORD, the God of Israel.” (3) For that reason God is going to the extent of using a Pagan king. In order to perform his plan, He doesn’t just use God’s people. In some cases he uses pagans, non-Christians. If God wants to use someone or something, He can do it. That’s because the Lord wants all men to know that he is the Lord, the ruler of all, the creator.
In reality when Cyrus knew this I think he must have been very surprised. Please open your Bibles to Ezra 1:1 to 4.
Ezra 1:1-4
Here it says, “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia.” (Ezra 1:1) There are many things in history, especially in the Jew’s history that can’t be explained. This is one of them. Why would the pagan king, Cyrus take such a generous policy towards the Jews? Especially since he didn’t receive any bribes from the Jews nor by doing so he wouldn’t profit at all. It was just that “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia” (Ezra 1:1) so he allowed the Jews to return to the land of their ancestors, and build God’s temple. He even called the people to provide “silver and gold, with good and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:4)
There was Jewish historian that lived in the same age, Josephus Ben Matityahu. In the book, he wrote “Antiquities of the Jews” , he said “This was known to Cyrus by his reading the book which Isaiah left behind him of his prophecies; for this prophet said that God had spoken thus to him in a secret vision: “My will is, that Cyrus, whom I have appointed to be king over many and great nations, send back my people to their own land, and build my temple.” This was foretold by Isaiah one hundred and forty years before the temple was demolished. Accordingly, when Cyrus read this, and admired the Divine power, an earnest desire and ambition seized upon him to fulfill what was so written; so he called for the most eminent Jews that were in Babylon, and said to them, that he gave them leave to go back to their own country, and to rebuild their city Jerusalem, and the temple of God, for that he would be their assistant, and that he would write to the rulers and governors that were in the neighborhood of their country of Judea, that they should contribute to them gold and silver for the building of the temple, and besides that, beasts for their sacrifices.” In other words, when he knew that 150 years before he was born that Isaiah had prophesized and that moreover in that prophecy his own name was written, “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia.” (Ezra 1:1) Just like it is written here, Cyrus contributed to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Until then Cyrus only thought that by his own strength he had beaten and controlled the surrounding countries, but in reality that was not so. In the background was God who controls all of history. When he knew that he was being used by God for God’s purposes and plans, he knew that the Lord is God. Therefore, he had such a generous policy toward the Jews. That was because “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia.” (Ezra 1:1)
God controls and leads history. If you know this, like Cyrus your heart will be moved, and will be used for the purpose of God’s glory. If not, then you will be shaken by the situations that you face.
Naomi who appears in the book of Ruth was like this. Her name “Naomi” means “pleasant”. However, when she returned to her hometown Bethlehem, she said to the women of the town, “Don’t call me Naomi…Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.” (Ruth 1:20) “Mara” means “bitter”. The reason she said this was Naomi lived with her husband, Elimelech, in Bethlehem. However, because of famine they moved with their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, to the country of Moab.
However, while they lived there, her husband, Elimelech, died. She must have been so lonely and helpless having lost the man of the house. Then her two sons married Moabite women. “After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.” (Ruth 1:4,5) Naomi didn’t know how she was going to be able to live, but she heard “that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them.” (Ruth 1:6) Therefore, she decided to return to Bethlehem. She told her two daughter-in-laws to return to their mother’s home. One of the daughter-in-laws, Ruth, said, “Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16) and refused to listen to Naomi. So Ruth went with Naomi to Bethlehem. However, Naomi who couldn’t see her future said to the women of town, “Don’t call me Naomi…Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.” (Ruth 1:20)

What was the problem? Certainly “Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.” (Ruth 1:5) She was insecure. However, the biggest problem was that in such realities, she couldn’t see God.
From the very beginning leaving Bethlehem itself was the problem. That is because to leave the promise land of Israel means to leave the faith. Ruth 1:1 says, “In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.” “In the days when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1) was a time in Israel’s history that was full of apostasy, moral degradation, and oppression. In Israel’s history it was the time when faith was the coldest. In the midst of this she was not able to see God. She wasn’t able to see that God is controlling all of history and that God is leading according to His purposes. That was the problem.
However, the merciful God brought a turning point into her life. That was Boaz. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth went to glean in the fields of Boaz’s was the start. Boaz redeemed Ruth and married her. As a result, from his lineage David who was said to have been the greatest king in the Old Testament was born. Also from his descendants came the King of the entire world, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who could have thought that would happen! That was just what God had planned. This was God’s plan to carry out the fulfillment of His own purposes.
God also has a plan for your life and is leading you. You may not know what the purpose is, but it is certain that in the back ground God is there and is leading according to His perfect plan. You must believe this. Then the Lord will move your heart and you will be used for the glory of God.

II. The all sovereign God (Vs. 4-8)
Next let’s look at verses 4 to 8. I will read to verse 6. “For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
The thing that we should be surprised about the salvation of Israel by Cyrus is that even though Cyrus did not acknowledge the Lord, the Lord bestowed on him “a title of honor”. (4) This “title of honor” (4) is “his anointed” (2) that we looked at earlier. The reason why the Lord bestowed on him “a title of honor” (4) is recorded in verse 6. “So that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.” If you look at the book of Daniel, you will see that Babylon King Nebuchadnezzar was also the same. When Babylon was destroyed by the Medo-Persian Empire, the King of Babylon was Belshazzar, and his father was King Nebuchadnezzar. He too worshipped the Babylonian God Baal. However, through David he knew that Israel’s God is the real God. Then he “praised the Most High…honored and glorified him who lives forever.” (Daniel 4:34) I don’t know if he believed in the God of Israel or not. However, that the king of Babylon, which was the leading world power at that time, would know that the God of Israel was the real God and would acknowledge that is really surprising. Like this the God of Israel makes it known throughout the entire world, “I am the LORD, and there is no other.” (6) In the same way, the Persian King Cyrus who ruled the entire world, by setting Israel free from Babylon, showed the entire world that the God of Israel is the real God.
Please look at verse 7. Here it says, “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.” Here God says that He forms the light and creates the darkness. God says that He brings prosperity and creates disasters.
In the background of these words is the influence of the Persian religion, Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism believed in dualism. The universe is light and dark, good and evil, spiritual and natural. Zoroastrianism keeps two attributes separate as two different concepts. The world was created in dualism. According to the Zoroastrian story of creation, Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian god, existed in light in goodness above, while Angra Mainyu existed in darkness and ignorance below. They have existed independently of each other for all time, and manifest contrary substances. Ahura Mazda created things with good attributes. Ahura Mazda created things with bad attributes. The same thing cannot be both good and bad. However, that is not so. Both light and darkness, both good and evil, both the spiritual and natural were created by God. God brings “prosperity and creates disaster.” (7) All these things were made by God. God is “the LORD, and there is no other.” (5)
However, God does not create all disasters. Many disasters are allowed by God or are the result of our sin. For example, Job was struck by Satan, lost his family, and lost his health. His possessions were also lost. However, God allowed that. One time Satan came to God and said, “Stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” (Job 2:5)　Then the Lord said, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.” (Job 2:6) God allowed Satan to strike Job. Satan couldn’t strike Job on his own. Because God allowed it, Satan was able to strike Job.
Things like this occur in our life. There are times when we meet situations when he ask, “Why, Lord!” For example, when we get sick, have a huge accident, lose our job, someone dies, etc. However, what we have to remember is that behind all events in the background God is there. Even those things God allows. God controls all things. He is sovereign. We must remember this and then pray for healing and recovery. We desire that “if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” (Luke 22:42) We desire to be healed of our sickness and to have peace. However, such sickness too are also used as a part of God’s plan. God formed the light and created darkness, God brings prosperity and creates disaster. God controls everything. In prosperity and in adversity everything is given for God’s purpose. We need to accept it as God’s sovereign treatment and pray like Jesus, “Yet not as I will but as you will.” (Luke 22:42) We should believe that God’s will is the best and pray seeking for God’s glory to be shown.
Please look at verse 8. “You heavens above, rain down righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation spring up,
let righteousness grow with it;
I, the LORD, have created it.”
Here describes God’s righteousness and salvation raining down upon the entire world. Here it says, “I, the LORD, have created it.” (8) This righteousness and salvation is not brought by our actions. The Lord has created it. It is brought about by God. The Lord saves us terrible sinners. Salvation is from the Lord. It is brought about by the one-sided grace of the Lord. It is the same as when Israel was save from Babylon. Israel could definitely not have been saved from Babylon by their own wisdom or strength. It was only by God’s one sided mercy, by His absolute power. By using the unbeliever, King Cyrus, by a surprising method it was brought about. That was so that they would definitely not be saved by their own strength. They were saved completely independently of their actions. It was by the work of God’s one sided mercy. Salvation is of the Lord. The Lord has created it. God is sovereign and controls everything. What is necessary for us is to recognize the Lord’s sovereignty, and leave all in the Lord’s hands.

III. “Leaving it to the will of God”
Lastly, let’s look at verses 9 to 13. When this was said, there were some people who complained about how God does things. They didn’t want to recognize God’s authority. They raised an objection to what God did. Please look at verses 9 and 10. “Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker,
to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,
‘What are you making?’
Does your work say,
‘He has no hands?’
Woe to him who says to his father,
‘What have you begotten?’
or to his mother,
‘What have you brought to birth?’
These words are quoted in Romans 9. In Romans 9 it is written why the Lord chose Jacob instead of Esau. God chose him “before the twins were born of had done anything good or bad” (Romans 9:11) so that his election would not be by works, desires, or effort but by the mercy of God. However, when Paul spoke about this doctrine of election, there was an opinion that God is unjust to elect on the basis of his sovereign freedom. Paul used this Isaiah passage towards the people who had such an opinion saying, “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?” (Romans 9:20,21)
For the Jews, there were some people who weren’t satisfied that they were saved by Cyrus. They must have wondered why they had to be saved by a person who didn’t even believe in God. If we are in a situation where a person who isn’t a Christian is deeply involved in Christian ministry, we might have the same feelings. However, God does not just use Christians, but also uses non-Christians. God controls everything so he freely moves us according to his own purposes. We must not oppose God with things like “why?”
That is just like a man talking back to God. The Lord is the potter. We are nothing more than the clay. As the potter kneads the clay, we don’t yell out, “What are you doing?” We just let the potter work freely. It is strange for us to say anything. The potter spins it around because he thinks it’s necessary. It is strange for the pottery to complain about what the potter is doing. Israel is just the clay. We are nothing more than the dust of the earth that has been made into the likeness of God. When the clay is shaped by the poster then it has value. If not it’s nothing more than a lump of clay. God doesn’t love us because we have value. God love us one way so we have value. We must remember that we are nothing more than a lump of clay. For the clay to say “Why are you kneading me?” or “What are you doing?” is strange. However, we often do such things. “I won’t allow what’s happening in my life to happen!” “God why are you doing that?” We quickly complain. However, God is your potter. You should think that God is going to do what’s best for you. Before you complain, you need to think about what God did for you. God gave his life for you on the cross. His hands were pierced by nails and his side was pierced by a sword. Don’t forget that the potter’s hands that kneads you have the marks of the nails. The Lord who loves you will definitely not do anything but what is the best for you. You must believe this and pray, “Yet not as I will but as you will.” (Luke 22:42)
Paul said, “God…set me apart from birth and called me by grace.” (Gal. 1:15) Paul in the past persecuted Christians and did terrible things. He was also involved in the killing of Stephen. I don’t know why Paul was chosen, but it wasn’t because of his abilities. That is because no knows if a person has abilities or not before birth. However, God chose him before his birth. No one knows why he was chosen. Only God knows. God knows everything and he called him as an apostle. That was not to show his greatness but by God using such a stupid person God’s name is praised.
We are the same. I don’t know why God saved you or saved me. However God chose you in Christ to be saved before you were born, before the foundations of the earth. That is so the God’s name will be praised through you.
We are really “Donkeys” (stupid). However at the climax of Jesus’ life he used a donkey, not a horse. The disciples said, “The Lord needs it.” (Luke 19:34) and brought the donkey to Jesus and put Jesus on it. Let’s respond to the calling of God. Let’s put all in the hands of God who controls all and respond by praying, “Yet not as I will but as you will.” (Luke 22:42) When we do that even a small donkey will be used for God’s glory.

God prophesized that Israel who was captive to Babylon would be set free and the Jerusalem would be rebuilt.

I. I will not forget you (Vs. 21,22)
First of all, please look at verses 21 and 22. “Remember these things, Jacob,
For you, Israel, are my servant.
I have made you, you are my servant;
Israel, I will not forget you.
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
Your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me,
For I have redeemed you.”
Here the Lord says to Jacob, “Remember these things.” (21) “These things” (21) are more than all the things that he had said up until now. They are the things that follow. The last part of verse 21 and verse 22 say, “Israel, I will not forget you.
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
Your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me,
For I have redeemed you.” (21, 22)
These are moving words, aren’t they? The Lord said to Israel, “Israel, I will not forget you.” (21) If you look at what is just before this you will see what Israel was like at that time. Even though they were redeemed by the Lord, they made idols and worshipped them. They selfishly deceived God. Toward them who were like that He says, “Israel, I will not forget you.” (21) This is really amazing grace! Also this morning God is saying the same thing to you. “I will not forget you.” (21) Even if by yourself you make an image of god and worship it, even if you forget god and lives selfishly, God is saying, “I will not forget you.” (21) These are great words!
Here it says, “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.” (22) This is in the perfect tense. God has completely “swept away your offenses.” (22)　He completely redeemed you. To sweep away your sins is to forgive your sins. To redeem is to pay the price and buy you back. God through Jesus Christ paid the price for your sins and redeemed you. Jesus was put on the cross and paid the price for your sins that you had to pay so you don’t need to worry about your sins. All of your sins have been forgiven. All the sin you have committed, all the sin you are committing now, all the sin you will commit in the future, all your sin is forgiven.　When Jesus was on the cross he said, “It’s finished”. Jesus in your place with his life made the payment for your redemption. Therefore, it is not necessary to have a guilty conscience or worry about wrong doings. What you must do is “return to” (22) God. Repent of your sin and depend upon Jesus. If you believe in Jesus your Savior who died for you and saved you from your sins, then all your sins will be forgiven. Please look at I John 1:7 to 9.
I John 1:7-9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9) That is because “the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (I John 1:7) You can’t atone for your own sin. You can’t save yourself. It is only by the blood of Jesus that we can be cleansed of all sin. God did this. God has “swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.” (22) God has “redeemed you.” (22) He has finished the work of salvation and has forgiven your sins. The only other thing that is left to do is for you to return to God. God said, “Return to me.” (22) If you return to God, God will sweep “away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.” (22)
Now on T.V. they are doing a drama entitled, “The cloud’s staircase”. The hero that appears in the drama, Sanro Aikawa, was originally a secretary at a medical clinic on a sparsely populated island. He was asked by the head of the clinic to assist with surgery. As the result of doing so, even though he didn’t have a doctor’s license he began doing medical practice. Then he operated and saved the life of the daughter of the assistant head of a large hospital in Tokyo. As a result he marries her and rose up the ladder to the assistant head of the hospital, but he always has anxieties. He always is worrying about what happens if people find out he doesn’t have a doctor’s license. However, he thought that he can’t go backwards, so he continues to climb the cloud’s staircase. When I look at this drama, I always think, man can always start over again. Now is not too late. Now if you return to God, any person can start over again. God will forgive you. That’s because God paid the price by Jesus’ cross and redeemed you. God “will not forget you.” (21) You must not forget that God redeemed you from your sin and made you his child.

II. Sing for joy (Vs. 23)
Please look at verse 23. Here it says, “Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.”

The “heavens”, the “earth beneath”, the “mountains”, the “forests”, and the “trees” that are mentioned here in verse 23 are all creations that God made. God is commanding such creations to “Sing for joy…shout aloud…Burst into song.” (23) That is because “the LORD has done this…for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.” (23) “This” (23) is the amazing work of salvation that He does through Israel. That exceeds Israel’s salvation, and influenced the entire natural world too. That God redeemed Israel was such a huge work. It was such a huge event that human history is divided into two parts, B.C. and A.D. with that event as the dividing point.
How do you respond to your redemption and to God’s work of salvation? Are you taking it seriously, or do you feel like you just happened to come to church and believed in Christ?
Before I had 2 turtles. One day one of the turtles wouldn’t eat anything at all and wasn’t moving. The other lively turtle was climbing on top of his back. He was pushing him so I was afraid for him. I wanted to find the reason so I opened the lid of the aquarium and looked at the weak turtle. Then I realized that his eyes were diseased. He had white spots on his eyes and he couldn’t see. He was unstable hitting things as he moved. I felt sorry for him and took the strong turtle off of him and gave the weak turtle food so it could at least eat a little.
I think that is what we are like. Our eyes are covered by scales, but when the Lord redeems us and the scales fall off we can see well.
The Lord redeemed Israel and the Lord redeemed you is such a great work that the heavens and the mountains sing. Let’s in response to this great salvation of God join in the singing with the heavens, mountains, and trees and sing from our hearts.

III. God’s plan that will be accomplished (Vs. 24-28)
Lastly let’s look at verses 24 to 28. First look at verses 24 and 25. It says, “This is what the LORD says-your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself, who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense.”
The Lord is the creator God who made the made the whole creation, everything in heaven and earth. God all by himself made the heavens and the earth. God “foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense.” (25) The “false prophets…diviners…the wise” (25) refer to the priests, diviners, and wise men in Babylon. They were proud that they inherited the traditions of the Sumerians who built the Mesopotamian civilization which is the oldest human civilization. They believe in their religion and divining, and especially in astrology. However, God “foils the signs of” their “false prophets and fools” their diviners, and “overthrows the learning of” their wise men “and turns it into nonsense.” (25)
However, towards Israel God is not like this. Please look at verse 26. It says, “who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem ‘It shall be inhabited’, of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be built,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them.’
God will carry “out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers.” (26) God “overthrows the learning of the wise” (25) and the diviners of Babylon, but God “carries out the words of his servants.” (26) The contents are “who says of Jerusalem ‘It shall be inhabited’, of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be built,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them.’” (26) God “will restore” (26) Jerusalem and the town of Judah who are in ruins. People will live there once more.
At that time Israel was captured by Babylon. The town of Babylon was surrounded by a wall that was 90 meters high and 24 meters wide. Its circumference actually extended to 65km. There were 100 gates and 250 towers. Therefore, if the enemy came and tried to attack by going over the wall, from the watch towers they will be stopped in a moment. Even if they dug a hole under it to invade, the wall was built 11 meters under the ground so it can’t be invaded from under the wall. It was called an Impenetrable wall and it was thought that it was impossible for it to fall. It was the strongest town in history. Not only that, but there were 20 years of food stocked there for all of citizens in Babylon. No matter how much the enemy surrounded the city, they wouldn’t be moved at all. They thought that no one would be able to take the city. Therefore, the Babylon King Belshazzar invited every night thousands of VIPs to drinking parties. They thought that no one could attack and took their enemies too lightly.
How God destroyed Babylon is written in verse 27 and 28. “who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,’ who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt.’ And of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’”
Here the name “Cyrus” (27) appears. It means “sun” or “King’s throne”. Cyrus was the King of the Medo-Persian Empire that rose up after the Babylonian empire. Originally he was nothing more than a king of a small country, Anshan, that was under the kingdom of Media. In 550 B.C. a coup d’état occurred in the Median Kingdom. He used the coup d’état and overthrew Media and became king. He made an army of 10,000 Immortal Soldiers, in which every killed, seriously wounded or sick member was immediately replaced with a new one, maintaining the numbers and cohesion of the unit. In the course of time exclusive of Ancient Egypt he united all of the countries of Ancient Orient and founded the Medo-Persian Empire. In world history Cyrus is famous, but present day Iranians say that Cyrus was the founder of Iran. Here it says, “Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd’” (28) He was a shepherd. Just like David was king and shepherd, he too was also while being a King was a shepherd. He became the Great King Cyrus. Then God used King Cyrus to destroy Babylon.
The Impenetrable Babylon was destroyed in a really novel way. Here it says that God will say “to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams’.” (27) “Watery deep” is the Euphrates which is a symbol of Babylon. Cyrus and his army dried up the Euphrates. They diverted the Euphrates into a canal so that the water level dropped, which allowed them to march directly through the river bed to enter the city at night and struck and destroyed the Babylon King that was drunk at a party. Who would of thought of that! The present King Belshazzar too didn’t think that by such a method they would be attacked either. Even though the Medo-Persian’s huge army was surrounding the wall, King Belshazzar in high spirits invited thousands of VIPs and was enjoying drinking together. What it was like is written in detail in Daniel 5 so later please look at that. By this method they were able to in one day to take Babylon which was said to be Impenetrable. Not only that but they succeeded without shedding a drop of blood. Verse 26 says that God “carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers.” Just as these words say, God fulfilled “the predictions of his messengers.” (26)
Moreover what is surprising is this event was spoken about 150 years before it happened. At that time Cyrus had not even been born and the country of Babylon hadn’t risen up either. At that time it was the age when Assyria was still the ruling country in the world. At that time Isaiah prophesized this. He spoke concretely in advance about how Babylon will be captured and how Israel will be set free. This is so concrete in detail that there are some people that think that man could never write such a thing. Therefore, they rationalized that there must have been a second Isaiah and a third Isaiah that added on to the original Isaiah’s work. However, this was really a prophecy that Isaiah, the prophet, who spoke what God said 150 years before it occurred. Such a thing man can’t do, but the God of the Bible who we believe in is Almighty and omnipotent God and proclaims and foretells what will come.
However, this prophecy of Isaiah doesn’t end with Babylon being destroyed by Cyrus. If you look at the end of verse 28, it says, “he will say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’”

This means that the temple that was destroyed by Babylon will be rebuilt. Just as this prophecy says, Cyrus who destroyed Babylon, allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and by the governor Zerubbabel the rebuilding of the temple was allowed. Then in 516 B.C. the temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt. 70 years had passed since Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon. It was so much smaller than the temple that Solomon had built so it couldn’t be compared at all with it, but even so it was a symbol of God’s presence and the fact that it was rebuilt was for them certainly a deeply moving experience. When this temple was finished, either because they were so happy that the temple was finished, or because compared to the earlier temple it was so much smaller, according to the Bible records that they all cried. Whatever the reason, what is declared here was carried out.
This means that what God says will definitely be fulfilled. God “fulfills the predictions of his messengers.” (26) If that is the case then we must stand firmly on God’s work. We must wait expectantly for the promise. Recently on the T.V. and internet there is abundant information. We must not be shaken by that information, but listen to the Word of God, follow the word of God, and wait expectantly praying for the fulfillment of the Word of God.
Recently personally a passage of Scripture that the Lord spoke to me about was Acts chapter 1. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, He commanded the disciples, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.” (Acts 1:4) Then “they went upstairs to the room where they were staying…They all joined together constantly in prayer.” (Acts 1:13&14 ) Then you know what happened. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and they went out into the whole world to be witnesses for Christ. There were 120 people meeting there. At that time the population in Palestine was 4,000.000 people. Among 4,000.000 people there were 120 people, but just as the Lord commanded they met together and prayed. Among 4,000.000 people, 120 people is really a small number. However, God placed all his expectations upon these 120 people.
The kingdom of God is really like a mustard seed. When it is planted the seed is very small. “Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” (Matt. 13:32) That is because God’s life is there. What God desires isn’t numbers. It is whether there are Christians that have Christ’s life in them or not. If there is even just 1 person there who is 100% dedicate to the Lord, the Lord will work through that person.

Let’s be that person. Then let’s plant seeds. Believe in the Word of God obediently. Then depending on the Word of God, the Lord will do a huge work through each one of us. This is what we must remember.

In the first half of chapter 44 Isaiah talked about what God is like. The real God is the first and the last. In other words God is eternal and He can “foretell what will come.” (7) Also God is “Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty.” (6) In other words, God revealed himself through Jesus Christ. God is the Creator God, the trinity. Apart from Him “there is no God.” (6) There is no other God besides Him. “There is no other Rock.” (8) We can depend upon Him. Apart from Him “there is no God.” (6) All other gods are all worthless. In today’s passage Isaiah is teaching what idols are like and also what will happen if we depend upon idols.

I. Why make idols? (Vs. 9-11)
First please look at verses 9 to 11. “All who make idols are nothing,
and the things they treasure are worthless.
Those who speak up for them are blind;
they are ignorant, to their own shame,
Who shapes a god and casts an idol,
which can profit nothing?
He and his kind will be put to shame;
such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
they will be brought down to terror and shame. Here it says, “All who make idols are nothing.” (9) That is because they “are worthless”. (9) They “are blind; they are ignorant.” (9) The Psalms say the same thing. “But their idols are silver and god,
made by humans hands.
They have mouths, but cannot speak,
Eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
Those who make them will be like them,
And so will all who trust in them.”

Even though idols have eyes, they “cannot see.” (5) “They have ears, but cannot hear,” (6) “They have mouths, but cannot speak.” (5) They have “noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel。” (6) They have “feet, but cannot walk.” (6) What this means is there is no meaning in making such things and worshipping them. There is completely no meaning. Such idols “are worthless” (9) and “profit nothing”. (10)
Originally the word “idol” meant “a carved object”. It was nothing more than to make a carving of something that man imagined himself into a concrete form. The reason that man carved out something that he imagined was because such things were easy to worship.
For example, in Exodus Moses climbed Mt. Zion to receive the 10 commandments. When Moses took a long time coming down off the mountain, the Israelites came to Aaron and said, “Come make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”(Exodus 32:1)
What the Israelites didn’t like was that Moses didn’t show them God. He didn’t show them the god “who will go before” (Exodus 32:1) them. Therefore, they approached Aaron and asked Aaron to make them ”gods who will go before” (Exodus 32:1) them and lead them. Aaron too feared what the Israelites might do the way they were. Therefore, he told them to take off their earrings and to bring them to him. Then he made them into a golden calf. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” (Exodus 32:4) Aaron tried to meet the needs of the Israelites by doing this. In other words, they made an idol to meet their needs and worshipped it.
In other words, idol worship is to make the desires of our heart into a form. The materialization of man’s cravings is an idol. This isn’t necessarily just worshipping things in the form of man or animals.
Open your Bibles to Col. 3:5.
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (Col. 3:5)
Here this is saying that when we allow our earthly nature to take over and are involved in “sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed” (Col. 3:5) that is idol worship. To not “put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature” (Col. 3:5) and to allow our earthly nature to take on a concrete form is to worship it.
Therefore this is not just a problem for unbelievers. Us, Christians, must be on the outlook too. Therefore, the Apostle John wrote the following in his letter. “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” (I John 5:21) “Children” (I John 5:21) are Christians. Christians too are tempted to worship idols so John sent this letter telling us not to fall to such things.
Man all have desires for something. That is mankind. There is no one that doesn’t have desires. Martin Luther said, “Man has either God or an idol.” It doesn’t have a name of god attached to it. That means that all men are a being that have some kind of god that they bow to. Without it they can’t live. Even people that say that they don’t believe in god, in reality, they have some god that they believe in and are worshipping. Even among those that say that they don’t believe in idols, some desperately worship money (mammonism) or believe that science is absolute, or if they have musical talent then they give their life to music, etc. That becomes that person’s god. In ever age, every culture, every generation, everyone has some god.
A characteristic of communism is said to be that there is no god. However, even in communism a god exists. The dictator is an idol that exists. Therefore, look at the Kim II-sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. There is a great idol there. There are great golden statues of Kim II-sung and Kim Jong-II standing there. It is a country with no gods, but they have become their gods. Man always has gods or idols. In every age, in every culture, where ever man exists idols always exist. Therefore, we must watch out and be careful about idols.
Are you making other things than the real God your god? The 10 commandments are recorded in Exodus 20. The first commandment is “You shall have no other gods before me.“ (20:3) If there is something that you put before God, or something that you think about before God, then that is your idol. If you put your job before God, if you but your family, car, health, sports, hobbies, studying, school, etc. on a higher priority than God, that is your idol. We must watch out and be careful about idols.

II. What happens when we worship idols? (Vs. 12-17)
Next please look at verses 12 to 17. Verses 12 and 13 say, “The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.”
Here it tells us who makes the idols. They are men who when they get hungry they lose their strength and when they don’t drink any water, they grow faint. Men who are weak like this make the idols. The completed object is beautiful and it is displayed in the temple, but it was designed and made by the hands of humans that have to have food and water to live. That is what idols are. It is strange in the first place to think that man could make an omniscient and omnipotent god.

Then verses 14 to 17 say, “He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.
It is used as fuel for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it.
Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
‘Ah! I am warm; I see the fire’
From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.
He prays to it and says,
‘Save me! You are my god!’”
Here it says what the idols are made of. That is cedar or “cypress or oak” (14) that man had planted and grew. “It is used as fuel for burning (15) and fuel for cooking. However, he also uses it to fashion “a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.” (15) “Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal…He also warms himself…From the rest he makes a god, his idol.” (16,17) In other words, what is left over is used for god. Then “he bows down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Save me!” (17) Can such a thing save?
Before I used to be a prison chaplain at the Fukushima prison. A prison chaplain to respond to the needs of those who are imprisoned talks according to the teachings of his faith. I too once a month went to the prison and talked about the Bible. A person that came to hear the talks came to visit after a long time of not seeing him. This person was before going into the prison and ever since he got out of the prison has always been a part of the Yakuza world. However, his heart is very genuine, and simple and he hates crooked and wicked things. He does a lot of crooked and wicked things himself, but he hates crooked and wicked things! We are the same age so sometime he calls, but the other day he had to go from Tokyo to Sendai so he wanted to see me on the way so he dropped by.
He said, “It’s about time for me to leave the Yakuza” For a person who has been in the Yakuza world to say, “It’s about time to leave.” Is a good thing, but I thought it was strange so I asked him what he meant. Recently the world of the yakuza has changed. In other words, those who move up are only those with money. Therefore, even the young people who under him now he doesn’t know when the position will be reversed. Therefore, now he is being very careful about how he is talking. He is talking polite even to those under him. In the past it wasn’t like that. It was based upon “duty” (“giri”) so that those who were under you showed respect, but that is changing. Now there are times when the first becomes last and the last becomes first. In the Christian world the person who is in the front is expected to be more humble. However, in the Yakuza world the person’s position is absolute. Therefore, he doesn’t know when he is going to move down on the ladder so he can’t continue this life forever. “It’s about time to leave.” To have given his life for the group and now to say, “It’s about time to leave,” I can’t understand for what reason he has given his life for up until now for. His boss (oyabun) has been wrong. Only Jesus is the boss (oyabun). If you give your life for anything else, you will be deceived.
That is not just him. The world when it’s necessary will not help you. In our lives there are always troubles. Jesus too said that in this world there will be tribulations. At such times what are you going to depend upon? Japanese hate absolute things so when you say, “Jesus only”, they hate it. However, idols that are made from the left over fuel for burning can’t help you. It can’t save you. When you lose your health, when you fall into some huge difficulties, such things are of no use. If you worship and follow them you will be nothing. “All who make idols are nothing. (9)
That’s not all. Once more let’s look at Psalms 115:4-8. Especially verse 8 says, “Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”
This means that not only are “all who make idols…nothing,” (9) but “those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” (Psalm 115:8) Those who make idols and worship “them will be like them.” (Psalm 115:8) For example, if you look at the appearance of people that go to baseball games often, such people look like their favorite team’s players. Those who like the Giants wear a giant’s uniform with their favorite athlete’s number on it. AKB fans look like AKB members. They put ribbons in their hair, and wear hats that look like lady bugs on their head. That is what enthusiastic fans are like. Idol fans look like the idol. They become like the idols.
However, if we believe in the real God and worship the real God and follow the real God, we will become like the real God, like Jesus. II Cor. 3:18 says, “And we with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
“We all reflect the Lord’s glory are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory.” (II Cor. 3:18) We believe in God and have received God’s Spirit so the Holy Spirit leads us and we “are being transformed into” (II Cor. 3:18) Jesus’ likeness. If we believe in Jesus and are joined to Jesus, we will become like Jesus. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23) so we will transformed into a person with this kind of nature. Things that we couldn’t do up until now, we will be able to do. By the power of the Holy Spirit people that we haven’t been able to forgive up until now, we will be able to forgive too. People that we haven’t loved, we will be able to love. That is the work of the Spirit of the Lord. If you believe in Jesus and are joined to Jesus, then you will become a person like Jesus.
I have been surprised because sometimes I am told by other people that I look like my wife. In what ways do we look alike! Japanese & American, Black hair & blonde hair (recently a little white), black eyes and blue eyes, Japanese and English, movement is the tortoise and the hare, etc. In what ways do we look alike! Of course, on the outside we don’t look alike at all. However, the insides without realizing it become alike. The ways of thinking, the ways of talking, etc. That is because we are always fellowshipping together.
Come to think of it I heard an assistant pastor talk. I was surprised because the way he talked was like the pastor talked. Before he didn’t talk like that so I thought when you are together for years with someone you talk alike.
Depending upon who a person fellowships with he becomes like the person. A person who believes in the real God, worships the real God, fellowships with real God will become like the real God. He will be “transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory.” (II Cor. 3:18) What grace! If we miss the chance, we will lose wonderful blessings.
We know why it is important to worship the Lord on Sunday. That is because if we worship the Lord, fellowship with the Lord, and follow the Lord, we will become like the Lord. Of course, that is not just Sunday worship. It is everyday worship. It is how much you daily worship God and fellowship with God. If you are fellowshipping with God, just as the Bible says, you should want to worship with your spiritual family which has received God’s Holy Spirit. That is because it is the work of the Spirit. It is just as it is written, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” (Exodus 20:5) It is the will of God that we seek God himself, worship God and put God first.

III. How can we be set free from idols? (Vs. 18-20)
Lastly, let’s look at how we can be set free from vain idols. Please look at verses 18 to 20. “They know nothing, they understand nothing;
their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
No one stops to think
no one has the knowledge of understanding to say,
‘Half of it I used for fuel;
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?’
He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
‘Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?’”
If a person that worships idols, thought about it calmly, he would know it is strange, but he is attracted to the idol’s beauty, power, and mysticism. He is so spiritually paralyzed that he doesn’t realize that it is an idol. Such people are easily blinded by things that will fulfill their desires. Just like idols “have mouths, but cannot speak, Eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear.” (Psalms115:5-6) Their minds are “closed so they cannot understand.” (18) What they must do is check what they are doing with the Word of God. Not by our own thinking and judgment, but by daily fellowshipping with God and receiving God’s strength and knowing God’s will we will be able to return to God from idols.
Please open your Bibles to I Samuel chapter 5. I will read verses 1 to 5. Here “the Philistines had captured the ark of God…Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.” (I Samuel 5:1,2) Dagon had a fish　head and is considered to be a fish god, but became connected with grain. Therefore, it was worshipped both as a fish god and a grain god. Israel’s ark of God was carried into and put in Dagon’s temple. “When the people…rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.” (I Samuel 5:3,4) Therefore they were afraid of the ark of the covenant and returned it to Israel.
What this ark of the covenant symbolizes is God’s presence. In other words, when God is present, idols fall. Idols are so tempting that by your own strength you can’t knock them down. However. By God’s presence idols naturally fall. To fight the forces of darkness, you have to switch on the light. If you light the lantern, the darkness will naturally go away. In the same way, you need to carry God’s glorious presence into your temple of Dagon. If so, Dagon will lose his strength and will naturally fall. You will be set free from idols which are nothing and you will be set free from bad habits not by trying desperately to get rid of the idols, but by you carrying God’s glorious presence into your temple of Dagon. Everyday open your Bible, praise God, pray, and if God is living in your heart, if you are putting God first, then you will be set free from idols, and

you will be filled with the presence of the living God. However, if you put off doing so, and attach little weight to it, and put other things before God, Dagon will stand up and before you and block your way.
What is your Dagon? The thing that is the most important to you in your life is your Dagon. If you follow this Dagon, you will never be set free from this life of “nothing”. (10) “You shall have no other gods before me.“ (20:3) Let’s put God first in our lives. Let’s seek God’s presence. If so, you will be set free from idols which are nothing, and can live a life of meaning. God through Christ redeemed you and saved you from sin for that purpose.