投稿者: otawara-1

Today let’s look at Isaiah chapter 27. From chapter 24 on Isaiah is talking about what will happen at the end of the world on a worldly level. In chapter 25 and 26 he talked about the song of the remnant. Today’s passage, chapter 26, is a continuation. Recorded here is not a song of the remnant, but rather a song that God sings for Israel. This is the song of “A Fruitful Vineyard” (2) Today I would like to talk about three things concerning the recovery of the “Fruitful Vineyard”, (2) Israel.

I. “A Fruitful Vineyard” (Vs. 1-6)
First let’s look at verses 1 to 6. Verse 1 says, “In that day,
the LORD will punish with his sword-
his fierce, great and powerful sword-
Leviathan the gliding serpent,
Leviathan the coiling serpent;
He will slay the monster of the sea.
This content fits with the content of chapter 26 verses 20 and 21. In 26:20 it is talking about God’s people, Israel. To the remnant it is said, ”hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by.” (26:20) God’s judgment of wrath is coming. Christ when he came 2.000 years ago came as the Savior. When he comes again at the end of the world he will come as judge. He will judge all those people that don’t believe in the Lord’s salvation. No longer will sin be covered up. Such a time will come. However, God’s people, Christians won’t be like that. Even in the midst of such a terrible judgment of God, God’s salvation and care is there. These words were spoken as a continuation of 26:20 and 21.
“The monster of the sea” (1) is “tan” in Hebrew. In the Old Testament it is translated into many different words. The first time the world appears is in Genesis 1:21. There it is translated as “the great creatures of the world”. Therefore, “tan” are large creatures, monsters. “Leviathan” (1) is one kind of “the great creatures of the world” (Genesis 1:21) In Psalms 74:13 and 14 “the monster in the waters” (Psalms74:13) and “Leviathan” (Psalms 74:13) both appear written as proper nouns. Also in Job 41 it explains what Leviathan is like. In other words, you can’t pull in Leviathan with a fishhook nor put string him with cord. “The mere sight of it is overpowering.” (Job 41:9)
Of course here it is used symbolically. It is symbolical of evil, autocratic powers that oppose God. In the background of the age of Isaiah that was Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt. In other words it was the powers that threatened the people of God, Israel. In the prophecies of the future, the end of the world, it is Satan, the anti-Christ. Behind earth’s tyrants is Satan. Please open your Bibles to Rev. 12:9.
Rev. 12:9
“The great dragon” was “called the devil or Satan” and was also called the “ancient serpent”. (Rev. 12:9) Rev. 13:1 says, “And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.” This is the anti-Christ. Just as the anti-Christ is said to be a beast, he is beastlike. He will say profaning things to God and for 3 and half years will do terrible things. A symbolic number is stamped on his head. That is 666. This is the number of Satan, the number of the anti-Christ. Here it says, “a beast coming out of the sea.” (Rev. 13:1) Many scholars think that he will come from Europe because they think the sea is the Mediterranean Sea, but I think it is dangerous to draw such a conclusion only by this. However, it is certain that this “beast” (Rev. 13:1) is the anti-Christ. In the course of time at the end of the world the devil, Satan, the anti-Christ and such powers that oppose God will run riot. However, the Lord will slay him with “his fierce, great and powerful sword”. (1)
Next, please look at verses 2 to 6. Here is a prophecy written about how Israel will be recovered at the end of the world.
The “fruitful vineyard” of verse 2 is Israel. Before too there was an account of Israel being called a vineyard. That was in chapter 5. Even though God planted good grape shoots in the vineyard their fruit was sour. They weren’t sweet grapes. They were sour. They were poisonous grapes that had spoiled and couldn’t be eaten. They became such grapes. Then God said, “I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed. I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there.” (5:5, 6) He said he would leave it in its ruined state.
However, here is different. Here Israel is “a fruitful vineyard”. (2) The Israelites produce good fruit and God is pleased. Verse 3 and 4 say, “I, the LORD, watch over it; I water it continually. I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it. I am not angry. If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! I would march against them in battle; I would set them all on fire.” Now there is no judgment. If there is someone who opposes Israel, God will watch over them. “Briers and thorns” (4) are symbolic of judgment. If such things come God will “march against them in battle;” (4) and will “set them all on fire.” (4) Jesus on the cross took upon himself the wrath of God so we are saved. We are no longer the object of God’s wrath. We will never be judged. We no longer need to fear the wrath of God. God perfectly watches over us.
Therefore, what is important is like verse five being reconciled to God. Here it says, “Or else let them come to me for refuge; let them make peace with me, yes, let them make peace with me.” Up until then they took care of themselves by making peace

treaties with other countries, and by paying tribute. Man’s effort didn’t bring any solution at all. Such humanistic things were of no use at all. The real solution is only Jesus Christ. It is only by Jesus Christ that we can be reconciled with God and can have peace with God.
Acts 4:12
John 14:6
Only Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life”. (John 14:6) It is only through him that we can go before The Father. It is only through Jesus Christ that forgiveness of sin is given and that we can have peace with God. If we don’t have peace with God, then we have uncertainties. We suffer greatly with feelings of guilt and become insecure or restless. We worry that when we die we won’t be able to go to heaven and are fearful of going to hell. If you don’t know that you can go to heaven then dying is very fearful. However, a person that has believed in Jesus Christ and has been reconciled to Him has all of his sin forgiven. There is no need to worry about your sins anymore. Jesus took upon himself on the cross all our sins so by this Jesus we can go with confidence before God. We are no longer the object of God’s wrath. We have become the object of God’s love. We can jump into God’s hands saying, “Abba, Father,” ”Dad”. It is not necessary to be afraid of anything. That is because no one can oppose us. This is the Good news. Therefore, God says, “make peace with me.” (5) What or who are you making peace with? By what or who are you taking care of yourself? The real solution is God. Be reconciled to God. By being reconciled to God, God will keep His eyes on you so that no one can harm you. .
That’s not all. If you look at verse 6, you will see that God blesses such a person. Here it says, “In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.” “In the days to come” (6) you will bear fruit. To do that you must “take root”. (6) You must “take root” (6) deep in the earth. If so, you “will bud and blossom,” (6) and bear fruit. Not only will you bear fruit, but you will “fill all the world with fruit.” (6) The entire world will be filled with fruit.
Israel was just like this. Until 1948 when the Republic of Israel was established, the area was completely wasteland. It was an empty desert. However, from the early 1900s the Jews who were scattered throughout the world, began to return to the land of their fathers. They budded and blossomed and filled “all the world with fruit.” (6) Today Israel is the most advanced country in agriculture. There high technological farming is done, and they developed the technology to effectively give nourishment and obtain good crops with only a little water. The self-sufficiency ratio for crops is 93%! That is 50 times Japan’s producing power. They have come to the point of exporting lots of produce around the world. The entire world was surprised that since the country was established in 1948 in scarcely 20 years they developed to the point of exporting. Here it says “blossom” (6) and “fruit”. (6) In this case it is just as it says, actual blossoms and “fruit”. (6) Israel ranks fourth in the world for the amount of flower exportation. It ranks third in the world for the amount of fruit exportation. Mainly seedless persimmons called sweetie and Sharon fruits are exported to mainly Europe and around the world. That is how much they are blessed. God always takes care of them. At the end of the world that will be more outstanding. That is because they will make peace with God.
However what we must notice is that patience is necessary. Here it says, “in days to come”. (6) Time is needed to bear fruit. It isn’t immediate. You have to keep waiting. James 5:7 and 8 say, “Be patient, then brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” You have to wait. Farmers know this well. I don’t have that experience so I make mistakes. I can’t wait. I’m not good at waiting. Waiting 3 minutes for a cup of ramen seems long. I want to eat right away. If you pick off the fruit before it blooms, you will make a mistake. Crops take time. You plant the seeds, it buds, blooms, and then you have to wait for good fruit.
Phil. 1:6
When we look at ourselves, we think that even though we believe in Jesus, nothing has changed at all and wonder why we have to live the same life forever. However, “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil 1:6) First the seed is planted and then it takes root. Let’s root strongly. If so, we will bud, and then bloom and then there is fruit. Under the ground let’s take root and above the ground bear fruit. There is an order to things. It takes time. However, when the time comes you will certainly bear fruit. Let’s remember that and have patience and continue to plant seeds. Then they will certainly bear fruit.

II. God disciplines (Vs. 7-11)
That’s not all. If you look at verses 7 to 11 you will see that God punishes. Please look at verse 7. Here it says, “Has the LORD struck her as he struck down those who struck her? Has she been killed as those were killed who killed her?”
This is stating the difference between God’s judgment on the Gentile nation and when God judges Israel as punishment. Assyria and Babylon struck Israel, but when God struck Assyria and Babylon the reason was different. Assyria and Babylon were sentenced to complete destruction. However, Israel was different. Israel was never completely destroyed. A remnant was left. Through these people in the course of time they can recover, and God’s salvation and mercy is poured out. Israel will eternally never be ruined. That is because they are the people of God. Of course the results of sin have to be pruned. However, the purpose of the judgment is not to destruct them, but so that they will be saved. God wants them to repent and be saved so he punishes them.

God said to the church in Laodicea, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” (Rev. 3:19) The Lord rebukes and disciplines those whom he loves. According to Hebrews if we are not scolded and disciplined then we “are illegitimate children and not true sons.” (Hebrews 12:8) “The Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” (Hebrews 12:6)
The author, Kenzaboro Oe is famous for writing novels of great insight. It is said that he was able to write such novels because of his son’s cerebral paralysis. People refer to the child who can’t do anything by himself and say he is the father’s lifetime luggage. However, Oe says that if he hadn’t had a child that he had to take care of he wouldn’t have been able to become such a writer. While taking care of the child, he is able to understand and see what the deep hurts of man’s heart are. His son caused his heart to ache which was a blessing because it deepened his insight. The Lord rebukes and disciplines those whom he loves. Don’t simply say that this is a curse or a blessing. If you look from God’s eyes, from the eyes of faith, you will see value in things that you couldn’t see before.
How Israel was punished is specified in verse 8. It says, “By warfare and exile you contend with her-with his fierce blast he drives her out, as on a day the east wind blows.” “The east wind” (8) refers to Assyria and Babylon. Israel was attacked by Assyria and exiled by Babylon. Also it refers to Israel being scattered throughout the entire world by Rome. They sought idols rather that the real God so God drove them out of the Promised Land. That was for them an experience of hard suffering. However it wasn’t a judgment of completely wiping them out, but rather of punishment to lead them to properly repent of their sin and return to the Lord. It was so that they would obtain the Lord’s salvation and the Lord’s atonement.
The result is in verse 9. “By this, then, will Jacob’s guilt be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: When he makes all the altar stones to be like limestone crushed to pieces, no Asherah poles or incense altars will be left standing.” (9) “He makes all the altar stones to be like limestone crushed to pieces, no Asherah poles or incense altars will be left standing” (9) means to repent from the bottom of their hearts. Up until now because of the idols they lived a completely unproductive life. They had no fruit at all. God will remove the sin of those who repent from the bottom of their heart, and from the bottom of their heart start over again. Such people’s sin will be forgiven and they can begin a completely new life.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (II Cor. 5:17)
We can begin a new life in Christ. People who have been controlled by idols can start over again too. Just like Israel by the mercy of God was forgiven of her sin, God will do the same thing for your life. You can become Israel. The name Israel means

a person controlled by God. If you repent and believe in Jesus Christ you can become Israel. A heart that is degenerated by sin, is filled with the Holy Spirit by God’s Spirit. For that purpose God uses punishment.
Verses 10 and 11 describe what Israel was like when she was devastated by Assyria and Babylon. “The fortified city” (10) will stand “desolate, an abandoned settlement, forsaken like the desert; there the calves graze, there they lie down; they stip its branches bare. When its twigs are dry, they are broken off and women come and make fires with them. For this is a people without understanding; so their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.”

III. God will restore Israel (Vs. 12,13)
However, it must be remembered that this is just to punish Israel. When they return to God as a result of the punishment God will restore them. This is written in verses 12 and 13. “In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, O Israelites, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.”
“From the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt” (12) refers to the area from Assyria to Egypt. This was the territory of David when he ruled Judah. This expression refers to the ideal boundaries. Before God promised Abraham , “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.” (Genesis 15:18) God will restore the territory, and all of the Israelites will be gathered. Not one person will be overlooked. Just like when the left over grain is gathered, God will gather his people one by one who are scattered among the nations and bring them to Jerusalem.
That’s not all. “In that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” (13) This refers to the Jews who are scattered in this area. At the same time it refers to those who are perishing in Assyria and Egypt. In other words, not only Israel, but among such Gentile people there will be people who will turn to the Lord and will praise the Lord with Israel. Please look at 19:24 and 25. There is says, “In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.’” This Word of God is being fulfilled. “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” (19:25) Such people too will make peace with Israel and will receive God’s blessing. How great a scale will be God’s blessing!

This hope of recovery is also promised to us. Now in the midst of reality we can’t see even an ounce of hope, and frequently groan, and at times suffer. However, in the course of time to God’s people, Christians this kind of recovery and blessings will come. For us our life in this world is important, but the eternal things on ahead are more important. We need to make the kingdom of God as our ultimate hope. By having that hope, now we can live strongly. We need to believe the promise that when the time comes we will bear fruit and let’s strongly “take root”. (6) In the course of time we “will bud and blossom.” (6) Therefore, let’s “take root” (6) under the ground and above the ground bear fruit. That is our faith.

Today I would like to talk from the last half of Isaiah 26. The message title is “The path of the righteous” (7) In verse 1 it says, “In that day this song will be sung in the world.” This song will be sung at the end of the world in the Millennium. This song that will be sung at the end of the world in the Millennium is recorded here in chapter 26. Last week we looked at the first part of chapter 26 and we saw that the righteous, those that keep faith, are able to enter the strong city in which “God makes salvation its wall and ramparts.” (1) God’s salvation is the wall so it is shalom, shalom. There is perfect peace. Today’s passage is a song about how the righteousness will be taken care of in God’s judgment at the end of the world. Today I would like to talk about three aspects of “the path of the righteous.” (7)

I. The path of righteous is level (Vs. 7-11)
First let’s look at verses 7 to 11. Verse 7 says, “The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.” “The path of the righteous is level” (7) means that it is not rough and full of bumps. This does not mean that “the path of the righteous” (7) doesn’t have obstacles or difficulties. Even if there are obstacles and difficulties, the Lord will “make the way of the righteous smooth.” (7) They won’t trip and fall or get lost.
Among Tomohiro Hoshino’s poems there is a poem, “The Road of the Tinkling Bell”. Going on a road full of bumps in a wheel chair was very hard and tiring, but one day he had a bell hanging on the wheel chair. Therefore, every time it hit a bump it tinkled, and it made him peaceful. From then on the bumpy road that he had hated became fun. The Lord will “make the way of the righteous smooth” (7) is like this. Our road in some ways is like a bumpy road, but The Lord makes it smooth and leads us to the place we are going to. Let’s believe this and not　take a detour, but walk on it.
Verses 8 and 9 say, “Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.”
When we hear the word “righteous” we have the image of someone who has never done anything wrong, but the “righteous” in the Bible are not such people. The righteous in the Bible are those who believe in Jesus Christ and are saved. “There is no one righteous, not even one… All have turned away, they have together become

worthless; there is no one who does good not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12) “For all men have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23, 24)
Here the qualities of a righteous person are recorded. That is someone who yearns and desires the Lord. “Yes, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.” (8, 9) Verse 9 says, “My soul yearns for you in the night.” In other words, a righteous person is not a righteous person in and of himself. However, no matter what situation he is in he yearns for God.
Here it says, “My soul yearns for you in the night.” (9) “Night” (9) is a time of reflection, self-examination and soul-searching. It is also a time of loneliness. It is also a time of darkness and worrying. To yearn for God at such a time as night means he always yearns for God. “In the morning my spirit longs for you.” (9) He seeks God at night and in the morning. In other words, he always seeks God. This is what a righteous person is like. How about you, are you always seeking God?
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matt. 5:6) First by the Word of God we realized our sin, and then we repented of our sins, and received God’s salvation. Then we experienced the forgiveness of sin. However, that was not the end. Those who are made righteous next wait expectantly for the day they will be completely righteous, the day when our salvation is completed. That is at Jesus Christ’s second coming. When Christ comes again we will rise in a resurrected body, a glorious body. Our salvation will be complete. We must seek that day by earnest prayer. Such a person “will be filled.” (Matt. 5:6)
However, the wicked are not like this. Please look at verses 10 and 11. Here is says, “But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the LORD. LORD, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them.” “When grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness.” (10) They are wicked not because they sin, but because when grace was shown to them, “they did not learn righteousness” (10) so they are wicked.
God is deeply merciful and full of grace. God makes the sun rise on the wicked and on the good people. God makes the rain fall on the wicked and on the righteous. God doesn’t instantly judge and destroy the wicked. To the righteous and the unrighteous God gives mercy and takes care of them. The reason why God shows this grace is because God doesn’t want even one person to perish, but for all people to be saved. We must remember however, that someday there will be a limit. There will come a time when the back door will close. Those who made light of God’s love, God’s patience, must be prepared to have God’s wrath come upon them. This is at the end of the world in the tribulation when God will pour out his judgment. This is written in detail in Rev. 6 to 19.
Recently it is often said that the Japanese are very prideful. Japan lost World War 2 and experienced bitter starvation, but from that they didn’t learn about neither God’s judgment nor his grace. In the wave of high economic growth they pursued material abundance, but they didn’t seek abundance for their souls. After that too, God frequently uttered warnings, but they did not look to God at all. “When grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness.” (10) Upon such people God’s wrath will be poured out.

II. The path of the righteous is prosperous (Vs. 12-15)
The second point is that the path of the righteous is prosperous. Please look at verse 12. It says, “LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”
This is a wonderful psalm, a wonderful confession. Peace has been established for us. We looked at this peace last week. This peace is not just regular peace. It is Shalom, shalom. It is perfect peace. This peace has been established for us. Not only that but it is not won by our earnestness. This peace is by the earnestness of God. This peace was established by God for us. “The Prince of Peace,” (9:6) Jesus, accomplished this on the cross. Jesus died on the cross for us. He took the punishment of sin upon himself. Jesus said on the cross “It is finished”. It wasn’t by something we did. Jesus did every single necessary thing for the forgiveness of our sins so that we could receive this peace.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” (Ephesians 2:8)
This is so no one can boast. The peace that God gives is all a gift of God, by the grace of God.
Therefore, Isaiah says this in verse 13. “LORD our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor.”
Up until now the Jews have been ruled by many lords. First was Babylon. Judah was destroyed by Babylon and then they were captured and deported. Then they lived for 70 years in captivity. However, God raised the Persian King, Cyprus who set them free, and they returned to Jerusalem. However, another ruler took the place of Babylon and ruled them. That was Persia, then Greece, then Rome. In the Roman era the Jews were forced out of their country and were scatter throughout the world. It is only recently that Israel established a country, the Republic of Israel. For　1900 years they were lost in the world. Then as God promised God gathered the Jews in Palestine who were scattered around the world. They became the Republic of Israel. That was in 1948. That was really a recent thing. Up until then they were under a lot of different rulers. For a long time they were ruled by others, but at the end of the world there will be no one that can rule over them. Only the Lord will rule over them.
We too have lived under many different rulers. Not only under the political rulers, but the rulers of the world, societal rulers, customs etc. We have lived under many different rulers. We live under many kinds of rulers, but we need to confess that God alone is our ruler.
Paul says in Romans 6:16 to 18, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey- whether you are slaves to sin which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”
Before we were “slaves to sin” (Romans 6:17) and under the control of sin, but now we are different. Now we “have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” (Romans 6:18) Therefore, by the righteousness of God we must live under only God’s control.
Therefore, Isaiah in verse 14 says the following, “They are now dead, they live no more; those departed spirits do not rise. You punished them and brought them to ruin; you wiped out all memory of them.” Some people interpret that “They are now dead, they live no more; those departed spirits do not rise” (14) means that at the end of the world there is no resurrection of unbelievers, but that is not so. This means that the power of many rulers will be by God’s judgment completely unable to rise up again. Please look at Col. 1:13. Here it says, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” God “has rescued us” (Col. 1:13) from the control of sin that binds us “and brought us into the kingdom of the Son.” (Col. 1:13) It says, “you wiped out all memory of them.” (14) They were set so perfectly free that they have no ”memory of them” (14) at all. What a peace! This is “shalom, shalom. This is perfect peace.
That’s not all. In verse 15 it says, “You have enlarged the nation, O LORD; you have enlarged the nation. You have gained glory for yourself; you have extended all the borders of the land.” In the last times, the memory of the pagan nations which were
a threat to God’s people will be completely wiped out to the point that not even their shadow will be left. On the other hand, God’s people will glory in the glory. The Lord himself will enlarge the nation, gain glory, and “extend all the borders of the land.” (15)
This is what the people will be like at the end of the world. It is what Christians, we who have been rescued from all dominions, will be like. Therefore, we as one who has received the Lord Jesus’ salvation can make the same confession: “You have enlarged the nation, O LORD; you have enlarged the nation. You have gained glory for yourself; you have extended all the borders of the land.” (15) We must not put God in a box, limiting his power. We must pray, “I am nothing more than a small person, but God saved me. God will enlarge me. Through me God will show his glory to the limits. Make me bigger. If there are any hardened places within me, enlarge me.”
According to psychologists, we are always talking to ourselves. When we talk other with people, we use 150 to 200 words a minute. However, when we walk to ourselves it is nothing like this. When we talk to others people we use 1,300 words a minute.
When we talk to ourselves, it is surprising that most of what we say to ourselves is putting ourselves down. It is usually a negative conversation. Think about when you are walking by yourself. Don’t you usually think about what happened in the past and think about why you said that or why you did that, and put yourself down? When you do that, you become more depressed, and this can lead to actually becoming sick. In a lot of cases it actually makes you become more depressed because you keep thinking over and over again, “Why did I do that?” and you become more depressed.
But Jesus “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (Col. 1:13). We are not a slave of sin, but a slave of righteousness. Through Jesus Christ we are a new creation. The past is gone. We are completely new. We have to look at ourselves as being a new person in Jesus Christ. This is the glorious being that we will be in the course of time and at the end of the world. We will in the course of time be a glorious being that will reflect the glory of the Son of God. We have to see ourselves as being like that. We have to have healthy thoughts as a child of God who has received eternal life by the Word of God and is overflowing with the Word of God.
In 1 Chronicles 4:9, a man named Jabez appears. The name Jabez means “in pain or struggling”. His mother named him that because she gave birth to him in pain and suffering. It is thought that when Jabez was born, his father died. So it is possible that Jabez`s mother was still in the midst of suffering. She may have lost her husband so economically and psychologically she may have been suffering, and in the midst of sadness, she bore a child and had to bring him up. So he was not born in the best of circumstances and she had a heavy load to bear. So probably Jabez, when he heard his name called, he probably suffered too. But in verse 10, Jabez called out to God and prayed, and God answered his prayer. This is how Jabez prayed: “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain” (1 Chronicles 4:10). God answered this prayer. What he asked for was given, and he was blessed. We too should pray this way. Before, we suffered in the midst of sin, but now we have been set free through Christ. In addition, we are allowed to pray to God, “Lord, bless me and enlarge my territory!”

III. God watches over the path of the righteous (Vs. 16-21)
The third point is that God watches over the path of the righteous. Please look at verses 16-18. Even though Isaiah has up until now talked about the glory of Israel, from here on, he all at once is talking about suffering. This suffering is the suffering of the Great Tribulation. Here Isaiah is remembering the Great Tribulation, and he says, “LORD, they came to you in their distress; when you disciplined them, they could barely whisper a prayer (Isaiah 26:16).” They were suffering so much that they could barely whisper a prayer. The purpose of their suffering is that God is disciplining them. In Jeremiah, this is called “a time of trouble for Jacob”. “How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it” (Jeremiah 30:7). For Jacob, this was a time of tribulation. By it, he was able to see God. In other words, the discipline was so that Israel could receive salvation.
When all is going well, we often don’t pray. But on the other hand, when we are suffering, prayer becomes very important. Pain produces prayer. Through pain, prayer is born. In the present day, when we have pain, we right away reach for medicine. So we do not have much pain, and not having pain is thought to be natural. However, God teaches us many things more things through pain than He does through an easy life. While struggling with things, we really pray. And by that prayer, we grow. Therefore, the author of the Psalms said, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:71).
God’s people the Israelites, in the midst of God’s discipline and their suffering, prayed and sought salvation. This suffering is compared to a pregnant wife. In verse 17 itsays, “As a woman with child and about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in your presence, O LORD” (Isaiah 26:17). That is terrible pain and suffering! Even so, in verse 18, it says, “We were with child, we writhed in pain, but we gave birth to wind.” Wind means emptiness—there is nothing. In other words, there
was terrible suffering, but nothing was born out of it. By our own strength, we cannot do anything. We cannot save ourselves. And of course, we cannot bring other people to the Lord’s salvation. The only hope we have is written in verse19. Please look at verse 19.

Here it is talking about Israel’s resurrection. God rose up Israel’s dead, and once again, they recovered. The hope of living in the future has overcome the grave and has reached out to the resurrection. Israel desires the victorious salvation. The power of God’s strength gave us life and made this possible. We have no power to do this ourselves. The “dew” (19) that God gives Israel is a dew that brings life and gives resurrection to the dead.
Please look at verses 20 and 21. “my people” in verse 20 are the Jews. The Jewish people, at the end of the world, for seven years in the tribulation, will look to the one they have slain, and will repent. In this way, they will enter into salvation. They will believe and receive the Lord, but even so, they must go through the Great Tribulation. However, so they can go through it, God prepares a hiding place. He hides them, and God watches over the remnant. This is the meaning of “Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by” (Isaiah 26:20). This is just like when Israel left Egypt and the Passover. God commanded His people to put blood on the doors of their houses and then to hide in their homes. During that time, the judging Lord came and punished the sins of the unbelieving Egyptians, and their sins became plain, and they were given just punishment. But God’s people were taken care of and escaped punishment. In other words, God’s people were saved not by what they did, but by the blood of the Passover Lamb. It is not something that they could do by their own strength. By the one way grace of God, by the blood of the Lamb, they were saved and escaped the judgment of God. Here is our hope. Even if we are in the midst of trials God will watch over us, so that we do not have to meet God’s judgment. Therefore, this is not just about the Jews, but is about Christians also. Christians in the tribulation at the end of the world will be hidden. They will be in the clouds. This is called the Rapture. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 says this:
“According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever Therefore, encourage on another with these words.”
The dead will rise first. They will come out of their graves and be caught up in the air. Next are the people who are still alive. Paul believed that he would still be left alive at that time so here he says “we who are still alive”. These people will be caught up into the clouds, and we will be with the Lord forever. At that time on the earth, God’s judgment will take place. However, Christians are not the object of God’s wrath. They will not receive God’s wrath because Jesus has received all the wrath in our place. Therefore, I Thessalonians 5:9 states, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” God has ordained that we not meet God’s wrath. This is our hope and encouragement. Do you have this hope? Have you received the work of salvation that was completed by Jesus Christ? Or are you depending on your own strength? “We writhed in pain, but we gave birth to wind.” (18) When we try to do things only by our own strength, we writhe in pain, but still salvation is not born. Salvation is in Jesus Christ. Please believe in Him and be saved. Then when we face various kinds of difficulties, He will help us. So let’s pray expectantly. Even if you are in the midst of pain, don’t let go of the net of God’s hope. Remember that God watches over the path of the righteous.

Today let’s look at the first part of Isaiah 26. Today’s title is “perfect peace”. In verse 3 it says, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast.”
Everyone seeks peace. It is the base for feeling that we are very happy. There is no happiness without peace. No one says, “I’m very happy, but I’m full of anxieties.” A person who is full of happiness is also full of peace. Everyone seeks peace. How we can have peace is written here. “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast.” (3) To “those whose minds are steadfast” (3) a perfect peace that lacks nothing, that can’t be taken away by anyone is promised. Today I would like to talk about three aspects of this “perfect peace”. (3)

I. We have a strong city (vs. 1,2)
The first point is that we have a strong city. Please look at verses 1 and 2.
“In that day” (1) is one of the key words of Isaiah. It refers to the end of the world. The end of the world will bring the Millennium and the glorious kingdom that will continue after that and the new heaven and earth。 “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts.” (1) In other words, this is God’s city, the new Jerusalem. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” (Rev. 21:1, 2) This is the New Jerusalem. Jesus said, “I am going to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2) He said that when he had prepared a place, he would come back and take us to be with him. In this passage this place has now been finished. The New Jerusalem is “coming down out of heaven”. (Rev. 21:2)
Here this city is “a strong city.” (1) The reason it is strong is because “God makes salvation its walls and ramparts.” (1) God’s salvation is its walls, its fortress. We have been invited within the walls built by God’s salvation. It is a strong wall where the enemy cannot touch even one of our fingers. We have entered inside such a city.
Here it says, “Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.” (2) The word used for “righteous” (2) is sometimes translated as”faithful”. Only the “righteous” (2), the faithful can enter in. Rev. 3:8 says, “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” These are words that were sent to the church in Philadelphia. What the Lord desires of us is not how great of things we have done, but how faithful we are. God has given each of us different jobs. Peter had Peter’s job to do. James had James job to do. Paul

had Paul’s job to do. No matter what kind of job it is, everything depends on how faithful you have been to the Lord. Even if “you have little strength,” (2) if you have kept God’s word and have followed the faith, the Lord will allow you to enter this city.

II. Kept in perfect peace (vs. 3,4)
The second point is about the blessings for those who have opened the wall gate and have been put inside. Please look at verse 3. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (3)
God “will keep in perfect peace” (3) those whose minds are steadfast. The word that is translated as “perfect peace” (3) is in Hebrew “Shalom, Shalom”. “Shalom” is repeated. “Shalom” means to be kept in peace.” Shalom” is repeated so it was translated at “perfect peace”. (3) It is like English when we repeat a word to emphasize its greatness. (You should have seen the very, very big fish I caught!) Therefore, this peace isn’t just peace. This peace lacks nothing and no one can take this peace away from you. Even when we think our world is safe, we still have anxieties not knowing when it might fall apart. Now we are happy, but we are anxious because we don’t know when misfortune will come. Therefore, there are times when we are happy, but we are still anxious. We are afraid because we don’t know when misfortune will come. However, the peace that God gives is “Shalom, Shalom”. It is perfect peace.
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)
The peace that Jesus gives is different from what the world gives. It is God’s peace. It is “Shalom, Shalom”. It is different from being happy, and at the same time being uncertain about what tomorrow will bring. It is a perfect peace so no matter what happens it can’t be destroyed.
It is commonly thought that peace or security is the condition of no struggles or fighting. This word, “shalom”, is more dynamic and energetic. It is related to man’s life. Blood full of life circulates through our bodies. If we cut it blood will spurt out. This word refers to our insides being in the condition of being completely full of blood with no bleeding.
Therefore, when this word is used as a business word, it is translated as “flourish”. This “shalom” can continue to flourish no matter the situation. When it is used in a physical sense it means energy is overflowing in the body and is translated as “healthy”. This word has many meanings, but its basic meaning is “filled to the brim and overflowing”. Many theologians understand “shalom” to means “to be saved”. When we are saved by God’s grace we are filled and overflowing with life.

A famous Catholic linguist Daahoud translated “shalom” as “victory”. A victorious life is “shalom”. In our life we experience failure, and there are things we cry about, and many things happen, but in the midst of these things the peace that we are given is “shalom”. This is a victorious life. This peace takes care of us.
When we think about it this world hopes for a peaceful society without war. However, in reality contrary to what the world asks for, war never ends. Man’s history is a history of war. According to the historian, Arnold Joseph Toynbee, when you look at the last 4000 years, the eras without war was only 8 %. Also over 8,000 peace treaties have been formed, but almost all of them were only temporary and soon were broken. In man’s history there has hardly been an era without war. How can we have peace?
Here it says, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast.” (3) The Lord will give “him whose mind is steadfast” (3) perfect peace. “Him whose mind is steadfast” (3) is a person who has his thoughts firmly directed towards God. He is focusing on God, He is concentrating on God. When his heart is looking in other directions, he doesn’t have peace. When our thoughts are firmly directed towards God we can have perfect peace. That is because “shalom” is inherently God’s nature. The Japanese image of god is that if you do good, then you will prosper. On the other hand, if you are bad, then you will be punished. However, the God of the Bible isn’t like this. The God of the Bible is “shalom”. He is full and overflowing with the love of God. God is full and overflowing. Those who come to him at the same time can be filled. Not only that, but not only is that person filled, but next he can fill others. He can receive that much overflowing grace. That is because God Himself is Shalom.
In Isaiah 9 we are introduced to the Messiah that will come in the course of time and told what he will be like. That is “for to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (9:6) God is the “Prince of Peace”,(9:6) Shalom. The Kingdom that he rules has peace. We have no peace. However, we can receive God’s peace by depending upon God, and by concentrating on God’s heart and mind. That is because the God we believe in is the God of peace. No matter how rough the sea is, God is with you. He will calm the storm saying, “Have peace” and give you peace. Therefore, Paul says in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
For us to obtain perfect peace, first of all we must have peace with God. What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1) The original cause for fighting is within our insides. The cause is the desires that are within us. As it builds up in our hearts, peace disappears, and in the course of time it appears on our outside. When it extends to our relationships with other people, it becomes a quarrel. When it becomes a quarrel

between nations then it becomes a war. However, in the beginning it was a problem of individual people’s hearts. Just as you can’t get rid of a smell unless you take care of the original cause, we have to solve the original cause of fighting and quarreling among
ourselves. That is sin. That is being separated from God. Our hearts and thoughts aren’t directed at God, but are directed at ourselves is the problem. In the Bible this is called sin. We have to solve this problem of sin.
Mother Theresa said, “What you can do for world peace is to go home and love your family.” It is thought that world peace is a huge thing and an individual person can’t do anything. However, in reality individual persons can start it. First of all you must have peace in your own heart. You must believe in Jesus Christ and have the peace of God. You must begin there. That is why Jesus came to this world. Jesus died on the cross in our place so that our sins will be forgiven. That is so “that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Therefore, if you believe in Jesus, your sins will not be brought to account. This is the work of salvation. If anyone believes in Jesus as their Savior, all of their sin is forgiven, and they are purified from all evil. They can have God’s peace.
Isaiah 53:4-6 says, “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” “the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (53:5) The cross of Jesus brought us peace. This is the grace that only God has. We have to receive it. Then this shalom as if a dam had broken will flow within us.

III. Trust in the Lord forever (Vs. 4-6)
The third point is to trust in the Lord forever. Please look at verse 4. Here it says, “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.” Even if you believe in Jesus, but you still don’t have peace, where is the problem? You aren’t trusting in the Lord. How can we have perfect peace? By trusting in the Lord from out heart. In other words, trusting is a problem of will. Faith is a problem of our will inside us. Emotions make no difference. Emotions are the result. Therefore, if we seek faith by emotions, when something happens we are soon sunken. We think that the reason that today we are depressed is because we don’t have faith. However, the faith that the Bible talks about is not like that. It is a problem of will. It depends how you decided in your will.
Please open your Bibles to Phil. 4:6,7. Let’s read.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
How can we receive “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding”?(Phil.4:7) Here it says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6) We must “not be anxious about anything”. (Phil. 4:6) This is God’s command. This is a problem of our will. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6,7) I hear people say, “You say that because you don’t know the situation I’m in. It’s really bad!” It’s really bad! If I was in such a situation I’m sure I’d become negative. However, what the Bible is saying is “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6) We must “not be anxious about anything”. (Phil. 4:6) The problem is whether by your own decision by your will whether you are going to follow the Word of God or not.
Man’s mind is not always steadfast. However, at least when you believe in God, a decision of your will is needed. If we want to have a relationship with God, we have to make a decision by our will. Those of you who are Christians have all done this. “I believe Jesus is my Savior.” From such a decision of the will your faith began. There are times when we can’t continue with a steadfast mind. However, when you meet various happenings and if you want to overcome them, you need to concentrate on making a decision by your will. That is prayer. In prayer you can give even what you thought was unsolvable to God, and confess that you believe God will answer.
After that trust in God. Leave everything in God’s hands. It is like a fish on the cutting board. The fish doesn’t ask to be broiled or fried or boiled. He leaves it up to the cook. We need to leave our whole life up to God, but we must be careful not to flip off the cutting board because we don’t want to be cleaned. To such a person who leaves everything in God’s hands, God’s shalom is given.
In our lives there are times when we are disappointed or can hardly have faith, but at such times that we must indeed exercise our faith and shine brightly. However, at such times we are apt to separate ourselves from God. We look at what has happened and think it’s all over and like a sinking ship we sink into the depths. Even though the situation is not hopeless, we assume “I’m done for! I’m done for!” This does not make God happy. If we don’t cut the vicious cycle of unbelief, we will fall deeper, deeper into the depths of depression and unbelief. At such times even if you

think God isn’t there, the important thing to do is pray, “God, I put everything into your hands.” If we do that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7)
Jesus’ disciples after Jesus’ resurrection were afraid that they would be arrested, be put in prison and then executed so they hid in a locked room talking under their breath. However, Jesus appeared in their midst saying, “Shalom”. The locked and the fear that surrounded them were taken away and Jesus said, “God’s Shalom be with you!” “The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” (John 20:20) We too like the disciples can receive peace, perfect peace in Jesus Christ. When we have a steadfast mind and “trust in the LORD forever,” (4) we can obtain peace. To those who seek after faith, God responds to their trust.

Verse 1 says, “LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name.” What a beautiful song. Isaiah 24 talks about the　whole plan of God’s salvation. In other words, at the end of the world, the Lord will judge the world. “The LORD is going to lay waste the earth.” (24:1) He is going to turn the world upside down. Disastorism will occur. Only a few people will be left. When the Lord becomes king on the Mount of Zion, in Jerusalem, the remnant will spend 1,000 years on this earth during the Lord’s reign. When Isaiah saw this scene, words of praise gushed out.
Truly praises are the words of heaven. Heaven is like this overflowing with praises and thankfulness. There are no words that aren’t praises. In others words. There are no words of discontentment, dissatisfaction, complaining, jealousy, hatred, anger, or resentment. They are not words of heaven. They are words of the world. In heaven there is no one who says words of discontentment or dissatisfaction. There is no one who complains. That is because such words belong to the world. In heaven everyone utters only words of praise. Therefore, praises are the words of heaven. I think they could be said to be heaven’s language. We, as God’s people, must speak as the citizens of heaven, the words of heaven. Our lips must be full of praise and thankfulness. Today let’s look at three things about praises.

I. God is faithful (Vs. 1-5)
The first thing is that we praise God because God is faithful. Please look at verses 1 and 2.
Here it says, “in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”(1) This word, “faithfulness” (1) can also be translated as truthful. God is faithful so God is truthful and so we praise God for it. God has “done wonderful things” (1) and has led history since “long ago”. (1) For example, when Israel was captive in Egypt, God by his mighty works brought them out of Egypt. Also when they were captive to Babylon and had been a dispersed people for 70 years, God raised up a pagan Persian King and through the King they were able to return to Jerusalem. God has “done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”(1) This is the reason that we praise God. How much are you experiencing the truthfulness of God? The more we experience the truthfulness of God, the faithfulness of God; we will be full of praise for God.
That’s not all. Please look at verses 4 and 5.
We have looked at how much persecution the Jews will receive in the Great Tribulation. It will be worse than it has ever been before and by it many people will perish. However, midst of it God will leave a remnant. Also He will take care of them so that they will profit in their life. This is what it is saying in verse 4. “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall.”
In America there was an art exposition on the theme of “peace”. Many works　were entered. For example, there was a picture of a boat floating on a lake surface which was like a mirror. In another picture there was a flock of sheep lying in a green meadow which was peaceful in itself. However, the work that received the outstanding prize went to a picture of a mother eagle who in a heavy thunder storm with lightening flashing, and the spray from the waves spaying up high to a small cave at the top of the precipice spreads her wings out and covers the baby eagles.
The Lord is really our hiding place. He is a fort for the weak, a fort for the poor person when he is troubled. He is a shelter from the storms. No matter how over bearing a person is and even if he attacks, the Lord is our shelter and will take care of us to the very end. Therefore, we adore Him and praise his name.
The Lord is your fort, and your shelter. To the end he will take care of you. He is truthful. So a person who depends upon God can praise Him from his heart.

II. God will bless you abundantly (vs. 6-8)
Another reason Christians praise the Lord is the Lord blesses us abundantly. Please look at verse 6. “On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine-the best of meats and fine finest of wines.”
We long for that day, right? Cholesterol will make no difference. It won’t be necessary to worry about calories. You won’t have to receive health guidance for metabolic syndrome or for metabolic prevention. It will be all you can eat stir fried meat and steak. Of course this isn’t saying the literal meaning of “the best of meats”. (6) This means that we will be richly blessed. In the Millennium which will come in the course of time, the Lord will give such joy and happiness. Anyone who believes in Jesus, the people that are saved, can come to this banquet of salvation.
That’s not all. Please look at verses 7 and 8. “The sheet” (7) shuts out the Lord’s glory so that it can’t be seen. “On this mountain… the sheet” (7) will be destroyed. What this sheet is written in II Cor. 3:16. Please look at II Cor. 3:16.
This sheet shuts out Christ’s glory so that it does not shine. Because of this sheet the Lord’s glory couldn’t be seen. However, at the end of the world in the Millennium this sheet will be destroyed. With our eyes we will be able to clearly see the Lord’s appearance. Not only that, like a mirror while we reflect the Lord’s glorious appearance, we will be changed from glory to glory to be like the Lord. Then death will be destroyed forever. The will no longer be death. Also there will be no sadness, crying, or suffering. “The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces. (8) We will be able to receive such glory.
What a hope! Now what are you sad about and are you crying? What are you suffering from? In that day “the LORD will wipe away the tears from” (8) your face. Here it says, “The LORD has spoken.” (8) The means that such a time will come without fail. That is not just a hopeful thinking. It will definitely happen. Therefore we praise God.

III. Waiting on the Lord (Vs. 9-12)
Therefore, the third point is to wait upon the Lord. Please look at verse 9.
Here it says, “In that day”. (9) This is the Millennium at the end of the world. The tribulation which was over a span of 7 years finishes and the Lord is enthroned in Jerusalem. Then all evil is swept away, and God’s kingdom rules on earth for a span of the Millennium. “In that day” (9) the people will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” (9)
“Surely this is our God; we trusted in him.” (9) His name is Jesus Christ. Up until then we have heard only talk about Jesus. We heard many different people‘s talk, and we ourselves ready the Bible and confirmed what we heard, and though we had a vague knowledge, we believed in God, received him, and waited all the time for the fulfillment of our salvation. The Lord came. He came in a in a form that we can actually see and with an appearance that we can actually feel.
Next week my daughter will get married. How happy my daughter is! That is because she will be united with her lover. It is similar to how we are like waiting for the Lord. In actuality in the Bible Christ’s second coming is said to be like when the bridegroom comes to get the bride. It is just like a wedding with Jesus. Our groom Jesus is perfect. With a perfect love, he receives us. Since he said that he would return again over 2,000 years have passed, and until now we have waited all the time for Him. He came. How much he has excited us!
Because we are waiting for Him, we have hope. By that hope we are saved. Hope that we can see with our eyes isn’t really hope. “Who hopes for what he already has? But we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24, 25) Therefore, waiting is very important.
However, waiting is not that easy. No matter how much we seek the Lord, there are limits. Reading our Bible from morning to night, and even if we try to pray, we have restrictions on our time, and our strength has limits so we can’t do it. Even though we think that we want to listen to the Word of God all day, pray and fellowship with the Lord, we are busy every day and have a hard time taking that much time. On the other hand when we have the time, we become tired, our stomach hurts, or our head becomes heavy and we can’t concentrate on what we are hearing. It goes in the right ear and immediately goes out the left. There are times that we don’t know why we are listening. Or there are times when we are listening and our stomach growls and we can’t listen well because we are hungry. “The message is so long. I want to eat lunch so I hope the message ends soon.” This is the limits of our strength. However, “in that day” (9) such things will end. We will listen to the Word to our heart’s content, and we will be able to seek the Lord. There are times when we wish the clocks would stop. There will be a time when we will be enjoying it that much. “In that day” (9) we will be able to see Jesus face to face. There will be no reason to be ashamed. It doesn’t matter what your face is like, you can set your mind to rest and look at Jesus’ face. Here is hope. Let’s look forward to that day.
Incidentally if you look at verses 10 to 12, Moab appears. Moab is east of Jerusalem, and Mt. Zion, and is a country east of the Dead Sea. In 16;9 God says, “I drench you with tears.” The Moab’s ancestor was Abraham’s nephew, Lot. He was the child born from Lot and his daughter. Therefore, God talks with special thoughts about the salvation of Moab, but sadly the Moabites didn’t repent. Even though they saw the glorious Jesus standing on the Mt Olive, they didn’t seek God’s salvation. Even though God desired them to be saved so much…
That was because even though they saw Jesus Christ right before their eyes, even though they saw with their own two eyes, even so they depended on their own strength. They made “high fortified walls”. (12) They depended on their own mental power, military power, political power and economical power, and rejected Jesus Christ. Such people will be judged to the end. People say that if Jesus Christ was in front of their eyes, then they would believe in him. However, such people even if they really saw Jesus with their eyes, they still wouldn’t believe. Those who like the people of Moab, depend on their own power, even if they see Jesus right before their eyes, they won’t believe. They don’t try to see Jesus’ salvation. To the end they don’t try to believe that’s human nature. This is an innate nature. It’s personality. We think that if we see Jesus’ deity then everyone will believe, but that isn’t necessarily so. Those who are prideful, who don’t humble themselves, no matter how much Jesus appear before them, they don’t believe. The Moabites before did a wonderful thing and sheltered the Israelites. They received blessings. Those who bless Israel will be blessed themselves. As a result Moab prospered. In the Millennium they will flourish. However, as a result they will become prideful. They won’t be able to wait for the Lord.
That is not just the Moabites. The Japanese are the same. The Japanese are a people who work seriously, and always depend on their own mental strength and it’s not easy for them to depend upon God. This is human nature. The Bible warns about the essence of such people. At the same time it warns that God’s judgment will come upon such people for sure. Such people “will be trampled under him as straw is trampled down in the manure.” (11)

Are you waiting upon the Lord? In the course of time the Lord will appear shinning on the Mt. of Zion and become King of Israel. We will see the Lord. He “will wipe away the tears” (8) from your face. That day will surely come. Let’s wait on the Lord. In the tribulation that will come in the course of time at the end of the world, just as the Lord will take care of His people, let’s believe that he will take care of us, and let’s praise and be thankful to God. Then even if in reality everything is black by the hope of salvation given by the Lord we can live strongly.

Today let’s look at the end of Isaiah chapter 24. Isaiah, who had been speaking the Word of God concerning Judah, next spoke prophecies concerning the countries surrounding Judah. Next from the surrounding countries he spoke to the entire world. This began in chapter 24. In the first part of chapter 24 he is saying that God is going to turn the world upside down. The people who live in the world broke God’s covenant so “the LORD is going to lay waste the earth.” (1) He is going to turn the world upside down and “scatter its inhabitants.” (1) This is in the great tribulation at the end of the world. There will be disasters like there has never been, and gloomy people will wither. He is warning that such a time will come.
However, in the midst of this there will be a few people who will be saved. That is the remnant. The “remnant” is one of the important themes in Isaiah. God when he performs his judgment in the end times with leave a remnant. He will make it possible for hymns to be sung. Today I would like to talk about three aspects of the songs of the remnant.

I. The songs of the remnant (vs. 14-16)
First please look at verses 14 to 16.
“They” are the “remnant”. They are the people who have overcome the great tribulation. The people who up until then had joyfully enjoyed life in the great tribulation will wither and be sad, but in contrast to them, those people who were taken care of during the tribulation will sing a joyful song.
“They raise their voices…from the west they acclaim the LORD’s majesty.” (14) What this will be like is described in Rev. 7:9-17. It is a little long, but let’s look at it.
Rev. 7:9-17
“They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” (Rev. 7:9) They were “standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9) crying out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:10) Also “Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever.” (Rev. 7:12) These people according to verse 14 “are they who have come out of the great tribulation.” During the great tribulation in the midst of God’s terrible judgment, they are the people who believed and received the Lord. In other words, they are the remnant. They will give praise and thankfulness to the Lord. They obey God. God left this remnant to give glory to God’s name. Of course, Christians who have risen in a glorious body will be here too. When Christ comes again, Christians will rise from the grave in an imperishable, glorious body. They will be resurrected in a resurrected body and “will be caught up… in the clouds…and so we will be with the Lord forever.”(I Thess. 4:17) However, when the 7 years of tribulation comes upon the earth, those who have been excused from the judgment will be in the sky. When the 7 years of tribulation are over, Jesus will come to this earth and together with the Lord will rule for a thousand years. Then Christians will join voices with the people who went through the tribulation and praise the Lord.
The song Hendel wrote, “The Messiah”, a song about our Savior and Lord Jesus, is such a masterpiece that it takes three hours to be performed. In it is the famous Hallelujah Chorus. Over and over again the wonderful chorus repeats “Hallelujah, Hallelujah”.
In the 18th century “The Messiah” was first performed in London. The song is about Jesus Christ as Messiah. It begins with the prophecy of the Savior coming then it goes through the Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection of Christ to his ultimate glorification in heaven. It is song about the love of God and the plan of salvation. It praises God Almighty. In the Hallelujah Chorus when the phrase “for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” the crowd’s hearts were so moved by God’s majesty that the audience along with King George II rose to show their reverence。Then they continued standing to the end of the chorus. Since then whenever the Messiah is performed, at the Hallelujah chorus the audience stands up. Before the magnificent God they can’t sit down and listen. At the end of the world such a hymn will be sung.
Beethoven wrote “Symphony Number 9”. In Japan even today it has become the end of the year song that is performed yearly. It is to the point that there are some people that say if they don’t sing it that can’t finish the year.
This chorus song is called “Ode to Joy”. The composer, Beethoven’s, life was very far from being joyful. His father, a singer in a music group, was a heavy drinker. He sternly trained his son in music and enforced practicing. Beethoven who naturally had a gift, from the time he was young taught the piano and performed and supported the family. In 1800 he performed “The First Symphony” and became recognized as a composer. However, when he was about 30 years old, he began losing his hearing which is the most important thing for a composer. At that time Beethoven wrote a letter to a pastor named Amanda saying, “I often feel like I am the most miserable of all men that God has made.” Also written in a letter to his two brothers it says, “Oh. By the will of God. When will I meet joy again? I think that day will never come. That is too cruel!”
He tried various cures that were suggested to him, and had surgery many times, but his hearing ability didn’t recover hardly at all. In the midst of such suffering, Beethoven sought through prayer God’s help. In a letter written to a friend two weeks before he died he wrote, “I pray only that God take care of me in these struggles. No matter how painful and frightening my life is by following the will of God, I will be given the ability to overcome the pain.”
“The 9th Symphony” was written after he lost his hearing. The author of the book, “The life of Beethoven”, Romain Rolland, in his review of “The 9th Symphony” wrote “A little at a time joy is gained. That is one conquest. It is a fight against sorrow… All of mankind hold out their arms to heaven, shout for joy, and make a leap towards joy, and hold it in their arms.” From the midst of pain the joy that he didn’t stop seeking Beethoven found in his faith in God and expressed it in powerful music. That was because he knew the scene of heavenly worship and singing to God.
We too are invited to this worship. In the course of time we will sing from our hearts together with the remnant. This is our hope. Even if now there are fortunate things, or painful things, or sad things, let’s believe that in the course of time we will be overflowing in joy, and on this earth praise the Lord from our hearts.

II. God’s judgment doesn’t stop (Vs. 16-20)
Next let’s look at verses 16 to 20. Let’s read the last half of verse 16.
Certainly in the tribulation there are people who are saved. There is a small remnant. They will sing praises. However, they won’t be completely joyful. That is because there are people that will go to eternal judgment. It is wonderful that some people will be saved, but too many people are painfully judged so they can’t be completely joyful.
Please look at verses 17 and 18.
This means that no one can flee from God’s judgment. Even if you try to hide, even if you try to flee, there will be no place to hide and no place to flee to. That is because “the floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake.” (18) “The floodgates of the heavens” (18) appear also in Genesis 7:11. At the time of Noah and the flood, “the floodgates of the heavens were opened” (Genesis 7:11) and large amounts of rain fell and covered the earth and “every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out.”(Genesis 17:23) However, God made an everlasting covenant promising that “never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” (Genesis 9:11) Therefore, when “the floodgates of the heavens are opened” in verse 18 it is not going to be pouring rain. Something scarier will be falling from heaven. If you look at Rev. 16:21, it will be “hailstones of about a hundred pounds each.” That huge of hailstones will fall. We often hear in the news that crops were damaged by hail, but the hail is the average size hail. However, at the end of the world the hail that falls will not be the average hail. The hailstones will be “about a hundred pounds each.” (Rev. 16:21) At the supermarket I often buy 30 kgs. (100 lbs.) of rice. That heavy of hail will fall from heaven with great force. If such a huge thing falls, then your house and fields and everything that you can see with your eyes will be destroyed.
Also here it says, “the foundations of the earth shake.” (18) In special technical language this is called a “pole shift”. The earth’s axis will move. In a really bad case the North Pole and South Pole will be reversed. By that climate change will occur, and diastrophism will occur. The axis moving only just a little from where it was will cause a huge influence on the earth. Many people will try to flee, but it will be a disaster that can’t be fled from.
Then verses 19 and 20 say, “The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls-never to rise again.”
This means that a huge earthquake will occur. Rev. 16:18 says, “No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.” An earthquake of great proportion will occur. The huge earthquake in Northern Japan last year was magnitude 9. The damage it caused was so huge, and it transformed everyone’s way of life but, a bigger earthquake is going to occur. As a result, the earth will reel “like a drunkard.” (20) That is because “so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion.” (20)
Isaiah sees this and laments. It is wonderful that a few people are saved and praise God but, on the other hand, by God’s judgment there are people will perish. Isaiah saw such people and lamented, “I waste away, I waste away! Woe to me!” (16)
How about you? Certainly we have believed in Jesus and have been saved. No matter what trials come we are o.k. We have received eternal life and have come into the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, we will praise and sing to the Lord. Now we are singing as a small fellowship, but in the course of time there will come a time when we will with people from all countries and with more people than you can count and in many different languages we will sing. It will bring great joy and move our hearts.
My youngest daughter is going to a church that a missionary from Australia started. There every week they sing Hillsongs. At night too they sing Hillsongs. Hundreds of young people assembling and singing is moving. However, in the course of time at the end of the world the singing will be even so much greater than that. Hundreds of thousands of people in a huge chorus will sing. We will be led into that glory. However, on the other end, there will be people who suffer in tribulation and perish. We must pray that such people will be saved. May such people too enter the ark of salvation. Also so that in the course of time they may be added to the people that will sing to God we must talk about God’s message of judgment.

III. God who sits on the royal throne (Vs. 21-23)
Last let’s look at verses 21 to 23. Please read verses 21 and 22.
Here the words, “in that day” (21) appear. This is a prophecy of what will occur in the tribulation period. Here it is written what will occur at the very end of the tribulation. That is the last war of mankind. This war is called the war of Armageddon. In that war God “will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.” (21) Of course “the powers in the heavens above” (21) are the powers of demons and their head, Satan. They also appear in Ephesians 6:12 and Col. 2:15. “The kings on the earth below” (21) are the powers which will assemble over Jerusalem’s supremacy. From the East a military force of over 200,000,000,000, and from the West the anti Christ leading the powers and from the North and from the South, everyone will come heading for Armageddon. Then they will venture a war with the Lord who comes down from heaven, but the Lord breathes out from his mouth and blows them away. This is verse 21.
After that what will become of them is in verse 22. “They will be herded together like prisoners bound in　a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days.” The “prison” (22) is Hades. “The powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.” (21) will all “be shut up in prison.”(22) This is written in detail from Revelations 20 on so please refer to it. Here it says they will “be punished after many days.” (22) This will be a thousand years later. The devil, Satan, the Dragon is thrown down into the Abyss for a thousand years so the earth has peace for a period of 1000 years. This is the Millennium. For a thousand years a peaceful age will come with the Lord Jesus reigning as King.
However, at the end of the 1000 years they will “be punished”. (22) After a 1000 years Satan who is called the Dragon will once again be set free. Why does God do such a thing? If God left Satan locked up in the Abyss eternally then there would be no problems, but because God sets him free problems occur. However, man is not a robot. He was made with a free will. God wants us to use our free will to love God. Therefore, God let’s Satan free so that the people who lived in the 1000 years in the age of peace can decide if they really love God and are going to follow God or if they are going to follow evil. They are forced to choose one of the two. Christians who have been resurrected in a glorious body will not sin. Christians who were taken up in the sky when Jesus returned have an imperishable body, a glorious body, a perfect body so they will not sin again. It is the people who are still flesh and blood that must choose. The people that choose Satan “in number they are like the sand on the seashore.” (Rev. 20:8) Many people are deceived by Satan and follow him and oppose Christ and surround Jerusalem. Just then “fire came down from heaven and devoured them” (Rev. 20:9) Then they were thrown into the eternal fire. This is called the judgment on the white throne. It is the last judgment of God.
Then there is a new heaven and a new earth. That is in Rev. 21. A new heaven and a new earth will come. “The first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” (Rev. 21:1) The new heaven and the new earth will come down from heaven and there we will be forever with the Lord. There will be no sun and no moon. That is because Jesus himself is the city’s sun. Jesus is so bright that he outshines the sun and the moon so “the moon will be abashed, the sun ashamed.” (23) “The LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously” (23) points to this. Therefore, here is the reason why Isaiah chapter 24 is called “Isaiah’s revelation”. His prophecy covers totally God’s entire eternal plan.
What we can see from this passage is that in the end the Lord is victorious. The reason we praise the Lord is because He is the supreme victor. The Lord that Isaiah saw was sitting on the throne in Jerusalem. He was the victorious Lord that had destroyed the ultimate enemy, Satan and all evil in the world. The appearance of the Lord sitting on the royal throne is really our hope. We praise the Lord because the Lord is the supreme victor.
What are you looking at now? At the various problems in front of your eyes? Or victory that the end of the world will bring? Please welcome the victorious Jesus as the king of your heart, and praise Him from your heart.
Applying it to your life
 Do you give praise like the remnant? Are you saddened by your sin, humble, and thirsting for righteousness? Are you seeking a relationship with God?

 How do you feel when you see people not believing in Jesus perishing? What can you do for the salvation of such people?

 What are you looking at now? At the various problems in front of your eyes? Or the supreme victory that the end of the world will bring? Let’s believe that in the end the Lord will be the victorious and praise the Lord from our hearts.

Today I would like to talk from chapter 24 of Isaiah. Isaiah in chapters 13 to 23 warned about God’s judgment upon the countries surrounding Israel. From today’s passage on we enter a new stage. It exceeds Israel and the surrounding countries and is a warning about the judgment of God upon the whole earth. First of all he speaks about Israel whom God has a relationship with. He talks about God’s judgment. God’s judgment begins with God’s family. First of all we are to be questioned. First of all we must　look at our own hearts. Those who think that they are standing now, must be careful not to fall down. If you commit sin, you must repent; if you are prideful you must humble yourself. Next are the countries that surround Israel. God’s warning of judgment spreads out from God’s people, the Israelites to the surrounding countries. Then the warning of judgment spreads out on a worldly scale. It exceeds the surrounding countries and spreads out to the entire world. That’s not all. It exceeds that age and is a warning of God’s judgment at the end of the world. Therefore, this passage is called, “Isaiah’s revelation”. Like Daniel and Revelations the end of the world is described in detail.
Today through this description of God’s judgment at the end of the world, let’s look at how we should be now in this age through the Word of God.

I. The world turned upside down (vs. 1-4)
First of all, the first point is that by God’s judgment the world will be turned upside down. Please look at verses 1 to 4.
Here it says, “See, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants.“ (1) This word “ruin“ means to turn upside down. Truly a convulsion of nature will occur. At the end of the world changes on the earth’s crust which surpasses our imagination will occur.
Jesus also spoke about this to his disciples. Please look at Matt. 24:21 and 22.
Matt. 24:21-22
This is a terrible tribulation like there has never been before and also like there has never been from now on too. It is such a huge tribulation that “if those days had not been cut short, no one would survive.” (Matt. 24:22)
Rev. 6:12-14 is also describing this.
Rev. 6:12-14
Isaiah is talking about this huge earthquake. Last year the huge Northern earthquake’ magniture was 9 so it was classified as a huge earthquake. A magnitude 9 when it is converted into energy would equal 475 megatons. Even if you say 475 megatons it still isn’t very easy to imagine. This is like 3,260,000 barrels of crude petroleum. Even that is hard to imagine. This is amount of the entire world’s crude petroleum consumption in 4 days. Therefore, it was a very, very, very big force. The force of the tidal wave that hit the Sanriku Coast, a coastal region of the Pacific Ocean extending from southern Aomori prefecture through Iwate prefecture and northern Miyagi prefecture, was like 250 1,000 km per hour jets hitting at the same time. That powerful of a tidal wave pushed and destroyed the breakwater walls. That was 1,000 times the force of the tidal wave in the Osaka earthquake 5,000 times the force of the Haiti earthquake. However, in the end times the earthquake that occurs will be so great that it can’t be compared with this one. Every mountain and island will be removed from its place. It will not just be the intensity and shaking, but it will be so big that it will make changes on the earth’s crust too. Also it will not be local, but will occur on a worldly scale. It is said that the biggest earthquake that will occur on this earth will be magnitude 10, but that will be a thousand times greater than last year’s Northern Japan earthquake. Such an earthquake that we can’t imagine will occur at the end of the world.
Please look at verse 2. Here it says, “it will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor”. What this means is in God’s judgment there is no superiors and inferiors, everyone is the same. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor. It doesn’t matter if you are high society or low society, the judgment will come equally upon all. Look first it says that “it will be the same for priest as for people” (2) It means religiously there will be no distinctions. Also the master and his servant will be the same, equals. This means there will be no societal distinctions. “It will be the same …for seller as for buyer.” (2) This mean there will be no economical distinctions. Before God’s judgment all are equals.
This is true not only of God’s judgment, but the same can be said about God’s salvation. Your position, how rich you are, how much ability you have, or such things have no relationship at all to your salvation. We are saved only by humbling ourselves and believing in our Savior Jesus Christ. If we believe in Jesus, anyone can be saved. However, if we don’t believe we will be condemned by our sin. God’s salvation has nothing to do with our station in life, our property or things like that. It only comes by believing in our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. God’s salvation is being presented to you.
Please look at verse 3. This is writing about how big an economical loss the huge earthquake will bring. It is just like when a country is taken by force, when it is plundered, it experiences an enormous amount of economical loss. The loss from last year’s huge earthquake has an estimated balance of 16,000,000,000 yen to 25,000,000,000 yen. It is said that 23,000,000,000 yen is needed in the next 10 years in order for the area to recover. That figure we can’t even imagine. By this one earthquake, this much lost occurred so if on a worldly scale, on an earthly scale such an earthquake occurs it will be an astronomical figure. It will be such a situation that it won’t be possible to recover.
Such a condition will occur. That is because the Lord has spoken about it. The end of verse 3 says, “The LORD has spoken this word.” What the Lord says is always fulfilled. Therefore we always need to be “on the watch and pray”. (Luke 21:36) Luke 21:36 says, “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” We need to look at the front page of the newspaper, and the T.V. news, and know what is happening now in the world, and understand what the present age is like. We need to have a humble heart, and be prepared for the end of the world. We mustn’t idle away our time being disheveled by the signs of the end of the world, but so that it is o.k. for Jesus to come back at any time, we must be prepared.
Please look at verse 4. Here it says, “The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish.” Here the words “languish” and “wither” are repeated over and over again. Even by just one huge earthquake many people’s hearts were languished. All of society was withered. This was economically, psychologically, emotionally, and politically so. “The world languishes” (4) Those who have placed their happiness in the world and have raised their expectations high from it will “languish” because the world has not proved to be what they promised themselves it would be. Here it says, “the exalted of the earth languish.” (4) “The exalted of the earth”, those in high positions will languish. In other words, the upper class will languish. By the convulsion of nature all the people in the world’s hearts will “languish and wither.”(4) Like a flower which dries up and withers in the hands of those that please themselves too much with it, “the earth dries up and withers” (2) towards a dissolution.
How is your heart? Are you languishing? Are you withering? In Acts 17:6 when Paul and Silas were evangelizing in Thessalonica, lots of people listened well to their words and entered the faith, but the Jews who were jealous, brought Jason and some other believers before the city officials. They shouted, “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here.” “Caused trouble all over the world” (Acts 17:6) means to turn the world upside down. In the world Christians are to turn the world upside down. Christians are sent to the world that is turned upside down by sin to turn the world right　side up again. When our Lord Jesus returns, society will be recovered to the perfect society it was before sin entered mankind. However, before that God wants us to be spiritually recovered and bring that recovery to the world. It is for this purpose that he sends us. Let’s remember this, receive spiritual strength and be a person that turns the world right side up.
II. Mankind that broke the covenant (vs. 5,6)
Secondly, let’s look at the reason why God said that he is going to turn the world upside down. Please look at verses 5 and 6.
Here the reason for the convulsion of nature is written. That is “the earth is defiled by its people.” (5) It is defiled by man’s sin of revoking Christ. We often when we experience things like last year’s earthquake say “Why did God allow such a terrible thing?” and complain about God. When we see something happening often, we blame God, “Why does God allow evil?” However, this is far off. As it is clearly written here the reason that the world has become dark is not God’s fault, but because the people who live on the earth “have disobeyed the laws, violated the statues and broken the everlasting covenant.” (5) All misfortunes are the result of man’s sin. With that reasoning, ultimately this disaster was the result of sin.
“The everlasting covenant” could be thought of as the covenant of Noah. God told Noah’s family that he promised to never destroy the earth again by floods. The sign of the promise was the rainbow. God promised that when He saw it, He would remember his covenant with them and would not bring a flood upon them. That was the covenant of Noah, the covenant of the rainbow.
However, the covenant of Noah was by the grace of God and was a one way covenant. It can’t be broken by man. What man can break is not the average covenant, but a covenant that includes following law and statues. Therefore, I think this is the covenant that was made with Israel on Mr. Sinai, the 10 commandments. In verse 6 by the breaking of the covenant “a curse consumes the earth”. This suggests that this covenant has the covenant of Mt. Sinai in the background. Probably Isaiah is saying that “the everlasting covenant” (5) of Noah is combined with the covenant of Sinai in prosecuting the people who live on the earth.
Verse 6 says, “Therefore”. The people who lived on the earth have “broken the everlasting covenant,”(5) the covenant with God, so “a curse consumes the earth.” (6) Even though God made an everlasting covenant with Noah, Noah who was a grape farmer made wine and became drunk so God’s curse came upon that family. In the same way mankind by breaking the covenant with God invited a curse.
The curse is the “earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.” (6) The earth’s inhabitants will decrease. The judgment at the end of the world will be by fire. “Therefore, the earth’s inhabitants are burned up and very few are left.” (6) Please look at II Peter 3:3-13. It is a little long, but let’s read it.
II Peter 3:3-13
At the end of the world God’s judgment by fire will occur. “The elements will be destroyed by fire” (10) and fall. By this the human population on the earth will decrease. This is written in Revelations too. Some “scoffers” (II Peter 3:3) think that this would never happen, and that things won’t suddenly change. They say “Everything goes on as it has.” (II Peter 3:4) That is because such people have deliberately forgotten the reason why such things have not occurred yet. The reason is God “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9) For that purpose God is patiently waiting.
Charles de Foucauld was the the author of the book, “The flame in the desert“. He was an officer of the French Army in North Africa where he first developed his strong feelings about the desert. On his subsequent return to France he went through a conversion experience and became a Catholic. Later he was ordained and returned to the Sahara in Algeria. While he was evangelizing among the Tuareg people living in the Sahara in southern Algeria he was shot to death by passing marauders.
In the book that he wrote he throws out the question, “For Christians who believe in God what is the most difficult thing?” As a Christian what do you feel is the most difficult thing? This answer is different for each person. Father Foucauld answers his own question like this. “The most difficult thing for Christians who believe in God is to believe in God.”
His answer really hit the mark. When I read this I really cried. We don’t doubt even a little that we believe in God. We always confess “I believe in God.” Even so, at a decisive moment, we believe in the world’s law more than God’s law. At that time, in that that place God is there and we forget that God concerned about us. As much as we say, “God is with us”, it is not easy to really believe and take appropriate action in all things. If that’s the case, we can understand why the scoffers think that these things will not happen. To believe in God is difficult not only for people that don’t believe in God, but also for Christians who believe in God.
We must be conscious of God who is living and working. We must not forget that all things start there. We must remember that this is the reason that God is going to judge this world.

III. Joy disappears (vs. 7-13)
The third point is the result of God’s judgment. Let’s look at what will happen to this world. Please look at verses 7 to 13.
The great tribulation will change everything. You will lose the property that you cherished, and you will lose the family that was so important to you. In the midst of that people’s joy will disappear. Sadness will cover them. It will become gloomy. No matter what they do it won’t be fun at all. Even if they drink alcohol to try to forget the bad things, they won’t be able to. Until now the people who enjoyed watching laughter will turn pale. Enjoying things is not bad. It was just so sad and the actual situation would not allow them to enjoy.
Please look at verse 10. It says, “The ruined city lies desolate.” This “desolate” is the same as “empty” in Genesis 1:2. It refers to the condition of there being nothing. In its origin the earth sprouts plants, flowers bloom, and animals and people should live there. However is has become the condition of being nothing. It becomes the condition it was before the heavens and earth were created. At the end of the world things that should be have all disappeared. It becomes the condition of desolation.
Verse 11 says, “In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.” There is sadness only. In all the cities of the world and in all the towns in the world, in the streets are cries of sadness only.
In verse 12 it says that the city’s “gate is battered to pieces.” The gate which is important to the city “is battered to pieces.” (12) They have lost their safety. The myths of safety are broken down. The things that were said to be safe are not so. Even if they try to bring safety by military strength, they won’t be able to. If there is no joy, there is no one you can depend upon. A place of peace where you can live safely has completely disappeared.
The parable of the olive and grape harvest is saying that by the judgment of God there will only be a little fruit left. In Israel not only wheat, but also when olives and grapes are harvested too there was a teaching to not harvest everything. They must leave some for the poor. This was God’s method for providing relief for the poor. However, that was really only a little. Only a few people will be left. They will be left, but even so they must go through the great tribulation.
Therefore, now is the time of grace, now is they day of salvation. If now you believe in Jesus Christ as savior, you will be saved. Then when Jesus comes again, you won’t perish. You will be raised up in a resurrected body, an eternal body. In a moment we “will be caught up… in the clouds…and so we will be with the Lord forever.”(I Thess. 4:17) We will not meet the Lord’s fearful judgment. That is because “God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Thess. 5:9) God doesn’t bring upon Christians lamenting and sadness, but glory and joy.
How about you? Recently have you not had joy in your heart? Please seek to know the reason and how you can recover joy in your heart. If it is coming from the judgment at the end of the word, if it is coming from the emptiness from the Lord not being present, then repent and prepare for the Lord’s second coming. Then the final judgment will not bring insecurity and fear to our hearts, but glory and joy. That joy is shining in our lives now.

Today I would like to talk from Isaiah 23. Isaiah from chapter 13 on is giving a warning of judgment upon the surrounding countries. Today’s passage is the last part. This ending part is a prophecy spoken against the principal city of Phoenicia, Tyre.
The name “Tyre” means “rock”. It was the ancient Phoenician city on the Mediterranean Sea coast. They didn’t like Assyria and Babylon have a huge piece of land, but with the Mediterranean Sea as their stage, traded with the world so they prospered, and amassed great riches. Now days it would be like Japan. It doesn’t have any resources. However, by trade it obtains huge riches, and moves the world economy. This is “a prophecy against Tyre.”

I. The economic large country of Tyre (vs. 1-5)
First look at verses 1 to 5.
Tarshish is a town in present day Spain. At that time it was thought to be at the end of the world. The prophet Jonah was commanded to go to the Nineveh in Assyria to preach the Word of God, but he didn’t want to go to his enemies and preach so in order to run away from the Lord’s face he headed for Tarshish. The reason that Tarshish appears here is Tarshish was Tyre’s trade partner. Tyre traded with countries that were that far away. Tarshish is being told to “wail”. (1) That is because its great trade partner country, Tyre, is going to be destroyed. Then Tarshish who gained profits from Tyre will next lament its own losses and will “wail”. (1)
That is not just Tarshish, but here “Cyprus” (1) also appears. It is an island in the same Mediterranean sea. Cyprus will lament too.
The “people of the island” in verse 2 are the towns of Phoenicia. They are the towns of Tyre and “Sidon” (2). They too by the trading on the Mediterranean by the merchants gained a lot of riches, but they will disappear. “Be silent” (2) is about this. He is telling the people who had spent all their time running around doing business noisily to “be silent” (2) “The grain of the Shihor” in verse 3 is the grain of Egypt. They sold the “the harvest of the Nile,” (3) the harvest from Egypt, to other countries and gained a lot of riches. However, they won’t be able to do this anymore.
In verse 4 “Sidon” appears, Sidon was a town in the same Phoenician area. It was a town 32 km away from Tyre. In the Bible Tyre and Sidon always appear together as a set. “Fortress of the sea” is Tyre. Tyre and Sidon are like someone that has never “been in labor not given birth.”(4) That is they didn’t have to labor, but they gained immense riches. That is what present day economic powers are like. They don’t have any hardships, but by just by moving figures a little tricks others out of lots of money. Today that would be investments like stocks or real estate. It is a trick where you don’t have to do anything, but money accumulates. Money accumulating in of itself is not a problem. However, when money accumulates, without realizing it becomes easy to imagine that you can do anything, and have pride that you can do fine without God. However, there are high risks. Such countries in the course of time will fall.
Luke 6:24,25
“Woe to you who are rich.” (Luke 6:24)
“Woe to you who are well fed now.” (Luke 6:25)
“Woe to you who laugh now.” (Luke 6:25)
The reason is the opposite, “You have already received your comfort.” (Luke 6:24)
“You will go hungry.” (Luke 6:25)
“You will mourn and weep.” (Luke 6:25)
If you think that because you have become rich that you are o.k.; that you don’t have to depend upon God or Jesus and that you can do o.k. by yourself. Or if you think you have a family, savings and health so everything is o.k. Everyone in your family is healthy. Each person in the family is moving toward his goals so you feel relieved. If you have such thoughts, God will bring you down. In the course of time “you will go hungry.” (Luke 6:25) in the course of time “you will mourn and weep.” (Luke 6:25)
Paul said, “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (I Tim. 6:8) That is because “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people who eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (I Tim. 6:9,10) In the exact same way the people of Tyre loved money and wandered from the faith and they “pierced themselves”. (I Tim. 6:10)
Aren’t we the same? Japan is a lot like Tyre. Now it is connected to land, but originally it was a small island country. It was an island country 550 meters away from the land. However, in the course of history when Babylon attacked this island it was difficult for them to be a match in strength in sea fighting so they used debris for landfill and built a road. Therefore, the island became connected to the land. However, it was originally an island country. They didn’t have hardly any resources. They became an economic power and controlled the world because of their seafaring trade. “She became the marketplace of the nations” (3) and amassed great riches. Japan too is a small island. It doesn’t have many resources. It only has technology. Through such skillful ability it stepped out into the whole world, and from the money that they gained they bought out businesses. At one point they were named “an economic animal”.
Next to my wife’s hometown is a town named Napa. There grape vineyards stretch out and it is famous for wine production. In that town many Italians lived there and ran the wineries, but the Japanese have bought out almost all of the wineries. Then not only did they produce wine, but made the wine country a sightseeing spot and gained a large amount of riches. Also JAL bought out the city airport there and made it a pilot training center for their airline. That is because it would be a huge expense to buy land and build an airport in Japan. Japan is really an economical animal. Japan that tries to buy out the real estate in the entire world is exactly the same as Tyre. However, such countries in the course of time fall. When the bubble economy burst and Japan which had had the number 1 GHP in the world was overtaken by China, America and the EU and was setback to fourth place. When someone or a country amasses great riches and are prideful, God removes him. That is not someone else’s affair. It could happen to us.

II. Prideful Tyre (vs. 6-14)
Next please look at verses 6 to 14. First please read verses 6 to 9.
Here “people of the island” (6) appear. This is the same as earlier Tyre and the other Phoenician towns. These “people of the island” (6) are told to “cross over to Tarshish” (6) and to “wail” (6). They are “cross over to Tarshish” (6) and live there. That is because the Phoenician towns will be destroyed. The towns were old towns built between 2,500 B.C. and 2,300 B.C. Here as it says, “Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are renowned in the earth.” (8) Their trading was that renowned. They were the most renowned in the world. Their business was number 1 in the world. It is just the same as the Japanese business world. Japanese business has stepped up in the world. No matter what they do they are successful. 7-11 that began in America was bought out and it’s management was reorganized by Japanese 7-11. Now Japan’s business model is renowned throughout the entire world. Even so “the pride of all glory” (9) will be brought low and will “humble all who are renowned on the earth.” (9) That is because “the LORD Almighty planned it, to bring low the pride of all glory and to humble all who are renowned on the earth.” (9)
Please look at verses 10 and 11.
Tyre was destroyed so Tarshish, it’s trade partner is told to try to find a countermeasure. “The LORD has stretched out his hand over the sea” shows that God has begun his judgment upon Tyre and Sidon who made the sea its stage and gained wealth and fame. The Lord’s judgment by destroying the Phoenician firm and solid fortress caused Phoenicia and many countries to tremble.
Please look at verses 12 to 14.
Sidon who fell from God’s judgment had nothing to be joyful about. That wasn’t just Sidon, but Tyre and the Phoenician towns too. Even though they “cross over to Cyprus,” (12) they will still find no rest. Assyria destroyed the city of Babylon. “and turned it into a ruin.” (12) In the same way Tyre and Sidon will be completely ruined and will look like the Babylon of that time.
Tyre that had shined that much, had perfect beauty, and was full of wisdom turned into ruins. That was because they were prideful. Please open your Bibles to Ezekiel 28:1-19.
This is describing “the ruler of Tyre.” (2) Of course, in the background it is describing the fall of Lucifer, the head of angels. It is interesting that the description of the fall of the head of the angels would be stacked together with the fall of Tyre. The problem was that in his heart he said, “I am a god”(Ezekiel 28:2) out of pride. By his wisdom and understanding he had gained wealth of himself and amassed gold and silver in his treasuries. By his great skill in trading he had increased his wealth, but he thought he was “wise, as wise as a god.” (Ezekiel 28:6) Therefore, God is going to bring the most ruthless of nations against him, condemn him and bring him “down to the pit” (Ezekiel 28:8) He was “the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” (Ezekiel 28;12) However, he was drunk from his wealth. His heart became proud on account of his beauty. He corrupted his wisdom because of his splendor. But he was “a man and not a god.” (Ezekiel 28:2) Even so he committed the sin of pride by thinking that he was god. That is the problem. The origin of evil is pride. It is being prideful and making yourself god. God deposes such people.
Last month at the Olympic held in London and we were given lot’s of inspiration., but especially the men’s 100 meter and 200 meter and 400 meter X4 relay was the center of attention. The Jamaican, Winson Bolt, won. Many people looked forward to watching his running. Especially since last year in the 100 meter race that was held in Taegu, Korea he was disqualified for flying. Also at this year’s Jamaican national championship he lost to his team mate Yohan Blake. People watched to see what kind of race it would be. The results were that Bolt like at the Peking Olympics superbly won the 100, 200, and 400 meter races. It was really wonderful running. Before the Olympics began he constantly said that he was going to be a legend. Until now there has never anyone who has won consecutively the 100 and 200. Therefore, by that he tried to become a legend.
IOC’s President on location who heard this said Bolt’s valuation in Olympic history will be made after he retires. Carl Lewis who entered the Olympics four times and took a medal every time is a legend. If Winson Bolt also could keep his condition and motivation then he could enter the Olympics four times. Now he is just gathering attention, and hasn’t been given enough value to be called a legend.
Bolt said that he himself presumed that if at2 sprint races at 2 continuous Olympics games he won 2 crowns then he would be a legend. However, those around him didn’t see it that way. He only assumed that. It doesn’t matter whether he becomes a legend or not. He only needs to use the talents that God has given him to the best of his ability and worship God’s glory.
Actually Winson Bolt is a Christian, After Bolt obtained the medal, he thanked God and on the Twitter made the following comment. “I am thankful for all that God has done for me. That is because without God I could have done any of this.”
It would have been great if this comment would have appeared all over. However, “Be a legend” came out front in the news reports and he was probably completely misunderstood. Either way, no matter how great a person he is, he is man and cannot be god. If you are proud like you are God, just as God swept Tyre away, He will sweep such people away.
Are you humble before God? No matter how splendid you are, how much wisdom you have, how beautiful you are, how great you are physically, you are a man, not God. Please distinguish this. We must be humble before God.
This was the warning towards Israel and surrounding countries of God’s judgment. First Babylon appeared. That’s because in that age Babylon by its military power controlled the world. Lastly Tyre appeared. That was because by Tyre’s economic power they conquered the world. However, even though they had military power or economic strength, if they were prideful before the Lord, God will “humble all who are renowned on the earth.” (9) The Babylon King, Nebuchadnezzar who the moment he thought that he had gained all his glory by his own strength, “he was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the fathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.” (Daniel 4:33) The moment that a person thinks that they are standing on the top of the world, God’s judgment comes upon them. Every person has a tendency to boast about himself, but we need to boast not about ourselves, but about God. That is because unless we breathe through our nose, we can’t live. We are nothing more than that. If we are going to boast, let’s boast about God. To such a person God will give abundant grace.

III. Tyre who was made victorious (vs. 15-18)
Lastly let’s look at verses 15 to 18.
Here Tyre is likened to a prostitute. “At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the span of a king’s life.” (15) It is thought that this is the period of God’s judgment. This is the period that Assyria attacks Tyre and destroys it. However, when those 70 years are over, Tyre will be restored again. “At the end of seventy years, the LORD will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire as a prostitute and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.” (17) This shows that Tyre will once again be prosperous and reopen their trading with other countries. That trading is likened to a prostitute does not mean that trading in and of itself is sin. It is showing a positive side of doing anything to make a profit. She doesn’t have abstinence so principles, ideology, tradition, honor or such things don’t concern her so she is only concerned with one thing, making money, and she is willing to do anything for money
The end is recorded in verse 18.
“Her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the LORD”! (18) Please look at Ezra 3:7
This is records what it was like when Judah returns from Babylon captivity to Jerusalem, and rebuilds the temple. People from Sidon and Tyre are there. They came from Tyre and Sidon to build the temple. In other words, Tyre was restored into a town where money could be gained by trading. However, this time the money that was made, pay, wealth, and etc. was used for the Lord’s glory. In other words, this shows that the Lord is victorious. Whenever God conquered an area, all the silver and gold were to be dedicated to the Lord. It looked like they were conquered and destroyed by other countries, but in reality God used such countries. Everything happened under that authority of God. Everything was for God’s glory. In the prophecy concerning Cush and Ethiopia, there is this promise. “At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty from a people tall and smooth skinned, from a people-feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, who land is divided by rivers.”
Also 19:25 says, “The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, ’Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.’” This means that Egypt and Assyria will serve the Lord. When this day comes, all peoples of the world are under the control of the Lord. The wealth and power that we gained by our own desires and power will in the end, be placed in God’s kingdom.
This is the Gospel. The Gospel has this much power. When that day comes we will be more than conquerors.
Romans 8:37
“In all these things we are more than conquerors.” (Romans 8:37) No matter how dark it is in the world, no matter how much the enemy, Satan, attacks, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) That is “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1) We are under his control. That victory is promised to us. By the Gospel we are victorious and conquerors.
Let’s believe this. Be thankful that we have entered into God’s grace. And let’s walk in that grace. While praying that others will be added to that grace and let’s work to that end. This is what a conqueror is like.

Applying it to our lives
 In your heart do you have any feelings of being superior? Do you feel like you are a great person like God? How are you humbling yourself?

 Do you feel defeated in your life? Why? Look at God’s victories in history. What hope for the future should you confess?

Today let’s look at the last half of Isaiah 22. Chapter 22 is “an oracle concerning the Valley of Vision.” (1) In other words, it is talking about a prophecy of judgment upon Jerusalem. In last week’s passage Israel did not look to God, but to weapons of war and to securing a water source and to repairing the wall. In other words, they look at humanistic things. They are advised to repent of that sin.
In today’s passage two servants, Shebna and Eliakim appear. By these two servants we are taught how “the Valley of Vision,”(1) Jerusalem, and the people of God, Israel, should be. In other words, as God’s servants they must walk humbly and faithfully.

I. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled (vs.15-19)
First look at verses 15 to 19.
Here the person, Shebna appears. Here it says, “Shebna, who is charge of the palace.” (15) In 36:22 it is written, “Shebna the secretary.” In any case, he was “in charge of the palace” of the King of Judah, Hezekiah. What the Lord says to him is recorded in verse 16.
Shebna wanted a tomb worthy of a king. He was wanted to leave a reminder of his glory. Man makes memorials, and makes　luxurious graves to show how splendid and how great they were. Now too if you go to Jerusalem there are tombs of the past leaders like Absalom. Shebna too wanted to build a luxurious tomb for himself. Since they were surrounded by Assyria and they were in the dangerous condition of being invaded, he was completely off base.
Concerning Shebna what the Lord said is recorded in verses 17 to 19.
“Mighty man“ (17) means a strong person or a brave soldier. It was a word that wasn’t used in normal conversation. The reason that Shebna is called a “mighty man“(17) is because Shebna is not a “mighty man“(17). Like the Lord hurled the mighty man away, the Lord grabbed hold of him and hurled him away. It’s like Judo. Judo athletes grab hold of their opponent’s collar, and using Judo throws hurl their opponent far away. Like this the Lord took a firm hold of Shebna and hurled him away.

Also if you look at verse 18 it says, “He will roll you up tightly like a ball and throw you into a large country.“ This is easy to understand. He will be rolled up tightly like a ball and then thrown “into a large country.” (18) Then he will die there. His end was not the grave, but wide open land. That was because he exalted himself. The Lord said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matt. 23:12)

II. The faithful servants of the God (vs. 20-24)
Next let’s look at verses 20 to 23. First look at verses 20 and 21.
Here another person appears. “Eliakim, son of Hilkiah“. (20) If you look at 36:3 you will see that he was “the palace administrator“. He too served the King of Judah, Hezekiah. The “your“ of verse 21 is Shebna. God will put the robe that Shebna wore on Eliakim, and fasten the sash that Shebna wore on Eliakim, and hand over Shebna’s authority to Eliakin. The authority and status that had been given to Shebna will be given to Eliakim.
The reason is given in verse 20. Here it says, “my servant“. It was because he faithfully persisted in the position that was given him as a servant of God. Shebena exalted himself and he was humbled, but Eliakim persisted in his position as a servant of God and reversely he was exalted. While Eliakim was in a high governmental post, and of high rank, but he was humble before God.
Mark 10:42-45
This is the answer Jesus gave when James and John, the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus and asked to sit on the left and right of Jesus in God’s kingdom. In this world those who are regarded as rulers exercise authority over people. It is not to be with you. It is not like that in the kingdom of God. “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” (Matt. 10:43,44) This is the principle of the kingdom of God. Jesus “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 10:45)
Before in a church there was a woman who retired from a job of many years in an office only. After retirement she served as a paid church secretary. In a church in the city usually there is a young staff, but this church was in the countryside so there weren’t very many young people. Therefore, this person who had been secretary in an everyday business sustained the church. When I had some business with the church, this person often answered the phone. I can’t begin to express what a gentle and kind feeling her response gave and it caused my heart to be soothed.

One day this person after finishing a day of service in the church went home after 5:00 on the train, but about 6:00 she got back on the train and returned to the church. She was afraid that she had forgotten to lock the church.
It feels good to see a young person quickly doing his job, but to see someone like this person earnestly and faithfully serving doing each job like an offering to the Lord has flavor. Even though she is paid, such service cannot be done without a devoted heart.
Shebna used his ranking and position to give himself glory and didn’t serve God, but Eliakim wasn’t like that. As the servant of God, he faithfully performed the duties that were given to him. Each one of his jobs he did from his heart and if he was doing it for the Lord. Therefore, he was used of God. The important thing is to be conscious of yourself as a servant of God and to do the jobs you are given faithfully.
In Matt. 25 there is the story of the servants who received 5 talents, 2 talents, and 1 talent from their Master and how they managed the money. The servants who received 5 talents and 2 talents both made money. However, the servant that received 1 talent hid it in the ground. To the servants that received 5 and 2 talents the Master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt. 25:21,23)
What is interesting is that both the servant that received 5 talents and the servant that received 2 talents were praised the same by their Master. The Master was not happy about the amount of money they said they made, but by how faithful they had been. Such faithfulness is born out of a consciousness that you are a servant of God.
If you look at verse 22 you will see how great an honor was given to Eliakim. Here it says, “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David, what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” Eliakim will receive “the key to the house of David.” (22) “The key to the house of David” (22) is the authority as king. He will be given the final authority on decisions. “What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” (22) He will be given that much authority.
This passage is quoted in Rev. 3:7. The Lord Jesus writes in a letter that is sent to the church in Philadelphia about himself, “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut and what he shuts no one can open.” Jesus holds the keys to heaven. What the Lord “opens no one can shut and what he shuts no one can open.” (Rev. 3:7) The Lord has the authority to

open and close the doors to heaven. It is such a great an authority that he has the authority to determine man’s eternity. Eliakim is a type of Jesus and paints his image. He is given that much authority.
The Lord Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia in verse 8 of Rev. chapter 3, “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”
“An open door that no one can shut” (Rev. 3:8) is the gate to the kingdom of heaven. The door to heaven is open to them. This is because they have little strength, yet they have kept God’s word and have not denied the name of the Lord. In other words, they were faithful to the Lord.
The real value of the church is not its appearance or numbers. Even if there are few people, and it is seen as being in poverty, it doesn’t make any difference. Its real value depends on whether there is true faith or not, whether the Christians are following the Word of God or not. That is the foundation of our life of faith. If we make the Word of God the foundation of our life then this will be seen in us testifying to Christ. There are Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Shintoism and other many various new religions, but what is important is not that among these religions that you believe in Christianity. It is not that you are acting like a Christian. What is important is that you have a faithful faith in the Word of God. The Church of Philadelphia had such a faithful faith in the word of God.
Last week I spoke at a symposium entitled, “Thinking about evangelism in local areas”. A pastor and his wife who evangelize in Sado in Niigata prefecture attended. From the time they started evangelizing in Sado with a population between 50,000 to 60,000 people, 16 years ago until now only a few people have gathered. He said it feels like he is preaching to the tatami mats every week. I thought how hard it must be to evangelize in such a situation. Under such conditions he attended the symposium and received encouragement from the Lord and is faithfully serving the Lord where he was sent to. I think it is the Philadelphia Church of Japan.
When we go to heaven there will be Billy Graham (But he is still living) who has led hundreds of thousands, millions of people to Christ and there may be a son and his mother who brought up the son wonderfully in Christ. They will both receive the same reward and praise from the Lord. The important thing is whether we are a faithful servant of God or not.

Please look at verse 23. Here it says, “I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will be a seat of honor for the house of his father.” “Him”, and “he” (23) is Eliakim, but at the same time it is also a prophecy about Jesus Christ. That is because the words of verse 22 also refer to Christ. “I will drive him like a peg into a firm place” refers to the cross. This “peg” was normally the Hebrew word used for the peg the holds the tabernacle securely in place. In order to hold the tabernacle securely in place, a peg had to be driven into firm ground. By doing so lasting prosperity and success will come to David’s house. This peg is Eliakim and it is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ’s cross is the foundation of God’s house. It is the firm ground. It will become the glory of the kingdom of God. It is the firm ground of our life.
What is the foundation of your life? The cross is the firm foundation of your life. If you nail your life on this firm ground, that will be your glory and it will bring you lots of prosperity and security.

III. Believe in Christ (vs. 25)
Therefore, the third point is to believe in Christ. Please look at verse 25.
This is a difficult passage to interpret. Many commentaries say that “the peg driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down” (25) means that Eliakim like Sｈebｎa　will eventually fall from power due to his depravity. However, it is more than that.
Here the words, “in that day” (25) are written. “In that day” is one of the key words of Isaiah. I have already said many times that means that Isaiah is talking more about something that will occur at a much later time than about the age of Isaiah.
Here “the peg”, Jesus Christ who was driven “into a firm place” and provided security for Israel “will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.” (25)
John 1:11,12
Christ “came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” (John 1:11) Israel rejected the peg which was driven “into a firm foundation”. (23) Therefore, that salvation will be taken away and will be given to the Gentiles. However, “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12) The Jews did not receive Jesus as their Savior so they will be cut down. Christ was the Messiah and who we should accept and believe in. If we don’t, we are the same as the Jews and will be cut down.

Have you accepted Christ? Do you believe in Him and are you saved? So that you are not cut off, open your eyes up big, and receive his salvation. Jesus who died on the cross and 3 days later rose again is our savior. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) Satan attacks us in many ways trying to get us to take our eyes off Christ. He says things like “You really don’t have to believe in Christ” or “I can live freely even if I don’t go to church every week” or “More important than believing in God that I can’t see is to understand the reality of the world from the internet.” Like this Satan tries to get us to reject Christ. However, there is no salvation in that. “The peg driven “into a firm foundation will give way.” (25) To all who receive Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose again three days late, “to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12) This is the starting point for being a servant of God. As a servant of Christ let’s accept Christ, and desire to live in his grace. Upon each one of you who live believing in Him, may God’s grace and blessings be upon you.

Applying it to our lives
 Do you have thoughts that you want to leave a name for yourself? Or do have thoughts of desiring to put yourself above God.

 Are you doing the duties that have been given to you with a servant’s heart humbly and sincerely? When the Lord sees you serving, what will he say?

Today I would like to talk about the first half of Isaiah 22. In verse 1 it says, “An oracle concerning the Valley of Vision.” “The valley of vision” (1) is Jerusalem . Jerusalem is called “the Valley of Vision” (1) because the prophet Isaiah talked about many visions in Jerusalem. Jerusalem was surrounded by mountains like a valley and visions were revealed there so it was called “the Valley of Vision”. (1)
The prophecies up to now were concerning the surrounding countries around Israel and Judah. However, here suddenly the prophecy is talking about Jerusalem because Jerusalem has up until now as Isaiah says, has not believed in the real God, and depended on the power of man. In this respect they were no different than the pagan countries. You must not feel secure just because you are the people of God . To show this God is speaking words of warning to Jerusalem. Today let’s learn three things from the words of the oracle concerning Jerusalem .

I. Jerusalem, a city of tumult (vs. 1-4)
Please look at verses 1 to 4. Verse 1 and the first part of verse 2 say, “What troubles you now, that you have all gone up on the roofs, 0 town full of commotion, 0 city of tumult and revelry.”
The roofs of the houses in Jerusalem were flat and you could go up onto the roofs. The people enjoyed the cool evening breeze on the rooftop. Like a beer garden, they drank beer, watched festivals, and entertained people there . They had “all gone up on the roofs.”
(1) The reason they had gone to the roof tops is given as “O town full of commotion, 0 city of tumult and revelry.” (2) “Commotion” (2) means to be noisy, loud, uproarious , hyper, lively, or buzzing. “Tumult” (2) means a confused , noisy, and excited situation . They were enjoying the pleasures of this world and they were having a blowout. However, for the prophet Isaiah, for the people of Jerusalem to go up on the roof tops and have a blowout was a very unthinkable thing. That was because the situation was certainly not one in which they should be partying. God’s judgment was coming upon them because of their sin. They were in the danger of being destroyed by the country of Assyria. They needed to be saddened by their sin, and repent to the Lord, but they did exactly the opposite .
Look at verses 2 and 3.
This was not a special onetime event. It is thought that this is referring to the time they were threatened by Assyria and later when Jerusalem was besieged by Babylonia. ”Your slain were not killed by the sword, nor did they die in battle .” (2) refers to when Judah was destroyed by Babylon, and when the people were exiled they didn’t die by

the enemy killing them by stabbing them with swords, but because of having to share a small amount of food, they killed each other. “All your leaders have fled together; they have been captured” refers to King Zedekiah and his army which looked for a chance and fled, but on the way were captured and taken to Babylon.
The reason this happened was because they didn’t think about God and thought only about themselves. Jerusalem was called “The Valley of vision” (I) so they were supposed to receive the visions of the Lord . However, they didn’t accept the visions, didn’t bow before the Lord, and were pulled by the pleasures of the world. Even if you are the people of God, if you live like the people of the world, God’s judgment will come. That’s because Romans 2:11 says, “For God does not show favoritism.” No matter if you are Jewish or Greek, “there will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil…but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good.” (Romans 2:9, 10) Just because you are the people of God does not mean you are exempt from God’s judgment. Even if you are the people of God, if you live like the world, God’s judgment will come upon you.
Are you accepting the Lord’s visions, accepting the Lord’s will and coming humbly before God or are you making contentment in your life your priority? Israel’s problem was this. They felt secure in the fact that they were the people of God and their faith didn’t actually penetrate into their lives. On the roof tops they led an idle life. They thought only about themselves and didn’t think about God . We who are by the grace of God have been given salvation through our Lord Jesus, so let’s determine what is good, pleasing and God’s will, and walk in the will of God.
Please look at verse 4. There are the words of Isaiah, Isaiah looked at the judgment of God coming upon Jerusalem and he wept bitterly. He was so moved that he refused consolation requesting, “Do not try to console me.” (4) God’s judgment as coming upon those he loved. Just thinking about that, Isaiah was saddened and depressed. Are you like Isaiah weeping bitterly and lamenting over your daughter’s destruction? How saddened are you by the fact that those you love will be judged and go to hell? How do you feel about those in God’s family who because of living by the world, will be judged? Are you like Isaiah saddened, depressed and lamenting? We must pray that they will return to the Lord.

IL What we need is God (vs. 5-11)
Next let’s look at verses 5 to 11. First let’s read verses 5 to 7.
Suddenly danger came upon the people of Jerusalem when they thought everything was o.k. and were living in .a happy-go•lucky fashion as they had always done

up until then. Assyria came and besieged Jerusalem. The valley of Jerusalem was filled with chariots, soldiers, and horsemen. They stood in line in front of the entrance to the city of Jerusalem and they planned to knock down the walls. “Elam” and “Kir” were towns or areas that fought in the Assyrian army in the attack upon Jerusalem.
The way that Israel (Jerusalem) responded to this situation is in verse 8. “The defenses of Judah are stripped away. And you looked in that day to the weapons in the Palace of the Forest.” (8) When they fell into such a situation, they first of all they looked to “weapons”. (8) At such times if they would have returned to the Lord God, it would have been great, but they didn’t look to God, but to weapons. It was a strategy of how was the best way to fight.
That wasn’t all, please look at verse 9. Here it says, “You saw that the City of David had many breaches in its defenses; you stored up water in the Lower Pool.” This was to secure a water source. The king of Judah, Hezekiah thought that when Assyria came to attack, if they cut off the water source, it would be the end for them so Hezekiah built a tunnel from the Gihon spring to a cistern inside the city’s wall. This greatly reduced Jerusalem’s vulnerability to siege by guaranteeing a continuing water supply. This tunnel became famous and was called “Hezekiah’s tunnel”. Hezekiah brought water from Gihon and “built a reservoir between the two walls .” (11) This pool was called the pool of Siloam which later appears in John 9:7 in the New Testament. When Jesus healed a blind man who had been blind since birth, he made mud from spit and put the mud on the blind man’s eyes and told the man, “Go…wash in the Pool of Siloam.” (John 9:7) The man went and washed and he was able to see. That was this pool. It was the pool that was made by Hezekiah to prepare for the attack by Assyria.
That’s not all. Please look at verse 10. It says, “You counted the buildings in Jerusalem and tore down houses to strengthen the wall.” They strengthened the wall .
We are impressed by Hezekiah’s actions at that time. He thought of all kinds of defending strategies. He was prepared for an attack of Assyria. “But…” (11) Starting in the middle of verse 11 it says, “But you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.”
The Lord God didn’t appreciate Hezekiah’s actions. That was because he did not do the most important thing of looking to God. He “did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.” (11) He didn’t look to the Creator, the Lord God: “the One who made” Jerusalem, “the One who made” water, “the One who made” the wall, and who is the source of all things that are made. He did not “have regard for the One who planned it long ago.” (11) He looked to things that he could see like weapons, securing water, and strengthening the wall.

If you look at II Chronicles 32, the background for this passage , you will see that Hezekiah prepared for the attack of the Assyrian king Sennacherib by securing a water source, rebuilding the wall, and making a huge amount of spears, but at the same time he depended upon the Lord. Let’s open our Bible and look at this in II Chronicles 32:7, 8.
II Chronicles 32:7, 8.
Aren’t these great words! These are the words Hezekiah spoke to the “military officers over the people” (II Chronicles 32:7) when the Assyrian King Sennacherib attacked. Here Hezekiah says that even if Assyria attacks, they will not be shaken. He declares “there is a greater power with us than” (II Chronicles 32:7) the army that is with the Assyrian King Sennacherib.
If you look at these words, it certainly looks like Hezekiah was trusting in God. However, he didn’t know what depending on God meant . He certainly realized that God was great and that God was a greater power than the army that was with the enemy. He believed that God would fight for him. However, he didn’t humble himself and pray. He didn’t pour out his heart and pray, “What I really need is you .” With his mouth he was confessing that our Lord is great, but he was caught up in things he could see: weapons , securing a water source, repairing the wall , etc. When Hezekiah really started to look to the Lord was after this when Sennacherib said to the people of Jerusalem , “On what are you basing your confidence …How then can your god deliver you from my hand? Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him.” (II Chron. 32:10, 14) At that time “King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this.” (II Chronicles 32:20)
In the midst of a serious crisis, King Hezekiah, poured out his heart in prayer to heaven before the Lord. Therefore , “the LORD sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king.” (II Chronicles 32:21) In other words, Judah was saved because Hezekiah poured out his heart and desperately prayed. He didn’t just believe in his head that the Lord was great, but left everything in the hands of God . It is not a bad thing to prepare for an attack of the enemy by preparing weapons, securing a water source, and repairing the wall. It is important to do what you can do. However, that is not everything. On top of doing those things, also we need to leave it in the hands of the Lord. We need to confess that we need God , that God is our help, our rock , our fortress, our refuge and our deliver and humbly pray.
When you have problems in your life, how do you solve the problem? Do you put into action to the best of your ability a strategical solution? Even so, why do you have anxiety in your heart? Why are you fearful? That is because you are not bowing before

God and praying. It is because you aren’t desperately praying, “God, help me! You are salvation.” You are thinking that I will do• this or I will do that. However, what is really necessary is to pray, “In you only there is salvation.” To search for a solution and tackle a problem is not in or itself bad. However, ultimately we must bow before the Lord, humble ourselves and in prayer seek the Lord.

III. The calling of the Lord (Vs. 12-14)
The third point is what we should do. We should repent and seek God. Please look at verses 12 to 14.
“To weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth” (12) is a call to repent . Even though the Lord is saying to Israel to fast and repent , they took completely the opposite attitude. They thought if they are going to die tomorrow, they might as well stuff themselves with the food they like and do whatever they wanted to. Until the end they sought after pleasures.
This is what people who don’t believe in God are like. For people that don’t believe in God this world is everything. They think that while living in this world they must enjoy everything that they can enjoy.
I. Cor. 15:32
False teachings that there is no resurrection of the dead had entered the Corinthian church. Towards these people Paul is warning that if there is no resurrection of the dead then our life upon this earth will be a life of only searching after pleasure. The hope of the resurrection, eternal life, is not just doctrine. It is an important teaching that markedly determines our daily life.
Paul is confessing that every day is a continuous death. His life as an evangelist was continuous persecutions and hardships. Every day after day he went through the experience of death. He was able to be content with taking that road because those who die for Christ will be raised in the life of Christ. Those who die for Christ have the hope that when they go to heaven they will receive a huge reward. Because he had such a hope he was able to endure the struggles. If he didn’t have that hope, if he didn’t believe in that hope, the things on this earth would be everything. If death is the end, if everything becomes nothing, only ashes, then your life will be spent enjoying the things you like.
Therefore, the Lord says in verse 14, “The LORD Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: ‘Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for’, says the Lord, the LORD Almighty.”
Saying God “has revealed this in my hearing” is an unique phrase. This shows
that God spoke especially strongly to the prophet. The contents of what he spoke is, “Till

. your dying day this sin will not be atoned for.” (14) This sin is ignoring God’s warning, desiring the pleasures of this world and running around. Man who was made to reflect God’s glory, but didn’t worship God, and lived by his own desires. This sin will “Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for.” (14) Once they die there is no chance to repent and be forgiven. It also means that until they die too there is no chance that their sin will be atoned for. Their sin was that huge .
The result was until they die they will be in the same condition. That was the Babylon deportation. If we think that because we are the people of God we are o.k., because we are Christians its o.k. and become separated from the will of God, and put our life into our own hands, then we will be the same.
Therefore, repent and return to God. Then God will forgive you. Weep, wail, “tear out your hair and put on sackcloth”. (12) “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart . 0 God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17) We need to humble ourselves before God praying , “all I need is you. Only you are my salvation .” This is what God desires of us.
Applying it to our lives
• Are you listening to God’s Word and accepting it as God’s will, and humbly following it? Or are you giving your own thinking priority?

• When difficulties arise in your life, how are you solving them? Do you plan solutions by your own strength? Let’s humble ourselves before God and pray for God to help us.

• Do you have thoughts of “Let’s drink. Let’s eat for tomorrow we’ll die”? How are you confessing the hope of eternal life in your life?

From Isaiah 13 on Isaiah is warning of God’s judgment on the nations surrounding Israel. Until now he has spoken about Babylon, Assyria, Philistine, Moab, Damascus, Cush and Egypt. In today’s passage he is talking about Babylon again, then Edom and also Arabia. From these prophecies to these countries today I would like to talk about the hope and power of living in that age.

I. God doesn’t show favoritism (vs. 1-10)
Please look at verses 1 and 10. Let’s read verses 1 and 2.
“Desert by the Sea” (1) is Babylon. While Babylon is desert, the Tigris and Euphrates, huge rivers that look like an ocean, flow through it so it is called a “Desert by the Sea”. (1) This is a prophecy concerning Babylon. Chapter 13 and 14 is about Babylon. Here again Babylon is talked about.
This is a “dire vision”. (2) In verse 2 it says, “The traitor betrays, the looter takes loot.” “Elam” is Persia. Persia along with Media will attack Babylon. This was fulfilled 200 years after Isaiah prophesized this. In chapters 44 and 45 this is prophesized giving the name of the Persian king, Cyrus, who will destroy Babylon. It happened just as it was prophesized. At the time that Isaiah prophesized this Media and Persia were still small countries. It was Assyria that was in full flourish at that time. After that Babylon rose up, but this Babylon would later be destroyed by the allied forces of Persia and Media. It happened just as it is said here. This is the greatness of Biblical prophecy. What the Lord says always is fulfilled.
Please look at verses 3 to 5. Here describes what the destruction of Babylon will be like. In verse 5 it says, “They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields!” “They” (5) is Babylon’s king Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, Belshazzar. They gave a great banquet at the palace. Suddenly the allied forces of Persia and Media attacked. The detailed account is recorded in Daniel 5 so later please look at that. Belshazzar used “the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem” (Daniel 5:2) to drink wine with and worshipped gods made from stone and wood. Suddenly a hand appeared there and wrote some letters on the wall. Belshazzar who “was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way,” (Daniel 5:6) so he called David and asked him what it meant. It was a message that Belshazzar had been measured in the light of God’s standards and was “found wanting”. (Daniel 5:27) His reign is over and his kingdom will be divided in two. That night Media and Persian came and destroyed Babylon.
Babylon which was said to be impregnable was destroyed in a flash. Babylon was enclosed by a stone wall 90 meters high, 24 meters wide and its length extended over tens of kilometers. They were off guard thinking that no one could break through this stone wall. Media and Persia didn’t break through the wall, but how they did it was they used the water system and they were able to gain entry inside the walled city. Babylon who never dreamed they would be attacked was in one night destroyed. Exactly like the prophecy of Daniel, Belshazzar’s rule ended.
Even so when Isaiah talks about the condition of Babylon, he says in verse 3, “At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear.”
It was so brutal so Isaiah’s “body is racked with pain” (3) and he was “staggered”. (3) It was more than he could stand to hear or see. Isaiah’s heart ached. His heart ached watching Babylon not listen to God’s warning and being destroyed.
How about us? When we see those who if they don’t believe in the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ will go to eternal destruction, are our bodies “racked with pain”? (3) We have believed in Jesus and are saved so we are o.k., but what about our families and friends? They will perish. They will fall into hell. There is no other name except Jesus Christ in which they can be saved. It is sad if they don’t believe in Jesus and go to hell. Our hearts will be in pain. It will be more than we can stand to see or hear. So that that doesn’t happen, we must preach the words of salvation, and pray that many people will believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. If we see such people and don’t think anything about it, then we are a people without compassion. Let’s have the same heart as God that feels for others.
Verses 6 to 9 report what it was like when Media and Persia entered Babylon. “This is what the Lord says to me: Go post a lookout and have him report what he sees. When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert.’ And the lookout shouted, ‘Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post, Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!’” (6-9)
The allied forces of Media and Persia used not only chariots and horses, but donkeys and camels too. The lookout at the lookout is called. When the allied forces of Media and Persia came and destroyed Babylon, the lookout excitedly called out, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen! “ (9) He calls out twice that Babylon has fallen. “Babylon has fallen, has fallen!” (9) That is how stirred up he is. It shows how surprising it was that Babylon which was thought of as never falling had been destroyed. Babylon that was said would never be destroyed was in this way destroyed. This happened 200 years after the age of Isaiah. At the same time this is a prophecy of events at the end of the world. In other words, it is the destruction of “Babylon the Great” of Rev. 18:2. This “Babylon the Great” (Rev. 18:2) is powers that are against God, the system of evil. At the end of the world, evil will inevitably be judged.
Please look carefully at verse 10. Here it says, “O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD Almighty, from the God of Israel.” “My people, crushed on the threshing floor” (10) refers to Israel. Isaiah is prophesizing beforehand what is going to happen to the countries surrounding Israel. Not only the surrounding countries, but Israel too must hear what is being said. They must feel as if it were one’s own affair. It should not be put off as no concern of theirs. They must not think that they were a holy people chosen by God and so they had no relationship to what was being said. Rather you are no different from the neighboring countries so listen carefully to the message and you must accept it seriously. .
This is what the New Testament says too. Please open your Bibles to Romans 2:5-11.
Romans 2:5-11
“God does not show favoritism.” (Romans 2:11) Because you are the people of God, because you are Israel, because you are a holy people doesn’t mean that its o.k. to do anything. Even if you are the people of God, if you “reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” (Romans 2:8) “For God does not show favoritism.” (Romans 2:11) “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Romans 2:9,10) Even if you a Jew, even if you are a Christian, if you sin and are forever hardened and don’t repent, then like Babylon you will be judged. Therefore, Isaiah says here, “I tell you.” (10) You must feel as if it is your own affair. If you are the same as them, you will experience the same things they will.
Isaiah said, “O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD Almighty, from the God of Israel.”(10) I ask you, “Are you saved? Are you certain that you have received eternal life? Are you 100% sure that you are going to heaven? If not, without fail, don’t be embarrassed, now make a decision. If you believe in Jesus as Lord and if you confess it with your mouth, “you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) Your eternal destiny is decided by this. By how you look at Jesus Christ your life is determined. Those who confess Jesus at Lord are citizens of heaven. Those who don’t will be judged. They will go to hell. There are some people who don’t want to go to heaven or hell, but they want to go to China. However, that is not an option. You must choose heaven or hell.

II. Morning isn’t coming, there is no night (Vs. 11,12)
The second point is that morning isn’t coming and there is no night. Please look at verses 11 and 12.
This is a prophecy concerning Dumah. “Dumah” (11) is Edom. Edom was the descendants of the older son of the twins, Esau and Jacob. “Dumah”(11) is another name for Edom. If you look at a map, you will see that it is south of Moab. This is a prophecy “concerning Dumah”. (11)
“Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?” (11) The “watchman” (11) is like the night guards in Japan. Here Isaiah is being called a “Watchman”.(11)
“Watchman, what is left of the night?” (11) Isaiah is being asked how much of the night is still left. Assyria being attacked is being spoken in similitude to night. They are asked by Seir, the Edomites about what the future holds, how long the night will be.
Isaiah’s answer is in verse 12. “Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.” “Morning is coming” (12) means that morning will certainly come. This is hope. There isn’t a night where morning does not come. It certainly comes. They may be destroyed by Assyria, but even so for sure morning will come. The captured people will certainly be freed. That is morning. However, again night will come. For morning to come means that night will also come. This is what occurs on the earth. Certainly Assyria attacked Edom and swallowed it up, but that is not the end. When the long night of Assyria oppression is over, a short “morning” will precede a Babylonian rule. After the morning comes night will come again. This is the watchman’s proclamation. “If you would ask, then ask” (12) means come and ask how the world affairs will be. God’s word will tell you so “come back yet again.” (12) This is the prophecy concerning Edom.
This is what will certainly occur at the end of the world. At the end of the world night will come. God’s judgment will come on a larger scale than ever before. Unheard-of disasters, and a convulsion of nature will come. It may have already started to come. However, it will come on a bigger scale. It will occur at the end of the world in the great tribulation. Such an age will come. The night will come.
Our age is surely moving towards night. A completely dark day is near. The world is gradually getting darker and darker. If you look at the daily news, it has only dark news. There is hardly any bright news. It seems like every day tragic incidents occur. The other day there was a shooting in a movie theater in Denver, Colorado. Several people died and several were injured. Such things are everyday occurrences. A long time ago what were considered unthinkable atrocious incidents became and will become more continuous. Already when we see such news or hear such things, we no longer think much about it. We’re used to it. It has become that ordinary. The world has become that sick. It is become darker and darker. However, if you asked Jesus Christ, he would say those are the signs of the end of the world. Matt. 24:12 says, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” People “will grow cold.” (Matt. 24:12) Certainly now is such an age. Parents unashamedly kill children. Children too unashamedly kill their parents. It is such an age!
Please open your Bibles to II Timothy 3;1-5. Here is recorded what the conditions of the end of the world will be.
II Timothy 3:1-5
This is the end of the world. This will increase during the tribulation period. At that time “people will be lovers of themselves.” (II Timothy 3:2) They will only be concerned about themselves. They will be self-lovers. They will be selfish. They will want to show off themselves and what they can do. They will want to be the center of attention. Therefore things like murdering a person that walks past occurs. The person wants attention so it doesn’t matter to them who they murder. They wanted to kill. They wanted to stand out. They wanted to be featured in the mass media. For that reason people are being killed. “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful…lovers of pressure rather than lovers of God.” (II Timothy 3:2,4) Such people will prevail. We find many reasons like “They’re adolescents” or “recently young people leave a lot to be desired”, but the real reason is different. They have no love. Their love is cold. The end of the world is near.
The Bible clearly says that the world will not get better. Civilization has developed and life has become convenient, and the world should be brighter. But it isn’t. The world is getting darker. A greater age of tribulation will come. The end of the world is coming. A good old fashioned age will not come. No matter how hard mankind tries, society will become only worst. I am a probation officer. Every year at this time we go out on the street and do a “Making society bright campaign”. We pass out Kleenex and try to educate and enlighten the people we talk to. Through conversations with junior highers, we encourage the junior highers to have hope. However, society doesn’t become bright. It is becoming darker and darker.
No matter how dark society becomes we must definitely not give up. We shouldn’t become negative. Rather we Christians should expect morning to come. We can’t avoid night coming, but we need to look forward to morning coming.
That morning is the Lord Jesus’ second coming. The Lord Jesus will come to meet us. He will return again to meet his bride, the church. At that time we will be resurrected in a resurrection body like our Lord Jesus, a body that is imperishable, a risen glorious body. In a moment we will be taken up into the clouds, and in the sky will meet the Lord. Then we will be forever with the Lord. That is the time when our salvation will be completed, and the time of greatest joy. This is morning for Christians. It is the morning of hope. This is something that seems like a dream that non-Christians can’t believe in. It sounds absurd. You may think this may never happen, but it is written right in the Bible.
I Thess. 5:9
Christ is called the morning star. It is the first star to break through the darkness. It is morning. Therefore, for those who believe in Christ the end of the world does not mean that the future is all black. Rather it is a time for us to shine in hope with our hearts bulging in the expectation that morning will come soon. No matter how dark this world is for sure morning will come. There is no night when morning does not come.
Therefore, how do we see this age? Are you anxious about what will happen to this country that has a national debt of over \1,000,000,000,000,000? Even if you say that you have no personal debt, each person has a several million yen debt that all citizens including babies must bear. Someday this country may go bankrupt. We can’t be certain about our social security. The young people have no future. Yen is currently high. There is no hope for the future and the world is only getting darker. However Christians have hope. It is not necessary to become hopeless. We have a living hope. In addition eternal living hope has been given to us. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we have hope. Then the morning that Christians bring will not become night. If you read Revelations, there is no night in heaven. That is because the lamb, Jesus Christ becomes the light and shines.
This hope is given to us. Someday it will be like this. Not only that but it will be in the near future. Our Lord Jesus may come back tonight. Are you prepared? So that we are o.k. whenever our Lord Jesus returns we should be awake and prepared. “Since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet” (I Thess. 5:8) and we should wait expectantly for the morning.
Someone called to the watchman from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?” (11) Already the night had considerably advanced, and morning was approaching. Christians must become watchmen and proclaim this to other people. Tonight go to the city and see. It is not just young people that are loitering around. There are people who have turned adrift. Many people don’t know why they are living. They are many who are just meeting death. Recently there have been big reports about the problem of bullying in schools. They need the message of the watchman. It is necessary that you preach the message of hope as a watchman to those who think that they only will not die. Someday they will die. It is necessary to preach that our life is short.

III. Take refuge in the Lord (Vs. 13-17)
Lastly let’s look at the prophecy concerning Arabia. Please look at verses 13 to 17.
Arabia is present day South Arabia. The name means “desert”. Assyria will attack this desert. It says that the Dedanites, an Arabian tribe of merchants were camped “in the thickets of Arabia.” (13) However, another Arabian town Tema, is told to meet the merchants of Dedanites and give them water and food.
The reason that they should watch over the Dedanite merchants was because “they flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle.. Before in the message concerning the Moabites, it was said, “be their shelter from the destroyer.” (16:4) God’s will was that Judah become a shelter for the refugees and help them.
Even so Dedan was 130 km away the way the bird flies from Tema. 130 km. SE from Dedan is Tema. These two towns were only separated by 130 km., but one had refuges and the other was to be a shelter for the refuges. If you research both towns, they are both towns in the desert. Even though they are both in the desert, Tema was an oasis with abundant underground water running through it. It was famous for its fountain from the underground water. The reason given of why Tema helps has to do with this water. Even though they were both cities in the same desert Tema had enough water to quench the thirst of the thirsty,
Christ said, “I am living water”. Anyone who drinks the water that Christ gives will never thirst. It will become a spring within him, and “streams of living water will flow from within him.” (John 7:38) Christ is our real refuge. If we take our refuge in him, He will give us the water and bread that we need. If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believe in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living waster will flow from within him.” (John 7:38)
Who are you finding refuge in? Come to Jesus Christ. If so you will never be thirsty. No matter how dark it is in the world, morning will certainly come. That is the hope and power for living in this age.

Applying it to our lives
 Do you have the preconceived idea that because you are a Christian that all is o.k.? Do you have something that you should be repenting of?

 For you what is darkness? How are you walking in the darkness? Let’s wait expectantly for the second coming of Christ, the light that shines in the darkness,