The Supremacy of Jesus Christ
By Pastor Matt Black
12
March 2006
Lord's Day evening
Isaiah 2:6-22
Introduction: Open your Bibles to the book of Isaiah chapter 2. Last time we looked at Isaiah, we saw the kingdom that Christ promised. The promises of His Kingdom were great, but not great enough to wake up the heart of wicked man. Only the Law and the threat of judgment can awaken man out of his self-righteous stupor. God’s invitation was clear in 1:5, “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.” It is an invitation that man, left to himself, always rejects. And so God through the prophet Isaiah gives an up to the minute assessment of how things really were in Judah and Israel.
I. We see a Day of Sin in Christless living. (v 6-11)
6 Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob,
This is not a total forsaking of His people, but a temporary turning away from them. For God has promised that He will “not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people” (1 Samuel 12:22). Actually, Psalm 94:14 explains exactly what is happening here, “the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. 15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.” Here God is judging Israel to divide the tares from the wheat, and to show who are His servants and who are playing games with God. The wheat and tares “grow together until the harvest” (Matthew 13:29). Many tares call themselves by the name of God’s people. Remember:
Romans 9:6-8
For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children… 8 They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
What God is doing here is having an earthly judgment day to purify His people.
1 Peter 4:17 “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God,” and you can count on the fact that any time God judges His people, those who are counterfeits are exposed!
Many who are among the people of God even today will be exposed as frauds on the great day of judgment.
Matthew 7:22 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
So we can always thank God for His judgment on His people.
But what exactly brought this judgment on?
because they be replenished from the east,
1. They are replenished (filled) with superstitions from the east. What a contrast we see in this verse! At the end of verse 2, we saw that one day “all nations would flow” into the “house of the God of Jacob” and God himself would teach them His ways (2:3), but right now other nations are flowing into Zion and influencing it with idolatry. God’s people would one day be filled with teaching from the Lord, but right now they are filled with the world’s teaching. Instead though of being filled with that teaching, they are being taught by what is coming from the east in Syria.
and are soothsayers like the Philistines,
2. They are also called “soothsayers like the Philistines.” The nation of God’s children is now becoming like the uncircumcised of heart. Instead of trusting God, they trust the stars and mystical readings. Whenever God’s truth is laid aside, people become superstitious. Why do people today call psychics and palm readers? Why do people put a rabbit’s foot in their pocket? They are trusting in dumb idols! God has strong words for those who trust in man instead of the Living God.
Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
and they please themselves in the children of strangers.
3. They are best friends are strangers of God. They began to befriend the children of the world. Paul clearly tells us how foolish this is:
2 Corinthians 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And again, John tells us those who love the world know NOT the grace of God.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
So we see that the professing house of Jacob lived for sin and were being forsaken of God. They surely thought they were ok. They were blind because…
7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures;
The idea here in this verse is that the land was “chaulked full”—it was full and overflowing—its cup was running over, not with God’s blessing, but with gold, and silver and treasures. In Deuteronomy 17:17 the king is told “neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.” The people were not to trust in the power of finances and wealth, but in God. Instead they were coveting this world’s goods and hoarding all they could for themselves. They were living as if earthly possession will last forever.
Besides that, God’s people are always the “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:
They were also trusting in the arm of the flesh to defend them.
Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.
Isaiah 31:1 makes it very clear, “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!”
So here the professing house of Jacob is forsaken of God, filled with an insatiable desire for this world’s riches, and also, we see in verse 8, following idolatry.
8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:
Application: Dear people of God, be careful what you bring into your home. Go through your home, and rid it of idols! Go through your viewing time, and repent of any idolatry. We as the people of God need radical amputation when it comes to that which binds us together with the children of hell!
Matthew 18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
So the land is filled with idols, they trust in riches, and they are friends with the world! Those who live that way know not God and will never be forgiven!
9 And the mean man (Adam—common man) boweth down, and the great man (Ish—king, or privileged person) humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Those who are not born of Christ, are doomed to hell. Their fruit will tell whether they are children of God or children of the devil.
Luke 6:43
A good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
When John the Baptist saw the Pharisees coming his way to be baptized as a sign of their repentance, he said to them “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:” (Matthew 3:8).
Those who “obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ… shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).
So we see the Day of Christless living will always end in destruction for all Christ deniers!
II. But we must always look toward the Day of the Supremacy of Christ over all.
The LORD gives a warning to not only the professing house of Jacob (those who profess to know the LORD), but to all people concerning God’s coming Day of wrath!
10 Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.
Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Dear friend, you may try to hide on that day, but it will be useless. You will try to hide, but it will be like an oncoming train with you frozen with fear in the middle of the tracks. It will happen so quickly that you will not even have time to hide.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
You will not hide, but you will be humbled!
11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
Psalm 73:19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
Be humbled today! Do not wait until the day of Christ!
Matthew 5:3-5 tells us, “3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
Be broken; be contrite; be humbled!
Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
You will be humbled on that day. Though you resist and resist now, there is coming a day when you WILL bow the knee to King Jesus!
So, on the Day of Christ’s coming, you will try to hide, but you will not be able to; you will be humbled, and on that day…
12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
1. The Calloused will bow before Him.
You see “God also hath highly exalted [Jesus], and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
2. All Creation will bow before Him.
13 And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, 14 And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,
The entire earth will be dissolved by the power of the Lord! They will be bowed down and destroyed!!!
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
3. All human Covers will be exposed.
15 And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall
Our comfort zones will be eternally destroyed! Do you thing a tower or a wall can stop the omnipotent hand of God’s wrath against you? Perhaps you will drown out the Lord with alcohol or music or sensuality—Do you think those things will protect you from any of that?
4. All Commerce will bow to Christ’s economy.
16 And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.
There is coming a day when the stock market will crash permanently. There will be no more commerce. Money will mean nothing. Don’t you understand that God owns you? He owns all things!
Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD‘S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
5. The Crown will belong to King Jesus alone!
a. All Pride will be abased.
17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
You may fight against the Lord today, but there is coming a day when you will fight no longer!
Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
If you make war with the Lamb you shall be overcome!!
b. All Idols will be abolished.
18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish.
Dear friend, today, you need to turn from “idols to serve the living and true God” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
God will destroy everything that exalts itself and makes a lie! He will destroy idols that take his place! He will destroy all the places of entertainment that steal people’s minds. He will destroy the fashions and fads of this world that exploit people’s bodies. He will consume with the fury of his wrath all people who worship the idol of pleasure—whether it be with sensuousness or alcohol or the filthy entertainment from the world.
Zechariah 13:2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
6. The Consummation of all things will take place.
a. Men will be consumed with Fear.
19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty,
All men will see the Lord face to face. Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him.
Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
If you do not fear the Lord now enough to repent of all your ways, then you shall be under the terror of God’s wrath a day that will never end.
Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
b. God will be consumed with Fury.
when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
Hebrews 12:26-28
But now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we [have recieved] a kingdom which cannot be moved,
c. Idols will be cast away as Foolishness.
20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
7. The Conclusion of the Matter.
a. Man will shield himself in vain.
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD,
You cannot hide from the coming day of wrath! You may try, but ten out of ten people die. Christ may descend through the clouds before this preaching time is over, and what will you do? Even if He tarries His coming you will die! It is certain! You may never see tomorrow. You cannot hide from the judgment of Christ.
b. God will shake the earth violently.
and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
C. Man’s life is shown to be a vapor.
22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Conclusion: Do you see the foolishness of living without Christ in your life?
1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
What is the will of God? Jesus lifted up his voice on this earth and said, “repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:16).
Christ will come again in violent judgment against all those who live for this world. Forsake the way of man, and follow Christ alone. Nothing else will matter when we see Him. Are you living for the Supremacy of Jesus Christ in all things?
Closing Hymn: 624 I Know a Fount