The Rise of the Church

The Rise of the Church

By Pastor Matt Black

15 April 2007
Lord's Day evening
Isaiah 14:1-3

Introduction: Open your Bible to the prophecy of Isaiah. We are going to bypass our reading of the text tonight and cover each portion as we come to it. The title of this evening’s message is “The Rise of the Church”

Let’s stand and read Isaiah 14:1-3, “For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. 2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. 3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve”.

Look at Romans 16:20, “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”

Of course this is the great promise of the ages in Genesis 3:15 that the Seed of the woman (Jesus Christ) would bruise (or crush to the point of bruising) the head of the Serpent (Satan). We are going to see this in Isaiah 14 next week, but tonight we are going to see the church come out of Israel.

Before we do that, we need to bow our head in prayer.

I want you to follow me in this message tonight, so let me lay out the landscape for you. Basically tonight we are going to be talking about how Satan’s choice of rebellion against God ends in complete disaster. This is how we are going to get there.

Ø First we are going to talk about the end of the world. Satan looses. Here is the final day of God’s judgment. As we cover this topic, we are going to talk about the different terms used to refer to the end of the world like “Day of Judgment”, “Second Coming”, “Last Day” etc. among others. These are all synonymous terms.

Ø Next we are going to talk about the plan of God to save the world.

Ø Finally, next week we are going to cover the enemies of God—the fall of the King of Babylon and the ultimate doom of Satan.

So we are covering ground in reverse order. Normally we would talk about the end of the world last, but since our text covers it first, we are going to start at the end of the book first!!

I. So let’s look at THE END OF THE WORLD.

Now let’s remember, tonight’s study is not in any way an extensive full blown study of the end of the world. It is very surface. We are not at all talking about the apostasy that will take place at the end of the age, Antichrist (the man of Lawlessness) or any of that. We are simply talking about tonight about the destruction of the earth—the end of the world.

By the way, you might think this is an ominous thing to talk about, but we must talk about it. Why? Because we say we are Bible believers. And because we are Christians, we believe every word is inspired, indeed as 2 Timothy 3:16 says, that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. So in this church my hope is that during my ministry here we will cover the entire Bible at one time or another going verse by verse through every chapter, every verse, and every line! So, if you think tonight is exciting, stick around for about twenty or so years, and God willing, we will continue on that journey.

Review: Chapter 13, if you remember was a summary of the Day of the Lord. In prophecy, in Isaiah, and in all the other prophets, the primary way God deals with telling us about the end of the world is to give use a picture of an earthly judgment, and from that earthly judgment, teach people about the ultimate Day of Judgment. So in Isaiah 13, the Day of the Lord is spoken of as referring to Babylon’s destruction by the Medes and the Persians, but then that is used to talk about the ultimate end of the world.

What is the Day of the Lord in the Bible? We could ask it another way—what is the end of the world, or what is Judgment Day? Very plainly, the Day of the Lord is ultimately the glorious Second Coming of Jesus Christ. That is what Isaiah chapter 13:5-14 speak of. Look at a few phrases for review:

Verse 6: “Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.”

Verse 9, “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it”

Verse 10, “For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.”

And then look at verse 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.”

Compare those verses with:

This doctrine of the Day of the Lord, or the Second coming is foundational, and it is one of the oldest doctrines in the Bible.

In fact we have recorded in Jude 14-15, “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

Ø Who does the Lord come with? “ten thousand of his saints”.

Ø What is he coming to do? “to execute judgment”

Now turn over to 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”

Ø Who is the Lord with on the Last Day, (the Day of the Lord, the Second Coming)? He “shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels” (verse 7). So angels come with the Lord on the Day of the Second Coming.

Ø Who else is with the Lord on the Day of the Second Coming? Verse 10, “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints.” So all believers of all time will be with Him.

Ø What is Jesus Coming to do on the Day of His Second Coming? Verse 8, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

This judgment is also clearly spoken of in 2 Peter 3:3-13.

You will notice in this passage that several terms are parallel.

Ø His (Christ’s) coming Verse 4)

Ø The Day of Judgment (verse 7)

Ø The Day of the Lord (verse 10)

Ø The coming Day of God (verse 12)

So let us look here at 2 Peter 3:3-13 and notice the terms we’ve just mentioned, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 ¶ But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 ¶ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us–ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.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 [Isaiah 13:13], and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 ¶ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Ok, Isaiah 13 ends by using Babylon as a picture of the fate of the whole earth. Just like the earth will be desolate when Jesus comes to destroy it, so will Babylon also be desolate.

Now that we’ve talked about the end of the story—that is Jesus wins!—then now we need to back up and talk about how God is going to save a multitude of people from the earth before He destroys it. Satan looses. This mess that he created is ultimately decimated to nothing, and the Lord gives a new heaven and a new earth.

Transition: Even though Chapter 13 was such a depressing backdrop, we are now going to go from the depths of depression to the heights of the glory of God. I love it when God brings light out of the darkness!

So first we talked about the end of the world. That is the bad news, but actually it is good news, because when this old world is destroyed, “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). It’s a bad day for the Devil and the enemies of God, but it is a triumphant day for the church of God!

II. So let’s now look at the PLAN OF GOD TO SAVE THE WORLD. How is God going to constitute His church?

God uses Babylon to purge His people of sin and purify to Himself a people who are genuine and sold out. Once ancient Babylon serves her purpose, she is destroyed, making way for the Saviour of the world to come. Actually verses 1-3 here is a summary sketch of what we are going to find later on in Isaiah 40-66.

Divisions of the book of Isaiah: As a side note, Isaiah is divided as a little Bible: Chapters 1-39 mirror the Old Testament, which has 39 books and are ominous and filled with judgment. Chapters 40-66 (we will get there one day!) are beautiful and filled with promises of Christ.

But just as in all of the Old Testament there are promises of Christ throughout, so in this chapter we find in these first three verses the glorious future of the church of God!

A. In verse 1, we see the Rise of the church.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The church is going to rise up. When I say church, I mean Gentiles added to the Jewish remnant of believers. Specifically we are talking about a called out assembly or congregation of believers.

So let’s see the rise of the church and look at verse 1: “For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.”

The return of Israel from Babylon fulfilled very little of all this. There are some sweeping promises in these verses that in no way took place when the Jews returned to the land after the captivity. Cyrus (Medo-Persians), and later Alexander the Great (Greece), and finally Rome, would occupy this land. There was no influx of converts as it says “strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob”. The return to the land from Babylon was a partial fulfillment of these promises—that restoration to the land was a mini-illustration of the church age, just as the Fall of Babylon was a picture of the Day of the Lord.

You see God would fulfill all His promises to Abraham (Ephesians 3:6) by saving the Gentiles, and adding them to His people, so now Gentiles are added!

Let me take you to the council of Jerusalem with Peter, James, the brother of the Lord, and Paul. This is the first great council of the Lord’s church. They are talking about the new thing of Gentiles being added to the church. James says something that will help us here. Look at Acts 15:14ff, “Simeon [PETER] hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets [AMOS 9:11]; as it is written, 16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.”

James says, this was all foretold in the prophets. The fallen line of David would be restored, and men Israel’s enemies would seek the Lord! The Gentiles become part of the “tabernacle” or house of “David”. This is exactly what verse 1 is referring to. Jacob’s own land is now all the nations of the world, just as the Lord told Abraham in Genesis 26:4, “And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;”

B. In verse 2 we see the Reigning of the Church. The gates of hell will not prevail against it! Matthew 16:18, “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The church is triumphant. We see this in verse 2, “And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.”

Now we hear of the Gentile nations of the world submitting to the Jewish Gospel. The Gospel dominates militarily, (“they shall take them captives, whose captives they were”), domestically (“and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids”) and politically (“they shall rule over their oppressors”). Let’s remember that the only way the “house of Israel” can do any of this is through the “Prince of Peace”.

Turn to Isaiah 9:6-7, because these three verses in Isaiah 14:1-3 are referring to the very same Kingdom. We read, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

So the destruction of Babylon brings in a liberty that will ultimately lead to Jesus Christ coming to this earth to add Gentiles to the house of Jacob, and Christ Himself as the Head of Israel and King on the Throne of David ascended at the right had of the Father will rule in this Kingdom. I mean tonight we have people who would have in ancient days persecuted Israel. Now tonight we are worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!

Application: Jesus is the King of Kings, Amen?! Gentiles right now are walking “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).

We are captives no longer of Satan, but of the Lord! Paul called himself in Romans 1:1 a servant (or bondslave) of the Lord!

We are have taken Christ’s yoke upon us! We are His captive. He has taken captivity captive, amen?! Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”

Christ is conquering all His enemies—not on the soil of the earth, but in the good soil that He makes in the hearts of men!

C. Finally we see the Rest of the Church.

Ultimately, God promises perfect rest for the people of God. Look at verse 3, “And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,”

Now the people of Israel would have a temporary rest from their sorrows when Cyrus let them come back to their land after Babylon was fallen, but again, the prophecy here is much bigger than anything that took place in 539 BC under the leadership of Zerubbabel, and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. At this time the land of Judah was a Persian satrapy (province). So this was just a picture of what would happen when Christ would come!!

In Christ we all have rest from sorrow, for in Him we “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8). “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Let me ask you tonight; is your rest in Jesus Christ alone? First of all if you are not part of His called out assembly, you can never have rest and peace. You only have a fearful looking forward to judgment. Is Jesus Christ giving you rest tonight from all your enemies round about you? Are you resting in Him? The end of the world is coming. Is God to you a shelter in the time of storm?

Conclusion: Next week we will talk about the enemies of God—the fall of the King of Babylon and the ultimate fall and doom of Satan, but let me give you the end of the story right now. Satan loses! Jesus wins! Trust in Him and you win too!

Closing Hymn: 536 O Zion Haste