Calvary Hanford Transcripts

The answer is: The British Empire.

The question, “What was the largest empire the world has ever seen?”

In 1821, the Caledonian Mercury wrote of the British Empire, “On her dominions the sun never sets; before his evening rays leave the spires of Quebec, his morning beams have shone three hours on Port Jackson, and while sinking from the waters of Lake Superior, his eye opens upon the mouth of the Ganges.”

You’ll be excited to know that occupying 21^st place on the list of world empires was the Second Portuguese Empire. The Dutch made the top 100, coming in at 71.  

I did a quick Bible concordance check for the words British, Britain, and England.  Nothing.  

There is quite a bit of information in the Bible about other world empires. Most notably, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Why those? They were the nations that most affected the history of Israel. 

The noun, “Israel,” occurs in the Bible over 2500 times. Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes, “Anyone who reads the Bible will soon realize that… Israel… is the centerpiece of divine, prophetic activity.”

In the 8th century, Assyria was the world power… But they were not the real power.

God is sovereign over all the nations of Earth. “For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne” (Psalm 47:7-8). 

The Lord had a work to do at Jerusalem and He chose Assyria to accomplish it. 

I’ll organize my comments around two points: #1 The Nations You Fear Answer To The LORD, and #2 The Nation God Favors Will Turn To The Lord.   

#1 – The Nations You Fear Answer To The LORD (v5-19)

October 1962. The Cuban Missile Crisis. I was 7yrs old. It is the first memory I have of nations against nations in a conflict that could end our species. It didn’t alleviate my fears that every day we were practicing ‘Duck & Cover’ in my classroom. Or that my inventive older brothers were trying to work out the details of a DIY underground fallout shelter.  

Do you ever wonder where nations originated? A long time ago, in a wilderness far, far away, mankind stopped wandering and, in rebellion against God, started to build a tower at which they could worship lesser gods. 

God said, “Let us go down and mix up their language” (Genesis11:7 GNT). God did so, and humanity was separated and scattered. The Babel incident in the eleventh chapter of Genesis explains how and why the nations that were listed in chapter ten came into being.

This is further explored in Deuteronomy, where we read, “When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He divided mankind, He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the Sons of God. But the LORD’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotted heritage” (32:8-9). 

The “Sons of God” is a designation for supernatural persons. God put certain supernaturals in charge of nations of the world. When He said, “Let us go down and confound their language,” it may have been a conversation within the Trinity. Or, God may have been talking to these supernaturals who would be over the nations. 

There is an example in the Book of Daniel. 

The angel Gabriel was dispatched to deliver the incredible End Time prophecy of the 70 Weeks to Daniel. On his way, Gabriel was hindered by a supernatural being he called the Prince of Persia. Michael, the archangel, came, so that Gabriel could continue. 

God would begin for Himself a new nation. In the very next chapter of Genesis, chapter twelve, God calls Abraham, who would be the father of this new nation.  Israel had, at least, these two missions:

• In Isaiah 42:6 we read, “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles.” 
• In Romans 9:5 we read, “from [Israel], according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God.” 

The Savior Who was promised to mankind in the Garden of Eden would come through the nation of Israel to be a light to the Gentile nations.

 

Which brings us to the 8th century and the Assyrian Empire.

Isa 10:5  “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.

If you practice corporal punishment on your kiddos, you no doubt have a special spanking implement.  How do you spank a nation?  With another nation.  God employed Assyria to discipline His sons and daughters.  

Assyria, however, exceeded the boundaries God had set. So, “Woe to Assyria.”

Isa 10:6  I will send him against an ungodly nation, And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

This was the spanking God ordered for “ungodly”Israel, the northern kingdom whose capital was Samaria.   

Isa 10:7  Yet he does not mean so, Nor does his heart think so; But it is in his heart to destroy, And cut off not a few nations.

The king of Assyria decided, apart from the LORD, that he would conquer other nations, too.     

The Assyrians knew they were called by God.

The leader of the future siege of Jerusalem would say, “Have I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it’ ” (Second Kings 18:25). 

Isa 10:8  For he says, “Are not my princes altogether kings?

If your princes are kings, what does that make you? It makes you the King of kings.

Isa 10:9  Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?

One-by-one these capital cities fell. Humanly speaking, the advance of the Assyrians could not be stopped. 

Isa 10:10  As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

Isa 10:11  As I have done to Samaria and her idols, Shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols?’ ”

The multiple gods of these pagan nations were no match for Assyria. Israel was monotheistic, and she would fall. Judah worshipped the same LORD, so once they conquered Israel Assyria was emboldened to think Jerusalem would easily fall.    

Isa 10:12  Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.”

God would stop the Assyrians from conquering Jerusalem. He’d punish the Assyrians. We will see how in a moment. 

Isa 10:13  For he says: “By the strength of my hand I have done it, And by my wisdom, for I am prudent; Also I have removed the boundaries of the people, And have robbed their treasuries; So I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man.

Isa 10:14  My hand has found like a nest the riches of the people, And as one gathers eggs that are left, I have gathered all the earth; And there was no one who moved his wing, Nor opened his mouth with even a peep.”

Really? It was all you? God was behind the scenes, orchestrating it. There are stories about Alexander the Great and Constantine that indicate divine intervention. Cyrus, king of Persia, is mentioned more than thirty times in the Bible. His interaction with the Jews is prophesied more than 150 years before his rule.  

Isa 10:15  Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!

A lot of common expressions can be traced to the Bible. I don’t think this is one of them, but essentially what God says to the Assyrian is, “You’re a tool!” 

God utilizes Gentile nations to push forward His salvation agenda. It doesn’t mean they always do as He wishes. Wait, what? I thought God was sovereign? Of course He is, but we need to define what that means. The Beacon Dictionary of Theology describes God’s sovereignty this way: 

1. First, it may be seen as the divine right to rule totally.
2. Second, it may be extended to include God’s exercise of this right. 

The debate is whether or not there is any room for genuine free will in the way God exercises His sovereignty. 

We believe that in His sovereignty God has granted mankind free will.

It could not be clearer in this passage. The Assyrians exercised free will, exceeding God’s directives, and God dealt with them accordingly. None of that sidebar interrupted God’s plan or thwarted His will. 

J. Alec Motyer wrote, “This passage asserts a philosophy of history, how the historical facts arise from hidden supernatural causes, and how the human actors who are the hinges on which history outwardly turns are themselves personal and responsible agents within a sovereignly ordered and exactly tuned moral system.”

I’ll read verses sixteen through nineteen in the International Standard Version. “Therefore the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies will send a wasting disease among Assyria’s sturdy warriors, and under its glory a conflagration will be kindled, like a blazing bonfire. The light of Israel will become a fire, and its Holy One a flame, and it will burn and consume Assyria’s thorns and briers in a single day. The splendor of its forest and its fruitful land the LORD will destroy – both soul and body – and Assyria will be as when a dying man wastes away. What survives of the trees in his forest will be so few that a child can count them.”

The Assyrians are compared to “thorns and briers,” and “trees” set ablaze to burn “in a single day.” That single day was a single night in 701BC when 185,000 Assyrian soldiers surrounding Jerusalem were killed overnight by the Angel of the Lord.  

What nations do we fear? Perhaps you saw the photo of China’s Xi Jinping shaking hands with Vladimir Putin. The accompanying article said they plan to “stand guard over the world order” under their new “friendship without limits.”

Don’t fear them. There are limits, and our Mighty God sets them. If they exceed them, they will be punished. Could it affect us negatively? Of course. But we see the Big Picture. 

Jesus conquers our fears and we share Him with the unsaved who have real cause to fear. 

If you have never been born again, if you die, there is no hope for you after death. You will be cast alive in the Lake of Fire to endure conscious torment for eternity. The good news is that Jesus came to Earth as God in human flesh. He allowed Himself to be crucified, taking your place. A.W. Tozer explains it like this: “The only sin Jesus ever had was yours, and the only righteousness we can ever have is His.”

#2 – The Nation God Favors Will Turn To The LORD (v20-34)   

History is the progressive development and implementation of God’s plan of redeeming mankind and restoring Creation. God’s preservation of the nation of Israel, and the city of Jerusalem, are the filter through which history must be interpreted. 

Isa 10:20  And it shall come to pass in that day That the remnant of Israel, And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, Will never again depend on him who defeated them, But will depend on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

Judah signed a treaty with Assyria in an attempt to solve her spiritual problems with politics. What a slap in the face of our Mighty God.

Isa 10:21  The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, To the Mighty God.

Isa 10:22  For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, A remnant of them will return; The destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

God promised Abraham that his offspring would be as the sand of the sea. No matter how bleak things look for Israel, there will always be a remnant from which this promise will be fulfilled.

Isa 10:23  For the Lord GOD of hosts Will make a determined end In the midst of all the land.

Isa 10:24  Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts: “O My people, who dwell in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrian. He shall strike you with a rod and lift up his staff against you, in the manner of Egypt.

Isa 10:25  For yet a very little while and the indignation will cease, as will My anger in their destruction.”

It was too late to avoid their spanking, but God would rein-in the Assyrians from conquering Judah.    

Isa 10:26  And the LORD of hosts will stir up a scourge for him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; as His rod was on the sea, so will He lift it up in the manner of Egypt.

Gideon killed the two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb, at the rock. And how about that thing at the Red Sea – when the waters flooded back upon the Egyptian army? What God did in the past, He would do in the present. God would “scourge” the Assyrians. They would join the ‘Nations Defeated by YHWH’ club.  

Have you heard the expression, “Why not here? Why not now?” It is a reminder that, just as God revived in the past, He can do it right here, right now. 

Isa 10:27  It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

How can a “yoke” “be destroyed because of the “anointing oil?”  

• Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).
• At the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus read from Isaiah 62, which describes the “anointed” ministry of the Messiah. He told the listeners that He was the Anointed One (Luke 4:16-21). 

Rather than struggle through and butchering the pronunciation, let me just say that a list of 10 outlying cities occupies verses 28 through 31.

Isa 10:28  He has come to Aiath, He has passed Migron; At Michmash he has attended to his equipment.

Isa 10:29  They have gone along the ridge, They have taken up lodging at Geba. Ramah is afraid, Gibeah of Saul has fled.

Isa 10:30  Lift up your voice, O daughter of Gallim! Cause it to be heard as far as Laish – O poor Anathoth!

Isa 10:31  Madmenah has fled, The inhabitants of Gebim seek refuge. 

The listing of cities flows from north to south, describing the course of the Assyrian death march towards Jerusalem. 

Isa 10:32  As yet he will remain at Nob that day; He will shake his fist at the mount of the daughter of Zion, The hill of Jerusalem.

You can read the taunts and threats that the Assyrians threw at the Jews in chapter thirty-six. 

Isa 10:33  Behold, the Lord, The LORD of hosts, Will lop off the bough with terror; Those of high stature will be hewn down, And the haughty will be humbled.

Isa 10:34  He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel ceased to exist following the fall of Samaria. Judah would survive the Assyrian onslaught with the help of the aforementioned Angel of the Lord slaughtering their encamped army. 

There is something else going on in this chapter. Look back to verse twenty-four. It says, “Do not be afraid of the Assyrian.” 

Some scholars consider the king of Assyria a type of the future antichrist, and list it as one of his names, along with Beast, Man of Sin, the Big Mouth, the Little Horn, the Insolent King, the Prince who is to come, the one who makes desolate, the despicable person, the strong-willed king, the worthless shepherd, the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, and the Son of Perdition.

The expression “in that day” (v20) looks beyond the time of the Assyrian Empire into the prophetic future. 

The Assyrian designated himself, “King of kings.” Jesus is the King of kings, but in the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, the antichrist will claim that title, and he will demand his subjects worship him as God. 

Judah signed a treaty with the Assyrian. So will Israel sign a treaty with the antichrist. It is that antichrist accord that marks the beginning of the seven years of trouble. 

The Assyrian meted out God’s discipline upon the Jews. The antichrist will unleash a persecution against them like the world has never known. Its purpose is to turn their hearts to God.  

A “remnant” survived in the 8^th & 7^th centuries, and a “remnant” will survive the antichrist’s campaign of terror. The Bible indicates that ⅔ of the Jews will die, but ⅓ of them survive and are saved through the Time of Jacob’s Trouble to greet Jesus at His Second Coming.  

Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes, 

“As a nation, Israel is indestructible. So what if the Assyrians were coming? So what if there was going to be massive destruction? Nothing will destroy God’s promises and prevent Israel’s survival. Otherwise, there would be no final restoration. On the basis of the promise of a final restoration, the remnant should not be afraid. Israel will survive every invasion sent against her.”

Modern Israel has fought seven wars since being established in the land. The first one was the day after independence from the British. 

All the modern Israeli wars have miraculous stories of her victories.

God separated the people at Babel into nations. Then He began another, special nation – Israel. Do you know that there is another, fairly recent, nation that is special to God?

The apostle Peter said the Church is “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…” (First Peter 2:9).

We are a “holy nation,” within our nation, the United States. Why? 

“That you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (First Peter 2:9-10).

We expect “the nations to rage… The kings of the earth [to] set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed…” (Psalm 2:1). 

What is our nation-within-a-nation mission?

We are to conduct ourselves “as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain[ing] from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having [our] conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against [us] as evildoers, they may, by [our] good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (First Peter 2:11-12). 

Sam realized Frodo was setting off alone to Mordor.  As Frodo rowed towards the opposite shore, Sam waded out into the River Anduin.  It deepened, and he was quickly in trouble because he couldn’t swim.  Unconscious and sinking, Frodo reached into the water and pulled him into the boat.   

Fast forward to Mordor.  Inside Mount Doom, Frodo went over the cliff.  

He was holding on to a ledge by his fingertips.  Sam reached down with his hand, and pulled him up.  

I’m sure you could recall dozens of scenes in which someone is similarly saved by an outstretched hand.  

Four times we read in our text, “But [God’s] hand is stretched out still” (v12, 17, 21, 10:4).

God’s outstretched hand represents His reaching out to discipline the nations of Israel and Judah.  The hand that metes out discipline would deliver the Jews if they turned to Him.  

Seventh century Israel and Judah refused God’s outstretched hand.  The LORD would, therefore, mete out national discipline.  

I’ll organize my comments around two questions: #1 Are You Firmly In The Grip Of God’s Outstretched Hand?, or #2 Are You Releasing Your Grip In God’s Outstretched Hand?

#1 – Are You Firmly In The Grip Of God’s Outstretched Hand? (9:1-7)

Clint Barton thought he had a firm grip on Natasha Romanoff, but she let go, falling to her heroic death.  

There was nothing heroic about seventh century Judah.  Their hands were slippery-slimey from immorality and idolatry.

Before we go on, let me mention something.  The hand and grip of God in these verses is a metaphor by which we can better comprehend God’s national discipline.  These verses have nothing to do with the perseverance of individual saints, or saints being “snatched” out of God’s hand (John 10:28-29).

Before we see God’s discipline, we are given a glimpse of the future.  Through the eyes of Isaiah, we see Israel in the Millennial Kingdom on Earth.

Isa 9:1  Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.

Isa 9:2  The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

The first chapter of John’s Gospel describes Jesus coming to Earth as light shining in the darkness.  The light of the world, He means to transfer sinners from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. 

It’s great that we have the New Testament to comment on the Old.  Matthew 4:15-16 quotes Isaiah, applying it, saying, “Jesus… departed to Galilee, And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali…” 

Seven hundred years before Jesus came, Isaiah mapped out His early ministry movements.  It wasn’t in Jerusalem He made His headquarters.  It was in an obscure region.  Many Gentiles were settled there.  Talk about ruining the neighborhood.

His geography tells us a lot about how Jesus would conduct His mission.  He would constantly and consistently humble Himself, making “Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8).  

Humility should mark our serving.  God accomplishes His purposes by unusual methods and through unusual men to assure He gets the glory.  

The recent film, The Jesus Revolution, depicts the role a young man played in igniting revival that began in Southern California in the late 1960s.  The popular actor who portrays Lonnie Frisbee is 48yrs old.  Lonnie Frisbee was 18yrs old when God used him to spark revival what would spread through North America, Europe, and Central America.  The more you learn about him, the more God gets the credit.    

Isa 9:3  You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

Isaiah saw a regathered and restored, united nation:

• He describes them as “multiplied,” meaning growing and expanding in all good things.  
• The general attitude that prevails is like the joy of a plentiful “harvest,” or a great military victory in which much “spoil” was recovered.  

Imagine being a believer in the time of Isaiah.  Hope was lost for the northern kingdom of Israel.  Things were bleak at best in the south.  Nevertheless, a regathered and restored Israel would rejoice in the future kingdom of Messiah.

We should note in passing that Isaiah’s verbs are in the past tense.  He writes as if it has already happened. That is prophetic language.  As far as he was concerned, if it had been shown to him from God, it was as good as done.  

Isaiah may have anticipated the regathering and restoration in his lifetime.  You remember that Jesus’ disciples kept pressing Him about establishing the Kingdom.  They were still doing so at the ascension.   

The Bible encourages us to anticipate the kingdom:  

• “Thy kingdom come” ought to permeate our praying. 
• The last words in red in the Bible are, “Surely I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:20). 

Isa 9:4  For You have broken the yoke of his burden And the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, As in the day of Midian.

“Yoke,” “staff,” and “rod” illustrate the nation being oppressed by a succession of Gentile nations.  Midian were a people who oppressed the Jews in the time of the Judges.  God raised-up Gideon to defeat them by putting a Bible in every hotel room.  Seriously, Gideon was a goof, but God used him to reveal light in the darkness, literally, thereby scattering an army many times more powerful. 

Isaiah passes over the centuries between the first and second comings of Jesus.   He sees all burdens of oppression fully, finally lifted from Israel. 

Isa 9:5  For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.

Cortés was a very, very, bad man.  When he arrived in what is today Mexico, his soldiers were upset. To ‘motivate’ them, he burned the ships.

Burning weapons, voluntarily, means there will be ‘war no more.’  It’s mind-boggling since mankind has always been at war.  There are currently more than twenty active global conflicts.  

How will Israel, of all nations the most despised, finally enjoy peace?  “A Child [was] born.”     

Isa 9:6  For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

A “Child is born” who was first a “Son” Who could be “given.”  The Son existed before He was miraculously given to be conceived in a woman’s womb and born.  This can only, uniquely, marvelously, be Jesus. 

He will bear all the weight of human government.  We agree with the exclamation of the seventh-trumpet angel in the Book of the Revelation.  

He shouts, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (11:15). 

Five “names” are given Him.  How difficult must it have been to choose five!  Scholars say there are a minimum of 200 biblical names and titles for Jesus.  

The list starts with “Wonderful.”  It is not a description of the type of Counselor Jesus is.  It is a stand-alone name.  

Look at the names that come after. “Wonderful” and “Counselor.”  “Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” belong to Jesus uniquely.  There is no other “Mighty God,” “Everlasting Father,” or “Prince of Peace.”

“Wonderful” and “Counselor” are uniquely Jesus as well.

There is no other “Wonderful.”  It almost breaks my mind (in a good way) to think about this.  Whatever happens, I can honestly say in my spirit, “Lord, You are Wonderful.”  I can say that because I know He is working all things together for my good.  What is happening to me may be terrible.  But if I believe God is sovereign, in charge, that He loves me with everlasting love, then He is “Wonderful” in my abounding, or my being abased; in my blessings, or in my buffetings.  Job knew this when he said, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD” (1:21). 

One of the modern versions translates “Counselor,” “adviser.”  No, no, no.  He isn’t giving advice for you to weigh.  He’s not like Lucy, in her psychiatric booth, charging Charlie Brown a nickel.  Jesus is “Counselor,” not just someone who counsels, whose counsel I might accept or reject.  The Counselor constantly, directly, counsels Christians by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  No one else is capable of that. 

He is “Mighty God.”  Strong’s Concordance says that the word for “God” is a word that can be used of any deity, even an idol.  There are a lot of supernatural persons mentioned in the Bible, and probably more that aren’t.  Some of them are even called ‘gods,’ but with a lower case ‘g.’  None of them is “Mighty God.”  Only the God-Head, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are Mighty God.  The outcome of human history, and of our lives individually, is never in doubt or danger. 

He is “Everlasting Father.”  I thought the Father was the Father?  He is, and we must not confuse the  Persons of the Tri-une God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

A better translation would be, “Father of Eternity.”  Question: Who is the father of the United States?  That’s right – George Washington.  Jesus is the unique “Father of Eternity” in that sense.  

It never gets old to say there can be no peace without the “Prince of Peace.”  On the Cross, by His substitutionary sacrifice, Jesus made peace with sinful humanity (Colossians 1:19-20).  Believers will enjoy that peace forever. 

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

We talk about political parties having a ‘platform,’ and the ‘planks’ that constitute their platform.  

Jesus doesn’t run for office, and He will never need re-election.  But we can see a sort of platform in verse seven.  

With apologies to Ronald Reagan, Jesus’ government will be Big Government.  He will be over all the nations of Earth.  There will be no so-called separation between the spiritual and the state.  

There will be no religions or philosophies or psychologies or political parties  competing for mankind’s devotion.

Remember the huge move it was to relocate the American Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem?  It took place, not coincidentally, May 14, 2018, the 70th anniversary of the creation of the modern State of Israel.  Jesus will move the government of Earth to Jerusalem, to King David’s throne.  It will fulfill the Davidic Covenant, which unconditionally promises Israel that a descendant of his will rule from his throne forever. 

A ‘plank,’ maybe the only one needed, will be Righteousness.  Isaiah doesn’t use that word; he uses “judgment” and “justice.”  If you have just judgments every time, that is righteousness.

“Read my lips,” George H. W. Bush famously invited us, then said, “No new taxes.”  As Dana Carvy would say, “Not gonna happen.”  

Jesus’ forever Kingdom will not need taxation.  His own “zeal” will power and prosper His rule. 

 Later in Isaiah we will read, “For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you’ ” (41:13). 

God grips you, Christian, like a parent holding the hand of a toddler crossing a busy street.  

🎶Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee🎶

#2 – Are You Releasing Your Grip In God’s Outstretched hand? (9:9-10:4)

Clint Barton thought he had a firm grip on Natasha Romanoff, but she let go, falling to her heroic death.  

There was nothing heroic about seventh century Judah.  They were way beyond letting go.  Their hands were kept busy with immorality and idolatry.

Isaiah presents four cycles of discipline, marked by the repetition of, “For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.”    

Isa 9:8  The Lord sent a word against Jacob, And it has fallen on Israel.

Isa 9:9  All the people will know – Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria – Who say in pride and arrogance of heart:

Isa 9:10  “The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.”

Isa 9:11  Therefore the LORD shall set up The adversaries of Rezin [Reason] against him, And spur his enemies on,

Isa 9:12  The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

“Jacob,” “Israel,” and “Ephraim,” were all names for the ten tribes in the north. They had ignored God’s warnings that He would use surrounding nations to humble them.  In pride and arrogance of heart, they wanted no help from the LORD.  

“The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.”  

They said, essentially, that without God, they could & would Build Back Better.

Have you heard that somewhere before?  It first emerged as a summary of the efforts of the United Nations to impose its agenda on the world.  More recently, it was Joe Biden’s campaign slogan.  Other organizations, e.g., the World Economic Forum, and the World Bank, use it.

The Build Back Better adherents have as their modest goal to be planet Earth’s saviors.  I’d say it qualifies as “pride, and arrogance of heart” (v9).

We aren’t going to save Earth.  We are the one’s who need to be saved.  God will restore Creation. 

“For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.”  

Commentators tend to explain the outstretched hand as the promise of further discipline.  I’d say it is the prospect of further discipline, if they do not reach out to God’s hand.  The hand of discipline is the hand of love.  Isn’t that the point of His discipline?  He promised repentance would deliver a nation (Jeremiah 18:7-10).  His “hand” is “stretched out” to deliver you, or to continue your discipline. 

Isa 9:13  For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor do they seek the LORD of hosts.

Isa 9:14  Therefore the LORD will cut off head and tail from Israel, Palm branch and bulrush in one day.

Isa 9:15  The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.

Isa 9:16  For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed.

Isa 9:17  Therefore the Lord will have no joy in their young men, Nor have mercy on their fatherless and widows; For everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, And every mouth speaks folly. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

J. Alec Motyer says of this passage, “Rejection of the LORD led to reliance on human wisdom for national guidance, but their leaders were ‘misleaders,’ and moral decay spread throughout society.”

Moral decay.  We often define biblical sexual morality.  It is, at its foundation, sex between one biological male, and one biological female, in a monogamous, heterosexual union, having made a covenant of companionship to remain faithful to God and each other for as long as they both shall live.  

How are we doin’?  Not good.  We are being inundated with a cesspool overflow of sexual immorality.  It’s been said that the new morality is the old immorality.  God is, and will continue, to discipline nations because of it.  

Isa 9:18  For wickedness burns as the fire; It shall devour the briers and thorns, And kindle in the thickets of the forest; They shall mount up like rising smoke.

Isa 9:19  Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts The land is burned up, And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother.

Isa 9:20  And he shall snatch on the right hand And be hungry; He shall devour on the left hand And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.  

Isa 9:21  Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

Their wickedness is likened to a raging forrest fire.    They start small, but grow when fueled, consuming everything.  The refusal to repent is kindling for greater sin, until it becomes life-dominating.  

Their lustful cravings are compared to a hunger for meat that is so overpowering they would consume their own flesh.  You don’t need to be a cannibal to consume your own flesh.  Sin will do it for you:

• Drug overdose deaths have reached a historic high, devastating families and communities.  More than 104,000 Americans died due to a drug overdose in the twelve month period ending in September 2021.
• Collectively, smoking, alcohol and illicit drug use kills 11.8 million people each year. This is more than the number of deaths from all cancers.  

Isa 10:1  Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed

Isa 10:2  To rob the needy of justice, And to take what is right from the poor of My people, That widows may be their prey, And that they may rob the fatherless.

Isa 10:3  What will you do in the day of punishment, And in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory?

Isa 10:4  Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, And they shall fall among the slain. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

These issues would fall under the topic of Social Justice.  You hear that term a lot today.  It’s a hot topic.  Many of the issues being discussed are different than those in seventh century.  Still, social injustice invites God’s discipline upon a nation.

It’s pretty hard to lift someone on to a ledge with one hand grasping theirs.   

In the spiritual realm of salvation or damnation, Jesus is the only Person who can pull you up from the depths of sin into Heaven.

He can because He was the God-man who was lifted up on the Cross, then raised from the dead, to exchange His righteousness for your sin.  

What must you do to be saved? Believe on the Lord, Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. 

They’re calling it, Headline Stress Disorder.

It is caused by exposure to excessive news coverage.  Symptoms can include stomach aches, headaches, teeth grinding, panic attacks, feeling depressed or sad, feeling overwhelmed, insomnia, lack of energy, anger, and irritability.  Further progression may lead to physical and mental diseases, e.g., anxiety disorders, depression disorders, endocrine disorders, and hypertension. 

From pandemics to politics… From inflation to invasion… From climate to crime… From infrastructure to immigration… From guns to gas… From derailed trains to deadly disease strains… There is plenty to fear. 

Seventh century Judah had Headline Stress.

Any of the following ‘headlines’ could have been above the fold:

• Syrian-Israel Conspiracy Revealed
• Egypt on the Prowl; When will Pharaoh Pounce?
• Assyrian Empire Flexes Military Muscle
• King Ahaz Celebrates Sacrificing Son to Molech
• Government Scores High on Corruption
• Latest Poll Finds No Compassion for Widows & Orphans: ‘Let Them Eat Manna’

The LORD supplied Isaiah with a simple solve for stressful times.  “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.  The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.  He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

We are likewise told to be unaffected.  Jesus promised, “In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 ESV).

I’ll organize my comments around two points: #1 The Lord Is Your Sanctuary, or #2 The Lord Is Your Stone Of Stumbling. 

#1 – The Lord Is Your Sanctuary (v1-14)

Two competing recent US headlines:

• Sanctuary City Policies are a Threat to Decent People
• Living in Fear: Understanding the Importance of Sanctuary Cities

While we are stressing about sanctuary cities, the LORD says, “He will be as a sanctuary” (v14).  

Herbert Lockyer writes, “How good of God it is to promise Himself as a sanctuary!  In the Old Testament He provided a Temple for His people; in the New Testament He has a redeemed people as His Temple.  But the wonder of wonders is that He also is our Temple.  How consoling it is to know that amid all the turmoil of the street, busy cares of the home, hurry and confusion of our modern life, we have a sanctuary.”

Our God is a strong, unassailable sanctuary, doubling as a mighty fortress:  

• As our sanctuary, we partake of His promises and power. 
• As our fortress, we have quite an arsenal of spiritual weaponry. 

We can be spiritually safe, sound, and secure, no matter the turmoil or trouble in the world. 

Isa 8:1  Moreover the LORD said to me, “Take a large scroll, and write on it with a man’s pen concerning Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.

Isa 8:2  And I will take for Myself faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.”

Isa 8:3  Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son.  Then the LORD said to me, “Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz;

Isa 8:4  for before the child shall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria.”

The name of this unborn son breaks down like this:

• Maher – he is quick
• Shalal – plunder, loot, or spoils
• Hash – he hurries, or swift
• Baz – prey, as in hunting

Quick to the plunder, swift to the prey.  It was meant to serve as a warning of the future invasion of Assyria, which would result in the plundering and spoiling of the northern kingdom of Israel.

Our spiritual adversary, the devil, is swift to the prey. He is likened to a roaring lion, seeking to devour.  

Do you know how to survive a lion attack?  I mean in Africa.  Experts say: Don’t panic… Don’t run… Stand your ground.  

That’s our strategy against the devil – Resist & Stand.

You’ve successfully resisted the devil, and he has fled from you.  His next strategy is to plunder your life.  The terrible thing about this is that he enlists your help to do it.  You let down your guard, just a little, quit being vigilant, spiritually, and before you know it, your life has been plundered.

The Jews in Judah would watch as their fellow Jews in the north were plundered and devoured.  It ought to have served as an object lesson for them. They saw what happened, but they continued to sin as if it could not happen to them.

Isaiah named his son as a prophetic sign to the people of Israel.  No one would choose that name unless commanded by the LORD.  It was also written on a placard and displayed for all to see.  It was written “with a man’s pen,” meaning in big, clear, common letters.  

The placard was witnessed by two respected men, “Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah,” so that no one could deny that his birth was prophesied prior to the events predicted.  

Isaiah’s wife is called a “prophetess.”  

• A handful of ladies were called prophetess in the Old Testament: Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Mrs. Isaiah. 
• Between the testaments, we see Anna called a prophetess. 
• In the Book of Acts, Philip’s four daughters “prophesied.”  

At CalvaryHanford, we believe the Church was founded by apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20).  These were offices in the early Church, not gifts.  

• There are no more apostles, if for no other reason than no one can meet the Bible’s qualifications.  In the Book of Acts, the office of an apostle could only be held by a man who had first-hand knowledge of Jesus and His resurrection (Acts 1:21-22).  They are all dead. 
• There are no prophets, holding an office in the Church.  The apostle Paul wrote about a mystery, “which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel” (Ephesians 3:5-6).  They made that mystery known, and other men took their place to build upon the foundation they laid. 

We are, nevertheless, continuists, not cecessionists, when it comes to the exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Men and women in the Church may have the gift of prophecy, or any of the gifts described in the Bible. 

Regarding the ladies, what is called ‘the role of women,’ we are complementarian, not egalitarian.  You can look those up later. 

From the moment Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz was born, Damascus and Samaria were on the doomsday clock.  Before he was old enough to say “Momma” or “Not the Momma,” the king of Assyria would prey and plunder. 

Isa 8:5  The LORD also spoke to me again, saying:

Isa 8:6  “Inasmuch as these people refused The waters of Shiloah that flow softly, And rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah’s son;

Isa 8:7  Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings up over them The waters of the River, strong and mighty – The king of Assyria and all his glory; He will go up over all his channels And go over all his banks.

Every Jew would instantly comprehend this imagery:  

• “Shiloah” (called Siloam in NT) was the gently flowing water supply of Jerusalem. 
• “The River,” in verse seven, is the mighty Euphrates, associated with Assyria. 

“Rezin” was the last of the kings of Syria who reigned in Damascus.  The son of Remaliah, Pekah, reigned 20 years over Israel in Samaria.  

Because Pekah chose to ally with Syria, and not depend upon the LORD, they would not be protected to live the idyllic life-by-the-stream God promised them.  

Instead, they would be thrown into the geopolitical mess that is human history and be carried away by the raging flood of the Assyrian Empire.  Their help would come from the LORD or not at all. 

Isa 8:8  He will pass through Judah, He will overflow and pass over, He will reach up to the neck; And the stretching out of his wings Will fill the breadth of Your land, O Immanuel.

Judah, meanwhile, formed an alliance with Assyria.  Bad idea; the Assyrians would attempt to engulf them, too. 

The “stretching out of his wings” is a change of metaphor from flood to a bird of prey overshadowing the land.  An Assyrian god was eagle-headed. 

The waters do not cover the head and drown Judah, the bird of prey circles but does not kill.  Assyria would threaten Judah, but God would intervene.  As Captain Picard said of the Borg, “Thus far and no further.”   

Despite the worsening situation, there was hope.  “Immanuel,” God with Us, Jesus.  The promise of the coming of the God-man would be realized.  

The world will be rescued and restored.  Mankind will be redeemed and regenerated. 

Isa 8:9  “Be shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Give ear, all you from far countries. Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces; Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces. 

Isa 8:10  Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; Speak the word, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”

Former Secretary of State, General James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis, had no problem expressing his confidence in the American military.  My favorite quote: “We’ve backed off in good faith to try and give you a chance to straighten this problem out.  But I am going to beg with you for a minute.  I’m going to plead with you, do not cross us.  Because if you do, the survivors will write about what we do here for 10,000 years.”

That’s the gist of verses nine and ten.  

Isa 8:11  For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:

Isa 8:12  “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.  

The “conspiracy” was the alliance Israel made with Syria, conspiring against Judah.  It seemed insurmountable.  Isaiah was instructed to not be stressed at the headline.   

Have you ever told someone, or been told, that an animal can sense your fear?  That African lion we talked about earlier.  It can sense your fear.  So, hey, don’t be afraid.  

I am afraid of all animals, to some extent.  I have not yet found my don’t-be-afraid switch.  

In the Lord, however – totally different.  What He tells me to do, I can do, if I believe Him and choose to.  

God flat-out commands us, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be troubled.”  

Isa 8:13  The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.

“The LORD of hosts,” or, “the Lord of the heavenly armies.”  When I was a kid, and maybe this is still true, if somebody challenged you, or threatened you in some way, you’d ask, “You, and what army?”  

Not only the headlines, but anything and everything that threatens you, troubles you, stresses you – “You and what army” is no match for the Lord of the heavenly armies.  

“Him you shall hallow.”  Consider God’s holiness, that’s what this means.  Isaiah had earlier in this book been granted a rare glimpse of Heaven.  He was immediately undone by its holiness and his sinfulness.  

You and I have not been to Heaven like Isaiah.  But there was the moment when I was shown by the Holy Spirit the holiness of God and the sinfulness of my soul.  It frightened me, but there was grace in its reveal that led me to the Savior. 

“Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.”  

I have always had a tough time describing the fear of God.  The safe, default, commentary is to say it is to ‘reverence God.’  That often leads to a rebuke at our being too casual with God.  

I’m sorry, but a Christian is a son or a daughter of God.  Jesus calls us His friends.  

I can’t help but think about John-John.  Those of you who are old enough know he was the adorable son of President John F. Kennedy.  There is a wonderful picture of JFK seated at his desk in the Oval Office, while little John-John plays underneath it.  The president in the seat of his power, his son without a care at all about nuclear annihilation. 

I prefer to think of my relationship with God like that – as His son, welcome in His presence, unaffected by the weight of the world.  

Any talk about the fear of God must take that relationship into account.  One aspect of the fear of God is that He knows if I truly want to be with Him, or if my heart is divided.  Ever get caught looking at your watch when talking to someone?  They might say, “Am I boring you?”  That’s the idea. 

“Dread” is even tougher to grasp.  We can turn to C.S. Lewis.  Susan is talking with Mr. Beaver.

“Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.”  “Ooh,” said Susan.  

“I’d thought he was a man.  Is he quite safe?  I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”  “Safe?” said Mr Beaver.  “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe.  But he’s good.  He’s the King, I tell you.”

Fearing our holy God, we will fear nothing else.  If we don’t fear Him, we need to fear everything else!

A few nights ago, I was cable news Headline Stressing.  The host described the deepening alliance between Russia and China.  It will be a disaster for the US, a total game changer – maybe even Game Over.

God says to us, “Do not say ‘a conspiracy.’ ”  Our nation must ally with the Lord.  Then, “He will be as a sanctuary.” 

“Impractical,” you say; we need more alliances, more armaments, more of everything that makes us powerful.  Maybe.  I would submit modern Israel.  Even in unbelief, the LORD has protected them from every nation in the world.  

#2  – The Lord Is Your Stone Of Stumbling (v14-22)

‘Foot drop’ is a general term for difficulty lifting the front part of the foot.  You can’t always tell you are doing it, but if you come to uneven ground, there is a real danger of tripping and taking a fall. 

Instead of enjoying a walk with the LORD, both Israel and Judah were dragging their feet.  They were headed for a disastrous fall. 

Isa 8:14  He will be… a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Isa 8:15  And many among them shall stumble; They shall fall and be broken, Be snared and taken.”

God is often represented in the Bible as a rock, the place of safety, to those who trust in Him.  That same rock a stumbling stone, against which unbelievers fall and are broken. 

The “trap and… snare” were a good description of what trusting in an alliance with Assyria was really going to be like.  

Jesus is a superior Rock & Refuge to anything in the world.  (Possible church name?).  As we repeatedly proclaim, with great joy, God sent the Holy Spirit to live in you.  He empowers you to overcome; He enables you to obey. 

Isa 8:16  Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among my disciples.

Isa 8:17  And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.

Isa 8:18  Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel From the LORD of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion.

Isaiah had “disciples.”  “Bind up [and] seal” refer to teaching them, especially to know the times. 

  

Isaiah uses the words that causes us so much agitation: “I will wait on the LORD.”  He would wait in “hope” because of his kids:

• Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz described the coming judgements. 
• We met another son of Isaiah’s earlier in the book, Shear-Jashub.  His name means, a remnant shall return.
• Then there was a kid born to someone else who was named Immanuel, God with us.  

They were “signs and wonders” from the God of Israel.  After their national discipline, a remnant would return, and the Jews would bring forth Immanuel, the Messiah of Israel, the Savior of the world – Jesus. 

Isa 8:19  And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

These were customs that the Jews adopted from their pagan alliances.  The “wizards and mediums” often genuinely contacted evil, malevolent creatures.  Why seek them, deceivers, liars, far less powerful than the LORD?  

So much modern muttering involves contacting your dead relatives.  You can’t.  Read the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, in the Gospel of Luke.  The dead in their sins realize Jesus was their only salvation, but it is too late for them.  What about their loved ones?  They have God’s Word, more powerful than a testimony from beyond the grave.  

Those who claim to speak for the dead always give a false hope.  They aren’t the evangelists that the Rich Man wished he could be.  

Isa 8:20  To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Measure everything by the Word of God.  

Isa 8:21  They will pass through it hard-pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

Isa 8:22  Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.

Lots of SyFy stories give you a look at the horrific future landscape.That’s verses twenty & twenty-one.

Why bother warning if the judgment was certain?  National judgment does not eliminate individuals from being saved.  

Is it too late for the United States?  No one can answer that.  If it is, individuals can still be saved. 

• If you are a believer, tell folks what is coming upon the world.  Let them see you waiting patiently for Jesus to return.  Let them know that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but be given eternal life.  Jesus said that by being lifted-up on the Cross, He would draw all men to Himself.  He is the Savior of all men, provided you believe.  

• If you are not saved, and you remain that way, you may one day wake up to the horrific headline, Millions & Millions Missing.  Jesus promised to come to bring us to Heaven.  He will come in the clouds, raise the dead in Christ, then catch-away living believers.  

Don’t be left behind.