For All This...

Good evening, Brunsfield. I hope you're all keeping well and continue to survive this period of our pandemic and lockdown.

It's a great privilege to be with you this evening and also a great privilege to be joining you in your series in the book of Isaiah.

For what a wonderful book that is, Isaiah, full of prophecies to do with our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prophecies that truly build our faith.

But if we're very honest, Isaiah is also often a book that gets picked over a little, where we jump from nice passage to nice passage.

So it is good for us this evening to look perhaps to a passage that is maybe not as well known.

Certainly a passage that is a dark and sad chapter in this whole book of Isaiah.

We're told at the beginning of our passage in verse 89 that this is a prophecy concerning the northern kingdom.

Even though Isaiah's main ministry is to the south, he does address things to do with the northern kingdom,

partly so that the south may respond accordingly to the warnings that are spoken to the northern kingdom.

We know this because Samaria would have been the capital city of the northern kingdom,

and Ephraim and Manasseh would have been the two largest tribes.

Also, our prophecy, or our section, continues.

The prophecy already started in chapter 8, verse 19 and following.

So I think you looked at that last week.

Our section very handily falls into four parts.

It's a poem.

And every time, every section finishes with these incredibly powerful words,

where God says through Isaiah his prophet,

For all this, his anger has not turned away.

His hand is outstretched still.

We find this in verse 12, verse 17, verse 21, and also in chapter 10, verse 4.

So the first thing we really need to consider this evening is the reality of God's anger expressed in these words.

For all this, his anger has not turned away.

Now, anger is a tricky thing, is it not?

I grew up being told that to be angry is always wrong, bad.

For anger, as Ed Welch puts it so beautifully,

specializes in indicting others,

but is unskilled at both self-indictment and love.

So it's true that certainly human anger is broken and easily self-serving.

And yet the Bible is clear that, yes, on the one hand,

we need to watch ourselves when it comes to anger and be self-controlled.

Yet we're not to repress it either.

And my personal experience with anger is one that I've wrestled with anger,

particularly when I was younger,

in a way that my anger would be best described as nearly uncontrollable temper

or that rage or, you know, the red flag to the bull,

ready to hurt someone.

This particularly came out on the sports field,

where I did find it hard sometimes not to have a go at my opposite player.

I guess the good news is, and praise be to God,

that he has been at work in me

and that the fruit of his spirit has become more evident in my life since then.

But that's human anger.

God's anger is different.

God's anger is a good anger,

a righteous, sinless indignation,

a holy wrath.

And it's an anger against the crimes committed against him.

These crimes deserve to be punished.

God has made this clear from the very beginning.

So for some who think that the Old Testament always speaks of a God of anger

and the New Testament, great, it's about a God of love.

Actually, this is not true.

For as much as in Genesis,

as well as the Gospels and the Epistles like Romans,

it is very clear that the anger of God is a reality.

But we're also told that God's anger is not only a righteous anger

and a good anger, but also a slow anger.

I guess an obvious question to ask when we come to this passage in Isaiah,

how do we get here?

What has happened so far?

Well, in many ways, what happened is that God

in his generous, amazing love

chose to create this earth and this world and us in it.

For him to share what he has enjoyed for all eternity with mankind.

His love even went so far as to call

and to choose a particular individual called Abraham.

And for Abraham to be invited into this life with God,

which would be filled with blessing, blessing of offspring, blessing of land.

And God even went as far as securing those promises

in a loving covenant with Abraham.

And then we find that when Abraham's descendants end up in Egypt,

which sounds like a nice holiday destination,

but in those days ended him in and subjected to slavery,

God rescues his people.

Again, incredible love.

Again, a powerful display of what his covenantal love looks like.

But sadly, despite the fact that God's people were loved,

were rescued, were protected,

time and time again throughout history,

mankind chooses to walk away,

to rebel, to complain,

even to defy God's wisdom.

We see that as soon as they've come out of Egypt,

the people of God complain.

We see it particularly in the time of the judges,

where people continuously,

from generation to generation,

chose what was right in their own eyes.

And we see it again in the times of the kings.

And really, there's perhaps only one good king,

King David,

and maybe a little bit of Solomon when he started off well.

But after that,

and particularly when the kingdom split to the north and the south,

it seems a downward spiral,

including the current king of the north,

King Ahaz,

who even sacrificed his own son

in the religion,

and to be like the nations around them.

And so when you reflect on the whole time,

from creation up till now,

we see a God who is patient,

who is indeed very slow to anger,

very patient indeed,

giving his people chance after chance after chance

for nearly 1,300 years have elapsed

after God's promise to Abraham

by the time Isaiah proclaims this message

that we read today.

So let it be clear that God is rightly angry,

even after all,

and especially after all this time,

and that his anger is a good anger,

for it is part of his love,

not the opposite of.

It is part of his love for his creation

to reign with justice.

The Bible is very clear that God hates sin

for its opposite of everything that he is himself,

and therefore he will not choose to ignore sin.

Now sometimes that seems very harsh,

but if you've ever been the victim

of any type of injustice,

however small or big that may be,

it is truly good news that there will be a day

in which justice will truly reign.

Justice will one day set everything right,

and actually one day there will be no more sin

in the world that we will share for eternity

with our God.

And so we find that one day God's generous love

will actually do all these things for his people.

Now again, sometimes we think that really what we want

is a God who only loves,

in the idea of never being angry with us.

But that's like imagining a family

in which parents never become angry

and only love their children,

and we can only guess the result.

We would have to spoil children,

maybe even neglected children.

For loving parents,

at times,

because of their love,

will be angry.

And so God's love likewise

is so great

that he won't hold back

discipline

which he knows

would bring about

good in our lives.

So God's anger is real.

God's anger is good.

God's anger is slow,

but it is also

incredibly frightening.

As verse 14 and 15

tell us, for example,

that the Lord

here

speaks his anger

as saying

he will cut off from Israel

head and tail,

palm branch,

and reed

in one day.

With these words,

he's dealing with Israel's leaders

and also with God's spokespeople,

the prophets.

And his anger

will very much

make these

give account

for what they have done

with the responsibility

given to them.

they will be dealt

accordingly.

For these were people

who had not only

neglected their responsibility,

but actually

had abused it

and led the people

under their care

astray.

And the picture

of the branch

and reed

gives us

even a picture

of totality

that actually

God will deal

with the most eminent

to the most lowly.

Actually,

in many ways,

in verse 17,

it gives us

a picture

of what is

perhaps the most

frightening thing

of what God

will do in his anger.

Not only keeping

us to account,

but it also tells us

that God's joy

and compassion

will be withdrawn.

Indeed,

actually,

the most frightening

part of God's anger

is when

he withdraws

and leaves us

to the consequences

of our choices.

And that is

exactly the picture

that we see

in verse 18

and following

where it reads

that wickedness

burns like a fire.

It consumes

briars

and thorns.

It kindles

the thickets

of the forest

and they roll upwards

in a column of smoke.

And through the wrath

of the Lord

of hosts,

the land is scorched

and the people

are like fuel

for the fire.

No one

spares

another.

Wickedness

burns

like fire.

Do you remember

that song,

It Only Takes

a spark?

Well,

that's the same

of evil.

Spreads

like wildfire.

And when it says

that by the wrath

of Jehovah

of hosts

the land is scorched,

it means that actually

the wrath of God

allows it to happen,

but it's clear

that that's not

the fuel

that makes it happen.

And the end result

when God

lets go

and lets the people

fall into the consequences

of their own choices

is ultimate civil war

where we find

that the people

from the north

turn against

their fellow brother

down south

in Judah.

Wow.

So God's anger

is slow,

God's anger

is real,

and it certainly

is frightening.

So let's move on

to the next thing

that we ought to see

from this passage.

Secondly,

let us see

what causes God

to be angry.

So we've looked

at the reality

of God's anger.

Now let's see

what causes

Him to be angry.

Look with me

to verse 17.

Verse 17 tells us,

For everyone

is godless

and an evildoer,

and every mouth

speaks folly.

I want us to note

how wrath

is not being inflicted

without the reasons

for wrath

being made clear.

There's grace

right there.

So God's wrath

is not being inflicted

without the reasons

of wrath

being made clear.

Well,

what are these reasons?

Well,

in verse 17,

it speaks of the godless.

And the godless,

this word refers

to apostasy.

So people who

walk away

from God.

Or perhaps

it can cover

those who

bring upon

themselves

defilement

through disobedience.

And evildoers,

well,

evildoers in the Bible

refer to those

who break

the moral law,

who violate

the moral law.

So both these terms

actually cover

not only the whole

of the Ten Commandments,

but the whole

of God's will.

That it's those

who have stopped

loving the Lord

their God

with all their heart,

mind,

and strength,

and soul,

and also those

who do not love

their neighbor

as their self,

the two greatest

commandments

as Jesus

had taught us.

Now it's interesting

that in Scripture

evil

is not

just the very bad,

but actually

describes all

who sin.

It's very clear

that when we're not

children of God,

we are enemies

of God.

And this strong language

which we often

struggle with,

for we often

compare ourselves

to others

and think actually

I'm not that bad.

But this strong language

which we naturally

associate with

the greatest wickedness

and darkness

out there

reveals to us

God's perspective

on sin

which often

isn't ours.

Anything

other than God

is darkness.

All aspects

astray from God

is the opposite

of light.

this is backed up

by the use

of Isaiah's

phrase there

of the mouth

and folly.

The word folly

comes up a lot

in wisdom literature,

for example,

in Proverbs.

And you'll find

that folly

doesn't mean

silly or foolish

or funny.

Actually,

folly

is very much

in the meaning

of all people

who choose

to live

life

without God.

those people

are

the people

who are

the folly

in the Bible.

Now,

that's not the only reason.

We also find

in verse 10

that perhaps

the cause

of all of this

is pride

and arrogance.

We read there

that they say

in their pride

and arrogance

of heart

meaning great

arrogance

that the bricks

have fallen

but we will build

with dressed stones

and the sycamores

have been cut down

but we will put

cedars

in their place.

Their pride

was what I would

call a defiant

pride.

It's as if they're

saying

peace,

peace

when there is

no peace.

They're fixing it

rather than

listening to

God

and paying attention

to his warnings.

It's as if

they're saying

well disaster

has come upon us

but we will sort it

and we will rebuild

even better

than what it was.

this is not only

defiant

arrogance

and pride

it is dangerous

and it is blind

even stubborn

self-confidence.

We especially

probably see this

this pride

in their whole

empty religion

already addressed

by the prophet Isaiah

and by God

through him.

In the opening chapters

we get this picture

that in that time

perhaps Israel

and the people

of God

were busier

than ever

visiting the temple

bringing all their

sacrifices

doing all the

right things

and yet with a heart

that was far

from God

empty religion

fueled

and an expression

of this arrogant

pride.

But on top

of all of this

we then read

in verse 13

that there is

no repentance.

So

everyone is

evildoers

everyone is

godless

they're all

full of pride

and arrogance

but then there's

no repentance

the people did not

turn to him

who struck them

nor inquire

of the lord

of hosts.

Surely a result

of their pride

but also revealing

just how

conscious

their decision

is

to not only

ignore God's

message

but to ignore

God himself

while pretending

that all

is

well.

That's the situation

that Isaiah

speaks

into.

But I guess

before we

tut-tut the

northern kingdom

and point our

finger and say

how bad they are

we do well

to remember

perhaps Paul's

words in Romans

Romans 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

or just simply

look at our

own lives

and think

we may pretend

that all

things are

well

but we also

fall short

of the glory

of God.

How many of us

do not struggle

with pride

with arrogance

with actually

saying

maybe perhaps

not in such

words

but even in

our actions

that we know

better

than God

in particular

areas

in our lives.

It is certainly

a scary thing

that even

many serious

Christians

can fall

into a

practical

atheism

maybe proclaiming

God with

their mouth

but denying

him with

their actions.

I certainly

find Proverbs

Proverbs 3:5

chapter 3

verse 5

one that can

be very

challenging

to put into

practice

where we're

called to

trust in the

Lord with

all our

heart

and not to

lean on

our own

understanding.

How often

do we not

do the

opposite?

And if we're

still not

convinced that

we're no

better than

the northern

kingdom

what about

those greatest

commandments?

Do we truly

love God

with all our

heart,

mind,

soul and

strength?

And do we

love our

neighbor as

ourself

the way that

Christ loved

his father

and loved

us

dying on

the cross

for us?

So people

actually

not only is

God's anger

a reality

not only is

God rightly

angry

with the

northern

kingdom

with his

own people

but God

is rightly

angry

even with

us.

But thirdly

let us then

understand how

Israel could

have known

that God

was angry.

How could

Israel have

known?

Because you

may say

well the

anger may

have been

there,

may have

even been

fair,

but perhaps

they didn't

know.

Well here

we can truly

see God's

grace at

work.

For first

God

clearly

and directly

spoke to

his own

people.

We see

that again

in verse

8 and

verse 9

it says

that the

Lord has

sent a

word against

Jacob.

This is a

wonderful

reference to

the ministries

of two

prophets

Hosea

and Amos

who both

inward

as well as

with visual

aids

declared

God's

warnings

and

invitation

to

return.

They were

without

excuse

in that

sense.

But not

only did

God speak

directly

through

his

prophets

to them,

God also

spoke to

them through

adversaries.

In verse

11 and

12 we

see that

the Lord

raises the

adversaries

of resin

against them

and stirs

up his

enemies.

Now what's

happening here

is that the

hostile nations

became tools

in the hands

of God

almost like

a megaphone

to try to

get through

to them.

And this

wasn't the

first time

that he

has done

that either.

Think for

example the

young Joseph

who had

his dreams

and was

also struggling

with pride.

God actually

used his

adversaries,

his brothers,

to ultimately

protect him

from himself

and actually

through all of

that ended

up protecting

his brothers

and his

family from

dying of

hunger by

sending him

to Egypt.

So in

some ways

if that

hadn't

happened

maybe the

story wouldn't

have continued

after him.

But the

same of course

happened in

the time of

the judges.

That on the

one hand

God allows

as a

consequence

of people's

sin these

adversaries

to come and

raise themselves

up but

actually it

was also

God's tool

to bring

them back

to return

to him

to cry

out to

him.

And

unfortunately

it seems

that often

that is

what is

needed

for God

to be able

to get

our

attention.

But almost

when all

these seem

to fail

for even

in the

phase of

adversity

the people

of God

were adamant

that they

were okay

God then

also spoke

through direct

action.

And we've

looked already

at this verse

but in verse

14 we see

that after all

this God

then cut

off from

Israel

head and

tail or

certainly

promised to

do that as

we're not

totally clear

of all these

things have

already taken

place.

Now these

direct actions

can at times

feel very

harsh.

Think for

example of

Acts chapter

Acts 5 · chapter mention

5 where

Ananias and

Sapphira both

are killed

due to their

sin

being

hypocritical

and

untrue

about

their

donation

to the

church

and what

they're

holding

back to

themselves.

Or even

the Old

Testament

example

of

Yuzah

who

stretched

out his

hand

to

stabilize

the ark

and yet

he was

killed

on the

spot.

We struggle

with this

and yet

very often

these were

necessary

to stem

the flow

of ongoing

sinfulness

and at

the same

time always

left room

for a

remnant

to respond.

These things

were in many

ways never

final.

And so

again here

although

difficult and

challenging

to think of

a God who

would even

raise

adversaries

and in

direct action

would confront

his own

people we

must see

God's grace.

We must

see God's

grace in

that there's

grace before

action.

that the

word

came before

the direct

action.

And there's

even grace

in action

where God

in what

he does

has only

one purpose

in mind

and that

is for

his people

to come

back

to him.

God

deals

in that

sense

rightly

with those

who are

responsible.

He deals

with those

who are

not innocent.

He deals

with them

who have

been warned.

He deals

with them

who have

had time

to repent.

He deals

with those

who have

been

good

joled

by the

enemies

and he

speaks

before

acting.

What an

amazing

loving God

even

gracious

in his

anger.

And people

in the exact

same way

you and I

can know

the reality

of God's

anger

in our

lives.

Through

God's word

just like

them

that similarly

we get

to hear

direct

warnings

as well

as

examples

and there's

plenty

in the

Bible

of

examples

not to

follow

and in

many ways

we are

incredibly

privileged

aren't we

for the

fact that

we don't

just have

Hosea

and Amos

but we

have the

whole

of

scripture

including

the teachings

of Jesus

himself.

But I

also believe

that even

adversaries

and direct

action

can be

ways

in which

God

still

tries to

get through

to us

and explains

his anger

to us.

Now I've

got to pause

here for a

moment

and speak

very sensitively

regarding this

for it must

be clear to

all of us

that I'm

not saying

that all

opposition

or disaster

are a sign

of God's

anger

yet all

of what

happens in

our lives

are always

an opportunity

even a

spurring on

to that

repentance

for us

to

and for

us

to

start

seeking

after him

yet again.

So his

anger

whether that

is in

our lives

or not

is not

the final

word

but may

it drive

us back

to him.

Like I said

I do want

to be

sensitive

because I

acknowledge

that perhaps

there is

pain out

there in

your life

of things

that you've

been wrestling

pain that

you have

been facing.

Perhaps

you do

know full

well

God's

warnings

for choices

that you've

made and

yet you

still made

them.

Perhaps

you're dealing

with guilt

or even

uncertainty

of some

kind.

Maybe you

have a

sense that

God is

far away

that God's

blessing

has been

withdrawn in

your work

in your

life

or in

your

relationships.

Perhaps

you're

experiencing

adversary

adversary

or

opposition.

Does that

mean that

God is

angry?

That his

hand is

outstretched

still in

your life?

Well it

can be.

But as I

said

whatever it

may be

for your

opposition

may also

be simply

the result

of Satan

who goes

around like

a roaring

and prowling

lion seeking

who he may

devour.

and actually

he's trying

to seek

us out

because

actually

we are

following

God

and serving

him

wholeheartedly.

It may be

God's

discipline

rather than

his anger

that he

wants to

teach us

and to

guide us

at this

stage in

our lives

mold and

mature us

so that we

become more

and more

like him

and reflect

his character

in all

that we

do.

Or perhaps

it could

simply just

be the

consequences

of choices

that we

have made.

But

whatever

as I

said it

may be

we do

well to

read the

lessons of

our experience

and in

all circumstances

to turn

to God.

If it's

for wisdom

if it's

for wisdom

but if it's

for repentance

certainly

repent.

And may

it be a

sincere

repentance

and a

sincere

seeking

after him.

And do

it without

delay.

Do it

tonight.

These are

important

things

for us

to hear.

God's

anger

is real.

We know

the reasons

why he's

angry.

We also

understand

that he

makes it

clear to

us

through

his

word.

For

example

through

his

word

here

through

Isaiah.

So

may we

respond

and turn

to him

tonight.

But

there's

one more

thing

that we

must think

about.

And so

fourthly

after looking

at the

reality

of God's

anger

as well

as the

reason

for his

anger

as well

as how

we are

to know

about his

anger

we must

hear how

we can

truly be

saved

from God's

anger.

See when

you read

this chapter

there is

an ultimate

question

that the

chapter raises

and I believe

that the

Israelites

should have

asked.

And that's

this.

what can

turn

God's

anger

away

and stop

his arm

from being

outstretched?

How can

we all

face

the day

of reckoning

mentioned

in chapter

10 verse

3?

Is repentance

truly the

answer?

Well,

yes and

no,

but only a

temporary one.

Repentance

is the right

response

and yet

it doesn't

necessarily

deal with

the deeper

underlying

problem.

And that is

the problem

of the

heart,

the human

heart,

and the

injustice

that still

needs to

be set

right.

Therefore,

listen carefully.

May we

tonight

be assured

that God

is not

and never

has been

content

to show

wrath

no matter

how holy

it is.

But that

because of

that God

sent

his very

own son,

Jesus Christ,

who himself

was the

word and

who took

upon himself

the wrath

of God

for us.

It was

Jesus who

willingly

allowed himself

to be

cut off

from the

Father so

that we

don't have

to.

It was

Jesus who

defeated the

greatest

adversary,

the greatest

enemy of

all,

so that

we can

no longer

be devoured

by them.

And it

is through

Christ's

sacrifice of

himself,

the innocent

Son of

God,

that God's

anger was

satisfied,

that justice

was fulfilled,

and now

in God's

hand is

the gift

of Christ's

righteousness

righteousness

that will

be bestowed

on all

who bend

the knee

and acknowledge

and accept

Jesus as

their Lord

and their

Savior.

And so I

hope we can

see that

even a dark

and sad

chapter

teaches us

something

crucially

important.

For let

us,

unlike the

people of

God then,

understand

and see

the reality

of God's

anger,

whether we

like it or

not,

but he is

angry against

all evil,

including our

own pride

and arrogance.

Let us

never trifle

with God

or trivialize

his love,

for we will

never stand

in awe

of being

loved by

God until

we reckon

with the

seriousness of

our sin

and the

justice of

his

wrath

against us.

So let us

heed the

warning,

let us

repent

and seek

the Lord

and may

we then

know that

in the

Lord Jesus

Christ,

God will

once again

rejoice

over us

with joy.

May God

bless his

word to us

tonight

and may we

respond to

him without

delay.

Amen.

So let's

stay

there

again

for