Isaiah 59:14-20 - His Own Arm Brought Salvation

Chapter 59.

Chapter 59.

If you don't have a Bible, you can go to page 650, right in that area, you'll find uh just about where we're at in Isaiah.

Sometimes when we look around our world today, we often are brought to wonder where justice and truth are.

We see as we engage in social media and the news and uh even interact with others in our neighborhood, and sometimes even in our own families, we see dishonesty rewarded, we see righteousness mocked, we see those who resist evil having to suffer for it.

And the chapter that we're going to look at in Isaiah 59 addresses all of those things directly.

Last week, uh, for those of you that were able to come in the storm, and those of you that watched online, you heard uh Pastor Micah talking about Isaiah 59 in its early verses, as it talked about these things and said that this is not just Israel's problem, it's a worldwide problem.

And God starts this chapter by saying that the problem is not about his weakness, and the problem is not about his arm being too short to save and his ear being deaf.

It is about us, and it is about our sin.

And he goes on to talk about the devastation of sin.

It separates us from him, it corrupts our lives, and it does bring devastation to our communities.

And the verse we'll begin with is verse 14 of this chapter.

Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far off.

For truth is stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.

I don't know if I could find a more apt description of our generation than that one.

Because our world is exactly like what Isaiah is saying his world was like.

The Senate started an investigation, and eventually the truth was uncovered.

And the nation realized that one of its top officials had actually taken public trust and used it for personal gain.

And the fallout was historic.

The Secretary of the Interior, Fall was the first member of the U.S.

cabinet to actually go to prison.

The public confidence in government was shattered at the time.

And until Watergate, the teapot dome scandal was the most salacious thing that had ever happened in our government.

And at that moment, people were asking, where is justice?

Where is truth?

And Isaiah's words resonated then, and they resonate now.

Justice is turned back, righteousness stands far off.

That indictment could mark out our country and every other country around the world today.

Because in ours and in theirs, we see corruption, we see violence, we see falsehood, we see injustice.

It's all over the headlines.

And we feel it in our neighborhoods.

And if we're honest, we'll even feel it in our own hearts.

But Isaiah 59 also tells us that there's hope.

There's good news here, that all is not hopeless, that God will intervene, that when no one else can save, God does.

And when human strength falls, the arm of the Lord will come and bring salvation.

And so that's where we're going to go today.

And as we look at the rest of Isaiah chapter 59, I just want to break it into two sections.

Isaiah 59 · chapter mention

Sin devastates, but God delivers.

Sin devastates, but God delivers.

And so let's look at that first one in verses 14 and 15.

Let's read those two verses together.

Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far off, for truth is stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.

Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil is plundered.

Wow.

Isaiah doesn't sugarcoat this at all.

He does not play tiddlywinks with the truth.

Justice is collapsed, truth is stumbled, honesty can't enter, those who turn from evil themselves are plundered.

What a horrible indictment against the human race.

Last week, Micah brought us into what was bringing Isaiah to this summary judgment against humanity.

And in verses one and two of Isaiah 59, he reminds us that the problem is not God's weakness, it's our sin.

And he paints this picture in verses three to eight with hands defiled with blood and lips speaking lies and feet rushing to shed innocent blood.

And we can look at almost every portion of the human body and find some connection to just how corrupt we are.

Paul later quotes those verses in Romans chapter 3 to prove the point that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Romans 3 · chapter mention

And then verses 9 to 13, the people themselves confess we hope for light.

We hope for light, but there's nothing but darkness.

We grope along a wall as if blind.

Justice is gone, truth is missing, honesty is shut out.

Now, doesn't that sound familiar to you?

Sounds familiar to me.

These statements that truth is twisted, righteousness is pushed aside, those who try to stand for right in the public square are mocked or marginalized, certainly sounds like our day.

Where lies spread faster than truth and honesty is shut out.

And those who are whistleblowers or reformers are simply people who want to stand for what is right, don't get a hearing.

Or if they do, it's simply one of derision in response.

Think about some of our headlines, just right here in New York City.

In fact, I think it was last month.

70 workers in the Housing Authority had been demanding kickbacks from contractors in order to give them the contracts to work.

And they received over$2 million in bribes, and$15 million of contracts were steered because of those bribes.

What was the result of that?

People who were living in government housing were left in unsafe, deteriorating conditions, while the money that was meant for the repair of their domicile had been siphoned off by greed.

Isaiah's words ringing true.

Right in our neighborhood.

Justice turned back, righteousness standing far off.

Or think about that case uh not too many years ago in Texas, the affluenza case.

You remember the affluenza case?

Ethan Couch, a teenager who killed four people while driving drunk, and then was just simply given probation?

And he made the argument that he was actually too wealthy to know right from wrong, and the judge said, okay, while four people and four families were devastated.

And it was only after repeatedly violating his probation that this man was put in prison.

Truth is indeed stumbled.

But here's the pivot that we need to hear for ourselves.

Take a look at verse 16.

We'll talk more about it in a second, but we need to feel this.

He saw there was no man.

He was amazed that there was no one interceding.

You see, Isaiah's words don't just describe a broken system, they describe broken hearts.

And that is the case for all of us.

Down to a person.

It's easy for us to get riled up and to be indignant about the corruption in government, or to feel the pain of violence in our community, or falsehood in social media, or injustice in the courts.

But if we stop there, we're missing the truth of the chapter.

Because the same sin that lies in government and communities and social media and the courts, it rests right here, right within every single one of us.

And this is why Paul in Romans chapter 7 said, Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death?

Romans 7 · chapter mention

He wasn't just being rhetorical, he was being honest.

You see, and it's not just Paul's confession, it really ought to be ours.

Now, we may not take bribes or sit in a courtroom, but we know how to shade truth when it honesty would cost us.

We know how to harbor resentment when forgiveness feels too hard to offer.

We know how to indulge selfishness when sacrifice is a step too far.

The collapse of justice in society, the collapse of justice in the courts, the collapse is all about a collapse of righteousness in our own hearts.

And Isaiah's indictment is not about them, it's about us.

And if sin devastates communities, and if sin is found in places like the government and the courts, believe you me, it's also found in churches.

And one thing I've learned over the years as a pastor is that most of the broken marriages and fractured friendships and estranged children and split churches are not the results of big sins out there, but of everyday selfishness and dishonesty right here.

How often I've sat with couples who want to mend their marriage so they think.

Because the more you do this, the less you're going to be together.

Paul's cry, who shall save me from this body of death, is a good cry because it shows you finally understood the depth of need that we have.

That our best efforts fail, that our resolutions crumble, that our strength is not a match.

And deep within us is something that needs fixed.

And Isaiah wants us to feel that.

And it's sin that devastates us.

But this is the wonderful turning point of this passage.

Because Isaiah doesn't leave us in despair.

And I felt bad listening to Micah preach on the early part of Isaiah because he's like, hope's gonna come.

Come back next week, please.

You're gonna hear it.

And I thought I left him no good thing to say.

And honestly, it wasn't selfish on my part just to take it all.

I really should have brought you into that.

But here it is: sin devastates, but God delivers.

God delivers.

And he shows us here, as we'll look look at this, that when no one else can rescue, God himself steps in.

And when human strength fails, God brings the strong arm of his salvation.

And when justice is gone and truth is silenced, the Lord of righteousness rises to act.

And so let's look at this, the deliverance of God.

And we'll start in verse 16 through 19 and see God's intervention.

He saw that there was no man.

He was amazed that there was no one interceding.

So his arm brought salvation, and his own righteousness supported him.

He put on righteousness as body armor and a helmet of salvation on his head.

He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

Now, what beautiful picture this is.

Before we get to that beautiful picture of God arming himself to deliver, let's see why he does again.

The Lord saw there was no justice, and he was offended.

What a stark picture it is, this transition.

God surveying humanity and finding not a single soul standing in the gap.

No one able to intercede, no one able to bring justice.

The silence cast over the human race.

No one's voice.

No one's voice crying for truth or righteousness.

That same tension is found in a place that you might be familiar with.

We won't turn there, but in Revelation chapter 5, where John is caught up into a vision in heaven and he sees a scroll in God's hands, one with seven seals on it, the unfolding of God's plan.

Revelation 5 · chapter mention

And a search is made.

And here's what it reads: it says, A search is made in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and no one was found worthy to open the scroll.

And as John contemplated that, he wept.

He wept because the story of God's unfolding plan seemed stalled, if not broken.

And he lamented, just like Isaiah hears, speaking about the lamentation of God himself.

The crisis is the same.

No person is able.

And the resolution, wonderfully, is the same.

God himself redeems.

In Isaiah, his own arm brings salvation, is the phrase.

In Revelation, it is the Lion of Judah, the lamb who was slain, who is worthy.

And the connection is clear.

Isaiah is anticipating the Redeemer who is going to come because there's no one else who can intercede.

And John speaks about the identity of that Redeemer, who is Christ Himself, who has come in human flesh to intercede.

Where none of us could, Jesus does.

Where there is no one who could take or even touch the seals of the scroll, Jesus takes and opens and unveils the plan of God.

And Isaiah continues, He put on righteousness as body armor, and a helmet of salvation on his head.

He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

This is God clothing himself as a warrior.

Righteousness is armor, salvation his helmet, vengeance his garments, zeal his cloak.

Now, as Mark brought us into the reading in Ephesians 6, we see that the armor of God is something we are to wear.

And what a wonderful privilege this is.

And if I if you just allow me a two minute aside with this.

Some years ago, I visited the Tower of London.

And if you see the tall tower in the middle, that's called the White's Tower, and it's the armory.

It's where all the weaponry of the kings are held.

Not all of them, but they're on display, many of them.

And if you go to one particular floor and you'll see elevated up on some steps, and inside a clear, either glass or encased uh box is the armor of Henry the Eighth.

Now, Henry VIII was a big dude.

And uh people you look at it and it's elevated above where everybody's standing, and you're thinking, well, that is imposing.

And you would see little children walking up there and kind of going, that what's wonderful about Ephesians 6 is that the very armor that our Savior wears to bring deliverance to us is the very armor he puts on us.

And our savior, who was successful against the ways of the devil and even defeated the devil, has given us the wherewithal to stand in our day.

And we don't have to look at his armor and go, wow, that is too big for me.

When we slip it on, it fits us, everyone, whether we're four foot ten or six, six foot three or seven foot one.

It fits us all.

But here is the Lord coming, coming with with the weapons of war, coming as a galleot, fighting for his people.

He is the one who fights, and he is the one who saves.

But let me say a word here.

This is both a word of warning and a word of welcome when he comes to intervene.

Take a look at verse 18 for a second.

He will repay according to their deeds, fury to his enemies, retribution to his foes.

God's justice is not sentimental.

It's holy and it's righteous and it's fierce against sin.

You see, the sword of the Lord cuts two ways.

It cuts down the enemies, and its cutting edge also delivers.

The same arm will come, striking down enemies with fury and retribution.

But that same arm brings salvation to those who turn from their transgressions.

And Isaiah is here showing us that when the Lord comes, when he comes to intervene, he will come to do two things.

He will bring the terror of judgment, but he will also bring the triumph of grace.

And so we find here two things to hear.

First is a sober warning that if any of us persist in sin, if any of us cling to injustice or refuse to turn from our unrighteousness, we are placing ourselves on the wrong side of God's activity.

And he will wield that sword against us.

To continue in rebellion against him is to invite fury rather than mercy.

But it also tells us that the Lord will work.

Take a look at verse 19.

They will fear the name of the Lord in the west and his glory in the east, for he will come like a rushing stream, driven by the wind of the Lord.

The Redeemer will come to Zion and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.

This is the Lord's declaration.

You see, there is deliverance in the Lord's coming.

It's not just casting down the injustices, it is a saving of people who have found themselves also unjust and have begged for mercy.

And he will redeem them.

And so in verse 20, we find not only does the Redeemer intervene, the Redeemer comes to save.

And here we have hope, every one of us.

Though the indictment of verse 14 lies there against all of us, justice turned back, righteousness standing far off, truth stumbling in the public square, honesty just devastated.

And God looking at us and saying, There's no one, no one who can stand.

We now hear these words.

Now, this word redeemer is a rich, rich, rich word.

It talks about covenant language of God fulfilling his promises.

And it carries over.

If you've ever read the book of Ruth, where it talks about a kinsman redeemer.

And what is that?

It's about a person who steps in to help out a family member who's in distress and rescues their family member, who buys back what is lost and restores what is broken.

And Isaiah is saying here that he is going to come to humanity in that same vein.

He's going to come and he's going to be that redeemer.

He's going to come to the people and he's going to buy back what is lost.

He's going to restore what is broken.

He's going to help those who are unable to help themselves.

Paul quotes this verse in Romans chapter 11.

Romans 11 · chapter mention

The deliverer will come from Zion and will turn godlessness away from Judah.

There's a lot to say about that verse, but one thing we can say without any equivocation or uncertainty at all is that Redeemer is Jesus.

That Redeemer is Jesus.

We're here at Christmas.

You're like, what does this got to do with Christmas?

It has everything to do with Christmas.

Literally everything to do with Christmas.

In Luke chapter 2, Simeon is holding this little infant child.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

And he says, My eyes have seen your salvation.

In that moment, Isaiah 5920 was being lived out in real time.

Because the strong arm of the Lord had just showed up on earth.

And it was a baby.

Born in Bethlehem, laid in a manger, announced to the shepherds by the angels.

And on that night, God didn't send one of his mighty angels blazing in glorious brightness, luminescent, with vengeance in his arms.

God sent his own arm to deliver.

And he gave the human race a child.

A child.

Why?

God looks down from the eternal heavens upon humanity and all of its history and says, no one, no one, not a single human alive ever could deliver or intercede.

And so God Himself becomes human.

So that there would be one.

So that there would be a human who would intercede.

So that there would be a human who would deliver.

So that he might bring us all away from the one who holds the fear of death.

That is the devil.

That he might deliver us from the destruction that brings us to that fear by way of our own sin.

You see, Isaiah 59, you may not see it plastered in the Christian bookstores and in Christmas regalia, but it's a Christmas prophecy nonetheless.

God Himself has come, not with armor and vengeance this time, but with swaddling cloths and humility.

Because what he wants to do is destroy the pride of men with the humility of God.

He wants us to recognize that our salvation is not found in power and strength and might.

It is not exercised in rule and dominion and authority.

It is only found at the foot of the cross, where all of us must go to receive forgiveness.

All of us must cast ourselves with utter humility at the very feet of God and say, I don't deserve anything from you but judgment.

Please save me.

And here the baby in the manger has come.

The decisive moment has arrived where the prophecy of Isaiah is true.

But Christmas is not just about looking back, Christmas is about looking forward.

You see, Christmas is as much about the cross as it is the manger, but it's also as much about the second coming as it was the manger.

And the next time this Jesus comes, oh, he does come, riding on a white horse, bearing a sword, and bringing all enemies under his feet.

The incarnation is the beginning of God's intervention, but it is not the end of it.

And all of the warnings of Isaiah 59, stand true still.

He will bring down those who are still considered his enemies and foes.

We live in a world that longs for redemption.

But we're looking for it in all the wrong places.

We think it can be found in if we just get the right people positioned in politics and in places of leadership.

If we could if we could just get our person situated there or there or everywhere, then things will be better.

No, they won't.

Or maybe technology will help us.

Or maybe if it's just self-help lectures, that'll help us.

Or maybe it's social movements.

None of them.

None of them.

None of them.

This is why Christmas matters.

Because the answer is here.

When the baby arrives, his own arm has brought salvation.

The manger is more than just a quaint scene on a beautiful Christmas card.

It is the entrance of the strong arm of God to save.

And that little child born in Bethlehem is opening up a message to all humanity.

Turn and live.

Turn and live.

Recognize your doom.

Recognize the disaster of sin.

Recognize the awful plight if you continue.

Turn and live.

The Redeemer will come to Zion and to those in Jacob who turn from their transgression.

Christmas is God saying, I see the collapse of justice in all humanity, and I will bring righteousness.

Christmas is, I see truth silenced, but he who is the way, the truth, and the life has come.

I see honesty shut out, but I'll raise up the one who would be able to speak to his generation and say, which one of you can convince me of sin?

Simeon held that little baby and said, My eyes have seen your salvation.

That's Christmas.

That's Isaiah 59 in real life.

And it's still here today.

God's salvation is visible, it's tangible, and it's present even in this moment.

And if you're here this morning and you don't know Christ is your Savior, God has come to save people just like you, because we are all like each other.

There's not one of us who can stand and intercede.

There's none of us who speak of righteousness that can prevail for ourselves, even, let alone others.

But if you turn from your transgression to the Redeemer who's come, the invitation is clear, and the invitation is welcoming.

Turn and live.

And if you're here this morning and you've felt the oppression of sin that others have cast against you, even while being a believer, your Lord has come to rescue his people, and he will rescue you to the uttermost.

He will bring you into the vindication of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who stood over all enemies, seen and unseen, and you will enter into the glory of that victory.

Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christmas is a beautiful time of year.

It's filled with vibrant colors and fun festivities and family reunions, joyous song, bright lights, but at the core of it all is the reason to celebrate.

God has intervened, and he still does.

And so we rejoice.

Let's pray.

Father, it is with great joy to know that you've come, even offended in the knowledge that we are unable and unwilling to be truthful and righteous, that you have come to turn us from sin and to bring us a redeemer, so that we might rejoice that you have stepped into safe.

And Father, I pray that as we come closer and closer to the day of celebration of the birth of Christ, that we will become come into a greater degree of understanding of the reality of why he did.

May we understand that your intervention, this strong arm of the Lord, has come to deliver, but also come to destroy evil.

And so, Lord, may we with humility receive the offer of deliverance and not stand on the wrong side when you come to destroy evil.

And we pray this in Christ's name.

Amen.