Isaiah 56

I want to imagine two people who got a call this week from an employment agency and they said

! they've got work starting this coming Monday and it turns out that it's exactly the same

! work and for the same company and for the same people. The two people turn up tomorrow

morning and the company boss says that he really hopes that they will both give it their all and

that they will have a positive mental attitude to their work they'll work really hard and

he's just wrapping up a pep talk he turns to one of them and he says by the way at the end of the

month you will repay three thousand pound for your work then he turns to the other person and he says

at the end of the month you're going to see three million pounds for your work now I know it's not

realistic but we'll run with it for a minute ask yourself the question do you think those two

employees are going to have the same attitude to their work throughout this coming month will they

there's no way you might think well the work is exactly the same they'll get the same lousy

uniforms the same hours and that's absolutely right all those things are the same but what lies ahead

at the end of the month makes all the difference it makes all the difference or to put it a different

way it is the future hope that determines how you live in the present if you were the person promised

three million pounds at the end of this month I'm guaranteeing you you would work differently you're

going to behave differently you will deal with the adverse conditions differently from the person who's

going to be paid three thousand pounds it all depends doesn't it on your future hope the future hope

changes everything about how you live in the present so the last two weeks we've seen is i55

and the beginning of is i56 and we've had amazing promises to those who will trust

their lives to god isaiah has invited you and i look to the future a future which will be everlasting

an eternal future in which we as god's followers god's followers will be transformed

and we will live in a transformed world and it will be a future of joy and perfect peace

of feasting a future where every tribe and nation will be gathered together to enjoy perfect fellowship

and friendship with god and one another and the bible makes the point over and over again that if you

live with that future hope at the core of your being it will completely change everything about the present

if you know that is the future that you've got to look forward to it changes how you look at the present

struggles and the suffering it changes how you handle relationship struggles or issues it changes how you

handle money it changes how about you how you go about your job how you appreciate this world and art how this

creation is changed by that future hope the trouble is you and i ignore that future

and if you choose only to focus on the here and now that affects doesn't it how you live in the here and now

and that is all for the worse and that is exactly what isaiah has just talked about in isaiah 56 and 57

because from the heavy heights of isaiah's vision of the future we plummet down to the reality check of

what was happening in isaiah's day and it's not pretty we saw part of isaiah's a future vision last week

is that outsiders that is foreigners and eunuchs people who are regarded as outsiders are brought inside

but this week isaiah describes for us insiders who are actually on the outside

and so he describes first those who consider themselves to be part of the church part of the

people of god but the reality is they forfeited the rights to be part of god's family

they're insiders who are actually on the outside and so we're going to think about this as we work

through the passage in three parts lost shepherds lost sheep and then finally how the lost can be found

firstly lost shepherds look at isaiah 56 and verse 9 it says this all beasts of the field come to devour

all you beasts in the forest is watchmen are blind they're all without knowledge they're all silent

dogs they cannot bark dreaming lying down loving a slumber the dogs have a mighty appetite

they never have enough but they are shepherds who have no understanding they've all turned to their

own way each to his own gain one and all come they say let's get let's get wine let's fill ourselves

with strong drink and tomorrow we'll be like this day greater beyond measure

do you remember isaiah 55 first verse is really famous isn't it it says come everyone who comes to the

thirst come to the waters and he who has no money come by and eat

and this section starts with exactly the same command in fact the word devour the word devour in verse 9 is

just the word eat two passages side by side with the same invitation

but if the words are similar dinner could not be more different could it

because it's not an invitation like isaiah 55 it's not an invitation for all people everywhere to come

come experience god's love and grace and kindness and goodness and forgiveness

this is an invitation to israel's labouring nations and they're portrayed as beasts of the field and beasts of

the forest and the invitation is come come and feast on the rebellious people of israel

it's not some kind of random command here on god's part that god is having a bad day and

he's kind of fed up his people no this is actually god keeping his promise

god has promised in the law of moses that if the people of god refuse to obey him

and instead to disobey him that he sets wild animals on them

and in this case it's the surrounding army so his role

isaiah's role as a prophet part of which entailed him being a kind of covenant enforcement officer

for god's promises

isaiah lays out the evidence why god can bring this punishment on his people

how they've rebelled against god and he's going to start with the leaders

those lost shepherds

and as you look at the passage i use two words to describe what the roles

the leaders of israel were supposed to fulfill and there's two things

firstly they were to be watchmen verse 10

and they were to be shepherds

there were to be those two things watchmen and shepherds

and those two aspects highlight

highlight important truths about what leadership in christ's church is to entail

the leaders here they were to guard from external danger

and they were to care for the internal needs of his people

so protection from the outside

and care for those on the inside

but the problem is with these leaders is that the eyes of these leaders

should have been turned outwards towards their people

and the care of them

but their eyes are turned inward to their own welfare

and so isaiah doesn't pull any punches as he describes them

he says what are these leaders actually like

he compares them to dogs doesn't he in verse 10

blind, mute, sleepy, greedy dogs

who are unable to guard the community

and therefore the community is at the mercy of these beasts

and these leaders should have been watchmen and shepherds of god's flock

but isaiah says they're drunks

and they're gluttons

and they are supposed to be like watchdogs

who would warn of the approach of animals

like lions and wolves who could destroy

and could kill

who would kill a village's sheep

but instead they are like dogs who are interested in

eating

and then lying about in the sun

dogs who are interested in sleeping

they're not watchdogs

they're not guard dogs

so when their robbers arrive

they wag their tails of welcome

instead of barking

they are useless as leaders

and in fact they are worse than useless

they are dangerous

and there's actually a certain sequence that isaiah lays out

spiritually they are blind

they have no vision

and you go through the old testament

and vision is always tied

to the word of the lord

they are not hearing the word of the lord

they are not paying attention to the word of the lord

so there's no vision

they don't hear

so they can't see

they don't hear

which leads to no message

they are mute

and they've got nothing to say

which leads to escapism

and self-pleasing

which leads to complacency

about tomorrow

everything is great

everything is going to be great tomorrow

they think everything is grand

and they've no idea

that they're about to be devoured

they've completely failed as leaders

and so if nothing else

these few verses

remind us that leadership matters

and leadership matters

in the church

because as we're going to see in a moment

as the leaders go

so does the church

the old adage is right isn't it

no organisation will rise above the level of its leadership

and that is why the work of our denomination

in developing leaders

and training a next generation of preachers

and our work of training elders

is absolutely vital

to the health of this congregation

it's why it's crucially important

for you to be praying

for the elders

and for those who are training to be elders

and for all leaders

down to every area of church life

it's why those of us who are leaders

need to read a passage like this

and we need to be reminded

that we've been called

to be watchmen

and shepherds

not selfish and complacent

not doing this because it scratches where we itch

but because God has given us

this responsibility

and notice before we move on

that this critique from Isaiah

is focused on character

and not on policy

or to put it in terms of the New Testament

it is about spiritual fruit

in the leaders lives

not spiritual gifts

so our culture increasingly wants to believe

doesn't it

that it doesn't matter what is going on

for example in a political leader's life

as long as he or she is delivering

in terms of policy

economic or social

or whatever it is

that's okay

but actually character matters

the sheep follow the shepherd

character matters in the world of politics

but it certainly matters

in the leadership of the church

because we are about to see

private wrong

and public rights

do not coexist

leadership matters

and it matters

because Isaiah shows us

that lost shepherds

result in lost sheep

secondly

lost sheep

I wonder if you noticed

in verse 11

there is a phrase there

which is familiar

it's not verse 11

the dogs have a mighty appetite

but they never have enough

they are shepherds

who have no understanding

they have all turned

to their own way

a few chapters

chapters early in Isaiah 53

in that very famous chapter

it says

the Lord's people

we all like sheep

have gone astray

each of us has turned

to his own way

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all

and now Isaiah is telling us

why it is

that the sheep have gone

their own way

because the shepherds

turned to their own way first

the lost

are leading the lost

the blind

are leading the blind

and the direction

that the shepherd goes in

is the direction

that the sheep

end up going in

you know Dritten Green

outside our building

53 Dritten Green

there is a path there

and there is a little

kind of running path

that goes

round the

green

you've seen this next

I don't know if you ever noticed

people only ever run

one way

you never see

on that path

people running

in opposite directions

why?

I don't know why it is

because whoever it is

earliest in the morning

must get there

and decide

to run that way

and then you have

all the people

during the day

running the same way

round the path

nobody runs

different kind of directions

they all run away

why?

well because

you follow the leader

aren't you?

everyone runs

in the same direction

so in the running

so in life

the sheep follow

the shepherd

whatever direction

the shepherd

takes those

who come

after

and takes them

in the same direction

if the shepherd

goes in the wrong

direction

so does the sheep

and that is exactly

what was happening

in Isaiah

that is exactly

what happens

in church life

and so Isaiah

just wants to make sure

that we realise that

and he launches

into this attack

on the sheep

which is an attack

on the whole nation

verse 3 and 4

of Isaiah 57

but you draw near

sons of the sorcerers

offspring of the adulterer

and the noose woman

whom you are mocking

against whom do you

open your mouth wide

and stick out your tongues

are you not children

of transgression

the offspring of deceit

the catalogue of sins

of which the people

are guilty

is simply shocking

as you run down

the list

from verses 3 to 9

just glance down

at it with me

they are guilty

of spiritual adultery

they are guilty

at the mockery

of God

they are guilty

of religious prostitution

they are guilty

of child sacrifice

literally child sacrifice

rampant idolatry

political alliances

with pagan nations

and you see

when you have

no focus

on the future hope

that has been

promised to you

there is no transformation

in the present

and so it's a

live for now attitude

go for it

with gossip

you've only got

one life

and so

the people of Israel

they romp through

every expression

of paganism

and sin possible

anything goes

anything goes

because anything goes

however exhausting

however degrading

however stupid

that in their blindness

they thought this was

what life was all about

this is how you fun

along the way

and God says

let me tell you

what you've made yourself

you've become

prostitutes

you've become

adulterers

you've taken

other loves

you've taken

your love

where it doesn't

belong

and you've become

idolaters

you've trusted in

gods which are

no gods at all

there's almost

a manic

quality

to these verses

of people

in a frenzy

trying to find

security

the security

that they are

longing for

and so

we follow them

down into the

valley

pursuing these

false gods

and then we're

taken up onto

the mountain

where they

metaphorically

jump into bed

with the false

gods

and then down

into Sheol

into the realm

of the dead

they are ready

to do

whatever

if necessary

they'll do

whatever they

want

whatever they

can

if only

they didn't

get a secure

alliance

they are lost

sheep

are people

who consider

themselves

to be

insiders

but Isaiah

says no

you are not

insiders

you are actually

outsiders

now I'm guessing

as this passage

was read to us

many of us

think this

sounds so weird

so foreign

so unreal

and as you can

see where I'm

going

perhaps you are

offended

of the suggestion

that I might

make that you

are some kind

of spiritual

prostitute

or adulterer

but the Bible

will not offer

you and I

that was all

in the ancient

world

but now it's

different option

throughout the

Bible

God describes

his relationship

with his people

in terms of

a marriage

and God

tells you and

I that he

loves his

people with

a jealous

love

he's like a

husband

in terms of

the love

and the passion

and commitment

for his wife

and so when we

treat God

as if he's

not enough

and when we

treat God

as if we

need something

else

to satisfy

us

and excite

us

and when we

look elsewhere

for love

and meaning

and significance

the Bible

has got a

whole vocabulary

to describe

that

words like

prostitution

words like

adultery

and like

idolatry

Tim Keller

in his brilliant

little book

on idolatry

says

an idol

is anything

more important

to you

than God

anything

that absorbs

your heart

and imagination

more than

God

anything

you seek

to give

you

what only

God

can give

and once

you understand

that the

Bible's

category of

ideology

covers the

breadth of

things

or its

first cousin

adultery

in the same

way

you realise

that this

passage of

Isaiah 56

and 57

is very

very relevant

so there are

personal idols

aren't there

like romantic

love

or family

or money

or power

or achievement

or your

social circle

your fitness

your health

your beauty

there are

cultural idols

technological

progress

and economic

prosperity

there can be

idols with

work

can't there

what we do

and what we

study

and where we

work

and how we're

perceived

and all

those things

are competing

for our

worship

and our

devotion

and all

those things

although not

bad things

in themselves

they are

seeking to

seduce you

to become

the ultimate

thing in

your life

instead of

God

and some

relationships

whisper in

your ear

and say

come to me

and through

me you will

find meaning

and you will

find significance

or work

comes to you

and says

give yourself

to me

sell yourself

to me

and you will

find meaning

and you will

find happiness

in success

and if this is

new to you

you always thought

that an idol

was just a statue

in a little room

in the corner

and you think

to yourself

do I have an

idol in my life

what is it

well I'll

apply this

for the test

when your

mind has

space

simply to

go

wherever it

wants to

go

your default

more often

than not

is to what

you love most

and worship

and if that

is not

God

the chances

are

you've uncovered

what your

idol is

so ask

yourself

what is it

that your

mind

just

defaults

to

what is it

that you

love to

think about

what do

you love to

dream about

the problem

with any

idol

no matter

what it

is

is that

whatever it

promises you

whether it's

fulfilment

or satisfaction

or otherwise

it never

keeps its

promise

it never

does

and it

will only

lead you

to destruction

and the

sobering

factor

just in

case you

haven't

picked it

up

is Isaiah

is not

addressing

pagan

unbelievers

he's speaking

to the people

of God

he's speaking

to the church

and he's

speaking to

those who

consider them

insiders

who are in

reality

outsiders

and we see

an interesting

little detail

in verse 8

can you see

that

behind the

door and

the door

post

you've set

up your

memorial

the word

literally

he's a

reminder

and I

think the

reference to

the door

post is

probably an

allusion to

Deuteronomy

6 where

the Israelites

are reminded

and told

to write

God's

commands on

their door

posts and

on their

homes

and they

were to

do that

because it

would remind

them that

they are to

live by

God's

commands

but it

also served

didn't it

as a

public

statement

to those

who came

into this

house

that this

household

lives by

the word

of God

and so

something

easy

isn't it

in many

of our

homes

there will

probably be

a framed

little quote

which says

as for me

and my

house

we will

serve

the

Lord

the

problem

here is

that in

Isaiah

57

is that

the

spiritual

adulterers

those

lost

sheep

they

put

those

verses

out of

sight

they

put

them

behind

the

door

verse

it

on the

door

they

don't

erase

them

but they

concealed

it

because

frankly

they want

a foot

in both

camps

they want

some

hidden

reminder

that

preserves

some form

of commitment

to God

it's a bit

like a

baptism

certificate

or a

bible

that you

were given

years ago

or some

moment or

a pledge

card

that when

you were

a teenager

you gave

your life

to Christ

or at a

camp

years ago

when you

were given

a book

and it's

like an

insurance

policy

that you

stuck away

in some

drawer or

cabinet

that you

can pull

out to

prove

I am

a

Christian

but you

keep it

hidden

because

frankly

the way

you act

or speak

when you're

around other

people besides

those who

come to

church

with you

the way

you act

and the way

you speak

makes a

mockery

those reminders

and Isaiah

says it's

trying to

have a

foot in

both

camps

trying to

walk the

route of

spiritual

compromise

and that

is just

adultery

and idolatry

sheep who

follow lost

shepherds

are lost

sheep

they only

consider themselves

to be

insiders

but Isaiah

says they're

outsiders

and it's

very depressing

stuff

it's very

heavy isn't

it

we need to

feel the

weight of

it

but let's

say for the

sake of

argument that

you see this

morning in

your life

that according

to Isaiah's

diagnosis

that you are

close to the

category of

lost sheep

you recognise

that in

yourself

and you

recognise

although you've

got the

name of

insider

you see

the signs

of outsider

in you

and if you're

honest with

yourself

there are

things in

your life

which definitely

take priority

and precedence

over God

and so the

question is

what do you

do

what do you

do if you

recognise this

morning as we

all do that

there are things

in your life

that are taking

precedence

and they're more

important to you

than God

and Isaiah

helpfully in this

passage points

out how the

loss can be

found this

morning

and I want to

point to you

three things that

I think he shows

us here

how the loss can

be found

first of all

you need a new

reality

look at verse

10

you were

wearied

with the length

of your way

but you did

not say it is

hopeless

you found new

life for your

strength

and so you

were not faint

a new reality

there's a fair

dose of irony

here

some of you

might think

those words

are familiar

and you'd

be right

do you remember

in Isaiah

40

that famous

verse that we

love

even youths

grow tired

and weary

those who

hope in the

Lord

will renew

their strength

they will run

and not grow

weary

they will walk

and not grow

faint

they're very

familiar words

and they're

similar words

and the problem

here is that

the Israelites

have somehow

found a way

of not

fainting

but carrying

on

carrying on

in their

sin and

rebellion

to stagger

on in

their adultery

and their

idolatry

look at verse

11

whom did you

dread and fear

so that you

lied

and did not

remember me

and did not

lay to heart

have I not

held my

peace even

for a long

time

and did you

not fear

me

I will

declare your

righteousness

and your

deeds

but they

will not

profit you

when you

cry out

let your

collection of

idols deliver

you

the wind

will carry

them all

off

a breath

will take

them away

but he

who takes

refuge in

me

shall possess

the land

and shall

inherit my

holy mountain

Isaiah is a

great preacher

he's a great

preacher because

he mocks

and he uses

irony

and he uses

humour

and he mocks

the idols

he says they

are non-gods

and they are

lifeless

and they can

do absolutely

nothing for

you

build your

life on

them

go for it

what will

it mean

to you

and you

count on your

idols to bring

you happiness

and Isaiah

says you know

what it takes

to knock one

of those idols

over

do you know

what it takes

for one of

those idols

to disappear

verse 13

the wind

will carry

them all

off

a breath

will take

it away

because they're

nothing

and Isaiah

says to you

the only

sufficient

refuge

lies in

God

he is the

one you are

to run to

he is the

one with

whom you are

to take

shelter

he is the

one who

will shelter

you when

you are

feeling at

your

wit's end

when you are

helpless

and despondent

he is the

one who

will protect

you

when you're

feeling insecure

he alone

is the

refuge

you see

on your

deathbed

on your

deathbed

you've given

your life

to work

you've given

your life

to sport

you've made

your family

the big

thing

in life

more important

than anything

else

and on your

deathbed

what's good

will it

do you

part of

my job

is I

sit

at the

deathbed

of people

I've seen

people

ushered into

eternity

and let me

assure you

work is no

comfort

money is no

comfort

you leave

your family

and so God

can be your

only refuge

Isaiah

uses words

to help us

understand

what it

might look

like for us

to be taking

refuge in

God

look at some

of the words

he uses

he says

to take

refuge in

God

means to

fear him

to fear

the Lord

it comes

over and

over again

in the

New Testament

it's not a

servile fear

but a fear

that is a

trembling trust

it is a

trust in

God

because we

know how

absolutely

trustworthy

God has

been for

us in the

past

trust

and it's

a trembling

trust

because this

Isaiah

is the

sovereign

ruler of

the universe

you don't

mess with

him

to take

refuge in

God

is to be

true to

him

I was

recently

with a

group of

ministers

and one

of the

ministers

prayed

Lord we

want to

relax

into you

I wanted

to kick

his head

in

it's

absolutely

ridiculous

isn't it

you don't

relax into

almighty

God

he is

your

father

it's

wonderful

you

have

great

access

you can

call him

Abba father

but he

is God

to take

refuge in

God

is to

be

true to

him

once you

know

what you

know

of what

God has

done for

you in

the past

and who

he is

you can

trust him

which means

to obey

him

to take

that foot

out of

the camp

of adultery

and idolatry

and plant

both feet

in God's

camp

and say

as for

me and

my house

we will

serve the

Lord

to take

God as

a refuge

is to

remember

God

and to

take all

that he

does

and is

and take

it to

heart

remembering

the Bible

is not

just

oh yeah

I've

forgotten

that

to remember

in the Bible

is always

an action

verb

that means

you take

what you

know about

God

and you

live it

out

so when

you do

this in

remembrance

of me

at the

Lord's

table

it's

not

oh yes

I've

got to

think

about

Jesus

on the

cross

it's

to

remember

who

God

is

and to

live that

out

and to

apply it

in every

area of

life

and Isaiah

says that's

the only safe

place

it is a

trembling

trust

it is

hearing

and

remembering

God

and being

true to

him

it's

to take

him

as your

one

refuge

and the

third thing

that the

lost person

needs this

morning to be

found

is the

most important

thing

so listen

up

lastly

the third

thing

that the

lost

needs to

be found

is the

righteous

man

look at

chapter 57

verses 1

and 2

because there's

really something

very interesting

going on there

isn't there

verse 1

look at verse 1

it's surprising

the righteous

man perishes

!

and no one

lays it to

heart

devout men

are taken

away

while no one

understands

for the

righteous man

is taken

away from

calamity

he enters

in peace

they rest

in their

beds

who walk

in their

uprightness

it seems

a strange

couple of

verses

to put

here

because it

almost seems

it would make

more sense

to go from

the lost

shepherd

to the

lost

sheep

and yet

here

Isaiah

inserts a

couple of

verses

about who

are truly

insiders

they are

inside

and they

belong

inside

because

they walk

in righteousness

but they

are people

who God

in his

sovereign

will

with

sovereign

timing

will

remove

from this

life

through

death

he protects

them

by bringing

them

from life

to death

I wish I could

talk more

about that

but I need

to go on

but notice

how Isaiah

flips back

and forth

between the

singular and

the plural

can you see

that in the

verse

one righteous

man

to devout

men

back to

one righteous

man

and then

finally

the plural

who are

left in

their beds

and lots

of commentators

think Isaiah

is just

kind of mixing

it up

stylistically

he's talking

about lots

of people

through these

verses

and he

kind of

he varies

it to make

it interesting

sometimes

he's singular

sometimes plural

but we know

that's not right

Isaiah definitely

speaks of

a group

of people

who are

devout

and righteous

and godly

a kind of

remnant

whom God

under certain

circumstances

of persecution

and death

delivers

from suffering

by means

of death

Isaiah is

suggesting

isn't it

that certain

situations

God draws

his followers

out of

further suffering

to bring them

to a place

of peace

and rest

where suffering

is no more

Paul talks about

that in the Philippians

he says

for me

to live is

Christ

to die

is gain

because for the

Christian

when God

decides to

bring us

out of life

and into

death

he brings us

into the

holy presence

of Christ

where there's

ultimate joy

and peace

and rest

we might

want them

back

but they

don't want

to come

back

the saints

of heaven

so that's

the plural

but what about

the singular

what about

the righteous

man

that Isaiah

is flipping

back and

forth

and the

reason he

does that

is because

he is

thinking of

the righteous

man

the suffering

servant

from Isaiah

52

to 42

to 53

that's still in his

mind

and the clue

that he's still

thinking of

is in the lines

about the shepherds

going their own way

just as the sheep

have gone their own way

which was an allusion

to Isaiah 53

so look at verse 1

the righteous

man

perishes

and knows

no one

lays it to heart

for the lost

to be found

for the outsider

to be brought

into the inside

he or she

must take

the perishing

death

of the righteous

man

and you need

to take it

to heart

you have to

come to terms

with the fact

that this God

is not a static

refuge

he is one

who has pursued

us to bring

us inside

that he has

pursued us

by sending

his son

the suffering

servant

the only

righteous man

the only

person

who ever

walked the

earth

without

committing

spiritual

adultery

without

committing

idolatry

the sinless

perfect

son of

God

the

righteous

man

who was

put to

death

who perished

on a cross

not because

of any of

the wrong

that he

had done

not because

he deserved

to die

in any way

but because

you and

I deserve

it

and he

willingly

went

to the

cross

in our

place

as the

sin

bearing

penalty

for our

son

and so

the righteous

man

perished

but of course

that's not

the end of

the story

is it

because

the

righteous

man

rose

again

and the

righteous

man

ascended

and the

righteous

man

is

seated

at the

right hand

of the

father

and the

righteous

man

is

coming

back

again

but the

point is

he has

defeated

sin

and he

has

defeated

death

and for

those who

will lay

this to

heart

that death

has been

defeated

that when

you come

to the

end of

your life

that is

not the

end

and there

is future

hope that

is portrayed

for us

in Isaiah

55 and

56

and hope

changes

everything

the righteous

man perished

and you

took it to

heart

and you

realise

this

applies to

me big

time

and you

realise

that you

don't have

to run

after those

senior

gods

you don't

have to run

after the

god of

money or

work or

sex or

family

that keep

promising you

so much

but never

come through

you no

longer have

to run

after idols

because

everything you

need is in

him

because he

is the only

refuge that

you need

and he

is the only

sufficient

refuge

and in

him there

is a new

reality

and through

faith in

Christ alone

the outside

is brought