God Can't Be Surprised

Please have a seat.

Before we turn back to Isaiah 44,

a quick reminder that we'll have a brief time of prayer

about our community open day,

our Buklu open day, Saturday the 3rd of June.

So to pray for the workings of that,

but also to pray for those who will be invited

that God would use that.

So a short time of prayer down here,

pretty much straight after the service.

For anyone who can give us a few minutes to pray,

that'd be wonderful.

So we're continuing to think about

10 things that God can't do.

Today, from Isaiah 44,

we're thinking about the truth that God can't be surprised.

And to think about why that's good news.

For us, of course, we can be surprised all the time.

Sometimes those surprises are good surprises.

We're walking down the street and we meet an old friend.

We go to a restaurant and we experience some new food

and it's good.

We find ourselves with an unexpected job opportunity, perhaps.

There are good surprises.

There are bad surprises.

You think your car is working well,

you take it to the garage and you get a steep repair bill.

You have the bad surprise of broken promises.

Promises we break.

Promises others make to us that get broken.

Boys and girls, I wonder if you've ever had

or been to a surprise birthday party.

To me, that sounds like an absolute nightmare situation.

Surprise birthday party.

The first time I went to a surprise birthday party

was my granny's when she turned 80.

That was a very high-risk maneuver.

Tell you what.

See, when she walked into that hotel room

full of her family and extended family,

there was a moment where it looked like

she might keel over with a shock.

But it was a good surprise in the end.

Why is it that we are surprised as people?

Well, partly it's because we are time-bound.

Because we don't know what's going to happen,

we have uncertainty about our future.

So, for example, the open day that we're planning for,

we don't know who's going to show up.

We don't know how things will go.

And we are surprised because we have limited knowledge.

Again, we have limited knowledge of the forces of nature.

So, we don't know is it going to be a good day or a bad day weather-wise.

We also have limited knowledge in terms of people's actions and attitudes

as they impact on us.

So, we find ourselves surprised.

And we talk about everybody having perfect vision,

20-20 vision in hindsight.

So, we can look back, maybe see and think,

oh, if I'd have known that then,

I would have done things differently.

But we don't have a perfect 20-20 vision

when it comes to the future.

But, of course, that's so different for God

because God can't be surprised.

God is not time-bound.

Rather, God is eternal.

God was there before the universe was created.

God was there before there was time.

And everything then is 20-20 for God.

He sees the future just as perfectly as He sees the present,

as He sees the past.

And, of course, as we thought about last week,

God's knowledge is perfect.

His knowledge is perfect over all the events

that take place throughout this world.

He has perfect knowledge of all people in this world.

He knows the intentions that lie in every heart.

He knows the outcome of every moment.

God is not like us.

And I hope we'll come to see that this is really good news.

In Isaiah 44, that short section that we listened to,

there were two messages that God delivers about Himself.

And especially we're going to think about the fact

that God can't be surprised is really good news

when it comes to the promises that He made.

You know, when it comes to us and promises,

we have something of an uneasy relationship to them

because sometimes we forget the promises that we make.

Other times, despite our best intentions,

we fail to keep those promises.

Other forces take over.

But in God, we have one who is never surprised,

one for whom there are no rivals,

there are no opposing forces,

and so we have a God who will always keep His promises.

So there is, in God, one who offers us comfort

for all our days.

So if you turn with me to Isaiah 44,

these first five verses that we read,

the first message we can summarize this way,

your Creator keeps His promises.

So this section, Isaiah 44,

is part of a much wider section

where Isaiah is bringing a message against the idols

because the idols are powerless,

but He's also bringing a message against the people of God

who have turned away from wholehearted trust

to begin to trust in idols.

And God wants to remind them and us over and over again

that God is the only Savior.

Therefore, God is the one to be trusted in.

But there's a wonderful message of hope as well,

that despite the unfaithfulness that God's people have shown,

there is mercy from God.

Hope exists in God because of who God is.

So, to look at verse 2,

what do we discover about God?

We discover God is Creator.

This is what the Lord says,

He who made you,

who formed you in the womb,

and who will help you.

Now, last week we were in Psalm 139,

and David was reflecting on the fact

that God formed him in the womb of his mother.

So it was a very personal reflection.

But now here we're being reminded

that God is the one who has formed His people Israel.

God has given birth, as it were,

to His people,

and it's He who will help.

He is the Creator.

He's also the covenant Lord.

Again, the language there.

But now listen, in verse 1,

Jacob, my servant Israel,

whom I have chosen.

The use of Jacob,

a reminder that to Abraham and Isaac and to Jacob,

to that family,

God made covenant promises.

Verse 2,

this is what the Lord says,

the personal covenant name of God.

This is their personal God

who is speaking.

And it's this God,

the one who chose them,

the one who made them,

is the one who will help them.

Now, how will God help

this people,

this people,

this people who had wandered away from Him?

God will help

because God will keep His promises.

In verses 3 to 5,

we have this wonderful picture

of transformation of life

that God brings.

Let me read verse 3.

For I will pour water

on the thirsty land

and streams on the dry ground.

I will pour out my Spirit

on your offspring

and my blessing

on your descendants.

So we can think about

a desert

springing to life

after the rains.

We can think about

our peace lilies

being revived

after a good watering.

God turns to His people

and says,

I'm going to do

that kind of transforming work

in your hearts

and your lives.

That their sin,

their stubborn hearts

will be changed

by God's grace.

So towards the end

of this chapter,

chapter 44,

verse 22,

God says,

I have swept away

your offenses like a cloud,

your sins like the morning mist,

return to me

for I have redeemed you.

The stubborn wandering people

are called to return

and are promised forgiveness.

And God says also

He'll keep His promises

in sending His Spirit.

This is a great hope

for the people of God,

especially a hope

for the new covenant.

Looking forward to this time

when the power

and the presence of God

would be with His people

in a life-giving,

life-transforming way.

And God says,

I will bring change.

I will bring change

to your offspring.

I'll bring change

to your descendants.

Future promise

by His gracious,

redeeming love.

And related to that,

there's this sense

of a new identity

for the people

in verse 5,

so that some will say,

I belong to the Lord.

Others will call themselves

by the name of Jacob still.

Others will write

on their hands

the Lord's

and will take the name Israel.

Again,

here's a picture

of a heart

that's transformed.

Instead of wanting

nothing to do

with their Lord,

they're glad to say,

I belong to the Lord.

That this is

a restoration

that's going to happen

within Israel,

but there's also

this promise

that beyond Israel,

as God keeps

His saving promises,

people will be drawn

to Him.

So the Lord presents

this hope

for their future.

You will not always

live in exile

far away

from the promised land.

You will not always

be hard-hearted

towards God.

Instead,

you'll be restored

and you'll receive

my Spirit

and you'll belong

to me once more.

It's a great promise.

And the question is,

can this promise

be trusted?

And the answer,

this promise

can be trusted

if God can be trusted,

if He can be trusted

to work

and to save,

if God can be trusted

that nothing

can throw His plans

off course,

then there is real

and living hope

for the people of God.

You know,

we can say to people,

don't worry,

things will get better,

things won't always

be like this,

but so often

we know

that we lack

the power

and the knowledge

to bring that guarantee.

Is God like us

or is He unlike us?

Then becomes a question

that really matters.

If we are to entrust

ourselves

for our lives

and for our salvation

to God,

then we need to know

that He is a Creator

who keeps His promises.

That takes us

towards message

number two,

intended to give hope

to the people of God,

verses six to eight,

which we can summarize

this way,

your God and King

knows the future.

In these verses,

we have the character

of God

and His greatness

in contrast

to the idols.

One of the great themes

of this larger section

in Isaiah.

And again,

the purpose here

is so that

God's people

might turn back

to Him,

so that God's people

might live with trust

in Him.

So, it's a message

that still is relevant

for us today.

What truths about God

do we discover

in here

that would help us

to trust Him?

Well, notice

all the language

that speaks to us

of God being powerful.

Verse six,

this is what the Lord says,

Israel's king.

Here is

the one

true ruler.

This is what the Lord says,

Israel's king

and

redeemer.

They knew this

in their history.

God rescued them.

God rescued them

from slavery.

God rescued them

from their enemies.

Their king

and their redeemer

is the Lord

Almighty,

the Lord of hosts,

the Lord of heaven's

armies.

This powerful God

is the God

who says,

I keep my promise.

And their history,

of course,

as they look back,

as we look back,

gives us lots of evidence

that God

is all-powerful,

that God

is mighty

to save,

therefore,

we can

and we should

trust Him.

He's a powerful God.

He's also

the eternal God.

See that there

towards the end

of verse six?

I am the first

and I

am

the last.

This idea

of the

timelessness

of God,

the one who was there

before creation,

the one who will

outlast

creation,

just as we have

about Jesus

in the book of Revelation,

the Alpha

and the Omega.

And the God

who is eternal

is the God

who sees

all history

perfectly

in a single moment.

He is all-powerful

and He is all-wise,

therefore,

He is able

with certainty

to bring about

His purposes

and His promises.

God is powerful

and eternal.

God is also

unique.

End of verse six.

Apart from me,

there is

no

God.

End of verse eight.

You are my witnesses.

Is there any

God besides me?

No,

there is no

other rock.

I know

not one.

There are no

rivals

to God's throne.

He doesn't share

His glory

or His rule

with anyone.

Therefore,

because He is

supreme

in majesty

and glory

and authority,

no one can

challenge Him,

no one can

shake His plans,

no one can

halt His

purposes.

This God

can't be

surprised.

And this is the

God who is

good.

This is the

God who

makes covenant

promises.

This is the

God who

saves.

And so,

He gives them

some truths

about God,

about Himself,

but then He

also wants to

draw attention

to His

uniqueness

compared to

the idols

in a different

way.

So,

we need to

think about

the test

that God

sets.

We are in

exam season

in schools

and universities

and that's

always a

stressful time.

Part of the

stress,

of course,

is not knowing

what's going to

come up

in an exam

paper.

That question,

have I

focused on

the right

topics?

Imagine how

different your

study and exam

experience would

be if you

knew the

questions ahead

of time.

Look at the

test that God

sets.

Verse 7,

Who then is

like me?

Let him

proclaim it.

Let him

declare and

lay out

before me

what has

happened since

I established

my ancient

people and

what is yet

to come.

Yes,

let them

foretell

what will

come.

So,

in this

test that

God sets,

there is

one topic.

Who can

declare the

future?

Who can

bring the

future to

path?

Taking

this test,

there is

the one

true and

living God

and there

are the

idols.

So,

God says

to the

idols,

show me,

give me

evidence

that you

knew what

was going

to happen

since the

time I

called my

people to

myself until

now,

and show me

some evidence

you can

foretell the

future.

It's God's

way of saying

to us,

of course,

I do that.

I've never

been surprised,

and I never

will be

surprised.

That's why he

says,

Is there any

God besides

me?

No,

there is

no other

rock I

know,

not one.

When it

comes to

knowing the

past,

the present,

and the

future perfectly,

in this test

that God

sets,

God gets

a hundred

percent,

and the

idols get

zero.

They have

no power,

therefore,

they should

not be

trusted.

But God

can always

be trusted.

in the

Old Testament,

one of the

tests of a

prophet to

assess,

are they

speaking for

God or

not,

do their

words come

true?

If they do,

they're speaking

for God.

If not,

they don't,

because God

can't lie,

God can't

be surprised.

The Old

Testament

contains

hundreds of

predictions

about future

history,

whether that's

to do with

individuals or

nations.

Not one of

those has

failed or

will fail.

So when he

spoke to

Abraham,

made great

promises,

but said,

before your

descendants receive

the land,

they'll be

imprisoned in

Egypt for

hundreds of

years,

and then

they'll be

released.

Well,

that happened.

When God

speaks to

Jeremiah and

says,

here's the

message for

the people,

Babylon is

going to

come and

defeat the

nation and

make you

slaves for

70 years,

future

prediction,

that happened.

When Isaiah

in chapter

45 records

this message

from God

that King

Cyrus will

be raised

up to

let the

people go,

to give

freedom to

the exiles,

that happened.

All the

Old Testament

predictions that

we have about

Jesus,

Messiah,

the detailed

prophecies about

his birthplace,

about his life

and ministry,

about his death

and resurrection,

all come true.

Our God

can't be

surprised,

and his

word and

his character

therefore can

be perfectly

trusted.

And God

sends Isaiah

to the people

in his day

to show

them that,

to call

them back

to himself.

And God

would show

us that,

to show

us his

great character,

his trustworthy

character,

that he cannot

be surprised,

that he is

all-glorious,

that we too

would trust

him.

Let's

think together

about three

ways this

truth that

God can't

be surprised

is good

news.

We're going

to think,

first of all,

when it

comes to

salvation.

A couple

of fascinating

texts,

one from the

Old Testament,

one from

the New.

Think about

the story

of Joseph.

Do we know

about the

story of

Joseph?

Genesis

37 to

50 give

us the

story of

this brother

who was

sold into

slavery by

his jealous

brothers,

lands up in

Egypt,

becomes a

prisoner in

Egypt.

But then,

in the fullness

of God's

time,

he is raised

to be

prime minister

of that

country,

rescuing

the nation,

rescuing

many nations,

rescuing his

family from

famine,

so that

he can,

so that

God is

shown to

be faithful

in his

promises.

But anyway,

once Joseph's

father dies,

Joseph's

remaining

brothers are

nervous.

Is Joseph

going to

turn on

us now

that our

dad isn't

around?

And we

have that

wonderful

statement in

Genesis 50,

as Joseph

reflects on

the actions

of his

brothers all

those years

ago when

they sold

him into

slavery.

He said

to them,

you intended

it for

evil,

but God

intended it

for good,

for the

saving of

many lives.

So he

says to

the

brothers,

you did

what you

wanted,

you were

free agents,

and you

did what

was evil,

but what

does he

say about

God?

God

intended it

for good.

God

stood behind

and above

their actions.

This God

who can't

be surprised

was able

to turn

that evil

into good.

That God

in his

wisdom

brought

salvation

and kept

his promise

to Abraham's

family.

salvation.

The fact

that God

can't be

surprised

is good

news when

it comes

to salvation.

When we

think in

the New

Testament,

we think

about Jesus.

We began

our service

with Acts

Acts 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

What did

we hear

about there

again?

We heard

about wicked

men doing

what they

pleased in

putting Jesus

to death.

But we

also heard

about God,

that God

had predetermined

and planned

the death

of his

son as

God's

way to

save

sinners.

So again,

we have

ultimate

evil turned

to ultimate

good by

this God

of all

knowledge who

can't be

surprised to

bring salvation

for many

lives.

So we

can trust

God when

it comes

to God's

saving plan

to recognize

that truly

it is

unstoppable.

There is

no wickedness,

there is

no force

that will

derail

the saving

purposes

of God.

Joseph's

story,

not in

Jesus'

story,

not in

the story

of Jesus

building his

church in

the world.

We were

hearing recently,

weren't we,

about Iran.

And Iran

before the

Islamic

revolution of

the late

70s

probably only

had hundreds

of believers.

But since

that revolution

and since

persecution,

those believers

now number in

the hundreds

of thousands

because God's

saving plan

is unstoppable.

And that's

also good

news when

it comes

to our

trust for

God's work

in our

lives.

Think about

Paul's message

to the

Philippians

where he

could write

in chapter

1 and

verse 6

of his

letter,

being confident

of this,

that he

who began

a good

work in

you will

carry it

on to

completion.

God has

begun the

work of

salvation by

calling us

to put our

trust in

the Lord

Jesus.

And Paul

reminds us

that our

hope for

eternal

salvation

is sure

and steadfast

because it

rests with

our all-powerful,

all-wise

God.

So,

those who

are trusting

in the

Lord Jesus

can have

confidence

that nothing

can separate

us from the

love of God

that is in

Christ Jesus.

God can't

be surprised.

There are

no forces

that can

derail his

saving plan

for his

people.

That's good

news.

That God

can't be

surprised is

also good

news when

it comes

to security.

Again,

Israel is

being encouraged

to put

their trust

in God.

Israel,

like us,

lived in

changing

times.

There were

military

forces

always

maneuvering,

empires

always

looking to

conquer.

They were

a farming

society,

so there

was seasonal

changes and

fluctuations.

And one

of the

things you

discover in

Israel's

history is

that temptation

to turn to

idols as

an insurance

policy.

So they

would continue

to go to

the temple

and they

would continue

to offer

sacrifices to

God, but

they would

also offer

sacrifices to

the idols in

the hope that

perhaps they

would provide

peace or they

would provide

good crop.

those changes

and insecurity

led them

often away

from God.

Our world

looks different,

of course,

but we

recognize, too,

that threats

and uncertainty

are everywhere.

Whether people's

fears are

related to

climate,

whether it's

the growing

health care

crisis,

whether it's

fears about

an economy

and our

jobs,

it's easy

to be

fearful,

it's easy

to lose

hope.

And the

temptation

that we

face as

Christians

today may

be similar

to an

Old Testament

believer to

look to find

our insurance

policy in

something beyond

God also.

Find rest

my soul in

God alone

was the

message of

Psalm 62.

But can't

we be

tempted

to say,

well, I

feel like

if I can

just find a

good secure

job,

then there's

where I'll

find the

security I

need.

Or if I've

got a

healthy bank

account,

then I can

deal with

some of the

fluctuations

that are

happening and

I can feel

a sense of

security.

Or maybe if

I have a

strong family

or a network

around me,

then there's

where I'll

look to for

my security

instead of

finding rest

my soul

in God

alone.

We

recognize

that each

of those

are limited.

Every

created thing

is subject

to change

and can

be lost.

But our

God,

verse 8,

there is

no other

rock.

perfect sense

all those

hundreds of

years ago

when Edinburgh

Castle was

being built

that they

would situate

it on

Castle Rock.

There's a

strong place,

there's a

stable place,

there's a

place for

security.

It makes

sense for

us to

look to

our greatest

source of

security,

to trust

and to rest

in our

God,

the rock,

the one

who can't

be surprised,

the one

who knows

how the

story ends

and all

the uncertainty

of our

futures.

There is

one who

knows.

That's

God

himself.

He knows

how the

story of

salvation is

going to

end,

that there

is a

certainty

that Jesus

is going

to return

as king

and judge,

that Jesus

will establish

the new

heavens and

the new

earth,

that Jesus

will dwell

with his

people forever.

That's where

our certainty

and security

is to be

found.

That's why

we must

never forget

the future

promises of

the gospel,

that we

look back

with such

gratitude to

what Jesus

did on the

cross.

But we

also need

to look

forward,

always with

hope,

to what God

will do in

Jesus when

he comes

back again,

because those

promises are

rock solid.

Because our

God can't

be surprised,

his purposes

cannot be

derailed.

One last

thing about

how this

truth that

God can't

be surprised

is good

news.

It's good

news when

it comes

to our

service of

him.

In verse

8,

we find

this,

do not

tremble,

do not

be afraid,

did I

not

proclaim

this

and

foretell

it long

ago,

you are

my

witnesses.

Is there

any God

besides me?

No,

there is

no other

rock.

God

calls his

people to

be his

witnesses,

to bear

witness to

the reality

that he

is that

unchanging

rock in

changing

time,

that he

is the

one who

has made

rock-solid

gospel

promises to

us in

the Lord

Jesus.

And so,

as Christians

and as a

church,

we are

invited to

live and

to speak

to show

that there

is a

place of

security,

that there

is living

hope,

even in

uncertain

times.

And to

recognize,

as we

seek to

live as

witnesses,

as we

go into

our

Monday

morning,

remember

that God

will not

be surprised

by any

situation we

find ourselves

in.

God will

not be

surprised

by any

conversation

we find

ourselves

having,

even if

we are,

and often

we are.

And in

those moments,

we can

trust his

promises,

because we

know he

doesn't

change,

and we

know he

can't be

surprised,

so we

can trust

his promise

to be

with us,

trust his

promise to

help us,

trust his

promise to

give us

the words

to speak

through the

Holy Spirit

just when we

need them.

So if we

find ourselves

surprised by

opportunities

this week,

we're

invited to

pray with

trust to

the God

who saw

that, to

the God

who planned

that, because

our God

can't be

surprised.

He is the

only rock,

he is the

king, he

is the

redeemer.

Let's pray

to our God

tonight.

Lord, our

God, we

thank you

for the

truths that

you give

us in

your word

that are

intended to

give us

confidence in

you and in

your character

and in your

word of

promise.

We thank

you that

you give

us these

images of

strength and

of life

to show

to us

that security

and salvation

come from

you and

from you

alone.

Again, we

confess our

temptation and

tendency to

look to

other things

apart from

you to

find our

source of

security and

hope.

May you

cause us

to find

rest in

God alone.

May we

increasingly

understand

the hope

that we

have

from trusting

in a

God who

sees and

knows all

things,

that you

are able

to guide

us and

to keep

us and

to help

us,

that all

of your

promises are

yes and

amen in

Jesus,

that not

one of the

precious

promises we

find in

your word

will ever

fail.

So, Lord,

as we go

into this

new week,

we thank

you that

while we

don't know

what's

going to

happen,

although we

make plans,

you know

exactly what

will happen.

Help us to

trust in

you, help

us to

call on

you, help

us to

worship you,

we pray.

In Jesus'

name, amen.

now let's

close singing

the hymn

Christ the

Sure and

Steady Anchor

to remind

us of the

basis of

our confident

trust and

let's stand

as we sing

together.

together.