Listen! God’s Law as a Light — Isaiah 51:4–5 Explained

Good morning. What a great day it is to learn about the Word of the Lord.

My name is Pastor Simon Flynn, and here at Dillingham Moravian Church,

we delight in making disciples for Christ as we learn together the truths of God's Word.

There is an old story that Billy Graham himself used to tell.

The story went, when Billy Graham was driving through a small southern town,

he was stopped by a policeman, charged with speeding for going about 10 miles over the speed limit.

Graham admitted his guilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court.

When in court, the judge asked him, guilty or not guilty.

When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied, that will be $10,

a dollar for every mile you went over the limit.

Suddenly, the judge recognized the famous minister.

You have violated the law, he said. The fine must be paid, but I am going to pay it for you.

He took a $10 bill from his own wallet, attached it to the ticket,

and then took Graham out and bought him a steak dinner.

That, said Billy Graham, is how God treats repentant sinners.

God, through his word, proclaims that his salvation is a result of God applying

His righteousness to our sin so that we who are repentant and trust in Him will

be made right before God. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the merciful love that you have so wonderfully

bestowed upon us in Jesus Christ.

Thank you that you are God and Lord. Thank you that you have sent your Son,

Jesus Christ, to be the blood sacrifice to atone for our sin, each of our sins.

Thank you so much, Lord.

May you work in us today, and all who are listening to this passage and this sermon,

that you would work in us so that we would live by faith in you,

trusting you, clinging to you, and obeying your word by your grace.

Thank you, O precious Father. Use us for your glory and honor.

In Jesus Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Turn with me today in your Bibles to Isaiah 51, verse 4-5.

Isaiah 51:4–5

Isaiah 51, verse 4-5.

Isaiah 51:4–5

This is what Isaiah says.

Prophesied as God told him what to say.

Pay attention to me, O my people, and give ear to me, O my nation.

For a law will go forth from me, and I will set my justice for a light of the peoples.

My righteousness is near, my salvation has gone forth, my arms will judge the peoples.

The coastlands will wait for me, and for my arm they will wait expectantly.

Lift up your eyes to the sky and look to the earth beneath, for the sky will

vanish like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment,

and its inhabitants will die in like manner.

But my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will not wane.

In the verses before our target passage today, In Isaiah chapter 51, verse 1 through 3,

Isaiah 51:1–3

God through Isaiah declared that if he, God, was able to take Abraham,

and Sarah and make from them a chosen nation and make Abraham right before God,

then God could ransom and free Israel from Babylon. on.

The second truth that we were taught is that God's people can live with joy

and sing with thanksgiving because God has promised that one day the Christ will return,

and he will completely restore Israel.

The first truth that we can see in this passage is that as Christians,

we are to pay attention to God for his just law will be a light to all.

There are two parts of verse 4 that we need to focus on. The first part is that

we are to pay attention to God and listen to Him.

The first year that I crewed on a drift boat, my captain explained to me the rules of the boat.

Number one, listen and follow my orders. Number two, pay attention to what is going on around you.

What my captain meant by paying attention is that we were to keep our minds

and senses alert and focus on what is going on the boat and around the boat.

For example, we need to pay attention to the net and the webbing and the ropes,

especially when the net is laid out so that we can fish.

And when it's fishing, one moment of not paying attention can result in injury or even death.

In regards to boating accidents, the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary Boating

Safety stated that operator inattention, improper lookout,

operator inexperience, machinery failure, and excessive speed rank as the top primary driver.

Contributing factors in accidents. I want you to notice that the top two reasons

for boating accidents are because of the driver not paying attention and not

watching what is going on around the vessel.

And this concept of hearing and obeying and paying attention to what is said

was what God was teaching in verse 4.

And the failure to listen and obey and pay attention to God was and is and will be catastrophic.

God spoke through Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 51 verse 4 and proclaimed,

Isaiah 51:4

Pay attention to me, O my people, and give ear to me, O my nation,

for a law will go forth from me, and I will set my justice for a light of the peoples.

In the previous verses, God declared that those who were seeking God in the

midst of being held captive by Babylon

could have joy and sing with thanksgiving by trusting in their God as they hoped

in the future coming of the Lord to restore Israel.

Now in verse 4, God stops and demands the attention of His people Israel.

The picture here is like when I'm trying to get my children to listen and obey

to what Abigail and I are asking of them, and the kids are just not listening.

They're focused on their own conversations or on what activity they're doing.

Granted most of the time they're not doing it consciously maliciously or disobedient

they're just not paying attention to anything else that's going on than what they're focused on,

i stop them with my words and say stop look at me please are you listening to

me sometimes i have to clap my hands or go put my arms around them to make them realize that i'm there,

See, God, through Isaiah, was stopping his children, Israel,

and commanding them, listen to me.

If you want to have joy and be thankful in the midst of your bondage,

then you must listen to me.

You must trust me and keep focused on the future hope that I am going to bring you.

How do we apply this to us as Christians today? The main application that we

can apply to us is that in our modern day, we have information,

social media, consumer marketing from around the globe,

bombarding us all the time on our phones, social media sites,

television, apps, video games.

Most of us in the American church lead busy and hectic lives.

We have church events every week, school functions to attend to,

sports games to bring our kids to, work meetings to go to. Now we have fish to pick.

With all the continual bombardment of voices attempting to speak into and influence

our minds and decisions, and with the persistent busyness of our lives,

it is extremely hard for us to pay attention to and listen to our God.

The problem is how can we remain in Christ and trust in Christ's love and obey

Him if we do not pay attention to Him and listen to Him?

And the more we stay in Christ, the more we live in the joy of the Lord.

And the more we're thankful for His presence in the midst of the trials.

Now, the question we need to ask is, what was God trying to get Israel to stop and listen to?

Israel was to listen and believe that God would send forth His law that would

bring justice to the world and be a light for everyone to see by.

And thus, God's just law will be a light to all.

Let's look at the rest of verse 4.

For a law will go forth from me, and I will set my justice for a light of the peoples.

This law comes from God, out of who God is in his identity, his life.

And this law will be sent out from himself to the whole world.

God's law here did not mean just one law, but the entire law in which God will rule by.

The word for law or regulation meant authoritative rule.

This law will be God ruling with his authority and his law, and it'll be sent

out so that he rules over the nations.

God contrasted the evil and unjust ruling of the world with his law,

which will be completely just.

Not only would God's law be applied to Israel, but God will send out his just

law to be a light for the nations.

The image used here is like camping. while hunting in the fall or wintertime,

and trying to navigate around the campsite in the dark without a light.

It's crazy, right? There's roots, there's other obstacles to trip over.

There's riverbanks and cliffs to fall off of.

Not to mention water around the drown in. Of course, bears to eat us.

And in order to see clearly in the dark, we need a powerful light in which to see by.

And this is what God was explaining in verse 4. Isaiah chapter 51 is in the

Isaiah 51 · chapter mention

context of the servant Messiah being sent to rule Israel and to rule the nations with justice.

God's law will be in the light.

In which the nations will be able to clearly see in the darkness.

When the day of the Lord comes, God is promising that the nations as a whole

will see and they will truly understand who God is and that the Messiah is God Himself.

Not only will they see clearly in regard to who God is, but God's standard of

what is good and right will be clearly understood and will be applied to the nations.

As a result, there will be no more injustice.

Let's look at Isaiah 1, verse 21-28.

Isaiah 1:21–28

Verse 21, How the faithful city has become a harlot, she who is full of justice.

Righteousness once lodged in her, but now murderers.

Your silver has become dross, your drink diluted with water.

Your rulers are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and chases after reward.

They do not defend the orphan, nor does the widow's plea come before them.

Therefore the Lord God of hosts, the mighty one of Israel, declares.

I will be relieved of my adversaries and avenge myself on my foes.

I will also turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross,

as with lye, and will remove all your alloy.

Then I will restore your judges as the first, and your counselors as at the

beginning and after that you'll be called the city of righteousness, a faithful city.

Zion will be redeemed with justice and her repentant ones with righteousness.

But the transgressors and sinners will be crushed together and those who forsake

the Lord will come to an end.

Israel and Jerusalem will be the examples of justice and God's good law applied,

and every nation will be ruled by God's justice from Israel.

I want you to remember that Isaiah 51 was meant to be a comfort to the Jews in captivity.

God was saying to them that all the injustice that they have suffered will be

righted, and the whole world will operate according to God's standard of what is good.

Turn with me to Isaiah 2, verses 3-4. the Lord foretold through Isaiah.

Isaiah 2:3–4

And many peoples will come and say, Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us concerning his ways and

that we may walk in his paths.

For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem,

and he will judge between the nations and will render decisions for many peoples.

And they will handily Hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn more.

Isaiah 51 verse 4 and Isaiah 2 was a promise that one day,

Isaiah 51:4

Christ will return, and the world will come to know God in Jesus Christ,

and the nations will be governed by God's right and just standards from Jerusalem.

As believers, we, you and I, are called to trust and believe and hope that Jesus Christ will return,

and that the law of God will bring justice to those who have been unjustly treated,

and will make sure that God's right standards will always be upheld.

Those who have been persecuted for the sake of Christ will be rewarded and honored in God's kingdom.

The poor orphans and the widows and elderly who have been mistreated will be

treated with compassionate goodness, help, respect, and dignity.

Those who have been hurt and taken advantage of.

Those who have taken advantage, who have hurt the widows and orphans and elderly

and poor, will be held account.

I've heard stories that the human trafficking is increasing in Alaska lately.

Those who have been involved in the sex trade and human trafficking will be

punished, and the victims will be recompensed.

Those who have murdered millions of unborn babies will be punished.

Those who have perpetrated racial injustice will be brought to justice,

and the oneness in Jesus Christ for all those who believe in Christ as God will

be upheld, regardless of race, color.

All evil and injustice will be put to an abrupt and swift end.

However, this truth can also be applied to us as Christians now.

God in Isaiah 1, verse 16-17 commanded his people. Let's look at verse 16.

Isaiah 1:16–17

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean, remove the evil of your deeds from my sight,

cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, reprove the ruthless,

defend the orphan, plead for the widow.

We are the forerunners to Christ's return. Through our lives,

we witness to the world to believe in Jesus Christ.

We are the light of Christ in this dark world as we by faith in Christ die to

ourselves and surrender to Christ shining His light through us.

Through our words and actions we are witnesses to how the world will be when Christ returns.

Now Israel was commanded to listen and believe that God would send forth His

law that would bring justice to the world and be a light for everyone to see by.

There are two parts to God's just law. The first element is that God's salvation

is based upon the righteousness of God.

God, through Isaiah, continued in chapter 51, verse 5, My righteousness is near,

my salvation has gone forth, and my arms will judge the peoples,

the coastlands will wait for me,

and for my arm they will wait expectantly.

God proclaimed to his people that his salvation has been sent forth and that

his salvation is related to his righteousness being near.

Now, what does God mean by salvation in this verse? The word for salvation here

combines a physical deliverance with a spiritual deliverance.

And thus God was saying that His salvation was coming and was on the way.

God's deliverance was His righteous judgment in delivering His people from those

nations who hate and wish to destroy God's people.

And this physical deliverance will come in the form of God's wrath of judgment

upon the world and the unbelieving nations.

However, the law of God that was going to go forth from God,

that would be a light of salvation to the world, would be based upon God's righteousness,

not upon humanity's attempt to be good.

The Mosaic law was designed to demonstrate humanity's sin and need,

their need, for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament law was never designed to save. By performing the law of Moses,

one could not earn salvation, which was the result of a right relationship with God.

The word for righteousness referred to justification or being vindicated before

God as a result of the deliverance of God as covenant-keeping and redemption.

And thus, the righteousness of God is the justification of His people where

God justifies or vindicates those who trust and rely upon Him.

Let's look at Isaiah 50, verse 10. This is the Messiah, the servant speaking.

Isaiah 50:10

Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of his servant,

that walks in darkness and has no light.

Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

Paul wrote about the same truth in Romans 5, verse 1.

Romans 5:1

Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Word that Paul used for justified meant to be found in the right to be free of charges before God.

According to Albert Barnes, justification is the declared purpose of God to

regard and treat those sinners who believe in Jesus Christ as if they have not sinned.

On the ground of the merits of the Savior, it is an act by which God determines

to treat him, the sinner, ereafter as righteous as if he had not sinned.

Before Christ, all human beings were enemies against God in the war between God and Satan.

Humanity was enslaved to our sin, and as a result of our sin,

we were under the authority of the devil.

Our sin was absolutely abhorrent to God, and we deserved eternal death in hell.

In the court of God, you and I and every human being that ever lived were guilty before God.

And through Christ, offering Himself as the blood sacrifice on our behalf,

we who trust and rely upon God have been made as if we have never sinned before

in the sight of God. Isn't that amazing?

Back in Isaiah 51, verse 5, God told His people that His salvation was coming. Why?

Isaiah 51:5

Because His righteousness was coming to them. God's righteousness would be coming

to His people through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, the Servant Messiah.

Christ's righteousness would be applied to them as they trusted and relied on their God.

God's righteousness applied to those who believe and trust in Jesus Christ is

the basis of God's salvation and His law that will judge and govern the nations.

I want you to notice that God promised that the coastlands around Israel will

be first to trust in the Lord, and await upon His power to save and deliver.

Isaiah 60, verse 9, Surely the coastlands will wait for me, and the ships of

Isaiah 60:9

Tarshish will come first,

to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them,

for the name of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel,

because He has glorified you.

How do we apply this to us as Christians? The plain truth for us as believers

is that we are to believe and trust God in Jesus Christ.

Trust that Christ is Yahweh, our God.

Trust that Christ has died to bring the righteousness of God to us.

Trust and rely on the truth in the midst of daily life and all our circumstances

that through Christ's grace we are now right with God and we are saved from

God's ultimate wrath of hell.

We are now to live by the law of faith, trusting and relying on Christ.

What is it that God is saying to us today? There are two principles that we have been taught.

The first truth that we have learned was that God had promised that one day

the Christ will return and the world will come to know God in Jesus Christ,

and the nations will be governed by God's right and just standards from Jerusalem.

And as a result, God's law will be a light to the nations for them to see the

truth by. The second principle.

That was taught us was that when Christ returns, He will judge based on who

trusts and relies on God in response to God's grace.

This is the law of faith. This is the law in which God will shine His light to the nations.

The key to our salvation as Christians is that God makes us right with Him through

the sacrificial grace of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross.

God's righteousness is applied to us as we trust in Christ as God.

And rely on Him all the time.

As believers, we are called to live by faith in Christ at every moment and trust

that Jesus Christ will return and that the law of God will bring justice to

those who have been unjustly treated,

and will make sure that God's right standards will always be upheld.

We're also commanded that as we live by faith in Christ and rely on our God,

that we are to love God by doing good to others.

Seek justice for those who are unjustly treated and cannot defend or help themselves.

I have two questions to leave you with this week.

My first question is directed to us who are believers.

Do we really live in every circumstance by faith in Christ and rely upon His salvation?

My next question is for those who do not know yet Christ but are seeking have

you responded to the grace of Christ by putting your faith and trust in the

Lord God and Savior over everything in your life.

I strongly encourage everyone to repent of your sins. Trust that the Lord Yahweh

is your God and rely always upon Him. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your precious and most wonderful word, your truth.

Teach us, Lord. Show us yourself. Thank you for dying for us and ransoming us

away from Satan's power, far away from his kingdom that we were once enslaved in.

And now you've brought us into the wondrous light of the kingdom of Christ,

where there is freedom in you.

Thank you so much for your love.

Teach us, Lord, help us to pay attention to you and to focus on you by your

grace and your power so that we may continue to remain and abide in you.

Use us, Lord. And for those who are listening and they've never put their faith

and trust in Christ, may you bring them to them,

to you, to draw them to you so that they may be able to put their faith in you,

and that they may see you as their only Lord, their only God.

And for those believers who are listening, encourage them in you. Use them mightily.

May they go boldly out to share the gospel with everyone around them.

In your precious Son's name, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Have a wonderful Sunday, and we thank you for listening today.

I'll leave you with this blessing from Psalm 67, verse 1 through 2.

Psalms 67:1–2

May God be gracious to us and bless us. May He cause His face to shine upon

us, that your way be known on the earth, your salvation amongst all the nations. Amen.