TALK AND SERMON OUTLINES

                Page 1 (Old Testament)

The purpose of these pages is to provide ideas, guidelines and pointers for the exposition of passages of the Bible. They are not word-for-word scripts. The list will be added to continually.   

  (Click underlined titles to go straight to the section)

Genesis chapter 1 began with God’s majestic work in the vast universe and climaxed, with the creation of humankind - read v.26. But now in Chapter 2 we have moved from panoramic vistas to a ‘garden in the east’. With the words of 2:4 which in effect mean ’ what came out of’ or ‘here is a fuller development of the story of ..’ the account beams in on the creation of man. This is not a second creation account as some disparagingly maintain - as if Genesis is confused and unreliable - but the theological basis for the existence of man. God made us in a particular way, for a special purpose and in a special relationship.

Even the name used of God has made a significant change. From 1:1 to 2:3 it is simply ‘God’. Now in chap.2 it becomes ’The LORD God’ (vs.4b,5b,9 etc)! This is God’s intimate name YAHWEH. It is with this name that he will reveal Himself to human beings (writing back into the account). READ 4b then to 7. So what do these verses want us to know about who we are?

1. What are we? - We are a special creation

If man was the climax of chap.1, he is now the focus. How did God create him? Was there an evolutionary process? It is very difficult to reconcile the words of v.7 with the idea of a million-year-long process of random development. Or did God take an early form of humanoid and breath a new different human life into him? Whatever we may think about that, we MUST preserve the principle that GOD INTERVENED. Man is special - the result of God’s special purposeful intervention. Surely the phrase in 7b is meant to convey much more than to say man was alive in the animal sense. It is the ‘in our image’ of 1:27. There is no record of God doing any such thing for animals. It means that man is a spiritual being. He is God-breathed, in a special relationship to God.

2. What are we? - We are of the earth

The account is careful to say that we are made of ‘the dust of the ground’ (as the animals in 19a) - of the same atoms and molecules and DNA as the rest of creation. We are a body. We must not take the Greek line that the body is unimportant and inferior to the ‘spirit’. God did not make us like the angels, but a physical body. We must not separate ‘body’ and ‘soul’ - we are a unity. The fact that Jesus rose physically from the grave confirms the goodness of God’s original creation. And our bodies will be preserved at the resurrection - as Paul stresses++ in 1 Cor.15.

Furthermore, God’s positive view of the material earth is strengthened by man’s appointment to work to look after it - v. 15, and to manage the animals as God’s deputy ruler - vs.19+20b.

God’s provides the abundant fruit of the garden vs.9a, 16 - but He also provides for man’s moral well-being too.

3. What are we? - We are morally responsible to God

Read vs.9 then 17. The Tree of Life represents immortality - as confirmed in 3:22. The ‘Tree of the knowledge of good and evil’ represents the right to decide what is good and what is evil. THAT is prohibited to man for THAT is God’s prerogative. If man takes that to himself he will make himself like God - which of course is exactly what he did in Chap.3 and what we have all done ever since - earning God‘s condemnation. From this, only Christ can set us free again.

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GEN.37:1-11 AN UNPROMISING BEGINNING - JOSEPH

I suppose that Joseph is best known today because of his supposed ‘Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ - How many people actually understand that he is a character from the Bible, I’m not sure. And, of course, while the show is great fun, it misses the point of the story in Genesis by a mile. We are going to spend four Sundays in the story so we really do need to know what it is all about. I’ll come to that in a moment. Let’s first sketch the story, look very briefly at some background, and then try to identify why it is important.

The year is about 1700 BC. V.1,2a: Jacob is one of Abraham’s two grandsons. The line of descent has come down through him. He and his expanding family have pitched their tents in Canaan, no longer wandering nomads but settled ranchers with flocks and herds. Jacob has 12 sons but Joseph (no.11) was his favourite. Joseph was very spoilt: conceited and precocious. His brothers hated him. Especially so when Joseph tells them about his dreams in which he appears to laud it over them all. Even Jacob is shocked (v.10). His brothers grasp an opportunity to sell him to Ishmaelite traders and eventually he finds himself a slave in the house of a high official in Egypt. After the official’s wife unsuccessfully tries to seduce him, he is made to suffer unjustly in prison. A long time later he is released when he interprets Pharaoh’s dreams and is given high office in the land, second only to Pharaoh himself. When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to buy grain because there is a famine in Canaan, he eventually makes himself known to them, they are reconciled, and the family of about 70 people moves to live in the comparative plenty of Egypt. So what is this? The story of an unpromising teenager who makes good? Well, the progress of Joseph from self-centredness to godliness is remarkable. He becomes aware that God is at work. But there is more even than that we must take into account.

This isn’t just any ancient family! They are the direct descendants of Abraham to whom God made great promises (Gen.12:2,3) - two in particular (1) you will be a great nation (2) ‘in you all the families of the earth will be blessed’. Well, there are just 70 of them so far! And they are very vulnerable to the economic and political conditions around them. Are God’s purposes safe? We might recall the similar situation with Christ Himself. All God’s plans and purposes were vested in Him, and yet He was so vulnerable! The life of Joseph is not a story of human success: but perfectly illustrates the over-ruling providence of God.

God’s purpose was to preserve the line of descent for the fulfilment of his covenant. But it is the way He did it that is so remarkable! He raised up a son (Joseph) out of what-so-far- existed-of-Israel, to be a blessing to a gentile nation, to rule in wisdom, to the saving of life. This not only reflected His promises to Abraham (to be a blessing to the nations), but pre-figured what he would do in Christ! God raised up Joseph as His righteous servant who must first suffer unjustly before he received glory! (Clowney). God made the life of Joseph a sign of the way in which His blessing would ultimately come. All this was very early in the outworking of God’s plan for our redemption, but it already had the hallmark’s of Christ. The godly servant who was despised and rejected would become the rescuer of those who abused him.

Helpful texts: 'The Unfolding Mystery', Edmund P. Clowney, IVP. 'According to Plan', Graeme Goldsworthy, Lancer/IVP. 'The Message of Genesis 12- 50', Joyce Baldwin, The Bible Speaks Today, IVP. 'Genesis' Derek Kidner, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, IVP.

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EXODUS 3:  GOD REVEALS HIS NAME AND HIS PURPOSES

It is a sad fact that many modern Christians do not see much value in studying the Old Testament. They cannot see its significance for their understanding of the New Testament. They have not recognised that there are parallels and patterns in the OT which greatly illuminate and explain what happens in the NT - showing it to be more-profound than we had ever imagined. The OT reveals the character and purposes of God; the fundamental ways in which God deals with mankind; and in essence speaks of the person and ministry of Jesus the Christ who was to come. Our passage  is tremendously significant in all these respects. What would you say were its high points? 

[When starting to study a passage of the Bible, always first look for the 'big point' - the mountain peak of the passage with its out-lying foothills. Some people call the 'big point' the 'controlling point'.  It is the point that influences what else the passage contains.] Surely the big-point in this passage is God's appearance to Moses and God's identification of Himself. The question we must ask is 'Why does God do that?' The answer to that is very revealing.

There is in this chapter a monumentally important development in God’s relationship with Israel. That surely is part of the reason that God exceptionally appears and speaks in person. There must be something very important coming. Read vs.4 - 5 (notice the sign of the great gulf between man and God), 6..7... Who? “my people”. Now that’s the first time God has said anything like that! He repeats it in v.10. He promised Abraham that he would become a great nation (Gen.12) but there’s nothing about such a relationship as this! If we believe we belong to God’s people now it is only because He chose a people for Himself then! This is the beginning of a relationship to which God is going to contribute so much. Notice how He takes the initiative in this chapter? See v.8 "I have come down.." and 14c "I AM has sent me.... Was Moses seeking Him? No! And this simple, uncomplicated declaration (almost in passing) leads to 6:6-8 and 19:5,6.

But God reveals more….

Moses asks who he can say has sent him v.13. God replies…v.14. Can you imagine anything more profound? “I am who I am” ! The God whose existence is determined by Himself alone and who determines His own purposes. He is unique. He is not like any God in Egypt. He is the God who was, and is, and ever shall be; but He is more. Here is not just a notion of static being, but rather of a dynamic, active presence. (Kaiser) And yet He is the God who is willing to be associated with mankind ‘The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob..’ His name summons us to listen. He is orientated towards mankind - a communicating God, a missionary God. A God with purposes for man.

We have already noted that God took the initiative. The Israelites were in a hopeless and helpless situation. They could never free themselves (ring any bells? Eph.2:1,5) God did not bid Moses to lead a slave-revolt. They did not win their deliverance. Not a human weapon was used by the Israelites; not a sword blow struck. God would do it. He said v.8 “I have come down to deliver.. and to bring …to a wonderful land. (promised to Abraham!). But there is more: when they leave they will carry their slave-masters’ wealth! vs. 21,22. And that’s what happened, see 12:35,36. The Israelites did not creep or slink away; they went out in triumph. This speaks of God’s purpose to vindicate His People and points ahead to the vindication of all believers. The world may enslave, scoff, hate and even kill them, but they are God’s People and they will share His triumph. Think of the persecuted Christians of today (and every age); those who are tortured and imprisoned - even executed - for their faith; God will vindicate them. Their persecutors will see that these they made to suffer are God's People after all. They were right and their persecutors were wrong. 

God has formally adopted the people of Israel as His Own; called a man to speak for Him; identified Himself as, not only the God of the patriarchs but also as the self-determining God Almighty - FOR WHAT? - so that His purpose will be fulfilled in the way He wishes.

See: 'The Unfolding Mystery: discovering Christ in the Old Testament' by Edmund P. Clowney, IVP; 'Toward an Old Testament Theology' by Walter C. Kaiser Jr. ,Academic Books.

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EXODUS 11,12. THE PATTERN OF REDEMPTION ESTABLISHED

(A 10-minute sermon)

Two questions: (1) Can the purposes of God be finally resisted? The story of the Exodus tells us they cannot. (2) But can the way to peace and fellowship with God be known? The story of the Exodus tells us it can.

After nine awful plagues, Pharaoh still holds out against Moses’ demands on God’s behalf to ‘Let my People go!’ READ 10:28. Pharaoh still had not understood who this God was. The plagues were not just punishments, they were evangelistic - that Egypt might know that God is God; that Yahweh is the God of all creation - 8:22 ‘that you may know that I am the Lord in this land’! Belief would have been met by mercy and salvation. But Pharaoh and most of Egypt would not believe.

Back in Ex 4:22,23 God made an assertion that is now going to come true - READ. Terrible judgement was about to fall. READ 11:4-7. But how is God going to make ‘a distinction’ between Egypt and Israel? Chapter 12 tells us how God instructed the people so that they could escape the angel of death. READ vs. 3, 5, 7,11-13.

But why do the Israelites need this provision?

As sons and daughters of sinful Adam, even chosen Israel is by nature alien to God’s kingdom. The Passover and the Exodus confirm that to be God’s people, first requires redemption. There is no slipping into the promised land: God’s people must be a redeemed people. Indeed, it appears, God had taken Joseph into Egypt so as to be able to redeem them in a way that would explain redemption for ever. The double event demonstrates the helpless captivity of the human race to enslaving powers of evil and the necessary powerful work of God to bring deliverance. But central to these events is faith in the sacrificial shedding of the blood of a substitute lamb without blemish, delivering them from judgement so they can be free. Thus Passover/Exodus is the defining redemptive event.

A thousand years later John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus, was to declare ‘Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’

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2 SAM.15 'THE CLASH OF TWO KINGDOMS' 

2 Samuel recounts events in the history of Israel, 1,000 years before Christ. The reign of David, God’s anointed king and progenitor of the great king promised in Chap.7, is subject to all the tides of national and international politics, and in our passage we see something very important happening; something that is a hall-mark of the whole of Scripture. We see the clash of two kingdoms: the kingdom of this world and its ways, and the kingdom of God and His ways. That’s how I want us to understand 2 Sam.15. (In the life of Jesus, we see the clash of the kingdom of God with the kingdom of this world and its sub culture of dead religion.)

In previous chapters King David mistakenly did nothing about his sons Amnon who disgustingly raped his sister, and Absalom who then murdered him in revenge. Absalom flees from Court but in chapter 14 eventually worms his way back. It seems there could be trouble ahead.

Our chapter has two parts in which we witness the workings of the two kingdoms. So I have two titles which reflect that:

          1. ABSALOM CHALLENGES GOD (Typifying the kingdom of the  world and    its ways)

Absalom sets out to ingratiate himself with the people. He buys a chariot and horses, and a body-guard of 50 men. All designed to make people admire him - ‘wow, there goes Absalom, what a splendid prince he is’. He stands at the city gate when people come for judgement. He listens, agrees that their cause is just v.3a. ..but says David’s system has broken down v.3b. If only he were in charge v.4,5! He behaves like modern politicians; pressing the flesh and kissing babies. He stole the people v.6. He worked at it for 4 years. He lies to David v.7-9. He even uses a bit of religion! But its a trick; he’s going to get himself proclaimed king v.10,11. He even persuades David’s political adviser to join him v.12! Let’s be clear: Absalom is plotting to overthrow God’s anointed King and in that he is rebelling against God. There doesn’t seem to be an ounce of spiritual understanding in Absalom. These are the ways of the world. David hears the news v.13. Its time to go!

          2. DAVID PUTS HIS FAITH IN GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY (Typifying the kingdom of God and His ways)

Faith in God’s sovereignty doesn’t preclude prudence and planning. To save Jerusalem from destruction David decides to leave v.14. Stops at the last house to review his supporters - magnanimous proposal to Ittai the mercenary and his 600 people v.19,20. But like Ruth, Ittai is loyal v.21. The irony is stark. Absalom to whom David showed undeserved kindness (grace) was treacherous, while this stranger, who owed David nothing, stuck with him and accepted the same fate as David - deliverance or doom. Ittai was God’s gift to David.

David has with him Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites with the Ark of the covenant v.24. To have them (the clergy and the symbols) would appear to guarantee David’s restoration. But David will have none of what might seem like superstition or gimmicky; no conning God by pilfering the Ark. He sends them all back vs.25-27. He puts his whole trust in God alone. But trusting in God’s sovereignty doesn’t mean sitting on your hands and doing nothing. He asks the priests to be his spies and send him word of what’s going on vs.27,28.

Then David is devastated to hear that Ahitophel has gone over to Absalom v.31 and prays urgently. And again in the providence of God, an answer appears in the person of an aged counsellor and ally Hushai, who agrees to go to Jerusalem to frustrate the counsel of Ahitophel. It does appear doesn’t it, that when David puts his whole trust in God, God responds?

It is a dark day for Israel. Their rightful king plods up the Mount of Olives weeping (v.30). This scene will be repeated. David’s great descendant, the rightful eternal king of chapter 7, will be seen on the mount of Olives, weeping not so much for himself as for the doom of those who have rejected him. But God is sovereign! And you know what happened!

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In 2 Sam.18  we see the end of the rebellion of Absalom against his father King David. When we saw the beginning of this rebellion in chapter 15 we recognised it as illustrative of the great conflict between the kingdom of this world (and its ways) and the kingdom of God (and His ways) - the continual background theme of the whole Bible. David is God’s anointed king but Absalom has dared to overthrow Him. To seek to overthrow God’s anointed is to seek to overthrow God Himself.

So what is the big picture of this passage? ...surely it is “Yahweh will have His way, no matter what men do.” Walter Kaiser in his book ‘Toward an Old Testament theology says “Although David the anointed one became ensnared in his own lusts, and suffered revolts from his own family, God’s guarantee still held. It was not so much a matter of ‘how David maintained control over Judah and Israel' as ‘how Yahweh controlled human destiny for His own purposes.’ ”

So let’s explore this passage 18:1 - 19:8. David gathers his army of several thousand east of Jordan and a terrible battle ensues - 20,000 die. But notice how little space is given to the battle - a mere 3 verses (6-8). But two other events dominate this passage - the ignominious death of Absalom (9-18) and the grief of David (33 - 19:8).

Re-cap 9-18: Absalom caught in the tree - dispute over killing him - Joab spears him - finally killed - thrown into a pit and covered with a pile of stones - irony of the monument. What can we say about Absalom? A handsome, flamboyant, darling of the people. But a man with not an iota of spiritual understanding. The one who set out to destroy God’s anointed King. Let all those beware, who think they can outwit God, oppose his purposes, or attack His people with impunity. They may for a time be allowed to have the ascendancy, but their doom is sealed. This is a sombre truth, but God’s people have no hope unless it is true. Think of the thousands today who suffer for Christ’s sake. The psalmist declares ‘For the Lord will vindicate his people’ and Paul says in Phil.1:27,28 ‘..stand firm, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the Gospel, and in no way be intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation.’ The burden of our text is clear: there can be no preserving of God’s kingdom unless it involves the perishing of its opponents. There is no salvation without judgement.

v.24 - David waits anxiously at the gates for news of the battle; he can hardly wait to ask the question v. 29 ‘Is it well with the young man Absalom?’ But it isn’t.

David is heart-broken at the death of his son - v.33 ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom....’ But there is more to it than that, much more.

Notice “Would that I had died instead of you’. The writer wants us to hear David’s wailing. When the soldiers heard it they slunk away to their homes wondering what they had won a great victory for. But this is more than a father mourning his son, because David knows that it is his fault! Into his mind are seared the words of Nathan in 12:9,10 after his heinous sin with Bathsheba and murdering her husband Uriah.  David’s grief is inflamed by guilt. Perhaps he wished he had died instead of Absalom because he knew he deserved to die.

David may have been a forerunner of Christ, but he was only a faulted man. His kingdom may have been a picture of God’s spiritual kingdom to come, but it was only a sketchy outline. But maybe this sharpens all the more the reality of the perfect king who was to come, and the unshakeability of the kingdom he would open for us - where there will be no tears, or pain or mourning any more.

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NEH. 8-13: GOD’S WORD DECLARED: 

The Book of Nehemiah is magnificent. After 70 years in exile under God’s judgement, the Jews had been allowed to return to the Promised Land, led by Ezra the priest. But nothing much had happened until Nehemiah the great organiser arrived. Against great odds, Nehemiah lead the Jews in rebuilding the ruined walls of Jerusalem in just 52 days! That’s where we’ve got to at chapter 8.
But God was not interested in just rebuilding the state of Israel: He wanted to re-create a people who worshipped and obeyed him. Nehemiah was exactly in tune with that. So here in Chapter 8 something really remarkable happens. READ 7:73b and 8:1 (p.449).

1. GOD’S WORD GLADLY HEARD

Ezra makes his first appearance in this Book. This was a planned event -see v.4 (‘tower’). But the people wanted to hear from God v.1b ‘They told…’ So, READ v.2,3. Then vs.5,6 This was such an exciting event. But the Law of Moses was written in Hebrew, while many of the people could only speak Aramaic. So it needed explaining - v.7,8. There was such an urgent need to educate the people in God’s law.

The same was true in sixteenth century England when William Tyndale translated the Scriptures into English and was burned at the stake for it; but Archbishop Cranmer anchored an English Bible in every parish church, and Edward 6th appointed preachers to travel the country explaining the Bible. It spiritually liberated the people of England. Now? - we have rejected the Bible and thrown away our inheritance. 

How did the Jews respond to hearing God‘s word?

2. GOD’S WORD DEEPLY ACCEPTED
                                                                                                                                                                

They wept v.9. They were so moved. But Nehemiah reassures them vs.10 - 12. Is that how we feel about understanding the Bible- a great joy? V.13 the leaders assembled for a special Bible study of their own. How much do we look forward to reading the Bible and discovering what God has said and done through Jesus Christ, and how to involve him in our daily lives? Perhaps we never read it! Wouldn’t be seen dead at a home group! To neglect the Bible is to deprive ourselves of knowing what the Christian life is really about. It is so easy to be satisfied with second class Christian life and experience. 
For the Jews of Nehemiah’s day, it spiritually revived them.

3. GOD’S WORD BRINGS SPIRITUAL REVIVAL

They were transformed: they re-instated the Feast of Tabernacles and used it for more Bible Study v.18. Ezra prayed that magnificent prayer, part of which we read earlier - the whole of chapter 9. A prayer of hard-nosed confession and acknowledgement of their nation’s dependence on God. They made a new, written, commitment to live God’s way 9:38 > 10:28,29. This was spiritual revival! 
But this is not just a thing of the past. Today, when people read the Bible and open their hearts, understanding and spiritual life comes in through God’s Spirit. 
When we moved to Australia in 1970, we attended an Anglican church where the Bible was hardly ever explained. But someone started a Bible study. The scales fell from people’s eyes as they understood for the first time what it meant to be a living Christian. The news spread. Bible studies started in churches all over town and people fell into the Kingdom of God as they discovered true Christian life for themselves.
We have to ask ourselves - ‘By reading the Bible, is true Christian life blossoming in our lives?’

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(For a wonderful commentary and application of Nehemiah, read 'A Passion for Faithfulness' by J.I.Packer, pub. by Hodder Christian Books (ISBN 0 340 64209 2) also from Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, 1300 Crescent Street , Wheaton IL 60187, USA.)

The Book of Isaiah is dynamite. Its vision is enormous. It is about renewal on a grand scale. It begins with wicked Jerusalem under God’s judgement and ends with the end-time city of God, the new Jerusalem - picked up by John in Rev.21. But again and again condemnation is quickly followed by the promise of salvation for the repentant. In Is.6 we reach the pinnacle of the first twelve chapters of the Book. In the first 5 chapters Isaiah has described the spiritual and social corruption of Judah, and warned of God’s judgement if they do not repent. But there is an even bigger problem. Judgement may purge away the filth but how can spiritual transformation take place? How is spiritual renewal to be brought about so that Jerusalem and Judah can become the blessing to the nations as declared to Abraham? Please turn with me to Is.6.

Read v.4. On his throne of majesty and power is the Lord = Adonai = Sovereign Master. Exalted in His authority. The time of reckoning has come!. Heaven’s throne room and earthly temple merge - filled with His glorious robe. Who is this? See the contrast here - v.1 King Uzziah is dying in disgrace - and so is Judah, but, end of v.5 - “I have seen the THE KING, the LORD (Yahweh) Almighty! This is who it is!! Vs.2-4 READ. The flaming creatures cover their faces; they cannot look upon such glory. And what is this glory? It is God’s burning holiness, His moral majesty, His radiant purity. (like a million suns)

READ v.3 two lines. First time in OT of Holy, holy, holy. From now on Isaiah calls Yahweh “The Holy One of Israel”. This is God. Before finishing this section I want to show you a fascinating verse, John 12:41. He has just quoted from Is.6 - READ IT! In v.4 the earth shakes: but it wasn’t only the earth that trembled.............

READ v.5. The vision of God does not produce rapture, but sheer terror. Isaiah recognises his own uncleanness: our rebellion has separated us from God. Our lips express what is in our heart . Then something amazing happens. Presumably at God’s command, one of the creatures takes up a burning coal from the altar and flies down to Isaiah. What for?

The creature touches Isaiah’s lips and says .. v.7 Isaiah is cleansed, not by his own efforts, but by the Grace of God. Notice, the burning coal came from an altar, which was associated with sacrifice for sins. There is no forgiveness without sacrifice. The same forgiveness was available to Judah if they would admit their guilt. The same forgiveness is available to us, by the supreme sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, of which that altar was a mere foreshadowing. In Jesus Christ heaven’s throne room and and earth’s temple merge.

Here we have the secret of spiritual renewal and transformation: it must begin with a vision of who God is, with trembling before Him, and with cleansing by His grace.

What a message! - Isaiah’s response? “I will go! Send me!”

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Jesus is our 'Servant King'. See Phil.2:6-11, but he had to be a servant before He could be King! The Jews of his day wanted a conquering king; a second David who would restore Israel. But their Messiah came as a servant - Mark 10:45. In this he was our great Redeemer ('a ransom for many') but also a great example for us (1) as servants of God - 1 Thess.1:9, and (2) as servants of each other - Gal.5:13,14.

But the servanthood of Jesus was not a late development in God's plan. He was designated 'servant' from the beginning and nowhere more clearly than in the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah has been called 'The Prophet of the Gospel'. In our three sessions we are going to look principally at the 4 "Servant Songs" in the send half of Isaiah.  [the section of Isaiah from chapter 40 in its systematic theology of the OT, has been likened to Romans as the systematic theology of the NT. (That is not deny the 'missionary' theme of Romans as it seeks to prepare the church in Rome for its role as the platform for evangelising the western Mediterranean). The Servant Songs are found in the following passages: (1) 42:1- 4 [we add 5-9] (2) 49:1- 6 (3) 50:4- 9 (4) 52:13- 53:12.

Isaiah is prophesing in the 8th Century before Christ: see 1:1. In 721 BC the Northern Kingdom of Israel was over-run by the Assyrians and the population largely carried off into exile, never to return. Those who remained intermarried with the Assyrians, forming the Samaritans. Hence the antipathy between the Jews and the Samaritans (John 4:9).  The southern Kingdom of Judah continues under both good and bad kings until it too is conquered by Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar who devastated the land, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple and carried off the people in two droves in 597 and 587. The ten years between were occupied by the rule of Zedekiah a puppet king in Jerusalem, who despite warnings from Jeremiah connived with Egypt to fight Nebuchadnezzar whose retribution was horrific. This was God's punishment on Judah for failing to keep His Covenant (See Deut. 28:36,37). Now they had nothing - the Temple in ruins, Jerusalem razed to the ground and they weren't even living in the Promised Land anymore! But God had another rescue, another 'exodus' in mind.

Inspired by God's Spirit, Isaiah from Chapter 40 onwards brings the Good News of deliverance and what God is going to do. See Is.40: 1,2 and 3-5. Great news. Now 43:1-7 'I have redeemed you' ... . Then in 44:28 God says He is going to use Cyrus the pagan king of Persia to 'Shepherd' them and bring about the restoration of Jerusalem and the Temple. 45:1-4 describes how God has anointed this gentile conqueror to do His work... 'for the sake of Jacob my servant' (45:4). These words take us back to 41:8-10. Israel should have been God's servant.

So chapter 40 onwards is rich with the greatness of God, the deliverer; of His salvation; of the call to His servant Israel to serve Him again. And woven into this is the inspired prophesies of the Messiah - at first indistinguishable from Israel, or from Cyrus even, - but emerging as the One who is to come. So OT scholars have identified the four "Servant Songs" which gradually reveal the 'Servant of the Lord' who is to come.

"Here is my servant" it begins, by comparison with the previous verse 41:29 which speaks of false gods. So who is this servant? In Acts 4:27,30 where the early church rejoices at the release of Peter and John, in a prayer of praise they twice refer to 'your holy servant Jesus'. Where did they get that description from? 

In Isaiah there have been previous references to God's servants but here something special is happening. 

'It is like a sudden blast of the trumpets or roll of drums in an orchestral work. We immediately sense that a climax has been reached, or that a significant change in the tempo or direction of the work is about to take place, and this is certainly what happens here.' (From 'The Message of Isaiah' by Barry Webb, The Bible Speaks today. p.170)

Every phrase or verse says something significant. In v.1  we note that this servant is the one whom God will 'uphold'. Jesus had no earthly advantages. His first days spent in the stable of an inn were to typify His earthly position: brought up in an obscure unknown village: unlearned (John 7:15,16); He mixed with the poor and publicans and sinners. He was vulnerable. What if He had caught a fatal disease? No, says God "whom I uphold". 

The words in Is.42 pile up "my chosen in whom I delight". Note Mark 1:11, God's words at Jesus' baptism "with you I am well pleased" surely carry the same intention. 

"I will put my Spirit on him" - in connection with this, see Is.11:1,2 then Luke 4:1,14,18 and Acts 10:38a.

"he will bring justice to the nations" He will bring to all the knowledge of God's law, and the judgement and justice of God - see Is. 2:2-4.

In Is. 41:25 - 29 we hear the sound of the tramp of armies, the shouts of victory, the tumbling of thrones, the trembling of the priests of false idols. But now a quiet voice (42:2,3) and utter gentleness. Jesus was never sensational or ostentatious. He was humble, mild and gentle, full of compassion. The smouldering wick refers to the near-eastern saucer lamp with oil and a wick in one corner.  It is almost out, flickering. Any minute it might just go out. These are people, badly used, exploited by the world and its systems; damaged, hurt and vulnerable, almost snuffed out.  But the servant is so gentle that under His hand the flame grows brighter for He is able to give them new spiritual life. He came in weakness to minister to the weak. He was no superman, but a servant of all. And no matter what it takes v.4 "he will not falter or be discouraged" (John 17:4).

In v.1 God has addressed us; now the God who is lauded as creator in v.5, addresses His servant in v.6. He has been called in righteousness ie from out of God's righteousness and to declare that righteousness. He is to be a covenant (God's approach and commitment to man on God's own initiative) see Jer.31:31,33,34. Once to Abraham and David, now to all through His servant. (see second Bible Overview)

In Gen.12:3 Old Israel was to be a blessing to the nations, but they failed. Jesus the new Israel would not fail. The New Covenant in His blood is secure because of His complete obedience to God's Law. 

He was to open blind eyes (v.7) - both literally and figuratively. We are reminded of Matt. 11:2- 6. John the Baptist new his Isaiah - 'Are you the One?' But also of John 8:12 'to release prisoners. Romans 8:2 - to free from sin and death. 

Verse 8: God is supreme and He is demonstrating it as He moves nations, to bring about the eventual restoration of His People. Back to 40:9-11 and on to 43:3 - speaking interchangeably to Israel and His servant Messiah. God is declaring new things (42:9) and 43:19. Restoration is on its way.

From 49-55 we enter the 'Book of the Servant'. No more mention of Cyrus or Babylon. Not much on the wonders of creation or the falseness of idols. The emphasis is on restoration and rebuilding (new creation): about returning form exile - spiritual as well as political. If we were in any doubt before, this is dispelled as the servant himself emerges from the shadows - and He speaks 'Listen to me all you nations' (49:1). The Messiah addresses the world. He looks beyond the nation of Israel. Israel was by now so inward looking that they themselves could not be the instrument of God reaching out to all mankind. And their inwardness was to get worse: the gentiles had no place in their thinking about the coming messianic age.

See 44:2 'The Lord.. he who made you, who formed you in the womb. God will not choose just the best man He can find to fulfil His purpose. He will send a man. He so to be the One whom God sends into the world to accomplish what He has set out to do since the foundation of the world. John 17:24 .. Eph.1:4,5. He is called like a prophet (Jer.1:5), the greatest missionary who was ever sent anywhere. He was given his name before his birth 49:1c - Matt.1:21-23 then  Is.7:14  and  9:6.

49:2 'He made my mouth [ie my speech] like a sharpened sword' (Mark 1:22, 15:5 etc) - a symbol of power and decisiveness. see Jer. 23:29, Hosea 6:5 and finally Rev. 19:15a,21. In the meantime Heb. 4:12,13  -  Matt.7:28 -  John 6:63. 

'He made me into a polished arrow'  and 'concealed me in His quiver.' The servant waits - hidden! A well-crafted arrow that could be relied upon to travel straight to the target. Sharpened and polished! Even after his birth the servant of the Lord was hidden for 30 years. He lived among ordinary people: played among them, grew up among them, worked among them -  and they did not see what was before their eyes. But oh how he learned, how he was honed and polished through those years of human life. He learned about life and death, about relationships, about love and hate, about strength and weakness, about plenty and need. But even at the tender age of 12, his mission broke through the ordinariness of life (Luke 2:46- 49). He demonstrated that he was urgent to be about his father's business. But God held him back a further 18 years! But eventually .. John 12:23-27. This was the hour of his act of supreme servanthood and it was to be his glorification (23) - 'even death on a cross!' (Phil.2:8).

49:3 The servant reports what God said to him. Addressed to Israel, harking back to Israel's true role, but now embodied in the person of the messiah. I his perfect keeping of God's Law, Jesus became to New Israel. And through his imputation of his righteousness to us, we are incorporated too. But the servant's task is not a comfortable one (v.4). Like Jeremiah and Elijah he feels cut-off  from his people  Luke 13:34 . He has laboured in vain, spent his strength for nothing. Chapter 53 is going to drive this home. Or has he? God himself is his vindication (4b and c). Finally vs 5,6 return to his task .. to bring back, to gather -  AND to be light to the gentiles! Gal.3:27,28.

Here we begin to see more clearly the suffering that the servant must endure, but God has given him important instruction and gifts (v.4): to be able to instruct in the ways of God. Morning by morning God prepares him for teaching God's wisdom to men. 

Vs.5,6 - He has the gifts of meekness and obedience. John 17:6- 8. 

V.7 - understanding  that disgrace will only be in the eyes of men, not God: determination 'set my face like a flint'. 

vs. 7-9 - the confidence that God is with him in his work and ministry. 'He who vindicates me is near'. Who is my accuser? - let him come! Who will condemn me? (for the believer after him, see Romans 8:31-35).

V.6 might refer to a Babylonian coronation ritual in which the king is ritually beaten and humiliated, his beard pulled and his clothes torn; then to be triumphantly reinstated and crowned. Matt. 26:67 (by the religious people), then 27:27-31 (by gentiles). The shame of Is. 50:6 is short-lived: he will be vindicated.

The One who was so despised, whose face dripped with other men's saliva, is the Lord of all!

Here we are in the Holy of Holies of Isaiah. There can be no doubt that it speaks of the messiah: even the Jews accepted that. It is widely quoted or alluded to in the NT. It is interesting to note that it was Is.53 that was being read by the Ethiopian eunuch - and that Philip clearly saw it as referring to Christ. The whole passage is in 5 stanzas...

 52:13 - 15: 'The ultimate triumph foretold'.  Despite what happens to him during his ministry, the servant will prosper (alternative meaning - see footnote). V.13 reminds of Phil. 2:9-11 where the suffering servant is given a great name and great honour. The Jewish 'Midrash' says ' He shall be exalted above Abraham, he shall be lifted above Moses and be higher than the ministering angels.' This is new revelation - v. 13 the Servant is to be exalted and lifted up .. but the suffering is to come first v.14. Many are to be appalled (RSV astonished) at him. His suffering is to be so intense as to be disfiguring, he is unrecognisable as God's servant. Is this the man who spoke gently to the crowds? who took children on his knees? who had compassion on lepers and touched them? 'Surely not - it must be someone else!' But (v.15) [Hebrew uncertain] he will 'startle' (RSV) the nations. But perhaps 'sprinkle' is right as he is purifier. Could the man on the cross really have had so much influence on the nations down the generations? Who would have thought it? Rulers will be dumb founded. 1 Cor.1:18-29 - the foolishness of God confounds the wise and powerful. 

Can this man be the messiah? The Jews seek a conqueror. Has the mighty God spoken through such a man as this? Can any good come out of Nazareth (John 1:46)? By a tender plant - so easily trodden upon? A dead root out of dry ground? he appeared to be nothing special; born in a cowshed and brought up in a humble home, why should we even notice him (John 1:10,11)? There was no glory to attract us to him! He was man who associated with outcasts, sorrow, sickness and grief. Why should he command our respect?

Oh God! What have we done? We crucified him for blasphemy and it was the truth all along! Faith dawns. Surely he has born our griefs and infirmities (Matt.8:16,17), yet we thought ...? So he was wounded for our transgressions; bruised for us. He took our punishment on himself. He substituted himself for us! Lev.16:21,22. While we strayed, God in his mercy laid our iniquity on him. Matt.9:36. 

The prophet takes up the story of the undeserved suffering of the servant. John 10:18; 19:11a. 1 Pet. 2:22-24. His own generation - who should have recognised him from this very passage put him to death. He gave his life; no one took it from him. Pilate was surprised that Jesus did not mount a robust defence against his sentence. V.9 an innocent man - he was crucified with criminals and buried in a rich man's tomb.

The work of the servant was not his own plan, except in so much as the persons of the Trinity always work together. 2 Cor.5 "God was in Christ.." What happened was wrong by any standard of human justice, but in the doing of it, the justice of God against sinners was satisfied. This was sovereign grace. The servant's death was an offering for our sin and guilt Lev.16:15,16, and there will be many re-born to eternal life as a result of it. He is redeemer, reconciler and justifier v.11. Acts 13:38,39. V.12 'Therefore' God says 'I will give him ..'  1 Pet.1:10,11. The One who suffered and died will reign in triumph Rev.5:8-14. 

To these 4 songs may be added 61:1- 3 which does not use the word 'servant' but which is the passage from which Jesus himself quoted and preached at Nazareth (Luke 4:18,19). The reaction of his hearers amply fulfils what Isaiah has prophesied. In this passage (Is.61) he is now God's anointed preacher, not only bringing freedom and release to the captives of sin and death, but also proclaiming God's wrath (the day of vengeance), while assuring those do believe that they are "oaks of righteousness" planted by the Lord to - amazingly - display his splendour. Thus the work of the Church.  

Recommended books: 'The Message of Isaiah' by Barry Webb, The Bible Speaks Today, IVP. ISBN 0-85111-167-X. 'The Prophecy of Isaiah' by Alec Motyer, IVP, ISBN 0-85110-647-1.

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ISAIAH 49:1-7: THE POLISHED ARROW

The marvellous thing about Christmas is that it can be understood in the simplest terms by children, and yet what happened - God coming to us as a child - is so profound as to stretch our minds to the limit. (Not that children always get it right --funny story) So I thought this morning we’d try and dig deep. And where best to do that, than back in Isaiah. You know, Isaiah is a wonderful book - written about 700 years before Jesus was born - and yet woven into its immediate application to that time, is, by inspiration, the foretelling of One who is to come who will be God’s living message to all mankind. So come with me to Is.49 (p.689). (My heart is pounding)

1. THE SERVANT SPEAKS: LISTEN!

In the second half of Isaiah a shadowy figure appears from the wings, but who is it? Here in chapter 49 this servant speaks, but we still don’t know who he is. He addresses the world (1a). God is going to do something new to bring salvation to mankind. But He will not just choose the best man he can find, He will send a man 1b. Who is it? Could this be the ‘Immanuel’ of 7:14 READ or the child of 9:6 READ - sounds like a King! Is it he!

The servant goes on (49:2) ‘He made my mouth like a sharp sword.’ He was to declare God’s message. In Mark1:22 it says of Jesus ‘They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority.’ So what is the servant’s name? V.3 READ - But this is not the race of Israel, it’s a person. He is to be the embodiment of all that Israel was meant to be, but failed to be - He was going to be the ‘New Israel’. God’s supreme witness to the world. And yet there is a note of despondency -v.4a he will not be welcomed - thus Isaiah foresaw a servant with a real human nature tested like we are. But there is something else.

2. THE SERVANT IS HIDDEN

Go back to the second half of v.2. READ. He was born a baby in a remote backwater. Oh! there was a bit of a commotion at the time, but it soon subsided. He grew up silently in Nazareth: no-one knew who he was. He was hidden, as it were, like an arrow in God’s quiver, waiting to be launched into action. During thirty years he was honed and polished by everyday human life. He lived among plenty and need, life and death, love and hate, strength and weakness. Every experience polished him so that he could bring the message of God into the condition of men. He was to be the most accurate arrow that ever flew: he would hit the target perfectly and accomplish all he was given to do.

3. THE SERVANT IS REVEALED

Then one day, God reached into His quiver, took this supremely prepared arrow, fitted him to His bow and .. (Mark 1:) “Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God and saying ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near: repent and believe the good news.’” And we discovered that his message was indeed for the world - back to Is.49:6 READ . Did Jesus not say ‘I am the light of the world’

So was He received? No! 49:7a READ. The nations would not listen: the people milling around the shops this Christmas will not listen!

But he has not finished with us yet! 49:7b READ. The Day is coming when Christ returns and then the nations will prostrate themselves before Him. For he is the polished arrow that will not be deflected.

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EZEKIEL 4,5: THE COMING DISASTER

The book of Ezekiel is certainly an extraordinary book: but there, Ezekiel himself is an extraordinary man. But the book isn't primarily about him, not even about the fortunes of Israel, but about God. The question is "What is God doing?". We have leaned already that God is punishing Israel for being a rebellious people - or more fully,  see 5:5,6 - a very serious matter.  Despite the warnings of many prophets, sent by God to warn Judah to remember God's covenant and live by it,  the people and its leaders had permitted injustice and corruption on a grand scale - AND the worship of foreign gods in the Temple!

In 597 Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, carried away 10,000 of the best people (including Ezekiel) into exile in Babylon, and put Zedekiah on the throne in Jerusalem as a puppet king. But he was weak and despite the ministry of Jeremiah connived with the Egyptians to challenge Nebuchadnezzar, who in 587 laid siege to Jerusalem and destroyed it. Our two chapters (4, 5) . But the question remains. What is God's purpose?

1. THIS IS JUDGEMENT WITH A VIEW TO SALVATION

There can be little doubt that unless God intervened, the covenant religion of the Hebrews would have died out: where then God's God's plan of salvation? Was this Plan A which had failed? Moreover, God's reputation among the nations was at stake. So drastic refining discipline was required. Israel had been so privileged (Rom.9:4) But God's end view was always going to be re-building and restoration. To the Israelites the loss of the Temple and there glorious Jerusalem could only mean that God had deserted them. And in fact, at this point He WAS their enemy! But take a few moments to glance at the page titles in your Bible as the book proceeds. See the last verse 48:35b. God has restoration in mind.

2. FOUR ENACTED SIGNS

Sadly, if there is an over-arching message in chapters 4 and 5 it is 'You haven't seen anything yet!' God instructs Ezekiel to enact 4 visual aids

First 4:1-3: He dramatizes the military siege of Jeruslaem

Second 4:4-8: He portrays the punishment of Israel, first lying on his left side and then on his right. The meaning is not obvious, but what is clear is that God's discipline is binding and inescapable. (v.8)

Third 4:9-17: Ezekiel is told to prepare inferior food and live on a meagre diet - signifying th famine that will beset Jerusalem.

Fourth 5:1-4: Instructed to shave his head, Ezekiel is told by God how to to dispose of his hair as a prophecy of how the people will die. But note that a few are saved v.3 the 'remnant' who will return and start again. All-in-all a terrible prospect - all because

3. 5:5-17 GOD IS NOT TO BE TRIFLED WITH

Israel's enemy is not Nebuchadnezzar, but God! see 5:8 and 11. Since the people refused to be an example of righteousness and godliness, they would be an example of chastening. God is insisting that HE WILL BE GOD AND THEY WILL KNOW IT! Note 6:7b -  repeated 70 times in the book.

To us in our day the image of an angry God is totally out of fashion. and difficult to comprehend for many. The problem today is that people have no difficulty in believing in miracles or the supernatural, what they cannot grasp is that God might be offended by their rebellion and sin! God's anger is not arbitrary or capricious; it is a personal quality without which God would cease to be righteous. It is as permanent an element of His nature as is love. Paul puts it directly in Rom.1:18 and 2:5. He says the same in Eph.2:3. Christ is the only one who can deliver us from this wrath Rom.5:9. God's desire is to save - look ahead to Ez.43:1- 5.

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EzEKIEL 34:11-31  THE PROMISE THAT GIVES HOPE

Ezekiel chapter 34 is an absolute stunner. In it we are going to meet the tender character of God AND we are going to see as clear as a pike-staff the centrality of Jesus for God’s purposes for His Kingdom. Is that enough to excite you? It does me! Let’s first tune in to its history.

Ezekiel is with the the first wave of Hebrew exiles in Babylon, deported from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar 12 years earlier. Bad news has just come - Jerusalem has finally been destroyed - 33:21(p.834). Why has God let this happen to their beloved Jerusalem and their temple? In Ch.34 God tells them that a turning point has been reached .....

First, speaking figuratively of them as bad shepherds, God condemns the rulers of Judah for their appalling lack of dedication to Him. They have led His people to compromise their faith with idolatry - resulting in war, social injustice, corruption and misery. Read vs.1-6. So, God’s severe judgement has fallen! So what is God going to do? He is going to shepherd His people Himself. vs.11- 16a.

In the short-term God restored the people to the Promised Land, but no longer with kings, and in a society which rediscovered His written word (lead by Ezra and Nehemiah). But God had a long term plan too - for .......

It was some time ago while studying John 10, where Jesus says “I am the good shepherd” that I became mesmerised by the question “Why did Jesus call Himself ‘The Good Shepherd’?” Why didn’t He say “I am the best shepherd”? But the trail led to this chapter and I was amazed by what I found. Look at vs.23,24: King David had been dead 400 years, so who is this? Who is this person through whom God is going to shepherd His people? In John 10 Jesus is saying “That’s me” - “I am The (Good) Shepherd of Ezekiel 34”. “I am the one through whom God is going to open His kingdom and shepherd His people.” That’s the measure of the greatness of who Christ is. Don’t let’s miss it! Jesus is the entire focus for all that God wants to do. This is God’s plan, He has no other. We need look nowhere else. This is Jesus of Nazareth - the messiah king. But there’s more - He will herald ......

God declares His commitment of peace and security v.25 and goes on to vividly describe the future kingdom of which the Christian era is a mere foreshadowing. Read vs.25-31. This is the peace and security of soul to which faith in Christ introduces us. Believers in the shepherd king have it now only in part, but one day will enjoy it in its fulness. Let Jeremiah have the final word Jer.23:5.

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EZEKIEL 37:1-14 THE PROMISE OF A NEW START

How is it possible for anyone to make a new start with God? How can anyone begin to relate to God, even if they have previously hardly taken account of Him at all? On what basis can God take us on? What do we need to realise before this can happen? Ezekiel 37 gives the answers to these questions. But some might object 'Why go to such an ancient book for an answer?  Answer - because God has always  related to people by the same principles and here it is very graphic! The background is that the people of Israel (or more correctly, 'Judah', the southern part of the land previously occupied by all Israel) have so deserted God's covenant with them that, after many years of pleading in vain through His prophets, God has brought in Nebuchadnezzar to conquer the land and carry the people into exile in Babylon. God's purposes here are constructive. It is an awful experience for Israel: their beloved Jerusalem is in ruins, including the temple. Where is Yahweh now? But through the experience God will bring them back - His plan is salvation.

Here now in chapter 37 we have come to the well-known vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. The valley was full of dry bones - like a fallen army. Who are they - or were they? In v.11 God tells Ezekiel that these bones are the whole house of Israel! The Lord asks Ezekiel a vital question in v.3a "Son of man, can these bones live?" In desperation Ezekiel replies (3b) "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know". He's right. In God's full answer which takes us through to v.14, two principles emerge which show how new spiritual life can come about. These principles recur throughout the Bible.

          1. NEW LIFE OUT OF HOPELESSNESS

The situation is hopeless. The nation is dead. But there is another prime example of this situation back in Genesis in the life of Abraham. God promised Abraham he would be the father of a great nation: but humanly speaking this was impossible. Abraham and his wife Sarah already very old indeed. Paul in Romans 4:19 says that Abraham was as good as dead and Sarah hopelessly barren. So where was this new nation to come from? The answer was, of course, that God wrought a miracle; the miracle of bringing new life out of deadness and hopelessness - eventually Isaac was born to them. But this is not an isolated OT idea. In the NT Paul speaks of it in very similar terms. In Eph. 2:4,5 he says we were dead, but God made us alive. It is not what we do that brings this miracle of new life, it is what God does. He brings life out of death and hopelessness. Here in Ez.37 the same principle is at work. It will be God's work to raise these bones to life - see Ez.37:5,6. So see what happens in vs.7-10! But there are vital things that must happen.

          2. BOTH THE WORD AND THE SPIRIT

Notice God's specific instruction in v.4 "hear the word of the Lord". The bones cannot rise unless they hear the word of God. No more can any person become a Christian without hearing the word of Lord. In our context that means that people must hear the message of the Bible, in particular the message about Christ. Now, there may be exposure to the witness of the lives of Christians - seeing authentic Christian belief and virtue in action. But the unbeliever must hear the unambiguous word of God somehow: preached in a sermon, clarified in a home group, or explained by a friend. There is no rising to new life without hearing the word of the Lord.

But there are two vital components, not just one. How can dead bones, or people dead in their transgressions and sins (Eph.2:1), hear and understand the word of God? The answer is in v.14 "I will put my Spirit in you and you will live..". The word of God cannot be understood without the Spirit's help. Dead bones and dead people need to be regenerated by God's Spirit. So our concern for the unbeliever must from our part, include taking them to hear God's word and ardent prayer to God for His Spirit to be at work. There must be both word and Spirit. We must not emphasise  one to the exclusion or diminution of the other. It is so easy to go to extremes: resulting in lifeless orthodoxy on one hand, or so-called Spirit-driven experiences with little attention the word of God on the other.

So whether it is back in the time of Ezekiel or this very day, a new start with God is only possible when dead people hear the message of Christ and are regenerated by His Spirit.

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Dan. 3: Faith in a Pagan World: THE GOD WHO HAS TRUE FOLLOWERS     

The situation isn’t exactly parallel, of course, but in our passage in Dan.3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego must have wondered what had hit them when they were arrested and charged with not worshipping the new idol Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Let’s turn to Dan. 3 (p.836) v. 1, 6, 7b, but our 3 friends, committed to God’s commandment, declined to do so and were arrested v. 12b … then v. 13-15.

Let’s briefly mention three of the idols that have been set up in our society (1) the god of consumerism has been persuading us to buy, buy, buy. The result? - debt, debt, debt. (2) The god of personal choice has all but destroyed objective morality - you can do what you like, and (3) the god of secularism is driving all Christian thinking out of our state institutions, morals and education. All the signs are that it is going to get worse - which will, sooner or later, put us on the spot

For Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego that time had come. Their answer to Nebuchadnezzar is remarkable - see vs.16-18. They were prepared for deliverance or death. Perhaps you are facing an issue at work or at school - if you take a Christian stand you may suffer for it - lose friends, suffer financially or be denied promotion. But we must do what is right! Are we committed enough to God to take a stand, or to support others who take a stand? How will we hope to be steadfast on that day of challenge?

Did you notice what Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said ? ‘If our God who we serve is able to deliver us..’. . So strong is their sense of the greatness of their God, of being involved with Him and He with them, that they cannot imagine that it would be right to obey this pagan dictator. They were in awe of their God! It wasn’t a question of compromise - oh go on! worship the idol, it won’t hurt - God knows your heart. They took seriously the injunction (Deut.6:13) to ‘Fear the Lord your God, and serve Him only’. Their God and ours is not just one among many - He is the Living God . And we who have tasted the love of Christ, should even more STEEL ourselves to stand for Him, no matter what it takes. But there is more to see from our passage

Two vital things to note: (1) God was with them vs.24,25 and He will be with us! In view of all that Jesus said, can we doubt that? (2) It had a profound effect on Nebuchadnezzar v.28 - the uncompromising witness of Christians has often led to the saving of their persecutors. The man of pride and fury has become the man who recognises the greatness of their God. What a demonstration this chapter is to us all! Be strengthened and encourage for the hard days.

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THE BOOK OF JONAH - CHAPTER 1

Jonah and the whale must be one of the best known stories in the OT. But unfortunately this is often the only level at which the Book of Jonah is known at all, which is a pity because it has some very important things to say to us. Some people regard the Book only as a parable because of the improbability of Jonah being swallowed by a fish and surviving (although that has happened since to someone else). But if we accept that God can do miracles then why jettison the Book? 

1. SO WHAT IS THE BOOK OF JONAH ABOUT?

Read v.1,2. The main subject of the book is not Jonah, nor even the great Assyrian city of Nineveh, (its ruins today are on the Tigris opposite Mosul in Iraq). No! the main subject is God. The message of the book is that God will have mercy on who He wants to see 4:11. The rank wickedness of gentile Nineveh appalled Jonah - how could God possibly be merciful to them (4:1,2)? This is an enormous shock to Israel! And when later the Ninevites showed themselves ready to repent of their wickedness, it shamed Israel - God‘s own People - who were continually stubborn and faithless. 

So the bottom line for the Jews reading this, is that God wants gentiles to share in His grace too - a lesson, if you remember, that Peter later found very difficult to learn (Acts 10) when God asked him to teach the gospel to a Roman centurion and his family. 


2. BUT WHAT ABOUT JONAH?

He is a believer: he can say his creeds. But, like Israel - whom he represents -, he does not understand how God’s grace works, either in terms of its extent (to whom God will be merciful), or in his own responsibility to proclaim it. So he sets out for Tarshish instead of Nineveh (v.3). 

But are we any better? Let me ask us all to be honest. Is anyone beyond God’s mercy? Is there someone to whom we do not witness or for whom we do not pray because we believe they will NEVER EVER respond? And (more difficult) can someone be too wicked to receive God’s mercy? Do you believe it would be right for God to forgive the most horrible serial child murderer who repents, and take him into heaven? If we have difficulty with any of this, then we have Jonah’s problems, and, I would suggest, we have not understood either our own obligation, or the extent of the punishment Christ took on the Cross! 

3. IN CHAP. 1 GOD CATCHES UP ON JONAH

The story is clear enough. In a terrible storm the sailors demand to know who he is (v. 8). He says he serves the creator of the earth and sea: so they are even more fearful of what he could have done to make the God of the sea so angry. Jonah acknowledges his guilt (v.12): but he does not repent and determine to do what God wanted. He commits suicide - he offers to be thrown overboard: that’ll put paid to him going to Nineveh. But God is in control. It was HE who brought the storm (v.4) and now HE acts to save him (v.17). God’s plan will not be obstructed by anyone! 

Two thoughts to carry with us (1) God hasn’t wiped his hands of disobedient Jonah and (2) we have good reason to be very thankful that God is determined to save who he will! 

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JONAH 2: DELIVERANCE, THANKSGIVING AND FORESHADOWING 

This is our second sermon in the Book of Jonah. Briefly the story so far: God called Jonah to go and preach repentance to the great and wicked Assyrian city of Nineveh(1:2). However, Jonah declined God’s call and took ship for Tarshish. A mighty storm blew up and the ship was almost wrecked. The sailors believed that someone on board had angered their god. Eventually Jonah owned up and offered to be thrown overboard. (v.12). So at last they did and the storm ceased. ‘Poor old Jonah, that’s the end of him’ - by no means! [Sports quiz, with what happens next.] God has a plan and Jonah is part of it.

1. A MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE

Of all the things that could have happened this must be the most extra-ordinary (1:17 and 2:10). But this book of action is about God’s actions some of them miraculous. He called Jonah in the first place (1:1); He hurled the storm at the ship (1:4); He provided the great fish to swallow Jonah (1:17); He told the fish to spew him out again (2:10). But why? Because it was God’s firm intention to save the gentile Assyrians. As we learnt last week, the message of this book is that God will have mercy on who He wishes. It is a reminder of God’s promise to Abraham that through him the nations would be blessed: it confirms at this early stage - 800 yrs before Christ, that the Kingdom of God will be open to all. However, notice: God was being both sovereign (towards Nineveh) and personal (towards Jonah). We ought to find that very re-assuring. If God were sovereign but not personal, we could have no assurance that He cared for us as individuals. If He were personal but not sovereign, we could have no faith that He is almighty God and can overrule our circumstances. 

2. A PSALM OF THANKSGIVING

We need not suppose this psalm in its finished form was composed in the stomach of the fish; but certainly its sentiments originated there. In his appalling situation Jonah opened his heart to God. He had refused God’s call, but when (2.2) HE called on God, God heard him and answered. ‘I cried and you heard’. In v.3 He recognized the sailors actions as from God and it was God’s waves that overwhelmed him. V.4 - ‘I am not fit for your presence.’ READ vs.5,6,7,8. V.9 ‘I will sacrifice to you and make up for it.’ Notice v.8: Jonah is convinced that God is God, there is no other. Those who serve other gods are denying their true loyalty. Here was God’s mercy; demonstrated to Jonah and re-assuring to us. 

3. FORESHADOWING OF CHRIST

One day, 800 years after this, the Pharisees demanded from Jesus a sign that he was the messiah (Matt.12:39- p.12). Read v.38-40 - a reference, of course, to his resurrection > that would be THE great sign as to who He was. (But note v.41 too - if the story of Jonah is fiction, Jesus’ assertion would be meaningless and easily refuted). 

So here in Jonah, we have a primitive foreshadowing of Christ. Like Jesus, Jonah was (or became) a preacher of repentance. Like Jesus, Jonah sacrificed himself in the place of others (the sailors) so that they would live. And just as Christ’s resurrection made salvation and life available to all who believe, so Jonah’s deliverance made repentance and forgiveness available to the Ninevites. The parallels are not exact, Jonah did not die, but nonetheless Jonah pre-figures Christ.

Surely we can echo Jonah’s words v.9  ‘Deliverance belongs to the Lord!’ Agreed?

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JONAH 3: NINEVEH REPENTS AT GOD’S WORD 

As we leave chapter 2 we are faced with the same question we had at the end of chap.1 What IS going to happen now? Is the expedition to Nineveh all over? After all, God is under no obligation either to the Ninevites to offer them repentance or to foolish Jonah to use him. But God hasn’t given up on either of them (reassured?) - He calls Jonah a second time ….Remember this is a book about God and His actions.

1. GOD’S MESSAGE IS PROCLAIMED

Jonah no doubt took a long time to recover from his ordeal but this time he obeys God‘s call - although not altogether wholeheartedly, if we take note of 4:1,2. He is still upset that God could offer His grace and mercy to such wicked gentiles. Moreover, Nineveh is a large city - although the reference to its huge size may include provincial minor towns. So what is Jonah to do exactly? Well, (1) he is to ‘go’ - it was quite a journey to Nineveh - in a foreign land. They will not hear if he does not go! Jesus said ‘Go‘. (Is there anyone here who ought to be thinking seriously about ‘going’ to serve God?) (2) He must take God’s message - v.2 ‘the message that I will tell you’. Neither Jonah nor we have any licence to proclaim anything other than what God has said (Bible). (3) Jonah was to preach with urgency v.4b. Are these urgent days, would you say?

2. THE NINEVITES REPENT

The message spread like wild-fire! Vs.4b,5. The Ninevites were pagans, no doubt with many gods, but they took this message very seriously. What happened is not to say that they became mono-theists overnight nor that they now embraced the covenant faith of Israel. But their repentance was authentic enough for Jesus to say that on the Day of Judgement they would rise and condemn the unbelieving Jews. (Matt.12:41) 

The news reached the king v.6 resulting in his own repentance and a royal proclamation v.7 - with an admission of guilt v.8 end. Interestingly in v.9 the king acknowledges God’s sovereign freedom, as did also the ship’s captain in 1:6 and the sailors in 1:14. This is a sophisticated understanding of God, basic to OT theology, but it is an irony that it is found on the lips of heathen, while Jonah, representing Israel, finds it difficult to accept. God is dealing with Nineveh in exactly the same way as He deals with Israel! For example, in the Book of Joel, the prophet warns Jerusalem of pending doom - see Joel 2:12-14 (p.862). READ - note the acknowledgement of God’s sovereign freedom in v.14. Thus Nineveh repents and ….

3. GOD CHANGES HIS MIND!

Read v.10. What does it mean ‘God changed His mind‘? Isn’t God unchanging? In 1 Sam.15:29 it says ‘the Glory of Israel will not recant or change his mind; for he is not a mortal that he will change his mind.’ The OT does not flinch from teaching both that He is unchanging AND that He is responsive to His creatures, as here in Jonah 3:10. God’s warning of judgment is conditional on them continuing in wickedness. But He is consistent! He responds to wickedness with judgement but with grace and mercy to repentance. 

The Ninevites had trembled at God’s word: their response to one man’s preaching in such a place as Nineveh is a continual encouragement to us and wherever the Gospel is preached.

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JONAH 4: THE SCANDAL OF GOD’S GRACE

We are now nearing the end of our studies in this little gem of a book. It has been a living drama in which the chief role has been God’s - and the final chapter is no exception. As we pick up the story we find Jonah, not for the first time, in a bad state. The Ninevites had believed the warning he had pronounced on God’s behalf - to repent of their wickedness. So was Jonah pleased? Oh No! He was angry, very angry. 

1. THE REASON FOR JONAH’S ANGER

‘I told you so!’ he declares to God READ v.2. Jonah knew his Exodus - he quotes God’s own description of Himself in Ex.34:6. Israel had much cause to be thankful that God was like that! God had acted in compassion to them many times when they did not deserve it. So why is he so upset to see God’s grace in action now? It was Nineveh that was the trouble. Assyria, of which Nineveh was an important city (later its capital), was a constant threat to the Northern Kingdom of Israel where Jonah lived. God’s attitude to them was, in Jonah’s estimate, regrettably weak. He is so upset he prefers to die v.3.

What Jonah really cannot grasp is that undeserved grace is truly undeserved. That is the point of Grace: if there were an iota of deserving it would not be Grace.

2. GOD ALONE HAS THE ‘RIGHT’

In v.4 God directly challenges Jonah’s attitude ‘Have you any right‘. But Jonah hasn’t given up. He goes outside the city (v.5), finds a good vantage point and waits to see what God will do to Nineveh. After all, they really do deserve it don’t they? Then God (yes its deliberate not a chance event) enacts a strange drama with a vine! V.6 ‘God provided a vine ..‘ to shade him. Jonah was pleased. Then (v.7) God provided a worm that destroyed the vine. And God provided a hot east wind so that Jonah was baked and wanted to die. Then God challenged Jonah again ’Do you have the right ..’
That’s the point of course. Despite his stubborn assertion that he does have the right (v.9b), Jonah has no right to complain either about God’s giving and taking of the vine, or of God’s forgiveness of repentant Nineveh. God must be sovereign. God must be God and man must be man. It is God who has the authority. 

The book ends with God’s stunning reply…

3. GOD’S MERCY IS HIS TO GIVE

READ v.10. God had the first word in this book 1:1 ‘Go…’ He now has the last word. And a pretty confounding word it is too. You Jonah want me to be inconsistent. You want me to be forgiving and compassionate to Israel but the opposite to Nineveh even though they have repented. I will not be inconsistent. ‘Should I not be concerned about that great city?’ - a city in moral darkness (‘who cannot tell their right hand from their left‘). It is in God’s gift to be forgiving. The amazing thing is not that God forgives in the way He does, but that he finds it possible to forgive us at all, in view of man’s profound rebellion against Him!
See Rom.9:14-16.

God’s anger and condemnation are serious. But amazingly God is concerned to save people from His own judgement. The cross of Christ demonstrates this beyond contradiction. This was the means by which God’s justice was satisfied. God’s justice is never compromised. As we saw in our study of chapter 2, there are here in this book faint foreshadowings of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Only what Christ did has solved mankind’s problem of guilt before a holy and moral God. There is no other way, no alternative way, accept by faith in Christ. No basis of birth or race or respectability or effort - only submission to Christ. He will not accept us on the basis that we aren’t too bad - ‘after all, we are only human.’

God’s undeserved grace is truly undeserved. 

                                        (With acknowledgements for some pertinent points to Matthew Roberts)

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1 CHRONICLES 13:1-14 APPROACH THE KING WITH REVERENCE

Before we turn to our passage, I think I ought to say a few words about the Books called ‘Chronicles’. In our Bibles the two Chronicles books are grouped with the other books of Samuel (1&2) and Kings (1&2) which tell us the history of God’s dealing with Israel. But in Jesus’ day Chronicles was at the end of the OT because it was the last book of the OT to be written - about 400 BC - after the Jews had returned to Palestine from their exile in Babylon. You may remember that as a judgement for their disobedience to His Covenant with them, God allowed Israel to be overrun by Nebuchadnezzar and most were taken into exile. After 70 years Cyrus King of Persia allowed them to begin returning to Palestine. But once they were back rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple, and re-establishing their national life, they needed to learn lessons from the past, particularly where they had gone so terribly wrong. So the Chronicler, whoever he was, wrote another version of their history, sometimes just copying sections of Samuel or Kings, but selecting and emphasising episodes that had a special message for the Jews rebuilding their religious community. So we are to expect a very special message from our passage in 1 Chron.13. 

As we join the story David has recently united Israel under his rule having led their forces in decisive victories over their enemies. The chapter opens with David enthusing the people to bring the Ark of the Covenant to his newly-established capital - Jerusalem.

In case you are not clear what the Ark of the Covenant was here is a quick explanation. It was a rectangular-shaped box made of acacia wood about 4ft long (1.22m), 2.5 ft (72cm) wide and the same deep. It was completely overlaid with gold and the top consisted of a solid gold slab mounted with two winged cherubim facing each other. Inside the box were the two tablets of stone inscribed with the Ten Commandments, a pot of Manna and the rod of Aaron. But its most important role was in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle, where it represented the presence of God and where as ’the mercy seat’ was the place where God came down on the yearly Day of Atonement to witness the sacrifice for the sins of the People.

LET’S READ THE PASSAGE. 

The background: Since the days of Moses, the Ark of the Covenant had been the symbol of God’s presence with his People and went everywhere with them. But for last 20 years it had been almost completely forgotten. But now, what the newly united nation needed - was the Ark in Jerusalem. My first title …

1. ENOUGH TO MAKE THE PEOPLE DANCE AND SING

So what’s going on? David presents his idea very seriously to everyone - with great enthusiasm (vs.1-3) David called Israel together for this great event. And everyone responded (vs.5-8) with equal enthusiasm! There was something about the Ark, or what it represented, that excited them. There was going to be a wonderful carnival procession as the Ark was paraded the 10 miles up to Jerusalem. No wonder the people danced and sang for joy (v.8)! 

2. BUT SOMETHING WENT UNEXPECTEDLY AND HORRIBLY WRONG!

Read vs. 7 and 9,10. What went wrong? Uzzah touched the Ark and dropped dead! At first David was angry v.11 - understandable don’t you think? He was doing his best to put the symbol of God’s presence at the centre of the nation’s life - then this happens! The celebration was in ruins. But note how does David’s response change v.12 Fear of God - he, David, had got something wrong and he was fearful. But they must all have been asking the same question - Why? So what had really gone? David realises that God had originally given strict instructions about how the Ark was to be moved and he had forgotten about them….

3. GOD GIVES THEM (and us) THREE IMPORTANT LESSONS 

What did the writer of the Chronicles want his readers to learn, and what are we to learn? …

First; when God gives a command about something, we ignore it at our great loss! 
God had instructed Moses that the Ark must never be touched by anyone because it represented His HOLINESS - His untouchability, His ‘Otherness’. It was to be carried by inserting poles into rings fixed to the four corners of the Ark- not put on a cart - even a new one (v.7). And only the Priest and Levites could carry it. This instruction and even the design of the tabernacle (and the temple) with its great curtain separating-off the Holy of Holies, taught them that God was unapproachable. Only a blood sacrifice - and eventually only the sacrifice Christ made - could bridge the gulf. God was not to be trifled with. So David and his advisers were guilty of rank carelessness and disregard for God’s holiness. We cannot expect blessing if we ignore what God says. 

Start with an inadequate grasp of the holiness of God and everything else will go wrong. 

Unless we grasp the holiness of God we will never seek His forgiveness. Unless we grasp the holiness of God we will not care how we live our lives. We will not understand how much our sin offends God.

Later, David realises all this, and puts it right (see 15:11-15). How strong is our grasp of the holiness of God and what it demands of the way we live? Where do we find that God commands or instructs us? - in the Bible. What does God instruct us about in the Bible? ….. 10 commandments, NT teaching about purity, money, marriage, anger, sex, faithfulness, humility, idolatry etc… In fact about every aspect of life. So what is really our problem? - unbelief - we simply don’t trust God to know what‘s best for us..

Second: the fate of Uzzah is a terrible warning against over-familiarity with God.
In our day, the laudable desire to make church more attractive to outsiders has put us in danger of trivialising God. The ‘Hi God’ culture. We must be careful not to lose our reverence for who God is… almighty, holy, pure, majestic, glorious -- unreachable by us, except through Christ. So how do we think of God? See 2 Cor.7:1 p. 179 How will a better grasp of this change your approach to living as a Christian? And mine.

Third: although the Ark was to be viewed with AWE, it also represented God’s grace and blessing. 
See what happens in v.14. Blessing - because the Ark also represents God grace. The Ark was a reminder of God’s never-failing covenant of love and care for His People. …shown in Jesus Christ. 
So these are the principles that the Chronicler wants the Jews to learn - and so must we. 

One final thought: despite all it stood for, the Ark was only temporary. 

The Chronicler’s readers didn’t have it; we don’t have it. But all it taught lived on. The Jews were called on to live by faith in its message without seeing it in the temple (the principle of faith not sight) - until the Day came when all it stood for came in a Person - Jesus Christ.

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GOD CALLS MOSES: EXODUS 3:1 to 4:17

This morning we are in the ancient book of Exodus. Why (1500 BC)? To deepen our understanding of God, that’s why! We all need to capture afresh the importance of the first 5 books of the OT, in preparation for the Gospel in the NT. It is in Genesis that we find the ‘Good News’ of God’s foundational promises to Abraham. It is here, in these ancient books that we first meet redemption, atonement, covenant, salvation, substitutionary sacrifice for sin, and forgiveness. It is here that God progressively reveals who He is. It is here that God first adopts a People and teaches them how to live …all as a glimpse of what is to come finally through Jesus Christ -God‘s final revelation. 

1. GOD STEPS OPENLY INTO HISTORY

In our passage this morning God steps openly into history: it is a key moment in God’s revelation of Himself, both to old Israel and for what He is going to do in the NT era. As Christopher showed us last week, God has been working in the background all along, but now Exodus 3 is ‘a defining moment’: it is epic and breath-taking. The Israelites have been in Egypt for 400 years, most of them in slavery. There has not been a word from God for all that time. 
For Moses, it is a shocking encounter with God. He has been living quietly in Midian for about 40 years. He is no longer the self-confident, impetuous man who killed a Egyptian (2:12). But, out with the sheep one ordinary day he saw a bush, aflame. It wasn’t unusual in the dry heat for bushes to spontaneously ignite. But this one was different - it wasn’t consumed! Moses went to look. Often in Scripture, fire represents the presence of God - and sure enough God speaks to Moses vs.4,5 (read). 
But why has God appeared? - vs.7-8a. God is on a rescue mission - to redeem His people from slavery and take them to a good place of new life and freedom. - Remember the NT parallels? Jesus said ‘He who sins is a slave to sin; but if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’ 
But back in Exodus 3 - who is this God who speaks?

2. GOD IDENTIFIES HIMSELF

In vs. 9,10 God tells Moses what He wants him to do! Read. Moses’ response is two questions; v.11 ‘Who am I?’ (read) and v.13 ‘Who are you?’ (read). AND GOD SAYS ..vs.14,15 (read). ‘I AM WHO I AM’ or as in the footnote ‘I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE’. THIS is the uncreated, self-determining, sovereign God - Is.44:6; Jesus said ‘I am’ John 8:56-59a. But also this is the missionary God who involved Himself with mankind - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 
But how did Moses respond to this incredible encounter with the living God? Human faithlessness is never hard to find.

3. THE VERY RELUCTANT MESSENGER

Why! he gave all the same faithless excuses we use for not telling people about God’s rescue plan. Ch. 4:1a - ‘they won’t listen‘. v.10 ‘I don’t know what to say’ v.13 ‘please send someone else’. We can only imagine the colour draining from Moses’ face as God rebukes him in v.11 ‘Who made the human mouth? Is it not I the LORD?’.

But God reassures Moses, as He does us. 3:12 ‘I will be with you’. 3:18 ‘they will listen’. 4:12 ‘Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.’ 
Jesus said ‘Go into all the world and I will be with you always.’ Moses did go with God’s message. So be encouraged; God can use reluctant people. 

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EXODUS 16: BREAD FROM HEAVEN: (with John 6:25-40)

For those who want to serve God, one of our chief concerns must surely be - how to keep our faith and trust in God strong - especially when facing adversity. None of us knows what is going to happen to us in the future. Will our faith and trust hold? How strong will my faith and trust in God be in the final days of my life? And yours?
In our chapter, Ex.16, the people of Israel were certainly facing adversity; at least a million of them were in the desert about 6 week’s trek out on their escape from Egypt. And their food had run out. So vs.2,3. So what would God do?