The Lord Is at Work - Isaiah 40 - 49

There are usually fifty or more senior adults present at each of our Wednesday night prayer meetings at First Baptist, Heber Springs. During our prayer time, most of these offer up a personal prayer seeking God’s attention regarding personal problems of concern. For the most part these prayers are intercessory in nature and cover the water front from the improvement of a dear friend or relative with Alzheimer’s disease to protection for grand children; from problems of deep concern in the local church to hart-felt sorrow because of the deterioration of morals in our nation. In one night, we think of literally thousands of things for God to do.
When we think about the thousands of churches, many with larger memberships than we have that are making millions of request each week—plus all the Christians that have daily prayer times in their homes—and when we realize that all of these prayers are directed to one person—our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—only then can we realize just how busy He must be. No prayer is prayed that he does not hear and personally consider. We have his word that he hears and answers prayer, THE LORD IS AT WORK. Because of who He is and because of his nature, He never sleeps and is never tired; therefore he is available to answer our prayers 24/7 and always will be until his final return to earth to claim his Bride—The Church.
Only those of us who are older can remember the trying times that started in 1929, and increased during the 30s. When times got really hard and the almighty dollar practically disappeared, strong men turned to God in prayer. Times were hard, and many dedicated followers wondered how this terrible depression could possibly be a part of God’s plan for America. The Lord wants us to live with confidence that He is working in the world at all times to achieve His purposes although not always in ways that we can easily see or understand. We know, from his word, and from past experience, that he desires that his people both trust and depend upon Him and not on man, wealth and power.
The Lord is at work today to bring us out of this spiraling fall toward another Great Depression. He can not and will not fail if America will turn to Him and depend upon him to bring us out virtuously. This can only happen when we who are Christian people place our trust and faith in Him. On TV this morning, April 11, 2009, I watched and heard our President, personally say, “We are no longer a Christian Nation, but instead we are a nation of citizens.” This scares me! You may ask me—why? Here is my answer. First, most of our forefathers who were the founders of this great nation claimed to be Christian men, and they invoked God’s name often, and gave Him credit for the early successes of the new nation. They believed and proclaimed through the writings of the legal papers of America that the future success of this new nation depended upon the people’s continued faith in the Almighty God.
Any Christian can pray to God and expect his prayer to be answered. There is no limitation on what he can include in his request so long as it is requested in Christ’s name and within God’s will. However, an unsaved citizen can only pray one prayer and expect God to answer. The only prayer that God will answer for him is this one: “God. I am a sinner, lost and undone, come into my heart and save me from my sins.” A lost person can not pray successfully for our nation to be guarded against another Great Depression; he can pray, BUT GOD WILL NOT HEAR AND ANSWER AN INTERCESSORY PRAYER OF A LOST PERSON. If we are no longer a Christian nation, then who will go to God in prayer for us? I do not accept this conclusion; because if we were not somewhat pleasing in our service to God—He would have already arranged for our fall. Just look at what he did to his own people in Israel.
In bondage in Egypt for 400 years, His people were free and on their way to the land of milk and honey, they rebelled and disobeyed and were sentenced to another 40 years wandering in the desert. They successfully arrived along the costal plains and along the Jordan River and chose Judah and Jerusalem for the center of government and worship. Solomon built the most perfect and beautiful temple ever dedicated to God. Jerusalem was the safest of all walled cities; and it became known for its underground water system, unmatched in the world. This nation could well be compared to the new America that grew in prosperity and expansion quickly and very successfully.
Then weak and wicked kings gained power. They made treaties with nations that had been their enemies. They allowed immigration from heathen nations. There was inter-marriage of Jews and heathen women who brought their gods of Idols and established idol worship, all against the law of Almighty God. Oh, my beloved friends in Christ—look carefully and you can see that Israel was a Christian nation that turned into a nation of citizens!
Troubles cropped up on every side. The nation first divided into the northern and southern nations—and they lost power and prestige when this happened. Tribal wars flared and the kingdoms grew weaker, until the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom in 722 BC; and most of the walled cities in the southern kingdom were conquered; they were the dominant enemy of the Jew. No one in power even suspected that Babylon was a threat to the kingdom, but Isaiah was sent to warn them—and 130 years later in 587 BC the southern kingdom fell to Babylon. All but a remnant were conquered and carried away in exile.
[REMEMBER ALL THESE PROBLEMS WERE SENT BY GOD OR ALLOWED TO HAPPEN BY GOD BECAUSE THE PEOPLE HAD DISOBEYED HIM!]
In about 800 BC God sent Isaiah to warn the people and explain what would happen to them as a result of their disobedience. Isaiah came in time to warn them and they could have saved their nation had they listened to him. Remember that Isaiah prophesied prior to the problems…he wrote in past tense as if it had already happened. He warned them that they would be taken away into captivity in Babylon. And then he explained how God would rescue them and use their known enemies to bring them back to their motherland. Their staunch enemies, the Assyrians would help negotiate a treaty with Babylon to let the people go, and then they would use the old devil’s money to move the people back to Jerusalem and even to help to rebuild their city and temple. Note: This prophesy is recorded in Isaiah chapters 40 and 41. Especially those that doubt what I have told you should read this prophesy! If you are one that will say that you do not believe the Bible—then explain how Isaiah knew every detail 800 years before it happened.
America has come to the place where they are disobeying God at every turn. God has never allowed the Jewish people to escape without punishment—why would anyone think that He would make an exception for the American people. PAY-DAY IS COMING SOME-DAY—AND IT MAY BE SOON! Pay day can pertain to you as an individual…or it can apply to a nation of non-believers. You need to realize that god has a system of punishment and rewards that fit individuals, families, communities, cities, nations or countries. Before we go any further in this study, please, please go back and read chapter six—especially verse 8 through 13.
God told his messenger that the people’s heart had become calloused [hard] and that they would not listen. Then why go to a people that will not listen? Yes, why? God had enough. God was fed up with a rebellious people. Listen, listen to me, please…God has a limit beyond which he will not go. Oh, I fear that America is approaching that limit today, every day we are getting closer. At this time, God’s patience with their chronic rebellion was finally exhausted. God had already passed his judgment and it was to abandon them to their rebellion and hardness of heart.
Why did God send Isaiah because he knew that the people would not listen to him? Please do not think that I am puffed up and think that I am anything like Isaiah!!! But he sent Isaiah and me for the same reason. The nation may not hear. Government officials may not respond. The local community may disregard this lesson. But there may be a few…just a few that will hear and respond. That is why he sent Isaiah, because God knew that his word would not return unto him void. Although the nation would not hear and repent and they were already set to reap justice, but there would be a remnant that would respond to God’s warning.
When would the people listen? As soon as they came to their rope’s end and had no where else to turn but back to God. I ask you…When will America listen to God’s warnings? The answer is redundant. When they have no other hope. These people gave up when they were captives in Babylon. Some, a few, held on to their faith and dependence in God. And God never gave up on them. He kept his promise and used their enemies to help them migrate back to their homeland and start rebuilding.
THE LORD IS STILL AT WORK TODAY and one of his biggest chores may be in deciding how to handle the American people who have sat by and allowed the immigrants and dissenters who worship other gods, and Godless people to gain control of our beloved America. We who love God and America should stand strong and tell the opposition to either join us in loving this country, obeying its laws, speaking its language, attending its schools, abiding by our laws, paying their taxes, worshipping the god of their choice, and allowing us to worship our God without being criticized and accused of being left wingers, or go back where they came from. If they are not happy…they should feel free to leave!

The Lord is Alive - Matthew 28:1-17

Have you ever wondered how you would feel if you had to admit that the God you serve is dead? If your god could not conquer death and the grave of what benefit could he be to the living? Generally speaking, there have been only three kinds or groups of gods mentioned in the bible; and it would be impossible for any of these to be resurrected from the dead.

Some men of the Old Testament as well as the North and South American Indians worshipped the moon and stars. In India the cow is considered to be sacred. These are all a part of God’s creation.

All of the twelve tribes of Jews chose many different gods. These were varied according to the needs as felt by the people. Statutes, carved poles, and molded images such as the golden calf at Mt Sinai were made to represent the sun, and moon or the god of rain or thunder; or a beautiful woman as goddess of sex. These were all man made to represent an imaginary god.

The third kind of gods that exists is the men that have lived and organized a cult religion that was espoused by small groups such as Jim Jones. Then there are Confucius and Mohammed with their millions. Confucius, Mohammed and Jim Jones are all dead, and neither of them will be resurrected from the dead until their judgment day—and surely will not return to claim their church.

As we all realize there is only one Jehovah God, who was, is, and will forever be the living God who gave his Son to die on the cross for our sins; and who was resurrected on the third day, was witnessed by many and ascended back into heaven where he sits at the right hand of His Father God as our intercessor. We proudly call this man Jesus Christ our Savior who died on the cross for our sins and is now the resurrected One.

We constantly read and study the scriptures in order to show ourselves approved and to simply have a better understanding of the bible. There are so many truths that we believe hare hidden between the lines, that it makes us want to look often and even closer than we did before. One fact not yet fully understood is that Christ chose twelve men to be his disciples that would be with him during his three years of ministry. However, he chose to allow two women to be the first to see him after his resurrection and charged them to go tell the twelve disciples. Since some of them wanted to be seated on his right and left side and even talked to him about it, I wonder how they felt when they learned that Jesus had granted the women in his life the opportunity to see him first as the resurrected Savior.

28: 1 says that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary saw him first. The other Mary was probably not the mother of Christ. [John 19: 25] indicates she could have been the wife of Clopas, and [Matthew 27:56] indicates that she may have been the mother of James and John. Or she could have been Jesus’ aunt. When these women ran back to the disciples and told them that Christ had risen, the disciples did not believe them. Note: they did not necessarily think the women were deliberately lying, but that they must be mistaken, misinformed, or had imagined it. There is no indication that any of the disciples actually expected to see Jesus again.

We know that a stone was used to close the grave. Matthew says that Joseph of Arimathaea rolled the stone in place. However, if the stone was flat on one side with the rest rounded, it could have been possible for one man to role it in place; but impossible for one man to move it out. It was also sealed by soldiers which could have made it more difficult to move.

Mathew records that an earthquake was felt in the area early that morning, and this indicates that the quake could have caused the grave to open. More than one apostle records that there were angels present that morning, early, before it was bright daylight which would cause their brilliant shining robes to be even more observable. Matthew says that the angels rolled the stone back and sat on it. The guards that had been assigned to guard the tomb saw this happen and froze in their tracks…they were afraid to try to interfere with what was happening; and feared their life might be taken for letting it happen.

One truth is clear regarding the open tomb. Regardless of how the rock was actually removed from the opening, the purpose was definitely to allow the women and apostles to look inside the grave and was not to make it possible for Christ to get out. His burial clothing was positioned on the slab as if he simply melted out of them…they were in place…undisturbed. His napkin was folded in the position that indicated that he was still around.

The angel met the women when they arrived and explained that Christ had risen as he had said he would and that they should go and tell the disciples. They should also tell the disciples that Jesus would meet them in Galilee.

Matthew says the women were afraid but joyful. They left and were running on their way when Jesus met them and greeted them. He removed their fear and left them with their joy. They fell at his feet and worshipped him. Jesus bade them go tell his brothers what had happened and that they should meet him in Galilee. He use the word brothers instead of disciples to indicate that he was not mad with them even though they had left him during the trial and crucifixion—and even though they had never fully understood.

There is nothing inferior or without meaning in the salvation story, however there are several keep points, high points, most important points, and the resurrection no doubt is a very important key to the Christian faith. You may ask why I believe this to be true. Here are several reasons.

Jesus promised his disciples and us that he would not remain in the grave, and he kept the promise—now we can look forward to him keeping all of his other promises to us.

Jesus bodily resurrection shows us that he is alive and the ruler of God’s eternal kingdom and not an imposter.

This is proof to us that death is not the end of our life; there is future life. We too will be resurrected as he was and we will live with him forever. That is one of his promises.

The same power that brought his physical life back is available to us to bring us back from our spiritual death—for we are dead in trespasses and sin, and must be born again.

His resurrection forms the bases for our message of grace. He is not dead! He is alive! He can and will save you! He died for our sins but he did not leave us alone to die in our sins.

Going back to Friday, about noon, some of the disciples gave up and got out of town (Jerusalem) as quickly as they could for fear their lives. Some returned to their home in Galilee broke; they had no income during the past three years they had to get back to their fishing jobs. They had depended on Christ to feed them on the road.

Two of the gospels indicate that some of his followers…some other than the disciples…holed up in their hideout in Jerusalem and were still in the process of deciding what to do. Christ walked through the wall and visited with them, giving them comfort and direction before they all went on to Galilee where he had instructed the women to tell everyone to meet him.

It is not as well known, and has never been discussed as much as the resurrection, but the forty-day following is another one of the important keys to the salvation story. This period is a faith builder for me. During this time he walked many miles, ate food, slept, and appeared to thousands of people who recognized him and have attested to his life after death. This is far too many for me not to believe them.

A third key that showed up in this lesson is the fact that he gave the church its commission as his last instructions. We know what he would have us do. We can know when we are about our Father’s business—we can know when we are doing our Father’s will. We are to go everywhere and preach, teach, care for his little ones.

The fourth and final key to our future came when he bid farewell and disappeared in a cloud headed back to his throne. We know that as they saw him go…he will return again. We know that we too will be caught up with him in his cloud to heaven where we will rein with him forever more. We will have a new resurrected body; we will have a new life in glory. Who are we? Only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior will be able to enjoy heaven and a life with Him.

The Sacrifice is Sufficient - Isaiah 49:1 - 53:12

While growing up on the family farm it was necessary for me to make dad a farm hand the year around; and I can distinctly remember that time crept by very slowly in those days. It was not unusual for me to work as many as 200 weeks from one Christmas to the next. {Time seemed to creep by} Congress started messing around with our clocks, moving them forward and backward and it caused a great difference with the passing of time. Time goes much faster now. I have only had enough time to take two showers and get one hair-cut since last Christmas, and here it is Palm Sunday; next Sunday we will celebrate Easter. Where did over three months go?

At Christmas time, we always try to tie the Bible lesson plan in with the story of our Lord’s birth, which is as it should be. To me, it is just as appropriate for us to discuss his death and resurrection at Easter time and we will. Today we will talk about his reason for coming, his preparation for His sacrifice He made. It actually makes it more interesting to me when I realize the Bible source of the information being used today is coming from Isaiah; he foretold this story about the life of Christ hundreds of years before the Jesus was born. His prophesy is as detailed and accurate as is the history written by eye witnesses, and there are no contradictions.

Some of you may be skeptical of the Bible and at least have doubts about some of the miracles as recorded. You should find much strength and assurance when you read the truth about how Isaiah and other prophets were able to predict with precision the birth, life and death of Christ about eight hundred years before the event happened exactly as they told us it would. Prophesies made that have come true hundreds of years later help us to know that we know the Bible to be the true Word of God.

People did not have to wait until after the life of Christ to know who the Messiah would be. They did not have to wait until the New Testament was written to find that Christ lived, died for our sins and was resurrected and ascended back into heaven. And they did not have to wait past their own generation to know for sure that His SACRIFICE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT. Isaiah explained it well in the scriptures we are studying today. The 53rd chapter is one of the most amazing prophecies ever made. I keep warning us in the beginning of the 21st century that even though God is love, there is a limit beyond which he will not tolerate blatant disobedience of His people. The Israelites, for some reason, never seemed to understand this characteristic of Jehovah; and King Uzziah completely ignored the law of God, and the Jewish people had turned to their idols and selfish desires. Remember that God called Isaiah on the day Uzziah died. He was called to specifically warn these disobedient people that they could either change their ways or there would be a series of wars that would completely annihilate the Kingdom—even Jerusalem and the temple.

In the eighth century B.C. Isaiah met the Lord, high and lifted up—he got his instructions and started his work. You will find that chapters 40 to 66 cover the look ahead to the Babylonian exile and the time when only a remnant of the Jews would be left and finally able to return to their home country. It seemed that he was a bearer of nothing but bad news, but that was not completely so. In God’s time a remnant would be able to return to what would be a New Jerusalem under the rule of their new Messiah.

Isaiah explained to the people that because of their disobedience they would be conquered and exiled by their enemies but that through Babylon, Assyria, and others there would be a remnant that would eventually be able to return and rebuild their land, and bring His people back to Him; not only this but they would also be charged to carry this good news of salvation to all people everywhere. He told them that they would be released from exile and would even feel they had been rejected, but he declared that God had not forgotten them and that their defeat was only punishment for their sins. God would restore them and their restoration would witness to His lordship [49]. This all cam true just as he told them it would.

Listen dear friend, don’t miss this fact! Isaiah was telling the Jewish people [and us] what was going to happen 800 YEARS BEFORE IT HAPPENED: And it happened just as he had predicted. The Bible confirms this as truth. Oh, so you do not believe the Bible? Well, history books confirm that these wars took place and the temple was destroyed. Do you believe history books? Yes. Or No. Maybe you should question whether or not Columbus discovered America; or even whether or not there was ever a new settlement at Plymouth Rock. Did the English attack early America? Was there ever a Spanish American War? How do you know? If you believe historians regarding American history, why do you doubt historians who confirm the Bible history to be true?

Isaiah explained that the Jewish Messiah would come; and this new [GOOD] King would set up his throne and reign forever more. Then in chapter 53 Isaiah explained in detail who this new king would be, and all the details of his virgin birth, his physical description, his life’s work, and finally THE SUFFICIENT SACRIFICE that he would make to save his people forever. AND ACCORDING TO HISTORY IT HAPPENED JUST AS ISAIH PREDICTED OVER 800 YEARS BEFORE. WOW! Nothing gives me more faith in all the word. Through Isaiah, God called the people of that day to wake up. Through the teaching and preaching of the church you are being called to wake up and demonstrate that you have faith; and prove through your service that you do love Him. Here is what Isaiah said He would look like, what He would do and how his people {including you and me], and how you and I would accept or reject Him. [Notice that much of this is written as if it had already happened. Isaiah looks ahead and sees as plainly as you and I can look back and see that he was correct.]

53:1-12. His birth would seem as normal to the people as it was normal for a plant or weed to sprout and come up out of the ground. That is, He would be borne by a woman in natural childbirth. He would look like all other babies, with nothing different or noticeable that would set him apart from others. He did not look like a rising king; he was just another unwanted root that had sprouted. Jews expected the birth to come out of royalty, in a palace, with servants attending; and instead he was born in a stock yard stable, and raised in Nazareth not Jerusalem.

This is written in past tense hundreds of years before it happened and we can go to Matthew and read about it happening over 2000 years ago, after it happened. How did Isaiah know that? The only thing to discuss is the reference to sickness. We have no record of Jesus being sick as unto death with others. But he was around sick people, and served sick people, and healed sick people so he knew what sickness was. He was despised and rejected. Now look at the present tense: He is still despised and rejected today just as he was then—by many but not the faithful few. Which side are you on? It has to be one or the other. Do you despise Him? Have you rejected Him? Or, have you accepted Him? Why do you think the people living in A.D. 27-30, the time of his teaching life, rejected him as the Son of God? Why do people today reject him as Savior and Lord?

Jews had been accustomed to the use of birds and animals as their sacrifices and so it must have been difficult for them to fully understand that in this case their New Messiah would be the sacrifice for the sins of others. Isaiah described in detail how his death would involve more than just the crucifixion. Words to describe different types and levels of punishment and pain were such as stricken, afflicted, pierced and crushed. His people were thinking on a different level and it was impossible for them to visualize the New King being the sacrifice for his people. A servant or an animal should be the sacrifice, while the New King was being crowned.

They had problems understanding that each one of them was a guilty sinner. We have the same problem. If you talk to the unsaved about being saved, one of the most common replies you will receive sounds something like this. “I have always been a good person, I donate to charity, I have given all my spare time to working with youth in little league. I am truthful, honest and try to be a good neighbor.

Isaiah speaks of Israel as wandering sheep and the Messiah as the shepherd that would bring them back to the fold. People today that condemn the Jews for not accepting Isaiah’s warning must realize that they had to look forward into the unknown and believe; whereas we can look back into the known and recorded history given to us by eyewitnesses. God will have a greater reason for condemning us for our unbelief, than he has for condemning the Jew.

As you conclude your study of this lesson, through your mind’s eye, look back at the last three days of the life of Christ that led up to his death on the cross. Try as best you can to visualize him praying in the garden that God would find another way. Look in his face when he returned to his disciples and found them asleep and not praying for him. Feel his heart beat as Judas and the soldiers came to arrest him. Attend the trial and watch the crowd scream for his destruction. Look into his eyes as John denies him the third time and leaves the court yard.

Follow along with the crowd that pushed, shoved and beat him all the way to the hill of skulls. Listen to the whip as the lashes filed with metal spikes and glass, cut through his skin and watch the blood run down. Observe closely the Roman soldiers pounding spikes through his hands and feet. Hear his last prayer; “God forbid them for they don’t know any better.”