And Know That I AM

Isaiah 43 as a Trial of the False Gods

Turn with you, please in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 43. Prophet Isaiah chapter 43 normally on Wednesday evenings we're working through the Psalter, but the Psalter is almost always part of the poetic material of the Old Testament, and so I thought well, we'll stay in in poetry, but we will look at some of Well, I'll admit my favorite poetry in the Old Testament scripture and What sometimes you'll hear me referred to as the Tanakh if you ever hear anyone refer to the Tanakh that is TNK which stands for Torah the law Nevi 'im the prophets Ketuvim the writings and so if you want if you're talking to a Jewish friend, and you don't want to immediately Throw up barriers you can refer to the Tanakh and they will be impressed that you didn't say Old Testament so certainly Isaiah is one of all of our favorites, but Some of you are probably aware that Isaiah 40 through 48 is In my opinion one of the deepest sections of theology in all of Scripture it is called by some the trial of the false gods and what you have going on here is God sets up a a law court and In some instances he's calling witnesses to testify concerning his faithfulness.

Sometimes he's calling he's putting the the pagan nations on trial. For their unfaithfulness to him as creator. Sometimes he's putting the pagan gods on Trial and demands that they give testimony. But they are mute and they cannot hear and they cannot speak and they cannot see and actually mocks them some of the deepest most insightful penetrating mockery.

That you'll read in all of Scripture is found here in the mockery of idolatry and So I wanted to look at a few verses here in Isaiah 43. Because what you really find here is when God puts the false gods on trial.

When he challenges them to do things we learn much about what the true God is able to do. He can't challenge the false gods do something he himself cannot do. So you get an insight here into what makes Yahweh unique over against all the other gods and Given that we're experiencing what I might call the repaganization of the West.

There are actually people who will say that monotheism a belief in one God who has communicated himself is is Really the source of all of our problems. It's the source of all religious conflict and everything else if we'd all just get along and stop saying that our God's the only true God it's the repaganization of the West.

This is what the early church experienced at the hands of Rome and now we're experiencing it Ourselves and so it's good to know why we must believe why we must be convinced monotheists. There is only one true God the creator of all things and he has revealed himself and we can know who he is.

Yahweh's Redeeming and Preserving Care

So as I did we went through the law material. I will Be rendering the tetragrammaton Yahweh. Rather than saying Lord when that is there as we read this section beginning at verse 1. But now that says Yahweh your creator Oh Jacob, and he who formed you Oh Israel do not fear for I have redeemed you.

I have called you by name you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I'll be with you and through the rivers. They will not overflow you when you walk through the fire. You will not be scorched nor will the flame burn you for I am Yahweh your God the Holy One of Israel your Savior.

I have given Egypt as your ransom Cush and Seba in your place. Since you are precious in my sight since you are honored and I love you I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.

Do not fear for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north give them up into the south and I'll hold them back. Bring my sons from afar my daughters from the ends of the earth.

Everyone who is called by my name and whom I have craved for my glory whom I have formed even whom I have made. Now I just stop here for a moment. I Don't like spending a lot of time on this but it is it's important to recognize that If you were to go and and get a commentary written any time.

Especially over the past hundred years and you were to say, you know I'd like to do a little more reading and that Isaiah stuff that that sounded pretty interesting. You need to understand that almost any almost not all but almost every commentary that you're going to purchase is going to tell you that Isaiah didn't write these words.

No, this is called Deuteron Isaiah and Basically what they say is Isaiah there was if there was an Isaiah what he wrote went up through about chapter 39. And beginning after that since you have here something about say to north give it up to the south don't hold him.

This is clearly post-exilic and that's after Isaiah's time. And so this is just sort of badly cobbled together stuff. The real reason they say that is in this very same section. You're gonna have prophecy of someone named Cyrus.

And you're gonna have the prophecy of the fact that someone named Cyrus is going to be used by God to bring about the restoration of the people of Israel to their land and Obviously large number of Bible commentators not being believers and what the Bible actually says cannot allow for the possibility of prophecy, especially specific prophecy and So it can't have been written by someone Before the events it had to have been written by someone afterwards.

So this is after the exile this is after the restoration and it's been added on to the prophecy of Isaiah, that's what you're going to be told but what's interesting is you and I looking at this looking at it from a biblical perspective and from a Position that allows for the harmonization of the text.

Yes, you you do have In Isaiah Material that talks about the people of Israel and you have for example in Isaiah chapter 7 you have a an Alma. What the Greek Septuagint says is a virgin will be with child and will give birth and you will call his name Immanuel.

And by the time he's old enough no good from evil then the two kings whom you fear Will no longer be an issue for you. That was a prophecy. It had a meaning at that time in a time frame at that time and yet.

That wasn't all it meant and I don't know about you. But in listening to this You're precious in my sight and I'll bring your offspring from the east gather you from the west and and my you know I've loved you those who are called by my name.

Where do we hear that kind of language? This is the very language that the New Testament writers pick up and apply to. Oh the church the redeemed and. So when you recognize that you you look at this everyone who's called by my name who I've created Michael whom I have formed even whom I've made we're reading this and yes, there is an immediate fulfillment in the restoration of the people to the land that will come after their their exile that's still yet future, but There's a fulfillment of this seven eight nine ten centuries down the road and Of course the naturalist just can't allow for that.

This is these are just the words of men so they can't have anything to do with future. That's what's gonna happen. If you wander into one of those very dangerous places called a Christian bookstore. Do they even have them anymore?

Okay, if you wander into the dangerous section of amazon .com That's a place where you buy books online faster practice. So you don't want to miss you lose you back there wonder what we're all talking about speaking in code.

The Courtroom Challenge to the Nations

So Bring out the people verse 8 who are blind. Even though they have eyes and the deaf even though they have ears. All the nations have gathered together so that the peoples may be assembled. Who among them can declare this and proclaim to us the former things let them present their witnesses that they may be justified.

Or let them hear and say it is true. So what do we what have we done here in verse 8? We have we've moved into a new context and we've moved into the context of a law court and What you have then is Bring out the witnesses bring out the people who are blind even though they have eyes and the deaf even though they have ears.

All the nations have gathered together so the peoples may be assembled and so you're bringing all the people you've got this this law court and God makes a demand who among them can declare this and proclaim to us the former things and this is actually.

You know, we sort of jumped in the middle of this, but if you go back to Isaiah chapter 41 You have this incredible section where God demands of the gods the people tell us What's going to happen and then tell us the former things that we may consider them and know their outcome.

So God demands of the false gods. Tell us the future and then tell us the past and why it happened and only God can do this. Only God can do this. Now I've never figured out how people who don't believe that God has a sovereign purpose in Creation can even read these texts and understand what's going on in them.

Because if God doesn't have a sovereign purpose and he can't tell you what happened. He can tell you what happened the past not why. But this is what is being referred to proclaim to us the former things let them present their witnesses that they may be Justified to let them hear and say it is true.

So when it says let them present their witnesses and so what do you do you bring witnesses into a court? That they may be justified. There is that term that's the same term that's going to end up being used in the New Testament of our own justification.

It's that You are you are right with the court. You what you say is true you're in right relationship to the court, so you're supposed to bring forth witnesses. To testify or let them hear and say it is true.

So the witnesses are supposed to testify as to what is true. So in this law court verse 10 you are my witnesses declares Yahweh speaking to his people and My servant whom I have chosen. Such a may know and believe me and understand that I am he before me.

There is no God formed and there will be none after me. I Even I am Yahweh and there is no Savior besides me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed and there was no strange God among you.

So you are my witnesses declares Yahweh and I am God even from eternity. I am he and there is none who can deliver out of my hand. I act and who can reverse it. Wow, I Told you there is some incredible theology in this section of Isaiah.

And hopefully you can see that that is the case. The people of God are to be the witnesses of their God and That's why I like to use the the proper translation here because not just any God such as any Lord.

You are my witnesses declares Yahweh. This is not some generic testimony to the existence a God. This is a specific testimony to the witness of the God the covenant God of Israel. Yahweh and His people are his servant whom he has chosen not who chose him.

He chose them. I don't have time to go into all the different places where In these scriptures that has pointed out that that was God's choice. And it wasn't because of anything in them that they were chosen wasn't because they were better more numerable Numerable numerous more powerful wise nothing like that.

My servant whom I have chosen so that you may know and believe me. See his choosing results in their Knowing and believing in him. God wants to be known by his people he wants to have the faith of his people and Then it says and understand that I am he.

Now that's an interesting phrase that I am he. The original language. It's the Hebrew phrase on a who. Which is just simply a strengthened way of saying I myself before me. There was no God formed there will be none after me now.

I'll be honest when I memorized this verse originally it was that last section. That stuck most strongly with me. And you know why? Because I cannot tell you how many Thousands of times and I literally mean thousands of times I quoted that part of Isaiah 43 10.

And you know why I quoted it? Because I was talking to the Mormons. And the Mormons believe they can become gods. The Mormons believe that God is once a man lived on another plant. The wonderful thing about Isaiah 43 10 is it takes what's called the eternal law of progression?

The idea that men can progress to become gods the God is once a man and it cuts it right in half before me. There is no God form and There will be none after me in Mormonism. There were many gods before the God of this world and There will be many gods afterwards.

God says Before me there is no God formed there will be none after me. He's the eternal one. Says I even I am Yahweh. There's no Savior besides me. Even from eternity and there's that phrase again verse 13 even from eternity.

I am he. I Am he and there is none who can deliver out of my hand. God's sovereign decree and purpose is directly related to the fact that he is the only True God there is no God besides him and he has not left himself without a witness.

He has revealed himself to his people. He has chosen a servant nation. He has made himself known and it hits his desire to be known and believed and to be understood by those people. So Yes. There is no question that the end of Isaiah 43 10 Monotheism one true God memorize it.

Don't just hide when those Two young men with the white shirts and the dark ties and there's a black slacks knock on your door. They Need to hear from Christians who care about them and can tell them the truth.

They need to know about the God who does not change because they don't have that God they need to know about that God. That's a good verse to use before me. There is no God for him. There will be none after me.

But never even when you memorize I had memorized the whole verse. But the part I knew the best that could in my sleep was the last section. Some of you know the story. One night long ago before I come to this church.

That's how long ago it was. It's just a few years before I came here, but I had my first computer. It was a compact portable the size of a singer sewing machine cost $3 ,000 weighed a ton and It had two floppy drives and a little six inch green screen.

Oh, yeah, that's how long ago it was and I was working on something and Kelly had already gone to bed and it was late at night and I had one of those little lamps and sort of flickering. I can't remember whether I was looking at this.

I think I was looking. I was looking at John chapter 13. That's what I was and I was looking at the original language and I was going. Man, I've seen this someplace before and this is you know today my phone over there is about 47 ,000 times more powerful than that computer was and it's got a huge biblical library on it and Now it'd be really easy for me to go.

I've ever heard that. Oh, there it is. I couldn't do that back then. Yeah, I'd use your brain. I was looking at that text and I was looking that text and all said I remember it clearly over there at 325 West Pasadena Avenue.

Just north of Camelback off of 7th Avenue and all sudden it struck me. You know what Isaiah 43 10 is. This is the verse. Where Jehovah's Witnesses get their name. Look at the foot start you are my witnesses declares who well, they say it Jehovah.

You are my witnesses declares Jehovah. This is where they get their name. This is where the name Jehovah's Witnesses comes from. Hope that doesn't ruin it for you. Certainly didn't ruin it for me because I looked at that middle phrase that middle section so that you may know and believe me and Understand that I'm we are to know God were to believe in him and were to understand that I am he.

What does that mean? Well, yeah, I mentioned to you what the Hebrew is on a who but you know what the Greek is. It's ego. I mean Eggo, I mean I am. And all of a sudden it struck me on the night of Jesus's betrayal.

When Jesus is telling his disciples because remember what's this whole thing about I'm the God that declares all these things I can tell you what's gonna happen in the future. I can tell you what happened in the past it's in the context of Yahweh revealing his plans and what's going to happen and Right as Jesus is telling his disciples About one's gonna lift up his heel against me.

One's going to betray me. What does he say to his disciples? I'm telling you so when it comes to pass. You may know and believe that eggo, I mean uses the exact Same form of the verb that's used here in the Greek translation of the Old Testament takes the very words From the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which was the Bible of the early church in The same context of talking about future events and applies them to himself.

Why is him to himself? That's not the first time you've done it John 8 24 unless you believe that eggo, I mean you'll die in your sins. John 8 58 before Abraham was Eggo, I mean I am Jews pick up stone stone a Couple chapters later same night Soldiers come to arrest him.

Who are you seeking Jesus of Nazareth? What does Jesus say eggo? I mean what happens the soldiers? What fall back upon the ground? Fall back upon the ground. Think John's communicating something to us, but isn't it?

Isn't it strikingly ironic? That in the same verse Where Jehovah's Witnesses get their name it teaches the deity of Christ. Which is the very hallmark of what they deny you want to talk about? Spiritual blindness.

Here you have a multi multi-million member organization, which has just been banned in Russia by the way as a radical group and If you go rah-rah for that realize the Baptist will be next. This is all to support the Russian Orthodox Church.

Banned in Russia millions of people. They all know Isaiah 43 10 and there right in front of them. Are the very words that Jesus uses of himself in John 13 19 now. They don't do much in the way of Bible study.

They do book studies and the Watchtower Society is not going to be directing into this and explain this to them. Right there. There you have the words that Jesus applies to himself in John chapter 13.

It's amazing. It's beautiful. It's incredible so rich. Because you see the object Jesus wants his people you Johnny 24 unless you believe that I am you'll die in your sins a Lesser Jesus does not save a Lesser Jesus does not say.

Did any of you see the debate Friday night just one person two people three I sort of pressed that home and Second largest Religious group in the Philippines. That's all they're talking about today. It's all they're talking about.

I mean, it's where we've been getting contacts from. Pretty much anybody who's not a part of a glazed in a crystal in the Philippines saying thank you. They've been also energized. It was an incredible evening and this in my opening was my my closing the closing part of my opening was.

Consider what Jesus said John a 24 unless you believe that I am you will die in your sins. The glazing the crystal does not believe that Jesus is the I am. Do you want to die in your sins doesn't sound like a good thing to me?

That's not a good thing to me. So there's the background. There's the text it is incredible what is hidden in these pages if we will just take the time to look and to ponder and to consider and It is beautiful indeed.