Beholding God

Please turn your Bible to Isaiah 40. Isaiah chapter 40. Preaching today will be in verses 9 through 11. I'll go ahead and read verses 1 through 11 in preparation for that. Please stand when you have Isaiah chapter 40.

Comfort comfort my people says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is ended that her iniquity is pardoned. That she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

A voice cries in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low. The uneven ground shall become level and the rough places a plane and.

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. A voice says cry and I said what shall I cry? All flesh is grass and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers and the flower fades. When the breath of the Lord blows on it. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever. Go on up to a high mountain.

Oh Zion herald of good news lift up your voice with strength. Oh Jerusalem herald of good news lift it up. Fear not say to the cities of Judah behold your God. Behold the Lord God comes with might and his arm rules for him.

Behold his reward is with him and his recompense before him. He will tend to his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arms. He will carry them in his bosom and gently lead those there with young.

Amen.

You may be seated. Well, if you've noticed the theme in these passages that we've looked at here at the beginning of Isaiah 40 They all have to do with an anticipation of the gospel that is to come This message of comfort that is to be spoken and what we're given here in these Different portions of Scripture is different ways that we should be thinking about that message of the gospel.

And so today even as we anticipate Christ's return How should we be thinking about it? We as believers should be thinking about it as a message of strength that Christ is coming in strength and Strength to do good and to right wrongs.

And if you think about the kind of wrongs that are done to man there are two kinds one is active harm against him and the other is withholding of good and Christ comes to write both of those. He comes with repayment to those who have not been repaid for their good and he comes With the tender care of a shepherd to care for those who have been harmed.

This passage begins in verse 9 saying go up on a high mountain Ozion herald of good news. Good news. Clearly same thing as the message of comfort that we've seen before. The same thing as the Word of God in verse 8.

The same thing that was said before with preparing the way of the Lord. These are all referring to the gospel that good news is the message of salvation from God. Now who is the messenger? Which says go up on up to a high mountain Ozion herald of good news.

Now the way it is translated here in the ESV. It seems very clear that Zion is the messenger or Jerusalem is the messenger. Yet if you check the footnote in the ESV You'll see it says O herald of good news to Zion or O herald of good news to Jerusalem.

So there is a question here of who is this messenger. One might be inclined to say that it's Isaiah or John the Baptist.

Yet.

What you do not another feature you do not see here in English is that this herald is actually female. So it is not the the verbs here used indicate one who is female. So this does not refer to John the Baptist.

This does not refer to to Isaiah. And so many have taken this to refer to Zion or Jerusalem. But what is happening here is basically that in Hebrew when you talk about heralding something The thing that comes after the direct object that comes after could either be the message or could be the one that you were Giving the message to.

Now in English if you talk about heralding something You can say that you herald the gospel, right? That is the message. The message is always the direct object but if I were to say that I heralded the Congregation that doesn't make sense in English because you never talk about the recipients of the message as the direct object.

You know different verbs in English can function in different ways. This one is one in English that is fairly restricted. And so if you're talking about heralding and then afterwards you describe something it must be the message.

So the other option would be well if it's describing.

This.

This people Zion or Jerusalem. Then maybe it's speaking in apposition. Apposition meaning that it is explaining who the subject is without any kind of verbs linking it together. So it'd be literally saying something like Herald the good news Jerusalem, you know herald the good news.

Oh.

Jerusalem is a way that we can make sure that It sounds vocative vocative meaning like that. I'm talking to Jerusalem. And so there is. There's a suggestion here that maybe maybe this is speaking of Zion as the one who is supposed to herald the good news.

But as you say see especially with the recipients being at least the cities of Judah. This is a message that is proclaimed by some female speaker to the people of God. Behold the Lord God comes with might where does he come to he comes to Zion?

He comes to Jerusalem Jerusalem and Zion the cities of Judah. These are all recipients. It's not Zion speaking to the cities of Judah. This is Zion being the recipient so I would argue here that the footnote is more accurate than the way that the ESV chose to translate this that Zion is the recipient rather than the speaker.

Because the Lord is coming to Zion. He is not coming to the cities of Judah. He is coming to Zion. So then what is this? Well, some people have taken this to be a picture of Miriam dancing while singing the song of Moses.

Perhaps this is the case. I don't see as many similarities as some others do here. I think the most realistic or Sober thing to consider is simply what scripture says in Proverbs 8 1. Does not wisdom call does not understanding raise her voice on the heights beside the way at the crossroads.

She takes her stand. Wisdom is the one who goes up to the heights who proclaims God's message. This is wisdom and so if this is wisdom speaking to Jerusalem speaking to Zion speaking to.

As.

A as a for picture. As a as a picture of the future. God's Church. How would wisdom have us to think about the good news? How would wisdom have us to think about this message of the gospel? She says to the cities of Jerusalem.

Judah behold your God. Judah is supposed to behold her God. Judah needs this message of salvation because Judah has been ransacked by Syria. Almost completely destroyed. Babylon is going to come and take the people away and these this whole passage speaks in anticipation.

Of Babylon taking the people away into captivity. It is a people without great strength. And so the way wisdom would have God's Church. Have God's people. Understand the good message understand. The good news is it is one of might it is one of strength.

It says in verse 10 behold the Lord. God comes with might and his arm rules for him. He is a God who is coming with strength. All the people's problems have come because they lack strength. They do not have strength in themselves.

Their allies that they have tried trusting in do not have strength. But God comes to them with strength and it says his arm rules for him. Now this speaks of two different things. One is that if you imagine, you know.

You speak of someone's arm ruling for them as opposed to them ruling themselves. What does that mean? Like their strength is so sufficient that it is effortless for them because it is as though their arm is ruling for them.

There's something else ruling for them. But yet we see also in Isaiah this first refers to the reality of the Messiah both being God and being of God. God ruling by his own arm who is the arm of the Lord as she is Christ who is the arm of the Lord.

Later in Isaiah 53 1 it will ask to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed in Isaiah 53 being that famous passage that talks about all the sufferings of the Messiah. To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Who has beheld. And the words of this passage who has beheld the arm of the Lord. Who has? Experienced the might of God that strength of the Messiah. This is how Wisdom would have us to understand the good message.

It is a message of strength. God's arm his Messiah rules for him. And so we as people who have been saved by the gospel as P. We as people who are being transformed continually by the gospel. We as people who are anticipating the future.

Good news that we will be. Rescued from this body of death rescued from this current state of affliction.

We are to.

Trust in it as a message of might as a message of strength the arm of the Lord being revealed to us. Jesus not being revealed to us is simply some kind of good teacher or simply one who It's very sympathetic but rather one who has strength to correct every wrong.

One who has strength to reward those who have done good and To care for those who are harmed. Says in the second half of verse 10 behold his reward is with him and his recompense Before him his reward is with him and his recompense is before him.

What does this speak of? Bible speaks several times about how Christ like a mighty warrior has gone and defeated his enemies. And what does someone do? What does a king do when they defeat their enemies?

They plunder the enemies they bring the spoil back to the people and those who have labored with him. Those who have Gone to battle with him received from the king that reward in Addition to that those who have any way played some kind of assisting role Receive reward from him see the David even Had the men who stayed back with the bags even they received some of the plunder.

We read of this and I Ephesians 4. Ephesians 4 8 says therefore it says. And this is quoting Psalm 68 when he ascended on high He led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men. Now Ephesians 4 8 will apply that to the way that God equips his church with even ministers.

But this is true even beyond simply that equipping with ministers. It is true that Christ comes with a reward. Not only has he come in the past to accomplish victory and now gives rewards but there is a great reward that we are to anticipate and This is very clearly Something that is not just primarily to be thought of as a past or a present reality, but also a future reality.

Why. Because Christ himself? interprets this passage as referring to a future reality. In Revelation 22 12 near the very end of scripture final chapter it says Behold, I am coming soon. He says behold right behold I am coming soon bringing my recompense with me to prepare each one for what he has done.

I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end. Christ comes with recompense in his arms. He himself Interprets Isaiah 4010 as applying to himself. He is the one who brings repayment in his arms.

He is the one who will repay each one for what he has done. Now what's interesting in that passage is it doesn't just speak in the cut that context of reward for God's people it even talks about evildoers says in the path in the previous verse of Revelation 22 in verse 11 it says let the evildoer still do evil and the filthy still be filthy and the righteous still do right and The holy still be holy behold.

I am coming soon. Bring my recompense with me to repay each one for what he has done and So God cares for his people those who have been wronged. He he will judge the enemy. They will all receive their repayment.

Bringing in his arms not just plunder from the enemy but bringing in his arms also judgment for the enemies of God. But he does bring with him plunder to reward his people as well. Those have done right let them continue to do right.

You who do right right now continue to do right? There will be a reward in the end and this is how you should be thinking of the gospel. You should be thinking of it as a gospel of strength and of might the world sees it as weakness.

The world sees Christ's death as being weakness. It sees the Christian message as one of weakness. But you who have truly beheld God who truly behold the Son. You should see it as a message of strength.

Keep in mind here the later context of this.

This.

Focus on beholding God will be to contrast how believers are to be beholding God. Versus what the world does. What does the world do. The world makes idols? It describes all the idols that people make because they want to behold God and so they behold him and small and weak ways.

But we are to behold him as truly strong. Recognizing the strength that he brings and bring repayment to all his people. He brings repayment to all his people and he even brings repayment on those who have done evil on those who have harmed God's people you know many people because there is When there are no immediate consequences.

They become very discouraged or they become very unruly, right? If you think about a child who is not disciplined at all, what does he do? He does whatever he wants. I remember once when I was I Don't know I was probably only 14 years old and I had to Watch a younger kid, you know.

Probably like a six-year-old for about an hour at the church while my parents were in some class with some other parents. I had to watch him and some other kids and There was one point and he was just you know disobeying every command I gave he just making a wreck of everything and You know, I asked this kid at one point What do you want and he said I want what I want and I want it now, you know.

It was a line that sounded like it came straight out of you know, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or something you know these these uh. Just parable level awful children, right? Just being incredibly disobedient like this is this is what and I realized I was very at that moment.

I was just so thankful that my parents had raised me with discipline because I realized this is the product of Of zero discipline, you know this however old he was six or eight, you know. No discipline and this is how many are because they do not feel the immediate Consequences of their sin they continue on doing wrong and doing wrong and doing wrong.

And.

Those who have done good and are not rewarded for it. What happens to them? Well, they get Discouraged they become lazy because what's the point in doing good if there's no reward for it you see this.

Frequently in societies that embrace more and more communist ideals right to become lazier and lazier people because Less and less reward is to be had for labor. And so What we are supposed to do as we anticipate this is not be those who would be come unruly.

Because we don't feel the consequences of our sin or become more and more lazy because we don't feel the reward for good. But know that he is coming and might those who behold Jesus. Do not act as those who do not feel any immediate consequences.

Because if you are beholding him if he is real to your spiritual senses. And you know that future is coming and you have confidence in it. He will not continue in an unruly way you will not continue in laziness, but you will act knowing that the consequences are our pending are soon to happen they are Not immediate but Soon, they are very soon.

So people should fear the Lord. They should fear the Lord. They should not Go about thinking that their actions are just small things. A lot of people really do think that because they have gotten away with much sin.

That a lot of their sin is very small because it has small consequences. There will be an accounting for every last thing on that day. Sometimes I'll tell people that and they'll say do you think God really cares about every last final thing?

Yes, you he does. If there is anything that someone is able to get away with any small thing God is mocked. That way you so you will also reap God would be mocked if there is anything That someone would get away without having to give an account now.

Thankfully there is salvation in Jesus Christ so that We would be spared any punishment for our sin because he has taken that punishment. But do not think that you will avoid having to give an account or that there would be no consequence or no withholding of reward.

That could have otherwise been had. Had you followed after the Lord? Now the mindset that says does God really care about those small things is one that really thinks of him is not Powerful enough as one who is not mighty as is described here.

You know scripture even says in the Proverbs that the lot is cast in the lap. But it's every decision is from the Lord. Every every single random thing is in God's control if that is the case than every single thing you have done He is observed and every single thing there will be an account for.

Also, this should make us willing to suffer with injustice in this life now. God has given us some mechanisms for justice. He's given a government to bear the sword being a minister of vengeance. He's given some Mechanisms within the church that wrongs can be righted.

Yet often that does not take place often. We do not have perfect justice in this life. We never have perfect justice, but many times we have no justice at all in this life. That can be incredibly discouraging to the Christian.

It can be so discouraging that many have chosen to Walk away from practicing faith because they are not Beholding God they are not beholding Christ into his might. Trusting in him that he will right every wrong trusting in him that there will be Judgment that there will be an account That will have to be given even for even for God's people.

They will have to make an account and so because of all this We should also continue Doing good deeds even in secret, right? Christ speaks a secret prayer. Right those prayers which are public that everyone sees if you're doing it so that everyone can see it.

You already have your reward. There's no reward to be have had many people abandon secret prayer private prayer because they sense no reward from it and They don't feel like they're being rewarded. They don't feel that it benefits them at all.

What does that show? They doubt the power of God they doubt the might of God one they doubt the might to answer prayers. Two they doubt that there will be eternal repercussions for whether or not we choose to Obey him in this way and pray to him.

Consistently the secret prayer says in verse 11.

He will tend his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arms. He will carry them in his bosom and gently lead those that are with young. Actually before I move on to that verse one more one more thought on his Recompense his reward coming with him his repayment coming with him.

I Have I have encountered a number of times that people serve in church and will complain that they Feel that they are not appreciated for the work that they are doing. Now this can. This can mean several different things.

One right is like an observation that maybe others in the church could grow in appreciation. Maybe it's not. Maybe it has to do with their particular role that that this thing that they're doing is not actually accomplishing something because like the appreciation of it would be the the using of it depending on what it is, you know, if you're You know if you're setting up tracks somewhere.

No one seems to use them. Right. If you're observing that no one seems to appreciate it. You could be just observing that it doesn't seem to be having any effect. But a lot of times what people mean when they say that when they observe that they're not appreciated is That they are doing this thing in order to receive gratitude.

And the fact that they're not receiving gratitude from man makes them feel like this is not worthwhile. Okay, where is that coming from? That's coming from an idea that you are doing it for man, right.

That you're not doing it for God for God and that You are not Anticipating the reward that is to be had. If you are laboring for the Lord and you truly believe that he will reward you then that notion of.

Wanting.

Gratitude from others it it just fades away. It becomes something so small if that is if that's your concern. So I would encourage you if you are to serve the church and you should serve the church in whatever capacity you can.

But if you were to serve the church in greater ways. You need to prepare yourself by letting yourself know that you are doing this for the Lord and the Lord rewards perfectly and he rewards generously.

You know the more you do this expecting gratitude for man and and expecting a response in that way. You are going to be disappointed. Almost certainly you are going to be disappointed. But if you do it for the Lord, you will never be disappointed.

And he also comes as a shepherd. So not just to repay good to those who from whom good has been withheld. But also to care for those who have been actively harmed to care for those who have been wronged.

Bible says that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. See the parable of him going after the one leaving the 99. He cares so much for his sheep. This is a a good picture of Jesus and this is not something that is that is common.

Mere man is so Incompetent at caring at the level that Christ does you see some of even the best. Even the best shepherds in Scripture and in the world only have a capacity for so much. Consider these words in Numbers.

In Numbers 11 12 Moses complains. He says did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth that you should say to me? Carry them in your bosom and nurse as a nurse carries a nursing child to land that you swore to give their fathers.

Now hear this language. Should I carry them and my bosom as a nurse carries her thing? What does it say? He will gather the lambs in his arms. He will carry them in his bosom. All right. So Moses, you know one of the great Greatest carers for the people of God that God has ever given his people at some point He just breaks.

He says I can't carry all these people in my arms and my bosom has too much for me. But Christ Christ is willing to carry them in his bosom. He is willing to care for them. Now, how does he care for them primarily.

He has given especially in this area. He's given his word. Every time it talks about feeding the sheep. What is it talking about giving us his word that we may have everything we need. Matthew 4 4 says that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

When Christ instructs Peter, he tells him feed my sheep. If you love me feed my sheep He tells them the three times that he is to feed the sheep. So God has given his word. Christ has given his word especially through the Apostles that we might have it.

We enjoy it today and so he gives us that word and Given that this is a passage that Christ himself is even interpreted as referring to the future as well. We should know that that shepherding we are to be anticipating is one that's even greater than what we have now.

Just like that repayment that we have now is so minimal there are some rewards that are guaranteed in the Christian life right like a Family, that's one thing that Christ says that we will have more that we all have Much in this life of but there is very little that is guaranteed in this life.

He gives care in this life, but there's very little care that's guaranteed in this life. There's much that's guaranteed in the next life. He will give us his word forever and if you've ever thought about this just what a blessing it is to have his word and especially His word that is more More directly his word coming from his Apostles recorded in the Gospels.

All of all of Scripture is the word of Christ, but there is a special way that the New Testament is his word and that it is especially precious and If you think about that Imagine the revelation and the care that will have for him when he is a shepherd over us in our immediate presence.

What will it be like to have his word as we are with him face to face? How much more direct clear revelation will receive from him? He says he has called us his friends because servant is not told what his master is doing.

But the friend is told what he is about and accomplishing so we we're his friend we have an anticipation of what will happen in the future, but There seems to be a deeper friendship that is yet to be enjoyed.

Like perhaps it exists practices been establishes. But there's an enjoyment of it that is yet to be had when we are with him face-to-face enjoying his shepherding right and think about all the reasons that you would want care all the wrong that You haven't even experienced yet.

That will be good to be vindicated from. You know if you continue living your life, and you are persecuted as Christ calls you to be persecuted. You know blessed are those who are persecuted and you are not vindicated in this life.

It will be so good to be there to receive vindication from him to receive his word to hear that well-done good and faithful servant to Have him disclose more and more of who he is who God is in order that we can fully experience and fully know him.

Fully enjoy him. These are Things that should lead us to a great Peace and encouragement and a boldness. Consider the words that were given at the very beginning of this chapter. Go up on a high mountain.

Okay, why should wisdom go up on a high mountain to be heard? Okay. Lift up your voice with strength. Why be loud to be heard lift it up fear not. Why would there be fear about proclaiming this message?

Because others doubt it because others would mock would persecute. There is no reason to fear if it is true if it is a true message. Then there is a guarantee for reward for whatever persecution comes from it if it is a true message.

There's a guarantee of care and shepherding and nurturing for whatever comes from it. There is a guarantee for all those things and if you believe that and if you not only believe that that's God's intention.

But you believe that he has the might to do it because you are beholding the Lord and his might. If this is the way you are viewing Jesus Christ You will have every reason to continue in boldness and to declare his word in boldness.

Now there are a lot of reasons why people Oppose the proclamation of the Word of God or they why they oppose truth being said. It condemns them. Hebrews 11 7 says by faith Noah condemned the world. Noah in Godly fear constructed an art for the saving of his household.

But in doing that by faith he condemns the world because his righteousness Shows the unrighteousness of all others right him proclaiming the truth of what was happening showed that everyone else was in misery and.

So people are very invested in giving themselves peace and assuaging their own Consciences that if they are rebellious and do not want to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ. They're not going to have peace from doing that the only thing they can have peace from is from silencing the one who would speak the Word of God and so do not.

Know that this is what is going on. No, this is precisely what is going on. But if you have an eye towards the future if you are not focused on the present seeing realities. But our focus on the unseen realities and especially the future confidence that we have been given.

There is no reason for shying away from these things. There's every reason to continue it in boldness. Know what is going on know the future know that he is bringing reward with him knowing that he is coming like a shepherd and pray pray for boldness.

You know in Acts 4 it describes the prayers of God's people and says. And now Lord look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness and What happens when they have prayed.

The place where they were gathered together was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continue to speak the Word of God with boldness. Do not expect boldness to come to you without prayer.

You can get boldness in part by practicing by proclaiming God's Word going outside of your comfort zone. Not waiting for the boldness to be there, but just doing it. But do not expect that you will increase in boldness indefinitely apart from apart from prayer.

This is something supernatural that has to be given this beholding of Jesus Christ. Him who is far away and unseen by our physical eyes him who is far away not just in Physically far removed from us, but in time his coming is not yet here.

How are you to behold him apart from the help of the Spirit? It is only by the Spirit's help that you will behold him that you will have confidence in his might. And so it is only by the Spirit's help that you will have boldness for proclaim the Word of God.

So pray to the Lord for prayer. Or pray to the Lord for boldness. As we read this passage. We should behold Jesus Christ. We should behold him coming with might his arm rolling for him his reward being with him his recompense.

Before him do not believe the lies of the world. Do not cower before them when they reject the message rather Be bold knowing that Jesus Christ comes in might. Amen. Dear Heavenly Father. We thank you for the great gospel of Jesus Christ.

We thank you that he is coming in might to accomplish every last thing that gospel already being Accomplished in some sense. But all of it yet to be manifest with his great strength and might when every last enemy is crushed under his feet.

We pray that you would give us all boldness in Jesus name. Amen.