A Prophetic Word Requesting Obedience https www dalraida

A Prophetic Word Requesting Obedience https: //www. dalraida. org/2019/12/01/isaiah-winter-2020/

Isaiah’s Message • REDEMPTION—God offers redemption to ALL. Such is “impossible” for mankind! • REMNANT—God guarantees that salvation is present. Salvation is based NOT upon identification but upon fidelity. • REQUEST—God’s “impossible” salvation is found ONLY by those willing to obey. Note: The remaining lessons explore aspects of these major points.

Motivation! • The key to life is “motivation” • Until we are motivated to obey God, all instruction will be shrugged off with indifference.

• The prophecy was to urge man to realize that obedience to God’s commands is man’s great imperative! (1: 18 -20; 59: 1 -21). • The prophet sought to stimulate Judah to respond to God from the right motives.

A very practical application • A religion of convenient self-satisfaction and not genuine heart devotion • Hearts are similar to the hearts of worshipers in Isaiah’s time. • Offered services not acceptable to God • Understood they should but did not understand WHY they should

Why Obey God? • To avoid the woe for the wicked • Because of the holiness of God • To wait for God • To honor the sovereign Controller • To accept gracious pardon • To remember God’s constancy

To Avoid the Woe for the wicked (5: 8 ff; 10: 3; 14: 5 ff; 15: 1 ff; 22: 5; 29: 15 -16; 30: 1 ff; 33: 8; 42: 20 -25; 43: 22 ff; 44: 20; 50: 11) • All are guilty of sin and will face divine wrath • God wants none to suffer (Ezekiel 18: 23) • The divine offer was met with a stubborn refusal. “But you were not willing” (Isaiah 30: 15 b)

To Avoid the Woe for the wicked (continued) ACTIONS THAT CONDEMN (24: 5 -6) • “Transgressing laws” • “Violating statutes” • “Breaking covenants”

To Avoid the Woe for the wicked (continued) “TRANSGRESSING OF LAWS” • No respect for basic guidelines • Hebrew term refers to “crossing over the line” • English idiom “Now you’ve crossed the line!” • Arrogantly goes beyond the right.

To Avoid the Woe for the wicked (continued) “VIOLATING OF STATUTES” • A deliberate change • Arrogantly modify commands • What was once wrong was now called right • Redefined the commands of God

To Avoid the Woe for the wicked (continued) “BREAKING OF COVENANTS” • Despise agreement with God • Comment on arrogance – “You turn things around!” (29: 15 -16) • They “called evil good, and good evil” and they “substituted darkness for light and light for darkness” (5: 20)

To Avoid the Woe for the wicked (continued) Many Today… • Do exactly what Judah did • Decide that God’s limits are not right so they “cross the line” • Decide that God’s statutes are not “relevant” so they change God’s commands • Decide that God’s covenant relationship is too restrictive and should be more “inclusive” • Have “turned things around” (Isaiah 5: 24 -25).

Because of God’s holiness (6: 1 ff; 17: 10; 25: 1 ff; 29: 22 -24). • God wants man to respond from loving devotion (Hosea 6: 1 -3; 7: 13 -16; 11: 3, 4) • Services lacking loving devotion are rejected (Isaiah 29: 13; Malachi 1: 10 -14) • God’s holiness was “downgraded” • God was trivialized

Because of God’s holiness (continued) RECOGNIZING THE HOLINESS OF GOD • They will be subdued (Isaiah 6: 1 ff) • They will switch habits (Isaiah 17: 10) • They will be sanctified (Isaiah 29: 22 -24) • They will be secure (Isaiah 25: 1 ff)

Obey and Wait for God (26: 3 -4; 30: 18; 40: 31; 41: 10). • Do not seek help from worldly sources • “I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face” (Isaiah 8: 17 -19) • Remain trusting of God’s Word

Obey and Wait for God (continued) “THE WAITING GAME” 1. Express trust in the Lord (26: 3 -4). 2. Enjoy blessings from the Lord (30: 18). 3. Expect strength to endure (40: 31). 4. Encourage faith to grow more devoted (41: 10).

Obey and Wait for God (continued) • “I will strengthen. . . I will help. . . I will uphold. . . ” (41: 10) • Those who obey and wait find rich rewards (1 Peter 5: 7; Matthew 11: 28 -30)

To Honor the Sovereign Controller (10: 5 -6, 15; 13: 1 ff; 23: 8 -9; 24: 21 -22; 40: 15 ff; 31: 1 ff; 44: 6 -7; 45: 1 ff) • God is the Almighty Sovereign • A failure to obey is rebellion • Satan’s strategy - one can rebel against God and not suffer punishment.

To Honor the Sovereign Controller (continued) SUPREMACY OF GOD • Nations are accountable (10: 5 -6, 15; 31: 1 -5) • All creation is subject (13: 1 -22; 45: 1 ff) • Plan in cooperation with God (23: 8 -9) • Sin will be punished (24: 21, 22; 40: 15 ff) • Substitutes will be destroyed (44: 6 -7)

To Honor the Sovereign Controller (continued) • No one is able to frustrate God’s planning • “Just as I have intended so it has happened and just as I planned so it will stand” (14: 24, 27). • We must yield to this Sovereign’s rule and obey His will (14: 24, 27).

To Accept Offer of Pardon (22: 12 -14; 27: 5, 9; 30: 15; 31: 6; 33: 24; 35: 8 -10; 43: 1 -7; 44: 22 b; 45: 9, 22; 50: 4, 5, 10). • Why would anyone choose to reject such a gracious forgiveness? • “Let him make his peace with me” (Isaiah 27: 5 b). • Can be washed “white as snow” if willing to “consent and obey” (1: 18 -19).

Remembering God’s Constancy (14: 24, 27; 46: 4 -11). • “I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it” (46: 11 b). • God’s commands are not “plastic!” • God’s will cannot be redefined, molded, moderated, or ignored. • “Even to your old age I will be the same” (46: 4).

Four Factors Reminding Us… • AUTHORED by the Divine Plan (6: 8) • ARTICULATED by the Divine Prophet (2: 1) • ASSURED by the Divine Purpose (46: 9 b 10) • ANSWERED by the Divine Person (Son, John 12: 36 -41)

YOU and Isaiah… Have you responded? Are you convinced? Why should YOU obey?