Isaiah 55, and I'm taking the title for the message from the words found in verse 7. Isaiah 55, let's read verse 7 again. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man, the man of iniquity, his thoughts, his ways and his thoughts, by nature they're all wrong, aren't they?

And let him return unto the Lord, And he will have mercy upon him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Abundantly pardon. And that's the title of the message. Our God will abundantly pardon. Now, who needs pardon? The guilty. We're all guilty before God.

But the glorious thing about the gospel is that he pardons sinners in a just way. He honors his holy justice and he honors his sovereign mercy and he does so by the Lord Jesus Christ to enable him and him crucified, to enable him to be what we call in Isaiah 45 a just God and Savior. That's the beauty of the gospel, how God can show mercy, not at the expense of his justice.

How God can pardon all our sin, as we read in the book of Micah, cast into the depths of the sea. I think I read one time, I wrote that down here, the depths of the sea, seven miles deep, they think, the deepest part. That's pretty deep, isn't it? Seven miles deep. It's out of my sight. and it's out of the sight of God because Christ put away our sins.

So our God will abundantly pardon. In the book of Nehemiah, the prayer of Nehemiah, we read these words. Nehemiah prayed, Nehemiah 9, 17, thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness. Thou art a God ready to pardon. And what we read in Micah 7, 18, who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity, that passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?

He retaineth not his anger forever because he delights in mercy. God delights in mercy. He said, I will have mercy on whom I will, but he will have mercy. He will show mercy. In Psalm 86, five, we read, thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive. God's good and ready, ready to forgive. And then in Psalm 130, don't turn, let me just read it to you. Psalm 130, I was looking at this earlier today and a phrase here caught my attention. In Psalm 130, it says in verse seven, let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy. And with him is plenteous redemption.

He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. All Israel shall be saved. We studied that, didn't we, Sunday? He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. God said their sin and their iniquity will I remember no more. The Lord our God has always been that way because he has not changed. He is eternally the same from everlasting to everlasting. Thou art God. Our Lord declared this in Malachi 3,

6. I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore you sons of Jacob, you are not consumed. Sons of Jacob. Believers are sons of Jacob. Jacob was chosen of God. Jacob was loved of God. Jacob was blessed of God. God took Jacob and made him his Israel. The Lord our God has always been that way, just God and Savior, just and the justifier. We learned from our message last week that the Lord our God shall call out his covenant people and cause them to run to him because he draws them.

You remember verse five, behold thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, Because of the Lord thy God, he's the first cause. They seek the Lord because of the Lord thy God, he makes us willing in the day of his power, because of the Holy One of Israel, because he does all this for his glory. He does all that he does for his glory. His glory, his glory alone. Verse six says, Verse six says, seek ye the Lord. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near.

Our diligently seeking the Lord that is eagerly pursuing him, calling upon the name of the Lord is a fruit and effect of our Lord calling upon us and calling us out of darkness into his marvelous light. at the funeral yesterday for Dwight Coleman, Brother Gabe Stoniker conducted his funeral, and he read in the beginning Psalm 27. And he read the whole psalm, but this is one of my favorite verses in that psalm. Seek, the Lord said, when thou saidest, seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, thy face, Lord, will I seek. When he said, seek the Lord, the response of those sons of Jacob, they do seek the Lord. They seek him where he may be found, in his word, in the gospel, among his people. Seek ye the Lord, seek thy face. Lord, I will seek. Seek ye the Lord, all blessings are found in him. Wouldn't it be wise to seek salvation where it's found? In the Lord Jesus Christ.

You remember Matthew 6, 33, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all his righteousness and all these things. All these other things, food, raiment, all these other things, God will take care of those, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Hebrews 11, without faith it is impossible to please him. We know that. A man without faith is a man without Christ. That's why it's impossible to please God. Well, he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. God rewards those that diligently seek him.

Our Lord said this in Jeremiah 29, you shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. Seek ye the Lord, the Lord now. Several Psalms, we read this, Psalm 34. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want for any good thing. The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want. Psalm 105, verse three, glory in his holy name. Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Psalm 105 verse four, seek the Lord and his strength. Seek his face forevermore. What's his face? It's his person. When I look at your face, that's who you are. He says, seek ye my face. The glory of God shines in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. Seek ye my face.

Call upon him while he is near. Old Testament and New Testament have the same message. Call upon him while he is near. Psalm 18 says this, I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies. I will call upon the Lord. Psalm 116 says this, I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. I'll call upon him. Another verse in Psalm 116, I'll offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the Lord. And then we read in Romans 10 verse 13, you remember? Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now look at verse seven, that being so, Seek ye the Lord, call upon him while he is near.

Deny them of a broken heart, save as such as be of a contrite spirit. Let the wicked, well that's not me, that's who he's talking about. That's all of us by nature wicked, wicked, wicked, wicked people. There's none righteous, no, not one. There's none that understandeth, there's none that seeketh after the Lord. We don't seek Him by nature. He said, no man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him.

So let the wicked forsake his way. It would be the way contrary to the gospel of Christ. Let the unrighteous man forsake his thoughts. and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Abundantly, abundantly pardon. We are not only to seek the Lord and call upon him sincerely for all of salvation, constantly for all salvation, but we are also, as believers, we gladly forsake Any former wicked religious pride and wicked ways are former idolatry. We forsake all ways contrary to the way of God's grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. As Paul said, I count everything else lost, dung, and ruined that I may win Christ and be found in him. I count all else but loss. So nothing more wicked in God's sight than to seek salvation apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. That's wicked. That's the height of wickedness. Let the wicked forsake the evil way.

We read in the Proverbs 14, there's a way that seems right unto man. What would you reckon that way is? There's a way that seems right unto men, lost religious men. Do the best you can to be okay. If your good works that way, your bad works, everything will be all right. There is a way that seems right unto men.

The end of that way is death, death. Nothing more evil than to seek salvation apart from the Lord Jesus Christ alone, grace alone, mercy alone, his blood alone. So let us embrace and receive the right way. What is the right way? Well, there's a wrong way, and there's a right way, and there's no in-between way. The wrong way is looking to self for righteousness, for pardon. The right way is looking to the Lord Jesus Christ alone, because the Lord said, I am the way, the life, and the truth. has forsaken and abandoned any wrong and evil thoughts.

He mentions about the way and then he mentions evil thoughts. Remember our Lord said to those Pharisees, you are they that justify yourself before men, but God knows your thoughts. God knows your heart. That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

You see, all of our thoughts, let's ourselves, all of our thoughts about God are wrong. We think Too low, too low of him and too high of us. Left to ourselves, all our thoughts about God are wrong. All of our thoughts about the God of the Bible, his holiness, his sovereignty, his power. Left to ourselves, our thoughts are all wrong.

Our Lord said in Psalm 50, you thought I was altogether such a one as yourself. I thought. That's the big problem. That's what Naaman said to Elijah's servant. Well, I thought he'd come out and heal me of this leprosy. No, the servant was sent out and told old Naaman to go dip in the muddy Jordan. Well, I thought he would do that.

No, your thoughts are wrong. Your thoughts are wrong. We don't have right thoughts about the Lord Jesus Christ. He has all power to accomplish all things in salvation. And we don't have right thoughts about ourselves. We think too highly of ourselves. Do you ever cry out like the man in scripture? Oh, wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And then as Isaiah cried out, woe is me, I'm undone.

I'm a man of unclean lips. You remember what Job said all the way down to Job chapter 42, the last chapter? He said, I've heard of thee, now I see thee, wherefore? What? I hate myself. I repent in dust and ashes. Have you seen that commercial on TV lately? Different athletes and different stars where it says, love your mind. Love your mind. Have you seen that? Love your mind. Love your mind. I guess they're trying to get some kind of positive mental attitude. I don't know.

But the attitude of the believer is, Lord, I hate myself. I hate what I am. I'm a rotten, wretched, guilty sinner. That's totally contrary to the Bible, isn't it? Love your mind. Love your mind. Next time you see that, You remember what the, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that the Lord Jesus Christ came to save sinners, not those who are in love with themselves. That was the Pharisees' problem. They were loving their mind. They loved their thoughts.

Well, all of our thoughts about God are wrong. All of our thoughts about ourself are wrong. That's why he says in the next verse, He said, my thoughts are not your thoughts. Neither are your ways my ways, sayeth the Lord. The way of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ is totally 100% opposite the way natural religious men think. Totally contrary.

If there's a remnant according to the election of grace, then it's not of works. Didn't we read that just recently? There is a remnant according to the election of grace, and if by grace then it, guess what? It can't be works. So my thoughts, God said, are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

Now, a miracle of grace that causes us to change our thoughts, our life, our way. It's a miracle of God's grace, which he gives us in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's called repentance. Repentance is a change. He changes our mind. He changes our thoughts. Someone said repentance is a change of mind, change of thoughts, change of masters, bow to His Lordship, a change of manners, a change of motives.

The love of Christ constrains us, motives His glory. So let us also turn to the Lord in repentance and faith, repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that repentance and faith are both sovereign gifts of God. As my dear pastor used to say, repentance and faith, when you have one, you have the other.

It's like a sheet of paper. A sheet of paper has what? Two sides, doesn't it? It's one thing, but it has two sides. Both faith is a gift of God. Where does repentance come from? That's also a gift of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is exalted to give repentance unto Israel, His Israel, the Israel of God. Both faith and true faith, God-given faith and true God-given repentance, they both acknowledge the salvations of the Lord. They acknowledge the truth of how God saves sinners by His grace and His grace alone.

So we turn to Him for mercy and we find out that God has already abundantly pardoned us. He's already pardoned us. When did He do that? Well, from eternity, we're justified in the Lord Jesus Christ. In time, when the Lord Jesus Christ shed His blood and justified us. And then in our life, we experience that when He makes us know that we're justified freely by His grace through the redeeming blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. So my thoughts are not your thoughts. My ways are not your ways. Say it to the Lord. The thoughts of God. The eternal, unchanging, unalterable decrees of God. God said, I've thought it, I've purposed it, I will do it, it shall come to pass. The thoughts, his thoughts are not like our thoughts.

His ways, ways of mercy, ways of grace, his ways are highways. I think there's a scripture over in Isaiah 35 where he calls salvation a highway. It's not a low way, it's a highway, a highway. And then he gives this illustration that we all can understand.

Verse nine. For the heavens are higher than the earth. Now, how high are the heavens above the earth? That's a fair piece, isn't it? Especially when you talk about the third heaven. We see the first heaven where the birds fly. We see the second heaven where the stars, the sun, the moon, the solar system, the Milky Way. But there is that third heaven.

Where is that? I don't know. Paul, the apostle, said, I was taken to the third heaven. There's a dimension that we don't and cannot comprehend. They have these telescopes or these different ways of measuring how far, how many light years, millions of light years away that they can see space somehow. I don't know how that works. But they've not even reached to the third heaven yet.

That's where God dwells. That's where the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ is. That's where He's seated in the heavenly, and that's where we're seated in Him. The third heaven. As the heavens are higher than the earth. Oh, so much higher. He said, my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, verse 10, The rain comes down in the snow. The rain in the snow comes from heaven.

Who makes the rain in the snow? Have you ever entered into the treasures of the rain and treasure? Read sometime Job chapter 38 through 42, and he talks about creation, the rain, the wind, the snow. He said, have you ever entered into the treasures of the snow? The rain comes down. And the snow comes down from heaven.

And what does it do? Returneth not thither, but it waters the earth. It accomplishes God's purpose. It waters the earth. It makes it bring forth bud. And we oftentimes, when we put out our garden, we'll take a water hose with city water and we'll try to put some water out on our plants. I really don't like to do that because there's so many chemicals, chlorine and fluoride and who knows what else. I don't like to put that city water on my plants, but sometimes I do just to keep them alive.

But it seems like when it rains from heaven, And that rain that God makes comes down from heaven. Oh, those little plants, they just love that rain from heaven, don't they? His word comes down like rain upon his people, like the dew upon the earth. Returns not desert, but waters the earth. It makes it bring forth bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. We wouldn't have any crops without his sun, without his rain. Nothing. He gives us these things. So, verse 11, he makes this analogy.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. Just like that rain and that snow, that moisture comes from God. He creates it in his purpose and he sends it to accomplish his purpose, verse 11, so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth.

He said, I've spoken it, I've purposed it, I'll bring it to pass, I will do it. Isaiah 46, it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing where I send it. I love that language. I love those words. Accomplish, please, and prosper.

And this word here he's talking about, he's talking about the written word, the written word we have in our hand. We've read this evening the written, inspired, preserved word of God. The Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. But it's also talking about the Word incarnate, the Lord Jesus Christ. He's called the Word, isn't He? The Word would make flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Word of God, the Lord gives us this profound illustration about how he sends the water and the snow to accomplish his purpose. It shall not return to him void. Even so, the Lord sends out his word, his gospel, his Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ is called the word of God.

He said, I came down from heaven to do the will of him that sent me. And the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished the work that God gave him. He did not return void, the work that that father gave the son to do, he accomplished it, didn't he? He accomplished it. He said, father, I've glorified thee on the earth. He prayed John 17, I finished the work you gave me to do. Accomplish, accomplish God's purpose. Could it please God to do so?

You remember we studied in the book of Luke chapter nine, verse 31. on the Mount of Transfiguration when Moses and Elijah, when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John. And they spoke, and they heard what they were talking about, and they were talking about the death that he should accomplish. The death that he should accomplish. That's what it says right there.

But it shall accomplish that which I please, whatsoever Please the Lord, that's what he did. And it shall prosper. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. The gospel of God, the word of God, the written word, the spoken word, the preached word, the word incarnate will not return void. It will accomplish God's purpose. It will prosper where the Lord sends it. It'll prosper where the Lord sends it. shall not return void, fulfilling all God's purpose, fulfilling the law, establishing righteousness for us, putting away the sin of His people, justifying His people with His blood. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ shall prosper in His hands. Remember Isaiah 53,

10. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Verse 12. or you shall go out with joy. Joy in the Lord. And you shall be led forth with peace. Notice these words here, joy. We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He made peace for us with his blood. The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing. All the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree. Instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle tree. And it shall be to the Lord for a name. Ah, he has a name which is above every name. At that name every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord for a name. Shall be to the Lord for a name. For an everlasting sign that will never end.

Turn over here to Isaiah 12 for just a moment. I was just looking at this just a moment ago. I turned, just turned open my Bible here and it came open to Isaiah 12. Look at verse two. Talking about joy and peace and singing. Behold, God is my salvation. Isaiah 12 verse 2, you got it? Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and be not afraid. For the Lord Jehovah is my strength, my song, and he's become my salvation. Therefore, with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation.

And in that day shall you say, praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doing among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done excellent things. This is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Instead of a thorn shall come up the fir tree. Instead of a briar shall come up the myrtle tree. We're called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. We're going to see that next week, Lord willing, in Isaiah 61. There the briar shall come up the myrtle tree, and that shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

We'll sing unto him worthy is the lamb that was slain. We'll never get tired of singing that song, the first verse, same as the last verse, and the last verse the same as the first verse. Worthy is the land that was slain to receive all honor, glory, blessing, and power both now, now and forever. Now and forever. Amen.