Behold I And The Children

Okay, let's go back to Isaiah. Isaiah 8, verse 18. Isaiah 8, verse 18. Behold, take a good look at this. Stop, look, and listen. Behold, I, I and the children, God and His children, whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel. from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth, I set my King upon my holy hill Zion, remember? Psalm 2, which dwelleth in Mount Zion. So that'll serve as our text. We'll look some other places here. I'm entitling the message, Behold, I'm the Children.

Now, this is quoted in Hebrews chapter two, verse 13, that we read just a moment ago, and it is applied to the elective God given to the Lord Jesus Christ in that eternal covenant. When he tasted death for his covenant people, he said, behold, his death was so successful and his redeeming blood was so successful, he presents all of the children given to him. He said, behold, I and the children, he said, we're all here, redeemed with the blood of Christ. So he's talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, isn't it? You remember in John 6, 37, he says, all that the Father giveth to me, they'll come to me. And those that come to me, I'll never cast them out.

As we read and study the Old Testament prophets, whether it's Isaiah, Jeremiah, or others, all the writings of the Old Testament scriptures from Genesis to Malachi, we can be certain of three things. They all speak of Christ. All Scripture, first of all, is given of God, isn't it? All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable unto us for doctrine, for instruction, for correction in righteousness. To teach us Christ is our righteousness. Holy men of old spake as they were moved by God the Holy Spirit. We studied that in 2 Peter 1 and 2 Timothy 3. All Scripture leads us into the Lord Jesus Christ.

Any scripture you read, if you don't see Christ in the scripture, you missed the message of the text. Every text, every word, every chapter, every book in all the scripture is about Christ, one way or the other. They used to be saying years ago in the Roman Empire, you remember you all heard this saying, all roads lead to Rome. You've heard that?

In the Scripture, all Scripture leads us to the Lord Jesus Christ. To Him give all the prophets witness. We read recently from Luke 24, and when Luke writes about that occasion of the Lord Jesus Christ meeting those two men on the road to Emmaus and beginning with Moses and all the Scriptures, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the thing concerning Himself. It's all about Jesus Christ Himself. That's what makes His book so alive. And the Word is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword.

How many times have we read Romans chapter 8? How many times have you read Huckleberry Finn? Probably once. How many times have you read Romans chapter 8? Hundreds of times. Hundreds of times. It's just new and fresh, new and fresh, new and fresh. The words of man, we may read them once, set it aside.

The word of God, that is our life because it tells us about Christ. All scripture is given to teach us about the amazing grace of the gospel of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember this scripture in Romans 15, Whatsoever things are written aforetime are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scripture might have hope. I've quoted that almost every time we went through 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings and Chronicles. It's all about the Lord Jesus Christ.

There's no guesswork involved here in applying this scripture unto the Lord Jesus Christ and the children given to him in that eternal covenant of grace. They would testify of me, the Lord said. The Holy Spirit has given us the interpretation in Hebrew chapter 2. This is speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ presenting His redeemed Bride unto the Father without spot or without blemish. Holy, unblameable in His sight.

We must interpret Scripture in the light of Scripture. My pastor used to tell us all the time, Scripture upon Scripture. The best interpretation of Scripture is Scripture. The Bible sheds a lot of light on those Bible commentaries written by men. The Bible sheds a lot of light.

On those commentaries written by, I have John Gill, Matthew Henry, Robert Hawker. I had all of Spurgeon's works at one time. And given what I didn't lose in the flood, I've given away. the books by other men that I have had over the years. I remember when I was a very young believer in my late 20s, I had this thought in my mind, if I could just get a copy of John Gill's commentary, all my questions would be answered. And I found out after 40 years of reading John Gill, the Bible sheds a lot of light on what he had to say. The Bible does.

Now verse 14, we'll start at verse 14. Sanctify the Lord God of hosts. Verse 13 rather. Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself. And let Him be your fear. Let Him be your dread. Don't dread in fear of the enemy. They have no power. Remember what the Lord told Pilate when Pilate said, I have power over you. I have power over you to crucify you or let you go. And the Lord corrected him, didn't He? The Lord said, you don't have no power over me, except that which the Lord gives you.

So sanctify the Lord of hosts. himself, let him be your fear. Let him be your dread. Now, how do we sanctify the Lord? We set him apart in our heart and regard him as holy. Holy, holy, holy. And there's a scripture similar to that in 1 Peter 3. If you suffer for righteousness sake, happy, blessed are you. Be not afraid of their terror. Neither be afraid of their trouble, but sanctify the Lord God in your heart and be ready always to give an answer to every man that would ask of you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

Holy and reverent is His name. So, we sanctify the Lord, that is, we set Him apart and regard Him in our heart as everything in salvation. Holy and reverent is His name. Now, you can call me anything you want. Tom Tom, Dead Dog Tom, Thomas, or Hey You, or Preacher, just don't call me Reverend. I'm not Reverend. He's Reverend. That's his name. That's his name.

You call me Brother Tom or Tom Tom. I told the kids in Kingsport, and they wanted to know what should we call you. I said, well, my nickname at work was Tom Tom. Just call me Tom Tom. And to this day, when I go up there, some of those kids, when they see me, they call me Tom-Tom. But that's okay. Just don't call me Reverend Tom. Call me preacher or pastor or whatever.

But see, we sanctify the Lord of hosts. He's the Lord of His people. He's the Lord of His church, the Lord of hosts. As it says in Psalm 24, let Him be your fear. Fear the Lord. Let Him be your awesome Lord of hosts. Dread. We don't dread the Lord. We honor the Lord. But He's saying it in reverence to the Lord. Now look at verse 14. And He shall be for a sanctuary. The Lord of hosts is our sanctuary. He's the Lord of a people. A great host no man could number. And he shall be for a sanctuary.

Now, what is a sanctuary? It's a refuge, isn't it? That's why we sang of refuge in the time of storm. Christ is our refuge. And he shall be for a sanctuary to them who worship him in spirit and truth. He is our sanctuary. He is our refuge. He's our strength and our refuge in the time of the storm.

But for a stone of stumbling, And for rock of offense to both of the houses of Israel, Judah and Jerusalem, excuse me, Judah and Israel, for a djinn that's a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Israel. But he's our sanctuary. Now stone of stumbling.

And you see the reference there is Romans 9.33. Christ is our refuge.

He's a refuge in a time of storm. He's our very strength and help, present help in a time of trouble. In Isaiah 28, 16, he's called, God said, behold, behold, I lay in Zion for foundation of stone. This is familiar, and I won't have you turn, but Isaiah 28, 16, therefore the Lord himself shall The Lord God sayeth, the Lord God behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation of stone, tried stone, precious cornerstone, a sure foundation, though that believeth in him, on him, shall not make haste. He is our hiding place. He is our refuge in a time of storm. But he's a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. to both houses of Israel. Now, I want you to turn to this reference. I've got written down here 1 Peter. Can you find 1 Peter chapter 2? 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. A newborn babe, verse 2, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. And so be you tasted that the Lord is gracious, to whom coming?

As unto a living stone, disallowed in need of men, but chosen of God, ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it's contained in the scriptures, behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect and precious, he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. I just read that in Isaiah 28, 16. Unto you therefore which believe, verse 7, he is precious. But unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builder disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, a stone, a stumbling, a rock of a fence, even to them that stumble at the word, being disobedient, were unto also they were appointed. But, verse 9, you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises of Him who called you into darkness in His marvelous light.

So to many, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is a rock of offense. It's offensive to tell sinners that God may show mercy. He may not. He doesn't have to show mercy to all men everywhere. He will show mercy to His people. So the gospel to the natural man is offensive.

It's a stumbling block. It's a stumbling stone. But to those which are called out of darkness, he is precious. He's a precious cornerstone. Now go back to Isaiah 8. And he shall be our all in all. He's our sanctuary. He's our salvation. Verse 15, and many among them shall stumble, and many among them shall fall, be broken, and snared, and be taken, those to whom Christ is a rock of offense. To you who believe He is precious, he that believeth on the Son hath life, but he that believeth not the Son, uh-oh, wrath of God abides on them.

Many among them shall stumble, Fall. Broken. Snared. Taken. That's judgment. That's judgment. Judgment, judgment, judgment. Verse 16. Bind up the testimony. That's the testimony of the gospel. Bind it up. Seal the law among my disciples. God's Word. The testimony of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ is highly esteemed, treasured up in the heart of every believer. Seal it up.

I wish I could remember everything that I read in Scripture. I find myself as a leaking vessel, a leaking bucket. I put water in it, and the water of the Word, it just runs out. I've got to put more water in it. I can't remember things like I used to.

But he says here, God's Word and the testimony of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ is highly esteemed, treasured up in the heart of God's people. And it is. It is. It is. You remember in Psalm 119. Don't turn, let me just read it to you. Psalm 119 talks about His Word is a light unto our path It's a sweet-smelling savor unto God's people. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through thy precept I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path.

Take his word and bind it up. Don't let it go. Don't let go of it. As the old country boy said, don't leave go of it. Take hold of it. Ask God to burn it into your memory, your mind, your heart. Bind it upon your heart. Look down to verse 19 and verse 20 for just a moment. You see the importance of the word is faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord.

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits. Now, if you're rooted and grounded in the Word of God, and you hear someone talking about familiar spirit that's contrary to the Word of God, you identify it, don't you? You know what they are saying is wrong because it doesn't line up with Scripture. Familiar spirit and wizards, wizards that peep and mutter.

Should not a people seek unto their God? His people do. His people do seek unto their God. These words, our Lord said, I've spoken unto you that in Me you might have peace. Should not His people seek unto their God? How do we seek the Lord? We seek Him with a sincere heart. He said, you'll be found in Me when you search for Me with all your heart. How do we seek the Lord?

In His Word. In the Gospel. And where the Gospels preach. Those who are living and have spiritual life, they don't go to dead, dumb idols, do they? Dead, dumb idols. And the reason to the law, verse 20, to the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this Word, the Word of Truth, the Word of God. Our Lord said you should know the truth and the truth will set you free.

And the reason they do that, they don't speak according to the Word of God, is because there's no light in them. They're just darkness. They're just darkness. But how do you identify darkness? You identify it by the light of the Word. That's why we need to be rooted and grounded in the Word of the Lord. Now, That reference is not given here, but I would encourage you to jot this down. Jeremiah 23, verse 28. Jeremiah 23, 28. I don't know why this, but turn there. Jeremiah 23, 28. Just after Isaiah, Jeremiah.

There have been millions and millions of people led astray by wizards that peep. Did you know that? I know, for example, this is a historical fact, that there was a young boy named Joseph Smith who lived in Palmyra, New York in 1830, who had a black hat with stones in it and he was called the Peepstone Gazer. That's true, you can read about it. And he would tell people when they lost certain articles They would come and he would shake his hat and look in there and say, okay, it's over here. Wizards that mutter and peep. He led at least 15 million people right now are believing the lies of Joseph Smith. Isn't that crazy? I'm so thankful the Lord delivered me out of that mess. I'd be right there with the rest of them.

But listen to this scripture here, I've always, this always, Jeremiah 23, verse 28. The prophet, Jeremiah 23, 28. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream. And he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is chaff to the wheat? Well, just blow it away, saith the Lord. It's not my word like a fire. Hebrews 4, verse 12, the word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. Is not my word like a fire, saith the Lord, like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words, every one from his neighbor. Behold, I'm against the prophets that saith, that use their tongue and say, he saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them and cause my people to err by their lies, by their likeness. Yet I sent them not, nor commanded them, therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.

Those who have my word, he said, let them speak my word. Why is it so important? Saving faith is rooted and grounded upon the word of the Lord. God, now listen, I've said this over the years, and I'm going to say this until the Lord takes my breath from me. The Lord our God does not use the lies of wicked religious men, the lies of men, to teach the truth. You cannot arrive at truth listening to lies. You cannot arrive at salvation by the grace of God listening to someone saying that salvation depends all upon you. They believe in, they have a religion of D-O, do. The gospel is a religion of D-O-N-E, done. You see the difference? Is it do or done? We know it's done, isn't it?

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of the Lord. It's the truth that sets us free. It's the truth of the Word of the Lord. That's why Paul in prison instructed Timothy to do what? Preach the Word. Preach the Word. Verse 17. I'm not even going to get to my text.

Verse 17, and I will wait upon the Lord. David said again, wait upon the Lord, and again I say, wait upon the Lord. Now isn't His Word, His truth, His blessings worth waiting upon? I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him. Saving faith has one foundation, the Word of the Lord. Saving faith has one object.

I'll look for Him. You remember Isaiah 45, 22. Isaiah 45, 22. Look unto Me and be ye saved. All the ends of the earth. I am God. Beside Me there is no other. So, I will look for Him. We're still looking for Him, aren't we? We're looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, verse 18. I said all that to get to here. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Nowhere else to look but unto Christ. Nowhere else to look. Don't look in experience. Don't look to your feelings.

They come and go. Look to Christ. That's what saving faith does. It looks out of self unto the Lord Jesus Christ. One object. Our faith is objective. Looking to Christ. Now, verse 18. Behold, and I love that word behold. Behold I. This is the great I am that I am.

Behold I. I and the children, they're one. I and the children are one in Christ. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth with his people. I am I and the children. Now, three things I want us to look at, and I'll just touch on them briefly, because I've used up more than half of my time.

A remarkable relationship we see here, behold, I and the children. And then secondly, a remarkable vow of ownership, which the Lord, whom the Lord hath given to me, and then remarkable sight. They are for signs and wonders. Signs of His love and mercy and wonders of His grace. Wonders of His grace.

This is referring to all the children given to the Lord Jesus Christ in that eternal covenant of grace. I am the children. Who are these people that make up the elect of God? Their names are written in the land book of life from the foundation of the world. God had chosen people and given them to the Lord Jesus Christ.

He prays for them. He prays for them. In John 17, how many times have we read over and over, He prays for those to whom the Father had given to Me. He said, I pray not for the world, I pray for those that the Father had given Me. Behold, I am the children whom the Lord hath given to me." He's bringing those that He has bought with His blood.

He's bringing those, we read in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 10, For became Him, for whom are all things, by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory. We read in 1 Peter 3, Christ also once suffered for our sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. He had to bring us. We're not coming on our own. No man can come to me except the Father which sent me drawing him. He must bring us to God. And he did so being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. He bought us with His own blood.

Behold, I and the children, these are the covenant children, the elect of God, given to the Lord Jesus Christ in that eternal covenant of grace. They are His. Behold, I and the children, whom, where did He get these people? Whom the Lord hath given to Me.

The Lord gave Him a people in covenant, in covenant mercies. He's called the surety of the everlasting covenant. He's called the Savior of His people. He's the sacrifice for their sin. And He's made unto us all that we need. Made unto us all that we need. He's able to meet all our need, singular, according to His riches in glory. through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ delights in His children. Behold, I am the children whom the Lord hath given to me. The second thing I want us to consider for just a minute, a remarkable vow of ownership and union we were given unto Him. Now, When did this choice take place? He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. A remarkable vow of ownership. We were given, catch that word, whom the Lord has given me.

We were defiled in the filth of our sin. It says in Isaiah chapter 1, your whole head is sick, your whole heart is faint. full of wounds and bruises and putrefying swords. Isaiah 64 said, all of our righteousnesses are filthy rags in his sight. We were defiled by the filth of our sin.

Thank God he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. He would never have chosen us afterward. Our Lord said to his disciples, you didn't choose me. I chose you and ordained you unto Salvation. We were cast out in Adam's sin and ruin, yet he sought us out and he brought us home.

We read in Hebrews chapter 2 where it says he's not ashamed to call them brethren. We were given to him in that covenant. Christ is not ashamed to own us as his children, his sheep, his elect. By his grace, we're not ashamed to own him. We're going to sing in a minute.

Ashamed of Jesus, can it be? A mortal man ashamed of thee? Ashamed of these whom angels pray? Whose glory shines through endless days? He's not ashamed. Think about that. He's not ashamed to call us brethren. And we're not ashamed to own Him as our all and in all.

That's what Paul said in Romans 1.16. I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. the power of God and the salvation of everyone that believe it, Jew and to the Gentile. For therein that gospel is the righteousness of God revealed from Christ to Christ. And then Paul said, I'm not ashamed for I know whom I have believed. I'm persuaded he's able to keep that which I've committed on him against that day.

Behold, I and the children whom the Lord Jehovah hath given to me." We are one with Him. He's the head, we are the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. What's true of the head is true of the body. We're married to the Lord Jesus Christ. We're given to Him in that eternal covenant of grace. Christ's glory and His children being given to Him as a sovereign gift of God.

In His high priestly prayer in John 17, He prays for His elect given unto Him. I often quote this when I preach a funeral for a believer in John 17, 24. Our Lord prayed, Father, I will that they also whom Thou has given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory." Every time a believer is taken to glory and they depart this robe of flesh, they drop and rise to seize that everlasting pride, to be out from the body, is be present with the Lord. That prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ is answered. It's answered, isn't it?

He glories in his own, he loves his own. How much so does he love him? Here in his love, not that we love God, he loved us. He sent his son to be the sacrifice for our sin. He presents us to the Father in himself, spotless, unblameable, unapprovable in his sight. What a remarkable wonderer. that Christ loved us and washed us from our sin and His own blood, to Him be all the honor and glory, both now and forever. We quote that and read that often in Revelation chapter 1, don't we? Unto Him who loved us, unto Him who washed us from our sin and His own blood, to Him be all, He's made us kings and priests unto our God, to Him be all the honor and glory, both now and forever. Now and forever.

Now here's the last thing, a remarkable sight. Verse 18, Isaiah 8, Behold, I and the children whom thou hast given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion. A remarkable sight. Both Christ and His children are for signs and wonders. Wonders of his grace, mercy and love.

Christ was given for a sign. Christ was given for a sign. Call his name Jesus. He shall save his people. A virgin shall conceive and be with child and shall call his name Emmanuel. That was given for a sign, wasn't it? Christ was given for a sign of God's love, of God's mercy to sinners, of God's promise and purpose to save his elect. We're going to see that prophecy in Genesis 3, verse 15, where the woman's seed crushed Satan's dominion. Christ was given for a sign. Christ was given for wonders.

His name is called Wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father. His people are for signs. His people are for signs and wonders. Signs of His grace, wonders of His love. of His divine faithfulness to His people, of His sovereign love. What a wonder to behold. He's made us His children, His people. That's a marvel of God's grace, is it not? His people are for signs and wonders. I like what David prayed. King David sat before the Lord and prayed. He said, oh Lord, who am I? Who am I that you would show such mercy to a dead dog as I am? Who am I, oh Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me hither to?

How is it that the Lord has magnified His love toward His people and not into others? That's what we call sovereign love. Hail sovereign love that first began a scheme to rescue fallen sinners. And that's in the Lord Jesus Christ. How is it that by His death and His sacrifice is so glorious to God's people while others despise Christ crucified? To the believer, that's everything. We're determined as Paul to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He's all and in all. In Him was all the fullness of God and bodily and we're complete in Him. How is it that others see no beauty and glory in Him and His people do?

Who makes the difference? It's Christ, who made you to differ from another? Why do you have an interest in the gospel and your neighbors don't? Why do you have an interest in the gospel and your brothers and sisters don't? Your mom and dad, they don't. Why do you have an interest? God makes us to differ. His sovereign love, His sovereign grace. Verse 18, one more time. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs, signs of His love, signs of His grace and wonders.

Salvation is a wonderful miracle, isn't it? His name shall be called Wonderful. from the Lord of hosts." Where does it come from? The Lord of hosts. Salvation of the Lord. "...which dwelleth with His people." He dwells in Mount Zion. His church. His church.

Behold I And The Children

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Behold I And The Children

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