Let's open our Bibles together
to Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah chapter 40. I want us to look together at one
verse of scripture this morning. Verse 26. of Isaiah 40. Here we read, lift up your eyes
on high. Behold, who hath created these
things, bringeth out their hosts by number. He calleth them all
by names, by the greatness of his might, for he is strong in
power, and not one faileth. Couldn't help but think over
the first verse of Isaiah 40. We read, comfort ye, comfort
ye, comfort ye my people. Sayeth your God, speak ye comfortably
to Jerusalem. Cry unto her that her warfare
is accomplished. Her iniquities pardoned. She's received the
Lord's hand double for all her sins. Comfort throughout this
entire chapter, I think there's a great deal of comfort found
in verse 26. First, he says, lift up your
eyes on high. It doesn't say look to yourself. It doesn't say look to your works. It doesn't say look to your self-righteousness.
For in ourselves, in ourselves, there's only one thing to be
found, and that's sin. It's who we are. It's what we
are. Paul said this, he said, I know
that in me, that is in this flesh dwelleth no good thing, no good
thing. So lift up your eyes on high. In Psalm 121, we read this, we
read, I'll lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh
my help. Where's our help cometh from?
It cometh from the Lord. My help cometh from the Lord,
which made heaven and earth. Lift up your eyes on high. Look to him that is high and
lifted up. Isaiah 6-1, we read this, in the year the king Uzziah
died, I saw the Lord, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high
and lifted up. His train filled the temple.
In Philippians 2, we read, God had also highly exalted him,
given him a name which is above every name, that at the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, every knee should bow, every tongue
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Lift up your eyes on high. And if God's pleased to show
a man, if he's pleased to show us who and what we are by nature,
dead in trespasses and sin. If He's pleased to bring us to
the ground, there's only one place to look, and that's look
up. Look to Christ. Look to Him.
Second, back in our text, we read, Behold, consider, take
heed, who hath created these things? He's the God of all creation.
In Genesis 1, when we read in the beginning, God, God created
the heavens and the earth. Turn over to John chapter 1.
You're familiar with this passage of scripture, but turn to John
chapter 1. Look at the first three verses
of John 1. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him.
All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything
made that was made. Behold the sovereign God who
hath created these things. Sovereign God, sovereign in creation,
sovereign in providence. Sovereign and salvation. Behold
Him. Behold Him. Back to our text
here, Isaiah 40, verse 26. Lift up your eyes on high. Behold
who hath created these things. And the third point, He bringeth
out the host by number. He's the Lord of hosts. Over
200 times there's reference to the Lord of hosts in God's Word. And notice it says, He bringeth
out the host. It's His work, isn't it? He did
it. It's all of Him. And that word bringeth, I looked
that up. Now it has several meanings,
but listen to these three. One, it means to carry out. Like that lost sheep that he
goes out and he gathers up and he puts it up on his shoulder
and he carries it back, carries it home in safety and peace. Second, it means to fetch. It means to fetch, just like
David sent down to fetch Mephibosheth, fetch him and bring him back.
It also means to pluck out. just like that brand plucked
out of the fire. He bringeth out the host by number. And it's a number that cannot
be numbered by man, but he knows each one. He knows each one. He bringeth out the host by number. He does it. He saves them. He
calls them. He calls each one. The angel spoke, said, call his
name Jesus. He shall save his people from
their sins. Fourth, we read here in our text,
he calleth them all by name. Each one, he calls them all by
name. You know, there's just something
special about being called by name. Hey, you, nobody likes
that, does he? But he calls them all by name.
You know, you can't call someone by name unless you know them. He knows each one. He called
them all by name by the greatness of his might, for that he is
strong in power. He's almighty. In John 10, three,
we read of that great shepherd, the shepherd, says he called
his own sheep by name and he leads them out. He leads them
out. Turn over to just a few pages
to Isaiah 43 in verse one. But now thus saith the Lord that
created thee. O Jacob, and he that formed thee,
O Israel, fear not, don't be afraid, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine, thou art mine. The Lord knoweth them that are
his. We read throughout his word, Moses, he called him by name.
Israel, he called him by name. He called Lazarus by name. He
said, Lazarus, come forth. Zacchaeus, there he is up in
that tree. Zacchaeus, come down. He calls his sheep. He calls
his sheep by name. And listen, in John 10, 27, he
said, not only does he call them by name, but he said, my sheep,
they hear my voice. They hear my voice and they follow
me. Back to our text. Last point
here. Not one failure. Not one. Of all that the Father hath given
me, all that the Father, he said,
I'll lose nothing. I'll lose nothing. Of those that the Father gave
him, those chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world,
of those for whom he came to seek and to save, of those for whom he died suffering
the justice of God on the cross. He bore our sins in his body
on the tree. Of those for whom he was made
sin, of those for whom he hath made
righteous, of those to whom he calls each
one lovingly by name, of those for whom he sits on the right
hand of the Father where he ever lives to make intercession for
his people, of those for whom he is able to present faultless,
faultless before the presence of his glory. we read with exceeding
joy. Our brother Frank read this,
of those who he's able to present holy, unblameable, unreprovable,
not in the sight of man, but in the sight of holy and just
God. Not one failing, not one, not
even one. What about the thief on the cross?
Can you think of a more desperate condition? Our Lord said to him,
he said, you'll be with me today in paradise. Our brother Mike
mentioned that man in the tombs. Can you think of a more horrible
situation? Here he is naked, they can't
chain him, nothing can contain him. And yet our Lord, Our Lord was merciful to him,
wasn't he? And he found him sitting, sitting clothed and in his right
mind. Blind Bartimaeus, Lazarus, the
Apostle Paul, the Philippian, that Philippian jailer. I think
of that Philippian jailer. Here he is in that, how far away
are you from the gospel? The Lord sends his messenger,
preaches the gospel to him, saves him. God's merciful to him. Paul
said this in Philippians. He said, being confident of this
very thing. Think of all the things Paul
could have had confidence in. Paul said, I'm confident in this
very thing, this one thing. He that hath begun a good work
in you. He'll complete it. He'll finish it. He'll perform
it till the day of Jesus Christ. Not one failing, not one failing. Let's look at this passage just
one more time. Lift up your eyes on high. Behold
who hath created these things. He bringeth out the host by number.
He calleth them all by name, by the greatness of his might,
for that he's strong and powerful. And not one thing. Thank God
for his word. Pray. Our God and Father in heaven, Lord, how we thank you for this
day. Lord, how we thank you for this opportunity to gather together. Lord, to sing hymns of praise.
Lord, to fellowship with those of our brethren. Lord, to have your word. Lord,
to look into thy word, to be taught from thy word. Lord, make thy word effectual.
Lord, speak to our hearts through thy word. Lord, bless us to know
the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, to rest, Lord, not in ourselves. Lord,
to take comfort in nothing. but our Savior, the rest in Him. Lord, we pray for our worship
service here this morning. Lord, we pray, we thank you for
bringing Brother Mike our way. Lord, we pray that you would
take that which you've laid on his heart. Lord, enable him to declare,
Lord, that which you've laid on his heart. Lord, set aside
the thoughts and cares of this world. Let us see Christ and
rest in him. Lord, we thank you again for
this opportunity to gather together, this opportunity to hear thy
word. Lord, we pray for those who are
unable to be with us, those who are sick, those who are hurting,
those who are caring for others, Lord, Pray your hand be with
them, Lord, that you would comfort and strengthen them, and in your
time, return them to us. Lord, we pray for our children. Lord, it's our heart's desire
that you would be merciful to our children. Bless our upcoming Bible school. Lord, be with those who've traveled
here. Lord, give them a safe return
home. And again, Lord, bless your word
mightily this morning. For we ask these things in Christ's
name. Lord, for thy glory. Amen.