Let's turn together to Isaiah
chapter 65. Isaiah chapter 65. In the opening verses of this
chapter, the Lord God told the children of Israel why he would
destroy them. It should have come as no surprise
when it finally happened The Lord declared it over and over
again that he would destroy that physical nation. In doing so, telling them why
he would destroy them, he declares to us the cause of reprobation
and judgment. He declares to us the reason
many women go to hell. The cause of reprobation and
judgment. is man's willful rejection of
the gospel of God's free grace in Christ. It is man's willful
rebellion against God Almighty. We live in a land. Please understand me, I believe
myself to be a genuine patriot. Should I be called on to do so,
I believe I would be willing to go to war to defend the nation
right now, tonight. But we live in a land that clearly
is under the judgment of God, well-deserved judgment, not just
our nation, the whole of civilization in this world under judgment. Why? Because of the willful rejection
of God's revelation of himself. Here in this opening few verses
of this chapter, the Lord sets before us that which is frequently
declared in scripture as a fact. It is a matter confirmed throughout
history. Idolatry always arises from and
promotes self-righteousness. It always does. Every form of
idolatry. All idolatry involves what the
Apostle Paul calls in Colossians 2.23, will worship. Idolatry,
every form of it, teaches sinners that salvation, whatever men
consider salvation to be, that salvation is ultimately determined
by and ultimately accomplished not by the will, work, and worth
of the Son of God, but by your will, your work, and your worth
as a human being. When God gives men and women
up in reprobation, He's giving up men and women who, by their
religion, promote boasting in the flesh. He gives them over
to the corruptions of their own evil hearts and their own devisings. He measures back to the reprobate
their own iniquity. Read these opening comments with
me. Isaiah 65 verse 1. The Lord declares,
I am sought of them that ask not for me. I'm found of them that sought
me not. I said, behold me, behold me
unto a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands
all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way
that was not good after their own thoughts. A people that provoketh
me to anger continually to my face. How's this? that sacrificeth in gardens,
and burneth incense upon altars of brick, refuse to worship me
as I have declared I must and will be worshipped, but pretend
to worship me after their own fashion, which remain among the
graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and
broth of abominable things in their vessels." eat that which is abhorrent to
me. They bring in their vessels the
broth of that which I despise." Read up. Which say, stand by thyself. Stand by, don't you come near
me. These folks drinking up swine's flesh and drinking up the broth
of abominable things all Worshipping and calling it worshiping God
among graves upon altars of brick that they have made Worshipping
calling it worshiping God the inventions of their own hands
and they say Stand by thyself Come not near to me For I am
holier than thou God says, these are a smoke in my nose, a fire
that burneth all the day. Behold, it is written before
me, I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense
into their bosom, your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers
together. I'm going to give you back what
you've been giving me. I'm going to recompense into
your bosom your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers.
Saith the Lord, which had burned incense upon the mountains and
blasphemed me upon the hills. All he's talking about here is
religion that blasphemes God. Religion that blasphemes God
under the name of God. Religion that blasphemes God
pretending to be the worship of God. Therefore, will I measure
their former work into their bosom. We see this clearly stated
again in the first chapter of Proverbs. You don't need to turn
there, but if you care to read it at your leisure, I urge you
to do so. In divine judgment, in reprobation, the Lord gives
obstinate, persistent rebels the fruit of their own ways.
Listen to what it says. Because I have called and you
refused. I stretched out my hand, and
no man regarded, but ye have said it not all by counsel, and
would none of my reproof. Because they hated knowledge,
and did not choose the fear of the Lord, because they would
none of my counsel, they despised my reproof. Therefore, therefore,
they shall eat the fruit of their own ways. If you go to hell,
you'll go to hell eating the fruit of your own ways. Now, you can sit like a nut on
a log, pretend to ignore what I'm telling you, but God says
you'll be filled with your own devices. But Brother Don, we
believe in election, predestination, and God arranged all this before
the world began. He did indeed. He did indeed. If you go to glory,
you'll go to glory because it's fully merited by the doing and
dying of the Son of God. And if you go to hell, you'll
go to hell. because you have fully merited it, eating the
fruit of your own ways. No man will ever dare do in the
day of judgment what men think they're brazen enough to do now.
And that is to defy God's judgment and turn it against him as though
somehow he is unjust. You shall eat the fruit of your
own ways. Go back to Romans chapter 1 and
read this with me. Romans the first chapter. Be filled with
their own devices. Here the Spirit of God tells
us the very same thing we read in Isaiah 65 and in Proverbs
1. Romans chapter 1 verse 20. For the invisible things of him,
that is of God from the creation of the world, are clearly seen.
being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal
power in Godhead, so that they are without excuse. The light
of nature and creation is never sufficient to give me in life
and faith in Christ. That takes the word of God coming
by the spirit of God. But the light of nature and the
light of creation Teaches every man two things he can never deny. He holds it down. He suppresses
it. He refuses to acknowledge it He cries. I don't believe
in God. I don't believe in eternity. I'm an atheist. I'm not so foolish
as you other folks He's just screaming as loud as he can holding
down what he cannot deny in his heart What he cannot deny in
his soul for every man knows that God is righteous And he's
going to meet God in judgment And he knows that God is omnipotent.
He looks at the sun. And he can write science textbooks,
one on top of another, and invent new notions about science. And
God did that. He can't get away from it. He
can't get away. So they're without excuse. Well,
do you really believe all men are liars who say such things?
Well, you've either got to believe one of two things. You've either
got to believe they're liars or actually got to believe God's
a liar. He said it right here. One of the two. Here it is. Because. Because. They're without
excuse because. That when they knew God. They
knew God's righteous. They knew God's their creator.
They knew God's going to stand before God. They glorified him
not as God. Neither were thankful. But became
vain in their imagination. and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools. And here's their folly. And changed
the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made likened
to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping
things. Wherefore, that is for this cause,
God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lust of their hearts,
their own hearts, to dishonor their bodies, their own bodies
between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie and
worshiped and served the creature more than the creator, who is
blessed forever. Amen. For this cause, God gave them up unto vile affections. Why on this earth, why on this earth is what we
call Western civilization so perverse, so morally corrupt, so utterly
degenerate, Why? Because this generation in which
we live had been taught to worship man as though he were God. Had been taught that man stands
in the place of God. So God gives them up to their
vile affections, just as you read about in ancient Roman history. For even their women did change
the natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise
also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their
lust one toward another, men with men working that which is
unseemly and receiving in themselves. This is the same thing we read
back in Isaiah, isn't it? That recompense of their error,
which is just right. It was meat. And even as they
did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them
over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. This is the judgment God threatens
to execute upon all who refuse to bow to Christ, who willfully
despise and reject the gospel, all who cling to their own righteousness. as they trample under their feet
the blood of Christ as a common, ordinary, unholy thing. As I
read the passages such as I had just read to you, I tremble. I tremble for you who refuse
to bow to the Son of God. I tremble for this generation.
I tremble for folks who hear the gospel. but resolutely determined
not to submit to the righteousness of God, I fear for you, lest
God cast you away, cast you away in utter reprobation,
as he did Israel of old. Israel, which followed after
the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness,
Wherefore, because they sought it not by faith, but as it were
by the works of the law, for they stumbled at the stumbling
stone. As it is written, behold, I lay
in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense. And whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Bill Raleigh, Christ is either
a stumbling stone or a foundation stone to everybody. He is either a stumbling stone
or a foundation stone to everybody. You will either stumble over
him, pushing him out of your way and go to hell, or God may
just graciously build you upon him. And cause you to believe
on him and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed And
that word ashamed is variously translated throughout the scriptures
They believe on him and you'll not make haste. You'll not be
in any hurry to get off him Nothing going to cause you to be hasty
concerning him Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame
Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded. Whosoever
believeth on him shall not be confused. You mean God's people
are never confounded, never confused, never ashamed, never put to shame?
Not with regard to their faith. No, sir. No, sir. I know whom
I have believed, and I am persuaded that he's able to keep that which
I've committed unto him against that day. All right, now turn
back to Isaiah 65. Let's look at verses 8, 9, and
10. In the light of these things,
the Lord God here gives a word of comfort and assurance to his
people. Lest the believer, those who
trust Christ, those who worship God, lest you and I be overwhelmed
by God's denunciation of the nation, lest we be distressed
by the prophecy of his wrath. In these three verses, the Lord
God promises to preserve and save an elect remnant from the
general ruin of the nations of this world. God will save and
preserve an elect remnant from the ruins of this nation and
the ruins of every other. Thus saith the Lord. As new wine
is found in the cluster, and one saith, destroy it not, for
a blessing is in it, so will I do for my servants' sakes,
that I may not destroy them all. He speaks of some servants he's
going to destroy, and others he won't destroy. I may not destroy
them all. Why would he say that? Because
all of us are God's servants. You're going to serve God. I'll
take that back. You have served him. You're going
to serve him. You will serve him forever, either
in your utter condemnation and all your deeds are in your salvation
by the grace and mercy of our God. But serve him, we will.
I will not destroy them all. Verse nine. And I will bring
forth a seed out of Jacob and out of Judah, an inheritor of
my mountains. and mine elect shall inherit
it, and my servant shall dwell there, and Sharon shall be a
fold of flocks, and the valley of Acre a place for the herds
to lie down in, for my people that have sought me. Hath God cast away his people?
Oh no, God forbid, for at this present time there is a remnant
according to the election of grace. My subject tonight is a blessing
is in it. We read in verse eight, the Lord
God says, destroy it not for a blessing is in it. Hold your
Bibles right here and let me show you three things. Number
one. The blessing of God. Is often
found in that which appears to be good for nothing. The blessing of God is often
found in that which we would throw away. The blessing of God
is often found in that which we look upon and naturally despise
and hold in contempt. Thus saith the Lord, as new wine
is found in the cluster and one saith, destroy it not for a blessing
is in it. So will I do for my servant's
sakes. That I might not destroy them
all. Here's a man who goes out, tends
a vineyard for another man, and he sees a vine that's, it looks
like it's just dead. About the ugliest thing in the
field, just a dead, withered vine, dried up vine. And he's
about to cut it down, and the man who owns the vineyard says,
wait, wait, leave it alone, leave it alone. Don't destroy that
vine. There's a blessing in it. I see
what you can't see in there. I see in that vine budding forth
a cluster of grapes. Don't destroy the vine. A blessing
is in it. And we don't have to guess what's
meant by this. The Holy Spirit doesn't force
us to draw out our own parallel, but rather he says, so will I
do for my servant's sake. That I may not destroy them all. It will do you a world of good.
If you and I will learn, it'll do me a world of good. If we
will learn what I told you just a moment ago, all men, all women
are God's servants. Everybody. All the demons of
hell and all the angels of God are his servants. All the righteous
and all the wicked are his servants. All the elect and all the reprobate
are his servants. Nothing on God's earth wiggles
but by God's decree. Nothing, nothing. Well, if that's
the case, Brother Don, it seems then that what you're saying
is that all men and all demons, all the wickedness men perform,
all the evil men do, all the vileness men work upon one another
in this world, all is according to God's eternal purpose of grace
for the saving of his elect. You've got it. That's exactly
right. That's exactly right. Nothing wiggles but by God's
decree. He says, I will not destroy them
all. There are some, God's elect in
this world, who are described here as a blessing among the
nations. They're hidden, hidden in this
world, hidden in the things of this earth hidden among the peoples
of this earth, a people for whom and because of whom God preserves
the earth. Hold your hands here in Isaiah
and turn one more time to that blessed text in second Peter,
chapter three. I want you to read it. I know
you can quote it. I want you to read it. Second, Peter three, verse nine.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness, but is longsuffering to usward, longsuffering to his
elect, longsuffering to this remnant, longsuffering to usward,
not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Bless God, there is a remnant,
according to the election of grace, who must and shall be
saved. And everything God does in this
world. Everything God does in this world. Now hear me, if it comes to pass,
God did it. He may have used Satan to perform
the work. He may have used some wicked
man to perform the deed. Everything that comes to pass,
God did it. And everything God does, he does
for his elect, for the saving of his elect, for the everlasting
benefit and good of his elect. Those men in this world who are
not chosen of God, those people in this world who are not God's
elect, receive many providential mercies. But the providential
mercies they receive, those things that they enjoy in life, they
enjoy only because God's elect are here. That's all God preserves
the world and he says destroy it not for a blessing is in it. That's not my opinion. This is
what God says. So will I do for my servant's
sake turned Isaiah 43. Let me give you some illustrations.
This blessing is talking about God's elect this blessing in
the fallen ruined sons of Adam. Noah. The blessing. Once he was
safely in the ark, God destroyed the rest of the world. Lot, the
blessing. Once he was safely delivered
into Zohar, God destroyed Sodom. Joshua and Caleb, the blessings,
entered into the land of promise, though all who came out of Egypt
with them perished under the wrath of God. The rest of the
world exists, I repeat. and is used, I repeat, by God
for the benefit of his elect. Isaiah 43, verse 1. Now thus
saith the Lord that hath created thee, O Jacob. He that formed
thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee. I have
called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through
the waters, I will be with thee. And through the rivers, they
shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned. Neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee, for I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel,
thy Savior. I gave Egypt for thy ransom,
Ethiopia and Saba for thee. Oh, what a word. Since thou was
precious in my sight, thou has been honorable and I have loved
thee. Therefore will I give men for
thee. and people for thy life. Fear
not for I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the
east and gather thee from the west. Back here in Isaiah 65
verse 8. The references to this present
gospel day in which we live. It is a prophecy of the fact
that there would be among the Jews a few in the Lord's day. and today who would be called
by the grace of God and brought into a saving union with Christ.
We've had the blessed privilege of seeing some of those who are
Abraham's physical seed converted by God's free grace through the
preaching of the gospel. Our friend, Brother Jerry Salzberg,
lives in Orlando, Florida. God saved he and his wife and
his in-law, his brother-in-law a few years ago, brother-in-law
Jerry's one of Abraham's physical seed. but he's also one of Abraham's
spiritual seed. A few among the Jews will be
converted in this day. And indeed among the nations
of the world, God's elect are always a few. A remnant. God always deals in remnants. My dear friend, brother Bill
Clark, brother Bill Carver, the Lord took him home A few weeks
ago, down in Boston, North Carolina, his whole business, his whole
life was junk. He'd go around factories and
buy boats of cloth, actually never bought up a whole boat,
just the end pieces. End pieces of lace and end pieces
of material and end pieces of carpet, just end pieces. And
all he ever dealt in was remnants. He'd buy little spools of that,
whatever you, rickrack, that stuff you use, I don't know what
you call it. That little stuff you use. He bought little pieces
of it. And made a good living at it. Just dealt with junk. That's what God always deals
with. Just junk. Just junk. What everybody else
would throw away. I'm talking about you and me. Just the waste, just remnants. Many are called, but few are
chosen. Certainly this eighth verse.
is also a declaration that wherever the blessing of God's grace is
found in the center's heart, it'll never be destroyed. Like
new wine in the grape, grace is a new thing in the heart of
man. Like new wine, grace is delightful,
both to God who gives it and to the believing sinner who profits
by it. Like new wine in the cluster,
grace must be pressed out, must be tried. But the grace of God
once bestowed and wrought in the sinner can never be destroyed
or taken away for the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. And as I said at the outset frequently,
the object of grace, the blessing of God in the earth is found
and that which we consider worthless. We read it earlier today in 1
Corinthians 1, God had chosen things which are not to bring
to naught the things that are. We read in the book about a woman
who was a sinner, who came to the Lord Jesus anointed him for
his burial, anticipating his death in her stead, because her
sins had been forgiven her. She broke an alabaster box of
ointment over his head, and she washed his feet with her tears,
and she knelt down and wiped his feet with the hairs of her
head and kissed them. We read in the book about the
prodigal, that all of God's people are
just prodigals, prodigals who run wildly in a mad rush to hell,
wasting everything. Oh, what opportunities wasted,
wasted. But if that one who is the prodigal
is the object of God's grace and mercy, God wisely and graciously,
as only God can, will take the waste and make it beneficial
to him. God finds the objects of his
grace where men generally consider there's nothing useful. His elect
are described in the parable like treasure hid in the field. When a man finds the treasure
he covers it over, he hides it in the field, and he goes and
buys the whole field. Not because he wants the field.
Because if he told the fellow there was treasure there, he'd
have to pay too much for it. But he goes and buys the field
to get the treasure. And so it is that our Lord Jesus
as a man bought the right to rule over and dispose of all
flesh as he will that he might give eternal life to as many
as the father's given him the treasure which was the object
of his love and his mercy. And so these chosen ones scattered
throughout the earth and throughout the ages of time are people concerning
whom God says destroy them not. Read about it in Revelation chapter
7. God sends his angel and says, hurt not the earth, till we've
sealed the 144,000 in their foreheads. Now, look at verse 9. These chosen ones, God's elect,
shall inherit all things. I will bring forth the seed out
of Jacob. Now, that seed refers to Christ. It does indeed. And he refers
to his people. A seed out of Jacob. Not seeds
as many, but seed as one. Because we are one with him.
A godly seed. Whom he's determined to save.
He describes it says in Malachi chapter 2. These words speak
of this seed that he will bring forth out of Jacob. And he will
cause this seed to be as a cluster before him. The grace of God. like a cluster of new wine, the
grace of God bestowed on us and all the benefits of grace. God
gives it to all his own as he will. The fruit of the spirit
in us is considered a cluster of grapes, not many fruits, but
one fruit. And out of Judah, God says, I
will bring forth an inheritor of my mountains. Again, the singular speaks of
Christ, but certainly It speaks of you and I as well. The book
says all things are yours for ye are Christ. We're one with
him. We are heirs of God and joint
heirs with Jesus Christ. Our Lord said in John 17, the
glory which you have given me, I've given them. so that all
the blessings and benefits of God's covenant, all the fullness
of his grace, all the perfection of his righteousness, all the
bliss, glory, happiness and fullness of heaven shall be possessed
by everyone of God's own. God's mountains speak of those
mountains upon which Jerusalem and his temple were built. They
represent the fullness of heaven's glory, both the throne of God
and the temple of his presence. And he says, mine elect shall
inherit it. And my servants shall dwell there. Now look at verse 10. Here's
the third thing. Grace experienced and possessed
in the soul is the pledge and the hope of everlasting glory
hereafter. And Sharon shall be a fold of
flocks, and the Valley of Acre a place for the herds to lie
down in, for my people that have sought me." Sharon, Dr. Gill suggested, is that place
described in 1 Chronicles 27, a place of rich, fertile pastures.
And this is a prophecy. He suggested the conversion of
some from that place called Sharon. And, uh, it was fulfilled during
the apostolic times there. Christ had his sheep and there
he calls out his sheep. But I, I rather think that Sharon
is to be looked upon allegorically representing the word of God
and the ordinances of the gospel. The Lord is my shepherd. Shall
not want he maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth
me beside the still waters Sharon is speaking of that the speaking
about the Word of God and the Valley of Acre That was the place
where Achan was slain Where sin was slain the Valley of Acre
is the place? where God's people First put
their feet when they came into the land of Canaan Do you know
what God says concerning Acre? In Hosea 2.15, He says He will
give us a door of hope in Acre. In this place where sin was slain. In this world, give us a door
of hope. And that door of hope is Christ
Jesus the Lord. Christ in you. And He is the
pledge of an everlasting inheritance. Turn to Ephesians 1. Ephesians
1. This Valley of Acre represents
the beginnings of salvation and grace in us, the earnest and
the first fruits of the spirit. Verse 13, Ephesians 1, in whom
you also trusted after that you heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that you believed
you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. which is the
earnest, the pledge, the down payment, the earnest money of
our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchase possession, until
resurrection glory, unto the praise of his glory. He had the
same thing in verse 30, chapter 4. Paul says, grieve not the
Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Grace experienced, grace possessed
in the soul. is the pledge of everlasting
life with Christ in heaven. This promise of God's grace is
for a specific people. It's given for my people that
have sought me. God calls us my people. My people which have sought me.
But look back in verse one again. These people are a people who
were sought. and found of God. I am sought
of them that ask not for me." I remember hearing years ago
of just a young man, Brother Joe Wilson, pastor of the church
on the north side of Winston-Salem. was preaching a conference with
me. I was just a kid preaching this conference. But he was an
older man. He told about a boy in his church
who delivered papers, a young boy. And he was pulling his wagon
load of papers up the hill. And some fellow stopped him and
said, he said, young man, have you found the Lord? And the boy
was well taught. He said, I didn't know he was
lost. But I was, and he found me. I am found of them that sought
me not, that asked not for me. I am found of them that sought
me not. I said, behold me, behold me unto a nation that was not
called by my name. But we read this morning about
God's people seeking Him. We do, because He sought us. And our seeking Him is the fruit
and result of Him seeking us. Our calling on Him is the fruit
and result of Him calling us. We seek Him because He sought
us out. A people who were preserved amidst
the fallen ruins of humanity and kept by God, preserved in
Christ Jesus. Preserved for Christ Jesus and
that God's appointed time called. I look back over my life, and
I don't know much about my family history. Don't care to know much
about it. What I know about it's not real
pleasant. But our family name is German, I'm told. Fortner
speaks of those who used to be keepers of the fort. I guess
that means we were trolls. And I tell you what I don't know
anything about. I don't know of any worthwhile thing any man
in the whole history of our family ever did for anybody. Just worthless. Worthless humanity. That's all. Raised in North Carolina,
I don't know this to be so. You may search those things out.
Most folks in North Carolina settled there originally because
they were sent there rather than going to prison. It's just worthless
humanity. Just worthless humanity. But
God preserved that family amidst all the plagues and the debauchery
and the wars of Germany. Preserved that family amidst
all the wars that have ravaged lands in time, preserve that
family all those days. Thus far, so far as I know, just
to call me by His grace. Why wouldn't He destroy it? A
blessing's in it. And He calls me a blessing. Remember
what he said to Abraham? He said, I will make you and
your seed a blessing. A blessing. A blessing. A blessing in the earth. Oh, God, make me that to you.
A blessing. Blessed of God. Blessing others. And when God's gathered the last
blessing into his kingdom, that's it. That's it. I think
of this often. I think I told you this just
the other day. Maybe, maybe tonight the Lord
will call the last of his elect into his kingdom and his church
and his glory. And when he does, that's it.
When's Christ coming? Soon as the last of the elect
remnant of the Holy Seed is called out by God's grace. The Redeemer
will be here. Amen.