Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- Joel & Isa 56-59
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: Hey, it's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas. Welcome to our journey through scripture. ⁓ we are ⁓ continuing to kind of go chronologically through the the scripture. ⁓ we're gonna read Joel chapters ⁓ well, I think the whole thing, Joel one through three, and then Isaiah fifty-six through fifty-nine. Right? And both of these, it's it's kind of hard to know exactly where these ⁓ were were given, these messages were given. ⁓ if it's exactly in this chronological time frame or not, ⁓ we're we're not completely sure. ⁓ Joel, some people actually say Joel may have been a much earlier prophet, ⁓ but it it could also fit here. There clearly has been the the temple, ⁓ but there's there's some problems going on and Joel is ⁓ dealing with that. Specifically there's a famine and locust that are ⁓ infesting the ⁓ the harvest. And the people are tempted ⁓ to turn away from God. And and Joel is is warning of that. And then he warns of the day of the Lord. kind of ⁓ a a day of the Lord that they would experience, but then there's the the bigger picture of the day of the Lord, of of when he will will come for the final time. So there's there's this look forward as well. Again, we're not gonna get into the the details of the the prophecy aspect. But but what does this teach us about what God God desires and what he doesn't desire and and how we need to be aware ⁓ of our relationship with him and that ⁓ if if we fall away from him as a people, ⁓ that that does bring consequences. ⁓ so you have ⁓ Joel chapter one, it ⁓ says ⁓ what what the chewing locust left and the swarming locusts has eaten, what the swarming locusts left, the crawling locust has eaten. What the crawling locust left, the consuming locusts is eaten. ⁓ awake you drunkards and weep and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, for it has been cut off from your mouth. So he's saying you need to wake up. This is this is a problem. We need to turn back to the Lord. ⁓ we we continue to see that, get into verse thirteen, as it's mourning for the land. says, gird yourselves and ⁓ and lament, you priest. Wail you who minister before the altar, come, lie at night in sack sackcloth, you who minister to my God, for the grain offering and the drink offering are withheld from the house of your God. Consecrate a fast. Call a sacred assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God. Cry out to the Lord. So I think this is interesting what the what Joel is telling them to do. Okay, we're we're here in the midst of this ⁓ plague of locust basically. ⁓ and we need we need to turn back to God. We need to be more have more of our focus on him. ⁓ so call us call an assembly, priest, you need to be mourning. ⁓ are you paying attention to what's going on? He's calling them to action, calling them to turn back ⁓ to God. ⁓ then chapter two kind of talks about the the day of the Lord that that is is kind of happening That they're experiencing. ⁓ it says, Blow the trumpet and though sound the alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning cloud spread over the mountains, a people come great and strong, ⁓ the like of whom we've never seen before. Nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. Right. It's acknowledging the the gloom and and difficulty that they are in. They are mourning that. ⁓ and and recognizing ⁓ this is ⁓ this is a ⁓ a much bigger problem that that we cannot solve. We have to rely ⁓ on the the Lord. Verse ten says, The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. The Lord gives vo voice before his army, for his camp is very great. For strong is the one who executes his word, from the day of the Lord is great and very terrible. Who can endure it? Right? So I I think we can look at this as as something that will eventually happen in the future, but there are those times that are gonna feel like this is the day of the Lord, right? That how are we going to endure this? That we feel like we are overwhelmed. And ⁓ and ⁓ Joel's response to that, verse twelve, is ⁓ is a call to repentance. It says, Now, therefore, says the Lord, Turn to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. So rend your heart, not your garments. So don't just go through the outward motions of mourning, of tearing your garments, but ⁓ actually allow your heart to be broken towards me. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and he relents from doing harm. Who knows if he will turn and relent? And leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God. So w what is this saying? It's okay, whenever you're in those times when it feels like it's the day of the Lord, right? That that we repent and we turn to him ⁓ because because of who he is. And does that mean that it's that everything's gonna get better immediately? No, but it but it may, it may get better. and we would rather put our trust in the God who we know is gracious and slow to anger and abounding in mercy ⁓ than to continue to try to go our own way and to get ourselves out of ⁓ the challenge that we may be in. then it continues to go on. It talks about how the land will be refreshed. and ⁓ how ⁓ it says fear not, verse twenty one. Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice. The Lord has done marvelous things. Do not be afraid, you beast of the field, for the open pastures are springing up, the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, children of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the former rain faithfully, and he will cause the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain in the first month. So Again, it's talking about God is going to get you through this time, specifically this time of locusts and and plagues. ⁓ and ⁓ and then it it continues on ⁓ and talks about how God's spirit will be poured out. And many people say this is kind of referring to the the bigger picture day of the Lord. ⁓ and it's ⁓ in verse twenty eight it says, And it shall come to pass afterward that That I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall see dreams, your young men shall see visions, and also my men servants and my maidservants, I will pour out my spirit in those days, and I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke, the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord, and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in the Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls. Right? So again, this bigger picture of that there will be the day of the Lord, whenever it it seems like there is nowhere that we can turn, but it is it is the Lord who will save us. ⁓ it says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. ⁓ then chapter three goes into How all of the nations ⁓ will eventually be ⁓ judged and called into account ⁓ all those who have who have done wrong and who have ⁓ been violent towards their neighbors, speci specifically to Judah, ⁓ but that that God will make ⁓ call everyone to account. And then that gets us to Isaiah chapter fifty six through fifty nine. ⁓ this is kind of getting closer to the end of of Isaiah. ⁓ this kind of is a probably a l a later time. The temple is standing. ⁓ but these these are are interesting. ⁓ some believe that they are ⁓ foretelling of the eighth of the eighth century prophet Isaiah. the prophecies speak of the sep second temple ⁓ temple. ⁓ but But it's a it's very interesting. We don't really know exactly when this prophecy is is ⁓ w w the time frame that it's being prophesied or when it's going to pass, if this was something earlier on or later. ⁓ there's actually lots of questions. We won't get into this, but ⁓ where there where there are multiple Isaiahs, like is the time frame is really large here. ⁓ it's kind of kind of interesting. But that it it it doesn't do any good to get bogged down in that. We we again we ⁓ look at the big picture. What is this teaching us? What is this warning us of? ⁓ you know, what what can we learn about our relationship with God ⁓ and and what we learn about who God is. And so you see in ⁓ chapter fifty six of Isaiah it says it starts off it says, Keep justice and do righteousness, for my salvation is about to come, my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this and the son of man who lays hold on it, who keeps from defiling the Sabbath and keeps his hand from doing any evil. Verse six also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants. Everyone who keeps defiling the Sabbath, ⁓ keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast my covenant. Even them I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be ex accepted, ⁓ for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. Right. So so now if you remember, Ezra and Nehemiah, they were very careful. They didn't want other nations ⁓ intermingling, they didn't want them being part of the the priestly ⁓ things. And and it the reason was is because the people were would actually follow their the foreign ⁓ peoples ⁓ traditions and gods rather than holding on to their own. ⁓ but Isaiah ⁓ in fifty six saying there will be a time where we're all are welcomed in and that God is allows all to be part ⁓ of this ⁓ act of worship says that ⁓ my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. Again, remembering God is working through the people of Israel ⁓ but he's actually calling all of us ⁓ into a relationship with him. And ⁓ it then it it it goes into Israel's ⁓ very irresponsible ⁓ leaders, all you beasts of the field come to devour you beast in the forest. His watchmen are blind, they are ignorant, they are all do dumb dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough, and they are shepherds. Who cannot understand. They all look to their own way, everyone for his own gain, for his own territory. Right? So that's this the state of things. That's the the problem ⁓ that we are seeing. And and then ⁓ chapter fifty seven talks about Israel's idolatry. ⁓ the righteous perish and no man takes it to heart. Merciful men are taken away, while no one considers the righteous as taken away from evil, he shall enter into peace. They shall rest in their beds. Each one is walking in his uprightness. But come, you sons of the sorceress, you offsprings of the adulterer and the harlot, whom do you ridicule? And so he's he's talking about the leaders of Israel of how they are they are failing. ⁓ it's ⁓ in verse eight, ⁓ also behind the doors and the post you have set up your remembrance. For you have uncovered yourself to those other than me, and you have gone up to them, you have enlarged your bed and made a covenant with them, you have loved their bed, where you saw their nudity. You went to the king with ointment, increased your perfumes, you sent your messengers far off, even descended to Sheol Sheol. Now you are wearied in the length of your way, yet you did not say there is no hope. You have found the life of your hand, therefore you were not grieved. Right, so that's that that they've chosen to follow other gods actually gives the image of entering into a a bed and a sexual relationship. ⁓ right, the the the ⁓ the people have ⁓ adultered themselves to other idols that they have basically cheated on the one true God. ⁓ it says, and of whom have you been afraid or feared that you have lied and not remembered me, nor taken it to your heart? It is it not because I have held my peace from ⁓ from of old that you do not fear me? I will declare your righteousness and your works, for they will not profit you. When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you, but the wind will carry them all away, a breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain. So he said saying what you you've decided to give the one who has get granted you peace, the one Who is the one true God and you've decided to trust in these idols? Well, good luck with that. continues to go, ⁓ verse nineteen, I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near, says the Lord, and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked. So ⁓ Saying it's a reminder, I will heal you, I will give you peace, even if you were far off, but you have to come to me. ⁓ for the wicked, they will find no peace. ⁓ chapter 58 ⁓ talks about fasting ⁓ and and repenting from that, turning to the Lord. verse 10 if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul. Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones. You shall be like the watered garden and and like the a spring of water whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places, you shall raise up the foundations of many generations, and shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. So again he's promising If you fast, if you repent, if you turn back to me, I will restore you. ⁓ Verse fifty nine or chapter fifty nine talks about how they they will be separated from God. ⁓ behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor is ear heavy that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated you from God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear. You know. There's times where we wonder, is God listening? Is he paying attention to me? ⁓ well the the reality is is yes, he is. It says the Lord's hand is not shortened, ⁓ so he can still save. His ear is not heavy, so that he can't hear, right? But what separates us, is our iniquities have separated us from god. Maybe it's our unbelief, maybe it's our doubt, maybe it's our questioning, ⁓ or our sinfulness, right? The That ⁓ you know, God is always present. ⁓ it it ultimately there there are those times that it feels like he is distant, but he is really not. ⁓ and and we need to let him take those burdens from us, whatever they may be, so that we can have that restored relationship ⁓ with him. ⁓ chapter four or verse four of chapter fifty nine says, No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies. They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity. So that's the state of the people. ⁓ kind of sounds sounds like today. No one calling for justice, ⁓ nor does anyone plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies. Then it talks about the confession of sin. Verse 9, therefore justice is far from us, nor does righteousness overtake us. We look for light, but there is darkness, for brightness, but we walk in blackness. We grope for the wall like the blind and we grope as if we had no eyes. We stumble at nude as the twilight, we are as dead men in desolate places. And you know, so it's a a dark place to be, right? ⁓ whenever we are we are struggling like that. ⁓ it says we look for justice but there is none, for salvation, but it is far from us. But then it reminds Again the reminder that he will redeem in verse fifteen. So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor. Therefore his own arm brought salvation for him, his own righteousness that sustained him, for he put on righteousness as a breastplate. ⁓ the helmet of salvation on his head. Do you you recognize that language? That's ⁓ in Ephesians, the ⁓ putting on the armor of God. But but what does God do whenever he sends his son, whenever he enters into the world? Right? He becomes his own arm, brought salvation ⁓ for him. ⁓ then verse twenty-one says, As for me, says the Lord, this is my covenant with them. My spirit who is upon them and my words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth Nor the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants, says the Lord, from this time and forevermore. So God does promise that He will redeem, that He will continue to work with the people. But when they turn away from Him and quit seeking truth and quit seeking justice, there will be consequences to pay. Alright, so if you can read Isaiah chapter six sixty through sixty six. So Isaiah sixty through sixty six and ⁓ and we will we'll yeah we'll we'll stop stop there at ⁓ Isaiah sixty six. All right. See y'all.