In Quietness And Confidence
Our Bible passage, introduction to Sunday 3rd September service and hymns are below. You may listen to an audio recording by clicking above or there is a video link to our YouTube channel at the bottom of this page.
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Our principal verses are:
Isa 30:18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
Isa 30:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
Isa 30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
Isa 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
In Quietness And Confidence
This chapter speaks of God’s displeasure toward Jews who turned to Egypt for help during the Assyrian campaign. Isaiah called the people of Judah and Jerusalem to trust the Lord but rather than retain a confidence in the Lord and seek a covering under God’s spiritual protection they placed their hope in men and in the flesh. Instead of resting in God their Saviour they tried to forge alliances and buy deliverance using their worldly wealth.
Help from an old enemy?
The princes and leaders of Judah sent ambassadors to Zoan and Hanes, cities in Egypt, to solicit Pharaoh’s help. As Sennacherib advanced from the north the wealthy took their riches and fled south on donkeys and camels to hide in Egypt. Isaiah labels this distrust of God ‘vain’ and ‘shameful’. They add sin to sin. Rather than resting upon the Lord and trusting Him to deliver them they try to deliver themselves. They neither trust God’s word nor listen to His messengers.
Write this down
The Lord calls Isaiah publicly to record His anger against Judah and write it in a book that their condemnation be preserved for ever. Though they claimed to be true children of God they were, in reality, lying children, full of deceit and rebellious. They maintained an outward pretence of religion but it was merely a veneer. They wanted religion on their own terms, a man-centred religion to satisfy their desires and excuse their disobedience. They pushed aside God’s prophets who faithfully declared God’s name and replaced them with smooth talking imposters who told them what they wanted to hear.
‘The Holy One of Israel’
Therefore, as a true prophet should, Isaiah declares God’s name more emphatically, confronting and contradicting the hypocrisy of these men whose destruction was imminent. Isaiah gives a picture of a useless broken pot and a high wall bowing under its own weight that falls suddenly. God set the way of salvation before these will-worshippers, showing them where true strength, quietness and confidence was to be found but they would have none of it. They pursued their own way of salvation and despised the truth.
Until a remnant shall be left
Yet the Lord does not altogether cast off this people. A few will be preserved and a remnant remain, like a beacon on a mountain or a flag on a hill. The Lord will wait patiently to be gracious, by which He shall also be exalted. Now follows a series of gospel prophecies in which the Lord pledges mercy, grace and peace to those who trust Him, wait for Him and call upon His name. It is Christ who will be exalted, as He was upon the cross where justice was satisfied and mercy performed, then further exalted in resurrection and glory.
God enables His elect
These blessed people are God’s elect, blessed to wait upon the Lord by faith, blessed to be preserved through adversity and affliction. The blessed people are supplied with apostles and teachers who point them to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Way of Life, and guide them in the straight paths of righteousness. They will dwell in Zion, the church of Jesus Christ, and will enjoy the benefits of Christ’s presence, who hears and answers prayers.
Light beyond the sun and moon
Yet there is more, in these gospel days there will be given spiritual rain to refresh the ground from which will spring spiritual fruit. Preaching will prosper and the gospel will bring about a plentiful gathering-in of harvest. In that day, says Isaiah, rivers and streams will flow from Jerusalem, as witnessed in the apostolic age and thereafter from Zion, the church. The bright light of gospel preaching will illuminate the whole earth.
God’s anger unleashed
The closing verses of this chapter are a fierce representation of the destruction of Assyria, the one-time tool in God’s hand. However, they speak also of the overthrow of Satan and the destruction of his kingdom when the Lord shall spoil his house and gather from it the objects of His love as trophies of His grace. There is a diminishing of Satan and a magnifying of Christ every time a sinner is converted and brought to a knowledge of the truth. There is joy in heaven amongst the angels and gratitude and praise in the church for each wandering child brought home.
Final judgment
We also see in Isaiah’s words a glimpse of the day when the Lord will come in final judgment upon the wicked. Then He will separate His church from those doomed to hell. Today, many speak of peace where there is no peace. Let it be understood, the return of the Lord Jesus will be with burning anger upon all who know Him not. He comes with lips full of indignation; His tongue a devouring fire. Tophet is a picture of hell; deep and large, fuelled for its purpose and filled with brimstone where the damned shall be cast and the reprobate consumed in everlasting fire.
Amen
Our hymns are below.
Hymn 1
Gadsby selection 991
“Their strength is to sit still.” Isa. 30. 7, 15
A. M. Toplady L.M.
1
Emptied of earth I fain would be,
The world, myself, and all but thee;
Only reserved for Christ that died,
Surrendered to the Crucified.
2
Sequestered from the noise and strife,
The lust, the pomp, the pride of life;
For heaven alone my heart prepare,
And have my conversation there.
3
Constrain my soul thy sway to own;
Self-will, self-righteousness dethrone;
Each idol tread beneath thy feet,
And to thyself the conquest get.
4
Detach from sublunary joys
One that would only hear thy voice.
Thy beauty see, thy grace admire,
Nor glow but with celestial fire.
5
Larger communion let me prove
With thee, blest Object of my love;
But O for this no power have I!
My strength is at thy feet to lie.
Hymn 2
Gadsby selection 1035
“In returning and rest shall ye be saved.” Isa. 30. 15
H. Fowler S.M.
1
Return, my wandering heart,
To thy dear resting-place;
Nothing in nature, nor in art,
So fair as Jesus’ face.
2
A proud and wandering heart,
A bold, rebellious will,
Severely make me daily smart,
And oft my comforts kill.
3
When night’s dim shade I feel,
I sigh, I mourn, I groan;
Do thou, dear Lord, thy face reveal;
Ah, leave me not alone.
4
Sweet Comforter, descend,
And lead me to the Lamb;
My absent, present, precious Friend!
Eternally the same.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the source of all salvation. Some rest in their faith, others in their works, some in their church, some in their minister’s praise. Only by resting in the completed work of Christ on the cross can a weary soul find rest. Only in our Saviour is there grounds for quietness of spirit and confidence of heart.
3 September 2023