Preparing the Way for God’s Covenant Redeemer Isaiah 56:1-8 Isaiah 58:6-12 Isaiah 59:

Our Theme: A New World is Coming A Redeemer will come from Zion. A Branch will sprout from Jesse. A Child will be born. A Servant of the LORD will suffer, and his suffering will bring redemption. 2

BUT, IS IT REAL? How it the Bible’s vision different from other human dreams? What would such a world look like? How would we recognise it? Would it be good news for us, in our broken world? Might it even, as with an Islamic kingdom, exclude most of us? 3

Is Preparing for God’s Covenant Redeemer: Three Parts of that Preparation 1. Preparing for an expanded community of worshippers. 56: Preparing God’s people to live in the new community. 58: Preparing the Redeemer, who brings in the new community. Conclusion: the People of God’s Eternal Covenant. 4

I. Preparing for an expanded community Isaiah 56:1-8 V 1. the coming of the New Order. – A. My salvation is close at hand. – B. my righteousness will soon be revealed. V 2. the New Order (or the Final Consummation) is like a ‘Sabbath’ – a time when all other considerations give place to experiencing God’s goodness. 5

v. 2 Blessing for Sabbath People 1. In the new world, every day is Sabbath. 2. BUT, in the old order (Israel), some were excluded. See Deuteronomy 23:1-8 – A. Foreigners (non-Israelites) – B. Eunuchs (non-perfect people) 6

The Good News: those formerly excluded are now included. V. 4. ‘Let no foreigners…say….’ V. 4. ‘Let no eunuch complain….’ V. 4-5 ‘this is what the LORD says’: – To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths…who choose what pleases me…who hold fast to my covenant. – To them I will give WITHIN MY TEMPLE ‘a memorial and a name…better than sons and daughters…an everlasting name…. 7

To the foreigners V. 6. To the foreigners who bind themselves to minister to him, love the name of the LORD…and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath…and hold fast to my covenant. V. 7. I will bring to my holy mountain…give them joy in my house of prayer…offerings will be accepted… My house will be called a house of prayer for ALL nations. 8

The New Testament: the Kingdom is ‘near’ (Mark 1:15) Jesus announces, in his own presence, the coming of the New Order. 9

Old categories of worship are set aside: A.In the OLD: Jerusalem, Temple, Sabbath B.In the NEW, those who ‘worship in spirit and in truth’. John 4:23 10

Old exclusions are set aside: 1.Prostitutes and tax gatherers find new life and hope. 2.A Syro-Phoenician woman Mark 7:26 3.Acts: Cornelius Acts 10 4.Eph 2: those ‘near’ and ‘far off’. 11

Key to New Order A new kind of Sabbath-keeper (pleasing to God, not keeping the rituals) A new kind of worship: in Spirit and in truth. A new kind of Law (see Sermon on Mount) A new kind of worshipper: (vv 4 – eunuchs, and 6 – foreigners). A new kind of temple – a house of prayer for ALL nations. 12

Conclusion: still more to come V. 8. ‘I will gather still others…beside those already gathered’. jesus (John 10:16. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 13

II. Preparing God’s People to Live in the New Community Isaiah 58:6-12 The illustration in ch 58 is ‘fasting’. False, hypocritical fasting (vv 1-5) and True, authentic, fasting (vv 6-12) Fasting illustrates the quality of worship. The quality of worship illustrates the quality of Kingdom life. 14

Marks of True Fasting. 58:6-7 A. Set One: undoing ropes/chains. – To loose the chains of injustice – To untie the cords of the yoke. B. Set Two: freeing the oppressed. – To set the oppressed free. – To break every yoke. 15

Marks (continued). 58:6-7 C. Set Three: food and shelter – To share your food with the hungry – To provide the poor wandering with shelter. D. Set Four: clothing and more personal needs – To cover the naked when you see him (Good Samaritan) – To not turn away from your own flesh and blood (could be family, or ‘all humanity’) 16

The Results of Such Fasting. 58:8-9a A. Set One: illumination/healing – Your light will break forth like the dawn – Your healing will quickly appear. B. Set Two: Protection/Guidance (the pillars of cloud and fire). – Your righteousness will go before you. – The Glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. C. Set Three: Answered Prayer – You will call, and the LORD will answer. – You will cry, and he will say, ‘Here am I’ 17

The Conditions for Blessing: 58:9b-10a A. IF you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointed finger, with malicious talk. B. IF you spend yourself on behalf of the hungry, and satisfy the needs of the oppressed. 18

The Results of Obedience 58:10b-11 A. Set One: Light from darkness – Your light will rise in the darkness – Your night will become like the noonday B. Set Two: Yahweh as Guide and Sustainer – The LORD will guide you always – He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land – He will strengthen your frame – You will be like a well-watered garden..a spring whose waters never fail 19

Results (Continued) C. Set Three: Vision of a People Building Ancient Cities – Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins, and raise up the age-old foundations – You will be calle ‘Repairer of Broken Walls’… ’Restorer of Streets with Dwellings’ 20

III. Preparing the LORD, the Redeemer…to come to Zion Isaiah 59:

Yahweh’s Observations about the present. Is 59:15b-16a A. He was displeased that there was no justice. B. He saw that: – There was no-one – No-one to intervene (on behalf of the oppressed) 22

The LORD’s active response 58:16-20 V. 16 His Resources (which he has within himself) – His own arm achieved salvation for him(self) – His own righteousness sustained him V. 17. his Armor (cf. Eph 6:14-17) – The breastplate of righteousness – The helmet of salvation – The garments of vengeance – The cloak of zeal 23

The LORD’s Response (cont) V. 18. His programme (for those who refuse his covenant): repays according to deeds (the opposite of grace). – Wrath, retribution, repayment Vv The results (for the new kind of people in the new covenant). – 19. West/East (rising) people (a) fear the name of the LORD/ revere his glory. – 20. Redeemer will come to Zion…to those who repent of their sins. 24

IV. Conclusion: The Eternal Covenant Isaiah 59:21 Covenant: a formal structure that sets out the conditions of an agreement. God’s Covenant in Isaiah – Is 42:6; 49:8 ‘I have made you (the Servant) a ‘covenant for the people, a light to the nations’ – Is 54:10 ‘my covenant of peace shall not be removed’ (God’s compassion) – Is 55:3 ‘I will make an eternal covenant with you, my unfailing kindnesses promised to David’ 25

The Features of God’s Eternal Covenant A. It is the LORD’s covenant – He initiates and sustains it. B. It is made with Israel (but all those also who are brought in from outside, e.g. foreigners, eunuchs) C. It is a covenant of Spirit and Word – God’s Spirit is sent to rest on (in) his servants. – God’s Word is put in the mouth of every generation. D. It is an eternal Covenant. 26

The Challenge: Are We New Covenant People? Do we welcome today’s ‘foreigner’, today’s ‘eunuch’? Do we ‘keep the Sabbath’? Is our ‘fasting’ the kind God chooses? Do we welcome a Redeemer whose order for the world is radically different? Are we people of the Spirit? A community of the Word? 27