I'm calling this morning’s message: God is Awesome in Righteousness. For those with you Bible, we’re in Isaiah 28-35. Keep in mind that Isaiah lived centuries before Jesus’ first coming. Yet in these chapters he is warning both Israel (Northern Tribes), and Judah (Southern Tribes), that God Himself, the Lord of Armies, is coming in righteousness, and with justice. It was of urgent importance that they become sober-minded, alert, and be ready for God's chosen “One."
Allow me to hit the “pause” button. I grew up in a Christian household hearing these sort of warnings all the time. Every news event (especially news from the Middle East) was linked to the Bible verse, to a sign of the times, and some imminent doomsday scenario. As a child, the constant alarm became exhausting. Nothing anybody said happened the way they said. It was like they were crying wolf. I learned to tune it out. Once I rolled my eyes and my Dad scolded me, “Don't you dare roll your eyes at us.” If I was reticent to alarm as a child, how much more all these decades later? It's not just religious alarmism, it’s climate alarmism, stock market alarmism, political alarmism, cable news alarmism. Nobody has much of any credibility, least of all the alarmist.
Speaking of alarm, I keep seeing these video clips coming out of Florida. Is there any place on earth that gets hit with more catastrophic storms than Florida? Every week there is some hurricane. They keep showing these million-dollar homes, built on toothpicks literally on top of the ocean, collapsing. To me that isn't news, that’s stupidity. People know about these hurricanes but take risk. I shake my head. All these people bragging about Florida. The insurance rates (and nanny homeowner association fees) are so high it erases any tax advantages. But the stilt people don't care. The damage will be paid by someone else. They'll just shake it off, build back better—in the same place, in same sand, with same blueprint.
Incidentally in Isaiah 28-35, Isaiah warns a storm is brewing. Actually, several storms. If you are of Israel (i.e. “Ephraim”, Northern Tribes) a mighty easterly storm was brewing in the form of the Assyrian Empire coming to occupy their land and exact judgement upon them. If you are of Judah (i.e. “Ariel", Southern Tribes) a mighty easterly storm was brewing in the form of the Babylonian Empire. By the way, Isaiah makes it clear that God whistled for these mighty nations to come to a “rod of discipline” on Israel. What kind of loving God would use these evil empires to discipline his people? As dreadful as the thought of these foreign empires invading must have been, that fear fails to compare to one even greater. For the Lord who is Awesome in Righteousness and Justice is soon coming!
Isaiah's chosen metaphor for the Day of the Lord is that of a mighty storm. By the way, do you remember that song we sing that says, “God's Love is like a Hurricane.” I know, don't judge the song writer. What does it mean to sing God’s Love is a Hurricane? What does that even mean? Hurricanes are terrifically devastating. Where in Scripture is God’s love likened to a hurricane? I'll tell you what attribute of God IS linked to a hurricane. It's God's Righteousness! Funny we're willing to sing about God's love but not also his righteousness. Why is that?
Take a Listen: Isaiah 28:2, “Look, the Lord has a strong and mighty one—like a devastating hailstorm, like a storm with strong flooding water. He will bring it across the land with his hand.” Now look closely--"The Lord has a strong and mighty one." It’s not the arrival of a literal storm, but the arrival of a Divine being, Divine person, or angel! The “one” will sweep over the land like a mighty storm!
If you’re a good Floridian, or Midwesterner, no storm warning alarms you. The buzzing Weather Radio, “ALERT ALERT" hardly disrupts your sleep. In Isaiah 28:15, God's people are the same. Why? “[Because they] said, “We have made a covenant with Death, and we have an agreement with Sheol; when the overwhelming catastrophe passes through, it will not touch us. . .” because we have made falsehood our refuge and have hidden behind treachery.” Their only refuge and comfort are their own lies, self-deception, and treachery. “There is no cause for Alarm. This word from the Lord is a nothing-burger. You'll see. Yawn. Snooze the weather-alarm.” Later Isaiah reveals most of them don't even believe God exists.
Isaiah 28:16-22. Hear the word of the Lord! “. . .Look, I have laid a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable. 17 And I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the mason’s level.” Hail will sweep away the false refuge, and water will flood your hiding place. 18 Your covenant with Death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not last. When [NOT IF] the overwhelming catastrophe passes through, you will be trampled. 19 Every time it passes through, it will carry you away; it will pass through every morning—every day and every night. Only terror will cause you to understand the message. 20 Indeed, [your] bed is too short to stretch out on, and [you're covers] too small to wrap up in. [i.e. You are not going to sit through the Lord's Coming in your pajamas, in your warm bed] 21 For the Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim. He will rise in wrath, as at the Valley of Gibeon, to do his work, his unexpected work, and to perform his task, his unfamiliar task. 22 So now, do not scoff [i.e. roll your eyes], or your shackles will become stronger. Indeed, I have heard from the Lord God of Armies [there is] a decree of destruction for the whole land.”
Listen. I don't care if you buy property in Florida. I don’t care if you want to welcome the next hurricane, and live stream it, as you sit on the beach, in your lawn chair. But should you welcome the coming Lord with such disregard, you will be in for a catastrophe not just of a lifetime but eternity. Brace yourselves! The Lord is coming to Justice and Righteousness. Remember John the Baptist? Prepare the way for the Lord. Make your path's straight. Repent and be baptized. One is coming whose sandals I'm not even worthy to tie.
When Christ came the first time, people could still repent, and opt to be baptized to cleanse their guilt. But when Christ comes at the end of the age, yes in righteousness and justice, there won't be an altar call for repentance or baptism. When Christ returns, he will bring the nations before his judgement throne. Think of the regret you will have, if you haven't readied yourself for that day. “Gee, I shouldn’t have built my house on stilts, in the sand, next to sea. I should have built my life according to God's word, God's blueprint.” It will be too late for regret.
Isaiah has already said, no bed will be big enough, no covers thick enough, for you to hide under in the Day of the Lord. The Lord will find you where you lay. Let me tell you what you will find in Isaiah 22-35 if you dare read it.
In Isaiah 25, Isaiah denounces the drunkards of Ephraim. These were people (including priests) who built their lives around getting daily intoxicated. Such drunkenness is a form of sensuality. Sensuality is where you build your existence around some desire, or pleasure. Drunkenness, Addiction, Pornography, Greed, Idolatry. Ultimately, all forms of sensuality are regressive and destructive. Whatever pleasure you derive in the beginning, in the end, destroys your soul.
Regressive Sensuality. When something is regressive, it dulls us, deforms us! First of all, sensuality makes us less self-aware. The more driven by desire you become, the less human, less adult, less mature, more child-like, more animal-like, more fleshly, impulsive, self-centered, spiritually-dead you become! Isaiah pulls no punches. Ephraim was once a beautiful land (vineyard), but their drunkenness caused them to neglect their once beautiful land. Their once beautiful existence was being reduced to that of a fading flower, trampled underfoot. That's what sensuality does—you could have such a beautiful, fruitful, godly life but instead you’re staggering because of your wine. You’re literally stumbling, confused in your thoughts, muddled in vision, careless in judgements---a shell of who God created you to be! The men of Ephraim so drunk their tables were covered in vomit, their clothes filled with stench. All sense of self-awareness erased.
But the even greater problem of sensuality is it doesn't just cause a regression of your health, appearance, self-care. Their drunkenness caused them to lose all sense of God! They're weren't fit to be a parent, much less give a child milk, much less teach future generations God's word. Isaiah repeats the drunkard's spiritual mantra. They’d scoff, “Law after law, law after law, line after line, line after line, a little here, a little there.” They had regressed so deeply, and so intoxicated, to them the very Word of God became gibberish—they couldn't make sense of spiritual alphabet, must less words, sentences, and books. Their mantra in life was, “Hand me another beer. Let's Eat, Drink and be Merry for tomorrow we die.” No sobriety, no readiness, no spiritual concern. Some of you are well acquainted with our culture of sensuality. Parents so intoxicated, with little to no sense of self, much less sense of God, much less ability to train up children to be mature, godly, better… A storm is brewing. The Lord is coming in Righteousness. Will you be found sober or intoxicated?
Some indulge in sensuality. In Isaiah 29 Isaiah calls out a group indulging in what I'll call Performative Worship. There were this whole class of people for whom worship was more about performance than transformation. The preachers were putting on a show, giving false assurances of peace, all love, tolerance, and flowers with no edge of truth, righteousness, justice, moral accountability, or judgement. Their “spiritual talks” were hollow lip service to a hollowed God. Their worship wasn't about being formed and learning to please God. It was a show. Their worship was void of wisdom, spiritual perception, or discernment. People were just checking boxes, following human rules. The minute they left worship they mistakenly thought they’d hide their true plans and lives from the Lord. They'd say, “who sees us… who really knows us." Isaiah warns them they are like lumps of clay denying their own potter! You have a funny way of giving lip service to God while denying the One who created and formed you. You don't understand God's works! In your daily life you are ruthless, filled with scorn and evil intent. You deny people justice, you disregard righteousness! Beware! A storm is coming. The Lord of Armies is coming to lay siege against you.
In Isaiah 30-31, still others began forming Unholy (Idolatrous) Alliances. For those of you caught up in that Nationalistic Spirit of our Age, take a lesson from Israel. Israelites were literally the people of God, but instead of trusting in God as King, they sought security in unholy political alliances. They imagined some entity other than God; some king, some nation, some party affiliation, some form of human rule… would be their nation’s salvation and hope. Sound familiar?
Isaiah warns, “Egypt will be of no benefit, no help. They are good for nothing but to bring you shame and disgrace. In reality, they reject the prophets, they reject the truth, they seek give and receive flattery, prophesy illusions, deep down they want to rid society of holiness and the Holy One! You have misplaced your trust in them. In reality, they only want to deceive you, so they can oppress you. You’re putting your confidence in wrong things.”
Lately, there has been a resurgence in “Christian Nationalism.” It is the great hope of the Christian that political revolution… the Republican party… will be the vehicle through which we can “Re-Christianize” our nation and save our World. Maybe read Isaiah 30-31. Do these national leaders, in whom we trust, really have in mind the things of God? Do they really seek the truth? Do they obey God? To what degree is their vision really aligned with God's vision for this nation much less all humanity? Is it possible we're those gathering under the banner of political revolution (Red, Blue, Christian or not) who are being manipulated, deceived with Egypt’s flattery? Is it possible those giving lip service to your values, parroting your gospel today are merely using your faith as a means to gain power for themselves? When given ultimate power, will Egypt prove any less oppressive?
So many pithy invitations scattered throughout Isaiah 30-31. Isaiah 30:15, “For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “You will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence. But you are not willing.” Isaiah 30:19-21, “19 For people will live on Zion in Jerusalem. You will never weep again; he will show favor to you at the sound of your outcry; as soon as he hears, he will answer you. 20 The Lord will give you meager bread and water during oppression, but your Teacher will not hide any longer. Your eyes will see your Teacher, 21 and whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”
Fourthly, Isaiah confronts those indulging in Spiritual Complacency (Isaiah 32). Isaiah 32:15-19 says, a time is coming when “. . . the Spirit from on high is poured out on us. Then the desert will become an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest. 16 Then justice will inhabit the wilderness, and righteousness will dwell in the orchard. 17 The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever. 18 Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, in safe and secure dwellings. . . 19 But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink into the depths.
When the Lord comes in righteousness it will only be dreadful for those caught in lifestyle of regressive sensuality, performative worship, spiritual complacency, and unholy (idolatrous) alliances with man. The faithful stay sober and alert, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Isaiah 33:2, “Lord, be gracious to us! We wait for you. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble.” Isaiah 33:5-6, “5 The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. 6 There will be times of security for you—a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.” Isaiah 33:22, “For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King. He will save us.”