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Isaiah chapter 55. Isaiah 55, we've looked at this 
passage a few times in the past, but I want to focus specifically 
on verses 10 and 11, but I do want to read the entirety of 
the chapter. It comes in a context. In Isaiah 52, we have redemption 
and deliverance promised by God. Isaiah 53, redemption is accomplished 
by the atoning death of the servant of the Lord. Isaiah 54, four 
promises are made to the church based on that servant's work. 
that is indicated in chapter 53, and then Isaiah 55 is the 
command to come to the servant of the Lord. So beginning in 
chapter 55 at verse 1, Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters, 
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come buy wine 
and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money 
for what is not bread and your wages for what does not satisfy? 
Listen carefully to me and eat what is good and let your soul 
delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to 
me. Here and your soul shall live. 
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the sure mercies 
of David. Indeed, I have given him as a 
witness to the people, a leader and commander for the people. 
Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, and nations 
who do not know you shall run to you because of the Lord your 
God and the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you. Seek 
the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near. 
Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. 
Let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him. And 
to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not 
your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as 
the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher 
than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the 
rain comes down and the snow from heaven and do not return 
there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud, 
that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. 
So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall 
not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, 
and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you 
shall go out with joy and be let out with peace. The mountains 
and the hills shall break forth into singing before you. and 
all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of 
the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the briar 
shall come up the myrtle tree. And it shall be to the Lord for 
a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in Heaven, we thank You for the written Word of the living and 
true God. We pray now for the ministry of the Spirit who gave 
us that Word to guide us into its meaning and with reference 
to application in our own hearts and lives. And may we stand in 
awe at what You have done in terms of the servant of the Lord, 
that One who brought atonement, that One who satisfied divine 
justice, that One who by His own wrath, under the weight and 
fury of God Almighty, has borne that wrath for us. We bless you 
and we thank you that you have taken out the sting from death 
and the victory of the grave, and that you have paved a way 
for us into that blessed Jerusalem. We give praise to you for your 
mercies to us. We ask again that you would guide 
us and lead us by your Spirit, and we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, before we get to verses 
10 and 11, just a reminder in terms of the outline of this 
particular chapter. In verses one to five, you have 
an exhortation to come, and it's to come to God through the servant 
of the Lord. So in verse one, there's an invitation 
proper. Oh, everyone who thirsts, come 
to the waters, and you who have no money, come by and eat. Yes, 
come by wine and milk without money and without price. So this 
idea of waters and the refreshment of the gospel, the wine and the 
exhilaration of the gospel, the milk, which is the nourishment 
of the gospel, sinners are invited to come. There is then a question 
in verse 2a, why do you spend money for what is not bread and 
your wages for what does not satisfy? In other words, why 
are you looking for your pleasure, your nourishment, your exhilaration, 
your stability, and your comfort in that which is unable to provide 
those things? And then we have the promise 
in verses 2b and 3. Listen carefully to me and eat 
what is good and let your soul delight itself in abundance. 
Incline your ear and come to me. Here in your soul shall live. And I will make an everlasting 
covenant with you the sure mercies of David. There's the promise 
of God to sinners who by grace come to him in faith. And then 
there's that guarantee. The guarantee is at the end of 
verse three. I will make an everlasting covenant 
with you, the sure mercies of David. Indeed, I have given him 
as a witness to the people, a leader and commander for the people. 
Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, and nations 
who do not know you shall run to you. Why? Because of the Lord 
your God and the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified 
you. Salvation truly is of the Lord 
through the mediation of Jesus Christ, the promised servant 
of Yahweh, who has given us in 42, 49, 50, and then in 52 and 
53, those four servant songs of the Lord. Then there is an instruction 
to those who do come to God in verses 6 to 13. Notice the emphasis 
on faith. and repentance in verses six 
and seven. Seek the Lord while he may be 
found. Call upon him while he is near. That's faith, that's 
belief, that's looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. That's always joined with, inextricably 
connected with repentance. Verse seven, let the wicked forsake 
his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return 
to the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for 
he will abundantly pardon. Not just a little bit of pardon, 
but an abundant pardon, because we're abundantly sinful. That's 
the kind of God that we need. And then notice the encouragement 
concerning the power of God with reference to those who come. 
And that is in verses 8 to 13. You've got God's nature in verses 
8 and 9. For my thoughts are not your 
thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. That does 
not mean we can't know anything about God, but it does show us 
that God is in the business of providing abundant forgiveness 
to abundant sinners. He goes on to highlight that 
in verse 9. For as the heavens are higher 
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my 
thoughts than your thoughts. He then emphasizes the power 
of the word of God in verses 10 and 11, and the promise of 
future blessing from God in verses 12 to 13. So that's an overview 
of Isaiah 55. Let's focus specifically on verses 
10 to 11, an exploration of the word of God, and this in two 
parts. First, the power of the written 
word, and then secondly, the glory of the incarnate word. 
So first, the power of the written word. Notice that he uses an 
illustration from the light of nature. Verse 10, for as the 
rain comes down and the snow from heaven and do not return 
there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud, 
that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. 
The descent of the rain and the snow. This serves a purpose in 
God's universe. The descent of the rain and the 
snow provide for mankind. The rain obviously waters crops. The rain obviously brings forth 
that fruit from the earth. The snow provides the freshwater 
deposits that the earth desperately needs, that the creatures depend 
upon for their sustenance. The precipitation descends not 
to return to the sky, but to perform a particular act. but 
water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it 
may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater." God does 
not do this haphazardly. Rain and snow and everything 
that descends has a specific purpose in the plan of God Most 
High. He then likens that to the Word 
of God in verse 11. First, as I said, the written 
word, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It 
shall not return to me void, just like the snow and the rain 
doesn't return to God void, rather it accomplishes the purpose for 
which he sent it. And that's what he says concerning 
his word. It shall accomplish what I please 
and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. The revelation 
of the word of God, the revelation of the word through Moses. through 
the prophets, through the writings, through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
through the apostles, and all of that according to the Spirit 
of the living God. All Scripture is given by inspiration 
of God, and it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly 
furnished or thoroughly equipped unto every good work. So it accomplishes 
the purpose for which God designed it. It doesn't return to Him 
void. And I think that's very encouraging 
for the people of God, because at times we see preaching go 
forth, we see gospel sermons proclaimed, and we don't always 
see a massive response, and we might conclude, well, the Word 
of God isn't working. The Word of God is not efficacious. 
The Word of God is frustrated. Well, brethren, we may be frustrated 
from time to time, but God is not frustrated ever. The purpose 
of God's word is very specific. It accomplishes what he purposes. Notice in terms of the word not 
returning to him void. You can turn to the New Testament 
book of 2 Corinthians. 2 Corinthians. I'm sorry, 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians chapter one. The word accomplishes the purpose 
for which God sends it. Notice in 1 Corinthians 1, specifically 
at verse 18. He says, for the message of the 
cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. And essentially 
what Paul is doing in this section is he is saying that God's manifold 
wisdom is displayed in the means that he has ordained. First, 
in the Word of God. Secondly, in the Corinthians 
themselves. And then thirdly, in the Apostle. In other words, everything is 
structured and designed in such a way so that when sinners are 
saved, sinners are not to be congratulated. Preachers are 
not to be congratulated. But God is to be glorified. As 
I say, He speaks concerning the Word, which the world concludes 
as foolishness. He speaks concerning the Corinthians, 
not many wise, not many noble. You aren't some group of pious, 
righteous, holy people that God said, oh, I'm obliged to bring 
you into my kingdom. And then in that bit in chapter 
2, verses 1 to 5, he highlights himself. He says, when I came 
to you, I didn't come as the alpha male. I didn't come to 
you strutting like a peacock. I came to you with much weakness. 
I came to you with much fear. I came to you with much trembling. 
We might think at times that God should ordain angels as the 
vehicle of communication of gospel truth. But God has not ordained 
angels. He's ordained men. And later 
in 2 Corinthians, he speaks about this treasure, this gospel treasure, 
having been put in earthenware vessels. That's a nicer way of 
saying cracked pots. And God puts that gospel treasure 
in cracked pots so that when sinners are saved, when they 
are brought to relation with the Lord Jesus Christ, the glory 
and the power is of God and not of man. And so that's the larger 
context here. He's highlighting what appears 
to be foolishness in terms of the world's approach to God and 
His ways. This is God's power. This is 
God's wisdom. So notice in verse 18, for the 
message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but 
to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is 
written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing 
the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the 
scribe? Where is the disputer of this 
age? Paul's throwing down a challenge here. Paul is issuing a challenge 
to the moral universe saying, come on, bring it. If you think 
you can stop, frustrate, or thwart the purposes of God, let's see 
you attempt that. He goes on to say, has not God 
made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since in the wisdom 
of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased 
God through the foolishness of the message preached to save 
those who believe. For Jews request a sign and Greeks 
seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified. To the Jews 
a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those 
who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God 
and the wisdom of God. because the foolishness of God 
is wiser than man and the weakness of God is stronger than man. 
Paul is saying that the message of the cross, which appears to 
be folly with reference to the Greeks, which doesn't have the 
signs with reference to the Jews, is nevertheless the power and 
the wisdom of God most high. That word does not return unto 
him void. Notice in 2 Corinthians chapter 
one, I'm sorry, 2 Corinthians chapter two rather, just looking 
at the reality that God's word proceeds and accomplishes the 
purpose for which he sent it. It doesn't return void. We can 
watch, we can be in participation of, we can see gospel preaching 
and what appears to be a lot of people hearing it and not 
responding, not coming to Jesus, not coming forth to the Son of 
God. And we might conclude or be tempted 
to conclude there's something wrong. There's something wrong 
with that word. It's not the word, brethren. 
Notice in 2 Corinthians 2. Furthermore, when I came to Troas 
to preach Christ's gospel and a door was opened to me by the 
Lord, I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus 
my brother, but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. 
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ 
and through us diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge in every place. 
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are 
being saved, notice, and among those who are perished. It's 
not that God disregards His Word and faithful proclamation in 
light of the fact that some perish. Now, I take from this particular 
passage that God is glorified through declaration. God is glorified 
through proclamation. God is glorified through the 
making known of Christ and Him crucified and resurrected. God's purpose is sure. Notice what he goes on to say. 
Verse 15, for we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those 
who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the 
one we are the aroma of death leading to death and to the other, 
the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for 
these things? For we are not as so many peddling 
the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in 
the sight of God in Christ. So in the Lord Most High, in 
the prophet Isaiah says, so shall my word be that goes forth from 
my mouth, it shall not return to me void. Gospel preaching 
brings glory to God Most High. Just the way that the rain and 
the snow, when they descend and they bring forth good things 
on the earth, God is glorified through the proclamation. He 
goes on to say, it shall accomplish what I please. It shall accomplish 
what I please. In Romans 1, verses 16 and 17, 
the apostle says, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for what? For it is the power of God unto 
salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to 
the Greek. Why? Because in it, the righteousness 
of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written, 
the just shall live by faith. The apostle underscores that 
the gospel itself is indeed the power of God. In other words, 
it accomplishes the purpose for which God sent it. In Romans 
10, 14 to 17, he highlights the necessity of faithful preachers. God sent preachers, not self-appointed 
preachers, but God sent ones according to verses 14 and 15. 
And then in verse 17, he says, faith comes by hearing and hearing 
by the word of God. James 1.18, of his own will, 
by the word of truth, he brought us forth. This gospel in the 
hand of the divine one is most efficacious to save those for 
whom it was intended to save. So God's word does not return 
unto him void, and God's word accomplishes the purpose for 
which he pleases. And then notice, he says in verse 
11 at the end, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent 
it. It shall prosper. Now, without getting into a big 
debate concerning eschatology, every Christian ought to have 
a degree of optimism in light of special promises like these. 
It is very clear, it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent 
it. In other words, we don't discount or get discouraged or 
get frustrated at the prospect of gospel missions or at evangelism. No, we take great comfort. We 
know, according to the prophet Isaiah, who spake by the Holy 
Spirit, that it will prosper, the cause of God in truth. It 
will advance the kingdom of Jesus Christ. We see that emphasis 
there again in 1 Corinthians 1.21. For since, in the wisdom 
of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased 
God through what? Through the foolishness of the 
message preached to save those who believe. You turn to the 
book of Revelation, chapter 7, verse 9, you see a great multitude 
that no man can number, from every tribe and tongue and people 
and nation. You've got promises in Isaiah, 
you've got promises in the Psalter that the knowledge of Yahweh 
will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Why is it that 
there are some that have been so encouraged at the prospect 
of gospel missions? Because they read their Bibles. 
Or they hear Jesus commissioning the church in Matthew 28, 18 
to 20. He says, all authority has been 
given to me in heaven and on earth as the mediatorial king, 
as the risen, resurrected, and about to ascend Lord, as the 
one who's going to take his station at the right hand of the Father 
and govern everything with a particular interest with his church, He 
says, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to 
me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. Why? Well, this 
was promised by the Father to the Son in Psalm 2. Ask of me, 
and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the uttermost 
parts of the earth for your possession. So Christ is simply making good 
on the promise of the Father to give Him the nations. So then 
He commissions the disciples to go, therefore, and make disciples 
of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, 
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe 
all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, 
even to the end of the age. He starts off with omnipotence, 
and He ends on omnipresence. In other words, church, I have 
all power. Church, I'm always with you. 
Church, go get the nations because the father promised them to me. Isaiah the prophet highlighting 
the blessedness of the word of God says, so shall my word be 
that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void, 
but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper 
in the thing for which I sent it. Now I want to consider secondly, 
the glory of the incarnate word. This language of word proceeding 
from the mouth of God is reminiscent of some concepts we have visited 
much lately. Our studies in John's gospel, 
we've considered the eternal generation of the Son. We've 
just finished up a large teaching block, 13 to 16, Jesus instructs 
his disciples. John 17, Jesus prays. We took time going through that. 
to see those relations between the Father and the Son. We get 
back, God willing, to John's Gospel. John 18, 1 picks up the 
narrative in terms of his passion. We will see him arrested. We 
will see him crucified. We will see him resurrected again 
with reference to that concept that we see there in John 1, 
1, for instance. In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1.14, 
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, 
the glory as of the only begotten Son, full of grace and truth. Verse 18, no one has seen God 
at any time, but the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the 
Father, He has declared Him. Jesus says in John 14, if you've 
seen me, you've seen the Father. Do you not know that I am in 
the Father and the Father is in me? So many times along the 
way we have considered that doctrine of eternal generation. But that 
is not something confined to the New Testament. In fact, the 
fathers, if one man is to be trusted, didn't put all their 
eggs in the cart of that language only begotten. They went to the 
Old Testament to prove the doctrine of the eternal generation of 
the Son, or in addition to only begotten. That only begotten 
is crucial. I think that when we sacrifice 
the word or the language, it won't be long before we sacrifice 
the actual doctrine. Some of the newer translations 
translate the only son or the one and only son. Those are not 
wrong, but they're not the best. The best is to emphasize only 
begotten. He is only begotten in the sense 
that he is not created, he's not adopted, but he is the son 
by nature and that language highlights that. But I would submit that 
what God through the prophet is saying here speaks concerning 
his written word, but it also speaks concerning the incarnate 
word. So shall my word be that goes 
forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void, 
but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper 
in the thing for which I sent it. We shouldn't have any more 
difficulty understanding word in this context of the incarnate 
word than we do with John 1.1. In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God. Or John 1, 14, the Word became 
flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. So when 
it comes to Isaiah 55, 11, yeah, an emphasis on the written Word 
of the living God accomplishing the purpose for which the Lord 
sends it, but as well the emphasis on the incarnate Word who accomplishes 
the purpose for which God sent it. Now, in terms of the Old 
Testament, we won't turn to all of these texts, but just remember 
Genesis 1, 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, and God said, let there 
be light. And God said, let us make man in our image. Now that text, specifically at 
verse 26, some have seen that let us make man as what they 
call a divine counsel, as if God conferred with the holy angels 
when it came to the creation of the universe. You might think 
that's an odd interpretation. Well, it's gaining some steam. 
It's definitely been around. I like what Aquinas says concerning 
that divine counsel idea. He says, we must not imagine 
that when God said, let us make man, he spoke to the angels as 
some were perverse enough to think. But by these words is 
signified the plurality of the divine persons whose image is 
more clearly expressed in man. The let us make man there is 
a reference to the Trinity. Let us make man. God spoke by 
his word the heavens were created. By his word the earth was formed. Notice in Psalm 33, I believe 
this is divine commentary on what you have there in the creation 
account. Psalm 33. Specifically at verse 6, by the 
word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of 
them by the breath of his mouth. By the word. In the beginning 
was the word. What does John say in 1 3? By him all things were made. And then notice the reference 
to the Spirit and all the host of them by the breath or the 
Spirit of His mouth. Brethren, I'd argue what you 
have there are eternal processions, the Son and the Spirit. The Son 
eternally begotten by the Father, the Spirit proceeds from the 
Father and the Son. The explanation in the New Testament 
confirms this. I've already alluded to John 
1, 3. By Him, all things were made. Paul says the same thing 
in Colossians 1, verses 15 and 16. By Him, all things were made. If we're taking Pauline authorship 
of the book of Hebrews, he says the same thing in Hebrews 1. 
By Him, all things were made. We need to remember when Jesus 
is the agent with reference to creation. It's not like, I almost 
said the way we use typewriters, but a lot of you would wonder, 
what's a typewriter? The way that we use devices, 
the way that we use iPads, the way that we use computers, the 
way that we use phones. John Webster has a helpful statement. 
He says, So the book of Genesis sets forth 
to us the eternal generation of the Son. Secondly, the Psalms 
of David. You can turn to Psalm 2. I've 
already alluded to it. We won't spend a lot of time 
there. But Psalm 2, we ought to see it for ourselves. Psalm 
2, verse 6, Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion. 
And now the king is going to speak. Verse 7, I will declare 
the decree. The Lord has said to me, you 
are my son. Today I have begotten you. Now 
Paul appeals to this particular passage in Acts 13.33 and speaks 
of it concerning the resurrection. I think both things are true. 
According to Paul in Romans chapter 1, Jesus is declared to be the 
Son of God with power at the resurrection by the Spirit of 
God. So both things are there. The 
eternal generation of the Son, the resurrection of the Son according 
to His humanity. The eternal generation in the 
Old Testament. Notice as well Psalm 45. Psalm 45. Again, a sampling of 
Psalms here. Psalm 45 verses 6 and 7. This comes up in Hebrews chapter 
1. Psalm 45, 6 and 7. Your throne, 
O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is 
the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate 
wickedness. Therefore, God, your God, has 
anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions. 
Hypostatic union right here in verses 6 and 7. The divinity 
of Christ, verse 6. The humanity of Christ, verse 
7. And then Psalm 110, I think that's a passage we all know. 
Yahweh said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your 
enemies a footstool. But turn to Psalm 130, Psalm 
130. You've got the psalmist out of 
the depths. Verse one, I have cried to you, 
O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to 
the voice of my supplications. If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, 
O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with 
you that you may be feared. Now notice, I wait for the Lord. 
My soul waits. And in his word, I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more 
than those who watch for the morning. Yes, more than those 
who watch for the morning. So you've got the presence of 
the written word with reference to the psalmist. He says that, 
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I do hope. But it's not only his present 
possession of the written word that he holds, but in the promised 
Messiah who will hail from his line. And I think you can see 
that. Notice in verse 5, I wait for 
the Lord, all caps, which indicates this is the name Yahweh. Verse 
6, my soul waits for the Lord, not all caps, which indicates 
the name Adonai. Just like in Psalm 110.1, Yahweh 
said to Adonai, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies 
your footstool. So David, as he's thinking about the reality 
of his own sin, he thinks about strict justice. If thou, Lord, 
shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is 
forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared. Where does 
he get his comfort? I wait for the Lord. My soul 
waits. And in his word, I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord 
more than those who watch for the morning. Yes, more than those 
who watch for the morning. David was looking for the son 
of promise. David got this in 2 Samuel chapter 
7, in what we call the Davidic covenant. A son of David would 
rule over the kingdom of God Most High, and he had that hope. Notice then as well the Proverbs 
of Solomon, specifically chapter 8. Proverbs chapter 8, just trying 
to show that eternal generation is not foisted by the New Testament 
on the Old Testament, but the New Testament certainly illumines 
for us what was always there in the Old Testament. Notice 
in Proverbs chapter 8, specifically at verses 22 to 31. Now in terms 
of the subject, In terms of the object, the topic, 
the speaker in Proverbs 8, it's Christ. Christ speaking as wisdom. 
Paul tells us in Colossians 2 that in Christ, all the treasures 
of wisdom and knowledge are hid. Bridges makes a helpful comment. 
He says, it must be a perverted imagination that can suppose 
an attribute here. In other words, that wisdom is 
just somehow an attribute that's speaking. He says, so glorious 
are the rays of eternal supreme deity, distinct personality, 
and essential unity, that the mysterious, ever-blessed being, 
the Word, who was in the beginning with God and was God, now undoubtedly 
stands before us. To receive His own revelation 
of Himself is our reverential privilege. And that's exactly 
what we're getting to see. It's similar to what John does 
in the prologue in John 1, 1 to 18. He goes, as it were, behind 
the veil to show us something of God in himself. And notice 
Christ speaking as wisdom highlights eternal generation, specifically 
in verses 22 to 26. The Lord possessed me at the 
beginning of his way, before his works of old. I have been 
established from everlasting, from the beginning before there 
was ever an earth. When there were no depths, I 
was brought forth. When there were no fountains abounding with 
water. Before the mountains were settled. Before the hills, I 
was brought forth. While as yet He had not made 
the earth or the fields or the primal dust of the world. The 
Lord Jesus Christ, speaking His wisdom, highlights His eternal 
generation from the Father. Again, it's eternal. There never 
was a time when the Son was not. Contraereus. The Son is from 
everlasting to everlasting. And he gives us a peek into that 
reality here in the book of Proverbs. And then he speaks concerning 
the creation, that essential unity of Father and Son relative 
to works of creation and redemption. Notice in verse 27, when he prepared 
the heavens, I was there. When he drew a circle on the 
face of the deep, when he established the clouds above, when he strengthened 
the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit 
so that the waters would not transgress his command, when 
he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside 
him as a master craftsman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing 
always before him, rejoicing in his inhabited world, and my 
delight was with the sons of men. in creation and in redemption. Not the angels, but the sons 
of Adam. Those creatures of God that populate the earth, that 
would fall into sin, and then the recovery mission by the son 
of God. It is a blessed testimony to 
the reality of the eternal generation of the son. Turn to Micah the 
prophet, Micah chapter five. A passage that we often see cited 
and preached on at Christmas time. Micah chapter five, specifically 
at verse two, but you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little 
among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth 
to me, the one to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are 
from of old, from everlasting. Whose goings forth are from of 
old, from everlasting. And essentially what the prophet 
is saying is just as David brought salvation, in a sense, to the 
nation of Israel, so will David's greater son. In other words, 
from a cradle in Bethlehem, the nation would be blessed. But 
this one to be born in the line of David is no ordinary man. His goings forth are from of 
old, and we could read this from the ancient of days. His goings 
forth are from of old, from the ancient of days. The father sends 
the son. The father is unbegotten, the 
son is begotten by the father, and the spirit proceeds from 
the father and the son. And then one other passage in the prophet 
Isaiah, turn back to Isaiah chapter 9, we have another passage that 
often gets a lot of time during Christmas. Isaiah 9, specifically 
at verse 6, we've got the king identified and his kingdom described 
in verse 7, but the king identified, notice in verse 6, for unto us 
a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government 
will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful 
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. John 
Owen makes the perceptive comment on this statement. He says that 
the same person should be the mighty God and a child born is 
neither conceivable or possible, nor can be true, but by the union 
of the divine and human natures in the same person. So you see 
the prophets, the psalmist, the lawgiver Moses, under inspiration, 
guidance by the Spirit, prophesied the coming of Messiah, that he 
would be divine. This underscores the reality 
that God from God, light from light, true God from true God, 
begotten not made, one in being with the Father, through whom 
all things were made. Now when we go back to Isaiah 
55, all that was predicated of the written word is predicated 
of the incarnate word. Everything true of that word 
sent by the Father in terms of its written form is duplicated 
with reference to the incarnate word. Notice, we've got the incarnation. So shall my word be that goes 
forth from my mouth. Eternal procession, seen specifically 
in the temporal mission. The word became flesh and dwelt 
among us and we beheld his glory. or Galatians 4.4, in the fullness 
of the time God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under 
the law, to redeem those under the law. And then notice in terms 
of the accomplishment, it shall not return to me void. Brethren, 
when you want to argue the efficacy or the definiteness or the particularity 
of atonement, this is a good passage to go to. Christ is not 
frustrated. Christ's work is not void. Christ's work does not depend 
on the free will of godless men. Christ's work does accomplish 
the purpose for which the Father sent Him. And when we think of 
His work, we think of the Incarnation, we think of the Passion. We think 
of His active obedience in terms of His perfect fulfillment of 
the entirety of God's law. We think of His death on the 
cross, or passive obedience, His satisfaction of divine justice. We think of his resurrection 
again the third day, his ascension on high, his current session 
at the right hand of the Father. None of this is void. None of 
this is without effect. None of this is empty. But no, 
he accomplishes the purpose for which he is sent. And not only 
does he accomplish what I please, but it shall prosper in the thing 
for which I sent it. The word does not return void. If you go back to the prophet 
Isaiah chapters 42 and 49, the Sir and the Lord there is not 
frustrated. You go back to chapter 53, the 
servant of the Lord there is not frustrated. In fact, Isaiah 
55 is predicated on the work of the servant of the Lord. This 
ho, everyone who thirsts comes, that is only because of what 
the servant has wrought in his perfect accomplishment of the 
will of God. You've got it all over the New Testament. Look 
at Matthew 1.21, you shall call his name Jesus. Why? For it is 
he that will save his people from their sins. You've got it 
in Matthew 20, 28. He says, the Son of Man did not 
come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom 
for many. You've got it all throughout John's gospel, John 6, 37 to 
40. This is the will of the Father, 
that you believe on Him whom He sent. All that the Father 
gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will 
certainly not cast out. There's no void here, there's 
no emptiness here, there's no frustration, there's no Savior 
at the right hand of the Father gnawing on his fingernails, hoping, 
hoping beyond hope that those free will sinners will choose 
for Jesus at the gospel tent. That's not the picture that you 
have. When God makes the promise to Abraham, look north, look 
south, look east, look west, All of that is going to be your 
land. That's fulfilled in the seed of Abraham. According to 
Paul in Romans 4.13, it means the entirety of the world. And 
when God says to Abraham, in your seed, all the nations shall 
be blessed. He's not talking about physical 
Israel that descends by ordinary generation from Abraham's loins. The seed of Abraham is Galatians 
3.16. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. In him, the nations of the earth 
are blessed. That's why he says, go therefore 
and make disciples of all the nations. Why? Because this was 
always the plan, purpose, and promise of God. Even the oracle 
to Noah, that Jephthah will find rest in the tents of Shem. This 
is Gentile inclusion in the covenant promises of God. It's not just 
a New Testament concept. We're going to close our service 
tonight by singing a psalm that addresses specifically Gentile 
inclusion in the covenant promises of God. It's not about ethnic 
Israel. It's about Jesus, the true Israel, 
who identifies himself thus in John 15. I am the true vine. I am the true vine, he says. 
So we have all these promises of God, they're yea and amen 
in our Lord Jesus Christ, and the prophet testifies of that. It shall prosper in the thing 
for which I sent it. And remember, in light of verse 
10, and make it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to 
the sower and bread to the eater. Jesus uses a similar analogy 
in John 12, 24, speaking about His own death. The hour had come, 
according to verse 23, and in verse 24 He says, "...most assuredly 
I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground 
and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much 
grain." He appeals to the light of nature. He appeals to general 
revelation. He illustrates from that reality 
the blessed spiritual reality that if Christ goes into the 
grave, if Christ dies, there will be the production of much 
grain through His cross work on behalf of sinners. Well, brethren, 
I hope that we see the power of the Word of God, both in its 
written form and with reference to the incarnation of the Son 
of God. And I just want to, before we 
get into the supper proper here, again, taking into consideration 
the entirety of the chapter. It's a bit of an exhortation 
to believers and unbelievers. Unbelievers, you should listen 
to what the prophet says and come to the Savior. I don't know 
how to make that clearer or plainer. If I knew 20 languages, I would 
say it in 20 languages. You need to listen to the prophet 
Isaiah. You've got problems, and your 
problem isn't, well, I'm just not as well adjusted as everybody 
else. No, your problem is you sin against a thrice holy God. Your problem is, is eternal damnation 
as a result of that sin against a thrice holy God. Your problem 
is, is that if you die tonight or you die today or you died 
right now, you drop into hell. The problem is the wrath and 
fury and judgment of the most high God. His eye is too pure 
to look approvingly upon any evil. The prophet tells us that. The psalmist tells us that God 
is angry with the wicked every day. There's even an urgency 
in our own chapter. Notice in Isaiah 55 verse 6, 
seek the Lord notice while he may be found. What does that 
imply? There's a time coming when he 
won't be found. There's a time coming when it 
will be too late. There's a time coming when you 
may knock and there will be no answer. So there's an urgency 
on the part of the prophet. There's an urgency on the part 
of the entirety of scripture. Now is the acceptable time. Today is the day of salvation. So unbeliever, listen to what 
the prophet says. Seek the Lord while he may be 
found. Call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake 
his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return 
to the Lord. And you have this blessed assurance. 
He will have mercy on him and to our God, for he will abundantly 
pardon. So if you're sitting there right 
now saying, well, I am a sinner. I am an unbeliever. I haven't looked 
to the Lord Jesus Christ, but man, I'm quite the sinner. Jesus 
is quite the Savior. I've got an abundance of sins, 
Jesus has an abundance of grace. In him, we have redemption through 
his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches 
of his grace, Ephesians 1.7. So don't try to talk yourself 
out of coming to Jesus because you're so sinful. Because you're 
so sinful, you should flee immediately to Jesus. That's my encouragement 
to any unbelievers. Whether you're old, whether you're 
young, whether you're a man or whether you're a woman, it doesn't 
matter. You've sinned against a thrice holy God. Undealt with 
sin deserves God's wrath and curse, both in this life and 
that which is to come. If you do not believe, if you 
do not repent, you will die in your sins. And the Bible describes 
for us in vivid detail what that looks like. It's not a walk in 
the park. It's not like some fools out 
there say, well, heaven doesn't want me and hell's afraid I'm 
gonna take over. Take over suffering? take over 
pain, take over weeping and gnashing of teeth. Really? That's what 
you want to go with that? Well, I'd rather go to hell because 
all my friends are going to be there. Yeah, what a party that's 
going to be. Misery, suffering, pain, weeping, wailing, gnashing 
of teeth. So brethren, or unbelievers, 
listen to the text. Seek the Lord while he may be 
found. Call upon him while he is near. Why? Because he abundantly 
pardons. Newton said, I'm a great sinner, 
but I have a great Savior. And everyone in here, in Christ, 
can testify to the same thing. Before the believers, we come 
to the supper. It's a bit of a covenant renewal 
time. This isn't our service to God. This is the householder's 
service to us. It is for us to renew. It is 
for us to be confirmed. It is for us to grow. It is for 
us to be strengthened. It is for the weary pilgrim along 
the way to be refreshed by the Master with a fresh view of our 
blessed Savior. He uses the means of bread. He 
uses the means of wine. He uses physical realities to 
show us spiritual truths, the broken body, the shed blood of 
our blessed Savior and what that entails for the believing sinner. But in this particular prophecy, 
we've got encouragement even for believers. Because as we 
sang this morning, we are prone to wander, and we are prone to 
leave the God that we love. Our brother made application 
specifically to that. He had believers, unbelievers, 
and then Christians that are just kind of... Do you ever just 
kind of... Do you ever just get into that 
slump? Not me, pastor. Oh, good. Send me your Bible studies so 
I can never go through an eh. It's a reality. We are prone 
to wander. We are prone to leave the God 
that we love. Listen to the prophet. The repetition of the promise 
or rather the invitation three times in verse one and once in 
verse three. Let us come afresh in faith to 
our blessed God tonight through the sacrament. Let us come afresh 
to God tonight through the sacrament. Let it not just be a meaningless 
ritual that we engage in once a month in the terms of the church. 
No, come to the waters. Come, buy and eat. Come, buy 
wine and milk. Verse three, incline your ear 
and come to me. The graciousness of the invitation. For the unbeliever, without money, 
without price, But for the believer, he doesn't say, well, you're 
gonna owe. You're gonna have to pay big. 
You've messed it up so much, you better do some penance. And 
once that's done, then you, no, without money, without price. 
The description of the blessings, notice in verse three, your soul 
shall live joy and peace in verse 12. For the unbeliever, your 
soul shall live versus die separate from God, cut off from all blessing, 
suffering what the older boys called the sense of loss, all 
the good from God is gone in hell. But also suffering the 
sense of pain, his wrath, his fury that invokes the weeping, 
the wailing and the gnashing of teeth. But for the believer, 
we don't wanna just, Want to live, want to be joyful and have 
that peace according to verse 12. The promise of the presence 
of God, let your soul delight itself in abundance. As unbelievers 
and believers, we need to be reminded of this. Sin is no good 
taskmaster. Sin doesn't pay rich dividends. 
Sin does not reward. Sin does not provoke or provide, 
rather, good things for the sinner. No, it just doesn't. You always 
come up short. You always come up empty. But 
with God, your soul can delight itself in abundance. You've got 
the promise of the mercy of God. He will have mercy on him and 
to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Brethren, as believers, 
we always stand in need of that promise. We always stand in need 
of the riches of his grace. We always stand in need of that 
reality spoken of by the prophet Micah. He'll take our transgressions 
and cast them in the depths of the sea. We always stand in need 
of that great grace and it's promised here. We've got the 
promise of God's mercy. We'll have mercy on him and to 
our God for he will abundantly pardon. We've got faith and repentance. We might be lacking. We might 
be struggling. We might be weak in our faith. 
Not no faith. But we want stronger faith. We 
say with that man, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. That 
ought to be a regular part of our prayer lives. I believe, 
help thou mine unbelief. As well, this repentance, this 
putting to death, the ways, the thoughts, the wretchedness, the 
transgression of God's law, the lack of conformity unto it. Lord, 
forgive me, cleanse me, wash me in that precious blood. Fill 
me with your Holy Spirit. I need to know his presence, 
his power, such that I don't continue in these particular 
things. Help me by the Spirit to mortify the deeds of the body 
that I might live. These are all things that as 
believers, we get renewed by the covenant renewal meal. We 
get resolved by the grace of God to walk in that blessed life 
that we have. And let us never forget the urgency 
of the situation. Seek the Lord while he may be 
found. Call upon him while he is near. May God bless, may God 
save, and may God encourage the hearts of his people as we take 
this bread and as we drink this cup. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in Heaven, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for the power 
of the written Word and the glory of the incarnate Word. We know 
that Word accomplishes the purpose for which it is sent. We know 
it prospers Your cause in this world. And we pray for the proclamation 
of the truth. We pray for the glory of the 
Redeemer to be made known through that truth. We pray that multitudes 
would believe on it. and that the church would be 
strengthened according to it. We ask specifically for our church 
that you would build us up in our most holy faith, fill us 
with your spirit and strengthen us as we seek to glorify you 
in this present evil age. And we ask this through Jesus 
Christ, our Lord. Amen.