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.

Closing Prayer

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.

Introduction and Chapter Overview

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.

The Power of the Written Word

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.

Rain and Snow: The Analogy

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.

The Word Accomplishes God's Purpose

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.

Definite Atonement and Christ's Work

Notice in terms of the word not returning to him void.

1 Corinthians 1: Foolishness and Power

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.

2 Corinthians 2: Fragrance of Christ

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.

Romans and the Gospel's Efficacy

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.

The Glory of the Incarnate Word

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.

John 1: The Eternal Word

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.

Old Testament Witness to Eternal Generation

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.

Application: Unbelievers and Believers

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.

Scripture References

• Genesis 1:3; 1:26
• 2 Samuel 7
• Psalms 2:6-8; 33:6; 45:6-7; 110:1; 130
• Proverbs 8:22-31
• Isaiah 9:6-7; 42; 49; 52; 53; 54; 55:1-13
• Micah 5:2
• Matthew 1:21; 20:28; 28:18-20
• John 1:1; 1:3; 1:14; 1:18; 6:37-40; 12:23-24; 14:9; 15:1
• Acts 13:33
• Romans 1:4; 1:16-17; 4:13; 10:14-17
• 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1:21; 2:1-5
• 2 Corinthians 2:12-16; 4:7
• Galatians 3:16; 4:4
• Ephesians 1:7
• Colossians 1:15-16; 2:3
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17
• Hebrews 1:2
• James 1:18
• Revelation 7:9