Where Is This Salvation You Speak Of? – Part 4
Isaiah 59:1 – 60:22 (59:21)
October 13, 2024
This morning we are only going to look at one verse in this segment
Because I think it is a very important truth,
And also a timely one for the day in which we live.
(21) “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now and forever.”
This is not just an IMPORTANT TRUTH, but in light of where Isaiah has brought us, it is actually A REMARKABLE ONE.
For in this verse we have God here giving His reasoning
As to why He is saving Israel.
And the truth it reiterates is one that we, even as the Gentile church,
Are extremely grateful for.
But to fully grab the magnitude of it, I want us to walk back
Through where we’ve come from since we started this segment.
When we came to Isaiah 50
We started dealing with a very unique prophetic picture.
You have here Isaiah preaching to his people.
• So certainly we hold that there was a spiritual benefit for the people of his day.
• These were prophetic words of hope regarding how God would demonstrate His faithfulness to their people throughout the ages.
One could also make the argument that Isaiah was speaking prophetically 100 years down the road to the Jews who will find themselves in Babylon during the exile.
• Certainly that bears out historically and we see that Israel did end up in Babylon as a punishment for their sin
• And it fits all of Isaiah’s language about God’s scattered people returning to their land.
But more than anything, as I have told you, Isaiah 50-66 is prophetic to the Israel of the end times.
• Isaiah is speaking prophetically to the Jews who were present in Jesus’ day and crucified Him,
• All the way to the Jews of our day who continue to deny their Messiah.
This segment is an evangelistic call of salvation
To rebellious Israel throughout the ages.
It is God’s prophetic revelation of their salvation and return to Him.
I don’t want you to lose sight of that…
So turn back with me to chapter 50 and let me remind you again of this journey we’ve been on.
We started with the revelation that Israel was broken off from their fellowship with God because they rejected the Messiah when He came.
READ: Isaiah 50:1-2a
And we also see here who it was that came that Israel did not answer.
READ: Isaiah 50:4-6
Isaiah began with an announcement that Israel had been broken off.
We understand that.
Romans 11:7-10 “What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; just as it is written, “GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY.” And David says, “LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. “LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.”
• We saw how Jesus came and was rejected by His own.
• Their rejection of Christ led to their being broken off and hardened.
• They dwell under this hardening down to this very day.
Isaiah 50 was a very clear prophetic announcement
Of Israel’s rejection and punishment.
Chapters 51 and 52 can then be categorized as the rejected message.
These chapters prophetically reveal to us the very things
That Christ would preach and the very things Israel would reject.
READ: Isaiah 51:1-8
• It was the call to be true children of Abraham by faith. Jesus preached that.
• It was the reminder that salvation had come and it should be accepted.
• It was the reminder that Christ’s righteousness is the only righteousness that endures forever.
But Israel rejected that message and the One who preached it.
Chapter 52 is more of that same thing.
READ: Isaiah 52:3-7
• God is calling them to recognize their lost spiritual condition and to trust in Him for salvation.
• Paul even quoted verse 7 as the preaching of the gospel.
This is the message Israel rejected
And then they crucified the One who preached it.
And then we came to 53 (really 52:13).
Chapter 53 explained to why they did not recognize the Messiah,
Why they rejected Him, and how God used that for redemption.
READ: Isaiah 53:4-6
• They didn’t recognize Him because of His humility and suffering.
• They saw a lowly man claiming to be God and they hated Him.
• They killed Him, but God accepted Him as the sacrifice for the sin of His people.
And the rejection of the Christ came to full fruition.
In Chapters 50-53
He came, He preached, they blasphemed and rejected and killed Him.
But as we have repeatedly said – CHAPTER 53 CHANGED EVERYTHING.
After chapter 53, after atonement has been made,
The message turns to one of tremendous grace and mercy
As Isaiah calls the most hopeless to salvation
All based on the atonement of the Messiah.
Chapter 54 he calls the BARREN and the REJECTED.
READ: Isaiah 54:1
• She is the one producing now spiritual offspring (Hagar)
READ: Isaiah 54:6-7
• She is the divorced one of chapter 50, broken off, but called back home (Gomer)
And we are learning that those with no hope of salvation
Now have hope because Christ has died.
Chapter 55 he calls to the THIRSTY.
READ: Isaiah 55:1-3
• Those still trying to satisfy themselves through legalism and the Law
READ: Isaiah 55:6-7
• It is a call to repentance and promised salvation.
He’s calling still the most hopeless and the most helpless
To come enjoy the salvation that has been purchased.
Chapter 56 he call to the FOREIGNER and the EUNUCH
READ: Isaiah 56:3-5
• Even Eunuchs with no hope of a future can be saved.
READ: Isaiah 56:6-8
• Even Gentiles with no claim on the promises can have a future.
And in Chapter 57 he calls to the CONTRITE and LOWLY
READ: Isaiah 57:15
WHEN YOU ZOOM OUT AND LOOK AT IT,
The picture just really begins to become clear.
1. Israel rejected her Messiah and was broken off as a result.
2. But through her rejection the Messiah was crucified for their sins and now
forgiveness is available through Him.
3. It is a forgiveness not based on merit or works, but a salvation based on grace.
4. It is available to the barren and rejected, the thirsty and broken, the foreigner
and eunuch, the humble and contrite.
5. It is a promised salvation of God to those who are the least worthy.
So we have God offering and offering and offering.
We have God calling and calling and calling.
BUT WE HAVE ISRAEL STEADFAST IN REJECTION OF THAT CALL.
Romans 10:21 “But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”
You would think at this point God would have enough and just say, “Forget it! I’m done with you stubborn people!”
AND IF THAT’S NOT ENOUGH,
It almost becomes humorous because in chapter 58
Israel begins to blame their lostness on God.
READ: Isaiah 58:3a
They think they humbled themselves as God required,
And yet God hasn’t saved them or reconciled them.
They question God’s faithfulness and later His ability.
God spent chapter 58 and 59 answering that question.
First of all what you call humility wasn’t humility
And what you call fasting wasn’t fasting.
READ: Isaiah 58:5
Secondly nothing has changed.
You’ve still got the same bloody handy…
READ: Isaiah 59:1-3
We called it:
#1 THE LORD’S REPROACH
Isaiah 59:1-8
• There has been no humility.
• There has been no repentance.
• There has been no contrition.
That’s why there has been no salvation.
And we saw Isaiah lamenting the reality of that fact.
READ: Isaiah 59:9-11
We called it:
#2 THE PROPHET’S RESPONSE
Isaiah 59:9-15a
IS THE BIG PICTURE BECOMING CLEAR?
Salvation has been promised, and offered, and it is available,
But Israel has wanted no part of it. (down to this very day)
• They won’t repent.
• They won’t humble themselves.
• They won’t turn to Christ.
And so God hasn’t saved.
And we would be in full agreement with the justice of His decision.
We can very easily see and say that they don’t deserve it.
• We certainly can’t fault God for trying.
• These people are just too stubborn.
• Perhaps it is time to just move on.
In reality, we even see Isaiah seemingly throwing up his hands in defeat.
READ 59:12-15a
No one could or would blame God
If He just washed His hands of these people.
BUT THEN, on Sunday night we saw God’s response.
(And what a glorious one it is.)
That even though Israel is rebellious and blind and deaf
And has done nothing to bring about salvation.
GOD IS GOING TO MOVE AND DO IT FOR THEM.
We called it:
#3 THE MESSIAH’S REDEMPTION
Isaiah 59:15b-20
READ: Isaiah 59:15b-17
As we saw Sunday night Christ is coming to save them.
Are they a displeasing people? ABSOLUTELY.
But God motivated Himself to be “astonished” at their judgment
(Of His own volition He horrified Himself at the thought of their judgment)
And “His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness upheld Him.”
This has been the entire message of Isaiah since chapter 50.
• Yes they are rebellious…
• Yes they rejected their Messiah…
• Yes they were broken off…
• Yes they are deaf and blind and hard hearted…
• Yes they have thus far failed to repent…
• No, they are not currently saved…
• They are as vile as you can imagine in every sense of the word…
BUT NONE OF THAT HAS CHANGED THIS ONE FACT:
GOD HAS PROMISED TO SAVE THEM.
AND HE WILL SAVE THEM.
Romans 11:25-32 “For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” “THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.”
Paul even tells us in that same chapter to guard against
An arrogant mindset that thinks it is over for them.
Romans 11:17-18 “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.”
IT IS A MASSIVE MISTAKE
For saved Gentiles to assume they are the only elect of God.
The covenant we enjoy through Abraham
Is a covenant we have been grafted into as a wild olive shoot,
But they are the natural fit.
God has made promises to save Israel and He will save Israel.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN
• He will just save them apart from their repentance, He will not.
• He will just save them apart from their faith in Christ, He will not.
• Jews who die without faith in Christ are lost.
WHAT IT DOES MEAN HOWEVER
• God will one day transform their hearts
• He will cause them to repent and cause them to return
• And when they do, He will send His Christ to save them from their enemies.
Remember what Peter preached to the Jews in Jerusalem even after they crucified the Lord?
Acts 3:17-21 “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. “But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.”
Peter even went on to say:
Acts 3:25-26 “It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ “For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”
That promise to Israel remains.
When they repent and when they return (which God will cause)
Then Christ will return and will save His people.
They don’t deserve it.
They are vile and sinful to the core to this very day.
BUT GOD WILL SAVE THEM.
AND NOW WE COME TO THE PLACE WHERE WE ASK GOD WHY?
#4 THE LORD’S REASONING
Isaiah 59:21
We are trying to figure out why in the world
God would be so devoted to such a stubborn people.
And stubborn is all they are!
TURN TO: PSALMS 106
It’s like Israel’s “Sin Hall of Fame”
• Why would God put up with such a sinful people?
• Why would God still offer the salvation?
• Why would God not just toss them aside and move on completely?
THAT IS WHAT GOD IS EXPLAINING HERE.
I don’t know if I would have normally spent much time here,
But in light of our current state of affairs in the world
I think this is an important truth to remember.
I see today what I never really thought I would see in my lifetime.
There is a growing movement of antisemitism
That seems to be showing up in our world.
I really thought that the holocaust was still too recent to think that I’d ever see it again.
We’ve seen it on a political front with the Israeli response to the Gaza invasion and now with the attacks on Iran and Lebanon.
There has been a significant anti-Israel response on the political scene.
• We’ve seen Palestinian protestors
• We saw Jewish students harassed and kept from the college classes
• We see antisemitism popping up on social media outlets
And though I am surprised a little, that is not what surprises me the most.
I am more surprised about the anti-Israel responses
That are coming out of many evangelicals,
Even those in the reformed camp.
I see it more and more today through various online outlets
People who are promoting REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY,
(which basically states that God has replaced Israel with the church.)
So you take all of those promises in the Old Testament to Israel
• And replacement theology would say that Israel forfeited those promises when she rejected Christ
• And those promises have now all been transferred to the church.
• It is now over for Israel.
Not only do I think that is false, but I think it is very dangerous.
I also think the end result is that you will harm your own assurance and confidence if you go down that path.
AND I’LL TELL YOU WHY.
While replacement theology makes its argument
Based on the immorality and defection of Israel,
The real target of replacement theology is not Israel, it is God.
WE HAVE NEVER SAID: That Israel will be saved because they deserve it.
God has never said that.
In fact, God has said exactly the opposite.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8 “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
Deuteronomy 9:4 “Do not say in your heart when the LORD your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you.”
God’s working for Israel has never been about Israel deserving it.
No one is saying that Israel deserves salvation.
But when you say that God has replaced her
You bring tremendous accusation
Against the faithfulness and character of God.
We believe Israel will be saved for this reason only.
God said they would, and He never breaks His word.
(21) “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now and forever.”
In looking at this verse we have to ask some questions here
To make sure we understand what is going on.
We know this verse follows
God’s promise that His own arm would bring salvation to Israel.
Specifically He said:
(20) “A Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the LORD.”
Redemption and salvation are coming.
And then we come to verse 21.
“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,”
So the first question we have to ask is, “What is the covenant”?
• He says, “this is My covenant with them”
• What is the “this” He is talking about?
WELL IT MUST BE SALVATION.
Salvation is the point of the final 5 verses of chapter 20.
God just said that He would do for them what they could not and would not do for themselves.
• His “own arm would bring salvation” to Him.
Clearly God is talking about a promise He made to save.
That makes the next question important,
We have to ask is, “Who is “them”?
• Who are the recipients of this covenantal promise of God?
• Who are the recipients of this promise of God to save?
And the text only allows for one answer.
(59:20) “Zion…those who turn from transgression in Jacob”
This covenant which God is referring to here is a covenant with Zion.
• It is a covenant with Jacob.
• It is a covenant with Israel.
• It is a covenant with the Jews.
And I don’t think you have the liberty to make some sort of spiritual swap here to accommodate a theology of replacement.
Even Calvin said:
“The Scripture declares that the race of Abraham, by lineal descent, had been peculiarly accepted by God. And it is the evident doctrine of Paul concerning the natural descendants of Abraham, that they are holy branches which have proceeded from a holy root, (Romans 11:16.) And lest any one should restrict this assertion to the shadows of the law, or should evade it by allegory, he elsewhere expressly declares, that Christ came to be a minister of the circumcision, (Romans 15:8.) Wherefore, nothing is more certain, than that God made his covenant with those sons of Abraham who were naturally to be born of him.”
(cited on twitter by @jonharris1989 on 10/10/24)
I am well-aware that
• “they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel.” (Rom. 3:6)
• “nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s
descendants.” (Rom. 3:7)
• They were told not to say, “We have Abraham for our father” (Matt. 3:9)
• “it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7)
AND WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE.
No Jew is saved and going to heaven
Just because He is a physical descendant of Abraham.
But the promise God made was not just to a spiritual people.
He spoke literal, physical, ethnic Israel.
And the promise is that He will not stop until He has saved them.
So now we have God making a promise at the end of chapter 59
To send salvation.
And then God says, “This is My covenant with them”
As if to say, “Why wouldn’t I come to save them, I made promises to them”
Here you have God, in a sense, defending His own right to save.
Isaiah spent the last ten chapters outlining the sinfulness of Israel.
• How they rejected Christ
• How they crucified Christ
• How they seek ceremonial religion over repentance
• How they blame God for not being able to save
We pointed out Sunday night that you can easily see
Their total depravity or absolute inability.
Isaiah has pointed out their bloody hands,
Their lying tongues, their pathetic benevolence.
By the time you get to verse 15 you can almost hear Isaiah throw up his hands in agreement that Israel doesn’t even deserve salvation.
(15a) “Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.”
It’s like he says, “You know what God, You’re right, these people are pure evil and they don’t deserve salvation.”
But the verse doesn’t even end
Before God steps in and promises to save them anyway.
And perhaps you’d wonder why God would save them
With them being so clearly depraved and wicked.
And God says: BECAUSE I MADE A COVENANT WITH THEM!
DO WE REMEMBER THIS?
Genesis 15:7-8 “And He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” He said, “O Lord GOD, how may I know that I will possess it?”
And do you remember what God did?
• He cut a covenant with Abraham.
• Abraham took the animals, cut them in pieces and God passed through the pieces.
• God made a promise to Abraham.
We see it again:
Genesis 17:1-8 “Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.” Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations. “No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. “I have made you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. “I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
These are promises He reiterated to Isaac and to Jacob.
• God made promises to them.
• Promises of salvation.
• And He will do it.
“for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable”
In fact, even though Israel broke their covenant with Moses,
God has promised a New Covenant to them.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
God has promised that one day
He will write His Law on their hearts and save them.
Ezekiel 36:26-28 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. “You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.”
And if you want to see what it will look like when God does this.
Zechariah 12:10-13:1 “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. “In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo. “The land will mourn, every family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves; all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves. “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity.”
God made promises.
God made a covenant.
God does not break His word.
• Yes, Israel has rejected their Messiah.
• Yes, Israel is currently broken off.
• Yes, Israel is a state of total depravity.
• No, they are not interested in Christ.
• No, they will not and cannot come of their own accord.
• Yes, it looks like a totally bleak situation.
BUT GOD MADE PROMISES!
AND HE IS GOING TO SAVE THEM.
“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD:”
BUT THERE IS MORE.
Next we have to ask, “Who is “you”?
“My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now and forever.”
Well, we know “you” isn’t Israel, because “them” is Israel.
We have here another reference to God’s mysterious servant
Who has shown up repeatedly in Isaiah.
• You know the servant who, in chapter 50, was given the tongue of a disciple who gave His back to those who strike Him?
• You know the servant of chapter 52&53 who was marred more than any man and who was pierced through for our transgressions.
Here God announces that even though this servant was rejected, His message will never be broken.
And this makes sense to us even later in the book.
Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
We know that Isaiah 61 is a reference to Jesus
• Because when Jesus went to Nazareth in Luke 4
• He read that passage and said, “Today these words have been fulfilled in your hearing.”
So the servant whom God’s Spirit is upon;
Who is preaching God’s words of salvation
IS NONE OTHER THAN CHRIST.
• The recipient of this message is Israel.
• The covenant is the New Covenant.
• And the messenger of it is Christ.
And God says, “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your moth shall not depart from your mouth…”
This message of the gospel…
And this message of the gospel to Israel…
WILL NEVER STOP BEING PROCLAIMED.
• God will never write them off.
• God will never give them up totally.
• There is a remnant today and God will never stop preaching to them.
These “words” that God is referring to must be the message of the gospel.
Who are the “offspring”of this servant?
• It must be believers.
• It must be those who believe the message.
And we will never stop proclaiming to Israel the message of her salvation.
I think it is incredibly foolish, but also disobedient
To adopt some kind of theology whereby God has broken all of His promises with Israel and has written them off as those replaced by the Gentile church.
Paul certainly never did that.
Romans 9:1-5 “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.”
Romans 10:1-4 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Oh, I know Paul often said, “From now on I am going to the Gentiles”
• But have you ever read those passages?
• He never followed through with that threat very good.
• You still find him going synagogue to synagogue.
• One time he left and went into the house next door to the synagogue to preach.
• Even in the last chapter of Acts Paul is in prison in Rome and still preaching to Jews.
THE POINT IS, GOD IS NEVER GIVING UP ON HIS PEOPLE.
Despite their unbelief and obvious depravity,
God made a promise and He will keep it.
He said He would save them and He will save them.
In fact Paul quoted Isaiah 59:21 in Romans 11.
Romans 11:26-27 “and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” “THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”
And even as a Gentile church, currently enjoying the blessings of a covenant you were grafted in to, you rejoice in this!
That God is faithful, and He keeps His promises.
GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES AND YOU CAN BANK ON THEM TOO!
You don’t have to wonder if you might somehow
Ruin the salvation that God has promised you.
Our hope and our guarantees
Are not based on our ability to maintain a standard,
But on the character of God to keep His promises.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”
2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
We hold to that too.
And in our day of rising antisemitism
And even reckless theology that nullifies so many Old Testament promises,
I think it is important to remind you today that our God is faithful
And you can still believe every promise He ever made.
