Isaiah’s Hope – Part 2
Isaiah 25:1 – 26:6 (26:1-6)
September 10, 2023
Tonight we want to come back one more time to Isaiah’s vision of heaven.
I don’t mind telling you that the chapter break here is unfortunate,
And indeed it caused me considerable grief trying to figure out the point.
But when you see that the first 6 verses of chapter 26 belong with chapter 25
And that chapter 26:7 starts a new thought, things become much clearer.
This morning we began Isaiah’s vision of heaven
And tonight we conclude it.
We saw 4 points.
#1 GOD’S FORMED PLAN
Isaiah 25:1-3
Namely that Isaiah is rejoicing
Because God has finished the plan He formed long ago.
The wicked have been judged and heaven has come.
#2 GOD’S FAITHFUL PROTECTION
Isaiah 25:4-5
Isaiah not only praises God for heaven,
But praises Him for bringing Isaiah safely there.
IT IS GOD who navigated the righteous through all of life’s pitfalls and snares and BROUGHT THEM SAFELY into His heavenly kingdom.
#3 GOD’S FULFILLED PROMISE
Isaiah 25:6-9
It is the same promise John saw.
• Namely that God would reverse the curse and death would flee.
• No more crying, no more sorrow, no more pain.
Heaven is described as a lavish banquet of eternal joy.
Isaiah praises God for fulfilling that promise.
#4 GOD’S FINAL PUNISHMENT
Isaiah 25:10-12
Isaiah mentioned Moab.
• They are a symbol of all people’s,
• But Moab was chosen because they were notorious for pride.
Isaiah rejoices because God has finally crushed the pride of the wicked.
• There have been plenty of times on earth where it did not appear that the day of justice would ever come.
• There have been plenty of times where it has appeared that the wicked have triumphed.
Isaiah saw otherwise.
He saw,
(12) “The unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down, Lay low and cast to the ground, even to the dust.”
What looked absolutely impenetrable has now fallen.
And we learned very definitively that not everyone goes to heaven.
Some are cast into eternal judgment and everything they trusted in comes crashing down.
Well that was this morning’s message.
Tonight we come to the final point as Isaiah speaks of his vision of heaven.
This final point is in some ways
A response to the judgment of the wicked city.
IT IS A REACTION as it begins to sink in
That what God has done for us is infinitely and eternally better
Than what He has done for the world.
AND IT COMES IN THE FORM OF A SONG.
Let’s look at this final point tonight.
#5 GOD’S FINISHED PLACE
Isaiah 26:1-6
You are certainly aware of what Jesus said:
John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.”
Well here Isaiah wants to sing about that place.
Isaiah just saw the city of the wicked destroyed
And now he sees the righteous entering their heavenly city.
• IMAGINE the parade of saints entering this perfect dwelling of God.
• IMAGINE, “When the Saints Go Marching In”
It is alluded to in the Psalms:
Psalms 118:19-20 “Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; The righteous will enter through it.”
This is what Isaiah is seeing too.
I think it will be easier to grasp if we break it down a little further.
So we saw the wicked city destroyed,
Now let’s look at this heavenly city.
Let’s break it down into 4 points.
1) THE CONFIDENCE OF OUR CITY (1)
(1) “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security.”
You see the contrast now clearly.
Isaiah has spoken clearly of the fall of the worldly wicked city.
Isaiah 24:10-13 “The city of chaos is broken down; Every house is shut up so that none may enter. There is an outcry in the streets concerning the wine; All joy turns to gloom. The gaiety of the earth is banished. Desolation is left in the city And the gate is battered to ruins. For thus it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, As the shaking of an olive tree, As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over.”
Isaiah 25:2 “For You have made a city into a heap, A fortified city into a ruin; A palace of strangers is a city no more, It will never be rebuilt.”
Isaiah 25:12 “The unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down, Lay low and cast to the ground, even to the dust.”
Even later here in chapter 26:5-6, “For He has brought low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust. “The foot will trample it, The feet of the afflicted, the steps of the helpless.”
He has made the point quite clearly.
• The wicked city didn’t make it.
• The wicked city doesn’t last.
• God has battered that evil city to ruins.
• God has made it into a heap.
• God has cast it down to the ground.
But in a startling contrast Isaiah now breaks out in singing!
“In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:”
WHAT SONG?
“We have a strong city”
Their city fell, ours did not.
Isaiah watched everything that looked permanent get totally wiped away.
(cities, mountains, kingdoms, etc.)
And the question must have been: WILL ANYTHING LAST?
YES!!! OUR CITY!!!
“We have a strong city”
The writer of Hebrews emphasized this:
Hebrews 11:13-16 “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”
Hebrews 13:14 “For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”
• We don’t want a temporary city.
• We don’t want a doomed dwelling place.
• We want one that lasts.
• We want an eternal one.
And Isaiah has found it.
Ours is strong!
WHY?
“He sets up walls and ramparts for security.”
The simple understanding there is that
The city is strong because God protects it.
But perhaps the NIV grasps the idea more clearly saying, “God makes salvation its walls and ramparts.”
This city lasts because it is a city of salvation.
In the Old Testament you read about “cities of refuge”,
Where a manslayer can flee and be safe so long as he remains in the city.
Heaven is such a refuge.
• It is a city made for those who are saved.
• It is protected by the sovereign mercy of God.
It is NOT built by human hands.
It does not last because of the power of its people.
This city survives because it was built on a better foundation.
You know the story:
Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
Foundations matter
• The heavenly city is not built on a foundation of human goodness,
• But on a foundation of God’s salvation.
The city survives because God has saved it.
It rests on the foundation of the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Paul taught us:
1 Corinthians 3:10-11 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
And we know this city will stand.
It is strong because the saving work of Christ is strong.
This is of course the basis for all security.
Which of us has not rejoiced in the end of Romans 8?
Romans 8:31-34 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”
It is that glorious reminder that our security
Does not rest on our worth or merit.
What if it is determined that we don’t deserve heaven?
That is true. Might God decide to not let us in?
• Well, He already paid the price of His only begotten Son, do you think
He’s going to get cheap now?
What if it is discovered that we are sinful and unworthy?
That is true,
• But God saved us in Christ when He knew what we were. He justified
sinners, that was part of the deal.
But what if someone, even the Devil, was to lay out before God our guilt and demand that we go to hell as we deserve?
That is true,
• But there Jesus intercedes and reminds the Father that He paid for all our
sin.
Salvation is secure because of the perfect work of God,
Not because of our work.
And the heavenly city lasts because it is built on salvation.
It is built on the foundation that Jesus Christ justified sinners
Through His righteous life and atoning death.
WE ARE CONFIDENT IN THAT.
Often times at funerals
• I have pointed out that the deceased was a sinner.
• I point out that the deceased was not good enough to go to heaven.
For what good would it do to try and convince a family who knew the person better than I did that their loved one was perfect and holy?
They would all know better.
I have no problem pointing out that a man is not good enough to go to heaven, for there is no security or peace there.
But then I remind them that they get to go to heaven
Because Jesus is righteous and good
And has justified their loved one with His own blood.
That is real peace!
That is real hope!
That is real confidence!
Our eternity rests on the strength of the work of Jesus
And so we don’t fear it failing at all.
That is the confidence of our city.
THE HEAVENLY CITY IS FOUNDED ON THE WORK OF JESUS.
2) THE CITIZENS OF OUR CITY (2)
(2) “Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful.”
Here we are answering the question: WHO GETS IN?
(That’s a good question)
Luke 13:23-27 “And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’”
Jesus told us that not everyone was getting in.
We saw all those warnings this morning.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Coupled with that we read:
Psalms 15:1-5 “O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.”
Psalms 24:3-6 “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah.”
WELL THEN WHO CAN GET IN?
It looks bleak.
We definitively learn that only the righteous get in.
Psalms 118:19-20 “Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; The righteous will enter through it.”
So what do we do with that?
For who among us could claim that kind of righteousness?
We are reminded that our city is founded on the work of Jesus
And we know that access into that city comes through Him as well.
What did Jesus teach us about Himself?
John 10:7-9 “So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
How is Jesus the door?
In what sense is Jesus the way?
It is because Jesus lived a perfect life
And now clothes us in His perfect righteousness.
Through Him, we are justified before God and declared righteous.
That scary passage in 1 Corinthians doesn’t end there.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
That scary passage in Galatians doesn’t end there.
Galatians 5:19-23 “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
See we are sinful people but we are justified
And declared righteous by God through the work of Jesus.
And through Him we get access.
BUT ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS ENTER.
Isaiah states that and then some.
“Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful.”
Isaiah adds a definition of who the righteous are.
He calls them, “The one that remains faithful.”
See faithfulness is the fruit of righteousness.
That is why Jesus said:
Matthew 10:22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”
Matthew 24:13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
You don’t save yourself through faithfulness,
But faithfulness reveals that you have been saved.
It reveals faith in Christ
And with faith in Christ comes imputed righteousness
That grants you access into this city.
But only the righteous enter.
• There are no sinful citizens in this city.
• And what a joy that is!
A city full of the redeemed!
THE HEAVENLY CITY IS FOUNDED ON THE WORK OF JESUS.
THE HEAVENLY CITY IS ENTERED THROUGH THE WORK OF JESUS.
3) THE CONTENTMENT OF OUR CITY (3)
(3) “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.”
Again we find the element of faith. “Because he trusts in You”
• These are the redeemed.
• They are “steadfast of mind”
• They trust God.
And the result is that in trusting God they find “perfect peace”
Peace and faith are eternally linked.
In one sense we talk about POSITIONAL PEACE.
We are in a state of peace with God because of the work of Jesus.
Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Such an important theological verse there.
• When we trust in Christ we are justified.
• We are gifted Christ’s righteousness.
• And when we obtain righteousness we then are at peace with God.
There is a link there between faith and peace.
Faith brings righteousness, righteousness brings peace.
Psalms 85:10 “Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”
Sometimes you hear people in ignorance say things like, “I’ve made my peace with God.”
Most of the time what they mean is, “I’ve decided not to judge God any longer. I’m not mad at Him anymore.”
THAT IS POINTLESS.
There is only one way to positional peace and that is Christ.
But there is also PRACTICAL PEACE,
And that is the peace that you seek to enjoy.
The battle can be over (positional peace),
But if the soldier doesn’t know it
Then he still has no practical peace.
THAT’S THE PEACE WE WANT.
We want the peace that is acquainted with assurance.
We want the peace that knows we are secure.
This was the highest Old Testament longing and their chief blessing.
Numbers 6:23-26 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’”
That is what they all wanted.
But this peace only comes from being saved
And knowing that you are.
That peace is invaluable to life.
Psalms 4:8 “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.”
Psalms 29:11 “The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.”
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
And in heaven, that kind of peace flows down the streets.
• Doubt is gone…
• Anxiety is toast…
We know we are His and thus we know we are secure.
• There will never be a fear that heaven might fall.
• There will never be a fear that I might get kicked out.
It is “perfect peace”.
We are those perfectly contented sheep that David sang about.
Psalms 23:1-3, 6 “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake…Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
That is the defining characteristic of the heavenly city.
It is a city of the redeemed, walking in righteousness,
Enjoying perfect peace with God
And no fear whatsoever of that ever changing.
What a city that will be to dwell in!
The Heavenly city is founded on the work of Jesus.
The Heavenly city is entered through the work of Jesus.
The Heavenly city is secured by the work of Jesus.
4) THE CONDUCT OF OUR CITY (4-6)
(4-6) “Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock. “For He has brought low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust. “The foot will trample it, The feet of the afflicted, the steps of the helpless.”
This almost reads like an admonishment from Isaiah.
He cries out to all those who listen to his vision.
“Trust in the LORD forever”
And that makes sense
If faith is what brings justification and access and peace.
Certainly that is a timely admonition.
If you do not trust God then you must!
And here we are reminded yet again
That the chief attribute of all of heaven’s citizens is faith.
It is the one thing they all have in common.
No one enters without it and no one lives there without it.
Remember as Jesus talked about heaven and that one guy tried to enter without faith?
TURN TO: MATTHEW 22:1-14
• That foolish fellow sought to enter heaven based on his own goodness.
• He didn’t want to wear Jesus’ robe, he brought his own.
• He didn’t need faith in Christ’s work, his works were good enough.
• Except they weren’t
• He was not righteous!
• He was not clean enough!
And the enraged king couldn’t toss him fast enough.
And the point of course is that you don’t enter on your own goodness.
No one without faith enters that city.
And so the chief and one unifying attribute
Of every citizen of heaven is that they all trust God.
WHAT A CITY TO DWELL IN!
WHAT DO THEY TRUST?
“For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.”
Literally there, we have an “Rock of Ages”
• We have One to hide in.
• We have One to rest in.
• We have One whose works and goodness are more than enough.
You see the humility of Heaven.
They plan to hide in Jesus forever.
The Heavenly city is founded on the work of Jesus.
The Heavenly city is entered through the work of Jesus.
The Heavenly city is secured by the work of Jesus.
The Heavenly city is forever focused on the work of Jesus.
We will sing about the Lamb that was Slain for all eternity.
We will be clothed in His righteousness for all eternity.
We will never stop trusting in what He has done for us.
Everyone in heaven trusts in that.
There is no room in heaven for those who walk in their own pride.
We see their fate yet again:
(5-6) “For He has brought low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust. “The foot will trample it, The feet of the afflicted, the steps of the helpless.”
The city of pride doesn’t last,
It is the city of faith that endures
Because it is founded on and entered through and secured by
And forever focused on the perfect work of Jesus.
The vision of Isaiah is so clear!
We have so many in our world
Who have sought to redefine heaven by their own sinful terms.
Carnal men seek to make a carnal place out of it.
• They hate fellowship with God
• They hate fellowship with God’s people
• So why would they want a heaven like that?
• They don’t want to worship Jesus or trust in Him for all eternity.
Well they needn’t worry about entering a heaven like that
because you only enter through faith.
The Heavenly City is strong and holy and content and humble.
And it’s entire identity is bound up in faith for Christ has done for us.
This is the song we sing for all eternity.
TURN TO: REVELATION 5
The song of heaven never changes.
It is all for the glory of Christ.
AND IT IS A LASTING CITY.
The city where we currently dwell will one day burn to nothing.
The prideful cities of this earth will not last.
But we have a city.
• We have a strong city that will not fall.
• We have a righteous city that is not corrupt.
• We have a peaceful city that is at total peace with God.
• We have a faithful city that trusts God forever.
That is our city.
And the writer of Hebrews told us how to respond to the news.
Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;”
Since we’re getting a city like that.
“let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.”
The simple answer is “show gratitude”
Our gratitude should be shown through our faithfulness.
If the chief characteristic of heaven’s citizens is faith & faithfulness
Then that should begin to show itself while they are on earth.
It is time to cultivate faith and faithfulness to God.
• To His word
• To prayer
• To His service
• To His church
Let this broken failing world go.
Leave all of its carnal corruptions behind.
Fix your eyes on things above and live like a citizen of that city.
Philippians 3:17-21 “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”
That was Paul’s admonition.
Live on this earth like you are a citizen of heaven.
Don’t live like those who love this world.
That is how we show gratitude to God for the city He has promised us.
