I have Christ, and He has all the answers to life, and I believe that, and I have lived that, and whatever I can't get to victory, His grace abounds, and nothing can take that away from me because of Him. And that is true for all believers. And I think we should have a defiant spirit when it comes to truth. We've got the truth.
We're not saying, I'm sorry, you know, I know there are other ways to happen. No, there's not. There's one way, and that's through Jesus Christ. This is Cross-Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Isaiah.
Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Cross-Reference Radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. But for now, let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Isaiah chapter 39 with today's edition of Cross-Reference Radio. Verse 12, my lifespan is gone, taken from me like a shepherd's tent. I have cut off my life like a weaver. He cuts me off from the loom. From day until night, you make an end of me. So he's setting up the song.
He's going to rejoice in the end, but he's setting it up where he was in his thinking, how messed up this was to him. And incidentally, a person can have multiple primes of their life, especially if you have two professions. You have a prime in that profession.
You may be, you know, you're doing work that requires, you know, youth and strength and then you get older and you have a different profession and you have another prime potentially. Well, he was king and he said, well, I'm doing the best I can do and this is being stripped from me. Death is taking down my tent. That's a metaphor that both Peter and Paul use in Corinthians and 2 Peter also to describe death. This body is just a tent and time's going to come where the tent's going to be taken down and then I will receive a new body and a Christ likeness that he has promised.
I will see him and be like him, though not in his divinity. Anyway, he's being cut off before, he's being cut off before the pattern is complete. That's the metaphor when he talks about the loom. You know, they're working on whatever it is, but before they finish, they cut it off. That's what he's saying.
That's what's happening to me. He's in the shadow of death, but he fears it, unlike David in the Psalm. The believer today, what does the Bible teach us about our lifespan? Because the Old Testament prophets and Moses would talk, you know, God has, he's measured out our time. Well, we have this interesting verse from Revelation 7 and we draw application from these kinds of statements in Scripture. This is how we know about the Trinity and how we know about salvation, just these statements of God. Well, these are the two witnesses that come in the days of the Great Tribulation during Antichrist's rule and they're going to, you know, they have the power to kill people with their word, but Revelation 11 talks about their death. When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
When they finish their testimony, that applies to all believers. Can we overrule that? We certainly can. Should we worry about that? Not if you're abiding with Christ.
No, absolutely not. When my work is done as a believer, God will call me home. And this is, I think it's glorious, knowing what awaits. Now we know those two servants, their testimony is expanded because they get up and they ascend to heaven. And that's amazing.
We won't be there for that. Verse 13, I have considered until morning like a lion, so he breaks all my bones from the day until night. You are an end of me. This is Job-esque. Job said things like this because Job was, man, the greatest hurt locker in the Bible was Job's. I mean, just add up what he lost.
According to humans, Christ is on another level because of the spiritual element, of course. Anyway, what he's saying is that, you know, I held my place till morning, but he was struggling because he mentions day and night that the pain was violent and he felt like a lion breaking his bones. He was helpless and he was hurting physically. Verse 14, like a crane or a swallow, so I chattered. I mourned like a dove. My eyes fell from looking upward.
Oh, Yahweh, I am oppressed. Undertake for me. So he's like David in the Psalms, you know, Lord, I've just spent calling out on you. I've got nothing left.
I've been calling and calling and you're not answering, and yet still calling. And he had hoped that he would get well, but he got worse. That's what he's saying in verse 14. Now I'm going to pick up verse 15, Isaiah 38. What shall I say?
He has both spoken to me and he himself has done it. I shall walk carefully all my years in bitterness of my soul. So he now is going to talk about his recovery. The relief of pain is a euphoric feeling. When you're in pain and that pain goes, I mean heavy pain, and that pain goes away, I mean you just, it's an amazing time as most of us learn.
Maybe you suffer from migraines and if they go right away, gradually you're like, man, I feel good. Job chapter 9, verse 24, Job said essentially, everything I'm going through had first, it had to first pass the desk of God for approval. And so he says, this is a little statement, he says it in other places too, but he says, if not he, who else could it be? No one's got this sovereignty like him, and that is doctrinal, because Satan is not a alternate God or a lesser God. He is a created being and he is foul through and through. And Job knew that God is, you know, he just took it all to the Lord. He didn't know the spiritual war that he was involved with, that comes later in his life, but we get his determination and his honesty, his integrity before he really even understands what's happening to his life. And we get it in the first few chapters, but he didn't have Job chapter 1 and 2 to refer to.
He was Job chapter 1 and 2. It says, in my bitterness of soul. Well, that's where he learned the lesson. That's, you know, it says of the Lord, he learned obedience by the things he suffered. Well, that was in our view, because Christ couldn't learn God, God the Son, but he did experience in our view.
It was for us. Well, not, with Hezekiah, he is learning. These are hard lessons and he learned through this bitter, this bitter experience shaped his outlook in life, without which he never would have grown to this level and he never forgot. It can't be documented on how beneficial this was to people in his life. How he matured as a believer after this experience.
Maybe when Hezekiah got to heaven, he found out how many people were blessed by his righteousness because of this suffering. Well, that's the pattern that the scripture gives to us. It's quite amazing, the outlooks in scripture.
You can't keep up with them. In my devotional time as a young, younger believer and pastor, I'd get three chapters, maybe four, every morning. Now, if I can get a few verses, not because I don't have time, I've got more time now than ever for this, but I get halt, I stop, I've got to write.
This is the insight of life, at least for me, and it becomes more rich the more you work it. Anyway, verse 16, oh Lord, by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit, so you will restore me and make me alive. Verse 17, indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness, but you have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. And so now he's pouring out, he's sort of putting everything he said about his sorrow in its place, in the big picture, that God was not punishing him as his sins deserved, but God in his love restored him for 15 years, but he still had to die.
The day would still come when he would die. And he says, you have cast all my sins behind your back. This is one of the greatest healings, this is the greatest healing known to man, to have the curse upon us just taken away. This is salvation, and this knowledge allows us to stare down death's hallway, reducing if not removing the terror. So I want to review here, what God does with the sins of the righteous.
And as I look at this list, I say to myself, this never gets old to me, so it probably won't get old to you either. In Psalm 103, God says that he removes our sins as far as east is from west. That's a long way. And Isaiah 38 17, this verse, the sins are cast behind his back, out of his sight. When he looks at us, the sins aren't in front, they're gone because of Christ, they're washed away. In Isaiah 43 25, God says, I have forgotten your sins. You say, Lord, remember when I did what?
No, I don't remember that. We're moving forward. In Isaiah 44 verse 22, he says he blots out our sins like a thick cloud has just blocked them out, you can't see them. In Micah chapter 7 verse 19, he has cast all of our sins into the sea.
Well, you know, you want to get rid of something, you throw it in the sea, it's gone. In Jude 24, and I just chose one from the New Testament, there are many, he says that he is able to present us faultless with exceeding joy. So when he says here that it's the love of God that did this, we answer that. So we've got some New Testament verses that the Christians should know, be more mindful of, I think, many times. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory of as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
You don't separate the two. If your God has no grace, then it ain't true. He's not the true God. But if he has grace but no truth, again, you're wrong.
You've got to have them both. Second Corinthians 12 verse 9, and he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Was that not the story of all of us who were saved? It is the strength of Christ that is perfected. He says, therefore, most gladly, Paul says, I would rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ might rest upon me. Colossians 2 10, this is one a lot of Christians don't believe. You are complete in him.
You're complete in him. You don't need to go to the world to, how should I be a Christian who is the head of all principality and power? Hebrews 4 16, let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in a time of need. Did not Hezekiah come boldly to the throne? He did not have to say, Isaiah, could you go pray for me? He went right to God.
He just let it out. And so, this is why I'm not a fan of behavioral psychology. They have nothing for me. I have Christ. And He has all the answers to life. And I believe that. And I have lived that. And whatever I can't get the victory, His grace abounds.
And nothing can take that away from me because of Him. And that is true for all believers. And I think we should have a defiant spirit when it comes to truth. We've got the truth. We're not saying, I'm sorry, you know, I know there are other ways to have it. No, there's not. There's one way. And that's through Jesus Christ. Well, anyway, I know there's questions and there are answers for those questions too.
And they are fair answers. Verse 18, for Sheol cannot thank you, death cannot praise you, those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your truth. Psalm 39 is a good place to compare with that.
He's saying death stops life. Verse 19, the living, the living man, he shall praise you, you as I do this day. The father shall make known truth to the children.
Well, tragically, it was wasted on Manasseh. Verse 20, Yahweh was ready to save me. Therefore, we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of Yahweh. The gratitude with joy. So he starts out saying, this is the writing, but it becomes a song.
How can it not? Verse 21, Now Isaiah said, let them take a lump of figs and apply it as a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover. Well, I don't like figs anyway.
So I could, I could, if it were cherries, I said, no, you know what, I'm going to eat those. Anyway, this is out of sequence, but it's part of the story, and he just puts it in the end for whatever reason. Exodus 15, 20, For I am Yahweh who heals you. You know, we might say Jehovah Rapha. That's, he's the God who heals, and if he doesn't heal in this life, no one enters heaven limping. No one enters heaven with a cough, a sneeze, a bump, a bruise.
We are made whole. So anyway, verse 22, And Hezekiah had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of Yahweh? So again, this is out of sequence. It takes place when Isaiah orders the figs, but it's back in the story before the sundial. And so, you know, if you don't dig for the treasures, it won't yield.
If you're not following, you get sidetracked very easily. And he's going to, when he tells him, this is the sign, and you're going to go to the temple, and you're going to thank the Lord. But he leaves out, because he's not told, Isaiah. Oh, by the way, you're going to get pride, and God's going to deal with that.
So, and then you're going to also be immature when the Babylonians come. But let's not, let's just review this. There are seven things contained in this section that have to do with what God granted. I have heard your prayer. God hears all prayers.
I have seen your tears. God is fully acquainted with our grief. I will heal you. God does heal the ultimate healing coming at death. You shall go up to the house of Yahweh.
Worship is a part of our witness. I will add to your days 15 years. Healing is temporary in this life. I will deliver you and this city. There will not be a coincidence when the Assyrians are defeated. It is prophetic, and it happened. I will defend the city. Fulfill the 185,000 Assyrian troops wiped out. We can do chapter 39.
It won't take long, because, well, let's just see what happens. Well, where else he got to go? Chapter 39, now, you know, he's just, he loses, he becomes immature.
He makes a rookie mistake, and his pride set it up. 2 Chronicles 32, in those days Hezekiah was sick near death, and he prayed to Yahweh, and he spoke to him and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up. Therefore, wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
Now, I know I read that from Kings, but Chronicles gives us even a little bit more. He lifted up his heart. He humbled himself. The pride was he lifted up his heart.
The humbling was the cure. So, we should learn what's classified in life. There are things that people tell you.
They confide in you, not for you to broadcast it. And you know, I like when some years ago someone told me a secret, and then the other person knew, didn't know the secret, but wanted me to tell them. And so I said, well, can you keep a secret? And he said, yeah.
I said, me too. And that was that. They did not like that. I am made of a lot of enemies. But anyway, Chronicles adds to this story, because these are the ambassadors coming from Babylon, who at this point is not a big player in the world.
But they're growing. He says, however, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him in order to test him that he might know all that was in his heart. That really, that Hezekiah would know, and so would those observing.
And so there gives us a little insight on what's happening. God is going to pull back and say, okay, Hezekiah, based on all you know, let's see what you do with this. Well, presumption is action without justification. And that's what gets him in this problem. He had no reason to do this. He couldn't justify it. If Isaiah had come earlier and said, what are you doing?
It wouldn't have happened this way. But after the horses are out, then what's the point of closing the doors? Verse 1, at that time, Merodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and recovered. So they probably want help. They want an alliance with Judah.
They're looking toward the future. This is probably going to really irritate the Assyrians, and now they're going to come after they find out the Babylonians had been there, because Babylon is a threat on Assyria's southern borders or western. A hundred years later, the Babylonians will defeat the Assyrians and the Egyptians, and they will come the world power in that region, and they will take Jerusalem. Verse 2, and Hezekiah was pleased with them and showed them the house of his treasures, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious ointment, all of his armory, his emails, his texts, all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in the house or in the dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. This takes time.
He didn't like, this is not like a PowerPoint presentation. He's taking them around the city. Let's go to the armory, and when we're done here, the house of spices. You've got to see what we have got.
Do you like curry? Anyway, so he gives them the tour, and yeah, he should have known better. These men are going to see all the stuff that people want to steal. Verse 3, then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and said to him, what did these men say?
And from where did they come to you? So Hezekiah said, they came to me from a far country from Babylon. So he's so naïve. It's, you know, the pride, we got past that, but now he's just immature. But I love that the man of God is ready to protect the interests of God.
Oh, a little late. Reminds me of Paul writing to Titus. He says to that pastor, speak these things, exhort, rebuke, with all authority.
But if I rebuke, they'll leave the church. And he says, let no one despise you. That's Isaiah.
He didn't care what the king thinks. He's going to give the message, probably what got him killed if Jewish history is correct. Isaiah, chapter 39, verse 4 now, and he said, what have they seen in your house? So Hezekiah answered, they have seen all that is in my house.
There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them. Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, hear the word of Yahweh of hosts. Verse 6, behold the days are coming, and all that is in your house and which your fathers have accumulated until this day shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says Yahweh. Verse 7, and they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget, and they will be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
This is a hundred years from now. It's all going to be fulfilled. These men didn't live to see it, but they knew it was true if Isaiah said it.
It's true. This is a central prophecy for Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel. They had these prophecies, and they looked at them, and they said, that's us. Just as Isaiah said, it had happened.
It's not random. We weren't just a weak nation that got overthrown with all the other ones. We defied our God, and He withdrew from us in consequence, and the righteous suffered with the unrighteous. Isaiah knew that Babylon, not Assyria, would take Jerusalem, and he had already given prophecies about Babylon. So Hezekiah should have known better. 2 Kings 24, Surely the commandment of Yahweh came upon Judah to remove them from his sight because of the sins of Manasseh according to all that he had done. Manasseh is the son that was born during that 15 year span. Whether he was or not is not the main point. The main point he was wicked, and he had such evil influence that God said, I can't reverse this, or really I'm not going to reverse it.
It's going to run its course. Manasseh gets saved later in his reign, and it's a genuine salvation, but the damage is done. What a message to say to somebody who's not saved. You might get saved later or not, but how much damage are you doing now?
You're going around creating more problems because you won't submit. Verse 8, So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, The word of Yahweh which you have spoken is good, for He said, At least there will be peace and truth in my days. Again, this is a rhetorical question. It comes earlier in the story, and it's quite natural. He put so much into serving God, to drawing the people back as I've said. He loved the Lord. He loved God's word. He loved his prophet. He loved the righteous that were before him. He took the psalms of David, the organized psalms, the proverbs of Solomon. He was a man of God's word, and it was devastating to him to think that because of this one blunder that he's going to lose it all and be punished like that.
And so yeah, David, Isaiah, is it going to happen in my lifetime? And it would have been a heavy blow if he said yeah, but he didn't say yeah. He says, It's not going to be in your days. And he goes, I'm so happy about that. Well, what should he have been sad? Well, I wish it did happen in my day.
So it's a very natural part of the story. He is a good king, and I close with this statement about him. 2 Kings 18, 3, And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.
Good king made bad mistakes, hard lessons, but he recovered, and we'll see him in heaven. Thanks for tuning in to Cross Reference Radio today. Cross Reference Radio is a ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel, mechanicsville in Virginia. If you'd like to learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit our website, crossreferenceradio.com.
You'll find a number of teachings from Pastor Rick available there. We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe, you'll be notified of new additions of Cross Reference Radio. Just search for Cross Reference Radio on your favorite podcast app. You can also follow the links at crossreferenceradio.com. We're glad we were able to spend time with you today. Tune in next time to continue learning from the book of Isaiah with Pastor Rick, right here on Cross Reference Radio.
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