Contrary to what many people believe, God is not some elusive spirit waiting for the clever few to find him. Today, on Truth for Life, Alastair Begg examines the first of four servant songs found in the book of Isaiah that help us learn about God's self-revelation. will consider his identity, his power, and his purpose, and Alastair begins in the opening verses of chapter forty two. As I said to you, this is the first of what are referred to as four servant songs in Isaiah. And in each instance, These prophecies clearly find their fulfillment in Jesus.
Now You are sensible people and you're listening to me say that. And if I am where you are, Given the way that my mind works, I'm saying. How does he get there from there? No, that would be a good question. That's the very right question.
Well, that's why I tell you all the time, it's important to read your Bible from the back to the front. And when you read your Bible from the back to the front, you will find that when you get to the front, it's a lot easier to understand than it was because you started in the back.
So let me give you one cross-reference. And in Matthew chapter 12, we have in part the story of how Jesus healed the man with the withered hand. on this on a Sabbath. It's a good story. You can read it for yourself.
As a result of the man being healed, the Pharisees were annoyed. And so Jesus, verse 15, withdrew from the place, And many followed him, and he healed all their sick. Warning them not to tell who he was. The reason was he didn't want to precipitate a crisis. He was moving according to a calendar.
He had a plan in view. And he didn't want people to get the wrong end of the stick and hail him simply as a miracle worker. Because the real miracle that he was about to perform was the miracle of being a savior for sinners. And so he said he didn't want anyone to tell them. And then listen to how Matthew explains this.
This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah. Here is my servant. whom I have chosen, The one I love. in whom I delight. And what is he quoting?
Isaiah chapter 42. Verses one and following.
So these servant songs Which are written into real-time history. Six or seven hundred years before Jesus. Causing the people who are reading them to say, what in the world is this all about? Causing a reader to say, How am I to understand this? When the story unfolds out through and into the New Testament, and by the time the gospel writers are taking all their discoveries of Jesus.
and theologizing them. What they're doing is they're reading their Bibles, namely the Old Testament, they're listening and looking at Jesus, and then they're saying to themselves, well, this. is clearly that. That's what we have here.
Now in this servant's song, We know three things. Number one, God speaks. Number two, the servant acts. And number three, the reader responds, as is true always. But God is speaking.
The servant is acting. and the listener is responding. I begin with God speaking because it is this which gives a foundation to the opening four verses. When you read this introduction to the servant, you find yourself saying, well, who on whose authority are we to take this? And in verse 5, God speaks.
God speaks. This is what God, Yahweh, the Lord, says, He who created the heavens and stretched them out. I want you to notice three things under this heading. First of all, God's personhood, His personhood, or His identity, if you like. Look at verse 8.
Where he introduces himself. I am the Lord, that is my name. I am the Lord, that is my name. Now, for homework, you can go back into Exodus chapter 3 and the encounter of Moses with the burning bush, and you can read that whole chapter, and it will be very, very helpful to you. For now, I choose not to go there.
God says, I do not exist incognito. The idea that is created in our universe is something like this. This is what people hear on the television and the radio all the time. The story of religion is the story of a God who is hiding somewhere, and it is the story of men and women who are out looking for God. And so we have all these programs all the time that are always set up and couched in dramatic terms about how these people have discovered God somewhere as they went off on their adventure, whatever it might have been.
It's completely upside down from what the Bible says. The Bible says that God is not incognito. God is not hiding anywhere. But God is a God of self disclosure. That God is a God who has chosen to reveal himself.
That God is it is not that we as men and women are actually out looking for God, but it is that God is the one who is out looking for men and women. That God is actually inclined to pursue men and women. with all of the zeal of a triumphant soldier. and with all of the angst and urgency of a woman in childbirth. I didn't invent that.
You'll see that later in the chapter if you read it. It's important for us to keep that in mind. And that God's name is expressive of his being. It's not simply what we call him. God's name is what he is.
And in all of the expressions of God's name, and there are many of them in the Bible. All of them and together give significant information about who he is. And all of them affirm this. That this God who speaks, this one who introduces himself in this way, is eternal. He is self-sustaining.
He is self-determining. And he is sovereign.
So, this is very, very important that we distinguish in biblical terms what it is we are saying when we encounter God. When we encounter the God of the Bible, we are encountering a God who is not the God of human invention, is not the God of man's creative ingenuity, is not the God of looking inside yourself, he is not pantheism, he is not everything, he is distinct from that which he has made. And in introducing himself in this way, we discover him to be the living, reigning, powerful, sovereign God. And it is on account of this that he says in 8b: I will not give my glory to another, or my praise to idols.
Now, people read that and they say, Well, what kind of God is this? I even hear people say, Well, this God is some kind of metal maniac. I mean, is there anyone else in the entire universe that is prepared to say, you know, I'm not prepared to share my glory with anyone else? No, there isn't. Because there's no one else in this position.
If God were to share his glory, He would be denying himself. He would be negating his own nature. Just this week, I got a quote from John Piper on this very thing. This is what he says: unlike our self-exaltation. God's self-exaltation draws attention to what gives greatest and longest joy namely himself.
When we exalt ourselves, we lure people away from the one thing that can satisfy their souls, the infinite beauty of God. When God exalts himself, He manifests the one thing that can satisfy our souls, namely, God. Therefore, God is the one being in the universe. for whom self-exaltation is the most loving act. Since love labors and suffers to enthrall us, With what is infinitely and eternally satisfying, namely God.
Therefore, when God exalts God, And commands us to join him. He is pursuing our highest, deepest, longest happiness. This is love. Not megalomania. We will never ever be as satisfied in life.
As when we discover that God's purpose is that He is to be glorified in our lives. Hence the shorter Scottish Catechism. The chief end of man is to glorify God And to enjoy him Forever. And the God whom we are called to worship. Is the God who introduces himself here in his personhood.
Secondly, notice that he displays his power. He displays his power. Verse 5, back at verse 5, this is what God the Lord says. Who is he?
Well, he's the one who created the heavens and stretched them out. In other words, the span of the heavens are his design. And furthermore, he's the one who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it. the stability and productivity of planet Earth. are grounded in the being of God.
Now there's a counterintuitive notion. There is something which militates against what is currently taught in our schools, what is suggested in our libraries, what is conveyed in our departments of science. And this is not simply a slight deviation from those secular notions. This is a direct confrontation of those secular notions. This is not simply another angle on the issue of humanity, on the notion of human existence, on where does this come from and where does that come from?
No, the Bible says this is where it comes from. This is why the heavens are as they are. This is why the earth is set out as it is. This is why plants grow, and so on. There, I don't think, is a biologist present in this room.
that is able irrespective of their views, to gainsay the fact. That every advance in biology has pointed further. to the notion of an intelligent design behind the universe and not away from it. and that it is a vested interest on the part of men and women. to turn their backs on the God who reveals himself and inevitably then to look for gods of their own creation.
And God says, the one that speaks, the one who introduces my servant, is the one who has done this. Everything that comes out of the earth, it comes from me, he says.
Now, what is he challenging in his day?
Well, he's challenging the fertility gods of the Canaanites. The Canaanites worship stuff. They worship creation. They worshipped stocks. Not our stocks.
This is a different worship. This is our 21st-century stocks. We worship them as well. But they were worshiping stocks of corn and so on. They would bow down before them.
And God says you need to understand, I am the one who made that. Every time you eat an apple, you ought to say, God is good. You see, because it is not the fertility gods of Canaan, nor is it the 21st century scientific gods that are able to bring to us all the produce of the earth. Every time somebody digs in the soil and discovers life, it is because God put life there. He put life there.
And every new plant species and every discovery in the in that world is simply the unearthing of what the Creator God has written into His creation, what He has put in there for man to find. And he digs in and he goes, Goodness gracious, look at that. If you do that, that, and that, you get a potato. Look at these butterflies. Can you believe this?
Look, isn't this magnificent? In an earlier generation, children would stand in school in this country, in school in this country, and sing the hymn, All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all. He gave us eyes to see them and lips that we might tell how great is God Almighty, who has done all things well, all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small. That's what he's saying here. I am God.
If you want to know me, I am the God. Who has stretched out the heavens? It's a metaphor. But he says, I am the one who did it. I am the one who has established life on the earth.
And I am the one who makes it possible for you to say on a Sunday afternoon, I think I'll take a walk. That's what it says right here, isn't it? He gives breath to its people and life to those who walk. Audit. Not the product of some self-existing evolutionary surge.
But the direct act of a Creator who Who in His providence makes it possible for us to enjoy all these things? If we had Mahelia Jackson here, we would cue her in right now, and I would stop and she could just sing, Who made the mountains and who made the trees and who made the rivers that run to the seas? And who put the moon in the starry sky?
Somebody bigger than you or I. And it is He who lights the way when our road is long, it is He who keeps us company. What good is a God of your own creation? What good is a stupid idol that you have invented? What good is sex or money or fame or self-exaltation?
How can you make sense of that, of your existence on that basis? You can't. And the reason you can't is because you were never meant to. And God loves you so much. That he gave us all these things so that we could pick them out of the ground and say, oh, God must be fantastic to do that.
How does that work? How does that cauliflower come out just exactly like that? This is fantastic. How is it that black cows eat green grass? And produce white milk that makes orange cheese.
How is this happening? How is this happening? Surely somebody must be behind all this. God speaks. His personhood His power And finally, his purpose.
And just a word on this. Because this leads us to where we're going. This is actually an Advent sermon, although I'm sure you hadn't figured that out. But anyway, what is his purpose?
Well notice his purpose. Having called his servant in righteousness, as he says in verse 6. This takes us way back into eternity. Where you have the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit entering, if we can speak in human terms, into a covenant with one another and determining, if you like, if we can speak in finite terms, who's going to do what? And the Father says to the Son, Will you go there and be the Savior for sin?
And the Son says, I will. He says, Well, then you are my servant whom I have called in righteousness. You are the one who will execute righteousness on the earth, thereby ensuring that that which is wrong is punished, and thereby ensuring that my mercy is revealed even in the expression of punishment. If you like, it is a conversation about the fact that the Son is going to be in the cross, a savior for sinners. And the Father is guaranteeing to His Son, the servant, the promise of His presence through it all.
And it will be by the power of the Holy Spirit that the Son, the servant, is able to execute that which the Father has planned. The Son Himself performs, and the Holy Spirit is the one. Right. Who exercises his gifts in and through it all.
Now, our time has gone and I must stop. But Again, when you read something like this and you say, well, it seems such a big jump, Alistair, from From here to the idea of the purpose of God is in a servant, who's a son, who's a savior, and so on.
Well again, just read the Gospels. Read the Gospels. Just read the early chapters of each of the Gospels, and what do you discover? You don't discover invention. I suggest to you if you've never read the Gospels, That there is nothing about the early chapters of the Gospels that will make you think that somebody sat down to try and hoodwink people.
Who would start with a genealogy if you were trying to do a marketing program? Who would start with, and he begat, and he begat, and he begat, and he begat. And so, like, man, you're trying to introduce me to this, and you start like that? Who would start in that way? Who would start in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and so on.
No, when you look at it, you say, This is a book I think that may understand me before I understand it. And you bump into Simeon, the old boy, in the temple. And Simeon is there and says of Simeon, Luke says of Simeon, that he has been waiting for the consolation of Israel. You say, well, what's the consolation of Israel? It's the promise that God has made right here in Isaiah 42: that in His servant, all of the aspirations, and hopes, and dreams.
will be met. The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee to night. O little town of Bethlehem, how still I see thee rise Above the deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by But in the dark streets shineth The everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. You see, the need of the Gentile and the need of the Jew is the same need.
It is the need of Messiah Jesus. It's not two salvations for two groups. It is one salvation in one person. And Simeon waits for the consolation of Israel, and he sees Mary and Joseph bring the baby in. And prompted by the Holy Spirit.
He reaches forward and takes the child in his arms. And remember, he says, My eyes have seen your salvation. Which you have prepared in the sight of all people. A light for revelation to the Gentiles. and the glory of your people Israel.
See What is actually calls for us to do. is to do what Simeon did. And that is simply, if you like, to embrace Christ. God's servant God's Son Our Saviour. And here from all these hundreds of years away, The Word of God comes right down into our little room.
And into the framework of each of our hearts and minds. and challenges us. Why don't you put up some of your false gods and let them speak? What have they been doing for you lately? And just when we're in need of counsel.
Just when we're in need of friendship. Just when we're in need. of forgiveness. He says, and by the way, here here is my servant. The one I love.
Here here is your God. Your servant. He's a king. He calls you now to follow him. If you ever as it were taken Christ.
into your being as Simeon did? You can. It seems almost childish. But it's just childlike. God, I'm not going to trust myself anymore.
I want to trust you. I'm not going to look for satisfaction in this anymore. I want to find it in you. I'm not going to try and excuse myself by blaming other people. I'm going to admit that flatly I'm a mess.
And I'm going to trust that what this servant did when he died upon the cross, he did for me. And I'm going to take you at your word. Have you ever done that? You can do that. Just cry out to God, He knows you.
Well, we'll bow in prayer. Just a moment of silent prayer. There may be somebody here who would find this prayer that I'm going to read. An expression of your own heart and life, and to that. And I read it for you.
Lord Jesus Christ, I admit. That I'm weaker and more sinful than I ever before believed. But through you I'm more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you for paying my debt and bearing my punishment and offering me forgiveness. And I turn now from my sin and receive you as my Saviour.
Oh God, hear our prayers and let our cries Come unto you for Jesus' sake. Amen. You're listening to Truth for Life with Alastair Begg.
Now, as we get ready to begin a new year, we hope you will make it a year that is focused on introducing others to Jesus. And to help with that, we've created a little track that explains the gospel story. It speaks to the brokenness so many people feel. But these people have no explanation for why they feel this way. In fact, Alastair has titled this new tract Ever Wonder Why Your World Feels Broken?
This is a little 3.5 by 4 inch pamphlet. In simple, easy to understand language it explains the storyline of the Bible, that God made the world good, sin made it bad, in Jesus it's restored, and one day it will be made perfect. The material is from Alastair. It's perfect for handing out to friends or neighbors or co workers or leaving behind at places you frequent, so many can be introduced to Jesus. Again, the title is Ever Wonder Why Your World Feels Broken?
You can buy it in packs of $25 for just $5 or $5 for only $1 online at truthforlife.org/slash tract.
Now, our offices are closed today as our team celebrates Christmas week with their family. You can still make a year-end donation to support the ministry. We are praying that we'll be able to close out this year successfully. And when you give, you're invited to request your copy of the Sing Hymnal. Our way of saying thank you for your support, you can give securely online at truthforlife.org/slash donate.
I'm Bob Lepine. Join us tomorrow as we'll connect the servant in Isaiah's song to the baby in the Christmas Nativity scene. and learn what all of this means for us today. The Bible teaching of Alastair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life. Where the Learning is for Living.
