“I have calmed and quieted my soul…”

“I have calmed and quieted my soul…”

Musings in Isaiah

As we look around the world, and if we watch the news at all, we come face to face with much that can truly frighten us:
- No. Korean troops are fighting with Russians in the war against Ukraine
- Israel is fighting a war on multiple fronts simply in order to survive, while Iran continues on the path towards a nuclear bomb
- China is aggressively pursuing dominance in southern Asia, and aligning itself to grow ever greater in economic power
- Europe and America continue in religious and moral decline and the dialogue about it gets increasingly hostile
On a personal note, this year has been challenging for me – physically, mentally, emotionally – traveling and mission work, ministry challenges, contracts about properties, budget preparation, and just a lot of counseling
- But I’ve noticed that in the last few months, I had been running dry; I was incredibly grateful for you, my church and all the opportunities, but in seeking to be faithful to the call, I was tired, and frankly, disquieted in my soul
A couple of weeks ago, both my Thursday appointments canceled on me and I was in between major tasks at work; Sherri was going to be gone most of the day with grandkids; so, I called in and took a day
I knew it was time for me to heed David’s example in Ps. 131:2, Surely, I have calmed and quieted my soul…
So, with the TV off, cell phone on silent, and computer closed, I turned to one of my go-to books of the Bible – Isaiah… read slowly for a little while… went out in the garden and piddled a little while… came back in and read some more… went on a long walk… and then read some more; when Sherri came home, she lovingly gave my space and allowed me to continue in the Word
- And I must tell you: the quiet and the Word washed over my soul in ways that nothing else can
Usually, when I preach, I seek to come with a challenge from the Lord for a particular need that – from a shepherd’s perspective – I believe needs to be addressed; you all are always so very gracious to hear me out
Today, I’m going to do something I don’t know I’ve ever done; I just want to share some simple points from Isaiah that helped me to calm and quiet my soul during those 24 hours with Him, and then make some applications that I think might be helpful to any this morning that may find their hearts troubled in the dark of night, or by the burdens of the day
I began my sermon prep with (7) points, went down to (5), and now find myself with (3); perhaps some other time, I’ll share my other musings, but let’s begin this morning with a constant theme from Isaiah… (turn to Isaiah 46)

God is sovereign all the time, and all the time, God is sovereign
1. He is sovereign in His judgment —
  1. For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up – and it shall be brought low. 2:12
  1. Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he? 2:22
  1. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 55:8-9

He is sovereign in His position —
- In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 6:1-3
- Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; 40:21-22

He is sovereign in His kingship —
- This is stressed in many ways about many nations, but the remarkable thing about Isaiah’s writing is that ______ years before the king of Persia even existed, God calls the king out by name… (God) says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose”; saying of Jerusalem, “She shall be built,” and of the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.” 44:28
- I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; 45:5a

He is sovereign in His workings —
- In reference to creation, God says: Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because of he is strong in power not one is missing. 40:26
- In reference to rulers of the earth, God speaks to Israel and rebukes them for their unbelief; God states what He’s about to do so that when it happens, they will believe: Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose,” calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. 46:8-11

Four applications:

By truly embracing the doctrine of God’s sovereignty, we must release the seemingly insatiable need to feel in control; there is only One who is truly in control, and it’s not us. As we yield to His control, our soul is quieted in His all-powerful hands.

We should move through creation with eyes that worship the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, for when He stops sustaining the universe, it will implode. Our soul is quieted when we return to the basics of life – the Matthew 6 teachings – our Creator cares for every sparrow, and that Creator is our loving Father. We will be okay. And because of this truth…

We should fear no man or kingdom of man; they will come and go, but Yahweh of Hosts will endure forever. China, Korea, Russia, and yes – even America – will one day end. But the kingdom of God – of which we are eternal citizens – will endure forever. Our soul is calmed when we fear God more than man, for this God has saved us and promised to keep us. We are secure in Him.

We should embrace that this God, our Yahweh, has a plan for His creation and for His people, and He will not be thwarted in that plan. As I look at this world, it can feel out of control, moving so quickly with wars and rumors of war, technology and seismic economic shifts… I need to be reminded through Isaiah that God has a purpose in ALL things, and His purpose will stand. I can rest in that.

In all this description of the magnificent, over-arching control that God displays in creation, one of the great themes of Isaiah is how God describes His individual salvation. And what I was struck again with is the Triune nature of this redemption. It begins with God the Father… (turn to ch. 53)

God is sovereign in His salvation
- The zeal of Yahweh of Hosts will accomplish His plan —
  - The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone… 9:2 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. 9:6-7

The love of Yeshuah will fulfill His plan —
- Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 53:10-12

The presence of the Holy Spirit will fill His people —
- For I will pour out water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. 44:3
- Jesus references what Isaiah wrote in 55:1: Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!” (John 7:37-39)

Five principles:

My soul is quieted when I think about our coming together around the Lord’s table in communion. The ordinance reminds me that Jesus shed His blood and allowed His body to be broken for my eternal salvation and for all those who will come in faith and repentance.

My soul is quieted when I humble myself in the sincere realization that of all the sinners in the world, Yahweh saved me. Much of our anxiety comes when we lose sight of where we would be without our Lord – we lose perspective, we forfeit our joy. Reflecting on God’s eternal love for us and His great redemption of our souls brings peace.

And this quietness of soul is truly real, for we learn in Isaiah that our salvation is secure in Him, and not in our works. It’s all of grace! Just as He chose Israel from all the other nations of the world, so He chooses us. And that’s not all, for God reminds us through Isaiah that…

My soul is even further quieted by the realization that it is He who will keep us until the end. We are saved by the grace of God, and we are being kept by the power of God, for His covenant with His children knows no end. The anxiety I may have about my soul, or especially the souls of the ones I love, is comforted in the knowledge that Yahweh is a covenant keeping lover of my soul. Therefore, I cease striving and know that He is God. Not me. Not you. No one else. Yahweh is God, and He does not share His throne.

If we would learn to calm and quiet our souls, we have to quit looking for some circumstantial, relational, political, economic, or whatever external change we think will make for peace. We must train our souls to look to our God; look to Him for our true peace.
- Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold… He will come and save you.” 35:3-4
- “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 41:9b-10

Oh, I could go on to talk this morning about the comfort that comes from knowing that God’s perfect justice will one day be enforced and that bad people who do bad things will face the Omnipotent Judge of all; I could describe the incredible beauty and power of the church and its mission to the world; I could even talk about the humbling of the soul that God brings when He not only describes His power over Israel and the nations as a whole, but then how He draws near to the one – the ONE – who is humble and contrite of heart.

But for our time together, perhaps there is no greater quieting of the soul that can come other than when we contemplate how…

(turn to ch. 65)

God’s sovereignty will be displayed when He returns
- He will gather His children from around the world —
  - Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the west, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. 43:5-7

This culminates in the final chapter with Isaiah foretelling the inclusion of the Gentiles by saying: For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory… And they shall declare my glory among the nations. 66:18-19

He will create new heavens and a new earth — 65:17-25
- Sin’s effects will be destroyed (11:6-9)
- Sin’s presence will be banished (25:6-9)

Therefore, my soul is quieted when I realize that…

One glorious day, God will call from the ends of the earth and make His church one; when that time comes, those in whom we have invested will come to us and say, “Thank you for bringing the good news of salvation; I’m here because of your faithfulness to the gospel.” (overseas… my parents… my children/grands…)

And this quietness of soul is not some false picture, a mere escapism or some Pollyanna view of the world. Biblically and experientially, we know that the reality is that we live in the shadows; pain in relationships, thorns in our work and sickness in our bodies are here. As Jesus Himself admitted: “In this world, you will have trouble.” BUT, in the midst of all that is dark, we are called to remember what Jesus has provided for us:

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in peace whose mind is stayed on you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.” 26:1-3

God is sovereign, and thus He despises arrogance
- In Satan himself — 14:12-15, How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.
- In kings that boast — 14:16-19a, Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: “Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?” All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb; but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch…
- In religious people whose hearts are unbelieving —
  - And the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” 29:13-16
  - Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, “What are you making?” or “Your work has no handles”? Woe to him who says to a father, “What are you begetting?” or to a woman, “With what are in labor?” 45:9-10
  - By the time one gets to end of Isaiah, it is clear what God desires to hear from His people: But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. 64:8

Therefore:

Like Isaiah of old, we must not shrink from warning others of the danger of rebellion.
And when faced with adversity, we must gladly humble ourselves —
- In our attitudes (57:15; 66:1-2)
- In our deeds (58:6-8, 13-14)

God’s sovereignty is (today) spiritually displayed through the church
- In our foundation in the Lord Jesus —
  - Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation; ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’” 28:16 (1 Pet. 2:6)
- In our defense against the enemy
  - Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me declares the LORD.” 54:16-17
- In our mission to the world
  - I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am Yahweh; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” 42:6-9
  - How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” 52:7

Therefore:

When we confess our mission statement of being “from the community to the continents,” it’s not just a slogan; it’s our command!
When we confess Jesus as our foundation, we align ourselves with the winning side – this has been decidedly accomplished!
When we claim to belong to Christ’s church, we then shoulder the responsibility and privilege to declare His glory to the world.