0:01 Welcome once again to Words of Life. We are studying through the Bible book by book, spending more time on the passages that are more important and skipping through some of 0:23 the other passages so that we get the main message of every book. And now we've reached Isaiah chapter 40. As I mentioned in an earlier study, 0:41 Isaiah is divided into two sections. The first 39 chapters is like an Old Testament section. The remaining 27 chapters 0:59 starting with chapter 40 is like a New Testament section. And there are many prophecies in this section about new covenant life to comfort and encourage God's people. And it's very significant that this 1:21 section of Isaiah begins with a prophecy concerning the ministry of John the Baptist because that is how the New Testament also begins. And these are the words that are 1:41 quoted in Luke Luke's gospel chapter 4. What we find here in Isaiah 40 verse 3 onwards in Luke chapter 3 concerning the ministry of John the Baptist clear the way of the Lord make 2:03 smooth desert a voice of one crying in the wilderness. This message has an application for us too. Because we have to prepare people for the second coming of Christ just like John the Baptist prepared people for his 2:22 first coming. So to prepare God's people for that our message is essentially the same. What is that? Clear the way for 2:43 the Lord in the wilderness. First of all, let every valley be lifted up. There's no room for discouragement and depression under the new covenant. We never say, "I'm good for nothing. I'm useless." A lot of people keep saying 3:05 that and they become like that also. No, we say God has chosen me before the foundation of the world. Put my name in the book of life. I'm a child of God. God's my father. The Holy Spirit's my helper. 3:24 Satan has been defeated on the cross. Sin cannot rule over me. Where is the place for discouragement? Plenty of place for battle, but not any for discouragement. God is a God of 3:42 encouragement. He has lifted us up in Christ and given us dignity. We don't want any valleys in our life anymore. Let every valley be lifted up and all the mountains and hills must be made low. There's no place for pride 4:01 either because we are whatever we are, whatever we have is a gift of God. Our holiness is God's gift. Our salvation is God's gift. Our health is God's gift. Our knowledge of scripture is God's 4:21 gift. Our intelligence, our ability, everything is God's gift. If one man has more, that's because God has given him more. Someone has less, it's because God's given him less. There's no question of blowing in 4:40 these things. So all the mountains have to be brought low. And then it says the rough ground is to become a plain. All the rough up and down places are to be made smooth. There's a lot of coarseness, rudeness, 4:58 roughness in our life. All this has to be smoothened out. And then fourthly, the crooked places must become straight. And that's the fourth thing mentioned here. The rugged terrain, a 5:17 broad valley. This the word in Luke 3 it is quoted as the crooked places must become straight and that is because there are a lot of crooked areas in our lives maybe in our financial dealings or some other 5:36 thing like that all that must be made absolutely straight. So this is what repentance involves. And then it says here verse 5, the glory of the Lord will be revealed and others will see the glory of Christ in us and all flesh shall see his 6:03 salvation. In chapter 40 and verse 7 it says the grass withers in the flower face. This is quoted in one Peter 1. to show that all the glory of the world will disappear. And then verse 10 and 11 6:26 speaks about Jesus coming back and he will give his reward to those who are faithful and like a shepherd he will care for his flock. Verse 17, it speaks of all the 6:42 nations being nothing before him. and all the people are less than nothing. We need to see the sovereign control and rule of God if we are to serve him effectively in these days. It's a very interesting verse here 7:10 in chapter 40 and verse 22. In the translation in my margin, it says, "God is the one who sits above the circle of the earth." Now, this is written 2,700 years 7:31 ago. Everybody in the world thought the earth was flat. And here Isaiah says that the world is a circle, spherical. It was hundreds of years before anyone else believed this. Solomon also mentioned this in 7:50 Proverbs 8:27 in chapter 40 in verse 26. We read there about the mighty power of God that controls 8:07 the stars and the host of heaven. Isaiah was given a vision not only of God's holiness but also of his tremendous power. If we want to serve God, we need 8:28 to see both these things. God's holiness and God's almighty power. If we doubt any of these, we cannot really serve God. Verse 29 to31 is a very blessed passage 8:45 that many believers know. It's a real description of the new covenant. In one translation it says those who wait on the Lord will exchange their strength. Verse 31. That means I give my strength to the 9:10 Lord or my weakness and I get his strength. It's wonderful to have an exchange with the Lord for everything. Jesus said in John 17 verse 10 and 11. All that I have father is 9:30 yours and all that you have is mine. That's a great exchange. Nobody needs say anymore I don't have the strength to do this. We can test the resurrection power of Jesus Christ even in our bodies. And like it says in Psalm 92 and 9:54 verse14 we can bear fruit even in old age as we exchange our strength for God's strength. You exchange your wisdom for God's wisdom. And as you wait on the 10:11 Lord, it says he'll give strength verse 29 to the weary might. He increases power. Even young people who don't depend on the Lord will get weary. But those who wait on the Lord 10:30 will not get tired. They will not become weary. On the other hand, they'll mount up with wings like eagles. What a wonderful promise. Spiritually, we can fly if we wait upon the Lord and trust him. Chapter 40 to 46 is a very precious 10:55 portion of scripture and I would encourage all of you to meditate on these chapters seriously. because it's referring to the servant of the Lord. There are some fantastic promises 11:15 here. Think of verses 8 to 18. I have chosen you and I'm not rejected you. Don't be afraid. Verse 10. I'm with you. Don't look anxiously about you. I'm your God. I will strengthen you. I will 11:35 surely help you. I'll uphold you with my right hand. All those who are against you will be shamed and dishonored. And those who fight with you will become as nothing. You will look around for those who are calling with you and you won't 11:52 even find them. Those who war with you will become non-existent. because I'm your God and I hold your hand. And I'm saying to you, don't fear. I'll help 12:09 you. I have made you a sharp threshing sledge with double edges. You're going to thresh the mountains and pulverize them. Verse 15. Think if you can take these promises 12:26 to yourself. and say, "Lord, I want to walk in the footsteps of this servant." You know, this is said to verse eight, "You Israel are my servant whom I've chosen." It applies to Jesus and now it 12:47 applies to us. If you claim it, you know, if you come here and say, Lord, I'm also a disciple of Jesus and the promises are for him and for me. And the Lord says further in verse 17 and 18. When the afflicted and needy cry out 13:07 for water, their tongue is parched, I the Lord will answer them, and I'll open rivers in the high places. Tremendous passage chapter 42 is another wonderful 13:25 passage about God's servants. Again, it's referring to Jesus primarily. All these chapters primarily refer to Jesus but also apply to us. First of all, it's God who upholds 13:44 his servants. Chapter 42:1 He puts his spirit upon us. One of the main themes of these chapters 40 to 66 is the Holy Spirit's ministry. A true servant of God is one who's 14:06 upheld by God, not by money, nor by any Christian organization, nor by rich businessmen, not by any sponsors. God supports 14:25 him. And men may give us gifts. That's okay. But we don't depend on men or money. We depend only on God. And here we read this beautiful word concerning Jesus that he will 14:41 never despise a weak discouraged believer. Someone who's made a mess of his life. He's like a bruised reed. Verse three or a dimly burning wick. God will encourage him and restore 15:02 him. He will not break him and extinguish that. And it says about Jesus that he will not cry or raise his voice or make his voice heard in the streets. Verse five, he doesn't he doesn't get into a quarrel with 15:22 anybody. If you're a disciple of Jesus, you need to have that testimony too that you never get into a quarrel with anyone. And see further what the Lord says to his servant. Verse six, I am the Lord. I've called you in righteousness and I have appointed you 15:43 to open blind eyes. Verse eight is a very important verse. The Lord says, "I will never give my glory to anybody else. He'll give us his power, give us money, he'll give us strength, he'll give us wisdom, but 16:02 he'll never give us his glory because that's not good for us. So when you start drawing people to yourself instead of to God, you take glory to yourself and God forsakes you immediately. You can lose the 16:20 anointing and end up even losing your salvation. Then verse 19 and 20 have been a great comfort to me in many situations. Puzzling verse who is blind but my 16:39 servant or deaf as my messenger whom I send. He sees many things but he doesn't observe them. His ears are open but he doesn't hear. What does that mean? That means that we ignore all the 16:59 insults and things that people do to us. Somebody says something bad about us, we don't hear it. We're like deaf people. Somebody spits up on us, insults us, we don't see it. We are 17:19 like blind people. That's the way to be at rest. You're deaf and blind to the opinions of people around you. You have ears, but you don't hear. Eyes, but you don't see. Because like we read in Isaiah 11, 17:38 we don't judge by what our eyes see or our ears hear. That's how Jesus lived. He was deaf and blind to the opinions of the Pharisees and everybody else. If you're serving the Lord, many 17:56 people will accuse you, trouble you. Be deaf and blind to them. Let this verse be fulfilled in your life. Who is blind but my servant? And 18:13 further we see also in chapter 43 many times in this section the Lord says don't fear I am with you go through the rivers they will not overflow you this wonderful passage chap 43 18:33 verses 1 to5 here he says I gave Egypt for your ransom in verse three but to us he says I gave the blood of my son for your ransom and chapter 43 verse 18:53 18 says forget about your past life I'm going to do something new I'm going to bring rivers in the desert verse 19 chapter 44 and verse three I will pour my spirit it on your 19:11 children also and my blessing on your descendants. Verse 8. Don't tremble and don't be afraid. Chapter 44 and verse 21. You are my servant. I have formed 19:31 you. You will not be forgotten by me. See all these passages are tremendous passages that we should meditate on and find encouragement from. And here is a warning. Chapter 45 verse 19:48 9. Go to the one who quarrels with his maker. Don't argue with God in the way he deals with you. Humble yourself and accept his dealings with you. He takes you through difficult 20:08 situations. He doesn't take other people through. That's because he's molding you to be a useful vessel for his glory. Chapter 45:10. This is concerning children being born. Woe to him who says to a father, 20:27 "What are you begetting?" Or to a woman, "To what are you giving birth? You know in many places in India people don't like to have girl babies could be used to refer to such people to a woman what are you giving 20:47 birth to another girl or says to a father what have you begotten and the Bible says let a curse be on the one who treats a little baby like that. curse on people who question God's gifts. We have no right to kill a child 21:09 even if it's mentally If God decides to give you a child, he decides exactly what type of child it should be, boy or a 21:27 girl. God's gifts are perfect gifts. He never makes a mistake. Chapter 45. Here's a wonderful promise in verse 17. You will never be put to shame and you'll never be humiliated to all eternity. Wasn't Jesus 21:49 humiliated from an eternal standpoint? No. Our life on earth is like one second compared to eternity. And if you are humiliated for one second or less than one second, that's nothing. From an eternal standpoint, 22:10 you'll never be put to shame if you trust the Lord. Here's another verse about God's character in verse 15. Oh God, you're a God who hides yourself. 22:27 As human beings, we like to show ourselves. God seeks to hide himself. And we, if we are to be like God, we must try to be hidden in all our life and ministry. Verse 22 is another good verse. Turn to me and be saved all the 22:46 ends of the earth. 46 verse4 is a lovely verse for older people. He says in this passage, you have to carry idols, but I will carry you. People who worship idols carry 23:08 their idols. But our God, we don't have to carry him. He carries us. And he says, even your old age, I'll be the same. I'll carry you. I carried you from birth. I'll carry you till the end. So the question is this. Do you 23:28 carry your God or does your God carry you? Chapter 47 and verse 8 is a verse quoted about Babylon in the book of Revelation 18 and chapter 48:10. 23:49 I have refined you, but not as silver. I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. God tests us, but not forever. The testing will come to an end. And then again, it says in chapter 48:1, "My glory I'll not give to 24:10 another." It's repeated again. Look at this wonderful verse 17. I am the Lord who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. You have paid attention to my commandments. Verse 18, your well-being 24:28 would have been like a river. And your righteousness will be like the waves of the sea. Everything God asks us to do is for our good. And we will not thirst even if we go through the deserts. Verse 21. But a person who does not respond to 24:53 God says in verse 22, "There'll be no peace for such a man." Let's claim these wonderful promises for ourselves. God bless you. Amen. Amen. 25:09 Welcome once again to Words of Life. We've been studying through the Bible and we have now come to Isaiah chapter 49. In chapters 49 to 57, we see a 25:27 number of prophecies concerning the Messiah. But many of those passages we can apply to ourselves also like we saw in some of the previous chapters. because Jesus is our 25:46 forerunner. He's the author and finisher of our faith and we walk in his footsteps. So if you're a disciple of Jesus, you're really seeking to walk in his footsteps, then some of these promises made which concern him will 26:05 also apply to you. Chapter 49. It's been a very precious passage to me for more than 40 years because it was through this 26:23 chapter 41 years ago that the Lord called me out to serve him full-time. And he showed me here that I was his servant. He had called me to a particular task in 26:41 his body and that he had made my mouth like a sharp sword. He called me from my mother's womb. Now I believe that if you have faith, you can claim this for yourself. There's no need to be 27:04 discouraged. Like it says in verse four, you may say, "Well, I've toiled in vain. I've spent my strength for nothing." Christian work, there's a tremendous temptation to be discouraged. But the Lord says, "Don't 27:26 get discouraged. I'm going to use you. I'm going to make you a light to the nations." And further down in the same chapter, there's a beautiful verse, verse 10, the middle of that verse, it says, 27:42 "He who has compassion on them will lead them." So God's leaders must be those who have compassion on others. It's through compassion that we 27:59 can lead people. He who has compassion on people will lead them. Don't seek to be a leader if you don't have compassion on people. Jesus told the Pharisees, "Don't 28:17 tell me about all your sacrifices. Don't tell me about don't tell me about all the laws you keep. Go and learn the meaning of this. I desire compassion and not sacrifice. That's what God looks for. If you don't 28:36 have compassion, you cannot lead God's people. Many people who imagine themselves to be prophets, they have no compassion. They try to imitate somebody. Jesus was the greatest prophet 28:54 of all. He was always moved with compassion for those who are needy. In chapter 49 verse 14 and 15 says here Zion says the Lord's forsaken me but the Lord has forgotten me. Sometimes we can face situations 29:16 like that. It looks as if God is not with us. That's a test of our faith. And here's the Lord's reply. Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on her son 29:36 of her womb? Even if she forgets, I won't forget you. So when God wants to compare his love for man or with a human love, the greatest example of human love 29:54 you can find on earth which is like his love is the love of a mother for a nursing child. Husbands may forget their wives. Often they do. Wives forget their husbands as well. 30:13 And sometimes even mothers forget their grown-up children. Which mother can keep on thinking of her grown-up children morning, noon, and night? A newly born nursing baby, a mother doesn't forget for a single 30:31 moment of the day. That's the example the Lord takes. It's a love which demands nothing. A mother's love is one which gives and gives and gives and gives and expects nothing in return. Verse 16, I have inscribed you 30:54 on the palms of my hands. That's a prophetic reference to the nails that would go through the palms of Jesus' hands. 49 verse 23 is another lovely verse. Last part, those who hopefully 31:15 wait for me will never be put to shame. If you trust in the Lord, you can be absolutely sure of one thing, you'll never be disappointed. You'll never be put to shame. That's for sure. 31:34 And further down, even the captives of the mighty man, verse 25, will be taken away. There is no sin that's so strong that the Lord cannot deliver you from that captivity. The Lord says, "I fight with 31:56 your enemies, the one who fights with you." Great to have the Lord himself as our defender. Chapter 50 in verse four is another prophecy concerning Jesus 32:14 Christ. It speaks about how Jesus lived every day about his tongue and his ear. He had the tongue of a disciple and he had the ear of a disciple as well. And it says here, "The Lord God 32:33 woke him up morning by morning to listen to what he had to say." We see in Isaiah 49:2 that Jesus mouth was like a sharp sword. It was also a tongue that could sustain 32:53 the weary one with a word. So how did he have this word in season for every person who came to him? By listening to the father right 33:13 from the morning throughout the day. If we want to have a word for other people, we must learn to listen to what God has to say to us. And not only that, it says in verse 33:33 five that whatever the Lord told him to do, he was not disobedient. And when the father allowed other people to strike him and smite him and pluck out his beard, verse six, and spit on him, he accepted it. He did not take revenge or threaten 33:58 them. His attitude was verse seven, the Lord will help me. So he could say, who will fight with me? Verse eight, stand against me. The Lord helps me. Who's going to condemn 34:16 me? And then it the come words comes to us. Who among you fears the Lord? You're walking in darkness and you have no light. Trust in God completely. Never doubt in the darkness what God has 34:36 shown you already in the light. Sometimes in a time of pressure, we begin to doubt what God showed us clearly. At another time, there are times in our life when the light is very 34:55 bright. Clearly what God is saying, hold on to that. But we are not to kindle a fire of our own and produce light. It says in verse 11, that means we should not try to get 35:13 men to come and help us in our time of trial, to fight for us. Human fire is a human method to defend ourselves and escape the trials that God sends. It says in chapter 35:34 51 verse one, "Never forget the pit from which God pulled you out. Don't forget your purification from your former sins." Here's another wonderful promise in verse 16. I have put my words in your mouth 35:55 and covered you with the shadow of my hand. And then chapter 52, the Lord has a complaint, last part of verse 5 is quoted in Romans chapter 2, verse 36:14 24 here in 52:5. My name is continually blasphemed all day long. That means the way Israel was living was bringing dishonor to God's name. The way Christians are living in 36:33 India is bringing dishonor to the name of Christ. Most of India has not rejected Christ. The true Christ, they've rejected the Christ they've seen among Christians. But that's not the real 36:53 Christ. That's a false Christ which I also reject. In contrast to all this, it says in verse seven, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the real good news. And you tell people, "Your God 37:18 reigns." Satan's been defeated. God is on the throne. From chapter 52:3 onwards to the whole of chapter 53, you read there about the suffering of Jesus on the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, his 37:41 face was so disfigured that it didn't even look like a man's. According to 52:14, the secret of Jesus' life is here in verse 5, chapter 53:2. He grew up before his father. But the world found no beauty in 38:07 him. It says in verse two and three, he was despised and rejected. And I'll tell you this, if you follow this real Jesus, you'll be despised and rejected, too. If you take up the cross and go the 38:28 way described in Isaiah 53, you'll be rejected, too. There are many things here which we can have no part in like it says the our sins were placed 38:47 upon him. He was pierced verse five for our transgression. But there are other aspects of the cross which apply to us also. Jesus told us to take up the cross and follow him. There is an aspect of the cross in 39:09 which we can follow. But where he died for our sins, there we cannot follow him. There are many other things here. Look at verse seven. When he was oppressed and afflicted, he did not open his 39:28 mouth. That's how we supposed to be. When we are afflicted, when people trouble us, we to keep quiet. We need to know how to raise our voice and shout and praise God in the time of pray in a in a praise meeting. But we also need to know how to 39:51 keep quiet when we are falsely accused. Many Christians is the opposite. praise meeting they are quiet and when they're accused they open their mouth and shout back. Finally in verse 10 it says here 40:11 that it would please the Lord to crush him. If God allowed Jesus to be crushed how much more he'll allow you and me from that will come a resurrection. That's the meaning of verse 10. He'll prolong his 40:30 [Music] days. That means he'll be raised from the dead and then he will see his offspring. We will be we will come forth through that resurrection. Isaiah 54 is a lovely passage here and there's a beautiful 40:48 verse here for widows. It says in verse 5, "Your husband is your maker. The Lord is the Lord's your husband. Don't be afraid. Forget the shame of your youth. And he says, I'll take care of 41:07 your children. Verse 13. Your sons will be taught by the Lord. They'll become disciples of the Lord. I I claimed that promise years ago for my own sons, both my wife and I. I will 41:28 encourage you to claim that for your children. That doesn't mean that your children will never become sick or they're going to become very rich or they won't have the struggles in life that many young people go through. 41:47 that they will finally become disciples of Jesus Christ. You must claim that for your children. And then verse 15 to 17. If anybody comes to fight with you, he will be defeated because I'm on your side, says the Lord. Claim 42:09 it. You can be o you can overcome. And in a courtroom, you will have justice against all the lies spoken against you. You don't have to defend yourself. No weapon formed against you will prosper. Keep your mouth shut when 42:31 people accuse you. Let the Lord defend you and he'll do miracles for you. Whatever you may be facing, Even if you're taken to court, justice against every courtroom lie. That's how the living Bible 42:53 paraphrases that verse 17. Then Isaiah 55 is an invitation to those who are thirsty to come and receive the gospel. Verse eight and N. My ways are 43:11 not your ways, says the Lord. My thoughts are not your thoughts. And that's why it's good for us to humble ourselves and say, Lord, show me your ways and teach me your ways. If we recognize that God's ways are not our 43:30 ways and we want our mind to be renewed to think like God, then we must meditate on God's word, understand God's ways. This is the main reason why we're going through the Bible. We're not studying it to increase 43:51 our knowledge, change our way of thinking. God's ways of thinking. In Isaiah 56 and in 58 he speaks about blessing those who keep the Sabbath verse 2 44:13 to5. Now the Sabbath we earlier saw was a sign between God and the children of Israel only. We saw that in chapter 30, Exodus 31 verse 16. But for us this applies in another 44:31 way, in a spiritual way and that is that we need to come to a life of inner rest. God wants all of us to have it. Verse seven, 44:50 is the verse Jesus quoted. My house will be called a house of prayer. Church is a house of prayer, not a house of business. And then it speaks about God's servants. Unfortunately, in the last days, verse 10, they're like blind 45:14 watchmen who don't know, don't see the enemy coming. They are like dumb dogs who are not able to bark. They are shepherds who have no understanding. They are greedy for money. Everybody seeking his own gain. Eat and drink enjoy 45:38 themselves because people are like that says in the next verse 57, "Lord, the righteous man is perishing. It's very difficult to find godly men nowadays. And finally, it says here how a wicked 45:58 person in verse 20 is his heart, there's no peace in his heart. He's always churning, churning, churning, churning. Whereas God's people have peace 19. This is the way we find God's will. 46:17 When I seek his will, do I have peace in my heart? Then that's God's will. From chapter 58 to chapter 66, prophecies about the future. Chapter 58 is a very beautiful chapter about fasting. And stop stop pointing your 46:41 fingers at others. Verse 9. And then you will be like a watered garden all the time. It says and like a spring of water. I want to encourage you to study 46:59 that chapter. Beautiful chapter claim the promises there. We could spend many hours on Isaiah showing you the most important verses. Chapter 59. If God doesn't hear 47:18 you, verse one and two is because sin has separated him from you. Verse 21. My spirit is upon you and I put my words in your mouth and even your children can be anointed. Another promise to 47:35 claim. Therefore, because God has done that, rise and shine. Chapter 60 verse one. Chapter 61:1-3 refer to the ministry of Jesus. And we can also be anointed to do 47:54 the same thing, set the captives free. In chapter 62, the Lord says, "I will not keep quiet until the church's righteousness goes forth like brightness." Chapter 48:13 63, verse 8 and N, it says that the Lord is afflicted with all our afflictions. Verse 9, in chapter 64:1 is a prayer for revival. Oh God, do wonderful things in our 48:34 midst. And he goes on to say that people haven't even seen verse four, what God can do for those who wait on him like that. Verse six says, "Our righteousness are like filthy 48:53 rags." That's why we need God's righteousness. Chapter 65 verse 24. Before we pray, God answers. Beautiful promise. And then chapter 49:12 66. Verse one and two. To whom does God look? Whom does he support? Those who tremble at his word and who are humble and contrite in spirit. Verse two. And verse five, to such people he says, 49:32 "Don't worry if your brothers hate [Music] you. God will comfort us and strengthen us. What a wonderful book this latter section of Isaiah especially is. I would encourage all of you to study 49:53 Isaiah 40-66 those 27 chapters the promises for yourself and your family. Be an effective servant of God in these days. God bless 50:12 you. All right.
