Sing for Joy

Introduction

Isaiah is filled with repetition. Prophetic messages repeat. Warnings repeat. Promises repeat. And there is repetition of praise. Isaiah warns a nation that they need to change and trust God. Isaiah warns that troubles are coming and that now is the time to prepare. Isaiah also tells about the future when there will be restoration and renewal. He tells about God working now and also how God will work in the future. While Isaiah spoke almost 3000 years ago, his message is just as relevant now as it was then.

There are numerous promises made about the messiah. Immanuel in chapter 7. The child who will come is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace in chapter 9. And in chapter 11, from the stump of Jesse comes the one upon whom the Spirit of God rests providing wisdom, knowledge, counsel, and power. All of these point to Jesus. He is the fulfillment of each text. So let’s be sure that we see Jesus today. For although lacked a clear vision of what was to come, he knew that a servant in the future would bring something to Israel and in fact to all nations something that had never been had before. Isaiah knew that God could be trusted and he pleaded with his people to trust God as well. Let’s praise our brother, Jesus.

A Simple Message

Let’s start at 10:20. Ahaz trusts Assyria more than he trusts God. He trusted what he could see more than what he could not see. Even with Isaiah reminding him of God’s promises, Ahaz listened to his own voice. This is the hard part of trusting God, keeping our own voice out of the conversation. That powerful internal voice often convinces us that we know more than God. It isn’t the lack of evidence that keeps people from trusting God. More often than not, it is the internal voice of pride and insecurity that keeps us from listening to God. So like Ahaz we choose what we see over what we cannot see which means we choose self over God. This is the nature of sin, but God works in spite of our choices.

In 10:20, he tells Isaiah that after the Assyrian experience, there will be a remnant remaining and he will bring that remnant back to Jerusalem. Having defeated a nation, Assyria would migrate people from one nation to another. It was a cruel way to solidify victory. Assyria defeated Israel and its people were shuttled into all kinds of places. Other defeated peoples were shuttled into Israel. This is the origin of the Samaritan people who the Jews despised in the days of Jesus. Intermarriage between Jewish peoples and foreigners so that the Jewish bloodline was no longer traceable. Assyria will topple Israel but Jerusalem will survive. And the day will come when people will make their way back to Israel and repopulate the land. This remnant will trust God not political powers. And the people of Jerusalem will after Assyria’s fall have a period of respite from her enemies (10:26-27).

But that is not all that God promises. Chapter 11:1-9, he promises that a shoot from Jesse will arise and reign over his people with righteousness and faithfulness. This is about Jesus. As we saw in chapter 7, it is a now and in the future event. 11:10-16 clearly is about the immediate future but that which proceeds is both. We know this because parts of 11:1-10 are used to allude to Jesus and Jesus alludes to this text about himself during his ministry (see Isaiah 61:1ff; John 2:25; 7:24; Luke 4:18ff).

What makes this text so unique is that the shoot from the stump of Jesse turns the world upside down. He is righteous in his judgment. He always chooses based on what is right, not by what benefits him or what he sees and hears. He is on the side of the poor and he rules justly. Enemies are brought together. Danger is a thing of the past. There is harmony and peace. It is a view that is dramatically different from what Israel and Jerusalem had already experienced under the Assyrians.

So What?

Already Isaiah has pointed to one who was to come who we know as Jesus. He would be Immanuel — God among us. He would be the Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace. He would be filled with the Spirit of God and rule with faithful righteousness bringing harmony and peace. Do you trust what you can see or what you cannot see?

Why didn’t Isaiah use the term stump of David? Jesse is David’s father. David was the king. Why not use the term stump of David? Because Jesus was never intended to be an earthly king. Jesse was a typical man aligned with the everyday person. Worked hard. Sent his sons to keep watch over flocks. Didn’t hire protection. This Jesus would identify with the common person not the wealthy; not the privileged; not the rulers; not the wise and sophisticated. He was seen as poor; common; without power. The stump of Jesse would identify with the common person and would not endorse the powerful being faithful and righteous in all his ways.

Does that sound like political power? Does that sound like military might? The promise of God is that his chosen one would rule in ways that confound the powerful and politically savvy. Do you trust what you can see or what you cannot see? John 20:29 — blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Every generation lives in a now and not yet time. Isaiah told Ahaz “Assyria is now but God is in the not yet.” Trust him. Our Bibles tell us “We are in the now of uncertainty but God is in the not yet.” And like Ahaz we have to choose what we will believe.

Here is what I know. Politics will not bring us a time of harmony. Military might will not ensure harmony. Only Jesus who is Spirit filled; who is righteous, just, and faithful will bring harmony. That kind of world is now and not yet. When sin enters our life, we have disharmony. When disagreements occur and cannot be resolved we have disharmony. Attempts to force justice and to bring harmony are done by power and might. They last until the next group with power and might forces their version of justice and harmony. For us, this is a time of now and not yet. Sin may rise but in the hearts of people in this room there is a desire to live in harmony — not by our own power but by the power of God through Jesus.

So what is the result? Chapter 12. Praise. Not praise for a political party or an economy that hums or ease and comfort for now and for the future. Praise for God who brings salvation.

Vs. 2 — God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. There is nothing in this world that can separate us from God’s love and the salvation he promises. So when fear comes and it will come praise God who assures us of salvation that really matters

Vs. 4 — Make known what God has done. How can we keep silent? While so many worry about things that they have very little control over, we sing a new song. We sing a song of delight. We sing a song of praise. And proclaim what God has done.

Vs. 6 — our song is a song of joy. Our disposition is a disposition of joy. Our demeanor is a demeanor of joy. Our language is a language of joy. Through the uncertainty; in the face of dread; when the voice of the world says there is nothing to be trusted — we speak; we sing; we share the words of joy. For we trust God and out of that trust we have found our salvation now and in the life to come. There is nothing — nothing that can keep us from God’s salvation.

Do not listen to the song of our generation. For it is a song of dread. It is a song of doom. It is a song of defeat. It is a song of anxiety and worry. But we have a different song. Great is our God. Our salvation is in him and we trust him. This is the day to sing. Sing with joy. Sing with conviction. Sing with trust. Sing with confidence. Sing.

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