Calvary Pandan Bible-Presbyterian Church
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CALVARY PANDAN everything that exists in this world, including the evil. The end will be good BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH because there is a good God who knows exactly what He is doing even DHW BIBLE CLASS though things might appear out of control to human eyes. LESSON 57 However, the sovereignty of ISAIAH God does not deny or diminish human CHAPTER 57 responsibilities. Man is still held accountable for everything that he does on this earth and in this life. If he Theme: "What is so good about this sins, he has to pay for his sins. If he Earth!" dies in his sins, he will end up in Hell. Man is responsible for the THEME VERSES consequences of his wrong doings and he cannot blame God for them. Isaiah 57:15-16 (KJV) "For thus saith Owning up to one's responsibility is a the high and lofty One that inhabiteth truth that is also taught throughout the eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in Bible. The truth of God's sovereignty the high and holy place, with him also and man's responsibility are twin that is of a contrite and humble spirit, parallel lines sewn carefully by God to revive the spirit of the humble, and into the fabrics of the perfect Bible. to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57 teaches the significance of 16 For I will not contend for ever, the responsibility of man. neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the The righteous and the sinner on souls which I have made." this earth are emphasized here. The righteous must remain righteous regardless of what happens to him on INTRODUCTION this earth even if he has to die in the course of holding on to his Life and death are in the hands righteousness. He has nothing to be of the LORD. The LORD decides who afraid of. God takes care of him on this dies and who lives on this earth. He earth and in this life as well as in the decides who goes to heaven and who life to come after death! On the other ends in Hell. The sovereignty of God is hand, the sinner has to stop sinning or never in doubt throughout the Bible. else he will face the severe This is clearly taught from the book of consequences of his sins. There is no Genesis to the book of Revelation. It is one who will escape the justice and the most wonderful and reassuring judgement of the LORD whom Isaiah truth taught in the Bible. The called "my God" in this chapter! knowledge that there is a good God in the world controlling the heavens and The sinner must have his sins the earth gives meaning to life and to dealt with. He has to stop sinning. He DHW LESSON 57 ISAIAH 57 needs to repent of all his sins. He and no one seems to take notice of needs to confess his sins to God and this. When the LORD gathers the accept Christ as his Lord and Saviour. righteous together in heaven, what There is no other way to save himself remain on earth would be the evil from his sins. The way of ones. If the only ones that remain are righteousness according to God’s evil men, this means that the world terms is open to all. There is no other would be filled with evil men only. way he can get out of his sins. Whatever these evil men think of and Isaiah 57 appeals to this group want to do would be done with of sinners to return to the LORD or be impunity. There would be no law and prepared to face the consequences. nothing to restrain the continuous and Isaiah 57 also encourages the unending wickedness of sinful men. righteous not to worry for they will be They would not know or care that there well taken care of by God almighty is a God in heaven who is about to even unto eternity. pour down His wrath on the earth the way He judged and condemned Sodom and Gomorrah after all the OUTLINE righteous were taken out. The removal of the righteous from the earth is a 1. Good to Die Righteous! (vv.1-2); clear sign of impending judgement 2. Pandemic Idolatry Rebuked! (vv. 3- because God will not send His wrath 12); upon the righteous. 3. Repent and Be Restored (vv. 13- The righteous and merciful will 21); enter into peace. They shall rest in their beds. Each and every one of them would walk in his uprightness in COMMENTARY the presence of God. The peace they An OUTLINE have is to be with God in heaven. In Good to Die Righteous! -– 57:1-2 heaven, everyone is righteous. There are no sinners to harass them The declarative statement by anymore. The righteous will feel at Isaiah in this chapter says it all. There ease and peace would prevail for was no beating around the bush. He eternity in heaven. The end of the declares that the righteous perishes righteous is blissful. That is why it is and no man lays it to heart i.e. no man good to die righteous! He simply goes seems to care enough and ponder why home and the evil that persecuted him the righteous are permitted by God to is over forever. He is free to walk in die for they have not done anything righteousness in the presence of God. wrong! Merciful men are taken away i.e. gathered together for a purpose. Pandemic Idolatry Rebuked! These are the same people. The – 57:3-12 righteous are also the merciful. They The adversative "but" begins are gathered to heaven by the LORD the next section of Isaiah 57 for 2 DHW LESSON 57 ISAIAH 57 contrast. The evil ones would not get What are the things that you away with their evil. They would be find pleasure in? Who are the justly punished by God. Not one of exemplary people for you to emulate? them would escape His wrath. Before Do you not realize that you are they are judged, God wants them to children of transgression and a seed of turn from their sins. The cry to them is falsehood? They are brought up in sin to draw near hither. The imperative is and have in their lives numerous bad used here to emphasize the urgency of examples and not one of them good the call. Draw near to God means to that they ought to use as examples to go to Him on His terms. When a sinner emulate. Idolatry was rampant and of draws near to God, judgement will be pandemic proportions. Idols were far from Him. The identity of these found under every green tree and in individuals that this call was issued the valleys, streams, lofty and high includes "the sons of sorceress, the mountains, behind the doors and the seed of the adulterer and the whore." posts inside their homes. The idols These are the children of wickedness. were found everywhere inside and In other words, stop following in the outside of their homes. There was no footsteps of your parents. Do way anyone could avoid seeing and something about the sinful state that worshipping idols! They were you are brought up in. You do not everywhere. need to follow in their footsteps even Israel has made her bed with though an environment of wickedness these idols and not with her God. surrounds you. Israel has made a covenant with them The sorceress dabbles in black and love her bed i.e. Israel did not magic and demonic arts like mind sleeping with them as if these necromancy. They play with potions have become her spouses. Israel has and mixed them into concoctions to become weak in that Israel has gone deceive the naïve and unsuspecting. to foreign kings and paid homage to The children of such mothers are them with gifts. Israel is tired of her prone to follow in their mothers’ idolatrous ways and yet she refuses to footsteps. The seed of an adulterer repent and come back to the LORD. father (masculine gender) and the Why would Israel remain so stubborn whore (feminine gender) is a son with and not admit that there is no hope in no identity. They are very common what she is worshipping! Israel is weak today. They lack natural affections. and helpless before her enemies. Their family life is broken and very Israel thought that she had found her confused. They might not even know life by her idolatrous ways and going to who their real biological father or Gentile kings for help and that is why mother is. These are the outcasts of Israel would not grieve for her sins! societies. But the LORD wanted them Speaking ironically, the LORD says to realize their need to stop sinning that He will declare out loud the and repent and not follow in their righteousness of Israel and her works parents’ footsteps. but they shall not profit her. Israel's 3 DHW LESSON 57 ISAIAH 57 sense of righteousness is based upon and from the peace treaties they make her worship of idols. Whatever sense with Gentile kings. They are on guard of peace and prosperity she obtained all the time. The picture is that the for herself was based upon carnal turbulent sea would stir up the mire treaties with Gentile kings which are and dirt on the ocean floor like the worthless before God.