Lesson 9 August 2 Page 61 Our Redeemer Comes A Present-Day Illustration Trenetta had conflicting emotions as she watched the election results, and her face must have reflected it. We re going to win this, girl. Pep up! said the older woman sitting next to her. Trenetta was at Carlton Robinson s campaign headquarters. Robinson was running for state representative for the House of Representatives. His opponent, the incumbent, had been accused of trying to limit the rights of Hispanic Americans by supporting legislation aimed at illegal aliens. Robinson ran on a platform of Justice for All. Trenetta believed in the message and the man. She had worked tirelessly, like many in the room tonight, to get Robinson elected. But she had learned about a week ago of some undercover wrongdoing by her candidate, which showed a flawed character and some prejudices. Robinson is still the better man, Trenetta had been told. Wrong is still wrong, she said. The room erupted into frenzy, Robinson had won the seat! What did I tell you! the older women exclaimed, as she reached over and gave Trenetta a big hug. Minutes later, Robinson was talking to a television reporter. The people of District 87 have spoken; and I will restore integrity to this seat, said Robinson. Trenetta had once thought that Robinson was the answer to the state s problems. But she realized now that Carlton Robinson was a just a man; God is the only true Redeemer. 1. What has changed in your life for the better that required you to be redeemed or saved from something? 2. Was God involved in this change, or was it through your efforts alone? Explain your answer. 3. What biblical truths were reinforced by the way this change took place?
Week of August 2 Page 62 A Cry for Justice Isaiah 59:15-17, KJV 15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. 16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. 17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. Isaiah 59:15-17, NIV 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. In 722 b.c., during the early years of Isaiah s prophetic ministry, God judged the 10 northern tribes of Israel for their sin by allowing them to be taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Isaiah told the remaining tribes in Judah that it was just a matter of time before something similar happened to them if they didn t reform their ways. God said that though it was possible for His people to come back into a right relationship with Him, it was unlikely this was going to happen soon. His hand of salvation was reaching out to them, but they had drifted so far away that they were unable to get near enough to grasp it (Isa. 59:1-14). Their great treachery was driving justice beyond their reach. No one was righteous, and those who tried to embrace truth became victims of the evil they were trying to avoid (vs. 15).
Week of August 2 Page 63 God did not abandon the Jews to their fate, however. God loved His chosen people and had plans to bless and use them in spite of their sin. He knew they were incapable of saving themselves, however, and didn t deserve to receive the justice they so dearly desired. He initiated His own plan of salvation on their behalf, one that would not be tied to their ability to remain holy. God was going to send Someone who was inherently righteous, One who had the ability to defeat those who were threatening the lives and livelihoods of His chosen people. More importantly, He would change their hearts from within. 4. What did the Jews want from God? 5. Why weren t they getting what they wanted? 6. What did God do about this? A Flood of Justice Isaiah 59:18-20, KJV 18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. 19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. 20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. Isaiah 59:18-20, NIV 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. 19 From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along. 20 The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord.
Week of August 2 Page 64 God confirmed through Isaiah that He would repay His enemies including the islands (vs. 18) of the Mediterranean and all others both east and west of the promised land based on how they treated the people of Israel. He would judge His chosen people by their deeds as well if they continued to rebel and so lived no differently than the pagan nations around them. God s judgment would not occur gradually or over an extended period. It would be a quick and violent response to a problem that had built up for some time. Like a dam holding back floodwaters, God s wrath would be held back for awhile waiting perhaps to see if people would repent but would be expressed in full force in due time. When the dam holding back God s anger burst, the water of judgment that followed would sweep away those who had chosen to rebel against Him. The only ones spared would be those who repented from their sins. 7. On what basis will God judge His enemies? 8. What is the judgment of God compared to? Why? 9. Who will be spared? On what basis? Justice Contemplated Isaiah 59:21, KJV 21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. Isaiah 59:21, NIV 21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord. My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever, says the Lord. Though the people deserved to be disciplined for their sin,
Week of August 2 Page 65 God promised that they would eventually see His hand of justice exercised against His enemies as well as theirs. God made a covenant with them and said this would take place, and what God said was going to happen would happen. Isaiah 59:21 may be considered something of an appendix to the preceding verses. The promise to establish an everlasting covenant with those whom He redeems refers to the new covenant established by Jesus (see Isa. 42:6; Jer. 31:31-34; Luke 22:20) since this is not a covenant written on stone like the Ten Commandments. The covenant promise, that God s Spirit and His words would remain with them and with their descendants forever, finds its fulfillment in the New Testament church. The Word became flesh in Jesus, and the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost to be with the believers (see Gal. 4:4-7). If God s words would be with the people, and if His Spirit would be in their midst as well, then they would truly be His obedient people again. He wants His people to remember that they can t save themselves and that He is the only One who can redeem them. And He wants His people to respond in awe and reverent fear as they see that they don t get the justice they deserve but instead, because of His compassion, receive mercy they hadn t earned. Armored Assyrian soldiers gather booty from a conquest. God said He would put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation (Isa. 59:17) to fight His enemies and bring salvation to His people. 10. What is the new covenant that God established with His people? 11. What did God want the people (and us) to learn about their redemption? Relief Photo: Marie-Lan Nguyen
Week of August 2 Page 66 Please God, Help Me! My Christian life has gone through several phases in regard to my understanding of why I need to grasp the hand of salvation God is extending to me. The first phase was where I said, Thanks for saving me, Lord. I can now handle the rest of my life by myself. In this phase, although I appreciated the mercy I received when I made a commitment to trust my eternal destination to God, I often found myself depending more on my own abilities rather than on God to meet my other needs, I took personal credit for the things I thought I was doing well. When things started not going so well, I went into another phase, one where I asked God to fix the problems I was facing as long as it didn t involve changing me. In this phase, God became a means to an end, and I often found myself asking Him to do what I thought was best rather than asking Him what He wanted me to do. A third phase, one that I believe I m still in today, began when I understood how flawed I am personally and how little I can do to fix myself. It started when I realized I wanted more from God than just eternal salvation. I wanted to be redeemed from the things inside me that were causing problems in other areas of my life. I acknowledged that I can t redeem myself from me God is the only One who can truly fix what is wrong inside of me. I now pray, Lord, I can t change what needs changing in my heart without You. This is a prayer that must be followed by obedience for true change to take place. 12. Are your prayers more focused on changing your circumstances or on changing yourself? Why? 13. What are some things from which only God can redeem you? 14. What should your prayers be if you truly want God to change you? 15. Why do these prayers need to be followed by obedience?
Week of August 2 Page 67 Take His Hand The people of Isaiah s time learned the hard way that their biggest enemy was not the power of the nations that surrounded them but themselves. They were steeped in sin, and their sin was separating them from God. Nevertheless, God said that He was going to extend His hand of salvation to them so He could continue working in them and through them. God is doing the same for us today. He is extending His hand of redemption to us not just to save us from eternal separation from Him, but just as importantly to have a fruitful relationship with Him. Will you take God s hand of redemption and salvation and allow the Holy Spirit to work on transforming your life this coming week? If so, sign your name below. KEY VERSE And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. Isaiah 59:20, KJV The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord. Isaiah 59:20, NIV DAILY BIBLE READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK S LESSON August 3 through August 9 (See The Quiet Hour and Cross devotionals on these passages.) Mon. Psalm 140:6-13 Justice for the Poor. Tues. Jeremiah 18:11-17 My People Have Forgotten Me. Wed. Ezra 7:21-28 Judgment for the Disobedient. Thurs. Jeremiah 26:1-6 If You Will Not Listen. Fri. Jeremiah 26:7-15 Amend Your Ways and Your Doings. Sat. Psalm 78:56-64 God Abandoned Shiloh. Sun. Jeremiah 7:1-15 If You Change Your Ways.