Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20040627.htm

ISAIAH: GOD'S DIRECTIVES TO THOSE TROUBLED AT GOVERNMENTAL APOSTASY
Part XLVI: God's Salvation From Our Sin When No Other Human Will Help
(Isaiah 59:1-21)
  1. Introduction
    1. Sin can not only weigh us down with guilt, but coming under the control of habitual sin can leave us feeling we stand helplessly exposed to God's judgment!
    2. Worse, we can find ourselves flailing helplessly in habitual sin with no other human around who either wants to or who bothers to help us gain spiritual victory over such sin.
    3. The problem of being helpless as a sinner who is under the control of his sin and who has no other human friend to intercede for him is marvelously solved by God's grace, a message Isaiah 59:1-21 supplies:
  2. God's Salvation From Our Sin When No Other Human Will Help, Isaiah 59:1-21.
    1. After detailing the sin of false worship in Isaiah 58:1-14, Isaiah made a bold, encouraging statement to bring God's sinful worshippers hope: God was able to save them from their sin and His judgment; He would hear the prayers of those who prayed as intercessors for the sinful people of God, Isaiah 59:1a,b.
    2. However, Isaiah detailed additional, great sins of Israel, noting she stood ripe for judgment, 59:2-15a:
      1. Israel's great and many sins had left a gulf in her relationship with God, a gulf so great that God Himself had hidden His face from the nation and chosen not to hear her prayers, Isaiah 59:2.
      2. These sins are itemized in Isaiah 59:3-8 as follows:
        1. The people were guilty of murder, Isaiah 59:3a.
        2. They had lied and spoken wickedly with their lips, Isaiah 59:3b.
        3. Instead of calling for justice, the people of Israel were disposed to act wickedly, Isaiah 59:4-8.
      3. Consequently, God had ceased to bless the nation of Israel, Isaiah 59:9-15a:
        1. There was no equity in Israel's judicial system, and there was no light of the truth, Isaiah 59:9-10.
        2. In poetic depiction, Isaiah concluded the oppressed were angry as bears and mournful as doves, 11.
        3. Indeed, everyone in the land was aware of the depths of sin and injustice, but no one seemed to be able to do anything to relieve the situation, Isaiah 59:12-14.
        4. To illustrate, Isaiah noted if a man tried to do what was right, he was abused in the process, 59:15a.
    3. God viewed this tragic state of affairs, making the following summary of man's hopelessness, 59:15b-16a:
      1. God saw Israel's evil, and was displeased that there was no justice in the land, Isaiah 59:15b NIV.
      2. God looked for a man to intercede for Israel's sin, but was appalled to find none, Isaiah 59:16a NIV.
    4. In view of this state, God in GREAT GRACE became His OWN Intercessor for Israel, Isaiah 59:16b-21:
      1. God's own power and His own righteousness went to work to make intercession for the troubled, wicked nation, Isaiah 59:16b. This of course is fulfilled in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Who became our Sin-bearer to take away the sin of the world, 1 Timothy 2:5-6 in light of John 1:29, 36.
      2. God put on His OWN armor to fight against His OWN WRATH against Israel's sins, 59:17-18, 19:
        1. God put on the breastplate of righteousness for Israel's defense against His own wrath, Isa. 59:17a.
        2. God put on the helmet of salvation for Israel's defense against His own judgment, Isaiah 59:17b.
        3. God Himself put on the garments of vengeance for those who were victimized by Israel's sin, 17c.
        4. God adorned Himself with His own zeal as a cloak to accomplish all of this salvation, Isa. 59:17d.
        5. In great wrath, God defended His people against invading Gentiles that He in His wrath had sent to judge His people for sin, 59:18. (This prophecy is ultimately fulfilled at Christ's Second Coming.)
      3. The Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will come to the temple site of Zion with salvation for those who turn to Him from their sin in His gracious salvation for them, Isaiah 59:20.
      4. God will fulfill His covenant to provide the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence and power for those who look to Him for this salvation from God's own wrath against them for their sin, Isaiah 59:21.
Lesson: God takes control to HELP one who is humanly hopeless in his sin, and that when even no other human will intercede in his behalf; God then can SAVE him fully by way of His infinite grace.

Application: God is committed to WANTING to help, let along being ABLE to help the sinner who feels HOPELESS in his sinfulness! If HUMANLY hopeless, let us look to the LORD for deliverance!