Bible Studies
God’s Glory Is Revealed in His People (Isa. 43:1-7)
Series: Glory of God from IsaiahIntroduction:
1. God creates His people in a great exhibition of His glory.a. He redeems them. He calls them by His name.
b. He protects them from fire and water.
c. And gives others as a ransom for them.
d. He gathers his sons and daughters from the farthest reaches of the earth.
2. He did this with His people Israel and He does this with us. 3. Listen as Paul praises God in Eph. 1:3-6, 11-14. 4. In Eph. 3:8ff he spoke of the “unfathomable riches of Christ,” made manifest in the inclusion of Gentiles among the people of God, “that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made know through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” 5. Ladies and gentlemen, the very existence of the church, the people of God, glorifies our God who not only created us physically, but has created us, a spiritual host for His own possession.Discussion:
I. God had a plan to create a people from the beginning.A. We can only imagine the blessedness of the situation at the creation.
1. Man and nature in perfect harmony, the garden of Eden.
2. Adam and Eve, representing human relationships, in perfect complementarity, naked and unashamed.
3. God walking in the garden, man in His perfect care, tenderly provided for physically, relationally, and spiritually.
B. But we marred the perfect “image of God” creation with sin.
1. Man now struggled with nature to survive.
2. Relationally marred with shame, our vulnerability abused.
3. Our relationship with God marred by distance rather than closeness.
C. Adam and Eve so clung to what they had they had to be driven out of the garden, a cherubim with flaming sword guarding the way. But God had a plan. A plan of restoration.
1. We hear whispers of it in Gen. 3:15.
2. In the sacrificial offerings of Cain and Abel.
3. In the covenant made with Abraham: “In your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3).
4. Later prophecies identify a coming king (Gen. 49:10); a mighty conqueror (Num. 24:17); a great prophet (Deut. 18:18).
D. Thousands of years passed and the Garden of Eden became a dim memory, reflected on perhaps in ancient books, but mostly lost in the darkness of distant time.
1. God worked to keep His plan alive.
a. He brought the people out of Egypt reminding them that they were His people and He their God and that He had a covenant with them.
b. He brought them into the land of Canaan and blessed them lavishly.
c. He promised them an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam. 7:12-17).
2. Even though they rebelled against Him, He continued to promise them a glorious future. And although they were taken into exile He still promised a glorious restoration.
II. Israel was a shadow of that people that God was creating.A. This is evident in the book of Hebrews.
1. In the contrast between Sinai and Zion (12:18-24).
2. In the unshakeable kingdom (12:25-28).
B. Evident in the epistles.
1. Romans says, “They are not all Israel who are descended from Israel” (9:4-6ff).
2. Galatians uses a contrast between Sarah and Hagar to communicate the contrast between “the present Jerusalem” and “the Jerusalem above” (4:23-28).
3. “The Israel of God” referred to in Gal. 6:16 is this new creation where circumcision and uncircumcision does not matter (15).
4. Peter referred to his readers, believers in Christ, as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (cf. Isa. 43:20-21; 1 Pet. 2:9).
C. Evident In Acts
1. Paul says he was imprisoned for “the hope of Israel” (28:20).
2. In his sermon in Acts 13 he rehearsed the history of Israel interpreting it in light of the coming of Jesus, preaching belief in Him and forgiveness of sins through Him. Ultimately he turned to the Gentiles recognizing all people of faith as the people of God.
D. Evident in Isaiah.
1. In the inclusion of the Gentiles (Isa. 57:19; Eph. 2:17).
2. Isaiah predicted Israel would be a light and that nations would come to their light (60:1ff).
3. Jesus is the means by which the people of God are gathered (Isa. 61:1ff; Lk. 4:18; Matt. 11:5; Lk. 7:22).
III. You are the glory of God.A. God said, “I shall glorify My glorious house” (Isa. 60:7). We are that glorious house (Heb. 3:6; Eph. 2:17-22).
B. The Holy One of Israel has glorified us (Isa. 60:9).
1. We are the people of God.
2. The house of God (Eph. 2:19).
3. The church of God (1 Cor. 1:2).
4. The Israel of God (Gal. 6:16).
5. The unshakeable kingdom (Heb. 12:28).
6. The general assembly and church of the first born (Heb. 12:23).
7. The city of the living God (Heb. 12:22).
8. The heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:2).
9. The Holy nation (1 Pet. 2:9).
10. A people for God’s own possession (1 Pet. 2:9).
C. We are the people that God has created for His glory (Isa. 43:7; Eph. 1:14).
Conclusion:
1. Everything that God has done to create His people, all the planning, all the executing of His plan, all the power that it takes to accomplish His great work should cause us to stand in awe. 2. But more than that our inclusion should humble us. 3. His willingness to save us should never escape our memory. 4. We are so impressed with His glory exhibited in our forgiveness that we devote ourselves to serving Him by proclaiming His excellencies to others (evangelizing the lost). 5. Like Isaiah we say, “Here am I send me.”
