I’ve been preaching through the book of Isaiah for over a year and a half now. I have come to the forty-third chapter and the great news of the unchangeable Gospel is as strong as one can find anywhere in the sacred text of the Holy Bible, the only authoritative word to know God.
In the middle verses of this chapter Isaiah paints a word picture of all the nations gathered together and all peoples are given the opportunity to state their case on who their god is. He instructs those who have given themselves to false or strange gods to declare what their gods have done. He instructs those who are His people to declare what their God has done. He welcomes all to present their case so they might be justified and that their god gets to be fairly presented.
This is not something that the Almighty God is required to do, it is more that those who are blind or deaf to truth can see that their false gods are just that, impostures. It is a kindness from God to extend His mercy to those who have given themselves to the counterfeit.
This fabricated, propped up god, comes in many forms. Perhaps you have given yourself to one of the many pretend gods?
God has been kind to give a witness of Truth. He has given the nations a people who bear His name to advance His glory to all, the church. And of course He has given His only begotten son, Jesus the Christ, as described by the Bible, to stand as a witness of His glory to all nations. In Isaiah forty-three He also even shows his triune nature by revealing to the reader that there is one, and only one, God. He is identified by God as “My Servant” and He declares that “Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me.” (Isaiah 43:10-11)
That one phrase, “I am He”, is not to be missed or passed by so quickly.
In the New Testament when Jesus asked the Roman officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees who they were looking for, they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus answers “I am He.” This alone is not that unusual, unless the reader keeps reading. The New Testament book of John records that Jesus said, “I am He” the Roman offers “drew back and fell to the ground (John 18:5-6).” This is a witness to the nations that this Jesus is unlike all others.
Whatever fake god you have been bowing down to has been exposed for the sham that it is. Only God can have this kind of impact on a people when He bears witness of deity. His eternal deity. Not a man who became God or earned the right to become a god. Not a god who was once a man. No, this eternal deity “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, by emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:6-7)
This coming Lord’s Day I hope you will find yourself willing to examine truth without the fear of what men might say about you. The Magic Valley is blessed with many Bible believing, God fearing churches who will open their Bibles and preach this truth this weekend. Gather in one of those churches and be set free from the bondage of your sin. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, as described by the Bible, and be saved from the idolatry of following a spoof. If you don’t have a church to gather in this weekend then consider gathering with Eastside Baptist Church, 204 Eastland Drive North, Twin Falls, Idaho.
On Monday, September 9, 2019 there is an opportunity to hear what several religions think about the person and nature of God. At 6:30 p.m in the Shields building room 118 on the campus of the College of Southern Idaho there will be an open forum discussion among many different religions about God. Come hear the difference. Learn that the god of Mohamad, the god of Joseph Smith, the god of Humanism, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are entirely different.
Come hear and see.
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