#147. In Quietness and Trust Shall Be Your Strength | Isaiah 28-34 Bible Study for Moms

Steph: 00:00:00

This is The Dwelling Place from Entrusted Ministries.

2

: 00:00:02

I'm Stephanie Hickox, and today we're

looking at Isaiah chapters 28 through 34.

3

: 00:00:07

Isaiah will issue six woes of judgment,

but repeatedly, God makes it known that

4

: 00:00:11

He wishes to relent from the judgment

if His people would only turn to Him

5

: 00:00:15

And as you and I see how Israel is

condemned for trusting in foreign

6

: 00:00:19

nations, for not remembering the

Lord, and for relying upon themselves,

7

: 00:00:22

we can also evaluate where we're

tempted to find security and trust

8

: 00:00:26

in sources apart from the Lord,

9

: 00:00:28

And even in the busyness and the

to-do lists of motherhood, we can

10

: 00:00:31

consider what it would look like

to rest in the character of God.

11

: 00:00:35

The first woe that Isaiah issues is

against Israel's leaders, and it's for

12

: 00:00:39

giving themselves over to drunkenness.

13

: 00:00:41

To these corrupt leaders,

Isaiah writes that God has one

14

: 00:00:44

coming who is righteous and just

15

: 00:00:46

In 28:16, " behold, I am the one who

has laid as a foundation in Zion a

16

: 00:00:51

stone, a tested stone, a precious

cornerstone of a sure foundation.

17

: 00:00:56

Whoever believes will not be in haste

18

: 00:00:57

You may recognize This reference to Jesus

as the New Testament writers confirmed

19

: 00:01:02

This is an incredible claim that

is surely fulfilled in Christ.

20

: 00:01:05

Over and over in the chapter, God

said, "To whom will I teach knowledge?

21

: 00:01:09

Give ear.

22

: 00:01:10

Hear my voice.

23

: 00:01:11

Hear the word of the Lord."

24

: 00:01:12

And in verse 26, " For he is rightly

instructed, his God teaches him."

25

: 00:01:17

And the chapter concludes, " This

also comes from the Lord of hosts.

26

: 00:01:20

He is wonderful in counsel

and excellent in wisdom."

27

: 00:01:23

The word counsel is the same word

Isaiah wrote in chapter nine.

28

: 00:01:26

His name will be called

Wonderful Counselor

29

: 00:01:28

In chapter 29 Isaiah writes the

second woe against Israel's religious

30

: 00:01:33

leaders for their hypocrisy, but it

begins with a new name, Ah, Ariel,

31

: 00:01:37

Ariel, the city where David encamped.

32

: 00:01:39

The word Ariel combines the Hebrew words

for lion, which is Ari, and God, El.

33

: 00:01:45

It seems that this term Ariel

means like the lion of Judah, or

34

: 00:01:49

that the king of Judah is a lion.

35

: 00:01:50

After a lengthy description of the

impending judgment, God rebukes the

36

: 00:01:54

people for the condition of their hearts.

37

: 00:01:56

And that's why what follows in

the therefore is so incredible.

38

: 00:02:00

Beginning in verse 13, " Because this

people draw near with their mouth and

39

: 00:02:04

honor Me with their lips, while their

hearts are far from Me, and the fear

40

: 00:02:08

of Me is a commandment taught by men.

41

: 00:02:09

Therefore, behold, I will again do

wonderful things with this people,

42

: 00:02:14

with wonder upon wonder; and the

wisdom of their wise men shall

43

: 00:02:17

perish, and the discernment of their

discerning men shall be hidden."

44

: 00:02:20

God will humble the arrogant

and elevate the humble.

45

: 00:02:23

And verse 19 affirms this, " The meek

shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,

46

: 00:02:27

and the poor among mankind shall

exalt in the Holy One of Israel."

47

: 00:02:31

Chapter 30 is our main focus today.

48

: 00:02:33

In it Isaiah gives the fourth woe,

which is rebuking the entire nation

49

: 00:02:37

for their rebellion against the Lord.

50

: 00:02:39

This is present in three main ways.

51

: 00:02:41

First, their attempted alliance with

Egypt, which God had commanded in

52

: 00:02:45

Deuteronomy that they were not to do.

53

: 00:02:46

Next, they have rejected God's

truth, and finally, they have trusted

54

: 00:02:51

in themselves instead of in God

55

: 00:02:52

As I read, try to listen for those themes

56

: 00:02:55

" Ah, stubborn children," declares the

Lord, "who carry out a plan but not

57

: 00:02:59

mine, and who make an alliance but not

of my Spirit, that they may add sin to

58

: 00:03:03

sin, who set out to go down to Egypt

without asking for my direction, to take

59

: 00:03:08

refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and

to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt.

60

: 00:03:12

Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh

turn to your shame, and the shelter of

61

: 00:03:16

the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.

62

: 00:03:18

For though his officials are at Zoan,

and his envoys reach Hanes, everyone

63

: 00:03:22

comes to shame through a people that

cannot profit them, that brings neither

64

: 00:03:26

help nor profit, but shame and disgrace.

65

: 00:03:29

An oracle on the beasts of the Negeb

Through a land of trouble and anguish,

66

: 00:03:33

from where come the lioness and the

lion, the adder and the flying fiery

67

: 00:03:37

serpent, they carry their riches

on the backs of donkeys and their

68

: 00:03:40

treasures on the humps of camels to

a people that cannot profit them.

69

: 00:03:44

Egypt's help is worthless and empty.

70

: 00:03:46

Therefore, I have called

her Rahab who sits still.

71

: 00:03:49

And now go write it before them

on a tablet and inscribe it in

72

: 00:03:52

a book that it may be for a time

to come as a witness forever.

73

: 00:03:56

For they are a rebellious people, lying

children, children unwilling to hear the

74

: 00:04:01

instruction of the Lord, who say to the

seers, " Do not see," and to the prophets,

75

: 00:04:06

"Do not prophesy to us what is right.

76

: 00:04:08

Speak to us smooth things.

77

: 00:04:09

Prophesy illusions.

78

: 00:04:11

Leave the way.

79

: 00:04:11

Turn aside from the path.

80

: 00:04:13

Let us hear no more about

the Holy One of Israel."

81

: 00:04:15

therefore thus says the Holy One of

Israel, because you despise this word,

82

: 00:04:20

entrust in oppression and perverseness

and rely on them, therefore this

83

: 00:04:24

iniquity shall be to you like a breach

in a high wall bulging out and about

84

: 00:04:29

to collapse, whose breaking comes

suddenly in an instant, that it is

85

: 00:04:33

smashed so ruthlessly that among its

fragments not a shard is found with

86

: 00:04:38

which to take fire from the hearth or

to drip up water out of the cistern.

87

: 00:04:42

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy

One of Israel: " In returning and

88

: 00:04:46

rest you shall be saved; in quietness

and in trust shall be your strength."

89

: 00:04:50

But you were unwilling, and you

said, "No, we will flee upon horses."

90

: 00:04:53

Therefore you shall flee away.

91

: 00:04:55

" And we will ride upon swift steeds."

92

: 00:04:57

Therefore your pursuers shall be swift.

93

: 00:05:00

A thousand shall flee at the threat

of one; at the threat of five

94

: 00:05:03

you shall flee, till you are left

like a flagstaff on the top of a

95

: 00:05:07

mountain, like a signal on a hill.

96

: 00:05:09

Therefore the Lord waits to be

gracious to you, and therefore he

97

: 00:05:13

exalts himself to show mercy to you.

98

: 00:05:15

For the Lord is a God of justice;

blessed are all those who wait for him

99

: 00:05:19

God's availability is on full display

in the second half of this chapter.

100

: 00:05:23

" God makes it clear He wants to

restore the nation to Him, but they

101

: 00:05:26

must humble themselves and this is a

powerful model for us as we're training

102

: 00:05:31

our kids to humble their hearts

103

: 00:05:32

Our goal is to help our kids turn

from their sin, repent, and return to

104

: 00:05:36

the Lord and if we continually give

grace and mercy without heart change,

105

: 00:05:41

Then we're reinforcing the pride in

their hearts and we're making them

106

: 00:05:44

feel sufficient apart from the Lord

107

: 00:05:47

For a people shall dwell in Zion,

in Jerusalem you shall weep no more.

108

: 00:05:50

He will surely be gracious to

you at the sound of your cry.

109

: 00:05:53

As soon as He hears it, He answers you.

110

: 00:05:56

And though the Lord give you the bread

of adversity and the water of affliction,

111

: 00:06:00

yet your Teacher will not hide Himself

anymore, but your eyes shall see your

112

: 00:06:04

Teacher, and your ears shall hear a

word behind you saying, ' This is the

113

: 00:06:08

way, walk in it,' when you turn to the

right or when you turn to the left."

114

: 00:06:12

Then you will defile your carved

idols overlaid with silver and

115

: 00:06:15

your gold-plated metal images.

116

: 00:06:17

You will scatter them as unclean things.

117

: 00:06:19

You will say to them, " Be gone."

118

: 00:06:22

There are a couple phrases

from this chapter that I have

119

: 00:06:24

returned to over and over.

120

: 00:06:25

In verse 16, "In returning

and rest you shall be saved.

121

: 00:06:29

In quietness and trust

shall be your strength."

122

: 00:06:31

As moms, it's required that we

think and do and act so much.

123

: 00:06:35

How often is there a problem that comes

up in your day that needs to be fixed?

124

: 00:06:39

But this verse tells us that looking

to the Lord should be our first

125

: 00:06:42

response to any situation in life

126

: 00:06:44

we've recently read that one day

God will wipe every tear from our

127

: 00:06:47

eyes, and verse 19 reiterates that,

" For people shall dwell in Zion.

128

: 00:06:51

In Jerusalem you shall weep no more."

129

: 00:06:53

And even when God gives us discipline

or trials to refine and purify us,

130

: 00:06:58

We know that this wonderful counselor

remains as it says that your teacher

131

: 00:07:02

will hide himself no more the fifth

woe continues in chapter 31, because

132

: 00:07:06

the people failed to trust in God.

133

: 00:07:08

It begins, "Woe to those who go down to

Egypt for help and rely on horses, who

134

: 00:07:13

trust in chariots, because there are

many, and in horsemen because they are

135

: 00:07:17

very strong, but they do not look to the

Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord."

136

: 00:07:21

Yesterday I was driving with my

kids embarking on a several-hour

137

: 00:07:25

drive so a few of them could have

a special time with their grandma.

138

: 00:07:28

About a half hour into the drive, my car

absolutely unexpectedly, completely died.

139

: 00:07:34

Praise the Lord, it happened as I was

on an exit ramp approaching a stoplight.

140

: 00:07:38

We didn't even make it to the light, but

if I would've broken down a quarter of

141

: 00:07:42

a mile sooner, we would've been in the

middle of the interstate I had to put

142

: 00:07:45

it in neutral and have my young sons

143

: 00:07:47

help push me to the side of the road

144

: 00:07:48

There was a storm before I broke

down, But thankfully the rain let up

145

: 00:07:52

Quickly, a very kind gentleman in

a construction vehicle pulled up.

146

: 00:07:55

His name was Javier.

147

: 00:07:57

He took a look at my car and said, "I'm

not a mechanic, but I'm pretty sure

148

: 00:08:01

your engine has overheated and is dead.

149

: 00:08:03

This kind, sacrificial gentleman

cleared a spot in his truck And my kids

150

: 00:08:07

and their suitcases and I piled in.

151

: 00:08:09

I said to them, "Wow, we really prayed

before we started out on our trip.

152

: 00:08:13

Can you imagine if we wouldn't

have asked the Lord for help?"

153

: 00:08:15

And I told Javier, "You were a

blessing from the Lord to us today.

154

: 00:08:18

He said, "Nothing is as

important as our walk with God."

155

: 00:08:21

Thankfully, we were near a Target,

so he dropped us off there,

156

: 00:08:24

refusing to accept any money

157

: 00:08:26

at the moment that my kids and

I tucked our suitcases into the

158

: 00:08:29

corner of the Starbucks within the

Target, we looked out the window

159

: 00:08:32

and saw the rain starting again.

160

: 00:08:33

God had held it off for just

the right amount of time for us.

161

: 00:08:36

I handed my kids some money while I

called the insurance company, and as

162

: 00:08:39

I was finding out that we didn't have

roadside assistance on that vehicle, my

163

: 00:08:43

kids were in line finding out they didn't

have enough money for what they ordered.

164

: 00:08:47

another kind stranger just

happened to be behind them and

165

: 00:08:50

offered to make up the difference

166

: 00:08:51

You know, the day wasn't what I expected

to happen, and my poor mother-in-law,

167

: 00:08:54

instead of meeting us halfway, ended up

driving all the way here to get my kids

168

: 00:08:59

and I can honestly say that I was thankful

for that car every time I got in it.

169

: 00:09:03

The way we received it was an

absolute testimony, and we're

170

: 00:09:05

not able to replace it now.

171

: 00:09:07

Just as we're about to have

a third driver, we're likely

172

: 00:09:10

becoming a one-car family again.

173

: 00:09:11

But it's okay.

174

: 00:09:12

We can trust that the Lord

knows just what we need.

175

: 00:09:15

The Lord is our shepherd,

we shall not want

176

: 00:09:17

But as I was sitting in Javier's

vehicle, I was thinking about that

177

: 00:09:19

verse we've meditated on together.

178

: 00:09:21

" Some trust in chariots and some

trust in horses, but we trust in

179

: 00:09:25

the name of the Lord our God."

180

: 00:09:26

I don't think that there's been a

moment where I've connected that verse

181

: 00:09:29

to transportation, which is kind of

silly because obviously horses and

182

: 00:09:33

chariots are what they relied upon then.

183

: 00:09:35

I've mostly thought about them in terms of

battle, but it was just another picture to

184

: 00:09:38

me that this was something I relied on in

my life But it shows that even in moments

185

: 00:09:43

where vehicles break down and prove

untrustworthy, that the Lord is faithful

186

: 00:09:47

and he provided the kindness of strangers

to display that to my kids and I yesterday

187

: 00:09:51

So as I'm reading chapter 31, this rebuke

for them relying on horses and trusting

188

: 00:09:55

chariots, it reminds me to not rely on the

comforts and conveniences of modern life.

189

: 00:10:00

In chapter 32, Isaiah says, "This

judgment is going to be bad.

190

: 00:10:03

how about a different way, Israel?"

191

: 00:10:05

And he describes how the

Messianic King will be different

192

: 00:10:07

I particularly love the concluding verses.

193

: 00:10:10

" Then justice will dwell in the

wilderness, and righteousness

194

: 00:10:13

abide in the fruitful field.

195

: 00:10:15

And the effect of righteousness will be

peace, and the result of righteousness,

196

: 00:10:19

quietness and trust forever.

197

: 00:10:20

My people will abide in a peaceful

habitation, in secure dwellings,

198

: 00:10:25

and in quiet resting places."

199

: 00:10:26

here's our dwelling theme again

but I thought that was such a

200

: 00:10:29

powerful phrase that the effect

of righteousness will be peace

201

: 00:10:33

That can be true now

as well as for eternity

202

: 00:10:36

Chapter 33

203

: 00:10:36

Verse five and six tell us, "The Lord

is exalted, for he dwells on high.

204

: 00:10:40

He will fill Zion with justice

and righteousness, and he will

205

: 00:10:43

be the stability of your times.

206

: 00:10:45

Abundance of salvation, wisdom,

and knowledge, the fear of

207

: 00:10:48

the Lord is Zion's treasure

208

: 00:10:50

The chapter ends, "And no

inhabitant will say, 'I am sick.'

209

: 00:10:53

The people who dwell there will

be forgiven their iniquity."

210

: 00:10:56

It will be glorious, won't it,

211

: 00:10:58

and finally, Isaiah 34 begins A

summary of God's judgment, but also

212

: 00:11:02

the blessings that are available.

213

: 00:11:04

Isaiah reminds the people, "The

Lord has a day, a day of judgment,

214

: 00:11:08

and you'd better be ready."

215

: 00:11:09

We'll continue his words tomorrow

216

: 00:11:11

heavenly Father, you are

exalted and dwell on high.

217

: 00:11:15

We look forward to the day when you

will set everything right on this earth.

218

: 00:11:18

But until you do, help us to be

transformed by the truths of who you are

219

: 00:11:23

and how you care for us We thank you

that the fear of you is our treasure,

220

: 00:11:27

and that you provide an abundance

of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.

221

: 00:11:31

We thank you, Lord, that you are

our stability, that in returning

222

: 00:11:34

and rest is our strength, and in

quietness and trust is our salvation.

223

: 00:11:38

We pray we would look to you

over reliances and comforts.

224

: 00:11:42

We pray particularly for our kids

that they would understand that the

225

: 00:11:45

effect of righteousness is peace.

226

: 00:11:48

Train them to walk in innocence and

purity, that they would experience the

227

: 00:11:51

blessings of their God-honoring choices

228

: 00:11:54

thank you, Jesus, that

you are the cornerstone.

229

: 00:11:56

It's in your name we pray.

230

: 00:11:58

Amen