Coney Hill Baptist Church

Demonstrating God’s Love Together

6th April 2008

Encountering God:

Inspired & Enthused

Isa. 62:1-4

Isaiah lived in the 7^th and 8^th centuries BC. In Jerusalem, the capital of what was then known as the southern kingdom of Judah. He lived in turbulent times when Israel, the Northern Kingdom, was over-run and taken into exile by the Assyrians, and Judah found itself under threat as well. He seemed to have the ear of various kings and advised them of how best to avoid the fate of their northern brothers – for a time successfully. Ultimately though, they too were swept away by the emerging power of Babylon.

The book of Isaiah is in 3 parts, some people think it was written by 2, or even 3 different authors, so distinct are the divisions. Chapters 1 – 39 speak of warnings of judgement; that the nation, like Israel, won’t last if it keeps on ignoring God and his ways. Chaps 40 – 55, is sometimes called the book of comfort, we’ll be looking more at that in a couple of weeks. It anticipates God’s continuing presence with his people even after all the bad stuff has happened, and especially the salvation that will come though a ‘suffering servant’. The final 10 chapters are full of glory and hope, as a dream is sketched of Jerusalem’s future. In all of this though, because Isaiah is a prophet, his words transcend the specific history, and geography, and speak universally – to us.

So Isaiah, having met with God … encountered him, was concerned to work out what that meant for his times, for him and his people. And although he said some very painful and troubling things, he had strong words of judgement, even condemnation, he never lost hope or passion or faith or commitment. That was what marked him as a prophet of the true and living God.

Hence these verses, near the end of his book. That speak of:

His compulsion … he cannot remain silent, like the stones on the on the palm-Sunday roadside…

His motivation … for the sake of that and those which he knew, his people, his city

His Vision… of a better future, a new opportunity – a salvation that lived up to his name. A shining dawn, a blazing torch, a splendid crown

His Faith…. in God, its all about him, he is the one who will do it, the one to whom the people will be joined and ‘married’

Isaiah was inspired, he was a prophet, driven by the word of God as it came to him, and it dominated his life. 40 years ago last Friday another prophet, who was keen on quoting Isaiah at every opportunity, was killed. He to was compelled and motivated, he had a vision and the faith to imagine it realized. Martin Luther King certainly knew what is was to struggle, but he never lost his zeal, his hope. Like Isaiah, despite everything, he was positive, enthusiastic, passionate, so ought we to be.

Office Address:

Coney Hill Road

West Wickham

Kent

BR4 9BU