“We Can Conquer Death”
Isaiah 25: 1-12
Today’s Scripture reminds us that although Isaiah often speaks of gloom and doom, his ultimate purpose is to remind us that God’s final words will always be of hope and redemption. Last week we read of a shattered city, today we are enjoying a feast provided by the LORD.
As we read through the book of Isaiah we should keep remembering the context of which Isaiah was writing. He was a prophet for the people of Israel. They were a very small nation in the midst of mighty earthly powers. They were being attacked from the left and the right. More significantly, they were choosing to put their faith in themselves and those other nations and failing to trust the ONE true God. Israel was the only nation that believed in the one God, creator of heaven and earth. They did not have idols covering their streets and sitting on the mantles of their living rooms. In comparison of the other nations around them, no one could “see” their God, therefore they were seen as weak and foolish.
In a lot of ways this view was correct. They people of Judah and Israel were weak and foolish. But their God was not. The God of Israel was speaking through His prophet Isaiah to remind His chosen people that although they deserved punishment for their grievous behaviors and choices, He was still of God of justice and mercy.
Verse one of this chapter begins with words that would have been spoken from a nation that had been redeemed. They exalt and praise God’s name for His faithfulness. In verse two they were grateful that the “city” of the wicked and oppressors had been destroyed. Yet Isaiah throws in a curve ball that any respectable Jewish person would have immediately noticed. In verse three he states that among those who will be there to honor and revere God, would be some of the very “strong peoples” and those of the “ruthless nations” that had been destroyed.
The Israelites may have been God’s chosen people, but in His plan for redemption and deliverance, it was not solely for Israel, but for all people who chose to turn to God in faith and humility.
There is a significant point that should be addressed here. God never glories in the destruction of the wicked.
Ezekiel 18:23 New International Version (NIV) 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? Ezekiel 33:11 New International Version (NIV) 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn!Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’
How often do we place, the actions of people, onto the actions of God?
We have the hollywood vision of the mighty God wiping out the wicked and when done, he wipes his hands with a sigh of relief and states, “Well, I’m glad that’s over.”
God is the exact opposite.
He languishes when those He has created are wicked.
God invites everyone to His feast, look at verse 6, On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines.
What’s the occasion?
Why a feast?
Oftentimes a king would hold a great feast in order to proclaim an important message.
That is exactly what God was doing here. God was announcing a new system of order. God was proclaiming that the death that was ruled with Adam and Eve, and the tears that have accompanied it will be wiped away, forever. The One God believers will no longer be seen as a disgrace, but the idol worshipers will recognize the Holy One of Israel as the one God of the world.
Verse 9 gives us the theme of chapters 7-39, that God is trustworthy,
“Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
But Isaiah doesn’t end on this note, he presents us with the promise and then turns us back to our reality. Sure God is merciful and compassionate, but if you think for one minute that you can count on that and do whatever you would like? Think again.
Sin will be punished and may contain deadly consequences. Since the time of the Exodus, when God spoke to Moses saying: Exodus 34:6-7
6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
This is the point of this chapter, God certainly does intend that His salvation is available to every person, regardless of any human qualification we may attach to them, such as race, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, etc. God intends to remove the shroud of death from all people, not just His chosen people,
BUT,
There is always a but,
There is one qualification….
Death is conquered for those who abandon their trust in themselves or in any other created thing.
Verse 11 – deliverance is not available to those who persist in “pride”
Verse 12 – or to those who trust in their own mighty achievements
This chapter gives us a picture of the end time. And as far as I can see, there are two scenarios:
There will be a great feast, where God’s blessings will be made available to all There will also be terrible destruction, for those who choose to trust something or someone other than God This chapter is one of the clearest teachings of resurrection in the Old Testament. It speaks about death. However, the concept of death has changed since this book was written.
Today we live in a society that has the medical ability to keep people living longer. We expect people to be able to live longer and often see death as something wrong. Death for those who live in the Western world is something we work hard at avoiding. Whereas, if we were to go to Bangladesh, Somalia, Iraq or Afghanistan where they are burying people on a daily basis, death would be viewed differently.
If you were to ask the average person in America today of their thinking on death you would discover their answer would depend on the generation they were born. Today’s society views life as all there is, death is the unknown and since it is unknown, society chooses to not to focus on it. Here are some examples of how people who were born after 1946 view death:
Just as a point of interest, raise your hand if you were born before 1946. Please listen to these responses and see how many you agree with or can relate to.
1. “I strongly believe you go to Heaven, but Heaven is a realm that is an aside to our earthly lives. You don’t leave the people here on Earth, but you are here and free from worry; you have a great understanding of how insignificant your earthly presence really is…That’s kind of what I want.” —Mary, boomer 1946-19642.
2. “I think you become another living organism…I would like to choose what happens to me, so I can wait for my loved ones to die, or become an animal that can check up on loved ones, or reincarnate whenever I decide (there is) something else I really want to experience.” —Daniela, millennial 1981-1996
3. “I don’t think anything happens… but I’d love to freely roam the Universe.” —Michael, millennial 1981-1996
4. “I sort of believe in reincarnation and Karma…I would wish to come back with my same mindset and knowledge as a baby.” —Jason, millennial
5. “Heaven.” —Lorraine, boomer
6. “I think you would be instantly reborn… Maybe reunite with loved ones.” — Dawan, gen x 1965-1980
https://thoughtcatalog.com/stephanie-casella/2015/08/20-people-on-what-they-think-happens-after-they-die/
Where these views similar to yours? These views have come about because existential philosophers from the last century have filtered down to the average person today.
Today’s generation has a general scepticism about the possibility of life after death.
But today’s Scripture tells us that the existentialist idea is wrong.
Today’s Scripture reminds us that we have not been created, just to die, but we have created for life.
1 Corinthians 15:55 New International Version (NIV) 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”[a]
As Christians, we have the answer to death, Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection assures us that should we choose to believe, and renounce our pride, for when we do so, we conquer death.
After reading the comments of Baby Boomers and Millennials I wonder, Where has the Church been? Why are so many young people confused? Where is the message that contains hope and assurance? Why aren’t we out there sharing it?
One of the questions, we here at Damariscotta Baptist Church needs to answer is, “What is our mission?”
Why are we here?
Is it so the 35 or so of us can show up on Sundays and worship?
I would like to think our mission is bigger than that.
I would like to think that our mission is the message Isaiah spoke to the Israelites and the mission God had in coming to earth as a human to continue to share.
That mission is,
We were created for life! There is life after death! And in order to have it, you need to trust in God’s plan, and that plan is, trust in Him, not yourself.
Isaiah keeps reminding the Israelites, not to trust in the nations around them, but to look to God. We should be sharing that same message to the Millennials and Generation X’ers around us. Death does not have to be the final answer. Life is the final answer, and we can have life today, right now, the Holy Spirit exists and lives today. But be warned, there will be day when the Holy Spirit will be gone. Isaiah warned this at the end of this chapter when he spoke about Moab. Death will be conquered and destroyed but those who refuse the offer of the Lamb, will be met by the Conqueror and will experience a fate, worse than death, this fate is known as the “second death.”
Revelation 20:14 New International Version (NIV)
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
Revelation 21:8 New International Version (NIV) 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” It is God’s plan that all of his creation choose deliverance over death.
It is up to us whether we conquer death, or death conquers us.
Let’s pray.
