An Encounter with Isaiah

1. An Encounter with Isaiah Lesson 25 No Peace For The Wicked Isaiah 56:9-57:21

2. Isaiah 57:15b: I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

3. An Encounter with Isaiah Lesson 25 No Peace For The Wicked Isaiah 56:9-57:21

4. What it means to be a shepherd The issue of spiritual harlotry The effects of one’s peace in terms of righteousness vs. wickedness What it means to be contrite and lowly in spirit

5. Isaiah 56:10-12: 10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep 11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, they seek their own gain. 12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.”

6. What Does It Mean To Be A Shepherd? John 10:12: But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.

7. What Does It Mean To Be A Shepherd? John 10:12: But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. John 10:2-4a; 7b; 11: But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; I am the door of the sheep. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

8. What Does It Mean To Be A Shepherd? John 10:12: But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. John 10:2-4a; 7b; 11: But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; I am the door of the sheep. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

9. Isaiah 56:10-12: 10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep 11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, they seek their own gain. 12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.”

10. Tomorrow Proverbs 27:1: Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Matthew 6:34: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

11. Spiritual Harlotry Isaiah 57:5-9: 5 You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags. 6 The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; indeed, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In view of all this, should I relent? 7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill; there you went up to offer your sacrifices. 8 Behind your doors and your doorposts you have put your pagan symbols. Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, you climbed into it and opened it wide; you made a pact with those whose beds you love, and you looked with lust on their naked bodies. 9 You went to Molek with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadors far away; you descended to the very realm of the dead!

12. Isaiah 54:7-10: “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer. “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

13. Isaiah 54:7-10: “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer. “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

14. Spiritual Harlotry Isaiah 57:5-9: 5 You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags. 6 The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; indeed, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In view of all this, should I relent? 7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill; there you went up to offer your sacrifices. 8 Behind your doors and your doorposts you have put your pagan symbols. Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, you climbed into it and opened it wide; you made a pact with those whose beds you love, and you looked with lust on their naked bodies. 9 You went to Molek with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadors far away; you descended to the very realm of the dead!

15. Righteousness vs. Wickedness The leaders of the nation (Isaiah 56:9-57:2) Idolaters (Isaiah 57:3-13) The proud and greedy (Isaiah 57:14-21) The hypocrites (Isaiah 58:1-14) The unjust (Isaiah 59:1-21)

16. Isaiah 57:17: I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways.

17. “The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA.” - Gordon Gekko – from the movie “Wall Street”

18. Job 20:6-7: Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds, he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ Psalm 10:4: In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. Proverbs 11:2a: When pride comes, then comes disgrace Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Isaiah 23:9: The Lord Almighty planned it, to bring down her pride in all her splendor and to humble all who are renowned on the earth.

19. No God, No PeaceKnow God, Know Peace Isaiah 57:20-21: But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

20. No God, No PeaceKnow God, Know Peace Isaiah 57:20-21: But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” Isaiah 57:1-2: The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart;the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.

21. Isaiah 57:15: For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy:“I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Contrite - feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming Wicked – morally very bad; evil

22. From Wicked to Contrite Recognizing the truth of wickedness and sin 2. Personalizing our wickedness and sinfulness 3. Confessing our wickedness and sin

23. From Wicked to Contrite Recognizing the truth of wickedness and sin 2. Personalizing our wickedness and sinfulness 3. Confessing our wickedness and sin 4. Repent of our wickedness and sin 5. Receive the gift of salvation and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior

24. Isaiah 57:16, 18-19: I will not accuse them forever,nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of me— the very people I have created. I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”

25. What it means to be a shepherd The issue of spiritual harlotry The effects of one’s peace in terms of righteousness vs. wickedness What it means to be contrite and lowly in spirit

26. Dictations From the Spirit If you would like to get a copy of this presentation, please visit: dictationsfromthespirit.com Click under “Categories” – “POW Bible Studies” Click on the link “No Peace For The Wicked”