Isaiah: Lesson 7

Overview

Isaiah's Apocalypse: Living as an Advent People

Isaiah 24–27 is often called "Isaiah's apocalypse"—an unveiling of what God has kept hidden concerning the last day. The repeated phrase "in that day" pulls our gaze toward the great day of judgment. Isaiah declares that the Lord will lay waste the earth and scatter its inhabitants (24:1), still the music of the careless (24:8), shake the planet on its axis until it splits open (24:19–20), and punish both the powers of heaven and the kings of the earth (24:21). Joy will turn to sorrow for those who have rejected him, and Satan and all who pledged him allegiance will be brought to account.

Scripture is clear that the "last days" are not some future month yet to begin—they were inaugurated at the first advent of Christ. Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that "in these last days" God has spoken to us by his Son, and Hebrews 9:24-26 declares that Christ has "appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself." The day or hour of his return, however, no one knows Matthew 24:36. The church therefore lives in watchfulness—an advent people crying, "Come, Lord Jesus." Christ will return visibly and in glory; there will be a bodily resurrection, a final judgment of the living and the dead, and a new heavens and a new earth.

A word of caution is in order regarding "rapture" theology, the idea—popularized in the Left Behind series—that Christians will be snatched away before judgment falls. The proof text often cited, Matthew 24:40 ("one will be taken and one will be left"), actually teaches the opposite when read carefully. The Greek word for "taken" can mean seized or taken prisoner; the word for "left" is the same verb used for forgive or pardon in the Lord's Prayer. The context confirms this: just as the flood "swept away" the unbelieving (vv. 38–39), and just as a homeowner does not want his belongings carried off by a thief (v. 43), so on the last day you want to be the one left—pardoned and inheriting the kingdom—not the one seized for judgment. Rapture theology is a relatively recent novelty in church history and is not grounded in Scripture.

For those who belong to Christ, however, the day of judgment is not terror but song. Isaiah 25:9 gives the church its anthem: "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us… let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isaiah 26 promises peace and security to those of steadfast mind who trust in the Lord, the everlasting Rock. Our confidence rests not in our own righteousness but in the just Judge who laid the penalty for our sin upon his Son. As 2 Timothy 2:19 reminds us, "The Lord knows those who are his." In baptism God has placed his seal upon us, and each morning and evening we can return to that promise as Luther did—I am baptized—rooting our lives in God's decision rather than in our shifting feelings. Clothed in the white of Christ's righteousness, we serve him today with eyes fixed upward, neither so heavenly minded that we are earthly useless, nor so earthly bound that we forget for whom we wait. Come, Lord Jesus.

Transcript

Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the preciousness of your Word and the opportunity 3s

to gather around Word and sacrament. 8s

Blessed we pray this time of study to your glory and praise in Jesus' name. 11s

Amen. 17s

We continue today in our study of the, or we looked at last week, I should say, the Gentile 19s

oracles, and you'll recall that a focus of our time together was focusing on the theme 26s

of the beauty and the reliability of the Word of God, because there were several prophecies 33s

that Isaiah inspired by the Lord Almighty, revealed. 40s

There was the prophecy with regard to the Ethiopian so that they would come to believe 46s

and to worship, and we see that fulfillment in the eighth chapter of Acts at the conversion 52s

of the Ethiopian Unic. 58s

History tells us that that Ethiopian went back and the gospel was spread. 60s

Ethiopia came to know Christ and today there's an active Christian church in Ethiopia. 65s

We saw the prophecy that Egypt and the Syria would believe. 74s

And we see today that that church was born and indeed they were a fact that they were 80s

one of the first to convert to Christianity, Egypt and Syria. 87s

There was a prophecy with regard to the nation that would ultimately defeat the Babylonians, 92s

which is the metal Persian empire. 98s

He saw the frescoe of Jerusalem for the Assyrian armies, the fall of Assyria, the destruction 101s

of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, the fall of Babylon at the hand of the Persians, the return 107s

of the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem, the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem and his work and 113s

the church of God in the future. 120s

The amazing, amazing book where we see the reliability of God's Word, Isaiah and the prophecy 123s

on multiple levels of prophecy. 131s

We took a look at Scripture's revelation as to why Jerusalem was destroyed and what led 134s

to the Babylonian captivity in 586 BC. 142s

I took a look at the issue that the fundamental problem in the world is not politically 147s

solved. 152s

It is a spiritual problem. 153s

And that is a church we should trust the tools that we have, Word and sacrament, because 156s

laws can't change the heart. 162s

We studied how as individuals, individual citizens informed by our faith should be reactive 165s

politically, absolutely. 172s

But we looked at the danger of where the church turns to politics to resolve things and 174s

the church is understood as a political entity. 181s

Huge turn off to people. 185s

A violation of what Scripture says about Luther's understanding of the two kingdoms. 188s

And so the fundamental problem is spiritual. 195s

It is not political. 200s

We can trust the tools that we have. 202s

We didn't touch on Tyra last time in Isaiah 23. 205s

We ran out of time. 207s

Just a little brief little glance on that. 209s

Babylon is understood as representing the military and governmental powers in the world 212s

and Tyra was understood as the commercial and economic power. 217s

And both Babylon and Tyra came under the judgment of God. 222s

We saw how those oracles had important messages that God is the God of justice, that He doesn't 228s

excuse sin. 235s

And of course we see how the Lord Jesus Christ has borne the justice of God for our sin on 237s

the cross. 245s

Well today I want to take a look with you at Isaiah 24 to 27. 246s

As we continue our walk here. 251s

Some call chapters 24 to 27 Isaiah's apocalypse. 253s

An apocalypse is a word that means that which was hidden or kept from being understood is 259s

now revealed and unveiling of it. 268s

And commonly that word apocalypse is understood in association with the end times and the last 272s

day and the days leading up to that. 281s

If someone asks you, especially looking at the circumstances in the world today, are we 287s

living in the last days what would be your response? 291s

Sure we are. 294s

If someone say to the last days just start within the last month what would be your response? 296s

No, all right. 301s

All this warms of pastors' hearts here. 303s

Because these are all past lessons that I've done. 306s

So it's always dangerous to kind of ask questions or what you've been taught on, but you 309s

answered confidently. 314s

Good, good for you. 316s

The last days began at the first advent of Christ. 317s

The last days began at the first advent of Christ. 322s

Let's take a look at Hebrews, the first chapter. 325s

Hebrews chapter 1, picking up in verse 1. 329s

Hebrews 1 picking up in verse 1. 341s

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many in various ways by the prophets, but in these 348s

last days he has spoken to us by a son. 356s

Let's go over into Hebrews the ninth chapter, verse 24. 362s

Hebrews 9, verse 24. 368s

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, 376s

but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 385s

Nor was it to offer himself again and again as the high priest enters the holy place year 391s

after year with blood that is not his own. 397s

For then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. 401s

But as it is, he's appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 407s

We lived then in the last days and the last days began at the first advent of Christ. 418s

What will happen on that great day of judgment? 426s

Isaiah prophesies about this. 434s

And again, this is just another layer of prophecy that we see. 436s

We see historically, obviously, since it's the word of God, we see historically the fulfillment of what Isaiah had prophesied. 442s

And as we get into the second half of Isaiah, we're going to see that once again. 450s

But Isaiah now prophesies with regard to what will happen on the great day of judgment. 455s

So let's go to Isaiah 24, verse 1. 462s

And when chapter 24 to 27, you hear a repeated phrase in that day, in that day, in that day, the last day that's being referred to is the great day, the last day. 471s

The great day of judgment. 485s

Now the Lord is about to lay waste the earth and make it desolate. 491s

And He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. 497s

What will happen then on the last day, the day of judgment? 502s

God will empty the earth of its population and lay it waste. 509s

What else do we see? 515s

Verse 8 of chapter 24. 518s

The birth of the Timberl's is stilled. 523s

The noise of the Jubilant has ceased. 527s

The birth of the liar is still. 530s

God will change the joy and laughter of the world, into sorrow and tears. 535s

Look at verse 19. 544s

The earth is utterly broken. 547s

The earth is torn asunder. 550s

The earth is violently shaken. 552s

The earth staggers like a drunkard. 555s

It sways like a hut. 557s

Its transgression lies heavy upon it and it falls and will not rise again. 559s

On the last day of the day of judgment, the planet will reel. 569s

It will stagger on its axis and split open. 574s

Verse 21. 582s

They will be gathered together like prisoners in the pit. 584s

They will be shut up in a prison and after many days they will be punished. 588s

And I forgot verse 21. 597s

On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven in heaven and on earth the kings of the earth. 599s

What will happen on the last day, God will punish Satan and all the pledges allegiance to Satan. 606s

So in that day there will be the emptying of the earth and the population laying its waste. 614s

Joy and laughter will turn to sorrow and tears. 620s

The planet will reel and stagger on its axis and split open. 623s

God will punish Satan and those sworn allegiance to him. 628s

Think of facing the Lord on the day of judgment as an unbeliever. 634s

That is the most terrifying prospect, isn't it? 644s

The most terrifying thought. 650s

That causes us to not look at our neighbors, our family members, our work associates. 655s

It causes us to look at them differently, doesn't it? 662s

As people that have an eternal destiny that will one day stand before the Lord. 668s

So we learn from Isaiah about the second coming, about the day of judgment. 679s

We also learn from other parts of Scripture. 688s

Christ will come visibly and all people will see Him. 693s

That's Acts 1. 698s

Christ will come in glory surrounded by the host of His angels, as Matthew 25. 700s

A bodily resurrection will take place. 707s

Believers will be raised to salvation. 709s

Unbelievers will be raised to damnation that's John 5. 712s

He will judge all people both the living and the dead that's John 5. 717s

There will be a new heavens and a new earth will be created. 724s

Second Peter, the third chapter. 728s

The date of Christ's second advent is unknown. 732s

Turn over, please, to Matthew chapter 24, verse 36. 738s

Matthew 24, verse 36. 745s

Jesus said this. 761s

But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven nor the sun, 763s

but only the Father. 769s

The church then waits in a posture of watchfulness. 772s

We continually live as an advent people. 780s

Advent people. 785s

Looking forward with anticipation for Christ's coming. 787s

And so we cry, come, Lord Jesus. 792s

Because our sins have been atone for, we've been claimed in the waters of baptism. 796s

We belong to Christ. 801s

We know when that day comes, if we are alive, we have nothing to fear. 804s

We long for hearing of the trumpet of the announcing the arrival of Christ. 811s

We long for that day. 818s

We cry in our liturgy. 820s

Come, Lord Jesus, our posture is therefore always watchfulness. 822s

So Isaiah then, as he is prophesying about a series, 832s

he's prophesying about Babylon, he's prophesying about the Persians. 837s

He is making all these kind of prophecies. 842s

He's prophesying about the Prince of Peace and Messiah that will come. 845s

He prophesies about the end times and what will happen on the day of judgment. 851s

Talk about a rich, rich book. 860s

Why do a little experiences here with regard to an aspect of end times that is quite popular, unfortunately, 864s

but it's incorrect teaching. 876s

Since Isaiah has opened up the topic of the last days here and the day of judgment, 879s

I want to comment on this. 885s

That has to do with what's called the rapture. 889s

Have you heard that term? 892s

It was particularly popularized in the left behind series, 896s

which if you haven't read the left behind series, don't. 903s

There's really no need. 911s

It's just really bad. 913s

It's really bad theology. 915s

But what's lifted up is what's called the rapture. 919s

The rapture is the understanding that Christians will be snatched away 923s

before the judgment of God comes upon the earth. 927s

And a passage that is used to support that is Matthew 24 verse 40, 934s

which says, 944s

Then two will be in the field. 946s

One will be taken and one will be left. 949s

And so the left behind series maintains that you want to be the one that is taken, right? 954s

You don't want to be left behind. 964s

Here's the problem with that. 968s

There are two Greek words here that's really, really instructive. 971s

The Greek word here for taken in verse 40, 976s

it can also be translated as seized or taken prisoner, seized or taken prisoner. 981s

And the word for left there is a word that can also be translated as to pardon or to forgive. 988s

In fact, that same verb is when the Lord is teaching the disciples how to pray. 999s

And he says, 1008s

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others. 1008s

That's the same verb that is showing up. 1012s

So two verbs here in the Greek, very instructive. 1015s

The one is taken, which means seized or taken prisoner. 1019s

And left is to pardon or to forgive. 1023s

So with that in mind, then, 1030s

you want to be the one that's left, not taken, right? 1033s

You want to be the one that's left, not taken, which is the opposite of the rapture theology. 1041s

The context bears it out too. 1048s

Look at verse 38. 1051s

For as in those days before the flood, 1055s

they were eating and drinking, marrying and given and marriage, 1057s

until the day Noah entered the ark. 1060s

And they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away. 1062s

So two will be the coming of the Son of man. 1068s

Sweeped what? 1076s

Away. 1079s

Sweeped away. 1082s

He going on then into verse 43, 1085s

but understand this, if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, 1090s

he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 1097s

Having one's belongings then taken is a bad thing, right? 1103s

So you look at the two Greek words, you look at the context, you want to be the one that's left, not taken. 1109s

It absolutely turns the false theology here of the rapture on its head, 1118s

which, by the way, is a relatively when you look at church history, 1124s

it's a relatively recent development. 1128s

Historically, in the church, the theology of the rapture. 1130s

Am I giving a strong enough opposite of an endorsement of that series? 1137s

As I can, it's just bad theology. 1146s

When Jesus then speaks of the one taken, he speaks of the lost at the second coming. 1152s

Those who are left are those who are forgiven and receive eternal life inheriting the kingdom. 1162s

Rapture theology, it's just not grounded in the Scripture. 1171s

Isaiah speaks more of the day of judgment when we get into chapter 25. 1178s

Chapter 25, verse 9. 1186s

He will be said on that day, 1199s

low, this is our God. 1202s

We've waited for him so that he might save us. 1205s

This is the Lord for whom we have waited. 1209s

Let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation. 1212s

For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain. 1216s

The Moe bites shall be troughted down in their place as straw is troughted down in a dung pit. 1220s

Though they spread out their hands in the midst of it as swimmers spread out their hands to swim, 1229s

their pride will be laid low despite the struggle of their hands. 1235s

The high fortifications of His walls will be brought down, laid low, cast to the ground, even to the dust. 1241s

That's quite an image here, isn't it? 1251s

That Moeb trampled in manure as a symbol of the condemnation that will come upon the nations that resist the Lord. 1252s

In that day, God's people will sing a song of peace and security. 1266s

Let's go to 26. 1272s

On that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah. 1275s

We have a strong city. He sets up victory, like walls and bullworks. 1278s

Open the gates so that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. 1284s

Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace and peace because they trust in you. 1289s

Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock. 1295s

For He has brought low the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city He lays low. 1300s

He lays it low to the ground, cast it to the dust. The foot tramples it. 1305s

The feet of the poor, the steps of the needy. 1312s

In that day, on the last day, on the day of judgment, God's people will sing a song of peace and security. 1317s

On that day, as God threshes His harvest feel, 1326s

how precious it is to be one of His children and we don't need to fear at all. 1331s

Chapter 27 verse 12 1340s

On that day, the Lord will thresh from the channel of the Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, 1344s

and you will be gathered one by one, O people of Israel. 1349s

And we will be called to worship, verse 13. 1356s

And on that day a great trumpet will be blown and those who were lost in the land of the Syrian, 1360s

those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem. 1365s

Again, the fearful prospect of the unbeliever standing before the Lord on that day of days. 1376s

And the church singing with joy and peace and insecurity that indeed we belong to Christ. 1385s

Let's go to 2nd Timothy, chapter 2. 1395s

Please, Matthew, Mark Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. 1398s

1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. 1402s

Then you hit the tea books, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, then 2nd, 1st and 2nd Timothy. 1407s

2nd Timothy, chapter 2, verse 19. 1413s

But God's firm foundation stands bearing this inscription. 1426s

The Lord knows those who are His. 1432s

The Lord knows those who are His. 1436s

2nd Timothy, the 4th chapter, verse 18. 1441s

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for His heavenly kingdom, to Him be the glory forever and ever. 1451s

You see, in our baptism we receive the seal certifying us as God's own. 1464s

Next hour there's going to be confirmations of 4th graders in our congregation. 1473s

They're not making their decision for Jesus. 1480s

Are they? 1483s

Because God made His decision about them in the waters of baptism. 1484s

God has sustained that faith given in the baptismal waters, and they will affirm that what God did in their baptism is true. 1489s

They'll affirm God's decision, and they'll do that by the very grace of God. 1502s

There's a powerful reminder to us, isn't it? 1511s

That each and every day is a day for us to affirm what God did in our baptism. 1513s

Remember what a Luther say in the morning when you get up on baptized? 1520s

When you say it night when you go to sleep on baptized? 1522s

And what was he doing? 1525s

He was rooting His life in God's decision. 1526s

Holdly apart, holdly apart from whatever Luther was feeling. 1530s

And Luther was a human being. 1537s

In fact, Luther suffered from depression, had major bouts of depression in his life. 1540s

There was suffering physically that he went through. 1550s

He lost a child, he lost another child, buried his 12-year-old daughter. 1554s

I mean, when you're going up against a system that had departed from the world, that would heal heretics, 1561s

and yet he is standing up on the Word of God saying, here I stand, that's an incredible and powerful Word. 1572s

We can trust, as Luther did, that God claims us in the waters of baptism, that we have been sealed by His gracious touch upon us. 1583s

And so, as we witness next hour, these 4-8th graders affirming their baptism, it's not making their decision for Jesus. 1597s

It's affirming the decision that God made about them, rejoicing in it, and that's a powerful reminder of something that we can do each and every day. 1607s

When they publicly stand in front of the congregation, they are witnessing that they've gone through a period of study, and they're ready to take on greater responsibility in the life of the church, our Christian community, and its ministry in the world. 1616s

That's a powerful reminder to us, too, isn't it? 1632s

It's a powerful reminder to us, too, that God calls us each and every day to be witnesses for Him. 1634s

That's what life is about, right? That's what life is about. 1643s

To glorify Him and to glorify Him by witnessing to the Savior, for however long the Lord gives us, for how many days it is, this side of heaven, before He takes us home, that's the call. 1648s

And they will stand, and they will be robed in white as a reminder of the forgiveness, life eternal that is given to them in their baptisms, and we will be reminded that while, wonderful, so many are in red today, 1660s

in actuality we're all closed in white, aren't we? We're all closed in white, perpetually closed in white, because we belong to God. 1680s

And so we hear from Isaiah his prophecies, we see Isaiah prophesying about the last days, we hear about what will happen to the earth and the earth staggering and being torn apart. 1692s

We hear about the reality and the terror of standing before God on judgment they cloaked in one's own righteousness. 1706s

But we also hear the joy of the church singing, who has been made secure because of what Christ has done, bearing our sin upon Him at the cross, the just justice of the just judge, the pastoral next is going to preach. 1715s

Next hour, the just judge here laying the penalty for our sin upon his son, such grace. 1734s

And so we read these words, we see the reliability of the word, we see him going all the way into the future of the second coming of Christ, and we can be today as a people with our eyes upward. 1746s

But also working so we don't become so heavenly hopeful that we become earthly useless, right? 1762s

So with anticipation of his coming we see then the day before us that we can serve him and glorify him and witness to Christ, and amidst our serving and our gaze upward we can say, 1773s

come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus, we'll continue next week, chapters 28 to 3rd. 1788s