Watchman Radio Hour

David Schult: Welcome to the Watchman Radio hour. Coming to you from Portland, Oregon, here in the beautiful Northwest. This is David Schult, your announcer. The Watchman Radio hour is a production of Watchman Radio Ministries International, an evangelistic ministry reaching out to the peoples of the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And now here's our speaker, Alex Dodson, to bring you this week's message from God's word.

Alex Dodson: For our scripture reading today, let us turn once again to Isaiah chapter 45 and we'll be reading from verse 25. Let us hear the word of God. But in the Lord, all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exalt. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the Bible that you have given us. We thank you that it's your infallible word and that we can put our full confidence in everything that it says. And now, oh Father, as we come to study your word, we pray that you will send your Holy Spirit and speak to our hearts.

In Christ's name we pray. Amen. This is our final message on Isaiah 45. God has a plan and is working out his plan now. He has a purpose for this world. And though things seem to be going the wrong direction here in the West, things can change in the future. We're living in a time of great turmoil and spiritual decline here in America. Our young people are being led astray by all kinds of untruths. Nothing to compare with what's happening today has ever happened in this nation before. Sexual perversion of all sorts has raised its head to great prominence in the country.

Our young people are drinking it in and being deceived in great numbers. Sexual immorality and all its forms pervade the nation. The nation is being torn apart into all kinds of factions and groups. Our history is being distorted and rewritten and our young people are going to be the victims of this distortion and untruths. Without a national spiritual revival, this nation is doomed. It will never recover from this current decline we are in now. Yet, we must believe there is hope. In Isaiah 59:19 it says, so shall they fear the name of the Lord from the West and his glory from the rising of the sun.

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against them. The enemy has come in like a flood and he is destroying our nation, but he will not succeed. The Lord is able to raise up a standard against them and we must believe that he will. We must pray for a great spiritual awakening to sweep the country. That's our only hope. There is no other solution. We have gone too far and fallen beyond repair by human means. Jesus is building his church and Satan will not be able to stop it.

Matthew 16 and verse 13 and following it says, when Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples saying, whom do men say that I, the son of man, am? And they said, some say that you are John the Baptist and some Elijah and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. And he said unto them, but whom do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, you are the Christ, the son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said to him, blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven.

And I say also unto you that you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Today we're going to look at the church. God has his plan for the church. When Isaiah gave this prophecy, the church has always been in God's plan. Our text as that we read while ago is Isaiah 45:25 which again says, in the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory. The spiritual descendants of Israel will be saved. God's church will be saved. All who put their trust in Christ will be saved.

What about you? Have you trusted in Christ? Have you believed on him? In John 14:6 Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. We invite you today to come to Christ and be saved. Let us see in the first place God's promise to Abraham. He would have many descendants. And in Genesis 15 beginning to read in verse 1 it says, after this the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. Do not be afraid, Abraham. I am your shield, your very great reward.

But Abram said, oh sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless? And the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus. And Abram said, you have given me no children. To a servant in my household will be my heir. And then the word of the Lord came to him, this man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir. He took him outside and said, look up look up in the heavens and count the stars if indeed you can count them. And then he said to him, so shall your offspring be.

And then in Genesis 17 in verse 1 it says, when Abraham when Abraham was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers. Abraham fell face down and God said to him, as for me, this is my covenant with you. You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abraham. Your name will be Abraham for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful.

I will make nations of you and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And then in Romans chapter 4 and verse 16 Paul says, therefore the promise comes by faith so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all as it is written, I have made you a father of many nations.

He is our father in the sight of God in whom he believed. The God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. And so all who know Christ are the descendants of Abraham. For it says in Galatians 3:29, if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed. You are Abraham's descendants and heirs according to the promise. Matthew Henry, the great Puritan commentator, wrote all true Christians that depend upon Christ for strength and righteousness in him shall be justified and shall glory in that. All believers are the seed of Israel, an upright praying seed.

And John Calvin wrote, shall be justified and shall glory. It ought to be observed that the prophet says that they are that we are justified and glory in the Lord. For in none else ought we to seek righteousness or glory. He is joined to it glory which depends on righteousness and is added to it. Hence also Paul says, where is thy glorying? It is excluded by what law of works? No, but by the law of faith. And again, if Abraham was justified work by works, he hath glory, but not before God. It follows therefore that they alone deserve it deservedly glory who seek their righteousness in God and acknowledge that in themselves they have no ground for glorying.

Only in Christ can we be saved. Only in Christ can we be declared righteous in God's sight. Only in Christ can we glory. Abraham was justified through faith. He believed God and was counted as righteous in his sight. Now let me ask you, have you believed on Christ? Come to him now and be saved. Then let us see the worldwide church. Israel Israel would have many descendants throughout the world. And here we mean the spiritual descendants. God's plan was to bring salvation to people all over the world, not just in the Jewish nation of Israel.

John Calvin wrote, as to the greater number having been rejected by God, still this did not set aside God's covenant because the remnant of adoption were always the true and lawful Israel. And although they were few in number, yet they were the firstborn in the church. Besides, all those among the Gentiles who had been engrafted into that body began also, as we have formerly seen, to be accounted the children of Abraham. Israel would blossom and become the people of God from all the nations of the world. The worldwide church is the descendant of Israel, the spiritual descendant of Israel.

The people of God from just this one Jewish nation have become the people of God from all over the world. And then let us see the one olive tree, the one people of God. The olive tree is mentioned in Romans 11 where Paul talks about the Jews and the Gentiles. In Romans 11 verse 11 it says again, I asked, did they stumble so as to fall? That is the Jews. Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all. Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.

But if their transgression means riches for the world and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring? I am talking to you, Gentiles. In as much as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow rouse my own people, that is the Jews, to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered is first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy.

If the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off and you, the wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do consider this, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in. Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid for if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God, sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they, the Jews, do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? In the Old Testament, the olive tree was primarily Jewish.

It was the Jews who were the people of God. In Romans 9 in verse 1 it says, I speak the truth in Christ. I am not lying. My conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit. I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart for I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers. Those of my own race, the people of Israel, theirs is the adoption as sons. Theirs is the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ who is God overall forever praised.

Amen. Israel was the church in the Old Testament and was primarily Jewish. In the New Testament, the church becomes primarily Gentile as the gospel goes out into the whole world. The spiritual Israel continues today in the New Testament church. Today the spiritual descendants of the Israel of the Old Testament are primarily Gentiles from every nation. And yet Jewish conversion is yet to come. Though for a time the Jews as a whole have rejected the gospel, a time is coming when they as a whole will receive the gospel and be grafted back into the church. In Romans 11:25 Paul says, for I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles become in.

And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Here Paul tells us that when the fullness of the Gentiles comes, the Jews as a people will be converted. This is a prophecy of a worldwide revival including the conversion of the Jews. And so although the gospel up to today today has been primarily received by the Gentiles, a time is coming when the Jews as a people will come to Christ and be engrafted back into the people of God. Now let's see in the third place that the church is the spiritual Israel.

That is Israel's descendants, the spiritual descendants of Israel. In Romans 2:28 and 29 it says, a man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. Nor a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly and circumcision is circumcision of the heart by the spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God. A true Jew is one who has a heart toward God, not one who is only a Jew outwardly. Israel's spiritual descendants are those who have a heart toward God under the gospel.

In Romans 9 in verse 6 it said, it is not as though God's word had failed for not all who are descended from Israel are Israel, nor because they are his descendants or they are Abraham are they Abraham's children. On the contrary, it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. Only the Jews who were the spiritual descendants of Abraham were the children of promise. Today we can say that all who trust in Christ are also the spiritual descendants of Abraham.

In Galatians 3:28 and 29 it says, there is neither Jew nor Greek, nor a slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. In Romans 10, 12 and 13 it says, for there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. The Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Colossians 3:11 says, here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

Today all who know Christ are the spiritual descendants of Israel and constitute the spiritual Israel of the Israel of God. In Galatians 6:15 and 16 it says, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision mean anything. What counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule even to the Israel of God. Today the worldwide church are the descendants of Israel. The spiritual Israel are the Israel of God. Isaiah looked forward to this worldwide church, this Israel of God that would cover the whole earth. In Isaiah 43 verse 5 it says, do not be afraid for I am with you.

I will bring your children from the East and gather them from the West. I will say to the North, give them up and to the South, do not hold them back. Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. And then in Isaiah 44 verse 3 it says, for I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground. I will pour out my spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your descendants and they will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.

One will say, I belong to the Lord. Another will call himself by the name of Jacob. Still another will write on his hand the Lord's and will take the name Israel. This worldwide church is in the making. God's plan is to bring to himself people from all over the world. These are the spiritual descendants of Israel. David Brainerd's famous prayer was that God might be made known that God might be known to be God in the whole earth. David Bogue in 1792 in preaching on thy kingdom come from the Lord's prayer said, we have been slothful.

We have been lazy. I wish we may not also be found wicked servants to our coldness and our lack of zeal. It is owing that millions of our fellow creatures are still sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. And shall we sit unconcerned on such a charge? God forbid. We pray daily for the conversion of the Gentiles and for the glory of the latter days. Ed Judson wrote on this passage in Isaiah 45:25 the reference is not to the historical entity Israel. For not all of the historical in Israel repented. Indeed, there were those who belonged to the historical Israel who opposed our Lord and cried out for his death while he was here upon earth.

The reference rather is to the Israel of God, the true believers in Israel whose company was increased in multitude by the addition of those from the Gentiles who turned from idols to serve the living and true God. John Calvin, the great reformer, wrote, and on this ground we are now reckoned the genuine Israel of God, though we are not the descendants of Israel in the flesh. The prophet therefore added this both that the Jews might not think that the Lord's covenant had failed and that they might not boast of their birth and despise the Gentiles.

And then Calvin goes on to write all the seed of Israel. He extends this seed farther that they many not that they many not suppose that they may not suppose that it ought to be limited to the family of Abraham in the flesh. For the Lord gathers his people without distinction from Jews and Gentiles and here speaks universally of the whole human race. Israel's descendants are those who compose the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then we need to pray for the revival of the church. Isaiah 62:6 and 7 says, I have posted watchmen on your walls, oh Jerusalem.

They will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord and give yourselves no rest. Give yourselves no rest and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. We have shown that the spiritual descendants of Israel compose the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jerusalem has used as used in the above passage from Isaiah 62 refers to the church. In the New Testament, the church is called Jerusalem in a spiritual sense. In comparing the Jerusalem in Palestine with the Jerusalem above, Paul calls the Jerusalem above our mother.

In Galatians 4:25 and following it says, now Hagar stands from Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free and she is our mother. For it is written, be glad, oh barren woman who bears no children. Break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband. Now you brothers like Isaac are children of promise. And at that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the spirit.

It is the same now, but what does the scripture say? Get rid of the slave woman and her son for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son. Therefore brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. Paul makes it clear that the Jerusalem above is our mother. We are members of this spiritual Jerusalem if we know Christ. In Hebrews 12 verse 22 it says, but you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly to the church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven.

You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. We are members of this spiritual Jerusalem, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is for her that we must pray day and night that she will be established and made the praise of the earth. This is a call to pray for a revival in the church. Ian Murray in his book on revivals said this, the evangelical revival in the English-speaking world 200 years ago had vast influence in increasing the confidence that all the nations of the earth would yet be turned to the gospel of Christ.

The great numbers who then simultaneously entered the kingdom of God, the many more who though still unconverted gave outward allegiance to the truth and the moral change wrought upon the attitude of whole generations gave Christians to understand that gospel preaching accompanied by future outpourings of the spirit would be well able to transform the world. In 1832 during the time of the second great awakening in America, Pastor Joel Hawes of Hartford, Connecticut wrote concerning revivals. It should be the great aim both of ministers and Christians in a time of revival so to conduct the work both in affectionate zeal and in sound Christian wisdom and prudence that the effect may be to prolong the season of mercy, to prepare the way for return of it and to cause all the true friends of Christ to regard revivals as the most precious blessings that God bestows upon a guilty world.

Pastor Hawes in writing to W. B. Sprague, who was writing a book on revivals at that time, went on to say, it would be easy to enlarge, but I forbear. May the blessing of the God of revivals attend the volume you are proposing to publish with a view to promote them and hasten the day when he shall pour his spirit upon all flesh and fill the whole earth with his praise. Today we need to pray for a revival to come soon. The need is great. Yet now what is about what about you? Do you know Jesus Christ as Lord of your life?

You can by receiving him today as your Lord and savior. Again, in John 14:6 Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me. Come to Christ. Come to Christ now. Come pray this prayer with me. Dear Lord Jesus, I realize that I'm a sinner and that I need your forgiveness. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins and I now accept you as my savior and Lord. Help me to live my life for you. Amen. Father, we pray that those who prayed this prayer will be filled with your spirit and follow you always.

In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

David Schult: Thanks for listening to the Watchman Radio hour. We invite you to come again next week to hear another timely message from God's word. We are Watchman Radio Ministries International, reaching out to the peoples of the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.