INTRODUCTION

1. From the writings of Moses

a) A precious teaching

b) A powerful teaching about God as Father

2. From the writings of Isaiah the prophet

a) Similar focus

b) Similar faith in God as Father

 

A DESCRIPTION OF AN ANGRY GOD

3 “I have trodden the winepress alone,

And from the peoples no one was with Me.

For I have trodden them in My anger,

And trampled them in My fury;

Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,

And I have stained all My robes.

4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart,

And the year of My redeemed has come.

5 I looked, but there was no one to help,

And I wondered

That there was no one to uphold;

Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me;

And My own fury, it sustained Me.

6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger,

Made them drunk in My fury,

And brought down their strength to the earth.” Isaiah 63:3-6

1. The anger of God

2. The Judgment of God

3. He is to be feared!

 

A DESCRIPTION OF A GRACIOUS GOD

7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD

And the praises of the LORD,

According to all that the LORD has bestowed on us,

And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,

Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies,

According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.

8 For He said, “Surely they are My people,

Children who will not lie.”

So He became their Saviour.

9 In all their affliction He was afflicted,

And the Angel of His Presence saved them;

In His love and in His pity He redeemed them;

And He bore them and carried them

All the days of old. Isaiah 63:7-9

1. The loving-kindness of the LORD

a) His great goodness bestowed

b) A multitude of God’s lovingkindness

2. The Salvation of the LORD

a) Acknowledgment from God

b) The LORD is the Saviour/ Redeemer

c) He has saved them

d) He continues to sustain

e) He will carry them

 

THE PLEA OF ISAIAH

15 Look down from heaven,

And see from Your habitation, holy and glorious.

Where are Your zeal and Your strength,

The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me?

Are they restrained?

16 Doubtless You are our Father,

Though Abraham was ignorant of us,

And Israel does not acknowledge us.

You, O LORD, are our Father;

Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. Isaiah 63:15-16

1. Praying to the LORD

2. Pleading:

a) The zeal of God

b) The strength of God

c) The mercies of God

3. Basis of this prayer to God

a) The LORD as Father

b) He is the Redeemer

c) He is from everlasting

 

THE PLIGHT OF ISRAEL

17 O LORD, why have You made us stray from Your ways,

And hardened our heart from Your fear?

Return for Your servants’ sake,

The tribes of Your inheritance.

18 Your holy people have possessed it but a little while;

Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.

19 We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled,

Those who were never called by Your name. Isaiah 63:17-19

1. Adversaries had desecrated His sanctuary

2. Israel is estranged from God severely

 

CONCLUSION

1. The danger of being estranged from God

a) This is very real

b) Problems can get out of hand

2. The need to seek God

a) His roles:

i) Redeemer

ii) Father

b) These are to be sought and prayed for

i) We need to be restored

ii) We need to be revived

iii) We need to be renewed