Is There a Word?
Isaiah 9:8-The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel
The prophet Isaiah is the writer of this text. Ephraim, Jacob, or the Northern Kingdom (Northern Israel) is the readers or recipients. The message is a warning of impending judgement and punishment by God for their disobedience, sins, and refusal to turn to God, or repent. This passage is truly prophetic in that Isaiah writes as if events prophesied have already occurred. All prophecy is relative to the past, conditional to the present; and providential to the future. The prophecy model is always two-fold. Along with the gloom and doom of judgement and punishment, comes also the promise of hope and restoration. Although the Northern Kingdom was in the darkness of their sins and disobedience the darkest hour was yet to come, with the invasion of the Assyrians. God promised to send a great light. When the light of hope, justice, and righteousness is turned on; the darkness of despair, unrighteousness, depression, and oppression, and sin is exposed, dispersed, and eradicated. For the light, darkness comprehendeth not. Darkness hath not power over light. This passage of scripture teaches that #1 judgement comes before punishment, #2 punishment is administered before restoration. The penalty of sin must be paid. Even though we are forgiven our sins, we still suffer the consequences of sin. I tell you nay, but accept ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3) If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I Jhn.1: 9)
Is there a word? Every Sunday morning by the grace of God we are awaken out of our slumber. We are rejuvenated, and retrieved from the very image of death. We rise in anticipation and expectation of making our way to the house of God; the holy sanctuary; the tabernacle of praise. Where we worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, loose our inhibitions, and are liberated in the spirit. We give him all the honor, glory, and praise that he is so deserving of, and worthy. After song and scripture, and prayer and praise, the fire of the spirit has been kindled to the point that we hunger and thirst to be filled. At the preaching moment comes the inquisition, and the question is asked, is there a word from God? I say to you there is a word from the Lord. Have you heard the word? Have you received the word? Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom. 10:17) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit is saying to the churches.(Rev. 2:7) If you do not receive the word, you have not heard the word. The natural man cannot receive the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. (I Cor. 2: 14)
In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God. (Jhn. 1:1) And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. (Jhn. 1:14) There is a word from the Lord. The incarnate word, the living word, the expressed image of God. The logos, the expressed intelligence of God wrapped in a temporary cloak of flesh. The Lord sent a word into Jacob and it hath lighted upon Israel. (Isa. 9:8) I read in the word; that the Lord sent a word; and the word spoke a word. Jesus said, ” the words that I speak, they are spirit and they are life.” (Jhn. 6:63) The back- drop of this text is that Isaiah had given a prophetic word of impending judgement on the Northern Kingdom. Israel was to be taken into bondage and captivity by the Assyrians. But, in actuality it was God using the Assyrians to punish Israel for their sins.
Sometimes in this life we suffer the darkness of oppression, depression, suppression, obsession, because we refuse the light of the word. We refuse to walk in the light of obedience to God’s will and his word. Jesus said, ” I am the light of the world.” Have you been illuminated with the love, wisdom, and knowledge of the word-Jesus-God? Darkness represents sin and our disobedience to God. Because of our sins, and God’s permissive will, he allows Satan to enslave us with the pride of life; captivate us with the lust of the eye; and keep us in bondage to the lust of the flesh. Sometimes in life we have to be enslaved before we can appreciate freedom. We have to be imprisoned before we can be liberated, and we have to be in bondage, before we value free will. God said, ” My word sent forth out of my mouth shall not return unto me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isa. 55: 11) Jesus said, ” I come that you might have life, and have life more abundantly.” (Jhn. 10:10)Jesus said in his prayer, ” for I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.” (Jhn. 17:8) There is a word from the Lord. When the fullness of time had come God sent forth his son made of woman, made under the law.
Is there a word from the Lord? Jesus said, ” I am that I am.” Before Abraham was I am (Jhn. 8:58 ) . Moses was told, ” tell the children of Israel, I am sent you.” I am the bread of life- soul food, permanent nourishment to sustain spiritual life. I am the light of the world- to a world stumbling about in the darkness of sin. I am the door of the sheep- his care and constant devotion to those who are his. I am the good shepherd- committed to caring for and keeping watch over his people. I am the resurrection and the life- the lord of all life and possess the power to raise the dead. I am the way the truth and the life-Jesus is the one and only way to the father. I am the true vine- by attaching ourselves to Christ we enable his life to flow in and through us. I am the vine; ye are the branches he that abides in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing. (Jhn. 15:5)
There is a word from the lord. Have you heard the word? Have you received the word? Do you believe the word? Do you abide in the word, and does the word abide in you? Have you received Jesus? Do you believe Jesus? Have you heard Jesus? Do you live in Jesus? Does Jesus live in and through you?
Jesus is the word- the word is God- Without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness, God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world, received up into glory. (I Tim. 3:16) Amen.