3/09/17 Isaiah 12:1-6 “A song of praise for Israel’s deliverance and redemption”

 

Isaiah 12:1And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

 

Here begins a song (psalm) of thanksgiving to God for His deliverance, His salvation. One commentary (Ellicott) notes that it is in similar style to that of Exodus 15, a song of thanksgiving after the destruction of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea. However, note that the psalm on the banks of the Red Sea was for an event already accomplished, whereas this thanksgiving is for an event yet to happen, for a prophesied deliverance in the future.

 

“in that day” clearly refers to the prophetic utterances of Isaiah 11 (which were probably to do with both the millennium and the new heavens & new earth following the millennium). Note also “in that day” in Vs 4 below.

Isaiah prophesies that when Israel is delivered by their Branch (the Messiah, Immanuel), Israel will praise God for His goodness toward them in delivering them.

 

It is for Israel here, but the prophetic message is very similar to that given in Revelation for the new heavens and the new earth.

Isaiah 25:8-9 8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken [it]. 9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this [is] our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this [is] the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Revelation 21:3-43 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

 

God was angry with them – righteously so, too, as we have already seen.

Isaiah 10:22For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, [yet] a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

That is, the consuming of God’s people Israel will be overflowing with righteousness.

God’s anger (causing their destruction) would cease one day.

Isaiah 10:25For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

Ezekiel 5:13Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken [it] in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

 

When God’s anger is at rest, Ezekiel’s passage points out that God Himself will be comforted (consoled); the same word is used here for “comforted” as “comfortedst” in Vs 25 above. (Also used for “ease me” in Isaiah 1:24Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:)

 

Isaiah 12:2 – Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation.

 

salvation – salvation; deliverance; victory; welfare; prosperity.

afraid – dread; awe.

Lord Jehovah – Yah Yᵉhovah (Yah or Jah is a shortened form of Jehovah)

God is my salvation (or The God of my salvation); I will trust (have confidence in; be secure) and not be afraid (tremble; dread) for the Jah Jehovah is my strength (might; boldness) and my song (of praise); He is also become my salvation (I think it could mean deliverance or victory).

 

Salvation means a state of being saved. That is, logically you must be “not-saved” at some point in order to be saved. For example, to be saved from drowning must assume that you were at risk of drowning at some point in time.

 

Trust is a major reason for not being afraid, and “my strength and song” is a major reason for trusting God. You tend to rely upon those who help you in times of weakness, permitting you to rejoice more in your new-found situation of salvation.

 

Singing or songs are often associated with victory or salvation.

Exodus 15:2aThe Lord [is] my strength and song, and he is become my salvation

Psalm 40:2-32 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, [even] praise unto our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.

 

Isaiah 12:3Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

 

As a result of Vs 2 above you shall draw water out of the wells (or springs) of salvation with joy (gladness; exaltation; rejoicing).

 

Rejoicing is not the same as being happy, for we may rejoice while still sorrowful!

2 Corinthians 6:10As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and [yet] possessing all things.

 

Rejoicing is part of the fruit of the Spirit (= joy). Joy is one of the nine parts of the fruit; longsuffering is another. To have perfect fruit of the Spirit we therefore must have joy at the same time as longsuffering!

Galatians 5:22-2322 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

We are to rejoice at all times; that must include when we are sorrowful, or else we may never be sorrowful!

Philippians 4:4Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice.

 

We are to rejoice with others who rejoice, yet weep with those who weep. If we are to rejoice always, then it must be even while we weep with others.

Romans 12:15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

 

We are to rejoice even when sorrowful through times of testing, while on trial for our faith.

1 Peter 1:6-76 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness (sorrowful; affected with sadness) through manifold temptations (trials; times of testing; affliction; adversity): 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

 

Joy does not necessarily mean happiness, nor does it mean sadness. Instead we may have joy whether we are happy or sad! It is an attitude to the provision of God.

 

draw water out of the wells of salvation – Jesus spoke clearly of this in two passages in John where He depicted Himself as the source of living water.

John 7:37-3837 In the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

John 4:13-1413 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

 

In the days leading up to Judah’s captivity, Jeremiah describes them as having forsaken the fountains of living waters of their God, and gone after dried up fountains and wells that can hold no water (that is, false gods).

Jeremiah 2:13For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Jeremiah 17:13O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, [and] they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.

 

There will be living waters flowing both east and west from Jerusalem to mark the commencement of the millennium.

Zechariah 14:4 & 8  4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
8 And it shall be in that day, [that] living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.


Isaiah 12:4And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

 

It is clear that “in that day” refers to when those streams of living water flow east and west from Jerusalem after the Messiah returns to reign over the earth.

1 Chronicles 16:8-108 Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. (spoken by King David, when the Ark was brought back from Obed-edom after its exile with the Philistines.)

 

In particular, God will be worshipped in the millennium and into the new heavens & earth that follow.

Zechariah 14:9And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

Zechariah 14:16And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

 

Not only will they call upon God’s name, but they will declare (make mention) that His name is exalted (set on high; lifted up).

 

God will be exalted in all the earth.

2 Samuel 22:47The Lord liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.

Psalm 46:10Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

 

He will be exalted above all other gods.

Psalm 97:9For thou, Lord, [art] high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

 

The mountain of the Lord will be exalted above all around it.

Isaiah 2:2And it shall come to pass in the last days, [that] the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

 

The Messiah (here depicted as the suffering servant) will be exalted.

Isaiah 52:13Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

 

The name of Jesus Christ will be exalted above every other name.

Philippians 2:9-119 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; 11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

Isaiah 12:5Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this [is] known in all the earth.

 

this is known – the  kethiv (that which was actually written in the original Hebrew text) = (Hophal tense) to be made known.

- the qere (the marginal note which the scribes considered to be the correct word) = (Pual tense) to be known.

That is, “let this be known” or “this is to be known”.

 

Sing unto the Lord for He has done (made; produced) excellent (majestic) things. Let this be known (or This will be known) in all the earth (all the inhabitants; all the nations).

Isaiah 26:10Let favour be shewed to the wicked, [yet] will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord. (where “majesty” is the same word used for “excellent” above)

 

Exodus 15:21And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

 

Isaiah 12:6Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great [is] the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

 

cry out – cry shrilly in distress. The word literally means “neigh like a horse”.

shout – give a ringing cry (in joy, exaltation, distress).

 

inhabitant – in feminine form, thus female inhabitant of Zion, or maybe daughter of Zion. This could represent Israel (or Jerusalem) as female, and as married to God; the relationship between God and His people represented by marriage. This is similar to the picture of the church as the bride of Christ. Israel was often depicted by the prophets as a woman unfaithful to her husband (representing God). Worshipping false gods was therefore spiritual adultery or prostitution.

 

Now the relationship has been restored and the marriage restored. The remnant has been redeemed; they will be God’s people and He will be their God.

Ezekiel 37:23Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

As a consequence of this redemption, Israel (or Jerusalem – the inhabitants of Zion) will cry and shout for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst (among) them.

 

This verse also strongly suggests that because the Holy One of Israel is in their midst, therefore they should fear Him, be in dread of Him, even be in distress perhaps because of their perceived sin, that is, their lack of holiness. Note Isaiah’s distress in his vision of God on the throne.

Isaiah 6:5Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

 

The Psalm also notes that God is to be served with fear and trembling.

Psalm 2:11-1211 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish [from] the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed [are] all they that put their trust in him.

 

Note these two verses.

Isaiah 12:3Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Observe that it says that they could draw water out of the wells of salvation, not that the water would be drawn and then given to them as a gift! The act of receiving salvation is an active one, not passive. It is clear that they would not get the water if they did not actively draw this water out of the well of salvation. No doubt the calvinists would call this a work of salvation; calvinists would have forbidden Israel to partake of it, or declare that such salvation could not be genuine if they actively sought it! Calvinists teach that the sinner’s prayer cannot save you because it is a work of salvation; to the calvinist, man must always be a totally passive recipient of God’s salvation. Therefore, from a calvinist point of view, actively drawing out of the well of salvation can only send you to hell (because you did it, not God), along with all those poor misled people who prayed the sinner’s prayer, thinking that such might save them. No doubt they could all commiserate together in calvinist hell!

 

But, Jesus said that the water He gave to anyone would become a well of water springing up into eternal life. Perhaps it’s alright to be given the water but not to seek it yourself? Perhaps it’s the active seeking of such salvation that is unacceptable? The calvinists certainly must think so! Of course, it does make it hard to explain how they can actively draw water out of the wells of salvation without actually doing anything active to get it!

 

The only way the calvinists can get out of this quandary is to separate salvation from the act of being born again, when most evangelical fundamentalists would agree that being born again is the same as being saved, according to the Bible! And this is exactly what calvinists are forced to do: to separate salvation from being born again! Of course, calvinists do prefer to use the word “regenerated” (rather than being “born again”), but it means exactly the same as being born again.

 

Merriam-Webster says Middle English regenerat, from Latin regeneratus, past participle of regenerare to regenerate, from re- + generare to beget where “re-“ used as a prefix means “again” and “beget” means to have a child born to one.

Note also the Greek connection from the New Testament: gennao = to be born or begotten, or to give birth or beget. In the New Testament there’s a word “born again” (1 Peter 1:23) – anagennao which is ana (again; anew) + gennao (born; beget) Compare with “anabaptists” which means to be baptised again.

 

Calvinists also do not like to use the word “salvation”, preferring instead “justification” or “conversion”; thus they teach that regeneration comes before justification. And then they define “justification” as an ongoing process throughout life that takes place after we have firstly been born again!

The Puritan William Fenner taught us to see justification by faith alone as a constant resource: “As we sin daily, so he justifies daily, and we must daily go to him for it.

Justification is an ever-running fountain, and therefore we cannot look to have all

the water at once.”

(Justification versus Self-justification, Ray Ortlund, The Gospel Coalition National Conference,13 April 2011)

 

A number of calvinist sources clearly state that being born again (regenerated) comes before believing which comes before salvation (conversion; justification).

 

Regeneration (being born again) comes before conversion (= salvation).

9 Marks is a new calvinist group organised by Mark Dever. Their website says:

Regeneration means that one has been born again …… Conversion occurs when sinners turn to God in repentance and faith for salvation. …… God regenerates us and then we believe, and hence regeneration precedes our conversion.

(https://www.9marks.org/article/does-regeneration-necessarily-precede-conversion/)

 

Regeneration (being born again) leads to believing in Christ and being saved.

From monergism.com (a calvinist website)

God's regenerating grace produces in our hearts the willingness to believe in him and be saved.

(https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/qna/bornagainsaved.html)

 

Unless we are born again we are unable to be saved.

John Piper says:

Apart from the new birth, we are unable to accept the gospel

Apart from the new birth, we are unable to come to Christ or embrace him as Lord

(http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/why-do-we-need-to-be-born-again-part-1)

(You might think being born again is the same as being saved, but calvinists don’t!)

 

Regeneration (being born again) comes well before justification (= salvation)

carm.org is a very biased calvinist information website. Their order of the steps of salvation includes the following steps:

Regeneration > Faith > Repentance > Justification.

(https://carm.org/what-is-the-ordo-salutis)

Here a person can be born again (regenerated) without both faith and repentance! Justification (= salvation) is a long way from being born again here! I wonder if you were regenerated and then died before being justified, could you enter heaven unjustified? Don’t worry, calvinists say it’s OK, as long as God wants to save you!

 

Regeneration (being born again) comes before salvation.

Regeneration is needed so that when God speaks to him, the man can start to move forward towards salvation.

You have to be born again before you can repent and be saved.

Rather, he is made to move forward by God’s mercy and grace, until the point is reached where he hears or reads the Gospel, repents and is saved.

(from www.christiandoctrine.com)

 

Even MacArthur teaches this heresy: calling (regeneration) > justification (salvation).

When He moved into your heart and called you to Himself, you were made right with Him. Some people wonder how much time there is between God's calling and our justification. I don't know. That would be like asking how much time it takes for a bullet to go through two sheets of paper. The distinction between calling and justification is theological; there isn't necessarily a time lapse. You are called to be justified. The calling is when God moves to change your heart, and justification is the result. (Note my underlining – he’s admitting that there could be a time lapse!)

(http://www.gty.org/resources/positions/P07/is-your-salvation-secure)

 

Note very carefully that MacArthur doesn’t actually say that it is as quick as a bullet going through two sheets of paper. This statement is actually irrelevant to his discussion here! You could leave this statement out and it wouldn’t change what MacArthur is teaching (or actually is not teaching!)! By careful verbal gymnastics, he appears to imply that this is the case, yet denies it by saying that “there isn’t necessarily a time lapse”. However, by the use of the word “necessarily”, he is really saying that there also could be a time lapse! He spoke the truth when he said “I don’t know.” He doesn’t actually commit himself to how much time lapse there is! Please read his statement very carefully and work out for yourself just what he is actually saying here! So, to summarise this paragraph of MacArthur’s: “MacArthur says, ‘I don’t know!’”

 

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