WEDNESDAY 20 MARCH 2019
Text: Isaiah 12
Topic: “Therefore with joy you shall draw water”
DRAWING WATER
1. Going to the Source… the Lord God
2. How should we seek the Lord acceptably?
THE LORD’S WORD ABOUT SEEKING HIM
1. Seeking and finding God in exile
But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29)
2. Praying and seeking God’s face
If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
3. Seek My Face
When you said, “Seek My face.”
My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” (Psalm 27:8)
CONTEXT OF ISAIAH’S WORD ABOUT SEEKING GOD
1. Historical Context
a) Chastisement warned (Isaiah 1-5)
b) Assyrian invasion impending (Isaiah 7-8)
2. Problems in the land
a) No seeking of God
i) Ahaz as an example (Isaiah 7)
ii) No real interest because of pursuit of wealth and pleasure (Isaiah 5)
iii) No seeking of God (Isaiah 9:13)
b) Seeking the wrong sources
i) Mediums
ii) Wizards (Isaiah 7:19)
3. The sad state of the country
a) The LORD will cut of head and tail of Israel (Isaiah 9:14)
i) The elder and the honourable, he is the head (Isaiah 9:15a)
ii) The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail (Isaiah 9:15b)
b) The leaders of this people cause them to err (Isaiah 9:16a)
c) Those who are led by them are destroyed (Isaiah 9:16b)
d) The LORD will have no joy in their young men (Isaiah 9:17a)
e) Everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer (Isaiah 9:18a)
f) And every mouth speaks folly (Isaiah 9:18b)
g) Nation would see people turn against each other (Isaiah 9:21)
PROPHECY OF A REMNANT RETURNING
1. The remnant will no longer depend on the Assyrians but on God (Isaiah 10:20)
2. They will return to the Mighty God (Isaiah 10:21)
3. No need to fear the Assyrians for God will destroy them (Isaiah 10:24-34)
THE REMNANT SEEKING GOD
1. God will raise up His Messiah (Isaiah 11)
a) The seven-fold Spirit will be upon Him (Isaiah 11:2)
b) He will stand as a banner to the people (Isaiah 11:10)
c) The Gentiles will seek Him (Isaiah 11:10)
2. A Second Time
a) He will recover His remnant (Isaiah 11:11)
b) He will set up a banner for the nations (Isaiah 11:12)
c) No more envy or harassment (Isaiah 11:13)
d) A highway for the remnant of His people (Isaiah 11:16)
3. The redeemed will seek God and draw water with joy from the wells of salvation
ENCOURAGEMENT TO SEEK GOD
1. King David
O God. You are my God; early will I seek You.
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You,
In a dry and thirsty land, where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1-2)
2. Prophet Amos
Seek Me and live (Amos 5:4b)
Seek the LORD and live (Amos 5:6a)
3. Prophet Zephaniah
Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth… (Zephaniah 2:3)
SEEKING AND FINDING JOY IN THE LORD
1. Joy from a second chance
2. Joy of hope
3. Joy from God’s promises
4. Joy of the Holy Spirit
AN UPLIFTING WORD FROM THE LORD ABOUT SEEKING AND FINDING HIM
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
(Jeremiah 29:11-13)