The Zeal of The Lord of Hosts
Context
- Gloomy and dark in Isaiah's time (idolatry, alcoholism, materialism, families degenerating, interested in the occult)
- Nobody wants or is listening to the Word of God
- Syria is advancing on Israel (Zebulun and Napthali have already been taken)
- But there is hope - the Son of God, the Messiah shall come
- The Zeal of The Lord of Hosts will perform this
The Zeal of The Lord
Involves passion but not just human passion
- God is not subject to passions ... but God has Zeal
- At its core consists of desire (from the Hebrew meaning glowing red, burning, intense)
- The fire of love and the fire of wrath
- An intense burning love towards those who are His subjects
- An intense wrath towards those who would harm His subjects
- God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush - burning but never being consumed
- God is not an indifferent God
- The apostle Paul first had this zeal against God (persecuting Christians) but then had this turned around
- It is unconstrained and uncontrived - God in His essential nature and being
- An alarming thing to see first hand
- The disciples saw the zeal of the Son of God and it took them aback
- John 2:14-17
- Rom 12 - Christians should have fervour
It is directed
- As humans we often direct our zeal or fervour towards the wrong things
- E.g. zealous for the wrong cause
- The focus of God's zeal is towards His people
- God's zeal and love is towards His children
- God is zealous for His own name
- As humans this would be arrogantbut the angels sing glory to God
- The Father is zealous for the glory of the Son of God
- The Son of God is zealous for the glory of the Father and the Holy Spirit
- The Holy Spirit is zealous for the glory of the Father and the Son of God
- God cannot lie
Involves determination
- The eternal covenant of God
- The promise of God is upheld
- Nothing will be forgotten or done half heartedly
- Nothing will escape His judgement
- God will pursue you relentlessly for every little act of disobedience
- Unless you have Christ as your substitute then you face God's everlasting punishment
- This determination is more evidence in his grace than in His judgement and in His love rather than His wrath
- God's grace pushes through every barrier
- Do not end upon the wrong side of God's zeal
- Let Christ be a rock on which you build, not a stumbling block
Involves doing
- It will be done, it will be accomplished
- Our commitment to things is often short lived
- God will do it, He is faithful, there is nothing that can withstand Him
- We lack strength, are weak and can have obstacles in our way
- [God's arm is not weak]
Why is the Zeal of The Lord important?
- It tells us that we can trust Him
- It tells us that God is not indifferent
- It tells us that despite our weakness the Kingdom will advance
- It tells us that despite our own [personal] weakness God's work will continue in us
Make sure you are on the right side of the Zeal of The Lord of Hosts