I'd like us to look this evening at Isaiah chapter 58. It's a chapter that deals with sincerity and prosperity. Sincerity in worship, sincerity in heeding the word of the Lord and prosperity that flows as the Lord honors those that seek him sincerely and with all their heart. I'll read from verse eight and nine, what a picture of prosperity is set before us here. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousness shall go before thee, the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer, thou shalt cry, and he shall say, I am, well I'm sure each of us here individually would long for such blessings in our life light breaking forth a picture of great prosperity no longer the darkness of ignorance the gloom of joylessness the depravity of a dark world shadowing our lives but light is a picture of prosperity, thine health springing forth speedily, health here is literally a word that was used for a long bandage and so it speaks of wounds that have been bound up and the picture here figuratively speaking is of the Lord relieving us and restoring us from calamity we're not to take this verse literally and assume that if we seek and find the Lord and walk in his ways we shall never know illness but we shall know spiritual health and blessing thy righteousness going before thee literally righteousness shall be your leader a leader going before you in order to prepare the way of peace and blessing and happiness your righteousness brings you into a position of acceptance with God and that brings great blessing flowing from it the glory of the Lord well that's almost certainly in the minds of these ancient Jews a reference to the pillar of clouds that was the leading, the light and guide of Israel in the wilderness and you remember at one point when the Egyptians came to attack the Israelites that pillar of clouds that pillar that reflected the glory of the Lord went and stood behind the host and protected them from the Egyptians and the Lord out of that pillar frowned upon the Egyptians and their chariots began to drive hard and the wheels fell off that's almost certainly the picture here it's a picture of protection divine preservation and then verse 9 speaks of answered prayer and the imminent presence of the Lord with his people well this is the picture then and surely we crave this individually, we crave it as churches too and what a wonderful thing if this local church should know these great blessings figured here in these phrases before us. I want to turn back then to the beginning of the chapter and we'll work through these verses one by one to see the message that Isaiah the prophet brings I noted as we began to read cry aloud lift up the voice like a trumpet here the prophet is inspired by God to speak these starting words at the beginning of this address as if to say what I am about to say needs to be heard by everyone and at the end of the chapter we notice it says the mouth of the Lord has spoken it this chapter then is the inspired message of God delivered by the messenger for all to hear And notice here in verse 1, Isaiah is going to speak about the people's transgression and their sins. Every faithful messenger of God, it has been said, does not fail to point out the sins of his hearers. And Isaiah was no exception. He's been speaking in lofty tones about the Lord Jesus coming into this world to bring forth a glorious salvation, dying upon that cross, bearing the sin of many. He's outlined the glory of the Church as it will flourish and grow, chapter 54, and extend into all the nations of the world. He's spoken of that prosperity and all the illustrious history that will be the Church of Jesus Christ. He's spoken of the wonderful freeness and invitations of the gospel in chapter 55 but here in chapter 58 he brings his hearers down to earth with a bump once more and he has to confront their sinfulness and friends if we would know the blessing of God we must expect first that he will confront our sinfulness and the sinfulness of the people here if we could put it into two things would be first their hypocritical worship or their lack of sincerity in worship and their neglect of the sabbath but you will see that that's a crass generalization because he touches on so many other characteristics of their life so many sins and so this chapter really becomes a statement of the kind of sins that separate professing believers from their God here are people who profess to serve the Lord in fact they're called, verse 1, my people we're reminded they are the house of Jacob these are religious people then and we could identify them with professing Christians then in verse 2 they're described as those that seek God daily that delight to know his ways that forsake not the ordinance of their God they ask of me the ordinances of justice they take delight in approaching to God in worship there is at least on the outside a professed interest in the Lord and His ways and His worship and the question is raised rhetorically speaking by the people in verse 3, wherefore have we fasted and God doesn't see us why doesn't God notice my worship why doesn't he seek to take and to take an interest in me when I worship him in fact when I afflict my soul they were saying in fasting and the Lord answers here in verse 4 verse 3 and verse 4 behold in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exact all your neighbours fasting was no more than the outward appearance of fasting but God looks at the heart God is interested in the attitude and they were more confident in their worship than they were in God they were more interested in the act of fasting than they were in the God whom their fasting ought to have brought them to the Lord says here to them then behold in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exact all your labours in other words you're prepared to engage in religious activity so long as it doesn't get in the way of your pleasures and in the way of your businesses you're still going to exact all your labours you're still going to make sure your work is all done by your servants you're going to make sure that your business still runs smoothly and you're still going to make sure that your pleasures are uninterrupted in other words the picture here was of a people who said oh today's a fast day well we better make some expression of our fasting we'll wear sackcloth we will outwardly at least conform to what we think is expected of us by God but we're not going to let it interfere with our way of life and this attitude can so easily affect us as Christians and believers we maintain our Christian duties we do what we think God expects of us in a mechanical way but we will not allow them to take our affections and our interests or get in the way of our daily interests we still want to live a life of pleasure and it's as if the Lord is just on the periphery that was the problem with the people here it wasn't sincere it wasn't wholehearted it wasn't the focus of their lives that was their business and their labours and their pleasures and we can be guilty of that let's ask ourselves the question this evening where does God figure? where does the devotion of my heart to Jesus Christ figure is do I pay lip service to him but actually the whole focus of my life and attention is my pleasures and my possessions and my earthly way of life and my career and my successes that was the issue that the Lord had with the people here then look at verse 4 behold he says look you fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness on the one hand you have this solemn expression as if you are devoted to God in your act of fasting but at one and the same time you're filled with strife and debate you have you're given to ungovernable passions anger and bitterness and murmuring and jealousy and malice are really what is hidden beneath that facade of a holy and fasting demeanor and the Lord sees it shall not your fast you shall not fast he says at the end of verse 4 as you do this day to make your voice to be heard on high God is not going to hear he's not going to take any notice if whilst on the one hand you profess this spirit of worship and devotion and piety but on the other hand you retain jealousy and malice towards one another within what a lesson that is for local churches and for individual believers the Lord isn't blessing us, the Lord doesn't seem to be prospering the gospel ministry, there seems to be little fruit in the Sunday school, but we must at least ask the question, is it because when the Lord looks upon our professed devotion to him he also sees that there's bitterness and murmuring and envy within our hearts there's disaffection with one another love has grown cold it's not sincere and we do not show that sympathy and that interest and that concern for one another that he delights in that was the problem here with the people of Judah in Isaiah's day then look at verse 5 Is it such a day that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? And really you've got a description in this verse of the outward performance of this act of fasting, we could say this act of devotion or worship a man afflicts his soul, he makes himself look miserable a day when he bows his head as a bulrush prostrates himself as if he's devoted to God he spreads sackcloth and ashes under him as if he's really sorry for his sin will you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord? it's not that the Lord didn't mind them doing these things but the problem was it wasn't in accord with their heart it was all an outward show and it left their life and their attitude unaffected so verse 6 he says is this not the fast that I have chosen he's not saying this is how you fast but he's saying as you fast as you profess your devotion to the Lord you loose the bands of wickedness undo the heavy burdens let the oppressed go free and break every yoke well if I can summarize that then This verse is saying, if you fast, if you want to be truly noticed in your worshipful expressions before God, then make sure it comes from a heart that is not hard, but a heart that is moved by the plight of the needy. the bands of wickedness were unjust servitude people perhaps who had been held in slavery we can put a modern application to this and say placing unreasonable demands upon people that's what this was wasn't it? the bands of wickedness people saying you're going to do this for me it's the language of bondage in Egypt and we can do that individually of one another expecting putting unreasonable demands on one another in business even in family life children and teenagers can place unreasonable demands upon their parents and treat them as skivvies and slaves parents can do it to children placing unreasonable demands upon them you will get three A stars and you will work until midnight so that you do and the Lord doesn't take kindly when we place unreasonable demands upon each other to undo the heavy burdens to let the oppressed go free this third phrase the oppressed it literally means those who have been crushed by their circumstances and the Lord says do you see people and they're crushed by their circumstances not necessarily because of what you have done to them but simply because their lives are falling apart or things have gone wrong their health has failed, their business has failed, they have troubles at home, troubles in all sorts of things, how do you react to them? Do you just tell us their problem? They've made their bed, they've got a lie in it. They've allowed these things to happen because of their own folly or carelessness, it's not my business, that's not what the Lord thinks. The Lord says, let the oppressed go free. don't take advantage of them, come to their aid, relieve them, break the heavy yoke. Then look at verse 7, this is positive territory, this is the fast, this is what the Lord looks for in the heart and life of those that worship him sincerely, deal or distribute by bread to the hungry. Bread, of course, to us, we just take it as something of almost no consequence. We take food for granted. But we're to understand here bread as being something necessary. Something that we have that others need. And the Lord says, distribute. the things that you have to those who are in great need and the Apostle John said similar things to this in the New Testament Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him. The Lord longs to see in his people not selfishness, but selflessness. a tender sympathy and concern a willingness to share the advantages and the comforts and the benefits of life that we have that others do not have we all ought to ask the question how would the Lord have me use those things that he has entrusted me with when you see that they'll bring the poor that are cast out to thy house hospitality showing kindness certainly in those days it was much more applicable in its literal sense perhaps than in our day but showing kindness, friendship, warmth to those who are lonely and undone when you see the naked that you cover him and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh this last phrase is a reference to probably poor relatives there were those who were high and mighty amongst the Jewish people and if they had poor relatives that had hit hard times they had no interest in them they lived for themselves this is another warning against selfishness don't hide yourself from poor relatives because you're embarrassed, the Lord says, by their poverty? The implication is that they should be supported and helped. So there's much that we can draw out of this passage. The Lord will not notice our worship. He will not draw near to us if we have a cold, hard, selfish, indifferent attitude to those around us. The Lord will not bless that church with light and righteousness and with his protection and glory and with answered prayer if that church is an uncaring church that doesn't seek to minister both spiritually and bodily to those who are in need that come within its sphere of influence then move to the end of verse 9 if thou take away from thee from the midst of thee the yoke the putting forth of the finger well this is a probably here the putting forth of the finger is a reference to pointing the finger in score or in derision or in criticism and the Lord is saying the church that is filled with people who are constantly criticizing one another or deriding one another or those around them cannot expect the blessing of God we must be watchful over this the speaking of vanity the Greek version that was used in Christ's day of Isaiah on this passage says speaking or murmuring the murmuring heart will not be noticed in their worship but it's probably got a slightly broader meaning it means speaking things that are empty or false or inappropriate or unworthy of those that profess to worship the Lord if we use uncouth language or foolish jesting or we're given to gossip and unkindness and malicious speak then the Lord will not bless us and so the Lord warns us against that here if you draw out your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul his repeating sentiments we've already looked at then shall thy light rise in obscurity a picture of cheer and joy the blessings or perhaps we say this evening I don't see that much joy in my life much to cheer about I go around with a long face grumbling and moaning and complaining then the Lord says look at these things Become a practical Christian. Become a benevolent soul that cares for and supports and seeks to encourage others and remembers those that are cast down and those that are afflicted. Then your light will rise. You will experience joy, the joy of the Lord. The Lord will draw near to you and grant you his presence and blessings. your darkness shall be as the noonday verse 11 the Lord shall guide thee continually the Lord guides those that he delights in he doesn't just notice our worship but he draws near to give to us wisdom to point out our path to watch over us in every way and satisfy thy soul in drought and make that thy bones making fat the bones here it's a picture of strength strong bones and so we can give this a New Testament application here the believer that observes these precepts and shows that selfless and sympathetic spirit the Lord will give them spiritual vigor they will be able to resist temptation they will be a great warrior of the faith And then you've got this picture of a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters fail not. The Lord sustains those that walk in his ways. he gives to them those inward graces and that help of his spirit that they may be continually replenished he upholds them in trial with a sense of his presence with his comforts he makes the promises of his word to be meaningful and significant and then verse 12 they that be of thee shall build the old wastes Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, reformation, revival, future prosperity. The church that honours these things that the Lord teaches can expect growth, can expect that there will be a strengthening of the structures, the foundations being repaired, the Lord blessing and building up his church in that place. Then we come to verse 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath. What does that phrase mean? Well, it's almost certain here that the turning away of the foot here, it's a reference to trampling on something that is holy. or walking somewhere where you ought to withdraw yourself because it is a special place and so the picture is of the people of God here just running roughshod thoughtlessly over God's holy day having no real respect for it no real recognition of its precise character and institution and how that is true today friends we've looked at this before believers, professing Christians, having no sense of this wonderful institution that the Lord has appointed for his people, just walking all over it, using it for their own ends, rather like people who walk over a graveyard with no sense that it is the place where they should at least respect the burial ground of those who have gone before. from doing thy pleasure on my holy day this is what the Lord looks for and I want you to notice before we get to it that there verse 14 is going to attach a great blessing a great benefit to the people of God who heed this particular challenge on my day he says don't do your own pleasure probably what is meant here is on my day don't do those things that you do for pleasure the other six days of the week he's not saying that we shouldn't have pleasures but he's speaking about those pleasures that belong to this world you leave them to one side the Lord's day the day of the Lord is to be for him and we are to lay those pleasures aside he adds call the Sabbath a delight that word delight it means something exquisite something that is a luxury do you see the Sabbath the Lord's day like that you say this day is a luxury afforded by the Lord for the blessing of my soul if you have luxuries at home something exquisite you protect it you regard it as something special to be cherished and that's how the Lord would have us approach his day one illustration that was given some years ago of the Sabbath was this it's like that special room in the house now we don't have those rooms nowadays but years ago particularly the middle and upper classes they would have a special room a living room not the living room that all the family went in on every day of the week but a room that was kept for special occasions and it had the best furniture and the best day call and it was kept lovely and tidy and you only went in there when you had got clean clothes on and in a sense the Lord is saying that's what my day is like it's that special room in the house of the week it's to be kept clean and tidy you don't walk into that room with your muddy boots and leave grass stains all over the carpet it's a special room and my day is to be that special day and you recognise it as such and you treat it as such and you respect it as such you call it the holy of the Lord that word holy it means set apart special pure God's day the day of the Lord when we do that then the Lord is going to say you will know great blessing honourable this is speaking not about the Lord but about the day do we regard the day as an honourable day? we regard that day as honourable when we honour it by preparation the Lord's day is tomorrow and I must order my thoughts I must get my life ready for this great honourable day if an honourable guest was to visit our house and we were going to use that special room we would make sure it was prepared and ready and the honourable day of the Lord which is what this means when we anticipate it in that way do we regard it as honourable Or do we say, oh it's Sunday tomorrow, I can catch up with all my sleep in the afternoon. Or it's Sunday tomorrow, I'll be able to relax. That's not to regard the day honourable. We honour it by respecting it. By esteeming every moment. One preacher said, we have seen every moment of it as precious, every moment where we can be in the presence of the Lord and in fellowship with the Lord unhindered by secular distractions or we esteem that, we regard it as honourable, not to be wasted and when we esteem all the various activities of the day appointed by the Lord as honourable activities and when we grieve that we can keep that day no better than we do that's what it means to regard it as honourable if you had a very important person an honourable person come to visit you perhaps when they'd gone you'd say oh I wish I'd shown them more courtesy I wish I had been able to be in their presence in such a way as I made a better impression they turned up unannounced and I was in all this disheveled clothes and the house was dirty and we feel that we've not really honoured them as we should then the Lord would have us treat his day like that oh I wish I'd kept the Lord's day more free from all the distractions i wish i'd not allowed the conversation to to sink just to mundane and earthly things but we must move on not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words finding our own ways instead of perhaps we could put it like this sabbath ways spiritual ways not finding our own pleasures in earthly things but seeking the pleasures that the lord has laid up by his word in christ not speaking by own words John Alexander famous commentator says this literally means talking talk not talking talk Satan knows that that's one way he can pollute God's day get the Lord's people talking talk talking about things where God is either forgotten or ignored that will do the trick and the Lord says not speaking by known words then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord Often people come to pastors and they say, Pastor, my problem is that I seem to have lost my enthusiasm for spiritual things. I used to have such a thrill in singing God's praise. I used to have such an interest in reading the Bible, such a delight and warmth in prayer and it's all gone. well here's one of the possible keys to finding those blessings again the Lord says here if you delight in the Sabbath then you will find you will delight in the Lord you will find that you will begin to appreciate his worth you will sense the reality of his heavenly blessings you will take great pleasure in his ways and his service and his commands when you use the Lord day as God designed it to be used I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth this is a picture a figurative picture meaning probably a triumphant conqueror riding over those high places fearful of no one conspicuous and minding not that people are looking the church that honors the Lord with the things in this chapter not just the Lord's day but that caring and that selfless spirit the Lord will cause that church that individual to ride upon the high places of the earth they will be prominent they will be esteemed they will conquer those that would resist them here is the picture of the more than conquering believer and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father well that means not just of course here there was a figurative, there was a literal interpretation the people were in danger of going into captivity for here was a promise that they would be established and blessed with that earthly promise of a land but we take it more spiritually than that the heritage of Jacob means all God's covenant blessings all those things that he has laid up for and promised to those whom he has called and chosen and blessed if we honour him and seek him and honour his word and heed it and live with that Christ-like sympathy to the lost and to the needy and show concern and tenderness and selflessness to one another If we honour that Lord's Day as it's outlined here, then the Lord has said, you will enjoy and you will feed with satisfaction upon all the blessings of that Gospel covenant. Well, here's a chapter then that rebukes us for sin but shows us the path to blessing. Sincerity is the key and prosperity is the blessing that will follow. May the Lord give to us a sincere heart and a sincere attitude to him in all our worship and in all our relationships one to another and in our attitude to the Lord's day. and may we experience these rich blessings outlined for us here. Amen.