I'm going to read the last two verses of Isaiah 62. These will be the two verses that will focus your attention on. Truth in Isaiah 62, hopefully it has been a blessing to your soul, and hopefully these final two verses will prove to be that as well, for I do believe they are meant to be that for God's people. Isaiah 62, verses 11 and 12. Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh. Behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. And they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord. And thou shalt be called Sodhaus, a city not forsaken. God bless your hearing of these two verses this afternoon. Dear brethren, as I bring this glorious chapter of Isaiah 62 to a close this afternoon, and Lord, when I start another glorious Christ-centered chapter in Isaiah 63 next Sunday, I can say that based on the clear teaching of these final two verses, verses 11 and 12 that I just read to you, that there is a glorious, soul-edifying, and soul-benefitting truth For those who confess Christ Jesus as their only hope of acceptance with the true living and only Lord God. For those who personally confess Christ as their Lord and Savior. And it is a truth that I do not think that I can overemphasize. Because I can't overemphasize it. not only because of what these two verses declare, but also because this truth is declared in numerous other passages of the Scriptures of the Lord. And it is described in numerous other ways. And I can also honestly say, if only, if only, if only you and I who personally confess Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior here this afternoon, would only remember this glorious and so edifying truth you and I could face whatever trials, whatever tribulations that you or I are presently facing or that you and I might yet have to face in the sovereign providence of the Lord with a peace and with a joy that passes all understanding. Because you are feeding your redeemed soul, believer, on this glorious truth of the Scriptures. Now the truth I am referring to again, due to these The final two verses of Isaiah 62 is the glorious and awesome focus and concern of the Lord for His redeemed people upon this fallen earth. Even in the face of whatever trial or tribulation He may be sovereignly taking you through, believer, or may yet take you through, so that your faith in Christ, which is much more precious then gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found in the praise and honor and glory of the appearing of Jesus Christ. For what is the most important thing to the Lord God on this earth? It is His redeemed people. It is His sheep. It is His blood-bought bride. It is His elect. For as I mentioned before, it is not the nations of the world that consume the attention and interest of the Lord. The nations of the world consume the attention and interest of unsaved men. But that which consumes, if I dare say it that way, the attention and interest and focus of the Lord God, is His people, because what does the Lord God think of the nations of the world? Isaiah 40 verse 15 again. Behold, the nations are a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the balance. Behold, He taketh up the aisles as a very little thing. But in marked contrast to the Lord's attitude towards the nations of the world, what consumes the focus of the Lord God? What is the most important thing on the face of this earth throughout human history? And at this very moment in human history, to the Lord. It is His redeemed and saved people. Because what does the Lord tell you to do? by the very first word of verse 11 of Isaiah 62. What does he tell you to do? Behold. Here's that word that Isaiah has used many times. It's found many times in the Scriptures. Now, this word, behold, is an interjection, meaning that you should pay attention to what follows. Look at it. Consider it. See what the Lord has clearly declared to be the most important thing on the earth. Behold, what is important to the Lord on the earth? Because where the nations are a drop in the bucket to the Lord and His find us in the balance, what does Isaiah say you are to behold? Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world. Here is a truth. We haven't got to it yet. But here is a truth that the Lord wants proclaimed unto the end of the world. There is nowhere you can go in this world where this truth is not to be proclaimed. There is no country of the world that you can put up a sign that says, this truth is not to be proclaimed here. And any nation or man in that nation that attempts to prevent this truth from being proclaimed in that nation is in rebellion against the Lord God who holds His very breath in His hands. For the Lord wants something said to His people. For the daughter of Zion. Notice that verse 11, Behold, the daughter of the earth proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion. The Lord wants something said to the daughter of Zion. Now, the daughter of Zion is another term for the redeemed of the Lord. It's another term for those who are believers. For the Israel of God, which you should remember from the teaching of the Scriptures, are all regenerate believers, regardless of the time in which they lived on this world, regardless of their nationality, gender, or position in society. Galatians 3, verses 28 and 29. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. For the importance of the redeemed of the Lord to the Lord is seen by the simple fact that he wants this truth about his people proclaimed unto the end of the earth. Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion." Now, before looking at what the Lord wants proclaimed about His people, who is the ye that He wants it proclaimed by? For the Lord, through Isaiah, is not saying only one person is to proclaim this truth unto the end of the world, but more than one. Who is the ye referring to? Say ye, that's second person plural. Say ye to the daughter of Zion. Well, since it is a message that is to be proclaimed to the end of the world, it is therefore a truth that is not to be hidden away. So I would say that the ye has primary reference to, but is not limited to, those who throughout human history, those who have had the responsibility to preach and teach God's people the truths that the Lord once proclaimed to His redeemed and saved people. So in the Old Testament, you would see this in the priests of Levi, and in the prophets the Lord raised up. throughout the history of Old Testament Israel. And in New Testament Israel, the believing church, made up of believing Jew and believing Gentile, it would have been the first century apostles and prophets, and then once those died and the scriptures were completed, it would be in those men set apart by gospel preaching and teaching churches for the edification and building up of the body of Christ. Therefore, if a public teacher in the Old Testament In Old Testament, Israel was being faithful to the Lord, was being faithful to what the Lord wanted him to proclaim. He was proclaiming this message. And what was the message? That should clearly show you how important God's people are to Him. Don't look at yourself from the way the world looks at you, believer. Consider How important God's people are to God. Behold, the Lord is proclaimed unto the end of the world. Say ye to the daughter of Zion, and there's the behold again. Behold, look at, consider. Behold, thy salvation cometh. Behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. Behold, look, see, pay attention to this glorious truth. to this wonderful truth that the Lord wants you to pay attention to. Behold, thy salvation cometh. Behold, His reward is with Him and His work before Him. Now Isaiah, notice what he's saying. Behold, thy salvation cometh. He's prophesying about the salvation that is to come. Why? Because he lived what? Prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, in light of the truth that the Savior of the people of God has come in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, it would be appropriate to say, Behold, thy salvation has come. Behold, thy Savior has come. Here again, Isaiah is showing himself to be Isaiah the Evangelist because he is telling the people of God prior to the coming of Jesus Christ, Behold, thy salvation in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ is coming. How important is the salvation of the Lord's people to the Lord? Well, it is so important that He does not want you to stop beholding it. Men show their ignorance of and rebellion against the purpose and meaning of human history when they do not see, or worse, reject and ridicule this truth about human history. Because what is the purpose and meaning of human history? The purpose and meaning of human history is for the coming forth of the Savior of the people of God. Galatians chapter 4 verses 4 and 5, But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Human history is not simply a random series of events that if the evolutionary scheme of things fell out a little bit differently, you would have bugs sitting here and not people. No. History. All of history. Human history. And human history began, dear people, in the Garden of Eden. There is no such thing as prehistoric man, as I've said before. The only thing before history is eternity past. The first man and woman were Adam and Eve. If you want to know the one caveman, it was Lot. Lot lived in a cave. That's a biblical caveman. Human history, dear people, is the canvas upon which the Lord is drawing out for Himself a saved people from every nation upon the earth and throughout human history. Therefore, since the Lord wants His salvation of His people, proclaimed to His people, hopefully you not only see how important this message of salvation is to God, but how important His saved people are to Him. In the midst of all the trials and tribulations and difficulties of this world, believer, here is the truth. Here is the truth that the Lord wants you to know, believer, for God's people who lived prior to the coming of Christ, behold, thy salvation cometh. For example, the book of Lamentations was written after the destruction of the earthly Jerusalem and the carrying away into captivity of the people of God. But what does Jeremiah write in Lamentations 3.26? It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Because the truth that strengthened and encouraged and redeemed of the Lord prior to the coming of Christ was that He was coming. His reward is with Him. What reward? The salvation He purchased and obtained for those He died for on the cross and His work before Him. See, Jesus knew why He had to come into this world. Jesus knew why He came into this world. He came into this sinful and fallen world to save His people from their sins. Now, it is easy to see that the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work is the one that Isaiah is prophesying of. Because Isaiah was to say to the people of God in the Old Testament, Behold, thy salvation cometh. He is prophesying of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. But what do you hear? The angels proclaiming to the shepherds after Jesus has been born. Luke chapter 2 verses 8 to 11. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this Christ the Lord. Behold, your salvation cometh. Behold, the Savior has been born. What does Luke... These are marvelous verses. What does Luke record about Simeon in Luke chapter 2, verses 25 and 26? And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. The same man was just a devout waiting for the consolation of Israel. What's the consolation? What's the hope of Israel? The coming of the Messiah, the coming of their Savior, the coming of their salvation. Waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Ghost was upon him and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before before he had seen the Lord's Christ, before he had seen the Lord's Messiah, before he had seen the Lord's Savior. Simon would not die. Simon could not die physically until he had seen the One that the Lord was going to send into the world to be the Savior of the world. But what do you hear him saying when he sees the eight-day-old infant? Jesus brought into the temple by Mary and Joseph. What do you hear Him saying? Luke chapter 2 verses 27 to 32. And He came by the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him after the custom of the law, then took He Him up in His arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now let Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation. Who is He looking at? He was looking at the 8 day old infant Jesus Christ. He saw who the Lord was. He saw by faith. He saw by the gift of the Holy Spirit that this 8 day old infant was His Savior. Was the Savior of God. Was the Savior that God had promised to send into this world. Notice what He said. told by the Holy Ghost, by the Holy Spirit, you will not see death before you see the Lord's Savior, before you see the Lord's Christ. And when he sees Jesus, what does he say? Lord, now I can die. Now I can depart. Because mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light, a light in the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel. The Savior has come. What did John the Baptist proclaim about Jesus? John 1.29, the next day John seeeth Jesus coming unto him and saith, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. What did the Samaritans declare about Jesus in John 4.42? And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and now know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Isaiah, as the evangelical prophet is, he says, Behold, thy salvation cometh. But you look in the New Testament, and what do we see? Thy Savior has come. The Savior of God's people has come in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And dear brethren, you want to have a difficult week this week? Get your eyes off of your Savior. Get your eyes off of your Savior. And you will have a difficult week. But keep your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. Keep your eyes on your Savior and the trials and the tribulations and the temptations that you may have to face this week will not appear as insurmountable and as burdensome as they will if you try and face them without the truth that your Savior has come and redeemed You from your sins, His work He came to accomplish, He accomplished. It is finished, was His cry. Your salvation, believer, was not partly your work and partly Christ's. It was all done by the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is of the Lord. For what is the focus of the preaching of the apostles in the New Testament? The salvation of the Lord. And just listen to these ten... I mean, I'll do this quickly, but notice how this is emphasized in the Scriptures. It's either nine or ten. I think my numbering is wrong here. The salvation of the Lord is emphasized throughout the New Testament. What is the biblical gospel? It is the message of the power of God unto salvation. Romans 1.16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. What is the salvation that the Lord Jesus Christ purchased for His people on His cross? It's salvation from the wrath of God that their sins deserve. 1 Thessalonians 5, 9, For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Why do you exist, believer? Because it was the purpose of God to save you through the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2, 13, But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Why did Paul endure all that he went through in preaching the gospel of salvation? 2 Timothy 2.10, Therefore I endure all things for the elect sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. What is the purpose of the Scriptures? 2 Timothy 3.16, and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. What is one of the roles of the angels? Hebrews 1.14, are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be the heirs of salvation? What is one of the warnings of the book of Hebrews? Verse 2-3, How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him? What is proclaimed in heaven? Revelation 7-10, And cried with a loud voice, Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb. The salvation of the Lord. Dear people, One of the clearest signs that a person is not listening to the Scriptures, one of the clearest signs that a person does not have a heavenly mindset is when they get tired of hearing the truth of the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Tired of hearing the gospel. That person does not have a heavenly mindset. That person does not see themselves correctly. That person does not does not see the law of God correctly. That person does not see himself in light of the law of God correctly. Tired of hearing the salvation of the Lord when the Lord has declared to the world that it is this truth that He wants declared to His people? Behold, the Lord is proclaimed unto the end of the world. Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh. Behold, His reward is with Him and His work before Him. My dear people, I say this with all concern for the general person I'm referring to in this next statement. I doubt the salvation of a person. I sincerely doubt the salvation of a person who gets tired of hearing the truth of the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Tired of hearing of the salvation of the Lord when you see how it is emphasized in the verses I so quickly mentioned but moments ago? Tired of the truth that should clearly show you how important a believer is to the Lord who came into this world to die and save His people from their sins? Perish! Such a Christ-dishonoring and soul-shriveling idea! Not just so shriveling, but a testimony of a dead soul! Tired of hearing the glorious truth of the salvation that the Lord God is one for His people through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because through people, the world, the world cannot satisfy the dead souls of men. They don't want the gospel, but the world they want cannot satisfy the dead souls of men, because they are continually trying to satisfy it with things that will never be able to, as Paul teaches in Ephesians 4, verses 17-19. This I say therefore, in testifying the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, or in the futility of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness. What Paul is saying there is why do you see the non-believer always seeking for something new, some new thrill, some new activity? Because he's trying to fill his soul with the world and the world can't fill his soul. The only thing that can fill and satisfy the soul made in the image of God is the gospel message of the Lord Jesus Christ. But they're dead in sin, and so when they hear the one truth that can satisfy the soul of man, because they're dead in sin, they don't want it, and they go seeking those things that will never satisfy their soul, and will actually damn their souls. The salvation of the Lord satisfies the regenerate and redeemed soul of a true believer today. And the salvation of the Lord will satisfy the regenerate and redeemed soul of a true believer tomorrow. And the salvation of the Lord will satisfy the regenerate and redeemed soul of a true believer forever. So I ask you, does it satisfy yours? Does it satisfy yours? Because who are true, regenerate believers in the Lord Jesus Christ? Verse 12 tells us who believers are. True believers. Verse 12. And they shall call them the holy people. According to the Scriptures, a preacher, a teacher of the Word of God can call a believer one of God's holy people. and they shall call them thy holy people." If you are a true, regenerate believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are one of the saints of the Lord. And I will tell you right now, and I have no hesitation in telling you this because I'm warning you, I will tell you this right now, that you will impoverish your soul, if you get your ideas of who saints are from the anti-Christian teachings of the man of sin sitting in Rome. He's not a saint and he cannot make a saint. The Lord made saints when he died for his people on the cross. The saved of the Lord, the saints of the Lord. Those the Lord died to save in His cross are His holy people. If you are not saved by the Lord, you are not a saint. But if you have been, you are. Your holiness is because of what He has done for you, not because of something you have done. Because what is another name that true saints are given? Verse 12 again. And they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord. You did not redeem yourself, believer. That's an impossibility. With God, nothing is impossible, but it's absolutely impossible for a sinner to redeem himself because you had nothing to redeem yourself with. You had nothing that the Lord would accept. Because the currency the Lord required to redeem you, believer, was a currency that only the Lord Jesus Christ could supply. And what is that currency? You will redeem, believer, through the precious blood of the Lamb. First Peter 1 verses 18 and 19, for as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Revelation 5-9, and they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for Thou hast slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. Jesus Christ did not come into this world just to make salvation a possibility. He did His part He did the best He could, but now the rest is up to you. Perish such Christ-dishonoring blasphemy, because that is what such ideas are. If you are a true believer in the Lord, you were redeemed by the Lord. If you think you had any part to play in your redemption, except being the dead, depraved, lost, hell-bound sinner that Christ alone could have redeemed, I say, without any hesitation, you're not saved. If you think you had any part to play in the redemption of your dead, depraved, hell-bound soul, you're not saved. Because Christ alone redeems His people from their sins. It took His precious blood to save His church. Oh, believer, who can even begin to comprehend how important those Christ died for are to Him? Because what does the next part of verse 12 say? and they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord, and thou shalt be called sought out." You sought the Lord for salvation, believer, because the Lord was seeking you for salvation. He sought you out because you were one of the ones that He died on the cross for. Jesus Christ knew why He was dying on the cross and who He was dying for on the cross. He did not shed His precious blood to make possibility, but to purchase the salvation of those given to Him by His Father, to redeem them from their sins. And it is these elect sinners that the Holy Spirit seeks out to regenerate through the word and the truth of the gospel of your salvation, believer. Because what did Paul infallibly write in his second letter to the Thessalonians that I finished last week that I referred to a few moments ago, 2 Thessalonians 2.13, but we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, the love of the Lord, because God from the the truth. The salvation of every true believer. It's not some uncertain event. You were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. And in the fullness of time, Christ came into this world to redeem and save you from your sins, believer. And at that appointed time by the Lord, the Holy Spirit regenerated you and gave you new eyes to see and a new mind to believe and to confess the Lord Jesus is the only One who could and did make you acceptable to God. Sought out by the Lord. Your life, believer, is not some random series of events that could have turned out differently if the dice were rolled differently. Psalm 139 verse 16, Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect, and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them. The nations of men are as a drop in a bucket to the Lord, but is redeemed our city not forsaken. The new Jerusalem will be made up of every redeemed holy saint that the Lord came into this world to save from their sins. Revelation 5 verses 9 and 10 again, and they sang a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for Thou hast slain and has redeemed us to God by Thy blood, God of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and has made us unto our God kings and priests. and we shall reign on the earth." Oh believer, feed your soul on what the Lord wants you to feed it on. What does He want you to feed it on? His salvation. The salvation that He has won for His people. Feed your soul on that. The things of the world can't satisfy your soul, but oh, feed your soul on the truth of the salvation of the Lord. Believer, feed your soul on what His people are to the Lord. His sought-out, redeemed, holy bride. If you feed your soul on these truths, believer, on the Lord's salvation of His people, on who the Lord's people are. The things of this world will not only grow strangely dim, but the things of this world will be seen as the things they really are, things that can never satisfy your soul. like the truth of the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ can and does for His people both now and forever. Oh, I pray that you know that satisfaction because it can be found nowhere else but in the salvation of the Lord. Let us pray.