A Song For Waiting on the Lord

Isaiah chapter 26. In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah.

! We have a strong city.! God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. Open the gates that the righteous may enter. The nation that keeps faith.

You will keep in perfect peace. Him whose mind is steadfast. Because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever.

For the Lord, the Lord is the rock eternal. He humbles those who dwell on high. He lays the lofty city low.

He levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust. Feet trample it down. The feet of the oppressed. The footsteps of the poor.

The path of the righteous is level. O upright one! You make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you.

Your name and renown are the desires of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night. In the morning, my spirit longs for you.

When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness.

Even in the land of uprightness, they go on doing evil. And regard not the majesty of the Lord. O Lord, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it.

Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame. Let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them. Lord, you establish peace for us.

All that we have accomplished, you have done for us. O Lord, our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor.

They are now dead. They live no more. Those departed spirits do not rise. You punished them and brought them to ruin.

You wiped out all memory of them. You have enlarged the nation, O Lord. You have enlarged the nation.

You have gained glory for yourself. You have extended all the borders of the land. Lord, they came to you in their distress.

When you disciplined them, they could barely whisper a prayer. As a woman with child and about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in your presence, O Lord.

We were with child. We writhed in pain. But we gave birth to wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth.

We have not given birth to the people of the world. But your dead will live. Their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy.

Your dew is like the dew of the morning. The earth will give her birth to her dead. Go, my people. Enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you.

Hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins.

The earth will disclose the bloodshed upon her. She will conceal her slain no longer. Well, that is a God worth singing to, isn't it?

The beloved Christmas carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, was written by a 19th century preacher named Dr. Phillips Brooks.

He was known for his gentleness and his great patience. And so one day, a friend walked into his study and was shocked to find him pacing back and forth, terribly agitated.

Mr. Brooks, what on earth is the matter? I'm in a hurry, he said, and God isn't. So what do you do when you're in a hurry and God isn't?

Well, you wait. You wait. But waiting is not one of America's favorite pastimes, is it? We don't like waiting rooms.

We don't like having to stand in line at checkouts. When we go out to eat, we like a table ready for us right now. We have an allergic reaction to getting stuck in slow traffic.

We have credit cards to buy things that we can't wait to save up for. We want instant information without the three-second time lag when we click.

And we don't like long-haul plans for losing those extra pounds. So we buy slim fast. And all of it's evidence that waiting is not one of those things that we're very good at.

And yet, God evidently believes it's good for us to wait. Because this is one thing that he makes all of his children do. To wait for him.

Abraham must wait long to receive the promised son and the promised land. Joseph must wait long for his God-given dreams to be fulfilled.

David, though anointed, must wait long to receive the crown. Israel must wait long for the promised Messiah to bring the deliverance that had been promised.

And the church must wait long for his glorious return. And reign on earth in splendor and eternal glory.

So, I say to you, dear believer, what is God making you wait for? What is he making you wait for? Some problem to be fulfilled?

Some promise to be fulfilled? Some prayer to be answered? A long trial to be over with? A victory to be won?

A desire to be satisfied? Or a direction to be made clear? Good health to return? A spouse?

A good job? The end of sin and sadness? Our loving Heavenly Father makes all his children wait. And even sometimes to wait all their lives.

Indeed, our best things we are made to wait all of our lives for. They're yet to come. But the Lord not only makes us wait, he also gives us many encouragements to wait.

Helps for the wait. And that's what's going on here in Isaiah chapter 26. The nation of Israel is going through great tribulation and troubles.

With worse to come. God's wrath and judgments are being poured out on them because of their sins against him. God is giving them over to ruthless oppressors and ruthless kings to come and destroy them and to oppress them.

And they're waiting. They're waiting for the Lord. For him to act in grace and power and in deliverance for them. But God is hiding his face from them.

And the righteous remnant in Judah are suffering right alongside of their wicked neighbors. And so here's a song for them to keep hope alive during these dark days of waiting.

It's a song to teach them and us how to wait for the Lord. Now it's the victory song. The song that will be sung, we're told, in the land of Judah when deliverance finally arrives.

And it no doubt includes the deliverance from these enemy nations that were oppressing Judah. But it also points way beyond those enemies to the greatest enemies of Satan and sin and death.

Because he's just been talking and will again in this chapter as he spoke in chapter 25. Speaking about how he will swallow up death forever. Yes, that enemy too.

This will be a song that will be sung when finally death is swallowed up in victory. And when the sovereign Lord wipes away the tears from their faces and removes the disgrace of his people from all the earth.

Then they'll sing. And this is the song. That they will sing. In that day of glorious, uninterrupted and unending bliss for God's people.

Now, if it's a song for that day, way in the future. I mean, it's been 2700 years that it's passed.

And that song is still not arrived yet that day that he promised. Why? Why God give that song back here 700 years before Jesus birth?

Why didn't God just give that song to the people when he comes back when Jesus returns? And we all sing the victory song. Why didn't he just give it to us then? Because he means for us to sing it now by faith.

To sing the victory song now that his people will be singing when he returns and brings in that glorious deliverance.

And as we sing this song by faith now, we will find strong encouragement and instruction for the waiting period between.

A song then for waiting on the Lord. And the first lesson is, is that there is peace for the wait. As Dr. Brooks experienced and as you and I also experience, we can wait either in agitation or in peace.

We can wait in rest or unrest. And what makes the difference? Trust. Would you see verse three and verse four?

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever. For the Lord, the Lord is the rock eternal.

So peace is the fruit of trust. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Romans 15.

But now notice in verse three that what you do with your mind is all important while you wait. Perfect peace flows from the mind that is trusting in the Lord.

It belongs to him whose mind is steadfast. That means set, fixed, locked in, stayed upon Jehovah. He does not let the troubles move his mind off of the Lord.

That's the tendency of our troubles. But this man fights those tendencies and fixes his mind on the Lord, his rock. He will have no fear of bad news.

His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112. So what is it that you are to fix your mind on?

Well, it's the object of your trust. It is the Lord, your rock eternal. So in the long wait, your mind is to be fixed on this God who is an unmovable rock.

And how long has he been there? And how long is he not moved? Well, from all eternity. He is the eternal rock that has never moved.

He is your rock. The strong refuge for his people. And so you are to see yourself on this rock.

You are to see yourself in that strong city of the righteous. Verses 1 and 2. You are to see yourself as surrounded by the walls and ramparts of God's salvation.

As you sit there waiting. You have these walls around you. And so whatever is assailing you, it is his saving power that surrounds you as your sure defense.

He himself is the walled city we live in. We have our being in. He's our rock, our fortress, our safety, our security. And nothing can touch me then if he's the walls around me.

Nothing can touch me but what he lets through the gates. And he who loves me so much that he gave his own son up to the curse of the cross for me.

Has promised that he won't let anything through those gates. Except what will work for my ultimate good. My likeness to my savior Jesus. So don't let your mind move from him who is the strong walls around you.

Inside the walls of the city is perfect safety. And inside of the mind set on the Lord is perfect peace.

And verses 5 and 6 go on to tell us that he saves his people. And what did we see last week? He saves his people by destroying their enemies. And that's what we have here in 5 and 6.

That high and arrogant enemy city that we've seen in chapter 25. With its high fortified walls. Those enemies that are too strong for us.

Oh the Lord our rock will humble them. He will lay that city low. He will level it to the ground. He will cast it down to the dust.

Yes nothing is too hard for our God. God our rock. And then once he has leveled it. He will have his poor and oppressed people.

Put their feet upon them in triumph. Do you get the picture of verses 5 and 6? We share in his victories won for us.

There's the high mighty enemies of God. Like a strong city. A strong towering colossus bulwark. And what does he do? He levels it.

And then we trample it. We can't trample it until he levels it. But we share in his victory. This is the God of salvation that surrounds his people.

So keep your mind on him. And on the way he works. He delivers his people. He protects them. He destroys their enemies. So trust in him.

Against all that oppose you. What is robbing your peace? Oh that's a sign that faith has lost sight.

Of the rock eternal. See him. See him. As you wait. Trust him. As that surrounding wall. Earlier in chapter 8.

In verse 17. Isaiah had said. I will wait for the Lord. Who is hiding his face. From the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him. That's how you're to wait.

With your trust in him. And stayed upon Jehovah. He will keep you. In perfect peace. No matter how bad it gets. There's peace for the wait.

As we trust in him. So we're in Acts chapter 12. And Peter's in prison. And they've just. Beheaded. Herod has just beheaded. His friend James. And Peter's waiting.

He's doing what we all must do. He is waiting. And what's he waiting for? Well he's waiting to be brought out. After the Passover. Waiting to be tried. And then sentenced.

By the same Herod. Hungry. For the applause of the Jews. And what is waiting Peter doing. On the night before he's to be brought out. Well he's sleeping.

While he's waiting. And it wasn't Samanix. That put him to sleep. It was trust in the Lord. And so he sleeps in peace.

There is peace. For the wait. Whatever. May be troubling you. And robbing your sleep. Fix your mind on him. Carry yourself.

By your. By your imagination. Back inside. The walls. Of this strong tower. Which is God's own salvation. And then verse 7. Reminds us.

How blessed we are. To have the upright one. Controlling our journey home. And as rough and winding. As the way gets. Verse 7 says. He will make it smooth. He will.

He will make it straight. Smoothing it out. Before us. It's nothing for him. To smooth out the obstacles. The barriers. Before us.

Indeed chapter 40. He will say. Every valley. Shall be. Raised up. So those low spots. They will be raised up. And every. Mountain and hill. Will be brought low.

And the rough ground. Shall become level. And the rugged places. A plain. And the glory of the Lord. Shall be revealed.

As he comes. To deliver his people. Yes. He makes our way. Smooth. Before us. And verse 8. Holds more instruction.

For the waiting. Yes. Lord. Walking in the way. Of your laws. We wait for you. Your name. And renown. Are the desire. Of our hearts. And here. Is the second lesson.

For waiters. Keep. To the laws. Of God. As you wait. For him. Keep. To the laws. Of God. As you wait. For him. Waiting.

Times. Are dangerous. Times. They give. A power. To temptation. To devise. Shortcuts. To compromise.

To leave. God's path. Of righteousness. And his. Holy commandments. In order. To get. What we want. Now. To get. Relief. Now. To get. Out of my. Problem. Now. Waiting.

Times. Are dangerous. Times. It was. That way. With Judah. Herself. When the Lord. Did not appear. At once. For her. Deliverance. Judah. Was tempted. To make. Unlawful. Alliances.

With other. Nations. Instead. Of waiting. On the Lord. To help her. Sarah. Wanted. So bad. To provide. A son. For her. Husband. Abraham.

But she. Got tired. Of waiting. And I don't. Put all the. Blame. On her. I think. Abraham. Too. We see. In the scriptures. Got tired. Of waiting. And so. She stepped.

Outside. Outside. Of the way. Of God's. Commands. And out. Of God's. Laws. And offered. Her. Handmade. Hagar. To Abraham. To bear. A son. Through. Her. We can't.

Wait. Any longer. On the Lord. We've got. To figure. Something. Out. Ourselves. And you know. The mess. It led to. And oh. How many. Messes. Do we get. Into. Because we. Don't. Wait.

In the. Laws. Of the Lord. And we. Try. To figure. Out. A different. Way. That. That. Takes. Us. Outside. Of his. Commandments. And so. King. Saul's. Waiting. For the.

Prophet. Samuel. To come. And offer. The sacrifice. Before his. Men. Go out. To war. Against the. Enemy. And Saul's. Getting. Tired. Of waiting. And when he.

Saw. The morale. Of the troops. Flagging. And he. Saw. Men. Starting. To leave. And to go. Back. Home. Saul. Made. The sacrifice. Himself. Something.

That. Was. Forbidden. By God's. Law. For him. The king. To do. You see. He couldn't. Wait. Any longer. And so. God's. Law. Was. Rejected.

No. No. Walking. In the way. Of your. Laws. We. Wait. For you. So. There's a. Christian. Young. Person. Wanting. A spouse.

Wanting. To get. Married. But God's. Not. In a. Hurry. Like. They are. And so. With. No. Godly. Prospects. On the. Horizon. They. Compromise. God's.

Law. And they. Start. Entering. Into. Romantic. Dating. Relationship. With. An. Unconverted. Young. Man. Or. Woman. They. Compromise. God's. Law.

They. Cannot. Wait. In. His. Laws. No. No. Walking. In the. Way. Of. Your. Laws. We. Wait. For. You. The. Lord. Is. Not.

Removing. The. Painful. Trial. Forcing. You. To. Wait. On. And. On. And. On. And. The. Sin. You're. Tempted. To. Maybe.

To. Think. Evil. Thoughts. Of. Him. To. Think. He. Doesn't. Care. He. Doesn't. Care. How. Long. I. Have. To. Wait. And. You're. Tempted. To.

The. Sin. Of. Bitterness. And. Growing. Bitter. Against. The. Lord. You're. Tempted. To. Maybe. Stop. Reading. His. Word. To. Stop. Praying. To. Stop. Coming. To. Church. Service. You're. You're. Just. Shriveling.

Up. And. Tempted. To. Turn. Away. From. To.

Identify. It. And. By. The. Grace. Of. The. Spirit. Reject. It. Reject. The. Temptation. And. Walk. In. The. Way.

Of. His. Laws. As. You. Wait. He's. Worth. Waiting. For. No. One. Who. Waits. On. Him. Wait. In. Vain. Wait. For. Him. In. The. Pathway. Of. Obedience.

To. His. Laws. That's. Where. By. David. It's.

Especially. For. Waiting. While. Evil. Men. Have. The. Upper. Hand. In. Your. Life. And. We. Think. Right. Away. Of. Saul. Chasing. David. It. Applies. To. Perhaps. Many. Situations. In. His.

Life. But. Surely. That. One. And. The. Anointed. David. He's. To. Be. The. Next. King. And. He's. Forced. To. To. Wait. To. Become. King. To. Wait. For. God.

To. Remove. Saul. Now. He. Had. Many. Opportunities. Didn't he. To. To. Remove. Saul. Himself. To. Kill. Saul. Himself. To. Take. Matters. Into. His. Own. Hands. But.

David. Says. In. Psalm. 37. 34. Wait. For. The. Lord. And. Keep. His. Way. That's. It. Wait. For. The. Lord. And.

Keep. His. Way. Don't. Get. Out. Of. The. Way. In. Order. To. Take. Things. Into. Your. Own. Hands. He. Waited. And. He. Kept. His.

Way. And. What. Did. The. Lord. Do. He. Did. Appear. For. Him. And. He. Did. Remove. Saul. He. Did. Act. On. David's. Behalf. And. Even. The. Son. Of. And.

He. Must. Wait. Through. All. The. Suffering. The. Hellish. Suffering. Of. Temptation. And. Then. The. Hellish. Suffering. Of. The. Cross. He. Must. Wait. For. His. Father.

To. Raise. Him. From. The. Dead. And. To. Raise. Him. Up. And. Seat. Him. At. His. Own. Right. Hand. To. Put. The. Crown. On. Him. No. It. Was. Sufferings. He. Waited. Through. The. Sufferings.

Until. God. Glorified. Him. And. So. Must. We. Wait. Brother. Wait. Sister. Stick. To. The. High. Road. Of. God's.

Commandments. Expecting. Him. To. Display. His. Faithfulness. At. The. Very. Best. Time. In. The. Very. Best. Way. Walking. In.

The. Way. Of. Your. Laws. Lord. We. Wait. For. You. The. Third. Lesson. For. Waiting. Is. That. There's. Good. Reasons. To. Wait. Namely.

The. The. Name. And. Fame. Of. The. Lord. Notice. Again. In. Verse. Eight. We. Wait. For. You. Your. Name. And. Renown. Are. The. Desire. Of. Our. Hearts. What.

What's. The. Beating. Of. Heart. What. Is. It. That. The. Heart. Of. The. Child. Of. God. Once. As. He. Waits. As. She. Waits. We. We. Want. God's. Name. And. Renown. That's.

What. We. Want. And. We. Learned. From. This. Verse. That. There's. Something. More. Important. Than. The. Instant. Gratification. Of. Our. Desires. There's. Something. Far. More. Important. Than. The.

Immediate. Ending. Of. Our. Trial. It. Is. The. Name. Of. Our. God. Being. Exalted. God. Being. Known. For. Who. He. Is. And. His.

Fame. Spreading. Throughout. The. Whole. Earth. His. Renown. Is. That. The. Desire. Of. Your. Heart. As. You. Wait.

For. Whatever. It. Is. You're. Waiting. For. For. God's. Name. To. Is.

That. Deeper. Than. The. Desire. To. Have. Your. Circumstances. Changed. Right. Now. You see. Pursuing. This. Agenda. Of. God's.

Glory. May. Mean. Much. Waiting. For. The. People. Of. God. That's. The. Message. Perhaps. By. Not. Removing. The. Trial. God. Aims. To. Demonstrate. His. Amazing. Grace. To. Sustain.

You. In. The. Trial. And. Oh. What. A. Powerful. Testimony.

That. Will. Be. To. To. Who. God. Is. And. His. Name. And. Fame. Will. Be. Spread. How. Through. Supplying. You. With. Strength.

To. Wait. On. To. Wait. On. He. Knows. Best. How. To. Make. A. Name. For. Himself. In. Our. Lives. And. It. May.

Mean. More. Waiting. For. Us. But. Hey. That's. Okay. Just. As long. As it. Means. More. Glory. For. Him. That's.

The. That's. The. Heartbeat. The. Throb. Of. Isaiah. Your. Name. And. Renown. Are. The. Desire. Of. Our. Hearts. So. So. See. You're.

Waiting. In. Light. Of. This. Bigger. And. More. Grand. Issue. Verse. Nine. Though. The. Judgments. That. God. Was. Sending. Upon. Judah. Were.

Horribly. Painful. To. Endure. Yet. By. Them. The. People. Of. The. World. Were. Learning. Righteousness. And. As.

They. Did. God's. Name. Was. Being. Made. Known. And. Isn't. That. Why. We. Draw. Breath. And. Why. We. Get. Dressed. In. The. Morning. That. God's. Name. Might. Be. Known.

And. So. When. Your. Judgments. Come. Upon. The. Earth. The. People. Of. The. World. Learn. Righteousness. So.

That. Means. I've. Got. To. Stick. Through. This. Judgment. This. Period. When. God. Was. Judging. Judah. I've. Got. To. Go. Through. This. But. But. There's. A. Good. Reason. To. Wait. Because.

God. Is. Making. Himself. Known. And. He's. Teaching. People. Of. The. World. Righteousness. Because. Verse. Ten. Tells. Us. Though. Grace. Is. Shown. To. The. Wicked. They. Do.

Not. Learn. Righteousness. No. As. Long. As. The. Good. Times. Keep. Rolling. For. The. Wicked. They. Go. On. Doing. Evil. And. They. Regard. Not.

The. Majesty. Of. The. Lord. They. Remain. It.

All. About. And. They. Think. He. Doesn't. See. Me. He. Doesn't. Care. He. Won't. Judge. Me. Verse. Eleven. Even. Though. His. Hand. Is. Lifted. High. And. Is. About. To. Fall. In. A. Greater.

Judgment. Upon. They. Do. Not. See. It. The. World. Does. Not. See. The. Coming. Judgment. That. You. And. I. See. But.

Not. Until. Then. They're. So. Stubborn. And. So. Blind. That. Until. They. Feel. The. Sting. Of. God's. Wrath. Fall. They. Do. Not. Learn. Righteousness.

They. Do. Not. Stop. Their. Evil. They. Do. Not. Repent. And. Seek. Mercy. So. Do. You. See. What. The. The. The. The. God.

Is. Teaching. Some. Righteousness. Through. This. Discipline. And. This. Judgment. And. I. Ask. This. Could. It. Be. That. God's. Judgment. Upon. Our. Economy. Is.

Bringing. Some. Of. The. World. Some. Of. The. People. Of. The. World. To. Learn. Righteousness. To. Not. Put. Their. Trust. In. Riches. That. Can. So. Fleetingly.

Be. Gone. But. To. Put. Their. Trust. In. Something. Far. More. Certain. And. Far. More. Valuable. Well. If. So. Then. Though. It's.

Painful. To. Wait. And. To. Watch. My. Retirement. Fund. Continually. Being. Devalued. And. To. And. To. Watch.

The. Difficulties. That. This. Economy. May. Be. Causing. You. And. Me. Yet. It's. Worth. It. If. Only. God. Might.

Be. Teaching. His. Righteousness. To. Some. In. The. World. Through. This. Judgment. Lifting. Him. Up. Is. Worth. Seeking. And. Fearing.

There. Are. Good. Reasons. For. Waiting. Namely. The. Name. And. Renown. Of. The. Lord. And. Then. Fourthly. While. You. Wait. Look.

Back. And. Praise. The. Lord. For. Look. Back. And. Praise. The. Lord. For. What. He's. Done. For. You. Verse. Twelve.

Lord. You. Establish. Peace. For. Us. All. That. We. Have. Accomplished. You. Have. Done. For. Us. So.

You. Look. Back. And. You. Say. From. This. Vantage. Point. Remember. This. Is. This. Is. The. Song. That. Will. Be. Son. At. The. Will.

We. Be. Sing. We'll. Be. Saying. Lord. You. Establish. Peace. For. Us. And. All. That. We. Have. Accomplished. You. Have. Done. For. Us. In.

That. Day. You. Will. Lay. All. The. Praise. At. His. Feet. For. All. That. You. Have. Accomplished. The. Fact. Is. Is. That. You. Are. As. Stubborn. And. Will. Feltering.

You. Giving. You. Many. Earthly. Blessings. And. You. Would. Not. Learn. Righteousness. If. You. Are. Any. Different.

It's. Because. Of. What. God. Has. Made. You. That's. What. You. Say. For. Who. Made. You. Different. From. Anyone. Else. What. Do. You. Have. That. You. Not. Received. If. We. Enjoy.

Any. Of. This. Peace. That. That. We're. Talking. About. Well. He. Has. Established. It. For. Us. If. We've. Learned. Any. Righteousness. Through. His. Judgments.

It's. Been. Because. Of. His. Softening. Of. Our. Hearts. And. Grace. If. We've. Waited. At. All. In. The. Way. Of. His. Law. His. Laws. And. Not. Compromised. And. Gone.

Astray. If. We've. Not. Grown. Bitter. And. Turned. Away. From. The. Lord. Altogether. If. We're. Still. Trusting. In. Our. Rock. Eternal. If. We're. Still. Repenting. And. Have.

Any. Desire. For. His. Name. And. His. Fame. Then. It's. All. Been. Accomplished. By. Him. For. Us. Because. Apart. From. Him. We. Wouldn't.

Give. Two. Hoots. About. His. Name. And. His. Fame. We. Would. Just. Care. About. Ourselves. And. So. We. Come. At. The. End. Of. The. Day. And. We. Look. Back. And.

We. See. All. That. He. Has. Done. And. We. Say. Lord. You. Have. Accomplished. This. For. Us. So. While. You. Wait. Keep. Praising. In. That. Day. This. Will.

Be. The. Only. Song. There. Will. Be. No. Jarring. Notes. Of. Self. Congratulations. No. All. The. Praise. Will. Be. Laid. At. His. Feet. And.

So. As. You. Sing. By. Faith. Now. And. Look. Back. Now. That. Will. Keep. You. Thankful. While. You. Wait. It. Will. Keep. You. Amazed. That. Is. Goodness. While.

You. Wait. That. You. Have. Not. Been. Hardened. By. The. Weight. But. Actually. Helped. And.

The. Fifth. Lesson. While. Waiting. Look. Forward. To. What. He. Will. Do. For. You. Now. You. Say. Well. We. Can't. Know. The. Future. So. That. That's. Beyond. Us. Well. You're.

Right. We. Can't. But. If. God. Reveals. It. To. Us. Then. We. Can. Know. It. And. That's. What. God. Is. Doing. In. This. Song. This. Is. The. Song. That. Will. Be. Sung. After. The. Final. Deliverance. Comes. So.

We. Know. What. He. Is. Revealed. Of. The. Future. And. This. Song. Takes. Us. To. The. Very. End. The. Victory. Song. That. Will. Be. Sung. In. The. Land. Of. Judah. When. Deliverance. Comes. And. All. The. Waiting. Is. Over. And.

It. Looks. Back. With. Praise. At. All. That. God. Accomplished. But. Much. Of. What. In. That. Day. Will. Be. Looking. Back. Is. For. Us. Looking. Forward. Those.

Enemies. Are. Still. Breathing. Out. Slaughter. Against. Us. We. Still. Deal. With. A. Real. Devil. We. Still. Have. That. Last. Enemy. Death. We. Still. Have. Sin.

And. So. Even. Though. The. End. Of. The. Story. Looks. Back. To. It. All. Where. We're. At. Right. Now. In. Our. Journey. This. Stuff. Is. Future. For.

Us. And. So. We. Look. Forward. To. What. He. Will. Do. What. Will. He. Do. Notice. Verse. Thirteen. Oh. Lord.

Other. Lords. Besides. You. Have. Ruled. Over. Us. But. Your. Name. Alone. Do. We. Honor. Judah. Was. About. To. Go. Underneath. These. Great. Lords. Who. Would.

Oppress. Them. They. Come. Through. The. Pharaohs. They. Were. Coming. Under. Nebuchadnezzar. And. And. The. Assyrian. Lords. And. But. He. Says. You know. There.

Are. No. Comparison. To. You. Our. Lord. They're. Not. Even. Worthy. Of. Of. Honorable. Mention. Oh. We've. Had. These. Other. Lords. But. Your. Name. Alone. Do. We. Honor. Why?

Because. They're. Now. Dead. They're. Not. Living. Anymore. To. Trouble. Us. That's. What. We're. Looking. Forward. To. Brethren. In. Saving. Us. You. Punished. Them. And. And.

Brought. Them. To. Ruin. Wiping. Out. All. Memory. Of. Them. Oh. But. You've. Enlarged. The. Nation. Of. Judah. That'll. Be. The. Song. Sung. In. That. Day. What. Were. These.

Nations. Trying. They're. Trying. To. Obliterate. Judah. And. God. Obliterated. The. Enemy. And. Enlarged. The. Nation. Gave.

Them. More. People. And. More. Land. The. Very. Promises. That. God. Made. To. Their. Forefather. Abraham. A. Great. Descendants. More. Than. The. Sand. More.

Than. The. Stars. The. Whole. Earth. As. The. Promised. Land. These. Who. Tried. To.

Destroy. Us. Are. Destroyed. And. We. Are. Enlarged. Under. God's. Blessing. And. In. Doing. Both. You. Have. Gained. Glory. For. Yourself. Verse.

Fifteen. Says. You've. Acted. On. Our. Behalf. Not. Because. Of. Any. Merit. Or. Worth. Of. Ours. But. You. Acted. For. The. Praise. Of. Your. Own. Name. And. That's. What. We. Desire. Your. Name. And.

Renown. So. Where. Are. All. The.

Deliverances. That. Will. Be. Given. To. God's. People. So. While. Waiting. And. Longing. For. God's. Deliverance. Sing. The. End. Of. The. Book. Sing.

The. End. Of. The. Book. With. All. His. And. Our. Enemies. Destroyed. And. His. People. Supremely. Blessed. Now. This. Song.

Of. The. Waiting. Does. Not. Hide. The. Painfulness. Of. Waiting. Under. God's. Disciplines. And. Under. His. Judgments. That. Are. Falling. Verse. Sixteen. We. See. The.

Difficult. We. See. The. Pain. Of. Waiting. Lord. They. Came. To. You. And. In. Their. Distress. When. You. Discipline. Them. They. Could. Barely. Whisper. A. Prayer. But.

Don't. Miss. This. Pray. They. Did. Come. To. You.

Wait. Pray. While. You. Wait. Pray. We. Have. A. Throne. Of. Grace. That's. Open. To. Us. The. Whole. Period. Of. Our. Waiting.

Be. Often. There. Ah. Whither. Could. We. Flee. For. Aid. When. Tempted. Desolate. Dismayed. Or. How. The. Host. Of. Hell. Defeat. Had.

Suffering. Saints. No. Mercy. Seek. And. So. We. Come. To. The. Mercy. Seek. We. Pray. And. Sometimes. We. Can. Just. Barely. Whisper. Out. A. Prayer. The.

Waiting. Is. So. Painful. Somebody. Said. Your. Troubles. Have. Done. Their. Good. Work. If. They. Brought. You. To. The. Lord. In. Prayer.

Is. That. Not. One. Of. The. The. Good. Things. That. God. Works. In. Our. Waiting. He. Teaches. Us. To. Pray. Ben.

Patterson. Has. Written. At. Least. As. Important. As. The. Things. We. Wait. For. Is. The. Work. God. Wants. To. Do. In. Us. While. We. Wait. He. Wants. To. Draw.

Us. To. Himself. And. So. Judah. Came. When. Their. Strength. Was. So. Spent. That. They. Could. Only. Barely. Whisper. Their. Prayer. Just. A. Whimper. A.

Mere. Groan. For. Help. And. As. We. Wait. In. Our. Troubles. God. Would. Teach. Us. To. Pray. And. What. Groaning.

Prayers. Lack. In. Volume. And. What. Whispered. Prayers. Lack. In. Volume. They. Make. Up. For. In. Fervency. And. Earnest. Oh.

How. We. Pray. With. Desperate. Prayers. When. We're. Made. To. Wait. Long. Oh. For. Just. One. Groan. From. The.

Heart. One. Groan. From. The. Heart. Worth. More. Than. Hours. Of. Lifeless. Heartless. Saying. Of. Prayer. So. There's. Baron. Hannah. And. She's. Been. Waiting. A. Long.

Time. For. A. Son. And. She's. In. The. Temple. And. She's. Praying. She's. Praying. In. Her. Heart. Perhaps. Not. Even. A. Whisper. Her.

Lips. Are. Moving. But. Her. Voice. Was. Not. Heard. At. Least. Not. By. Eli. The. Priest. He. Thought. She. Was. Drunk. But. Her. Her.

Heart's. Desire. Lifted. Heavenward. Even. Without. A. Whisper. Was. Heard. In. Heaven. Our. Groans. Have. A.

Voice. That. He. Understands. And. Answers. Don't. Waste. Your. Waiting. By. Failing. To. Learn.

To. Pray. Better. Grow. In. Communion. With. God. And. So. In. Verses. Seventeen. And. Eighteen. As. Judah. Suffered. Under. God's. Judgments.

For. Their. Sins. They. Were. Like. A. Pregnant. Woman. Going. Through. Labor. Writhing. And. Crying. Out. In. Her. Pain. But. She. At. Least. Is. Comforted. At. Last. By. The. Bringing. Forth.

Of. New. Life. Into. The. World. But. Not. So. Judah. Judah. Complains. That. For. All. Of. Our. Groaning. And. Waiting.

We. Brought. Forth. Only. Wind. Nothing. Nothing. We. Have. Not. Brought. Salvation. To. The. Earth. We. Not. Given. Birth. To.

People. Of. The. World. Now. That's. What. They. Were. Called. To. Do. And. Be. God's. Witnesses. As. His. People. They. Were. To. Be. God's. Witnesses. And. To. Bring. Salvation.

To. The. Ends. Of. The. Earth. And. They. They. Mourned. Their. Own. Fruitlessness. Before. This. Unresponsive. World. So. Hard. And. Blind. That. Will.

Not. Learn. Like. Stubborn. Children. That. Go. On. In. Their. Rebellion. They. Will. Not. Learn. That's. What. Isaiah. 30. Compares. Them.

To. And. So. Judah. Complains. We've. Not. Brought. For. Salvation. To. The. Earth. They're. Struck. With. Their. Failure. In. Light. Of. Their. Mandate.

As. The. People. Of. God. The. Witnesses. Of. God. They. Have. Nothing. To. Show. For. All. Their. Waiting. And. Laboring. Can't. We. Identify. With. That. Don't.

We. Feel. So. Keenly. Our. Inability. To. Bring. Salvation. Even. To. Our. Own. Souls. Much. Less. To. Those. That. We. Love. All.

Efforts. At. Salvation. Had. Only. Given. Birth. To. Wind. We. Have. Failed. But. You. Oh. Lord. You. Will. Succeed. Where. We. Failed. We've.

Not. Been. Able. To. Give. Birth. To. More. Of. Your. People. But. You. Will. Bring. Them. To. Birth. With. Resurrection. Power. Verse. 19. Your. Dead. Will. Live. Their.

Bodies. Will. Rise. You. Who. Dwell. In. The. Dust. Wake. Up. And. Shout. For. Joy. Your. Dew. Is. Like. The. Dew. The. Morning. The. Earth. Will. Give. Birth. To. Her. Dead. Yes.

There. Is. A. Power. In. God. To. Raise. The. Dead. Spiritually. To. Bring. Them. To. Life. But. Even. Physically. At. The. End. Of. The. Age. He. Will. Speak.

Speaks.

And. The. Dead. Will. Rise. Multitudes. Who. Sleep. In. The. Dust. Of. The. Earth. Will. Awake. And. So. In. Spite. Of. Our. Utter. Helplessness. To.

Bring. Salvation. To. Increase. The. Number. Of. People. To. Give. Birth. To. More. And. More. People. Of. God. And. His. Family. God. Himself. Will. Take. It. In.

Hand. And. He. Will. Bring. Forth. A. Whole. Host. Of. People. By. The. New. Birth. And. Then. Ultimately. By. Bringing. Them. Forth. From. The.

Very. Dust. As. Due. Descends. And. Brings. Life. To. The. Earth. So. He. Will. Come. To. His. Dead. And. Bring. Them. To. Life. There. Will. Be.

A. Bride. For. So.

While. Waiting. Then. Look. Forward. To. What. He. Will. Do. That. Day. Is. Coming. That. Last. Day. When. He'll.

Raise. His. People. From. The. Dead. And. We. Will. Enter. That. Endless. Uninterrupted. Eternal. Bliss. But. Between. That. Day. And. This. There's. This. Waiting. Period. It's.

Not. Here. Yet. And. That's. The. Theme. We're. Looking. At. God's. People. Have. To. Wait. So. Here's. The. Concluding. Word. To. Them. In. Verse. 20. Go. My. People. Enter. Your.

Rooms. And. Shut. The. Doors. Behind. You. Hide. Your. Your.selves. For. A. Little. While. Until. His. Wrath. Has. Passed. By. Just. Like. People. Might. Run. In. From.

The. Out. And. Shut. The. Doors. And. Hide. Themselves. In. Inside. Room. To. Shelter. From. The. Outside. Storm. So. God. Is. Saying. Go. Into. Your.

House. Bunker. Down. For. Little. While. While. Until. My. Wrath. Has. Passed. By. Now.

Where. In. The. World. Can. You. Possibly. Hide. From. God's. Wrath. That's. A. Question. We're. Thinking. About. Where. Is.

There. Such. A. House. Where. Is. There. Such. Doors. Well. There's. Only. One. Safe. Place. Hidden. In. The. Savior. Side. Hidden.

In. Christ. Where. The. Wrath. Has. Already. Fallen. The. Judgment. Of. God. Has. Already. Been. Poured. Out. That's. The. Safe. Place. The. One. Safe. Place. In. All. The. Earth. To. Be.

Hidden. In. Christ. Neither. Is. There. Salvation. In. Any. Other. You know. God. Has. Always. Provided. An. Escape. From. His. Wrath. For. His. People. So. When. God. Pours. Out. His. Wrath. Upon. The.

Whole. Globe. And. Sends. A. Flood. No. Is. Hidden. Inside. The. Closed. Doors. Of. The. Ark. Protected. From. God's. Wrath. And.

There's. Lot. And. God's. Wrath. Is. To. Fall. On. Sodom. But. Not. Until. Lot. Is. Hidden. In. That. Little. Town. Zoar. And. There. He. Sheltered. From.

The. Wrath. Of. God. And. The. Israelites. On. Passover. Night. When. The. Angel. Of. Death. Visited.

They. Go. Into. Their. Houses. Splattered. With. Blood. And. They're. Safe. Until. The. Wrath. Of. God. Passes. By. Jesus.

Is. Our. Hiding. Place. When. Our. Faith. Is. In. His. Blood. To. Cleanse. Our. Sins. Then. God. Says. I. Will. See. The. Blood. And. Will. Pass. Over. You.

Hiding. In. Him. There's. No. Wrath. That. Can. Touch. Us. No. As.

Judgments. Continue. To. Fall. Upon. The. Earth. What. Are. We. To. Do. As. We. Wait. That. Final. Day. We're. To. Take. Refuge. In. Jesus. Christ. We're. To. Run. Into.

Him. Where. None. Of. That. Wrath. Can. Touch. Us. Into. That. Shelter. From. The. Storm. And. Notice. It's. A. Little. While.

A. Little. While. Enter. Your. Rooms. And. Shut. The. Doors. Behind. You. Hide. Yourselves. For. A. Little. While. Until. The. Wrath. Has. Passed. By. So.

It doesn't seem like a little while. I've waited 10 years. 20 years. These problems in my life are such that they're going to be with me till the grave. I'm going to have to wait my whole life.

How can he say a little while? Remember this song. Song is to be sung when? At the end. When the deliverance has come. And looking back.

You will say yes. It was just a little while. Just a little while. 70, 80 years. Of waiting. Waiting. But what are 70 or 80 years.

If you lived. To be 10,000 years old. Well that's just a little while. But what if 10,000 years. Left you with no less days to sing God's praise than when you first begun.

And you're going to live forever. Well from that perspective as you look by. You say yeah it was long. Yeah it was hard. But it was just a little while. But it was just a little while. And so that's our final lesson for waiting.

Wait in the light of eternity. It's eternity that makes this long wait to appear what it really is. A little while. For our light and momentary troubles.

Are working for us an eternal weight of glory. While we fix our eyes. Not on the things that are seen. For the things seen are temporary. But the things unseen. Are eternal.

And eternity. Makes the waiting. To be a little while. David said it in his waiting psalm. Psalm 37.

A little while. And the wicked. Would be no more. Well. The waiting will be over.

Full salvation. And deliverance for God's people. See the Lord is coming out of his dwelling. To punish the people of the earth. For their sin. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her.

She will conceal her slain no more. God is coming to settle accounts for sin. And each and every sin then. Will be no longer hidden. But brought to full light.

And punished. And all in Christ. Will be delivered forever. So wait. Till the Lord comes. Here's a song.

To help us wait. When the wait seems long. And like we can't go on. It's time to get out. The song. To get out Isaiah 26.

And just start singing. Right into the darkness. Of our. Of our longest nights. It's meant to fill us. With encouragement. To wait on. In trust. And in peace.

And in obedience. And in praise. And in prayer. And in confident expectation. Of hope. And all for the name. And renown. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed.

Are all. Who wait. For him. He acts. On behalf of those. Who wait. For him. Let's sing.

Number 587. Song written. About this verse. It's found in verse 3. Stayed upon Jehovah.

Let's stand as we sing. Of our peace. 587. Our father. Isaiah is going to tell us. Later in his book. That there's no peace. For the wicked. That would have been us.

For eternity. And so. We've been talking about. Peace today. And we know. That if we have anything of it. It's because you have established. Peace for us.

Peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. Being therefore. Justified by faith. We have peace with God. Through our Lord Jesus. Thank you for him.

Teach us what it is. To wait. To wait. With our eyes. Upon him. To see. Ourselves. Surrounded by him. And his great salvation. Teach us to pray.

While we wait. Teach us to wait. In the light of eternity. Looking back. To what you've done for us. Looking forward. To what you will do. To wait.

In the paths. That you've laid down for us. In your law. Help the one. Who is really struggling. This morning. To wait. Draw near. And give them a fresh sight.

Of their savior. And of all the grace. That is in him. To help us. And teach us all then. To sing this song. To one another. To encourage each other. Until that day comes.

When deliverance. Finally will arrive. Fully. And we will sing. As we've never sung before. Worthy is the lamb. We pray in Jesus name.

Amen.