Which Foundation Are You Building On?

Isaiah chapter 28. He will throw it forcefully to the ground.

That wreath, the pride of Ephraim's drunkards, will be trampled underfoot. That fading flower, his glorious beauty set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like a fig right before the harvest.

As soon as someone sees it and takes it in his hand, he swallows it. In that day, the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.

He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. And those who stagger from wine and reel from beer, priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine.

They reel from beer. They stagger when seeing visions. They stumble when rendering decisions. All the tables are covered with vomit. And there is not a spot without filth.

Who is it he who is it he is trying to teach to whom is he explaining his message to children weaned from their milk to those just taken from the breast?

For it is do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule, a little here, a little there. Very well, then, with foreign lips and strange tongues, God will speak to this people to whom he said, this is the resting place.

Let the weary rest. And this is the place of repose. But they would not listen. So then the word of the Lord to them will become do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule, a little here, a little there, so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured.

Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers who ruled his people in Jerusalem. You boast. We have entered into a covenant with death.

With the grave, we have made an agreement when an overwhelming scourge sweeps by. It cannot touch us for we have made a lie. Our refuge and falsehood are hiding place.

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says. Your agreement with the grave will not stand.

When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it. As often as it comes, it will carry you away. Morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through.

The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror. The bed is too short to stretch out on. The blanket too narrow to wrap around you. The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perizim.

He will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.

Now stop your mocking or your chains will become heavier. The Lord, the Lord Almighty has told me of the destruction decreed against the whole land. Listen and hear my voice.

Pay attention and hear what I say. When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and harrowing the soil?

When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its plot and spelt in its field? His God instructs him and teaches him the right way.

Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is a cartwheel rolled over cumin. Caraway is beaten out with a rod and cumin with a stick. Grain must be ground to make bread.

So one does not go on threshing it forever. Though he drives the wheels of his threshing cart over it, his horses do not grind it. All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.

In the end of his sermon, the Lord Jesus said, Whoever hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house upon a rock.

The rains came down. The floods came up. The wind blew and beat upon that house. Yet it did not fall because it was built upon the rock.

But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

And the rains came down and the floods came up and the wind blew and beat upon that house. And its fall was great. Now, a house is no stronger than its foundation.

The foundation is what bears the weight of the whole building. It holds it up. And if the foundation cracks and crumbles and gives way, then everything built upon that foundation will also crack, crumble and give way.

And according to the Lord Jesus, what is true in construction is true concerning your life. You are no stronger or safer than the foundation you build upon.

To live is to build. And you're no stronger than what you build upon. What you trust in. What your weight comes down upon.

What you're leaning on. What you're looking to for help. What you're expecting strength from. To make life work. To a good end for yourself.

That's your foundation. And there's only two. According to Jesus, there's the sure rock of the Lord and his word.

And there's the insecure sand of all the other alternatives. However many there may be. They all are sand. Some trust in themselves.

Their own strength. Their own smarts. To get them out of trouble. And to somehow pull it all together. And to bring about a good conclusion.

Some trust in their grit. In their guts. And some trust in their appearance. To give them what they want. Or their money. Or their persuasiveness. Or even their so-called luck.

Some trust in others. But what they all have in common. Is that they're all sand. They're all alternatives to the rock.

They're all lies. They're all false hopes. And they will all prove ineffective in the end. Now the house built on the sand. May stand for a while. That house that Jesus talked about.

It may stand in. And sit very pretty for a while. It may weather a little rain. It may weather a small flood. It may weather a little wind.

A little storm of life. And still be standing. And looking none the worse. For the wear. But a storm is coming. Storms are coming.

And a particular. One in particular. That will expose this foundation. For what it is. And that day will reveal. Which you have built upon. Whether the rock.

Christ. Or one of the many. Alternative sands. True security. Or worthless lies. Now here in Isaiah 28.

God is calling us this morning. To wise up. And build upon the rock. To trust in the Lord. And in his word.

You see Isaiah's. Hearers were not building. Upon the rock. They were building. On the wrong foundation. When Judah was threatened.

From the north. Remember the two enemy nations. To the north. That threat came upon them. What did they do? They did not. Put their weight. On the Lord. But they.

Leaned on Assyria. You come and help us. And they made an alliance. With Assyria. Instead of trusting the Lord. And for a while. That house stood. And it seemed to be working.

Indeed Assyria came. And started crushing. Those enemy nations. To the north. But Assyria would be. Unsatisfied. With those nations.

And would continue. To sweep right down. Into Judah. And Judah would find. That the one. She leaned upon. For deliverance. Would be the one. Who would destroy her.

So now. She's in trouble again. Oh no. My deliverer. Has become my destroyer. What do I do now? Do I trust in the Lord. And put my weight. On this. Sure foundation.

Oh no. Israel says. Or Judah says. Let's go down to Egypt. Let's get some real help. Some horses. And chariots. And charioteers. And so she put her weight.

On Egypt. We'll see that. In the next few chapters. That Egypt now. Becomes the go-to. Power to trust in. For.

Judah's problems. Her response. To this current threat. Is to look. Somewhere else. Than to the Lord. But it's just.

All that much more sinking. Sand. And so through Isaiah. God. Brings to Judah. A wake-up call. Showing. What happens to those. Who build on.

Faulty foundations. He's seeking. To move them. From building. On the sand. To building. Upon the rock. That's his aim.

In chapter 28. And to begin with. He says. Number one. Learn from your sister. To the north. Now. He's speaking here. In these first. These opening verses.

Of the new. The northern kingdom. Of Israel. Which he calls. Ephraim. And. They. Had built. Upon. Sand. They had forsaken.

The Lord. And his word. As their foundation. So. Isaiah. Saying. Let's see. How they fared. In the day of storm. Because. The Assyrian.

Storm. Had come. And had devoured. Ephraim. Or Israel. The northern kingdom. Indeed. It had swallowed up. The whole land. Except for one city.

Its capital. Samaria. And that's what's being. Spoken of here. Samaria. Located on the head. Of a fertile valley. Beautiful. And glorious. With its wealth.

Its terrace. Vineyards. It was like. A beautifying. Wreath. A crown. To. The nation. This. Capital city. Of Samaria.

They were so proud. Of it. But judgment. Was about to fall. Verse one. Woe to that wreath. That city. Woe to the pride. Of Ephraim's drunkard.

To the fading flower. His glorious beauty. Set on the head. Of a fertile hill. To that city. The pride. Of those. Laid low. By wine.

Already. She's not what she once was. She's already. A fading flower. She's on her way out. She's seen her best days. That city. Is doomed. To destruction. And yet.

She's the pride. Of Ephraim's. Drunkards. These. Self-indulgent. Rulers. Had. Destroyed.

The nation. And the city. Was reeling. And was. Morally. Decadent. And would become. Easy pickings. For. The Assyrians. As they came into. That capital city.

Like a fig. That's ripe. Before harvest. So as you're passing. By the tree. And there's only one. Fig. That's ripe. How long is that going to stand? Not very long. As soon as people see it.

They'll swallow it down. And that's. How Assyria. Will swallow this. Once glorious city. But now. Fading flower. Samaria. She's ripe.

For judgment. And it's the Lord. Who will bring this. Powerful. Destroyer. Assyria. And notice. It will be like a hail storm. A destructive wind.

A driving rain. A flooding. Downpour. Just like Jesus. Talked about. The storm. Is coming. And those. Who have built upon. The sand. Will not be able.

To stand. Because they've not. Made the Lord. Their foundation. And trust. Samaria. The crown. Pride. Of Ephraim's. Drunks. Will be forcefully. Thrown down. To the ground. And trampled on.

So. Isaiah starts. With Judah. Saying. Learn a lesson. Judah. Learn a lesson. From your sister. To the north. About what happens.

To those. Who do not build. On the Lord. And his word. But notice. Verses five. And six. Say. In that day. What a contrast.

The Lord. Almighty. Will be a glorious. Crown. A beautiful. Wreath. For the remnant. Of his people. In that day. When judgment. Falls upon. The crown.

And wreath. Of the drunkards. Of Ephraim. Oh. In that day. The remnant. Will regard. The Lord himself. As their beauty. And their crown. The thing. They take pride in.

Not the work. Of their hands. Like the city. Of Samaria. But they will glory. In the Lord. And count him. As their. Their crown. Their treasure. Their beauty.

Their glory. And. Christ. Never. Appears. More beautiful. Than when we see. The world's crowns. Crumbling.

And fading. And falling away. To nothing. When we see the foundations. Of the. Of people. Crumbling. And the world. Coming unraveled. Oh. Then. Our center.

Is holding. Firm. And. And. Our feet. Are on a rock. That does not move. And. How Christ. Becomes. Precious. To the remnant. In that day. When.

Others. Are finding. All they trusted in. Everything they live for. Is futile. And is not helping them. Against that storm.

So learn a lesson. From. The sister. To the north. There is only one. Sure foundation. For our times.

It is the Lord. Our rock. And his word. Secondly. Judah rejects. The sure foundation. Not only did. Israel. To the north. Reject. The foundation. Judah herself.

Is rejecting it. And now the focus. At verse 7. Turns down upon Judah. And Jerusalem. Their capital. You've seen your sister. To the north.

Being trampled. And she's only got. One. City left. And it's going. To be trampled. But don't you gloat. Over their coming. Destruction. Because you're on.

The same fast track. To destruction. Yourself. You look a whole lot. Like your sister. Is what he's saying. She was given. Over to a debauched.

Life of drunkenness. And so are you. Your own. Priests and prophets. Stagger from beer. And are befuddled. With wine. Over and over. That line is repeated.

The tables. Once covered. With beautiful dishes. And food. And table settings. Are now covered. With vomit. And there's not a spot. Without filth. The glory.

Has departed. From you. To Jerusalem. You're no better. Than. Your sister. To the north. Beer.

Beer. Has perverted. Your judgment. And decisions. As leaders. It's distorted. Your values. It's dulled. Your perception. You prophets. Even as you're receiving. Revelation.

From God. And giving it. To the people. Who need the word. From God. Beer. Has destroyed. Your perception. And it's made you. With your self.

Indulgence. Take the easy way out. And rather than. Call the nation. To repent. Of their sin. And you take the self. Indulgent way. To say peace.

Peace. When there is no peace. They too. Have forsaken God. And his word. As their foundation. Just as. Israel to the north.

Now it wasn't that they. They'd never heard. God's word. They had Isaiah. And they had Micah. The prophet. At that very time. True prophets of God.

But instead of. Building their life. Upon the word. Of God. As their foundation. They rejected it. In fact. They scorned it. As we'll see.

Now before we go. Any further. You need to know. That the most important. Thing about you. Is what you do. With God's word. It's not. Who you are. And who you know.

And how much you have. And how you dress. And what you own. It's. It's what do you do. With the word of God. And we're going to see. What Judah. These.

Drunken leaders. Prophets. And priests. What. What they were doing. With the word of God. Now. We're given to listen in. On what they're saying. They're talking to us. Here in verses 9 and 10.

And we get to hear. What these. Drunken prophets. And priests. Are saying about Isaiah. Who is bringing to them. The true word of God. Here's their response.

To it. Verse 9. Who is he. Who is it. That he's trying to teach. To whom is he. Explaining his message. To children. Weaned from their milk.

To those just taken. From the. The breast. For it's do and do. Do and do. Rule on rule. Rule on rule. Little here. Little there. If you didn't get it.

They're mocking. Isaiah. They're pretending. To preach. Like Isaiah preached. And that's how they heard him. When he preached. They're making fun of this preaching.

I mean. Who's he trying to teach anyway. Two year olds. That's what it sounds like. It's all so childish. And infantile. There's so much repetition. There's so much.

That he's like a broken record. He never has something new to say. It's always the same old thing. Turn or burn. Turn or burn. Trust and obey. Trust and obey. He never changes his message.

Judgment is coming. Judgment is coming. And they were offended. They're sophisticated intellect. Wanted something deep. And something more.

Full of worldly wisdom. Than just. Blunt in your face. Judgment is coming. You need to trust in the Lord. You need to turn away from trusting in yourself.

And your idols. And Egypt. And Assyria. If you're to be saved. If you do not stand firm in your faith. You will not stand at all.

That's Isaiah's message. And he kept banging it. Like a drum. Over and over. And they said. Oh so infantile. That's beneath us.

Give us something. Sophisticated. Something that makes sense. Rather than this drivel. Martin Luther said.

When I preach. I regard neither. Doctors or magistrates. Of whom I have above 40. In my congregation. I have all my eyes. On the servant maids.

And on the children. And if the learned men. Are not well pleased. With what they hear. Well the door is open. It was plain preaching.

That Luther brought. And people didn't like it. It was plain speaking. That Isaiah brought. And the rebellious nation.

Didn't like it. Now you remember. When God called Isaiah. To be a prophet. Back in Isaiah 6. What did he tell them? He said. The nation is not going to hear you. They will not understand.

Your message. They will be ever hearing. But never understanding. And remember. We said back then. The reason they didn't understand. His message. Was not that it. That it was so lofty.

And so high. No rather. What we're seeing. It was too plain. It was too blunt. It was too repetitive.

Their hearts were too calloused. And they were too blind. They didn't want to see. They were too deaf. And didn't want to hear. And that's why the simple message. Never got through to them.

They were offended. Their pride. Was offended. They didn't like. What he had to say. He just kept saying it. Over. And over.

You know why he had to keep saying it. Over and over. Because they weren't obeying it. The reason. Well it's like children.

In the summer. And they leave the door open. Every time they come in. And they let in the flies. And the stray cats. And stray kids. Everything comes in. And so mom says.

Shut the door. And she says it again. Shut the door. Shut the door. When you come in. Or go out. Now. If Billy doesn't.

Shut the door the next time. What's the message he needs to hear? Shut the door. The same message. Why? Because he's not obeying it. So does Isaiah's message.

Have a certain. Sameness. About it. Trust. And obey. Trust. And obey.

It's because they're not trusting. And obeying. The Lord. Is it. Is it. Repent. Or perish. Repent. Or perish. It's because they're still not repenting.

They're still wandering. Far from the Lord. You know. The Lord Jesus received the same. Critique. From. The hearers of his day. He says in John 7.

7. The reason the world hates me. Is because I testify. That what it is doing. Is evil. It's wrong. And if you don't turn from it.

I have to tell you again. It's wrong. It's wrong. It's evil. It's evil. It's evil. And the world hated him. Because his message. Was too blunt.

It hit them. Where they. Were. Were sinning against God. It was always the same. Pointing out sin. Calling men to trust in him.

Him. Alone. So. Judah. Is mocking. Isaiah's preaching. Say it was. Saying it's for babbling babies. That are barely weaned. From their mother's breast.

Now. In Hebrew. Verse 10. Reads this way. Sav. La. Sav. Sav. La. Sav. Kav. La. Kav. Kav. La. Kav. And some. Translators.

Believe that. Perhaps what. Isaiah. Is saying here. Is that these are. Meaningless. Words. Or meaningless. Sounds. They're not really. Words.

That he's just putting together. These. These sounds. These syllables. As. As. They were mimicking. The prophets. Preaching. It's a sing-songy.

Baby-like. Gibberish. To them. Somebody. Translated. Into the present. By saying. Blah. Blah. Blah. Yada. Yada. Yada. Just.

Meaningless. Nonsense. Is what. I'm hearing. That's what they're saying. As they listen. To Isaiah. But it wasn't. Just Isaiah's words. It was God's.

Own word. Coming through. His prophet. And so. Verse 11. Says. Very well. Then. If that's the way. You receive. The word of God. Very well.

Then. With. With foreign. Lips. And strange. Tongues. God will speak. To this people. To whom he said. This is the resting place. Let the weary rest.

And this is the place. Of repose. But they would not listen. So then. The word of the Lord. To them. Will become. Savla. Savla.

Savla. Sav. Kavla. Kav. Kavla. Kav. Blah. Blah. Blah. Yada. Yada. Yada. Will be meaningless. Even as they. Viewed.

God's word is meaningless. God's going to speak to them. In what will be. Meaningless. Sounds. You call God's word babbling.

You're going to hear babbling. When I take you away. Into a foreign land. Into exile. And you will hear people talking.

In languages that don't make any sense at all to you. You see when men reject God's word. Simply plainly preach to them. He has another way to speak to them.

It's called the rod. The rod of painful discipline. Painful judgments. They doomed themselves to learn the hard way. Into exile you'll go.

And you'll hear babbling. And you'll hear foreign tongue. And that will be the sign. That judgment has fallen upon you. You see the preaching of God had offered them rest.

The resting place of the promised land. This is the place of repose. That's that's what the prophet. Come. Come and enjoy the promised land. But it will mean that you got to rest on on God.

Not yourself or Egypt or Assyria. You got to trust in him. You got to repent as Isaiah 30 15 will tell us. In repentance and rest is your salvation.

In quietness and trust is your strength. But you would have none of it. They they forfeited. They rejected the rest that could have been theirs.

Had they rested upon the foundation of God. They did enjoy promised rest. But instead of rest. They're to experience the opposite. The oppression.

Of foreign nations over them. And they would know that it had come. When they hear the babbling. Meaningless sounds of another language. Deuteronomy 28. Records.

The curses that would come upon the nation. If they rejected the Lord. Says the Lord will bring a nation against you from far away. A nation whose language you do not understand.

To inflict suffering upon you. And to devour you. So yes. You treat my word as babbling.

God reverses it and says you will hear. I will speak to you in babbling. And you must learn the hard way.

God speaks with his rod to those who refuse to hear and heed his word. Be very careful what you do with the word of God. It's his word. The majestic almighty speaks.

These were rebellious children. Whose only language that they understood was the rod. Well the third point of the chapter is that their faulty foundation will not survive God's storm.

Isaiah calls on these scoffing rulers in Jerusalem. Verse 14. To hear the word of the Lord. The Assyrian flood is coming. And those who refuse the true resting place.

The true foundation of the Lord. Will find that there's no other safe place to be in. And so he sets forth the true resting place.

Verse 16. See I lay a stone in Zion. A tested stone. A precious cornerstone. For a sure foundation. And the one who trusts will never be dismayed.

You look in the New Testament. It's a reference to Christ. That sure foundation. And those who trust in him. Will not be dismayed. That means they won't be in haste. They won't be in a panic.

They won't be helter skelter trying to figure out how to save themselves against their great enemy. Why? Why not? Because they can rest. Jesus saves them.

He gets the saving done. And so those who trust in him. Will not be dismayed. They will not panic. They're built upon the rock that will stand the test of every storm.

Oh but these. Judah had rejected that foundation. And they sought one of their own. So verse 15 tells us. What they do in the face of the Assyrian flood that's coming.

Well you boast that we've entered into a covenant with death. With the grave we have made an agreement. So that when an overwhelming scourge sweeps by. It can't touch us. For we have made a lie.

Our refuge and falsehood are hiding place. Now here's the ultimate self-confident boast in themselves. They ran down to Egypt to get chariots and horses.

Thinking that they can now handle the Assyrian threat. They think victory is now so sure that it's as if they had made a covenant with death. They've struck a deal. They've struck a deal with death itself.

And death will agree not to touch us. And though all sorts of other nations will be falling before this flood of Assyria. No we're so secure. We have a covenant with death.

And it won't touch us. But what they've really done. Isaiah puts into their mouths. They have made a lie their refuge.

And they've made falsehood their hiding place. So though they thought they had a refuge in a hiding place from the storm of Assyria. In reality. The storm will expose their foundation to be nothing but a lie.

A futile place to put your trust. Verses 17 and 18. Hail will sweep away your refuge. The lie. And water will overflow your hiding place.

Your covenant with death will be annulled. It won't stand up. Your agreement with the grave will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by. You will be beaten down by it.

And not just once. But over and over. He says. As often as it comes. It will carry you away. Morning after morning. By day and by night. It will sweep through. And that's the way the Assyrians did.

They came. And they plundered. And they slaughtered. And then they retreated. And came another wave. And slaughtered and plundered. And again they'd come. So that the poor people of Judah.

Were living in sheer terror. Never knowing when the next wave. Of slaughter and pillage would come. So instead of finding rest in the Lord.

Which is what they were offered. And refused. They trust in their own schemes. And would find them to give them. No real rest at all. Isn't it a beautiful picture.

In verse 20. Of this poor man. That can't get any sleep. Can't get any rest. He's tossing and turning on his bed. His bed's too short. His feet stick out. His legs stick out.

And if he curls up. The blanket's too narrow. To keep him warm. So he tosses and turns. All night long. He can't get comfortable. He can't find any rest. And Isaiah says. That's what you'll find.

All your foundations. All your hiding places are. They're insufficient. For the realities. That you will be facing. You can't rest. Upon such.

Trust in yourself. And in others. There's only one place of rest. It's in the rock eternal. You see. You could have had that. Perfect peace.

That those have. Who are. Stayed upon Jehovah. Who rest in him. You could have had that. But no. You sought yourself. So you're without rest. That's what it will be like. And the sheer terror that is coming.

Will. Will not let you rest. And it's spelled out in verse 21. Because the Lord will rise up. As he did at Mount Parazim. He'll rouse himself. As in the Valley of Gibeon. To do his work.

His strange work. And to perform his task. His alien task. The sheer terror that they have. Is because of what the Lord is doing.

And it's not just the Assyrians coming. It's that the Lord is going to rise up. And pour out his wrath. Now he pours out his wrath on his enemies. That's nothing strange.

That's his work. He did it. In these two sightings. In the verse. Verse 21. He destroyed the Philistines at Parazim. And he destroyed the Amorites by hail.

There at Gibeon. So there's nothing strange about God. Pouring out his wrath upon his enemies. But what will make this strange and alien. Is when he pours out his wrath.

On his own covenant people. Judah. Now that's. The God who usually was fighting for Israel. And so giving them victories.

Is now the one. Who is fighting against them. Sheer terror. Because if God is against you. You don't. It doesn't matter. Who's for you. And here are these.

People of Judah. Presuming that God will always be for us. We're the covenant people. We're the children of Abraham. And they're going to find out. No God fights for those who trust in him.

And he fights against those who trust in themselves. Even privileged Jews. So stop your mocking.

Verse 22. Stop. Please. Isaiah saying. For your own sake. Because as you go on mocking. You know what you do. You become harder and harder. The chains. Wrap around you. Tighter and tighter.

Heavier and heavier. Until you're finally past the point of return. Stop your mocking. Or your chains will become heavier. The Lord. The Lord Almighty has told me.

Of the destruction. Decreed against the whole land. I'm not just spouting off my wisdom. The Lord has told me. That this destructive storm is coming against Judah.

So stop mocking. When you mock my preaching. You mock almighty God. And folks. Your response to the preached word.

Is your response to God himself. And all the lies. And false hopes. That men are leaning upon. And trusting in to save them.

It might happen to the next guy. But it's not going to happen to me. That guy might go to hell. But surely not me. I'm better than he is. And what are they leaning on?

They're leaning on a lie. As if only. The worst of the worst go to hell. When Jesus says. If you don't believe on me. You're condemned.

You've got to trust in me. It doesn't matter how good you are. If you're not trusting in me. Judgment's coming. That you cannot escape from. Oh I've got plenty of time.

No reason to hurry about this business. Of getting right with God. Another lie. Another lie. Judgment hasn't fallen. So it probably won't. God isn't that kind of a God.

To send people to hell. They're all lies. But for a while. You see the house can stay standing. And the lie look good. But there's coming a storm.

That will destroy. All such lies. And all. Who are building upon. Those lies. And how sad.

When the rock. Eternal. Is right at hand. To build your life. Upon trusting in him. For whoever trusts in him. Will never be dismayed.

Isaiah concludes this chapter. With a compassionate call. To his hearers. Again. He's representing the heart of God. The heart of God. Doesn't say. Well there it is. You got sand. Or you got the rock.

And I don't care which you do. No. He's pleading with Israel. He's giving reason. And lesson. After lesson. Why they should move. Off of the sand. Of trusting in themselves.

And others. And why they should come. And put all their trust. Upon the Lord. So he's pleading with them. Verse 23. Listen. And hear my voice.

Pay attention. And hear what I say. It's the call of one. Teaching wisdom. You find this. Phrase so often. In the Proverbs. It's the one.

The wise man. Who correctly understands. God's world. His created order. And would teach others. About it. And to walk in line. With it. If you do this.

This is the consequence. That happens. In God's world. So. So hear me. And be wise. It's with that line. That Isaiah. Comes. And makes his final appeal.

You see. When men refuse to trust. In God. And his word. They're out of touch. With the realities. Of the way life works. In God's world.

And Isaiah is saying. Listen to me a moment. Hear me out on this. Learn a lesson. From Mr. Farmer. And he illustrates his point. With.

This farmer. Who's in touch. With the way. That life works. On the earthly plane. God has established. In his world. Certain laws. Of nature. And the simple farmer.

Who farms. According to those. Laws of nature. Profits. By doing so. And so. Isaiah walks us. Through the farming process. From the very beginning. Of the plowing.

To the grinding. Of the meal. To the baking. Of bread. He says. When a farmer. Plows for planting. Does he plow continually? Does he keep on.

Breaking up. And harrowing the soil? Of course not. If he did. He'd never eat. Of course not. No. He plows. Breaking up the soil.

But then he. He harrows. Breaking it down further. And then he stops. Doing both. He stops plowing. And harrowing. And he does something different. He starts planting. Seed. And not just all together.

No. He's got. Seeds. In their right. Places. Plowing. Why does he do that? Why doesn't he just keep on plowing.

Forever. Did you see the answer in verse 26? It's the very reason why you are profitable in your business. In your job. His God instructs him.

And teaches him the right way. Now it's not saying that God sat Mr. Farmer down. And said. Now I want to tell you something about plowing. And. And planting.

No. Whatever means this farmer learned it from. If it was sitting on the knee of his father. Or going out and working with his father. And observing. It was nevertheless God.

Who is all wise and owns all wisdom. Teaching and instructing him. And if God had not instructed him. He had just gone on plowing forever. That's what he's saying.

God has instructed Mr. Farmer. And that's why he plows and plants in season. And he goes on to say Mr. Farmer knows. That you don't thresh caraway.

And with a sledge. Or roll a cartwheel over cumin. No. These finer crops. Are not thresh. Like common wheat. Caraway is beaten out with a rod. And cumin with a stick.

And even when he's. Threshing wheat. He doesn't. Just go on threshing it forever. With the wheels of the threshing cart. No. Threshing is followed by another process. That of grinding.

And that's not something that's done by horses. Trampling on it. Verse 29. Ends. All this too. Comes from the Lord. Who is wonderful in counsel.

And magnificent in wisdom. Now some of that. Farming technique. Might have sounded strange to us. But I assure you. It was.

It was well known. To Isaiah's hearers. It was an agrarian society. Most of them were farmers. They knew exactly. What he was talking about. No farmer worth his salt.

Farmed any other way. Than the way that Isaiah just described. So what's his point. Well just this. The one who teaches wisdom. Cannot lack it.

Himself. The God who is wonderful. In counsel. That means supernatural. In counsel. The God who is divine.

In wisdom. Magnificent. In wisdom. That's a wisdom. Far above man's. And his wisdom.

About farming. Is just a drop. In the thimble. Of all the wisdom. That is his. So. If you follow. The Lord's wisdom. For farming.

And prosper from it. Should you not also. Follow his wisdom. For all your life. For things spiritual. Things eternal.

For things concerning. Your everlasting soul. If you trust him. To teach you. What's right about. Farming. To get a good crop. Should you not. Trust him.

With your everlasting soul. You see to it. That all your farming. Techniques.

Are in line. With his wisdom. You want the most. Return. On your investment. Should you not. See to it. That every aspect. Of your life. Is in line. With his wisdom.

And especially. That wisdom. That has been. Calling out. To you. Over and over. In this chapter. The wise man. Builds upon. The Lord. Jesus Christ.

The wise man. The wise man. Receives that wisdom. That makes him wise. For salvation. Through faith. In Jesus Christ. Then come.

And put your faith. In Jesus Christ. Come and build your life. Upon the Lord. And his word. Take every single word. That comes out of the mouth. Of the Lord. On board. And build on it.

As your foundation. For life. And Christian. You say. I've already. I've done that. I'm doing that. Good. Keep building there. That's the only thing. That will hold you up.

When the storm comes. That will shake. All other foundations. And destroy. All that's built. Upon such lies. But there are storms.

And troubles. In life. What are you building on? For the present storms. You're looking to the Lord. Are you saying. Well I need something practical. I need horses and chariots. Something like that. That I can see.

Oh no. Trust in the Lord. Whoever trusts in him. Will never be dismayed. Will know that peace. That passes all understanding. So again.

You have heard the words of the Lord. This morning. Will you be wise. And put them into practice. Or will you be foolish. And build on sand. Build on your own wisdom.

The world's wisdom. Oh come and build. On the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's sing that. That is our response. To God's word. This morning. My hope is built.

On nothing less than Jesus. Blood and righteousness.