The Prophecy that Makes Us Fearless (Isaiah 43:1-7)
We will share the grace of God today with Isaiah 43. Isaiah is a book of prophecy, it is a book where God is telling us in advance what will happen in the future. These books of prophecy are always written when the country is suffering in a very bad state. So these are words God gave to the nation in a very bad state. The Israelites were living amongst many superpower nations. They are in the same state as the present-day children of God, living in a powerful world. The same path the Israelites walked is applicable to us today.
There are only two options for us: will we be conquered by the surrounding nations of the world, or will we conquer? These are the first things we see in the Bible, but if you don’t see that, you will ask, “Is there any middle ground?” But there isn’t. It’s immediately going to heaven. Without a doubt, as you live on earth, there will be a nation much stronger than us. You can only overcome with the strength and power God gives you.
The standard by which God works with humans is the covenant. God works with the power of the Throne of Heaven according to the covenant, not our diligence. It doesn’t matter how many good works we do or how much we beg and cry; God doesn’t bat an eye towards that. The moment Adam and Eve sinned and left God, they couldn’t meet with God no matter how much they tried to purify themselves. No matter how much they tried to improve their personality and become a better person, they couldn’t meet God. It didn’t matter how much they tried to help the poor in the society, they could not meet God.
God works, without a doubt, through the method He created, the offspring of the woman, and believing in that covenant. That’s why the way God gave us is “only,” one way. If we lose hold of that, then we’re seized by the world. It would be fine if I had enough power to overcome, but the world is being controlled by the devil.
It’s the same as what was written in Isaiah. Israel was completely surrounded by these very powerful nations, Assyria, Babylon, Aram, and Egypt to the west. God did this on purpose. It’s because the Israelites could only survive and live by God’s power. However, these people threw away the covenant and began to hold onto the idols of the world instead. What are the idols? These are things created for mankind’s greed. We must hold onto God’s covenant, not our greed. That’s why God gives us the Word of Isaiah in advance, that we will be taken captive like this in the future. It doesn’t matter what kind of methods you try to use to block this; it’s determined that Israel would be destroyed.
There’s no way to change what God has already decided. Even though they were trying to flee, God doesn’t listen to them because God has already given His signature. That was Isaiah 6, “I will not listen to any of their pleas.” However, God says He will leave behind one channel through which He will work. He says, “Not everyone will worship idols but an extremely few, the minority, will hold onto the covenant, that’s the holy seed that remains.”
Because all Israel was taken captive, even those few were taken as captives as well. Because of the sins of their parents, Daniel and his three friends were taken to Babylon as captives. However, God promises to do his work in the future, the Holy Seed holding onto the covenant. It doesn’t matter if they go to Babylon or not, then. Having that answer is what we call the remnant. It’s irrelevant to age. Knowing that, that’s the remnant. The Holy Seed, the one who knows and believes in Jesus Christ, the covenant, is the one who remains, the remnant.
Even if this person goes into Babylon, they will not fail because they have the covenant, God will protect them, keep them, and guide them forward. Everyone else is dragged along with what they have in their heart and they suffer as slaves, so that’s why God gives the Word in advance, Isaiah 6:13. There is one God leaves behind. They are the ones who understand what the Christ means and holds onto that covenant.
Where is the most fundamental problem of mankind from? The one who knows that Christ has solved all problems that come from sin, separation from God, and Satan. God is with this kind of person, that’s Isaiah 7:14. The background is a little different. That’s the Word God gave to King Ahaz when the Northern Kingdom and Aram teamed up to take down Judah. “Do not shake.” God is with those who have the covenant. It’s not about knowing this, but enjoying it. Even if this person gets taken to Babylon, they are victorious because they are with God. That was the minority like Daniel and his three friends. Everybody else lost hold of the covenant and lived as slaves. They don’t come back, they hold onto idols and suffer without even knowing it. However, God restores and is with those with the covenant.
That’s why even just listening to God’s Word is grace. Without grace, you can’t understand Christ. There are so many meetings and gatherings of people in the world, those who go to church and stop going, but those gatherings do not have the answer of Christ. They wander around, struggling to find the answer. Because they don’t have the answer, they struggle, wandering to find the answer. God gave them the answer but they do not hold onto it as the answer, meaning God has not given them grace and there’s nothing we can do about that.
God doesn’t give us grace according to our abilities, but according to His heart. The first grace the fishermen of Galilee received is that they were fishermen at the bottom, they were desperate people with poor hearts. Not only the people who are materially poor but the ones who have a poor, desperate heart, are the ones who hold onto Christ. Just because someone is poor doesn’t mean they have the qualifications, but they have a desperate heart, and Christ is the answer of all answers for such people.
Jesus Christ came as the King of all Israel but no one came to look for him because they were too full; there was nothing else they needed. “I’m already successful and living my life, why do I have to go find this person? I can succeed in my life without Christ; why do I need only Christ?” That person will continuously suffer until they understand. They are suffering without knowing they are suffering. Suffering has become their second nature so they live their lives thinking, “This is just how it is.” Worrying and being concerned has become their second nature so they think, “This is just how life is,” but that’s not the Christ I met. I’m not always worried or concerned; I’m always enjoying being with God.
We have the nature of always being concerned, but if you apply the correct covenant just a little bit, you’ll be okay no matter where you’re put because God is with you and God promised to be with you to do the work in you. You think you have to do it with your own strength, so you say you can’t do it, but that’s not enjoying Immanuel. If God promised to do something, He said He would be with you, and you must enjoy this to do something with your business or life.
Whatever God has entrusted to you students, challenge towards it with Immanuel, why? You will never fail, and even that work is in God’s hands. One by one, try conquering these things. Try starting with the things you think are the biggest problem. In the areas you think you’re least capable, try conquering with Immanuel. No need to do so many things, just the things in your life now.
For people who are still suffering now from the scars of their past, try Immanuel. No other answer other than being with God. What is a scar? It’s what happens when you don’t have God. “Pastor, I received a scar while going to church,” but you received a scar without God. It was you and a problem, so you had no choice but to be scarred. “I still believed and went to church,” but that’s not really believing. If you believe, you truly believe God is working in every incident of your life, 24 hours. Sometimes you get scarred, but you must ask God’s plan. If you don’t ask for God’s plan, it means you don’t believe. If you did believe, you would receive God’s answer instead of a scar.
If you go to therapy you may change how you think but you cannot overcome the devil; you can only overcome with God’s blessing. You need to make it so that the person fundamentally believes God is with them, so they can enjoy this fundamental blessing no matter where they are.
From that point on, God is saying, “All of you Israelites were taken as captives, but if you enjoy Immanuel, you’ll be okay no matter where you go,” then from Isaiah 40, God restores them. “The grass fades and flowers fall, but the Word of the LORD stands forever,” it doesn’t change. As evidence God is with you forever, when you hold to the covenant, you will soar on wings like eagles. If God is with you, it means His power is also with you. If you’re soaring in the sky like eagles, it’s higher than humans, and God gives you this power.
In Isaiah 43, “This is what the LORD says, He Who created you, Jacob,” the God Who created us tells us now, God is eternal. He is speaking even now and even tomorrow will be now; He is eternal. For us, we have days and nights and we sleep and the time changes but God is eternal. “He Who formed you, Israel, do not fear, I have summoned you by name, I have called you and you are Mine.” The world is scary, we’re afraid of death and this follows us everywhere. We’re afraid we’ll die in the pandemic, and we’re afraid when we watch the news because we’re afraid to die. The reason people are afraid as they get older is because they fear death, but do not fear. When we don’t have material possessions, we’re afraid we will starve to death. If we have less money, we’ll afraid we’ll be oppressed by others. While we live, we live in fear of oppression from others.
Fear not, there is nothing to fear, “I have redeemed you, summoned you, called you by name, and you are Mine; I have saved you,” then everything is finished. If we belong to God, no one can take us away. It doesn’t matter how many scary things we face; nobody can take us from God’s hands, and that’s what belongs to me. Stop holding onto unnecessary ideas thinking it’s you. The one who says “This is truly mine,” the things of God become theirs.
If a baby has two pieces of candies in two hands, they won’t let go because they are greedy. The parents say, “I will take care of you,” but they won’t let go until the very end. When they fall asleep, the parents take it away so they can’t even eat the candy. You’ll just die with whatever you’re holding onto, you don’t even have to try anything. Use it all for God as God’s things. Either way it’s not yours. There are some people who brag, “This belongs to me,” and of course it’s outside the church, but I think, “It’s not really yours.”
This person believes in the Creator God, but they think it’s theirs? It belongs to God, but they brag about their good looking face. God made you look good so you can do world evangelization, but instead you brag about yourself and these are unnecessary things such people do. If it’s given to you by God, use it for God. If God has given you a talent, use it for God, if not, then you’re going down the wrong path.
Isaiah 43:2. With this, your fear disappears. I hope you believe this. Don’t only believe it here but always enjoy and believe in this covenant. Then first, your spiritual health will be restored, then things within you that you’re not even aware of will be healed. Even the things you know will one day disappear. That is fundamental healing. If we do not receive fundamental healing of God and we use mankind’s methods to heal us this way and that, it may seem to work at first, but the fear will come back.
The more time passes that I believe in Jesus Christ more, the very first visible sign is that my fear fades away. Sometimes it gets to a point where I’m egotistical. The kids think I’m bratty. It’s very annoying for some oppressed people to look at me. Some people are so oppressed by fear, they’re afraid to say anything. “What if this ruins my reputation?” I seem very annoying to them. I know how they feel because I used to live in fear like that. That person is not being humble or kind, they are living in fear, afraid of breaking human relationships.
But whether that’s the case or not, the devil will know. When you have faith, your fear disappears, and because of that, I may come off as strong sometimes. It’s possible that my fear disappears, and I’m very confident, but not in myself, yet in God within me.
Isaiah 43:3. He is saying, “I have given all these things around you to you.” Even this land of America, God has been guiding it and molding it for a long time just for you. If you had been born just 100 years ago, you’d have to be building railroads right now for $1/hour. If you had come earlier than that, you’d die in the Indian wars, you’d die chasing after worldly things. God did all these things throughout history so you could be in this superpower nation and proclaim the gospel today. You must know history like this.
Even if you were born 100 years ago, things would be different, so why was I born today? Why is God allowing me to live in the superpower nation of America? Even if you were born a little earlier, it would be hard, but God gave you this very strong gospel. It’s great, we proclaim the gospel online and flying on airplanes. Even just 100 years ago, you’d take multiple months to take a boat to China. Then you would go to countries in Africa and die of diseases. But now, the medical world is so developed, so it’s so perfect to proclaim the gospel. “You will be bound to live for Me,” that’s what it means for God to have called you.
Isaiah 43:4. The people who hold onto God’s covenant are precious and honored in God’s sight. Because God loves us, God loved us first, and that ends it all. Being able to throw everything else away is love. God threw everything away and chose us, meaning God holds onto us until the very end. We’re precious and honored in God’s sight. When people look at me, they say this and that but it doesn’t matter because I’m precious and honored in God’s sight. We are those who live for the things of God. It doesn’t matter if the world says this or that, it’s irrelevant to me. It doesn’t matter what political games they play; everything is obvious. It doesn’t matter if your finances are high or low, because God has called me precious and says that He loves me.
Even the love of a mother is so important to the child. If it is for a child, then the mother will even sacrifice their own life. That’s the work of love, they give everything, and God loves us. Then what more do we need? If you’re taken to Babylon, just go because God is with you there. “If I do this, will I end up in Babylon?” even if you go, God is with you there. “Will I go to a good school if I do this?” God will be with you there. Stop trembling in fear of the world. “What if I die in an accident?” Even if you die, God will be with you in heaven, don’t worry.
“God, did I choose my partner well?” God told you to choose them so believe and go. You have no idea how many things we can fear in our lives. But God has summoned you and will be with you, God brought you out of Babylon and will be with you, and that’s the reason for the Temple of Zerubbabel, that world evangelization may happen as Israel is saved. The fact that God has allowed us to understand the words, “Remnant” and “Christ” means God will do something through us.
“I will be with you.” Don’t listen to the words of people, but then you wouldn’t be able to exist in society. You listen to them and keep their words as reference, but don’t put them into your heart. Only the words God promised you will save you, and only those words will be fulfilled in the future, but we lose hold of all of that because of the unnecessary things.
Isaiah 43:5. He keeps telling us to not be afraid. God gives them the word of restoration that, after you have been taken captive to Assyria and Babylon, God will bring you back. God will save all the people in the world seized by the devil in sin, and hell, through you, so do not be afraid. Whether you work or study, no matter where you are, this is the reason God called you, so do not be afraid. But the reason we keep breaking ourselves down is because the thoughts of people and the words of people come into us as fear.
Isaiah 43:6. It is possible that some children may not even go to church, and they may be in a pitiful state because of their parents. From our perspective, it seems they have no hope, however, if the gospel is inside of them, without a doubt, God will restore them. The reason is because God gave them the gospel, God will restore them and do world evangelization through them. But the reason we shake in that is because we think we received the gospel by listening well, so when a child shakes a little bit, we think they’re hopeless. That’s not true; if God is within them, God placed the Word in them by grace.
Some people have to walk the process of being almost like an unbeliever, and we may make a mistake, “This person is hopeless,” but what is your basis of saying they are hopeless? You say this person is hopeless based on what you see right now, but God placed the gospel inside of them. God allows them to experience this now, and God will restore them in the future and allow them to do world evangelization in the future with everything they experienced, so the advantage is that they can experience everything I haven’t experienced, why? Because they must save the field through what they’ve experienced. Each person is different, so don’t have unbelief and say it won’t work. The people who think it won’t work don’t listen to the gospel.
I’m talking about the children who hear the gospel, God has begun the work then God will guide them. But we’re not able to see God’s time schedule, so we’re afraid, impatient, destroying ourselves. All you have to do is believe in God. That’s what this means. God brought them back in 70 years. That’s the time schedule God determines. However long this person will wander in the world is determined by God; however, without a doubt, they will return and save this field.
The darkness cannot approach the parents who have this faith. Without a doubt, that faith is relayed to the children, transcending time and space. Don’t worry or be discouraged by unnecessary words. This gospel is no ordinary thing. It is the gospel where the One Who has all authority in heaven and on earth is with you. The gospel is much bigger than anyone’s personality, weaknesses, or mistakes. If anything, God allows them to know the world and use it.
If I had not lived by life like an unbeliever, how would I know the depths of an unbeliever’s heart? It’s because I lived as an unbeliever, and that time, believers looked at me and said, “This person is hopeless.” My parents thought I was okay before knowing Jesus, but after, they thought, “He’s ruined.” They have a different standard, but they don’t think that now. Now, no matter who sees me thinks I’m okay, but what do they see? It’s not what I have.
When you communicate with someone, they are spiritual beings so it’s revealed to your face. The way you speak is different. Words that save people will come out. That’s why unbelievers will look at you and say you’re okay. It’s not a simple thing, even the words we say are wrong. One issue comes out and everyone sees we’re set apart, different, and holy. We’re even different physically.
Of course, the more time passes, there’s a difference between someone who receives God’s grace and someone who is always worried. Though we have the things we lack, God will continue to guide us, not based on our capabilities or actions, but we are lacking so God gives His grace. The more problems your children have, the more grace must come upon them, but we look upon them legalistically, “This happens to you because you’re not able to live up to this standard,” that’s how the older brother of the prodigal son thought.
“Father, this prodigal son spent your inheritance but he’s back and you give him a great feast, but I’ve always been here and you’ve never thrown me a feast.” That’s what happens when we look for people’s goodness. That person doesn’t have God’s grace. They think, “I get what I work for,” that’s an unbeliever. From the perspective of humans, that’s great, but from the perspective of the gospel, it’s not. What you believe goes against the gospel.
This also doesn’t mean to live recklessly from now on. “Let’s try to fail because of this,” then you’re deceived by demons. God knows your weakness, that you’re hopeless. But God gives His grace today. No matter how much I look at myself, I come to the conclusion that I cannot be a decent human being. I didn’t think like this in the past, but the more time passes, I see I’m a sinner of all sinners, just as Apostle Paul confessed. Because I have received God’s grace, I realize how hopeless of a human being I was, how broken I was and am. I’m able now to humbly say before God, “Please use me.”
Before, I was confident in myself so I didn’t need God’s grace, I was confident that I could run my business with my own intelligence and wisdom so I didn’t need God’s grace. But the more time passes and the more big works people do, the more they’re bound to kneel before God. They really entrust it to God. In the beginning, they thought this belonged to them, but they realize in the end that it’s not theirs. “This is not mine, but use me to the end for Your work then call me to You.”
Prior to receiving God’s grace, you say many things, “Use me like this!” but that’s your dream. “I will live however You want until the very end, then I will go to Your side,” then there’s no reason to be tired or shoot death glares at people. It’s because you haven’t lost your strength yet. But when you receive God’s grace, you realize there are things you cannot accomplish. Before that, you think you can do that, but afterward, you realize you’ve accomplished nothing. It was never mine. As evidence, God takes it away and works according to His will. Even our time must receive God’s grace. The 24 hours we receive each day might be hell or a blessing.
Isaiah 43:7. The ones who have been called by the name of Christ. God created us for God’s glory, so we therefore live for God’s glory. Even today, “God, receive the greatest glory, and may God’s plan that glorifies God the greatest be fulfilled today.” That’s the best way to live. Is it diligently or lazily? How will you live? The one who lives for the glory of God is the best way to live. God created me, so I must take my problems to God. Because God created the earth, all the diseases of the world must be taken to God, before the name of Christ, and He will restore everything. As evidence God is with you, God calls those who are seized by Satan to come back to Him through you.
I hope you will enjoy this blessing and covenant moment by moment as you set a time to enjoy this. Try doing this while you do your business or study, then you enjoy the blessing of the heavens.
Prayer
Let us pray together holding onto the Word God has given us. Has some content gone into your heart that will connect with God? If not, even sitting here is a failure. “God gave me this today,” that’s how you communicate your heart, that’s prayer and you go into the field tomorrow. Let us pray.
Our second prayer, I hope we will all pray for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday to be a time and place for the remnants to receive peace to overcome the world, may God be with all the activities tomorrow with the power of the Throne of Heaven. With this strength, they go out in order to save the world. They heal the world and give the answer to those who do not have the answer. This is not fulfilled in the school; only in the church. Let us pray for the programs tomorrow as well as the Sunday message.
Our third prayer topic, on August 27, we have the LA College Retreat. There are some remnant college students in our church who need to go. I received a message that they will go over the five leader messages from WRC. Let us also pray for the LA young adult retreat because they must receive God’s grace. By God’s grace, the Word of God’s covenant must go into them, that is how re-creation will take place. Unless we have the works of re-creation, we cannot save the world.
God changes us into a new creation, so let us pray for God to give the grace, so God will guide them forward in the covenant. Let us pray.
We have young adults out of state, and I hope you will be really interested in praying for them a lot. Let us especially pray for our missions fields. Charles has gone to his country of Nigeria, and he will enroll in Remnant University, and I think Naysay will do that as well. Today, Pastor Jung Hong and his wife Eunice confirmed that today. It is not studying, but it is an opportunity to receive God’s grace. When he hears it’s about studying, he reacts a certain way, but it’s not about studying, it is receiving God’s grace. It’s not studying, but through studying, God gives you grace, so it will be an incredibly good school for you and it will perfectly match with you. Really.
I thought about this, imagining students like this, and thinking about this, doesn’t it make you happy? It’s possible for some people who say, “Yes, it would be happy but it would be great if something happened to my kids as well.” Don’t worry, don’t be afraid, God will do that in God’s time schedule, so concentrate on what is going on right now. Believe in the work God is doing.
The reason God gives them such a long time is because their vessel is so big. Our remnants are so incredibly precious. You know Soo Hyun, right? She came back to the church after a few years. Her heart is full of blessings and grace, and her mother knows it. We wondered if she would be able to come back to God’s Word or not, but she was listening the entire time, and she’s back with her husband and they’re great for world evangelization. I realize God guided and molded them so perfectly. All the areas that seemed lacking before, God filed them up with grace.
When I look at people like that, my heart is so moved. I realized Remnant Ministry really has no idea when and where they’ll pop up. It’s the same for your kids so don’t worry about it, God will do it, so let us pray together. These are our children. They are the children of God to do world evangelization. We enjoy this time of blessing where we can pray for them.
Especially Charles, I’m getting phone calls from Korea saying how great he is, and it reminds me of me in the past. Usually for people who are prepared like this, they live a lowly life and are attacked from all areas. The people who are prepared must be finished with one word, “Don’t go to Uganda, go to RU. Uganda has no answer, RU has the answer.” Isn’t he so incredibly precious, that even with those words, he’s able to follow?
Think about the gospel being spread all throughout Mongolia, and I thought about Karen. Just imagine, in Africa, churches rising up and our church going over there to do missions, taking our children and doing evangelism camp. Think about students like Naysay rising up as the messenger who will give the message to Karen and the diaspora, and all of Myanmar. We look at this in advance and pull it towards us now. It’s not only one or two, it’s also for Navajo. It’s a lot and we must pray together. Let us pray for the remnants who are out of state as well as out of the country.
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, the indwelling, working, guidance, and communion of the Holy Spirit, be upon all the children of God, especially the people of all nations and the remnants who are called by God to save the 237 nations and the 5000 unreached people groups by the grace of God, be upon all the work they do, their ministries, and their studies, be with us from now until forevermore always, amen.