00:00 Opening Ceremony Excitement

00:25 Olympic Sports Highlights

01:26 Funny Olympic Moments

02:00 Olympic Comparisons and Ideas

03:05 Alligator Head in the Office

04:23 Bible Reading Plan

04:59 Isaiah's Prophecies and Comfort

08:14 God's Sovereignty and Idolatry

12:27 The Servant in Isaiah

16:03 God's Love and Glory

18:41 Closing Prayer and Wrap-Up

Happy opening ceremony day

for the summer Olympics.

2

That duh.

3

Yeah.

4

Yeah.

5

We've been watching some

events that are on like early.

6

So far.

7

Yeah, me too.

8

Yeah.

9

Like the United States

soccer team got smoked.

10

Um, The U 23 team.

11

It's the 20th.

12

It's not the national team, so

it's not like the world cup team.

13

Okay.

14

You would think we would put

the best of our best out there

15

for the Olympics, but no.

16

This is the it's a practice

17

Um, Yeah, but handball I've

been watching handball.

18

That's that's a fascinating sport.

19

I, uh, can't say I carry a whole lot.

20

It's like basketball meets.

21

Water polo.

22

And hockey.

23

It's the best way I can describe it.

24

I, this is, this is not going in the

direction that you're hoping it's.

25

I sit directly in the tree.

26

You have to be in shape to play handball.

27

That's the one.

28

We're booking it all over the court.

29

I think that the Olympic walking

team is amazing that hip movement.

30

Yes.

31

You feel like you're sassy the whole time?

32

Yeah.

33

You know, another shuffle them.

34

Yeah.

35

I was watching this one, gal this out.

36

Ms.

37

Chinese woman who I

guess is the top ranked.

38

Uh, what, what do you call it?

39

Olympic Walker?

40

No, no, no, actually she's much cooler.

41

Uh, to, to does Olympic lifting.

42

So snatch the dead lift.

43

Yeah.

44

Uh, she she's, she's beefy,

she's beefy and she she's, she

45

definitely lifts more than I do.

46

Let me just say that, which is.

47

Saying a whole lot.

48

Yeah.

49

Not actually, it's not

saying a whole lot at all.

50

But I was impressed.

51

And some of the stuff that

I've been watching lately has

52

been stuff like, oh, okay.

53

It's some of it's older and

I'm watching other, you know,

54

other runs, there was one guy.

55

So I don't know if this is recent,

but he took off the starting line.

56

He had a commanding lead.

57

And he saw a line that

wasn't the finish line.

58

Oh, and so he slowed at that line losing.

59

To everyone else.

60

It was, I was thinking,

man, I got to save this.

61

This is going to be a sermon

illustration somewhere.

62

Yeah.

63

It was amazing.

64

I mean.

65

Bad bad, but it was amazing to watch

it because you could see in his

66

face, after the race was over, he was

pretty disappointed for good reason.

67

Yeah.

68

Yeah.

69

It's interesting to watch the Olympics.

70

And, uh, my wife and I were talking

about this earlier yesterday,

71

and just you lose track of just

how talented these athletes are.

72

The ones that lose are still

at the top of their game.

73

Worldwide like 99.9999.

74

Right.

75

Yeah.

76

And so the, the joke we've seen

online a couple of times is they

77

need to put an average Joe out

in every one of these big sports.

78

Just to compare, just to be like,

this is what the average average Joe

79

does compared to the Olympic athletes.

80

I would get some views.

81

I would watch the NFL did that.

82

They did that with the.

83

At the 40 yard dash, they put one

of their fastest guys and they

84

put an average guy next to him.

85

Yeah.

86

It was really funny.

87

I'm sure with AI, like in

the pools now they could.

88

They could create like a ghost, like

you used to have on Mario cart where

89

you're trying to beat the time.

90

I'm sure they could put

like, just an average guy.

91

And show where they're at in the lapse.

92

What a great idea.

93

If you should be in

the Olympics marketing.

94

You know, that's a great idea.

95

My wife for that.

96

My wife's idea.

97

She should be in the Olympics.

98

Shall become one.

99

Her ideas, your ideas, vice versa.

100

I think it works well.

101

We'll see.

102

We'll see what happens.

103

Share the same bank account.

104

So it's not true.

105

That is we do, we do hae a

special shout out to Jeff Moke for

106

bringing the alligator head, um,

and donating that to my office.

107

It's a, it's staring at us right now.

108

Eat its way to Texas.

109

It has.

110

And this one, this one, we

know how I got here though.

111

Yeah.

112

This one was driven by

Jeff Moke into your office?

113

Yeah, it came from Louisiana originally.

114

He was quick to tell me

he did not shoot this one.

115

He did not shoot it and

see it's less cool now.

116

But there it is.

117

It's a real live alligator head.

118

It's not live.

119

It's a real dead alligator.

120

Yeah.

121

So w what are you going to name it?

122

Is this now, Jeff.

123

I mean again, it could be

just for whatever reason.

124

I default to name Frank, like anytime.

125

Like I had a lizard in, in one of my

offices at one of my churches, I named it.

126

Frank nickel.

127

Um, That was kind of.

128

I don't know why, but Frank is my default.

129

Well, if you're going to, we'll do

a lizard and now an alligator head,

130

we probably should get you a cat.

131

Or a snake.

132

Yeah, maybe a snake that eats cats.

133

Oh.

134

Oh, now we're talking.

135

Yeah.

136

Well, let's keep it in this.

137

In the, in the, the tank.

138

And see what they do.

139

Yeah.

140

Mark.

141

If your cat's missing.

142

Don't worry about it.

143

We're going to gift you.

144

Mark's cat and then have the snake eat.

145

Mark's cat.

146

Is that what you're saying?

147

Okay.

148

It would be our first live

video podcast that we ever did.

149

I think people would enjoy that.

150

I don't think so.

151

We've offended.

152

All of the catalogs that made.

153

Made from marketing.

154

You're saying that's right

now, you're made for it.

155

All right.

156

Well, let's jump into our text.

157

That's at 40 41 42 and 43.

158

We'll throw that one in there.

159

Even more tomorrow.

160

You think that's a lot.

161

More tomorrow, five chapter six

jet, no five, five tomorrow.

162

Yeah, it's a, it's a, it's a lot.

163

So give yourself ample time to

do your Bible readings because.

164

It's going to be necessary.

165

Okay.

166

Here's the, here's the benefit?

167

Yes.

168

Uh, we're almost done with Isaiah.

169

We're getting there.

170

And in the old plan that we did

it, you know, we'd do like two or

171

three chapters at a time at most.

172

Yeah.

173

I feel like, Hey man, I have, I

feel like I have a better grasp of,

174

I see, because I'm reading it at.

175

Higher levels.

176

For sure.

177

And it feels good.

178

And by the way, we're, we're at a

point now, chapter 40 onward where

179

we're making a pretty large division.

180

This is one of the big breaks in Isaiah.

181

Yes.

182

Yeah.

183

In fact, on that note, And 39,

he's been talking about judgment.

184

Behold, the days are coming for six.

185

When all that's in your house and your

fathers have stored up this day, it's

186

all going to be carried away to Babylon.

187

Right?

188

And then in chapter 40, you see

the contrast right away because

189

the opening words are comfort.

190

Comfort my people.

191

Right, right.

192

So we go from exile to comfort.

193

So after promising prophesying

about the exile, Isaiah is going

194

to be left with questions and.

195

And the people are going

to be left with questions.

196

Wait a minute.

197

What about all this talk about the

future in the millennial kingdom and

198

things that peace and prosperity.

199

And now you're talking about exile in

Babylon, how do we jive these things?

200

And so that's what introduces this

new section, or these questions are

201

going to be answered as to whether or

not God's word and by extension God

202

himself had had failed because that was

a threat to the people at this point.

203

Um, some have gone as far as calling this

part chapters 40 through 66, give or take.

204

Uh, second Isaiah,

because it's such a right.

205

Different experience than what you just

read in the first 39 chapters, for sure.

206

Which we would say, okay.

207

Yeah, stylistically, maybe there's some

differences in terms of what the themes

208

are, but still at the same, Isaiah, this.

209

This is not two guys we're

talking about the same guy.

210

And some people have suggested it's

two different people because he's, he's

211

suggesting, I mean, he talks about Cyrus.

212

He's talking about things that he would

have no idea about, unless God is the

213

one who's behind the pin, which of course

is what we understand to be true here.

214

Right?

215

So this is one guy, one, Isaiah,

even though this is a new break in

216

the, in the book of Isaiah, right?

217

Right verses one through five in

chapter 40, focus on the coming Messiah.

218

The sins of the people are going

to be a tone for verse two.

219

Uh, they're going to be pardoned.

220

Her nicotine is going to be pardoned.

221

Verse three.

222

John the Baptist took this verse

end and, uh, and ran with it.

223

This is, uh, applied to

him in the new Testament.

224

The voice preparing the way for the

coming one for the coming of the Messiah.

225

Uh, verse four to prepare the

way for the king that people

226

could make ready the road.

227

This is something that, that, uh,

again, we see apply to to John's

228

ministry is as well as his call for

the people to repent and be prepared

229

for the coming of the kingdom.

230

And then verse five, we see that,

that this is really the, the verse

231

that, that Jesus fulfills that John

applies to him in John one 14 and the

232

word became flesh and dwelt among us.

233

And we've seen his glory.

234

Gloria is of the only

begotten from the father.

235

So in this text, verse five and,

and in just really the first five

236

verses, we see that the looking

forward to the coming of the Messiah.

237

Now it's going to be important.

238

In this section, chapter 40 all the way

through the end of the book to realize

239

there's the interplay between the

near-term fulfillment and the far term

240

fulfillment, long-term fulfills true.

241

Uh, because Jesus fulfills this in

part, but the ultimate fulfillment,

242

we're still waiting for that in

Israel, still waiting for that as well.

243

But in his first appearance, there's

at least a partial fulfillment.

244

Right.

245

And in verse three, where it says in the

wilderness prepare the way for the Lord.

246

When John uses, he's talking about

Jesus coming from the Judean wilderness

247

here, it's very likely that what God

has in mind through the pen of Isaiah is

248

Babylon from the wilderness of Babylon.

249

You're coming back to Zion.

250

Uh, you know, God's

dwelling place as it were.

251

So keep this in mind.

252

It's hard not to read this

without the new Testament.

253

I don't know if you'd

struggle with that too.

254

I often am like, oh yeah.

255

When John talks.

256

No.

257

Yes.

258

Yes, but no.

259

In the immediate context what's

likely here in view is Babylon.

260

Right.

261

And I also saw one author talk

about the illusion to the Exodus.

262

Um, coming out of the wilderness, out

of Sinai and into the promised land.

263

That's good.

264

And so that's a good conduct

should be there as well.

265

Totally.

266

Chapter 40 then verses 12 through

16, chapter 40 is one of the more

267

famous ones in Isaiah because it

focuses so much on the uniqueness and

268

the character in the power of God.

269

And so really 12 through 26, we get into

God's unique character and his uniqueness.

270

Um, spirit here in verse 13

should be understood as, as the

271

wisdom of God, the affections,

the intellect, the will of God.

272

Again, not reading the new Testament

back into the old Testament.

273

As far as thinking of this as the

new Testament in the holy spirit

274

and thinking about what John

talks about the holy spirit and.

275

Or Jesus in John 14 through 16, which

we're going to get to, and then not too

276

distant future with our Sunday mornings.

277

But.

278

Uh, spirit here, at least as we read

it should probably be understood

279

more as the affections intellect

will of God, as, uh, as he's laying

280

it out there in that section.

281

Uh, verses 15 through 17.

282

It would be a comforting thought in light

of the impending exile for the people.

283

Uh, as he's talking about the

nations being a drop in the bucket,

284

God's sovereignty over the nations.

285

Uh, he talks a lot about the

foolishness of idolatry compared

286

to the wisdom and power of God.

287

We've got so much in this one

episode of cover pass rod, what else

288

do we want to hit in chapter 40?

289

I mean, there's so many good

things, but, um, a lot of this

290

is just focusing on the power and

sovereignty of God over the nations.

291

I would amen that the sovereign power

of God, the sovereign will of God, he's

292

the one who's controlling all things.

293

And I think as you walk away from

these chapters, you're going to

294

feel that sense of God's in control.

295

He's the one who ordains the beginning and

the end and everything else in between.

296

I think that's the

focal point here for me.

297

Yeah.

298

And the encouragement at the end

of chapter 40 is so wait on him, be

299

patient and, and that's that famous.

300

Uh, section about waiting for

him in the end, being mounted

301

up on wings, like Eagles.

302

Uh, so we see that there in chapter

40, that encouragement to wait

303

on him and they will not fail.

304

They will not be abandoned.

305

And that again, points to our hope

in the future for Israel that.

306

That there is not a, an abandonment

of Israel here, that there is an

307

encouragement to be patient in the

midst of a lot of these prophetic texts.

308

So chapter 41, then basically the summary

here is don't fear the nations then.

309

If God is sovereign over them and

they are like a drop in the bucket.

310

Then don't fear them.

311

Don't be afraid of them because

God is working all things out.

312

Uh, chapter 41 verses two through

three is likely a reference to Cyrus.

313

The king of meta Persia.

314

Uh, purchase specifically whom the

Lord is going to use to judge Babylon,

315

the one stirred up from the east.

316

And so you're going to see

references directionally here

317

throughout these chapters.

318

Uh, but this one coming from the

east is a, is most likely Cyrus.

319

Who's going to be the instrument

that God is going to use to

320

judge Babylon and verse four.

321

The idea here, what I'm thinking here,

who has performed and done this calling

322

the generations from the beginning.

323

I the Lord, the first I'm the last I am.

324

He.

325

God has really the chess master.

326

All the nations are the pieces on

the board and he is moving them

327

around according to his perfect plan.

328

And, and we see that laid out for us by

Isaiah in chapter 40 chapter 41 as well.

329

So one of the cool sections of

chapter 40, one that I love is when

330

he goes against all the idols in

verses 24 and five or verses 21.

331

And following yes.

332

Uh, this is one of my favorite sections

because it highlights the fact that those

333

who follow idols become like the idols.

334

Yep.

335

Those who are, oh, man,

dropped a book market yet.

336

Those are quality idols

become like the idols.

337

And so he says in verse 24, behold,

talking to the idols, you are nothing.

338

And your work is less than nothing.

339

An abomination is he who chooses you.

340

Uh, again, these guys are bowing down to

actual Woodstone and things like that.

341

We don't do that today.

342

Much more sophisticated.

343

We bound it, we found down at different

idols, pixels, pixels, and, you know,

344

digital currencies or whatever else we.

345

Exactly homes and cars and.

346

And power and prestige.

347

Now, don't look at these guys and

say, well, we're far beyond that.

348

We're not, we're not the idle factory

of the hardest John Calvin calls.

349

It is still an operation.

350

It's just more, more

sophisticated in the way it looks.

351

So just keep in mind.

352

What you see here is still as true today.

353

So behold verse 29, they are delusion.

354

Their works are nothing.

355

They're metal images, aren't empty winded.

356

So it is for everyone who puts their

trust in anything other than God, himself.

357

By the way, ladies, especially there's a

book written by, I believe it's Carolyn

358

Mahaney called idols of the heart.

359

That builds on that.

360

Idea from John Calvin.

361

Uh, that's a helpful book

treating the subject of idolatry.

362

If you're interested in a

little bit more reading on that.

363

Also CJ Mahaney is book here,

her husband's book, worldliness

364

touches on some of that as

well, which is a helpful book.

365

Ideas of the heart is

at least it's Patrick.

366

Thank you.

367

Yeah, that's the one I have.

368

That's what I meant when I said

Carolyn Mahaney, what I meant was wow.

369

Yeah.

370

That's amazing.

371

Yeah.

372

That's what I heard.

373

Yeah.

374

We're good.

375

It's like speaking of tongues.

376

Acts chapter two all over again.

377

All right.

378

Chapter 42, then.

379

Chapter 42.

380

We've got to talk about a word that

is going to show up a lot, uh, moving

381

forward and it's the word servant.

382

It's the word servant.

383

Uh, this word is going to mean

one of two things as we read.

384

And so this is why paying attention to

the context and the language around the

385

name or the title servant is going to be

super important for us, because there's

386

going to be times that the servant of

the Lord as it's being addressed is.

387

Uh, is Israel.

388

And then there are gonna be other times

that the servant of the Lord being

389

addressed is Jesus is the Messiah.

390

And what's going to give that

away for us is the context.

391

The language, the pronouns

being used about servants.

392

Is it plural pronouns?

393

Referring to a corporate.

394

Uh, object, object of

servant or is it individual?

395

Is it he him?

396

Is it, is it you, is it individual

solo, uh, pronouns there?

397

That would point more to

this being an individual.

398

And if it's the individual, then it's

it's Jesus, but that's going to be key

399

for us to be able to parse that out

as we go through the rest of Isaiah.

400

Chapter 42.

401

Then the servant that we are

addressing here in the first four

402

verses is clearly an individual

behold, my servant, whom I uphold

403

my chosen in whom I sold the lights.

404

I put my spirit upon.

405

Him.

406

He will bring forth

justice to the nations.

407

He will not cry out or lift up his voice.

408

So the, the one being depicted here,

this is the servant, the Messiah.

409

Some have suggested this might

be Cyrus, but the description of

410

gentleness associated with the servant

would preclude that as a possibility,

411

Cyrus was not a gentle individual.

412

So this is not referring

to Cyrus, delivering.

413

The people from Babylon, this is looking

forward to the Messiah and the ultimate

414

deliverance that would come from him.

415

Verses five through nine, then God

would call this servant to redeem

416

and restore and to do work that

no idol could ever accomplish.

417

Again, God is going to put

idols in the cross here in this

418

section of Isaiah and just.

419

Uh, do you blow after blow

after blow against the idols?

420

And so he's holding up his servant

as a superior to the idols there.

421

Uh, versus 5, 3, 9, 10 through

17, then is a song of praise and

422

response to this message of hope.

423

There's Thanksgiving, there's celebration,

there's worship there's praise.

424

That's offered there in the midst of

chapter 42 and then 18 through 25.

425

Uh, the servant is now here

in this context, Israel.

426

And so the servant shifts here in

verses 18 through 25 and becomes,

427

uh, The people and the people here

look at verse 19, who's blind.

428

But my servant deaf as my messenger,

whom I sent, who is blind as my dedicated

429

one, blind is the servant of the Lord.

430

Um, th th the language of, of

imperfection, that's another contextual

431

clue at who the servant might be, because

we know that the Messiah is not going

432

to have any imperfections about him.

433

He's sinless one.

434

And so here we see this personifying

Israel here in this last part

435

is the failures of Israel there.

436

Let me just draw your

attention to verse eight.

437

As you're working through

this chapter here.

438

Jesus God says about himself.

439

I am the Lord.

440

Yeah.

441

Way.

442

That is my name.

443

That, but by the way, that is his name.

444

Yeah.

445

Way.

446

That's his personal, his personal

name of reference and that's, uh,

447

English, Y H w H we think it's yeah.

448

Way.

449

That's going to be our

best pronunciation of that.

450

So whenever you see capital L O R

D, that's what we're referring to.

451

He says of himself, my glory, I give to

no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

452

In other words, I don't share my

praise or my glory with anyone else.

453

Except do you realize that in the book of

John, that we're going through right now,

454

Jesus says restore to me, the glory that

I had with you glorify your servant, all

455

who could pray that except God himself.

456

And that's exactly why we look at

Jesus and say he has to be God.

457

If he's not God, he's the greatest blast.

458

Femur tree ever walked the

planet, but he says, give me

459

the glory that I had with you.

460

Bring it back to me and glorify my name.

461

I mean, this is when you put that together

with Isaiah here, he says, I don't share

462

my glory with anybody, except for himself.

463

You can't help, but say,

okay, Jesus is unique.

464

He's different.

465

He's not just man.

466

He is the God-man.

467

Yep.

468

Yeah.

469

Chapter 43 then, uh, this

chapter shifts in contains more

470

hope for the future of Israel.

471

So it's chapter 42 ends with,

again, more of Israel's failures

472

and the wrath of God, the anger of

God kindled against his servant.

473

Israel.

474

Again, that's how we know this is

Israel, not Jesus there because the

475

wrath of God against Jesus was yes.

476

On the cross for our sin, but not for

his sin because he was the sinless one.

477

So that was Israel, but chapter 43,

There's hope for the future of Israel,

478

the chapters reminders of God's

sovereign power sprinkled throughout

479

as well as statements and declarations

of God's special love for his people.

480

The chapter expresses a great

affection that God has for Israel and

481

his plans to redeem them from exile.

482

Just the words used here.

483

He starts out.

484

Uh, chapter 43, verse one.

485

He who created you O

Jacob, who formed you?

486

Hoover D I will redeem.

487

You have called you by name your

mind verse for your precious.

488

In my eyes and honored.

489

Uh, because I love you.

490

And then the encouragement don't fear.

491

Don't be afraid.

492

I'm going to regather you.

493

I'm gonna bring you back.

494

I'm going to say to the north, give them

up and he's going to bring them all back.

495

Verse seven, those that he

created for his glory informed.

496

And made for his name.

497

So, uh, just a, a chapter that's

that gives you the glimpse into the

498

affectionate heart of God for his people.

499

Israel.

500

You also see too, in addition to the

affectionate heart of God, for his people,

501

you see the reason for our salvation.

502

He says in verse seven,

that he's called everyone.

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Those who he's called by name

he's created for his glory.

504

Uh, but you also see

take that with verse 25.

505

I am he who blots out your

transgressions for my own sake.

506

Yeah.

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I will not remember your sins.

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It is for God's glory.

509

Ultimately that he forgives our sins.

510

He desires to bring a people.

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And this is Ephesians chapter one, right?

512

We are the objects of his glory,

where the trophies of his grace.

513

He's going to point to us and say,

look how good I was throughout

514

all of, uh, all of redemptive

redemptive history will be about us.

515

Being at trophies of his grace,

his kindness, our salvation is

516

about his glory, which is to say

everything that we do, everything

517

that we are is about his glory.

518

Which is so great because it's.

519

I mean, we are, we are big

on the sovereignty of God.

520

One of our distinctives, we seek

to maintain a high view of God.

521

And so part of that is.

522

It is all about his glory

and it is all about him.

523

And yet it's it magnifies

his grace and his mercy that.

524

Part of his display of his glory is that

we get to be the objects of his affection.

525

He makes it about us in a lot of ways.

526

Now we never get that.

527

At a balance cause you

can make it all about you.

528

Like Hosting kind of way, right?

529

But we understand that he's.

530

What a marvelous gift of his grace in

his kindness to say, look, I'm I'm.

531

I love you care about you're.

532

The apple of my eye tells Israel.

533

And I think that in some way

can be extended to us as his

534

new Testament church, his bride.

535

Cares about us and that's a big deal.

536

It's not, it's not just words.

537

It's legit.

538

Right?

539

Right.

540

So don't miss an opportunity to

make sure that you are returning

541

Thanksgiving and praise to him for

such grace and mercy, that he gives

542

us deed that let's do that right now.

543

And then we'll wrap up this episode.

544

God, we thank you for this

reality that it is for your glory.

545

And yet we get to be brought into that

in a way that, that we experienced your,

546

your kindness, your mercy, your grace,

your patience with us, your forgiveness,

547

that you are toned for our sins.

548

For your name and for your

glory, you could have easily

549

have just has as much of.

550

I've just wiped us out for

your glory and poured out your

551

wrath upon us for your glory.

552

And yet.

553

Because of your great love and

in the display of that, you

554

allowed us to experience grace and

mercy and patience and kindness.

555

And to know that, so help us to be a

thankful people in response to that.

556

So we pray this, ask

this in Christ's name.

557

Amen.

558

Amen.

559

All right.

560

Two new tomorrow for another episode

of the daily Bible podcast, maybe.

561

Maybe pass around.

562

We'll have a movie

review for you tomorrow.

563

Oh, yeah, that's right.

564

Alright, bye.

565

Bye.

566

Bye.