The prophet Isaiah makes a lamentation in verse 1 that I suppose every servant of God has made many times. When a man preaches with urgency, carrying the burden of the Word of the Lord to eternity bound men and women and they seem to be indifferent to it, he sits down, lifts his heavy heart to God, and says, "No Man Layeth It To Heart!"
Proposition: The response of unbelieving, unregenerate men and women, whose hearts and thoughts are consumed with this world, to the Word and works of God is indifference "No Man Layeth It To Heart!"
In the twenty-one verses of this chapter Isaiah calls our attention to four things about which it must be said, "No Man Layeth It To Heart."
I. First, Isaiah speaks of The Death of God's Saints – (vv. 1-2).God comes in mercy to call the righteous out of this world, to save them from the evil to come; but "no man layeth it to heart."
This is God's way. Whenever he is about to send judgment upon the wicked, he takes the righteous out of the way. That is what he did with Lot in Sodom (Gen. 19); and that is what he will do in the end of the world (II Pet. 3:9).
Be sure you do not miss what the Word of God here declares with regard to the believer's death. A. God's saints in this world are righteous and merciful.II. Second, God, speaking by his prophet, declares The Lord's Quarrel with The Idolatry of Those Who Profess To Be His People – (vv. 3-10).
God gave Israel his law, his prophets, his priesthood, and his temple, but they followed sorcerers, magicians, wizards, and false prophets into gross idolatry, which involved gross iniquity. Yet, all the while they kept the name of Jehovah and pretended to be worshipping him.
There is a clear and obvious parallel between the Jews of Isaiah's day the will-worshipping workmongers of our day.
A. Freewill, works religion is the religion of the great whore (3). B. All that is involved in the religion of this world is adultery, deceit, and a mockery of God (v. 4). C. Those who carry their sons and daughters of the altars of antichrist slay their souls (v. 5).D. No matter how devoted and zealous men are in false religion, God will not receive it or them (v. 6).
E. All who walk in the broad way that leads to destruction have great honor in this world from one another (vv. 7-9).
1. Exalted, Monumental Places of Worship – (v. 7).F. Yet, with all their pretentious greatness, the freewill, works religionists, debase themselves even unto hell because they live a lie that they will not give up (vv. 9-11).
1. Their religion, with all its greatness, wearies them and can never give them peace.
2. They assure themselves that they have good hope by reason of the life they think they have found in their hand.
3. Having made lies their refuge, they have made a covenant with death and have no fear of God – (v. 11).
G. In verses 12-13 the Lord God declares to all those who trust in their righteousness and their works that they will not profit them.
If you worship your will, if you trust your works, your religion is vanity and soon the wind of God's wrath will take it away! "No man layeth it to heart."
III. Thirdly, at the end of verse 13, The Lord God Assures His Elect Remnant of Their Safety.
Throughout all the ages of time, from Abel down to this day, there has been and shall forever be a remnant according to the election of grace.
A. When others trust themselves, they trust the Lord God. B. When the world is in utter darkness, they are "the light of the world." – Directors! Guides!C. When the rest of the world provoke God to wrath, they are "the salt of the earth" – Preservers!
D. When God sends delusion and death to all the rest of the world, these are kept safe and secure by his grace (II Thess. 2:10-14).
God's servants talk plainly of God's electing love and saving grace with all the enthusiasm of heartfelt experience, "and no man layeth it to heart!"
IV. Fourthly, the chapter closes with a description of The Work and Message of God's Servants (vv. 14-21).
A. It is the work of God's servants in every age to prepare the way of the Lord – (v. 14).B. The message of God's servants in all ages is always the same – It is a fivefold message.
1. The Greatness of God (v. 15).*