"The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards" by Steven J. Lawson

This little gem of a book is the second in Lawson’s “A Long Line of Godly Men” series, the first title being “The Expository Genius of John Calvin.” You can find my review of that first title here (insert link).

In this book, Lawson examines the disciplined character of Jonathan Edwards, a man who was a faithful servant of God, and also a very misunderstood figure. He is best known to the secular world as the author of that much maligned (and probably very rarely read) sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” He is, indeed, often portrayed as a dour man who rejoiced in the thought of people entering the lake of fire and suffering there for all eternity. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. As Lawson clearly reveals here, Edwards was a man who had a passionate love for the Lord and a great desire to see souls come to Him for their salvation.

Another interesting fact about Edwards is that he is considered one of the most brilliant men produced by the United States of America, even by secular historians (insert link here). This is all the more amazing when one considers that Edwards never wrote anything other than theological writings! His chief concern throughout his life was to bring glory to God in all things.

It is this characteristic of Edwards, a burning passion for His glory, which Lawson examines and presents to his readers, doing a wonderful job of introducing us to Edwards and explaining what made him the man he was; the man that all Christians would benefit in emulating. The way in which Lawson does this is by presenting the 70 resolutions of Jonathan Edwards and demonstrating how he sought to be faithful to them all of his life. For those of you who are unaware, Jonathan Edwards wrote a series of resolution when he was 20-21 years old. These were written, as he himself asserted, because he recognized that he was “unable to do anything without God’s help…” and he thereby “entreat[ed] him by his grace to enable [him] to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to [God’s] will, for Christ’s sake.” In this sentence you catch a glimpse of a man whose overwhelming desire was to please God above all things.

The book itself is a very short one, about 166 pages, which includes an appendix listing every one of the 70 Resolutions. It is divided into nine short chapters that examine how Edwards sought to live out the resolutions in his life, using them as reminders to be always faithful to his Lord…making his conscience captive to the Word of God!

Within the pages of this book, we meet a man very aware of his own weaknesses; a man aware of his inability to measure up to God who thereby decided only by His power could he ever hope to be pleasing to the Father. He lived, more often than not, with an awareness of his God and overwhelmed by a burning passion to please the Lord who saved him from his sin. Read this little book and fall in love with the object of his zeal, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Isaiah 1:21-31

Read Isaiah 1:21-31

In the previous verses the prophet has here relayed the words of God, including the last few 5 verses wherein the Lord promises reconciliation. And what does Isaiah now see? Not the repentance he would have liked to see! Here is the poor fate of the prophets of God, sent to a people that usually would rather take affront than heed a warning. So the prophet writes his inspired impressions down…and they are not good ones. That city which represents the seat of God’s chosen nation…it has polluted itself and committed adultery against its Master.

Of these verses John Calvin writes the following:

“This astonishment of the Prophet was undoubtedly joined with the deepest grief; for we ought to look upon it as something monstrous when men revolt from God, and refuse that allegiance which they have promised to render; nor is it possible that right-hearted men, when they behold such a revolt, can fail to be affected with the most poignant grief.”

How accurate indeed are these words…and how appropriate for every age that has come and gone and which is to come until the return of the Lord. All we need to do is look around at our society to realize that we are indeed in a monstrous revolt from our God…and what should fill us all with grief even more is the ultimate end for those who rebel, for they have no hope of succeeding against our mighty God. All the more reason for us to be like an Isaiah in our generation and warn those around us of the judgment that is to come!

Note what Isaiah says:

· The city which should have been faithful is like a harlot

· The city which should have represented justice is now the den of murderers

· The aristocracy of the faithful city are friends to thieves, thereby no better than thieves themselves

· Bribery is rampant and the magistrates do not fulfill their duty and look after the orphan and the widow

Having noted all this, Isaiah once more speaks the very words of God:

“Therefore…”

Because of the conditions he has just described…as a direct result and in consequence of their behaviors, the Lord speaks the words to follow!

“I will rid Myself of My adversaries, and take vengeance on My enemies.”

These are strong words…words that should suffice to strike dread into the hearts of those to whom they are addressed! And to whom does God speak? Who are the adversaries and the enemies of the Lord?

“I will turn My hand against you, and thoroughly purge away your dross, and take away your alloy.”

These enemies of God are the people who should have been His faithful servants! Imagine the consternation of a people who expect that they are by right His special people…imagine their fear when He groans aloud and declares He will rid Himself of the adversaries and enemies that are among their own nation!

And, yet, the love of God for His people is infinite! His anger and the chastisement He is to bring upon them is for their own good, for note what He will do to rid himself of these enemies:

· He will purge the dross away from the silver: I looked up how dross is removed from silver today and it is done by adding nitric acid…upon which you see the boiling of the silver and the dross (the impurities) come away. Something similar was probably done in biblical times, the point being that it is a violent thing done to the silver but which ultimately leaves us a more perfect and expensive metal! Such is what God promises to do…

· He will restore to them wise judges and counselors of note: So we see that a violent cleansing is to be followed by a restoration of what is needed to remain a worthy nation!

The result? They will once more be known for their faithfulness and their righteousness will be made manifest to all!

An obvious application we have here relates to how the Lord uses our circumstances to refine us and mold us into the image of the Son. Whether He acts to reprove us or whether He permits trials not related to any hard headedness in us, the result is a cleansing of the dross that accumulates in our lives and that impedes us from walking day by day at His side!

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The restoration continues as we read in verse 27 that the Lord will redeem Zion, that His justice will take the place inhabited by murderers and that righteousness will abide in the city!

“The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”

In this verse and in the ones that follow through the end of the chapter we see the fate of those who are the dross…those whose removal is necessary for the restoration of the people as a whole. Truly we see here the truth of the words Paul is to speak, that “they are not all Israel who are of Israel” (Romans 9:6)

God, you see, does that which is necessary to redeem for Himself a people, and quite frankly we should be glad that He does since it maintains the purity of His church…all the more reason for us to daily examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith.

We see in the closing verses the truth of Psalm 2:1-6…for you see how those that stand against God, who do not yield to His reasoning, they are nothing before His judgment! The Lord says they are like an unwatered garden and like tinder…in other words, easily consumed! O pray that when we rebel against our Lord that by His grace we will be reasoned with! That we will be quick to confess and be forgiven!

Paul Washer on Truly Desiring God

Paul Washer is one of my favorite preachers, a good Southern Baptist who minces no words and who is zealous for Christ our Lord and for the Word of our God!

Isaiah 1:18:20

Read Isaiah 1:18-20

See now what the Lord says…”let us reason together…”

Who is it that will be reasoned with? Only the one who is washed…only the one who has put evil away. Only they that do good and seek justice…in other words, only the elect. See how God pleads, see how He warns. Anyone and everyone is able to listen to the words of the prophet, and yet they don’t. Why not? Simply because they don’t want to.

Although John Gill maintains that these words are addressed to the elect specifically, I do not agree. The words, as all such invitations, are a general call. I think the placement of this invitation between what are two very clear warnings serve as evidence that the invitation and its accompanying promise (sins being made white as snow) are intended to the same group. Where we see election in all of this, of course, is that not one of the hearers will respond favorably to the invitation without the supernatural work of the Spirit of God. This, then, is the great mystery which God in His sovereignty has chosen not to make clear to us. That it is true, however, is clearly shown throughout the Word.

But what of this reasoning together? In our modern way of thinking we might be tempted to think it refers to some manner of debate between two equal sides. Nothing could be further from the truth. The clear implication here is that God is calling people to look at the reasonableness of His offer. Why suffer judgment when He has so graciously offered forgiveness and reconciliation? Our mistake is that we too often hold God to some human standard and we think that our is superior, foolishly forgetting that as God Almighty He is subject to no human standard but IS the standard setter. Knowing all things past, present and future, everything that He does is good and for the good of those whom He has chosen. See Ezekiel 18:25 where God clearly differentiates the ways of man and His. Guess what? His are the ones that matter!

So we see here that this is an open offer to all people, and at the same time it is NOT an invitation to lay out one’s side of the story, if you will. It is an invitation to examine the amazing offer of God.

Note also the contrast in the remainder of verse 18:

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool”

Sin is scarlet, red like crimson. From the very beginning, sin has been associated with the color of blood for the very reason that sin is such an affront to our holy God that it merits death and nothing can excuse sin except the shedding of blood! Something that strikes me particularly is the picture of Adam and Eve when they sinned in the garden and judgment was brought upon them (see Genesis 3:14-24). Recall the innocence in which they lived and the wonderful co-existence between humanity and the rest of creation. Then, after judgment is pronounced, we read this small verse (21), “Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.” This verse is too often passed over too quickly, so consider what has actually happened: death has entered into God’s perfect creation! In order to clothe those who have just sinned them, in order to cover their nakedness of which they are now so very aware, God killed a living creature. Henry Morris has rightly referred to this as the first atonement for sin. And what a horror it must have been for the first man and woman to witness this! For the first time they saw the blood of a living creature run on the ground…crimson blood, shed for them!

So consider what God is promising here! The foul sin, metaphorically described as scarlet and crimson, they shall be atoned for. What was dirty and an abomination shall be pure and white, the color of innocence. Now obviously this does not mean the sins themselves are declared good as some might erroneously assume. No, this lyrical language is talking about forgiveness of that sin. If only perfection and complete holiness can enter into the presence of God, then we are declared to be such upon the merit of the atonement. And yes, this is exactly what Isaiah refers to!

What is more, having been declared righteous, having been forgiven, those so declared may now “eat the good of the land.”

John Calvin has the following to say about verse 19:

A change of the construction of the words (hypallage) has been admitted into this sentence; for the meaning fully brought out would stand thus: “if your mind be ready, and your will be disposed, to obey;” or, which amounts to the same thing, “if you render obedience to me, and lend an ear to my word.” since, therefore, God places the happiness of men in obedience, it follows that our life is properly conducted, when we hear God speaking, and obey him in all things. How great, therefore, is the wickedness of men, when they refuse to listen to God who is continually speaking to them, and reject the happiness which he has provided and offered!

The teaching, as we have been seeing in this passage, is that he who turns to God does so willingly and without any reservations. Our wills are disposed to obey as Calvin puts it. And since we are taught in Scripture that the natural man despises the things of God, then it follows that until and unless the Spirit awakens from our spiritual death, we will refuse to render God obedience!

And it is to these who refuse Him that verse 20 speaks!

“But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword”

God has offered peace towards Judah. He has given them every reason to turn to Him and repent of their evil ways, to begin to do good and wash themselves clean. The offer is there; so to refuse His offer of peace…to rebel against the rightful ruler of the land…this is to spit in the face of our Peacemaker! And God is just. His justice demands that rebellion be punished and so Isaiah communicates this message to Judah, “for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

I know we’ve touched on this subject previously, but it is so important that we understand and teach others that there is NO injustice in God. Those who perish in their sin, those who reject Him, they suffer the consequences of their own willful disobedience. The blame cannot be laid upon God here and it is a false understanding of Calvinism to suggest that it teaches this doctrine. Far from it. Each and every man and woman who has lived and ever will live is responsible for their own actions and for their own submission to or rejection of the command of God to repent and His offer of forgiveness.

Isaiah 1:16-17

Read Isaiah 1:16-17

These next two verses beautifully demonstrate the patience and loving-kindness of God towards those whom He will call. Here He tells them the way of repentance…the only way to return to His good graces! Not that all will repent, but God lays out for them very clearly what He requires of them.

Were their hands full of blood? Wash them and make them clean!

Was doing evil a way of life? Put these things away and stop!

The beauty here, of course, is that the only way this can be done is by God’s grace and mercy! Unmoved by God, the people would continue in their rebellion and not even desire to respond in repentance! Here, then, we see what so many blind people refer to as a paradox: man must respond to God, but He cannot and will not do so unless the Father sends the Spirit to elicit this response! What they cannot do, what they refuse to do, God will draw from them, and when their hearts have been changed, they will then respond with a glad heart!

What else though? If a people repent and turn from their wicked ways, then they will be changed. And here in verse 17 we see a clear rebuttal of that particular heresy known as antinomianism. What will they who turn to God do? They will do good, they will seek justice and stand against oppression. Furthermore, as James 1:27 clearly teaches, they will look after the orphan and the widow.

How clearly we see that salvation WILL result in good works!

Isaiah 1:10-15

Read Isaiah 1:10-15

"You rulers of Sodom...[y]ou people of Gomorrah..."

1) Recognize that this is a very serious indictment towards those who call themselves the people of God. These cities mentioned are well known and infamous for the behavior they exhibited. Their sin, indeed, let to their complete destruction from the face of the earth. And to such are they compared...to such are they equated.

2) Recall the words of verse 9, "unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom...and Gomorrah." Is their sin any less severe? No! But by the grace and mercy of God are they spared the wrath of God which He visited upon those cities of old. It is not their more honorable behavior that has earned them their mercy, it has been solely the kindness of the Lord.

3) Just as the people of Judah are being called to taks most severely by Isaiah, being slapped in the face and presented with their sin, so do we need to be upfront with a lost world. Repentance cannot come without an understanding of a need for salvation...for from what are people saved? And so it is that Isaiah airs the dirty laundry of the nation; just as we must be willing to confront the reality of sin to our own world. Pastor Jim has rightly said that if all we do is try to reform the behavior of people without showing them the more important need they have of salvation, then all we have done is made people more comfortable on their way to hell. As C.H. Spurgeon said, if to hell they must go, let it be over our bodies as we strive to make known to them the only escape possible!

Notice now in verse 11 that Isaiah returns to speaking the Word of God to the people. The authority by which he brings words of judgment to the people is established by the phrase "says the Lord." It is no great joy for Isaiah to speak so harshly to the people. Indeed it is only His great love for the glory of God that compels him!

And so Isaiah now makes known to the people the great displeasure of God, in His own words! The Law as given by Moses has made clear what manner of sacrifices they are to observe; it has made clear the proper worship of the Holy One. And yet, in observing the letter of the Law, the people have forgotten the spirit of the Law. They have forgotten that the sacrifices were to be a manifestation of adoration and not some kind of ritual to appease God. They were not dealing here with petty and false gods like those of the people around them! No! They are the chosen people of the One True God, the Living God!

And from this Sovereign come the words of codemnation guaranteed to shame any of the people who still possess even a shred of their love for Him...

"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?"

"I have had enough of burn offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats"

Again, what the people have done is make a mockery of what was to be worship and adoration. They have turned the act of loving God into a legalistic ritual! They have forgotten that the sacrifices were not the destination itself but only the road! What I mean by this is that all these things were to be acts of piety; they were tools to help them draw closer to their God...a symbolic act that mirrored the actuality. Instead, the symbol...the tool...the road...they became the entire focus! "Oh look at us" they may have thought! "Look how holy we are that we sacrifice to Jehovah!" And all the while they forgot that he wanted His voice obeyed rather than sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22). And because of this their sacrifice became empty and useless, nay worthless! Rather than a sweet aroma it became a stench to God. This is what hypocrisy does.

Ultimately, the Lord is asking: what is the point? They cannot appease Him by offering Him sacrifices when their lives are lived in open rebellion against His Word!

But what about us? How do we compare? Is it not painful to ponder how often we've been the cause of a stench? Oh may God forgive us for the times our reverence has been born of something other than pure love of and delight in the Lord!

"When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts?"

So often the prophets have had to bring this question to the people on behalf of God! (see Malachi 1:6-8 & 3:8-10 as examples)

The question is a refutation of false worship! God certainly has not asked them to bring this mockery of worship! He certainly has not commanded them to trample His courts through their hypocrisy! Think about it: when we hear of a rogue cop, one who abuses his authority and even uses his position to break the law himself...why is this such a horror when it happens? Is it not because it brings dishonor to the authority he represents? Likewise, the false worshipper dishonors God.

So, yes, this very question serves to rebuke the one who would divorce true piety from sacrifice. For the one is an expression of the other!

Re: verses 13-14)

These verses drive home the point that mere ceremonial ritual without a true attitude of worship is hypocritical and false. It is a perversion of the purpose for which they were given. Notice, indeed, that the Lord hates their feasts, they trouble Him and He is tired of having to put up with them!

Re: verse 15)

"When you spead our your hands [when they pray in other words], I will hide My eyes from you"

The Lord hears the prayers of His people...but those who do not belong to Him have no special right to call upon Him in anything other than repentance! Here in the spreading of the hands we see another symbolic act of worship being turned into mere ritual. We see even that the constant use of prayer will not help them. Neither their false practice nor their lying words will move the heart of God because absent from all of this is a true love for God and for His majesty.

And so He tells them that their "hands are full of blood."

God may well be referring to some who have actual blood on their hands, but it also includes all those whom He is rebuking. The hands of bloodshed are manifested by those who would use their hands for the holy (again, the spreading of the hands) while also using them for what is an abomination. In other words, in their daily lives. Did they cheat their neighbor? Did they make money in an immoral manner? Whatever the case may be, it is clear that throughout this whole passage God has brought up the fact that all the sacrifices they bring are rejected because it is the total extent of their devotion to Him! In other words, they could live lives of immense immorality but thought that their sacrifices were sufficient proof of their holiness.