Listen:  107.3

Let’s begin by reading Isaiah 45:21-23 which says, “Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”  It’s in verse 21 that the Lord declares that He is a just God and savior.  There is no one else, and none beside Him.  With that declaration, the Lord invites all to look to Him and be saved.

What does it mean to look to the Lord?  It simply means to depend upon Him.  In Joel 2:12 we read, “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”  In Matthew 11:28 we read, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  These words: look, turn, and come, all suggest putting our faith or trust in the Lord.  It’s a common metaphor that is still used in language today.  God’s wonderful salvation is offered to everyone, no matter who you are, or where you are from.  God’s grace is extended to the ends of the earth.  2 Peter 3:9 tells us that, “The Lord is…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

The Lord then makes this unusual remark in verse 23, “I have sworn by myself…”  In making this vow of offering salvation to all mankind, the Lord swears by Himself.  We read in Hebrews 6:13, “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself.”  There is nothing or no one greater than God. When men take an oath, it is always implied that the appeal is to someone of superior power, who is able to punish him if he fails in his oath. This could not happen in the case of God himself. There is no greater being than Himself, and the oath, therefore, was by his own existence.  Of course for us, the Lord instructs us not to swear, or make an oath as we read in Matthew 5:34-37, “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”  It’s just not necessary for a believer to swear, or take a vow.  We just need to always be honest.  Thankfully, our courts in the USA respect the conviction of a believer not to take a vow.  To those that do not want to take a vow, the courts will allow you to affirm, or promise, that you will tell the truth.

Lastly in our portion here, the Lord lets us know that in time, every knee will bow to Him and every tongue shall swear, or confess.  Let’s read Philippians 2:9-11 which speaking of the Lord Jesus says, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Every knee will bow before the Lord.  You can bow to Him today as your Lord and savior, or you will bow to Him as your judge at the Great White Throne judgment.  I pray that all will heed the Lord’s word in Isaiah 45:22, “Look unto me, and be ye saved…”  (107.3)