In the greatest danger some are kept safe.

Glen Aros Christian Fellowship
2nd December 2007

In the greatest danger some are kept safe.

In the greatest falling away some are kept pure.

Isaiah 17:6-11

Isa 17:6 Yet gleaning grapes will be left in it, Like the shaking of an olive tree, Two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough, Four or five in its most fruitful branches," Says the LORD God of Israel.
7 In that day a man will look to his Maker, And his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel.
8 He will not look to the altars, The work of his hands; He will not respect what his fingers have made, Nor the wooden images nor the incense altars.
9 In that day his strong cities will be as a forsaken bough And an uppermost branch, Which they left because of the children of Israel; And there will be desolation.
10 Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, Therefore you will plant pleasant plants And set out foreign seedlings;
11 In the day you will make your plant to grow, And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; But the harvest will be a heap of ruins In the day of grief and desperate sorrow.

Look at verse 6

Gleaning grapes will be left in it, Like the shaking of an olive tree, Two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough, Four or five in its most fruitful branches," Says the LORD God of Israel.

• Gleaning grapes will be left in it
• Like the shaking of an olive tree
• Two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough
• Four or five in its most fruitful branches

A few grapes two or three olives, four or five left, suggests that there are many that have been picked from the vine, and shaken from the tree!

Look at verse 11

In the day you will make your plant to grow, And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; But the harvest will be a heap of ruins In the day of grief and desperate sorrow.

• You will make your plant to grow
• You will make your seed to flourish

All the labour to make your plant to grow and it comes to a heap of ruins.

This little remnant of grapes, of olives has escaped the judgment.

Look at Verse 10

10 Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, therefore you will plant pleasant plants and set out foreign seedlings;

There are those at this time who:

• Have forgotten the God of their salvation
• Have not been mindful of the Rock of their stronghold.

The difficulties which were being encountered, that had brought, the numbers down to a few, were because God who was their salvation was forgotten. Those in the land had not been mindful that it was God who was the Rock behind the stronghold of their lives.

Look at verse 7

7 In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel.

There are also those at this time who:

• Look to their Maker
• Will have respect for the Holy One of Israel

Look at Verse 8


8 He will not look to the altars, The work of his hands; He will not respect what his fingers have made, Nor the wooden images nor the incense altars.

• He will not look to the alters
• The work of his hands
• He will not respect what his fingers have made
• He will not respect the wooden images
• He will not respect the incense alters

There is a lot of looking and respecting the Work our own hands!

Isaiah 5:8-12

Isa 5:8 Woe to those who join house to house; They add field to field, Till there is no place Where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land!
9 In my hearing the LORD of hosts said, "Truly, many houses shall be desolate, Great and beautiful ones, without inhabitant.
10 For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, And a homer of seed shall yield one ephah."
11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning, That they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them!
12 The harp and the strings, The tambourine and flute, And wine are in their feasts; But they do not regard the work of the LORD, Nor consider the operation of His hands.
13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst.
14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself And opened its mouth beyond measure; Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, And he who is jubilant, shall descend into it.
15 People shall be brought down, Each man shall be humbled, And the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.
16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.
17 Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture, And in the waste places of the fat ones strangers shall eat.

Look at Verse 12

12 The harp and the strings, The tambourine and flute, And wine are in their feasts; But they do not regard the work of the LORD, Nor consider the operation of His hands.

There are Feasts taking place at this time, with wine, and musical instruments, but…

• They do not regard the work of the LORD
• They do not consider the operation of His hands

Isaiah is telling the people of his day of a judgement on those who have simply gathered excess for themselves.

• They do not regard the work of the LORD
• They do not consider the operation of His hands

Look at Verse 13
Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst.

• My people have gone into captivity
• Why?
• Because they have no knowledge.

Hosea 4:6

Ho 4:6 my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

• My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
• Because you have rejected knowledge
• I also will reject you from being priest for Me
• Because you have forgotten the law of your god
• I also will forget your children



You see God choose Israel as a choice vine in order that it would bring fourth good grapes.

Back to Psalm 5 and look at Verse 4

Isa 5:4 what more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes?

• What more could have been done to My vineyard
• Why then?
• When I expected it to bring forth good grapes
• Did it bring forth wild grapes?

Look at Verse 7

Isa 5:7 for the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.

• I looked for Justice and received oppression
• I looked of righteousness received weeping.

Look at verse 13

• Their honourable men are famished
• Their multitude dried up with thirst

Isaiah 22:5-11

Isa 22:5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord GOD of hosts In the Valley of Vision-Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain.
6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield.
7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots, And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.
8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest;
9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool.
10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall.
11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.

Look at verse 11

11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.

They made a great work for the water of the old pool. They repaired the city of David. They worked hard on it.

But look:

• They did not look to its maker.
• They did not have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago

This is Old Testament. Let me tell you some things do not change!

Remember we are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

Look at Ephesians

Ephesians 2:19-22

Eph 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

We today are the dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

You must make sure that you are not like God’s people of old who:

• Have forgotten the God of your salvation
• Have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold.
• Are among those who do not regard the work of the LORD
• do not consider the operation of His hands
• have gone into captivity
• Why?
• Because they have no knowledge.
• They did not look to its maker.
• They did not have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago

Isaiah 35:1-10

Isa 35:1 The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, The excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, The excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you."
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.
7 The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water; In the habitation of jackals, where each lay, There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; It shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there,
10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Look at Verse 4

4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you."

• Say to those who are fearful-hearted
• Be Strong!
• Do not fear!
• Behold your God will come with a vengeance
• With the recompense of God
• He will come and save you!

Look at 8

8 A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.

• A highway shall be there
• A road
• It shall be called the Highway of Holiness

Last time I talked about going through the procedure of having your ear pierced under the law.

But here is the Highway of Holiness that leads to Zion.

Hebrews 6: 9-12

Heb 6:9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.
10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Look at verse 9

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.

• Beloved
• We are confident of better things concerning you
• Things which accompany salvation
• Though we speak in this manner

Look at verse 11 + 12

11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

• We desire that each one of you show
• The same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end
• That you do not become sluggish
• But imitate those
• Who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Remember the promise in Psalm 46:1-5

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.


Look at Verse 5

5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

• God is in the midst of her
• She shall not be moved
• God shall help he, just at the break of dawn

Psalm 48:12-14

Ps 48:12 Walk about Zion, and go all around her. Count her towers;
13 Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; that you may tell it to the generation following.
14 For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.

You see the Highway of Holiness leads to Zion.

• Walk about her
• Go all around her
• Count her towers
• Mark well her bulwarks
• Consider her palaces
• That you may tell it to the generation following

He will be your guide.

As you live in your generation, get down to the detail of living the Christian life.

Psalm 50:5

Ps 50:5 "Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."

Have you trusted in the sacrifice of Jesus?

It is not your sacrifice; it is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross that secures you in the covenant.

Are you secure in the Covenant which God has cut in Jesus Christ?

Psalm 25:14

Ps 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.

• The secret of the LORD
• Is with those who fear Him
• He will show them His covenant

His covenant was established at the Cross in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 50: 16

Ps 50:16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to declare My statutes, Or take My covenant in your mouth,

Ps 50:17 Seeing you hate instruction And cast My words behind you?

Ps 50:18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers.
19 You give your mouth to evil, And your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.
22 "Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And there be none to deliver:
23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God."


Look at verse 23

• He who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God

Where are you looking?


Brothers and sisters it is time to order our conduct aright

In the greatest danger some are kept safe.

In the greatest falling away some are kept pure.