To Be Made Anew
A Sermon on Isaiah 22:8-14
Originally preached Nov. 25, 1956
Scripture
8¶ And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest. 9Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower …
Sermon Description
Have you ever come across a passage in the Bible that describes the exact situation you are in? This is not a coincidence, it is an illustration of the great message of the Bible. In this sermon on Isaiah 22: 8-14, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the problems that Israel had in this passage, recognizes how similar they are to the problems of today, and explains that the answer to Israel’s problem is the same answer to the problems of today. In this passage, Israel is about to be attacked by the Assyrians, and they become no longer blind to their weaknesses and problems of their country. They had previously neglected their weaknesses but this led to “breaches in their wall”. It is the same with countries today; we don’t realize that we are in serious need of protection and think that everything is alright, until we are in times of trouble. Our reaction to this “unveiling” is the same as Israel’s as well. We become frantic and busy and start trying to figure out solutions, but in the end our actions are futile and it all fails. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones further addresses three reasons why these actions fail: just like Israel, we fail to see the moral character of our problem, we fail to realize the religious character of our problem, and we fail to see the profound and radical character of the problem. He explains that man’s trouble is in his heart and it cannot be fixed by just a little adjustment here and there, he has to be made a new made by God and turn to his maker. You need true repentance to fix the problems. The world is what it is because we have forgotten him.
Sermon Breakdown
- The passage describes the state of Judah and Jerusalem. The "covering" has been removed from their eyes, forcing them to see the truth.
- They discover the city walls have many breaches that have developed over time due to complacency and neglect.
- In response, they frantically try to repair the walls. They gather weapons, inspect houses, demolish some houses for materials, build defenses, etc. But their efforts are futile.
- They fail to recognize the moral and religious nature of their problems. They continue in pleasure-seeking and fatalism.
- They have not looked to God, the maker and fashioner of the city. Their problems are profound and radical, requiring a complete renewal.
- God calls them to repentance, weeping, and mourning. But they ignore him. So their doom is assured.
- The only solution is to return to God in repentance, faith in Christ, and obedience. Individuals must do this, and nations will follow.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Isaiah 22:8-14
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "the covering of Judah" being taken away?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "the covering of Judah" being taken away refers to the veil or blindness being removed from the people's eyes. In the historical context, the approaching Assyrian army had awakened the people of Judah from their complacency and forced them to face reality. As Lloyd-Jones explains: "He has taken away, in other words, the covering that was over the eyes of the people of Judah. They'd got a kind of veil before their eyes so that they couldn't see certain things. But now, says the prophet, the covering has been taken away and they're suddenly beginning to see certain things." He compares this to how modern crises can suddenly make people aware of problems they've been ignoring.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the "breaches in the wall" and what do they represent?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the breaches in the wall as holes and weaknesses that developed gradually due to neglect and complacency. He explains: "Sheer negligence, nothing else. This fatal complacency that says everything's all right, there's no need to be worried or to be an alarmist." These breaches represent moral and spiritual decay that happens slowly over time in both nations and individuals. He notes that "no man suddenly goes wrong and all to pieces. It's a very subtle. It's a very slow process," comparing it to how someone might gradually neglect prayer, begin "playing with drink," or engage in moral slackness until there's a collapse in character.
What were the "frantic and futile attempts" of Israel to deal with their problems?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes how the Israelites, upon seeing the breaches in their walls, engaged in numerous activities: they rushed to their armory, reworked their water supply for defense, numbered and inspected every house in Jerusalem, and even tore down houses to use their materials to repair the wall. He calls these efforts "frantic and futile attempts" because they addressed only the symptoms and not the root cause. He compares this to modern society's many political, educational, social, economic, and military efforts to solve problems without addressing the fundamental moral and spiritual issues.
According to Lloyd-Jones, why did all the heroic methods of the Israelites fail?
According to Lloyd-Jones, their methods failed for three key reasons: 1. They failed to see the moral character of their problem - they remained flippant and pleasure-seeking despite the danger 2. They failed to see the religious character of their problem - "They never looked up. They never looked to God." 3. They failed to see the profound and radical character of the problem - like a car that needs to be sent back to its maker rather than just receiving minor repairs
As he explains: "Man's trouble is in his own nature. It's in his heart. And it is as wrong and as hopeless and as vile as this that he cannot be improved, he cannot be put right by just a little adjustment here or there."
What solution does Dr. Lloyd-Jones offer to both individuals and nations?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones states that the only solution is true repentance before God. He explains: "We humble ourselves under the mighty, almighty hand of God and plead his pardon and his forgiveness. That we surrender our lives entirely unto him." Specifically, he calls people to: 1. Recognize their sin and dependence on God 2. Believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior 3. Submit to God completely and receive a new nature 4. Obey God's laws regardless of what the world thinks
He emphasizes that while "nations do not turn to Christ together," individuals can, and "as individuals do in large numbers, nations are influenced." The solution begins with personal repentance: "Start with yourself, therefore, and then tell others."
Old Testament
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.