"COVENANT CERTAINTIES" (Pastor Tom Henry) ~ 11/18/25

“Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.” (Isaiah 45:24, 25)

It is an honor to preach a Gospel of guaranteed success, one that also has universal appeal and invitation. Note Vs. 22: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth.” Therefore, we take the Gospel to every creature, according to our Lord’s commission, with the assurance that it will accomplish that for which it is sent. Note the verse that immediately precedes our text: “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, and every tongue shall swear.”

The chapter concludes with five covenant certainties, five declarations that only uncontested Sovereignty can make. As seen in the beginning of the Chapter, He must have the hearts of kings in His hand, both good kings and evil. (Vs. 1-5) He must be one who has no rivals: “I am the Lord, and there is none else.” It is very likely that Cyrus, the Persian king, who God anointed to overpower Babylon and deliver His people, had been of the Zoroastrian religion of Assyria. It taught that Ormazd created light and peace, and the Ahriman created darkness and evil. God, however, declares “I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” (Vs. 6, 7)

It is this God of absolute sovereignty who here swears by solemn oath the irresistible success of the Gospel. Notice first, there shall be a people who shall individually openly confess the true salvation. “Surely one shall say in the Lord is righteousness and strength.” (KJV) Some render it “Men shall say…” Matthew Poole’ translates the phrase, “each and every one.” Individual souls shall confess, and in the end every last one of God’s elect shall confess. (John 6:37) Each and every one of these souls shall understand that all righteousness and strength must come from Him. “When we were yet without strength…” (Rom. 5:) Christ is Jehovah Tsidkenu, “The Lord our righteousness.” This confession of our faith must never change!

A second certainty here declared is that these will not only confess this truth, but act upon it. “Even to him shall men come.” The Lord can say this with certainty, knowing that “Thy (His) people shall be willing in the day of thy (His) power.” (Ps. 110:3) “Even to him shall men come,” not to a priest, or a prayer bench, or to decision, or baptistry, but to God by Jesus Christ. Multitudes have come to an altar, or to a church, who have not come to God in Christ.

Notice, a third declaration is that these who come to Him shall be ashamed of their former opposition. “All that are incensed against him shall be ashamed!” What horrible thoughts sinners have had toward God! What blasphemies have been uttered! Men of every generation have, like Cain, blasphemed God’s holy name for His law and its penalty. The wicked are incensed against the righteous. But all who come to Him shall, like Ruth, say, “Thy people shall be my people.”

A fourth declaration of the text is that the Lord’s people shall be justified. “In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified.” This means that sinners become just before God. But how can a man be justified before a Holy God? It is only possible as our text says it is, - in the Lord. The Messiah is clearly seen in our text as “The Lord our righteousness.” We are made righteous in Him. The only place that we can be seen as righteous is in Christ. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1) Our acceptance with God is only in the Beloved. (Eph. 1:6)

The last of these sovereign declarations is found in the last three words of the text. “…and shall glory.” This is truly wonderful. Not only does the Lord prophecy of the chosen their true confession, the certainty of their coming to Him, their sorrow and shame over their past opposition, and their justification before a holy God, but He also foretells their rejoicing spirit, which will ever after manifest their glory. Faith in Jesus Christ will be evident in relief from the heavy burden of sin, and in a joyful spirit. “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” May it be true of us as believers that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”