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ISAIAH 14:22-27

"GOD'S UNCHANGING PURPOSE"

Intro: Why were you born? What is conscious life, whet is the purpose of it?

I. GOD'S SET PURPOSE VS. 24.
        A. World not product of chance - fortudious con.
        B. World conditions are not an accident.
                1. From the beginning God has known each successive form of govt. men
                   would try.
                        a. God has known the weak points that would deteriorate &
                           ultimately destroy it.
                        b. God spoke to Daniel at the zienth of the Babylonian Kingdom.
                        c. In immediate context God speaks of Babylon long before she
                           was a world power.
                                1. He speaks of her utter destruction.
                2. Humanity is running according to pre-determined course.
                        a. Peter's sermon at Pentecost.
                        b. Present day conditions described in scripture.

II. WHAT IS GOD'S PURPOSE?
        A. His ultimate purpose is close fellowship with man.
                1. To achieve this purpose man must be in willing submission to Him.
                2. To make man willing to submit, He has allowed him the liberty to
                   rule himself.
                        a. Man must come to the end of himself before he fully
                           submits to God.
                                1. This is a problem for many Christians.
                        b.  The present world chaos should be final proof against
                            all self improvement cults.
                We need more than a minor do-it-yourself adjustment. 
We need a major overhaul by the spirit.
                3. Man needs to wake up to his need for God.
                        a. You might say that God is trying to teach him this fact, but
                           He has to get his attention first - 2x4.

III. WHO CAN FIGHT OR HINDER GOD'S PURPOSE? PEOPLE TRY VS. 27.
        A. You can stop a fast train by standing on the tracks.
        B. Man trying to move Empire State building.
                "Throw himself at it. "I'll move it if it kills me."
        C. Children singing "we got even with the man at the..."
        D. To try to fight the purpose of God is only to destroy yourself.
                1. Many churches today seeking to thwart God's purposes.
                2. God desires that man should taste the fruit of his rebellion, so that
                   he would cease rebelling.
                        a. The church that makes its chief goal the alleviation of
                           suffering humanity is working against God.
                        b. The true goal of the Church is to point suffering humanity
                           to a Savior who will redeem them if they will only turn to Him.