Thus says the LORD:

“The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,

and the Sabeans, men of stature,

shall come over to you and be yours;

they shall follow you;

they shall come over in chains and bow down to you.

They will plead with you, saying:

‘Surely God is in you, and there is no other,

no god besides him.’”

When God gets active, men will beg to be saved. They’ll come to Him with a willing heart. They’ll bring themselves wholeheartedly in conviction. They’ll know sovereign grace by experience.

1) Until then, men are dead in sin: they have no desire for God, no delight in His presence, and no knowledge of Him. They are blind, ignorant, and lost. They are corrupt and love sin. They have a silly and deceived heart! Hos 7:11, “Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense--They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.”

2) After CONVICTION sets in, then they come. This is the work of God. They are convinced of sin - that they have no hope apart from Jesus Christ, and disobedience is painful, shameful, and unbearable.

Conviction is not given to all, but when it comes, they fly to Christ. They don’t casually take him, “switching their chewing gum from side to side while walking an aisle.” They chase after Him, run Him down, and the kingdom suffers violence. They strive to enter, like the woman with the issue of blood, who just had to touch Him. Mark 5:28, “For she said, ‘If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

3) They are convinced that He’s a suitable Savior - that He has the righteousness that they need, that this One Man obeyed God for the justification of many. Rom 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” He is Joseph from whom we must receive bread. Gen 41:57, “So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.”

4) They are convinced that He has power to heal them - forgive and cleanse. He can make us righteous and make us live righteously. He can stop the plague of sin. This conviction is the gift of God, but it comes through men and women who are utterly convinced talking to people asleep in their sin. They are awakened by the reality that’s seen by someone else.

Fifthly, this conviction is upon the elect in due time. All that were given to Christ shall hear His voice. The sheep know the Shepherd, and He knows them.

Let us preach with patience, boldness, and confidence in God. Let us not look at man. We are not to be fearful, nor are we to rely upon people, but God that raises the dead.