Turn with me to Isaiah 43. This is primarily addressed to Israel, whom God is calling out of captivity. It is something that is going to take place in the future.
The scene continues to evolve until we get to about verse 8. In verse 8, the context shifts to a courtroom drama. Please do not separate yourself from this, because we are the Israel of God. We, too, have been called out of captivity - not in exactly the same way that the Israelites are here going to be called out in the future; but we have been in captivity to this world and to Satan the Devil. We fit this, in its spirit. So, we are involved in this courtroom drama that begins to unfold. In its direct context, Israel and the nations are in a courtroom together; and what is on trial is God's claim to uniqueness.
Who is holy like God? That is the question. God being the sole deity - that is what is on trial here, and Israel is to appear as God's witness (in His behalf). We find that the nations can give no witness for their impotent deities. Israel is called upon to declare all of the majestic works of God, and they have plenty that they would be able to tell on God's behalf. But, alas, we find in the context that Israel does not give any witness in God's behalf.
Brethren, this is something which we, the church, cannot fail to do! As the Israel of God, it is our responsibility to proclaim before the world that Our God is God! Notice this:
We see that those whom God has called have been gifted to be witnesses for Him, following Christ's lead. We join the group of those witnesses to witness the power of God awaiting the standard for all mankind.
These are those witnesses awaiting Christ who knew their gifts, developed them, and learned to succeed as Christ succeeded. We are His witnesses if we use and develop the gifts that God has given us.
Hebrews 11 elaborates on this select group of faithful, many of whom followed the standard of excellence in faith, only knowing of His promise, using the gifts that were available to them to the best of their ability so that they could witness to us the amazing power of God. With our calling, we get to join this group now and be a witness to others.
On the contrary, brethren, the truth of God is that we have been selected and gifted, with Jesus Christ, to stand with all those selected who have gone before us as a forest of witnesses in this world's battlefield, witnesses with Christ of the astonishing power of God to create in His image and bring men into the everlasting Family of God!
That tells us who the merchant is. Without a doubt it's Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.
Like the hidden treasure, the pearl is something of value. It can be part of a treasure, but there is one difference between treasure and the pearl. Notice what it says in Matthew 13:44. It says like treasure, but notice what it says in Matthew 13:46 - one pearl of great price. What's the difference? Treasure is a collective noun. That is, it is made up of many pieces of gold, silver, coins, articles of fine clothing, art, gem stones. It's like the treasure of a pirate that's buried somewhere in the Caribbean. There's usually a chest of something. That's what He's looking at in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure - many some things, many treasures. What He is looking at in The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price is one particular treasure. We might call it the centerpiece of His treasure as this one Pearl of Great Price.
This is spoken to the sanctified people.
