Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Isaiah: A Prophet for All Seasons

Isaiah 65-66

 

by Samuel E. Ward

 

Introduction

 

Review:

 

VI. God's Message Concerning His People's Future, Isa 40-66

 

A. God's Plan to Restore, Isa 40-48

B. God's Servant's Plan to Redeem, Isaiah 49-53

C. God's Plan to Reconcile, Isa 54-57

D. God's Demand for the People's Repentance, Isa 58

E. God's Description of the People's Ruthlessness, Isaiah 59

F. God's Declaration of the People's Future Restoration, Isa 60               

G. God's Promise to Renew His People, Isa 61-62

H. God's Proud Return from Battle, Isa 63:1-6

I. The Prophet's Request for God's Intervention, Isa 63:7-64:14

J. God's Final Messages, Isa 65-66

 

These final two chapters of Isaiah contain the basic message of God to His people throughout the whole book and in all its sections whether historic, prophetic, or poetic. 

§  Sinners must repent. 

§  The unrepentant will be judged.

§  The righteous will be blessed. 

§  Nations that oppress God's people will be punished.

§  Israel will be restored.

§  A New Heaven and a New Earth is coming.

 

Let us conclude our study of Isaiah with these considerations. . .

 

1. The Description of the People's Obstinacy, Isa 65:1-5


Isaiah 65:1-5 (NIV)
1"I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me.  To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' 2All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations—3a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick; 4who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of unclean meat; 5who say, 'Keep away; don't come near me, for I am too sacred for you!' Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.

 

2.. The Declaration of  God's Intent, Isa 65:6-10

 

a. He will judge the people's sins, Isa 65:6-7.

           
Isaiah 65:6-7 (NIV)
6"See, it stands written before me:  I will not keep silent but will pay back in full;  will pay it back into their laps—7both your sins and the sins of your fathers," says the LORD.  "Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills, I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds."

 

b. He will preserve a remnant to inherit the land, Isa 65:8-10


Isaiah 65:8-10 (NIV)
8This is what the LORD says:  "As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and men say, 'Don't destroy it, there is yet some good in it,' so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all.  9I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live.  10Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me..

 

c. He will mete out justice to unfaithful and the faithful, Isa 65:11-16

 

1) The indictment against the unfaithful, Isa 65:11-12.


Isaiah 65:11-12 (NIV)
11"But as for you who forsake the LORD and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, 12I will destine you for the sword, and you will all bend down for the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen.  You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me."

 

2) The outcomes for the unfaithful versus the faithful,
Isa 65:13-15.


Isaiah 65:13-15 (NIV)
13Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: 

"My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.  14My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit.  15You will leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse; the Sovereign LORD will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name.

 

3) The devotion of the faithful remnant, Isa 66:16


Isaiah 65:16 (NIV)
16Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth; he who takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth.  For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.

 

d. He will create a new heavens and a new earth, Isa 65:17-19.

 

1) No more tears, Isa 65:17-19—more joy


Isaiah 65:17-19 (NIV)
17"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth.  The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

18But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create  Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.  19I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.

 

2) No more infant death, Isa 65:20 –more life


Isaiah 65:20 (NIV) 20"Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

 

3) No more fruitless labor, Isa 65:21-22—more fruit


Isaiah 65:21-22 (NIV)
21They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.  22No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat.  For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands.

 

4) No more destitute children, Isa 65:23-24—more blessing


Isaiah 65:23-24 (NIV)
23They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them.  24Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.

 

5) No more enmity, Isa 65:25—more peace.


Isaiah 65:25 (NIV)
25The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food.  They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD.

 

3. The Decrying of False Worship, Isa 66:1-6

 

a. A human-made temple is at best a symbol of God's habitation,
Isa 66:1-2a.


Isaiah 66:1-2a (NIV)
1This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.  Where is the house you will build for me?  Where will my resting place be?  2aHas not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?"  declares the LORD. 

 

b. A repentant spirit is the best sacrifice a human can make, Isa 662b.


Isaiah 66:2b (NIV)
2b"This is the one I esteem:  he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

 

c. A defiant people is bringing abominable sacrifices to the Lord,
Isa 66:3.


Isaiah 66:3 (NIV)
3But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a man, and whoever offers a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig's blood, and whoever burns memorial incense, like one who worships an idol.  They have chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in their abominations;

 

d. A displeased God will bring them their worst fears, Isa 66:4.


Isaiah 66:4 (NIV)
4so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring upon them what they dread.  For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened.  They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me."

 

e. A dishonored  God will cleanse His temple for the persecution of His servants, Isa 66:5-6.


Isaiah 66:5-6 (NIV)
5Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word:  "Your brothers who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, 'Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy!'  Yet they will be put to shame.  6Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple!  It is the sound of the LORD repaying his enemies all they deserve.

 

4. The Displaying of God's Power to Restore, Isa 66:7-13

 

a. The restoration will be swift, Isa 66:7-8.


Isaiah 66:7-8 (NIV)
7"Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son.  8Who has ever heard of such a thing?  Who has ever seen such things?  Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment?  Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.

 

b. The restoration will be complete, Isa 66:9-10.


Isaiah 66:9-10 (NIV)
9Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?" says the LORD.  "Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?" says your God.  10"Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her.

 

c. The restoration will be comforting, Isa 66:11-13.


Isaiah 66:11-13 (NIV)
11For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance."  12For this is what the LORD says:  "I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees.  13As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."

 

d. The restoration will necessitate preceding judgment upon all men, Isa 66:14-16.


Isaiah 66:14-16 (NIV)
14When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes.  15See, the LORD is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.  16For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the LORD.

 

1) Judgment come upon the unfaithful in Israel, Isa 66:17


Isaiah 66:17 (NIV) 17"Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following the one in the midst of£ those who eat the flesh of pigs and rats and other abominable things—they will meet their end together," declares the LORD.

 

2) Enlightenment will come upon the nations, Isa 66:18


Isaiah 66:18 (NIV) 18"And I, because of their actions and their imaginations, am about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory.

 

3) God's glory will be proclaimed by the remnant, Isa 66:19.


Isaiah 66:19 (NIV) 19"I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans£ and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.

 

4) God's people will be brought back to Jerusalem as an offering made to God by all the nations, Isa 66:20.


Isaiah 66:20 (NIV) 20And they will bring all your brothers, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels," says the LORD. "They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the LORD in ceremonially clean vessels. 

 

5) God will select new priests and Levites to offer spiritual service in the temple, Isa 66:21.


Isaiah 66:21 (NIV) 21And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites," says the LORD.

 

6) God will establish Israel as a nation forever, Isa 66:22.


Isaiah 66:22 (NIV) 22"As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me," declares the LORD, "so will your name and descendants endure. 

 

7) God will be worshiped among all nations, Isa 66:23.


Isaiah 66:23 (NIV) 23From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me," says the LORD. 

 

8) The nations will look upon the dead disobedient and be reminded of their eternal doom, Isa 66:24.


Isaiah 66:24 (NIV) 24"And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind."

 

Relevance

 

1. God condemns those who manufacture their own gospel to fit their own purposes, Gal 1:6-8.


Galatians 1:8 (NIV) 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 

 

2. God honors the righteous but judges obstinate and unrepentant  sinners,
1 Cor 6:9-11.


1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV) 9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders  10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 

3. God is bringing a new heaven and a new earth where the righteous in Christ will live in perfect wholeness and peace, Rev 21:1-4.


Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV) 1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

 

4. God will use His work among the Gentile nations to make them envious and draw them back to Himself to receive their promised blessings, Rom 11:11-12.


Romans 11:11-12 (NIV)
11Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.  12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

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