Chapter 65 of Isaiah begins with God’s answer to Isaiah’s prayerful answer of how long will you hold yourself back from us? 64:12 “After all this, Lord, will you hold yourself back?
Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure?” The Lord answers Isaiah by saying He has revealed himself to those who did not ask and to His people even in their obstinance. 65:1-2 ““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.’
2 All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good,
pursuing their own imaginations—” The Lord continues His discussion through verse16. I am encouraged by verses 13-15 as the Lord explains how those who are His servants will be treated differently. “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.14 My 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.15 You will leave your name
for my chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign Lord will put you to death,
but to his servants he will give another name.” This shows a stark contrast in the way God will treat those who love and serve Him!
An exceptional portion filled with beautiful language begins in verses 17-25. Just as God had promised Isaiah to reveal new things (Isaiah 42:9 and 48:6), He does so here. He allows us a glimpse of what our world will be like in heaven. The New Heavens and New Earth are described here and reflect the similar message given in Revelation.
“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more. Revelation 7:17b ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes “
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; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. Revelation 21:4 ‘He 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.”
21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 No 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 work of their hands. Revelation 21:7 “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”
23 They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord. Revelation 22:1-5 ” Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
I had not realized how similar this description given to Isaiah parallel the descriptions given to John in Revelation. God’s Word is consistent and reassuring beginning to end. We are His and He does not change His standards or rewards from generation to generation. Cling to our immutable God and claim Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” we can know He has a glorious future awaiting us and will treat us as ones He loves.
Linda
Fearless Living 