Isaiah
Chapter 65
Isaiah 65:1-7
1 I am sought of them that asked not for me;
I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me,
unto a nation that was not called by my name.
2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious
people, which walketh in a way that was not
good, after their own thoughts;
3 A people that provoketh me to
anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in
gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments,
which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their
vessels;
5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am
holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep
silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers
together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense
upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure
their former work into their bosom.
Verse 1 is a reference to Gentiles,
but verse 2 reverts back to Israel!
Keep in mind that Abraham was a
card-carrying Gentile when he became the father of the faithful, the physical
father of Israel!
God said, “I am sought of them
that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not!
The
New America Standard Bible offers an interesting translation.
Isaiah 65:1 "I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me;
I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here am
I, here am I,' To a nation which did not call on My
name. (NASB)
The
NASB reflects the fact that unless the Holy Spirit opens our hearts, and minds
to Christ, we shall not trust Him!
To that end, God beckoned to a
people who were not identified with Him, Gentiles!
In Verse 2, God tells us that he summoned
a rebellious people, Israel, who did what was adverse to themselves!
Gentiles are not that “rebellious” people.
Israel had the Law that they refused to follow and as such were
“rebellious!”
Israel continually aggravated Him to
His very face by worshipping false gods, gods who were dead and buried! They ate that which is unclean and abominable!
Their response was to tell Gentiles, “Don’t bother me, I am better/holier than
you!” Israel remembered why it was chosen, but forgot why it was chosen!
Isaiah says, “These are a
smoke in my nose.” They stink!
Verse 6 tells something many would
rather not read!
God warns Israel, “See, This has
been written! I will no longer keep quiet! I will give full payment!
Yahweh said, “You sins and the sins
of your fathers, which have burned as an insult upon my holy hills shall be
dealt with!
God warned millennia ago, “My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Gen 6:3a).
Do
you believe that?
Isaiah
65:8-10
8 Thus saith the LORD, As the new
wine is found in the cluster, and one saith,
Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants'
sakes, that I may not destroy them all.
9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of
Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my
servants shall dwell there.
10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people
that have sought me.
Now, God seems to limit salvation. This may have lead to the false teaching of
limited atonement theory of so many Christians.
God proclaims, “As the new wine is found in the whole cluster, and someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it
because it is blessed,’ so it will be for my servants' sakes! I will not
destroy them all.
“I will bring a seed out of Jacob, and Judah, and My elect shall inherit it, and my
servants shall dwell there.
“The Plain of Sharon shall be a place of safety for My
flocks, and the valley of Achor a pleasant place for
My herds, because My people that have sought me.
Isaiah
65:11-16
11 But
ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that
prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that
number.
12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all
bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and
did choose that wherein I delighted not.
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord
GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants
shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye
shall be ashamed:
14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye
shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen:
for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
16 That he who blesseth himself in
the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth;
because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine
eyes.
Again, Isaiah’s words turn to
judgment!
God warns those that forsake
Yahweh, and forget about His holy mountain! That mountain is not the temple
mount! It is Mt Zion, the place of David’s tabernacle of praise.
God promised;
Acts
15:16-17
16 After
this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David,
which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set
it up:
17 That
the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom
my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all
these things.
In Acts 15:16 God the Son says when
He will rebuild the Tabernacle, and in Acts 15:17 He says why!
His holy mountain, Zion, is the
place being prepared for a great feast, the marriage feats of the Lamb! But,
what He says to Israel is harsh. Very
few Jews today believe the Bible, even the Hebrew Scripture. Oh, they may be able to quote it, but they
don’t believe it!
Because of their unbelief they
were destined for the sword, physical death! That prophecy came during the
holocaust of WWII!
Due to their lack of hearing the
Lord, Israel was destined to eat and still suffer hunger, to drick and remain thirsty! That was a famine of the word
that Israel has suffered for two millennia!
Israel’s songs of joy are now sung with heavy hearts!
In verse 15, we find that the lost shall cast away the name of the LORD and
curse the chosen One, Christ Jesus! In
return, He shall “slay” (Heb műt-מוּת) them!
That has already taken place. Those who do not acknowledge
Christ are already dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1)! However, those
who are dead may be brought back to life in Christ Jesus!
In considering the fate of the lost, we must also admit that
when they turn and acknowledge Christ, they shall be “called by another name!”
Blessing is only a blessing if it causes Godliness and
Truth!
God tells us that “the former troubles are forgotten, and
because they are hidden from mine eyes.”
Isaiah
65:17-25
17 For, behold,
I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered,
nor come into mind.
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create
Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and
the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an
old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years
old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and
they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not
plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my
people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain,
nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the
LORD, and their offspring with them.
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will
answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion
shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy
mountain, saith the LORD.
Some may assume that the new heavens and the new earth are
only foretold in Revelation. However, verse 17 refers to the new creation! And
again, we find that the former things shall not be remembered, nor come to
mind.
Some teach that this refers to the millennial reign of
Christ. However, the New Heaven and the
New Earth come into existence after the millennial reign. At that time all
shall be created anew. And so, there shall be no more need to recall the
sin-corrupted former things!
We
are to be glad and rejoice in what God does knowing that all things work
together for good all things work together for good to those who love God, to
them who are the called according to his purpose.
Universal joy shall be the result of the new creation! When
extreme joy is the “norm” weeping shall be a thing of the past!
In that day, men shall fulfill the complete will of God! Isaiah was a Jewish
Prophet, and as wonderful as God told them His will is for mankind, Isaiah
still spoke in negative terms! Perhaps that is a way of telling Israel not to
become complacent in their being chosen.
Many Jews in Jesus day and today rely completely on being chosen and
think they can do anything “they” choose! History does not agree! That mental condition carries over into verse
20!
Jews have difficulty in thinking beyond the physical realm! Those
who follow Christ shall live far beyond what we now see and understand! Their “work”
shall not be in vain! True peace shall be normal!
In verse 14, we find that God provides prior to the need!
The greatest example is Christ Jesus who was the “Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world!
In the world to come all conflict shall be eliminated!