Tag: Isaiah

tim mossholder dbkw2gk6u8e unsplash

Isaiah- Week 13- Day 1- Isaiah 65:17-20

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Joy

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.   

Isaiah 65:17-20

Explanation:

There are all kinds of worries that can steal your hope.  If you want to be worried, then watch lots of news and pay a lot of attention to the politicians.  Another way to worry is to pay a lot of attention to the stock market.  Social media can leave you with all kinds of tension as you compare entire life to the highlights of other people’s lives. 

I would have you fill in the blank for what brings worry and fear into your life, but it is probably not good to dwell on these.  For many people these things are top of mind anyway.  Little effort is needed to develop this kind of list.

If our future focus does not include what God tells us will happen for believers in the future, we will inevitably be without much hope.  Conversely, when we understand what God has planned as He has revealed it to us, we will have so much hope!  Jesus said it this way:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  (2)  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.   

John 14:1-3

God sent Jesus to redeem us from our sins.  Because of this reality, those who trust in Him have an incredible future.  I want us to look at Isaiah 65:17-24 today for precisely that reason.  I want our future focus to be hopeful by seeing God’s plans for us.

Now to give you some context, this text clearly speaks of the future kingdom of God.  It speaks of our future.  Isaiah is speaking to a Jewish audience. To full grasp the future that this text is speaking about, you need to understand that whole of the teaching regarding God’s future kingdom points to two aspects of this future kingdom.  There will be a temporal aspect, and an eternal aspect.

Keep in mind the order of events:

  • (1) the rapture of the church (1Th_4:13-18);
  • (2) the rise of Antichrist (2Th_2:1-17);
  • (3) the breaking of Antichrist’s seven-year covenant with the Jews (Dan_9:27) after three and a half years;
  • (4) the pouring out of God’s wrath on the world (Mat_24:15-28) to judge the Gentiles and purify Israel;
  • (5) the return of Christ with the church to the earth to defeat the nations (Rev_19:11-21, Armageddon)
  • (6) the establishing of the millennial kingdom (Rev_20:1-6),
  • (7) the release of Satan from the prison to deceive the nations and to ultimately be defeated in battle (Rev 20:7-10),
  • (8) the Great White throne judgement (Revelation 20:11-15), 
  • (9)and then the eternal state with the coming of the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 21).

The metaphor has been made that Isaiah sees the future the way we see mountains from afar.  We can see them in the distance, but we cannot tell the distance between them.  We see the peaks but not the valleys.  One commentator, speaking of both the millennial (temporal) kingdom and the eternal kingdom:

“The prophet uses the eternal kingdom here as a reference point for both. Isaiah’s prophecy does not make clear the chronological relationship between the kingdom’s two aspects as does later prophecy (Rev. 20:1-21:8). This is similar to the compression of Christ’s first and second advents, so that in places they are indistinguishable (cf. Isa_61:1-2).”

(Macarthur)

Essentially in the list above Isaiah speaks of some of life in both number 6 and number 9.  So, this particular passage gives some details that will all be true in the future for us.  Some of the details are true in the millennial (temporal) kingdom but not in the eternal kingdom.  Some of the details are true only in the eternal kingdom.  Some of the details are true in both.

Either way, when we focus on this future that is described it will be bring us all kinds of hope.  Why?  Because of what will happen for us in this preferred future when we know Christ.

Hope can be ours when we see the results of God’s future kingdom, and by living in light of these results that are described in Isaiah 65:17-24.  When we know what our future will be, it will impact how we live now. 

In today’s text, verses 1-3, we see the first result of this future kingdom.  That result is joy.

Why is there so much joy? 

For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.  

There will be in the future, a new heaven and a new earth.  This earth, although it is beautiful, has been cursed by sin.  God makes a new one that is free from sin, pain, and death.

Look at all of the words of joy in verses 18 and 19.

(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.

Isaiah 65:18-19

Notice the words spoken of Israel:

  • “glad”
  • “rejoice”
  • “a rejoicing”

Then the words spoken about God Himself

  • “I will rejoice”
  • “joy in my people”

Another reason for such joy is the sheer lack of sorrow spoke of in verse 19.  There will be no more weeping or crying.  Why?  The things that produced all of those sorrows are gone!

Verse 20 explains it this way:

(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.   

Isaiah 65:17-20

This verse is obviously true of the temporal kingdom, during the millennial reign.  In the eternal kingdom there will be no more death.  Even in the millennial kingdom, God will allow for length of life and a severely declining infant mortality rate.

Application:

Imagine a world characterized by an abundance of joy with little to no hint of sorrow.    Imagine a world where God dwell with his people, where he will wipe all tears from our eyes.  This will be an incredible thing.  Paul spoke of it this way in Romans 8:18:

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Romans 8:18

The intensity of the greatest sorrow that we feel down here is not worthy to be compared with the intensity of the joy that we will experience in the incredible future God has for us! 

The intensity of the greatest sorrow that we feel down here is not worthy to be compared with the intensity of the joy that we will experience in the incredible future God has for us! 

Response:

Are you down and discouraged today?  Are you worried or anxious?  Hope in God!  Take some time to thank God for this incredible future He has planned.

jack sharp shcvvqbqbdk unsplash

Isaiah- Week 12- Day 5- Isaiah 58:9-0

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

God blesses obedient worship.

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.  (9)  Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.

Isaiah 58:8-9a

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:  (11)  And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.  (12)  And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. 

Isaiah 58:10-12 

Explanation:

Most fathers love to bless their children.  This is a point that Jesus made.

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  (12)  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  (13)  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Luke 11:11-13 

In this passage God has answered the question of those in Israel who were asking why God did not seem to be responding to their expressions of worship.  He told them that they were practicing oppression and selfishness along with their worship.  The remedy He called for was to offer expressions of worship that lead to sanctification, mercy, justice, generosity, selflessness, fleeing injustice and expressing compassion. In today’s verses we see that the results of these expressions of genuine worship toward God would lead to the blessings of God in their lives.  Look at the expressions of blessing God promises will be poured out to the children of Israel when they forsook empty worship, and worshipped God authentically:

Light

“Then shall thy light break forth as the morning…” v.8

“then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday…” v.10 

Health

“and thine health shall spring forth speedily…” v.8

Righteousness

“and thy righteousness shall go before thee…” v.8

Reward

“the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward..” v.9

Answered Prayer

“then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am….” v.9

Guidance

“And the LORD shall guide thee continually…” v. 11

Provision

“…and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” . v.11

Legacy

“And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”  v.12

Application:

Do you want to live under the blessing of God?  Do you want to have a legacy of being used by God to make a difference in the lives of those around you?  If you do, you must reject empty ritualism.  You must reject oppression and selfishness.  You must reject a kind of worship that seeks to manipulate God into getting what you want.  You must understand that God expects genuine, authentic worship.  God’s desire is to bless those who are obedient.  The first step of obedience is to trust in Christ as your personal Savior.  We must acknowledge our sin and repent.  We must turn to Him by faith, knowing that outside of Jesus Christ we are lost and still in our sin.  Once we are saved, we can offer God worship that honors and glorifies Him.  We become one of His kids, and like a loving Father, He blesses His obedient children.

Response:

Do you know Christ as Savior?  Jesus said that no man comes to the Father except by Him.  Trust in Christ today?

Believers, is your worship of God regular and authentic?  God blesses obedience!

larm rmah aeatunvneik unsplash

Isaiah- Week 12- Day 4- Isaiah 58:9-10

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

God expects authentic worship.

(v9b) If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; (10a)  And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul;

Explanation:

In today’s text we see more behaviors in keeping with authentic worship.  These behaviors are expressed as conditions that will bring about certain results.  Notice these behaviors that God expects:

Forsaking Injustice

“If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity…”

The “yoke” here speaks to an expression of oppression. “Putting forth of the finger” is less clear but may allude to the body language that comes when people fight, mock, or scoff.  To speak vanity is to say things that are either untrue, unhelpful, or even sinful.  When put into context regarding our attitude and actions toward those around, we see that God’s desire is for people that worship him to get rid of systems and behaviors that truly oppress and victimize.

Expressing Compassion

“and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul…”

The expression here “draw out thy soul” speaks to not just helping people for the sake of appeasing your conscience or helping out of sheer duty.  God’s desire is there to be a genuine love that motivates our helping those who are in need and afflicted.  It is not enough to just hope that needs are met, we must do what we can to see that needs are met. Authentic Worship will lead to good works.  James said it this way:

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  (15)  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,  (16)  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?  (17)  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.   

James 2:14-17

Application:

What authenticates a person’s claim to faith and authentic worship is a life that exhibits what they say they believe.  Our walk must match our talk.   If we love God, then we will love what He loves.  This means we will love others and want what is best for them.

Response:

Is there someone you can help genuinely and wisely help in a tangible way today?

josh appel 0nkfvdcm x4 unsplash

Isaiah- Week 12- Day 3

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

God expects authentic worship.

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?  (7)  Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

(Isaiah 58:6-7)

Explanation:

So what does authentic fasting look like?  What is the fruit of right worship.  Authentic worship is exhibited through righteous living.  Fasting was a practice that was prescribed so as to make people closer to the Lord and to produce certain results in their lives.  God says that the fast that He had chosen lead to the following results:

  • Sanctification- “to loose the bands of wickedness”
  • Mercy- “to undo the heavy burdens”
  • Justice- “to let the oppressed go free and that ye break every yoke”
  • Generosity- “to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast over thy house? when thou seest the naked and thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh”

Application:

Far from worship being self-serving, worship was intended to help us prioritize God andto  make a difference in the world. Worship is not supposed to lead to fighting.  Worship is supposed to lead to service.  Worship isn’t supposed to lead to manipulating God for what we want.  Worship is supposed to align our hearts with God so that He can lead us to do His will.

Response:

Are you worshipping God through your life today?  It will look like sanctification, mercy, justice, generosity and more.