Isaiah
65 reminds me of a bittersweet song from my youth called “Only the
Good Die Young”. I remember it came on the radio on the way to a
funeral for a high school friend that was tragically killed in a car
accident. One of the lines boasts, “I’d rather laugh with the
sinners than cry with the saints- the sinners are much more fun”.
This perspective has been adopted by so many today as heaven is
pictured as stark and joyless, while hell is party central. In
today’s chapter, God Himself speaks to both the rebels and those
that receive His mercy. He begins, “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 believe He is talking about the Gentiles, of whom the Jewish
leaders asked Jesus “Why
do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?“.
God describes His relationship with the children of Israel, “All
day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people, who walk in
ways not good… who continually provoke Me to My very face“.
He describes the self-righteous hypocrites that “spend
their nights keeping secret vigil“,
yet rebuke others with, “Keep
away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!“.
God says, that irritates Him like “smoke
in My nostrils“. He says to
the Jewish people, “I will…
pay back in full… both your sins and the sins of your ancestors…
for their former deeds“. Are
you running with a dangerous crowd?
Next
God describes His people as a cluster of grapes and declares, “I
will not destroy them all“;
instead, He will select each individually. On one hand blessings
for, “My people who seek Me“.
But, “As for you who forsake
the Lord…
you will fall in 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“. He adds,
“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… wail in brokenness of spirit“.
These are the Children of Abraham, are the Gentiles held to a
different standard? “All who
sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all
who sin under the law will be judged by the law”
(Romans 2:12). It is much more than just getting a reputation.
The
chapter closes with a promise, “I
will create new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be
remembered, nor will they come to mind“.
The question of the ages is, when will this happen? I believe this
is during the thousand year reign of Messiah after His second coming.
Satan will be bound, and for a time, Jesus Himself will be ruler of
this world. The Lord promises, “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“.
During this time life on Earth will resemble our home before sin
entered the world, “The one who
dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child… My chosen ones will
long enjoy the work of their hands… for they will be a people
blessed by the Lord…
Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will
hear… The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like
the ox“.
This is what the disciples were
expecting, rather than the crucifixion. But we will not experience
heaven on earth. Justice will be perfect, and yet, the Bible teaches
after this, many will not accept Christ as Savior. Satan will
deceive and judgment will be pronounced. The one and only lesson to
learn is that none of us can be good enough on our own. Hebrews 9:27
says, “People are destined to
die once, and after that to face judgment… Christ was sacrificed
once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time…
to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him“.
Now do you have enough information?