Isaiah The God of the Covenant Isaiah 65:1-16

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1 Isaiah The God of the Covenant Isaiah 65:1-16 O ne of the of the problems with religiosity is the assumption that humanity has its own answers to life. Self-righteousness leads to arrogance, self-deifica tion, and irrational thinking. Consider the following statement from the Scientology website. The word Scientology literally means the study of truth. It comes from the Latin word scio meaning knowing in the fullest sense of the word and the Greek word logos meaning study of. Scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these: Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability. In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results. Through Scientology, people all over the world are achieving the long-sought goal of true spiritual release and freedom. 1 And the validation of this kind of truth is pragmatism, whatever works is true. But this kind of thinking is irrational, rebellious, and can even be immoral because it isn t grounded in God s truth, but fallen truth. Describes this kind of truth when he states: This pragmatic understanding of truth is still essentially relativistic; it reduces truth to what I think works or what currently works for me or what, in light of current social arrangements or realities, is useful for me to do or think. Pragmatism is a reduction of truth to utility and sets truth on a foundation of shifting sand it is me, and not external reality, that determines what I think is pragmatically right at the present time. My definition of usefulness may change later, as may my aims, hence what is pragmatically true for me now may not be pragmatically true for me in the future. 2 And Scientology s statement of the definition of truth can and would be claimed by almost all Western religions. If it works, it must be true. But God s truth is radically different and this is what Israel has to come to terms with. I Introduction II God and Israel Verses 1-7 A. An Offer of Mercy Verses 1-5a B. A Warning of Judgment Verses 5b-7 III God and His Children Verses Stetson, Brad, and Joseph G. Conti, The Truth About Tolerance, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, 2005, p. 68

2 A. A Promise of Restoration Verses 8-10 B. A Promise of Wrath Verses IV Contrasts Verses V Conclusion After all this, O LORD, will you hold yourself back? Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure? ~ Isaiah 64:12 Introduction: Last time we saw Israel s turnaround which will occur sometime in the future. It involves a recognition of sin and its consequences. There will be repentance and reconnecting with God. For the faithful remnant it seemed God wasn t responding to them. So they asked the question found at the end Chapter 64. Here God answers it. Verses 1-5a: There is a real split over how the first couple of verses here should be interpreted. Jewish scholarship understands verses 1 and 2 as God s response to the Jews. The Holy One, blessed be He, replies to him, It is impossible not to avenge Myself on them, for I allowed Myself to be sought by them by reproving them through My prophets, but they did not ask. [Rashi] Redak explains: God replies to the people in exile that the length of the exile is due to the sins of the fathers who worshipped idols and to their own sins, for their transgressing the commandments. 3 A quick reading of verse 1 creates the impression God isn t answering the Jew s question. This leads to the traditional Christian interpretation of the Verse. Verse 1 shows God moving toward the Gentiles. He says He reached out to a people who weren t seeking Him. Verse 2 on the other hand does seem to be directed to the Jew. We can certainly accept this traditional interpretation because of Paul s words in Romans 10: And Isaiah boldly says, I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me. But concerning Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people. (Romans 10:20-21). Clearly Paul is applying verse 1 to the Gentiles and Verse 2 to the Jews. The point being, God s mercy through the Messiah is available to all who will receive it. And the balance of the verses in this first section expand on the rebelliousness of the Hebrew children. After all, as we saw over the last weeks, remembering our sin and God s mercy is the foundation of gratefulness and praise. It also reminds us that our security is in God, not ourselves. Now we do get an answer to the question. Why has God kept silent? Because of the sin of the nation. Israel s rebellion led to the Babylonian exile. A hardened heart has always kept most of the nation separate from God. This was the case both during the Babylonian exile and continuing on through the Diaspora. This rebellion has led to suffering and rejection, but no matter how it looks, all this was intended to first break and then restore the Jewish people. 3 Rosenberg, Rabbi A., Isaiah, Vol. 2, The Judaica Press, Inc., New York, NY, 1992, p ) 490 (

3 The specific rebellion is again presented as continuous idolatry. The worship and sacrifice which belongs to God has gone to pagan idols and gods. Whether the people have literally violated kosher laws (see verse 6) or their sins are illustrated by this behavior doesn t matter. What matters is when God s children are in rebellion, it affects all aspects of their lives. And religiosity also gives a sense of pride, of superiority. Once someone is self-satisfied in their own spirituality, they don t need God on His terms. To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: God, I thank you that I am not like other men robbers, evildoers, adulterers or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. (Luke 18:9-12). The people may have also got involved with occultism. The practice of sitting among the graves may reflect an attempt to speak to the dead. 4 Verses 5b-7: At some point God said enough is enough. But with God this means, since you wouldn t voluntarily come back on your own, I ll make things difficult enough that you ll change your mind about being on your own. Or, one more time: night vigils in graveyards. Many individuals who practiced necromancy (contacting the spirits of the dead,) in the ancient Near East spent the night in the graveyards, waiting for communication from the dead. This is similar to incubation rituals Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Galatians 6:7-8). For a fire has been kindled by my wrath, one that burns to the realm of death below. It will devour the earth and its harvests and set afire the foundations of the mountains (Deuteronomy 32:22). Verses 8-10: God has plenty of reason to discipline Israel. In fact, He had enough reason to destroy her and start over. I have seen these people, the LORD said to Moses, and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation. But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. O LORD, he said, why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you 4 Walton, John H., Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, ) 491 (

4 swore by your own self: I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever. Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened (Exodus 32:9-14). But God is merciful, since we know there is a preserved remnant, the elect in Israel, described in these sections. God is a covenant-keeping God and because of Him promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He will rescue those who are still faithful to him. And He will restore their land. Verses 11-12: Bottom line: it doesn t matter if someone is Jewish or Gentile. Rejection of God leads to destruction. Obedience and turning to Him, accepting Christ s sacrifice for sin, is the basis for salvation. God offered His mercy and restoration to the remnant we ve seen in the previous chapters. Here he warns of judgment on those who reject His mercy. Those who are predestined to judgment (see verse 12) are in that position because of their own choices. And they are in this situation because of their persistent idolatry. Buksbazen notes: Who prepare a table for Gad [the idol of Fortune] Who fill a mixed portion for Meni [the idol of Destiny] Gad and Meni were the gods of Fortune and Destiny, worshipped among the Semitic peoples and identified later by the Greeks and Romans with Jupiter and Venus. The prophet declares that Jehovah alone is the sole controller of the destiny of men and nations. To worship good luck or good fortune idols is a denial of the sovereignty of the LORD. It is hardly necessary to mention that the ancient cults of Gad and Meni have their modern counterpoints in astrology, chiromancy (palmistry), card reading, fortune telling, etc. 5 Verses 13-16: Finally we have a comparison chart, showing the different dispositions for the righteous and the sinful. There are a few ways to understand this passage. It can be spiritualized and be seen as referring to eternity. There are certainly principals which can be applied in this manner. But as we will see next time from the remainder of the passage, there is also a more literal way of understanding the passage. Those who are obedient to God will enter His millennial kingdom and be blessed accordingly, whereas the unrighteous and the rebellious will be judged and not allowed to enter the kingdom. 1. The righteous will eat and drink of the Lord. Certainly this is true both spiritually and physically. The lost will starve in both ways. 2. Those who are obedient will be able to rejoice. Those who are rebellious will be put to shame. 3. The righteous will sing while the lost will cry and wail. 4. The lost will be used as an example of God s judgment, when curses are uttered. The righteous will get a new name: Blessed. 5 Buksbazen, Victor, The Prophet Isaiah, In Two Volumes, The Spearhead Press, Collingswood, NJ, 1971, p ) 492 (

5 Buksbazen notes, speaking of the name for a curse : Literally for a swear word or curse. The name of the ungodly shall be used as a grim warning when it will be said: So may the Lord God slay thee (as He did those wicked men). 6 Grogan closes this section, one which leads to a description of the new heaven and new earth. The true servants of God will have a new name (v.15, cf. Rev 2:17), perhaps the name of their God (Rev 3:12), the God of truth (v.16, cf. Rev 3:14). This name is unique to this passage in the OT and so appropriate to a description of the eschatological climax in which all God s promises will be fulfilled and his truth demonstrated. The final promise of v.16 takes its significance from the fact that the nation s troubles had been the result of its sins. This full and free forgiveness would be achieved through the sacrifice of God s Servant (ch. 53). He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name (Revelation 2:17; 3:12). What is the difference between the righteous and unrighteousness? These groups were both made up of sinners. The nation as a whole was in rebellion. The situation is a lot like what we find in the New Testament with Peter and Judas. They both betrayed Christ. But in both situations there is a significant difference. The righteous repent of their sins and turn to God for forgiveness and therefore receive His mercy. And the final fulfillment of God s grace and mercy is an eternity with Him. Then 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. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And 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. 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 (Revelation 21:1-4). But more on this next week. Conclusion: One of the constant arguments we hear from the non-believer is how dare God judge someone simply because they don t believe in Christ? After all, many people are religious and worship god. They are sincere. They are good people. That should be enough. But isn t that the epitome of rebellion, not being willing to take God on His terms but rather expecting God to accept them on theirs? 6 Ibid., p ) 493 (

6 The point we find here is that true joy, (and isn t that back to where we started a few weeks ago? )peace, comfort, all come from obedience and dependence on God. What the lost don t understand is that in trying to find their own path to fulfillment they have no chance in finding it. It is only in giving up self-direction in favor of God s leading that we can truly discover who we are. An interesting exercise for this week might be to examine our circumstances and see where we have been walking our own path, rather than the one set before us by the Lord. This isn t to say we are in intentional rebellion. But sometimes we wander off the path just because we are overwhelmed by life. So if we want to get back on the right track, and I assume we do, then we will be willing to do what is necessary to get back to where God wants us to be. So let s remember what the psalmist said, for when we do, we will stay on the righteous side of the list. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. ) 494 (

7 Isaiah The God of the Covenant Isaiah 65:1-16 I Introduction II God and Israel Verses 1-7 A. An Offer of Mercy Verses 1-5a B. A Warning of Judgment Verses 5b-7 III God and His Children Verses 8-12 A. A Promise of Restoration Verses 8-10 B. A Promise of Wrath Verses IV Contrasts Verses V Conclusion I Introduction: (Isaiah 64:12) II God and Israel: A. An Offer of Mercy: (Romans 10:20-21; Luke 18:9-12) B. A Warning of Judgment: (Galatians 6:7-8; Deuteronomy 32:22)

8 III God and His Children: A. A Promise of Restoration: (Exodus 32:9-14) B. A Promise of Wrath: IV Contrasts: (Revelation 2:17, 3:12, 21:1-4; see Revelation 21:14) IV Conclusion: (Psalm 1) Personal Application: Let us consider the possibility that we may have momentarily gotten off God s path and ask Him to direct us back to it. Prayer for the Week: Lord, even though there are times we wander away from the narrow way, You love us and bring us back. In Christ s name, amen.