The Last Days According To Isaiah Isaiah 66:1-24 Introduction

Transcription

1 Introduction The chapter s theme is worship; true worship and false worship. Why is there false worship? Because we live in a fallen world. Sin invaded our universe with the rebellion and disobedience of our first parents. There is something terribly wrong with our world. We need a Savior. The chapter begins by confronting false worship (vv.10-15) and concludes with celebrating true and endless worship (vv.22-23). Why does God care so passionately about the authenticity of our worship? Because every church service is where the new creation is struggling to break in, where human hearts are deciding whether their Christianity will resist the future God has promised or whether their Christianity will become the future God has promised. And true worship is so counterintuitive that, as it rises and sweeps through a church, inevitably it will be criticized (Ray Ortlund; God Saves Sinners; p.451). A Look At The Last Temple (vv.1-6) A Look At The Future Restored City (vv.7-14) A Look At The Last Judgment (vv.15-18) A Look At The Future Heavens And Earth (vv.22-23) A Look At The Future Fate Of The Unrepentant (v.24) There are other themes in the final chapter; that run throughout the book of Isaiah; the themes of judgment and hope. Judgment for the false worshipper, hope for the true worshipper. A Look At The Last Temple (vv.1-6) Isaiah 66:1; This is what the LORD says: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that? Could you build a dwelling place for me? God does not dwell in buildings; God is a Spirit. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere at once. The universe, vast and expansive is used as a metaphor to describe God s throne or seat. The earth is described as something as small as a footstool. The universe itself is simply to confined, to limited to contain the presence of Almighty God. Isaiah 66:2 ; For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist, Says the Lord. but on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. Where does God dwell? 1

2 1 Corinthians 3:16; Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 6:19; Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? If a person builds a building, or a church, it is no guarantee that the Spirit of the Lord will show up. The Lord God dwell with the person who is humble, contrite, submitted, and who trembles at His Word! Think of the implications of that one simple statement; the person who loves the Lord, who acknowledges His greatness; His beauty, His majesty; who is contrite before the Lord; who bows to the Lord; who is humble, who acknowledges his or her unworthiness and sin; who confesses and repents of sin; who respects the Bible; believes the Bible; and shudders or trembles at the thought of disobeying God s Word; this is the person who God accepts. Someone might say; No--God accepts everybody! Not really. Isaiah 66:3 ; He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dogs neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swines blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations, The Bible seems to consistently say there are two kinds of people in the world; those who come to the Lord on the Lord s terms; and those who refuse to come to the Lord on the Lord s terms. God does not accept every form of worship. We live in a culture and society that attempts to present itself in terms of graciousness and toleration. We tolerate all religions and and all forms of religious expression. Because a government or a culture tolerates all forms of worship; some mistakenly believe God tolerates all form of worship. Not true! Our government and culture seems intolerant of the worship of the true and living God who reveals Himself in the Bible, and the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Who does God reject as a worshipper? Those who go through the religious motions; but their heart is far from God. Those who go through the motions but their mind and heart are in rebellion against God. Who is rejected by God? The person who lives under the delusion they can live as they want; apart from God; the person who ignores or simply disobeys God s Word, God s commands; their worship is unacceptable. It doesn t matter if the show up at church (or the Temple) everyday. What the Lord says is shocking and disturbing for those who love religion, who love spirituality, but aren t particularly fond of the revelation of God in the Scripture. The person who approaches God with an impure, unkind, disobedient heart is the same as the worship of the unrepentant murderer; the person who offers a dog or a pig to God; to the person who fabricates and worships an idol. 2

3 Isaiah 66:4 ; So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight. Isaiah 66:5; Hear the word of the Lord, You who tremble at His word: Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My names sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified, That we may see your joy. But they shall be ashamed. Isaiah 66:6 ; The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord, Who fully repays His enemies! The judgment of God might seem harsh to some. The Lord gives three reasons for His rejection of hypocritical worship; 1. They failed to respond to God s call for repentance. God is looking for those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. In order to worship Him in Spirit and in truth we cannot deny the problem of sin. And we certainly can t be willing to retain a life-style of sin. 2. The people continued to engage in false worship; refusing to cease and desist their evil before God s eyes; even at the very moment God was calling them to repentance. 3. Those who insisted on false worship; were not content in their false worship; but they persecuted those who insisted on true worship; those who were contrite; those who did tremble at God s Word (v.5); you who tremble at his word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name s sake. The truth of God s Word remains in every generation; the word s Isaiah were true when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians; when Jerusalem fell to the Romans; and when Jerusalem will be persecuted and overrun by a future antichrist and the wicked one s armies. As a result of false worship and their terrible sin; judgment is unavoidable, inescapable (vv.5-6). The persecutors and false worshippers will be completely ashamed; and they will suffer God s vengeance. Suddenly and without warning, there will be an uproar in the Temple--the sound and the fury will be heard from the battle; as God destroys His enemies; the false worshippers (again see verse 6). 3

4 2 Thessalonians 1:7; and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 2 Thessalonians 1:8; in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. To the Jew the Temple was a very big deal. The Babylonians would destroy the temple. The Romans would destroy the Temple. But for God--the true Temple is the heart of the believer. God is not interested in cement block, bricks and mortar and timber. Heaven is His throne; the earth His footstool. If God has such a glorious seat and impressive footstool; where is a worthy place for His glory to dwell? Think for a moment what the Lord is saying; the place He desires to place His spirit; the humble heart, the repentant heart, the gracious heart, the cleansed heart, the self-less heart, the pardoned heart, the heart that loves God s Word. Think about worship. It is more than just singing songs. Worship includes Bible study. Worship is longing to hear God s Word; a desperate desire to believe God s Word; and then obey God s Word (see Raymond C. Ortlud, Jr.). Preaching a sermon is worship. Hearing a sermon is worship. Obeying God s Word is an act of Worship. Disobeying God s Word--is also an act of worship--it is an act of false worship to a false god--whether the god is Satan or self. A Look At The Future Restored City (vv.7-14) Isaiah 66:7; Before she was in labor, she gave birth; Before her pain came, She delivered a male child. Before the travail (the tribulation?) she gave birth. Is this a reference to the Messiah or to the nation Israel? I suspect there are two births (one) the Messiah, the Christ, the Man-Child (v.7) and the birth of the nation after the Tribulation (vv.8-9). Is it possible that Israel will be born in a day when they see the Messiah coming? Isaiah 66:8; Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children. Isaiah 66:9; Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery? says the Lord. Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb? says your God. 4

5 Warren Wiersbe reminds us of the order of events; (1) the rapture of the church; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; (2) the rise of the antichrist (2 Thes. 2); (3) the breaking of Antichrist s seven-year covenant with the Jews (Dan. 9:27) after three and one half years; (4) the pouring out of God s wrath on the world (see Matt.24:25-28); to judge the Gentiles and purify Israel; (5) the return of Christ with the church on the earth to defeat the nations (Rev.19:11-21; Armageddon); and then (6) the establishment of the millenial kingdom (Rev.20:1-6)(See Wiersbe s OT Outlines; p.519). Isaiah 66:10; Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; Isaiah 66:11; That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory. Isaiah 66:12; For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees. One of the names of God is El Shaddai. The expression and be dandled on her knees is a metaphor of God bouncing the child--like a mother on the knees. Isaiah 66:13; As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. The Lord is like a strong father and a compassionate mother Isaiah 66:14; When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies. In the last days of human history Isaiah predicts the restoration of Jerusalem and of the nation. We have to understand how remarkable this prophecy truly is--when Jerusalem was taken and destroyed it had little chance to be reinhabated by the Jewish people; to become a Jewish city. After the destruction of the Jerusalem by the Romans; Hadrian rebuilt a settlement as a Roman 5

6 settlement. The last gasp of Jewish resistance occured during the Bar Kochba revolt. Then for over a thousand years and a few more centuries; the land remained in and out of the hands of the Gentiles. In 1948 something extraordinary happened; Israel was reborn as a modern state. In 1967 the city of Jerusalem was captured and the city united in a modern Jewish state. Isaiah prophesied the city and the nation would be reborn; it would come suddenly--within a day! Mary s labor pains with Anthony lasted longer than the declaration of autonomy by the United Nations; and the subsequent recognition of the modern state of Israel by the United States. The Lord Himself promised the Jews a place in the land. The cause would be a cause for rejoicing; because she will nourish, and comfort and satisfy those who love her. Is that true today? She is a cup of trembling. But God will overflow Jerusalem and make her the capital of the world. God will comfort her children the way a mother comforts her own children (vv.12-13). The Bible is very clear; Jerusalem and the Jews will be restored to their nation; and the restoration will be permanent. When Christ returns--there will be an Israel, and a Jerusalem; the Holy City will be reborn; restored in such a way that it will be considered a new birth. Isaiah 1:26; I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. A Look At The Last Judgment (vv.15-18) Isaiah 66:15; For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. Isaiah 66:16; For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many. What will happen to those who do not respond to love, compassion, grace? Now the Lord pleads with fire and with sword. Isaiah 66:17; Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swines flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together, says the Lord. 6

7 The prophet Isaiah pictures the children of Judea like children sneaking around; they would go off into the sacred groves; they would eat impure things; things forbidden to the observant Jew; pork and mice. You might think yuk! Yet we too sneak around. What is it that the Lord has spoken to you about; what little pleasure do you seek to satisfy? What s the harm with going and having a few drinks with the girls after work? The Lord Jesus Christ will return to the earth. Two groups of people will face certain wrath and certain judgment. Those who embraced the false worship of the antichrist and the false prophet; and those who rejected Christ. They will be punished with fire and the sword of His mouth. Only the righteous will enter Messiah s kingdom. Isaiah 66:18; For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. God knows the thoughts and deeds of all people. God doesn t simply punish evil thoughts or evil deeds but evil doers. When Jesus returns, the sinners of this world will appear before the Lord and give an account for their thoughts and behavior. A Look At The Future Heavens And Earth (vv.22-23) Isaiah 66:22; For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me, says the Lord, So shall your descendants and your name remain. A Look At The Future Fate Of The Unrepentant (v.24) Isaiah 66:24; And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. How does Isaiah close his scroll? In the last days of human history the unrepentant will face a tragic and horrible fate; they will die and they will suffer eternal death. 7

8 Most people tend to think of death as the cessation of life, of consciousness. Death is in fact separation; people who are dead in trespass and sin are already separate from God; and will remain separated from God. Death in the physical sense is the separation of the invisible and internal soul from the body. The person who turns from their sin and to the Lord Jesus Christ; who walks in the newness of life will not face death. The unrepentant; who refuses to turn from sins will suffer the just punishment for his or her wicked rebellion and wicked behavior. The ungodly and the unrighteous of this earth; will spend eternity in a place Jesus called hell and the book of Revelation describes as the lake which burns with fire and brimstone forever and ever. Jesus says; Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt.25:41). Hell was prepared for the devil. Hell was not prepared for you. Jesus was prepared for you. All you have to do to stay on the present course of self-salvation is to ignore or reject Jesus. What will happen if you stay committed to rejecting Jesus? God will reject you. Rejecting Jesus means rejecting Heaven. How can people who reject Jesus wind up in Heaven since they reject the Lord of Heaven, Heaven s prince, Heaven s King, Heaven s sovereign? God knows where He is not welcome! But He also knows what to do about it. Hell is God s way of saying no to sin--now and forever. Hell exists for those who think they are just fine--ok---no need for God or Jesus. Hell exists for those who imagine they are good enough without Jesus. Does it embarrass you Isaiah closes the book with a warning about Hell? It didn t embarrass Jesus; Mark 9:47; And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire Mark 9:48; where Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched. Jesus pulls no punches in describing the human condition in this world; and he is not about to pull punches in describing the human condition in the next world. There were two thieves on two crosses that hung next to Jesus. It was on a Friday morning when they took me from the cell and I saw they had a carpenter to crucify as well. You can blame it on Pilate, you can blame it on the Jews, 8

9 you can blame it on the devil. It is God that I accuse. It s God they ought to crucify instead of you and me, I said to the carpenter hanging on the tree. Now Barabbas was a killer, and they Barabbas go. But you are being crucified for nothing here below, and God is up in heaven and he doesn t do a thing with a million angels watching and they never move a wing. It s God they ought to crucify instead of you and me, I said to the carpenter hanging on the tree (quoted in Ortlund--who credits Dr. Roy Clements for the poem). Several different Bible writers close the book with interesting comments; the Bible Knowledge Commentary: This awesome way in which the majestic book of Isaiah concludes points to the need for unrepentant people to turn to the LORD, the only God, the Holy One of Israel. H.C. Leupold; Peace eternal and death eternal! On this note the book of Isaiah comes to a close. John N. Oswalt: Thus Isaiah s great book comes to an end in ways not unlike those in which it began, with a reaffirmation of the great choice that lies before the human race; judgment or hope. But there is one great difference. The hope that the final chapters afirm is on the other side of judgment. Indeed, what they tell us is that since the Holy One of Israel is the Creator and the only God, even judgment can be turned to hope of we will let Him do it for us. No tragedy, no disaster, no fate that has befallen us because of our stubborn self-worship need be the final word for us while we yet breathe. This is the great news of Isa.52:13-53:12: God has entered into our judgment and taken it on Himself, and because of that he can declare that finally nothing can keep us from his love----except our own determination to persist in rebellion. This cosmos will be remade, and to all eternity it will ring with the praises of those who, though walking in darkness have seen a great light (9:1)), of those who live in that holy mountain where none will hurt or destroy (11:9; 65:25), of those from whom the shroud has been torn away forever. 9

10 David McKenna; Once Isaiah saw Godʼs vision for the future, he never looked back. The progression of his prophecy from the current events of his lifetime, to the new exodus from Babylonian exile, followed by the coming of the Messiah and the redemption of all nations gives us our marching orders. Sounding again the double imperative of all generations to come, Isaiah urges us to leave the comfort and the splendor of our Jerusalem to become His servants in the world. 10