Isaiah Review Continued

 Isaiah also said that there was coming a day when the people would come to God by faith.  When this day came, those that put their faith in Him would turn their swords into plowshares.  They would want the peace of God and not the wars of the world.   Jesus Christ did not come to wage war with the world, and we as His followers are not called to wage war with the world, but we are called to proclaim peace through faith in Him. 

Isaiah prophesied a lot about the coming judgment of God and called on the people of Israel and all who would put their faith in God to remain faithful to Him.  He also often called on them to repent and return to worshipping God alone.  We must do the same today.  We must come to Jesus Christ by faith and if we allow sin back into our life, we need to repent and return to obeying God.   

Isaiah also prophesied about the Jews returning to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon and Jerusalem being rebuilt.  This did happen, but this was only a physical thing and though it was important, it did not forever save those who returned.  Being physically in a church building for every service that is held there will not save us, just as it couldn’t save the people of Judah in that day.  Only by faith in God and the coming Messiah could they be saved, and only by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah Who came, can we be saved.  

Isaiah often took on the prophets of other gods, and he always defeated them, at times even mocking them.  We need to be willing to battle the false gods of the world today, and we will always be victorious when we do. I don’t believe that we should mock those who worship other gods though, but we should share the gospel with them and pray that they will put their faith in the only God that there is. 

Isaiah often did things at God’s command to get the attention of the people but would have caused the people to whom he was witnessing to look on him as being very strange.  For example, he was called to walk around naked for a period of time.  Whether he was totally naked or not, the consensus is that at least his butt was exposed.  I can imagine how people would react if a preacher showed up in such a state of undress today, and I have a feeling that few would do so even if they thought God might be calling on the to do so. Though still strange, this would have been less so in Isaiah’s day. 

Isaiah Review

 

 I am going to review just a few of the things we find in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah was a great prophet of God who prophesied during the same time as Hosea, who was the first prophet to record his prophesies according to Matthew Henry, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah.  The Book of Isaiah is placed first because it is larger and has the most prophesies in it.  \

The first verse says that this is the vision, or revelation from God, to Isaiah concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah the king.  Had it just been something Isaiah thought, then the prophesies he spoke to the people would not have come true, but they did, some of them centuries later.  When we share about God with the world it needs to be based on His word, and never on something we may believe because of some vision or dream we had.  Like Isaiah, if we have a vision concerning God, it must come from God.  

Isaiah began by denouncing how the people of Judah had rebelled against God.  This did not make him popular with those who heard him.  We have to speak out against sin today, especially if it is being promoted by those who profess to be followers of Christ.  God was going to judge them with an everlasting judgment one day.  

Isaiah also said that they would have been hopeless if God had not preserved a remnant.  When looking at the number of people in the world today, even the number who profess to be Christians, we want to make sure that we are a part of the remnant, those who have truly put their faith in Jesus Christ and live under the direction of the Holy Spirit.  

Isaiah also said that their sacrifices meant nothing to God, because those offering them were not doing it sincerely, but they were just going through the motions of worshipping God, and we need to make sure we never do that as Christians today.  

Isaiah 66:18

Isaiah 66:18 says, For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.  God said He knew not only their works but their thoughts.  We may fool people, but we will never fool God.  God also said that all nations would come before Him to see His glory.  This referred to the remnant who had remained faithful to God, but for too many, this will be a time when they see His glory too late since they will be sent away to everlasting punishment. 

Verse nineteen adds, And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.  God said that those who remained faithful and had escaped persecution would have His sign set among them and they would be dispersed to those who had not heard His name. Matthew Henry says there is not a clear understanding of where these countries mentioned here were located, but to me, it just means the rest of the world who had not heard of God's saving grace. It was always God's plan to save everyone who would put their faith in Him and He was going to carry out His plan when the time was right. This happened after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ when He was born and lived in total obedience to God.  

Verse twenty continues, And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.  God said that those sent to other countries would bring all those who accepted His gift of salvation to Him. They would come as clean vessels to Him, and our bodies are made spiritually clean vessels by the blood of Jesus Christ. 

Verse twenty-one states, And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord.  God said He was going to take these Gentiles as priests and Levites.  The priests and Levites were set aside to perform the work in the Temple and were God’s representatives on earth. When the Gentiles became a part of God’s people, they needed people to do the same thing.  Of course, we know that as Christians we become a part of the priesthood of believers and are set apart from the world to do the work of God, and some are set aside even more to be preachers and teachers.  

Verse twenty-two adds, For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.  God said that just as surely as He was going to create a new heaven and earth, those that put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord would remain with Him forever.  This didn’t just apply to them then, but it applied to their descendants as well. This applies to Christians today and their descendants as well if they accept God’s gift of salvation. 

Verse twenty-three continues, And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. God said there was coming a day when everyone would worship Him.  I believe this refers to the time after the second coming of Christ, though we are to share the gospel so that as many as will come to worship Him today. We are under the new covenant of grace, and this verse seems to say that we should worship God continually, and not just on the Sabbath as it refers to here or the Lord's Day that we worship on as followers of Christ. 

Verse twenty-four concludes, And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.  God then stated the future of those who did not believe in Him, and that was everlasting punishment.  We can either accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, or we will one day go away to everlasting destruction. Those are the only two choices.  

Isaiah 66:15

Isaiah 66:15 says, 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.  I believe this refers to the second coming of Jesus Christ which is usually referred to as the Day of the Lord. He will be coming in power to defeat all His enemies for all time.  We are just to be ready for that day. 

Verse sixteen adds, For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.  Isaiah said that God would try people by fire and many would be slain of the Lord that day.  Still, the responsibility for their destruction would be theirs.  If we put our faith in Jesus Christ, just like the three Hebrew children thrown into the fiery furnace, we will stand the test and be brought safely to the other side, our home in Heaven.  

Verse seventeen continues, They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.  God said that those who attempted to sanctify themselves by worldly means would be consumed together with the mice   We either accept God's gift of salvation and have everlasting peace with God, or we reject His gift and have everlasting torment separated from Him. 

Isaiah 66:7

Isaiah 66:7 says, Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.  Matthew Henry says this refers to the deliverance of the people of Israel out of Babylon, which happened very quickly and easily. Isaiah compared it to a woman given birth without ever experiencing any labor pains.  The nation of Israel didn’t have to struggle to find deliverance, but God delivered them suddenly and without their having to do anything. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, it is not something that we have to fight to achieve, but it happens just as soon as we accept Him and does not happen because of anything we have done.  Salvation is a free gift of God.

Verse eight adds, Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.  Isaiah asked who had heard of or seen such a thing.  He asked if the earth would bring forth such a thing in one day when a nation was born all at once.  They had been a captive people and now they would be a nation once more.  Matthew Henry points out that God did create many things in just one day, but He had pronounced His creative work to be done, so even though He could have just created a nation in one day, He chose to work through those He had already created.  God could have just given up on mankind and destroyed them and created a new people, but He chose to work through mankind to bring them back to Him, and we should rejoice that He did.

Verse nine continues, Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.  God asked if He would bring forth a nation and not continue to grow it.  God didn’t just redeem Israel so that they alone would be His people, but He redeemed them so that they could reach out to all the world with the gospel.  This is still our task today as followers of Jesus Christ.

Verse ten states, Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:  Isaiah said that it was time for the people of the world to rejoice with Jerusalem after it was rebuilt.  He called for those who had mourned for her condition to rejoice now. When God restores us to a right relationship with Him through our accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, not only should we rejoice,  but we should mourn for all those who haven't done so. 

Verse eleven adds, That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.  Still comparing Israel to a baby, Isaiah said that they could be satisfied with the milk of God’s glory.  We will always be dependent on God’s mercy to keep us fed spiritually and we should always be satisfied with what He provides for us.  We should delight in the abundance of His glory, no matter what is going on in our life.

Verse twelve continues, For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.  Isaiah said God was going to extend peace like a river to the Gentiles who would then be like a stream flowing with His glory.  God said He would care for the people of Israel and the Gentiles who accepted His gift of salvation like a mother protects her young children.  I believe that the church under the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit would represent the mother, but she would do everything under God’s power.  This is our call as the church today. We are to reach out to the world with the compassion that a mother has, and then we are nurture those who accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord as we would young children.

Verse thirteen says, As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.  God said just as a mother comforted her children, He would comfort the people who put their faith in Him in Jerusalem.  I believe this means wherever you are, but at this time was being written to comfort those people of Israel who had been in captivity for so long and were now returning.  We were held captive by sin until we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and since we have, we should be at ease wherever we are because we rest in the grace of God.

Verse fourteen adds, And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his  servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.  God said when He restored them and defeated their enemies that their hearts would rejoice. This was but a temporary restoration, but it was said that the people would rejoice.   We as followers of Christ have an everlasting victory, so how much more we should rejoice.