A life lived well? Is 66:22-24

“Then they will go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched; and they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.” (Isaiah 66:24)

This past summer I had the honor of preaching my grandmother’s funeral. At the internment, I challenged those present to look around them. My grandmother was buried at Rose Hills just outside Los Angeles, California. Rose Hills is one of the largest burial sites in the world. Within eye sight of my grandmother’s grave were literally thousands of other graves, each one representing a life, and each life having its own story. Some lived their lives well, like my grandmother, while others were to be found wanting. Looking at all those graves, and the lives they represented, made me consider my own life. One day it will be my turn to be lowered into the grave, one day others will stand around and recount my life, and in that day, what will be the sum of my life? Will it be said of me that I lived my life well?

King Solomon reminds us, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4) Recently, I have been to far too many funerals, and none of them were easy. Yet even in the house of sorrow wisdom can be found. It is good to be drawn to consider our lives. This life is mortal, it is but for a moment, but we are eternal beings. One day we will pass from this life to a life eternal. The question before all of us is where we will spend eternity? Will we spend eternity in the presence of God or will we only know eternal judgment? The choice is ours! Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.” (John 6:47) The choice is our, will we believe upon Jesus and receive His eternal life, or will we reject His Gospel and suffer eternal separation from God? As for me, I have chosen to receive Him. Thanks be to God!

David Robison

To those who have not heard: Is 66:19-21

“‘I will set a sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations: Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Rosh, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the Lord, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,’ says the Lord, ‘just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord.’” (Isaiah 66:19-20)

We who have escaped the dominion of this world have been called to take the Gospel to those who are still held captive by its power. When the disciples asked Jesus about the signs of His coming again, He told them, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) Jesus is waiting, waiting for all to have had an opportunity to hear and receive His Gospel before He comes to bring and end to all things. Jesus is waiting for all to hear and we are the ones who are to tell them. Much of the commission of God upon our lives can be summed up in one word, “Go!” After Jesus’ death and resurrection, as He was ascending back into heaven, He gave His disciples this command, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15) We are all called to go. For some, they are called to go into their neighborhoods and work places to share and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For some, they are called to go into distant lands and give their life amongst a foreign people that they might know His name. What ever our mission field, we are all called to “Go!”

As we go, our message is not one of condemnation, but one of reconciliation. We do not preach ourselves or our own ways, but we are sent to declare God’s glory. The same glory that Moses saw when God declared it to Him, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” (Exodus 34:6-7) God’s glory is connected to His goodness and His forgiveness. We are messengers of His glory and ambassadors of His message of reconciliation.

Who is sufficient for such things? Who is worthy of the honor of declaring His glory among the nations? God is looking for clean vessels. In Isaiah’s vision of the Lord, he hears God ask this question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” (Isaiah 6:8) Isaiah’s immediate response is “Here am I. Send me.” God has been asking this question for many thousands of years, yet we have been deaf of hearing and slow to respond. Why hadn’t Isaiah heard God’s call before? The answer is evident in the preceding verses. “Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.’” (Isaiah 6:5-7) Sin deafens us to the call of God. It was only after Isaiah saw his sin, repented of it, and received forgiveness and cleansing for his sin that he was able to hear God’s call. God has a tremendous mission for our lives. God has called us to labor with Him in spreading His gospel and hastening the return of His Son, but first we must be willing to expose our life to the light of His word and allow Him to cleanse us of all our impurities. If we are so willing, then we will be those “clean vessels” that will bring in the end time harvest of God.

David Robison

Be joyful with Jerusalem: Is 66:10-17

“Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her, that you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, that you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.” (Isaiah 66:10-11)

God is speaking to those who love and care for Jerusalem, to those who morn over her sins and the calamity that has befallen her. God’s promise is that He is going to answer their prayers and bless His people. “For thus says the LORD, "Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees.” (Isaiah 66:12) God is about to bless His people, and he will not leave out those who have cared for her and mourned over her. “Then you will see this, and your heart will be glad, and your bones will flourish like the new grass; and the hand of the LORD will be made known to His servants.” (Isaiah 66:14) God wants us to remember that our prayers are not in vain. He wants us to not give up but to continue in prayer and watching. We must not loose hope but trust in the Lord. God will come and bless his people and, in their blessing, we too will be blessed. Don’t give up, cry out to God for His people, and watch for His blessings that are sure to come.

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)

David Robison

A nation in a day: Is 66:7-9

“Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons. ‘Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?’ says the Lord. ‘Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?’ says your God.” (Isaiah 66:7-9)

On November 29, 1947, the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine established the nation of Israel on the land once promised to her by God. In a single day, a new nation in Palestine was created. Nothing like this had ever occurred before and it is unlikely to ever happen again. The creation of the nation state of Israel in 1947 was a direct fulfillment of this prophecy from Isaiah.

Who could have imagined that a nation could be born in a day? Sometimes it is easier to believe God to bring about His promises gradually over time. For example, it is easier for us to believe that God will heal us over time instead of believing for an instantaneous miraculous healing. Sometimes, the work of God take time, sometimes we are required to mix patience with our faith, but other times God brings forth His promises all at once, in a single moment. God, at times, acts in a way that is sudden and unpredictable and that changes our lives forever. It reminds me of the story of Joseph in Egypt. One day he is in prison and the next day he is standing before Pharaoh. One day he is in charge of a few prisoners and the next day he is made second in command of all of Egypt. We must never stop believing God for the miraculous. We must never stop believing God to intervene in our lives, to change us in a moment and to change us forever.

Just as God determined to give birth to a new nation, so there are things in our lives that God desires to give birth to. God had brought us to the place of new birth in our lives. We stand at the precipice of new beginnings and new experiences with God. All God is waiting for is for us to step forth in faith. “The pains of childbirth come upon him; he is not a wise son, for it is not the time that he should delay at the opening of the womb.” (Hosea 13:13) God has brought His promises to a time of birth in our lives; all we must do is step forth into them. Now is not the time to delay. Now is the time to step forward in faith into all that God has for us.

David Robison

To obey is better than sacrifice: Is 66:3-6

“But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine's blood; he who burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol. As they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so I will choose their punishments and will bring on them what they dread. Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen. And they did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.” (Isaiah 66:3-4)

It is possible to hold to religion traditions and laws while at the same time letting go of God. The Israelites continued to practice their religious traditions even though, in their hearts, they had grown apostate. Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opiate of the masses.” While he was wrong in terms of religion’s influence on society, religion can become the opiate of the religious. Religion can comfort our sinful hearts and lull us to sleep with a false sense of security. We believe that we are acceptable to God because we are doing religious things, even though our hearts are far from Him.

Religion is no substitute for obedience. Jesus asked, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) It is not enough to be a Christian; we must live as Christians. We can go to church, we can pray and read our Bible, we can even tell other about Jesus but unless we learn to obey His voice, these things are nothing but dead works. Samuel rebuked King Saul when he ignored the word if the Lord and offered sacrifices on his own. Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) Religion is easy, we just have to do what others say we should do, following God can be hard, we have to listen and obey what He tells us to do. There is a price to following God. It often involves some level of personal sacrifice and it always requires the surrender of our will to His.

God is calling us to obedience. Paul, writing of his own ministry said he had “received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake.” (Romans 1:5) Paul’s ministry was more than just getting people saved; he was to bring them into obedience to the Gospel. In the great commission, Jesus said to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Our churches can be full of people, but unless those who fill it are willing to surrender all and follow Christ, they are nothing more than the holding pens of the condemned. Obedience stars with us; we cannot teach what we do not do. We cannot preach obedience unless we are willing to embrace it ourselves. When it comes to obedience, we need to remember what God said, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7) Don’t harden your heart, choose to obey Him!

David Robison

A house for God: Is 66:1-2

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,’ declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 66:1-2)

What kind of house can we build for God and where is the habitation of God with man? Over the past 6000 years, man has looked to many things as “The House of God”. Probably one of the earliest references to God’s house is found in the Book of Geneses. Jacob was running from his brother Esau and, as he lay sleeping, had a dream of a ladder that reached into heaven and of angels ascending and descending on that ladder. When he woke, “He was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’ So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz.” (Geneses 28:17-19) The name “Bethel” literally means “The House of God.” Jacob believed that place to be the House of God because it was there that he experienced the presence of God.

Hundreds of years later, Moses would construct a “Tent of Meeting”, a place where he and the people could meet with God. “Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp… Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses.” (Ex 33:7, 9) Prior to the construction of a temple in Jerusalem, this tent was known as the House of God. It was a place where people could meet with God and hear His voice.

Fast forward many years and there was another man who sought to build a house for the Lord. King David desired to build a house fitting for the name of the Lord but, because David was a man of war, God would not have it. “Go and tell David My servant, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in; for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another.”’” (1 Chronicles 17:4-5) In the end, it was David’s son Solomon who would build a temple, a house, for the Lord.

But what kind of house can we build for the Lord? How can we build a place for His habitation? When Stephen was standing trial before the Jewish council and the High Priest, he quoted this passage in Isaiah and reminded us that, “the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands.” (Acts 7:48) Our church recently built its own building. After many years of renting we finally had our own place. It was a blessing not to have to setup and tear down every Sunday and it was a blessing to have a place of our own to use as we pleased. However, some have come to think of the building as “God’s House”, as if the building, and especially the sanctuary, were hollowed and sacred. But can buildings built with human hands ever be “God’s House”?

Jacob understood what made a place, or a building, the House of God; it was the presence of God. A place, or a building, is only special and hollow if the presence of God is there. So where is God’s presence? He is in the hearts of those who know Him and love Him. Paul reminds us, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16) We are the temples of God; God lives in us. When we are present in a church building, it is hollow because we are there and God is there in us. God’s presence does not live in a building, but in our hearts. Where ever we are, there is the House of God. We carry Him with us and we carry Him to the world. What a privilege to be a living temple of His presence.

David Robison

Verse 8 - A new heaven and a new earth: Is 65:17-25

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness.” (Isaiah 65:17-18)

In the closing chapters of the Bible, Jesus declares of Himself, “Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5 NKJV) Presently, a lot of this work is being done in our hearts. Jesus is working in us to make us new in spirit and souls, but this is not all that Jesus is making new. One day He will make us new in our bodies; our bodies will be transfigured as we are ruptured to meet Him in the air. Jesus’ work of making new is not limited to us however, one day He will make all things new. One day everything of this present creation will be done away with and God will create in its place a new heavens and earth. “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10) Peter is not speaking figuratively, nor is he merely waxing poetic, he is speaking a truth that will literally come to pass. One day God will literally destroy the present heavens and earth and literally create a new heaven and a new earth. A simple search of the scriptures would reveal that this truth of the destruction of this world and the creating of a new one is consistent through out both the old and new testament. What sort of new world will this be?

“There will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying.” (Isaiah 65:19) In God’s new creation there will be no sorrow or sadness; there will be no need for tears. It will not only be a place where God’s people rejoice, but a place to make glad the heart of God. “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people.” (Isaiah 65:19)

“They will build houses and inhabit them; they will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They will not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity.” (Isaiah 65:21, 23) Our present world is cursed with futility. We labor and work, but to what end? We make our plans for the future but far too often the future does not turn out as we imagined and our plans are frustrated and fail. In God’s new world our labors will not be in vain and the work of our hands will be for eternity.

“It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24) God will dwell with His people in the His new heaven and earth. God will no longer be distant, seated in heaven. Rather God will dwell in the midst of His people and they will behold His beauty and hear His voice. We will no longer need to seek for God for He will always be with us. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.” (Revelation 21:3)

“The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent's food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain.” (Isaiah 65:25) Our world is wearing old under the weight of its sins. There are many adjectives that could be used to describe our world but “upright” and “righteous” would not be among them. We long for a world free from sin and, in God’s new world, this is what we will find. All that pains us about this world will be done away with and all that is good will be found. “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13)

How blessed they will be whom God counts worthy to inherit His new creation!

David Robison

Verse 7 - God plays favorites: Is 65:13-16

“Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Behold, My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. Behold, My servants will shout joyfully with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart, and you will wail with a broken spirit.’” (Isaiah 65:13-14)

We like to think of God as being fair, for He certainly “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45) But there are some cases where God does make a distinction. There are the broad and general blessings of God that fall upon all mankind, the rising of the sun and the rain for the crops, but there are other blessings that God reserves for His chosen ones. For example, when God was sending His judgments upon Egypt, He made a distinction between the people of Egypt and the decedents of Abraham who inhabited the land of Goshen. God told Moses about the plague that He was about bring upon the livestock in Egypt, yet God was going to spare the Israelites’ livestock. “But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 9:4) The next day it happened just as it had been told to Moses. All the livestock in Egypt died, yet “there was not even one of the livestock of Israel dead.” (Exodus 9:7) While God was poring out His judgment on some, God’s blessing was still upon His people.

In this scripture, God declares that there will be some in Israel who will suffer lack while others are blessed. Some who thought they had the Kingdom would be found outside while others, even foreigners, would possess the Kingdom of God. Why would God seek to make such a distinction between one man and another? Paul gives us a clue when he writes to the Romans, “But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.” (Romans 11:13-14) Paul wanted the world to see what God was doing through him that, if somehow, some of his fellow Jews would be moved to jealousy and, out of their jealousy, return to God.

God wants to bless us in a way that other might become jealous, that they may see and desire what we have, and that their jealousy might motivate them to seek and find what we have already found. Our lives are to be a living advertisement for the Kingdom of God. People should be able to see in us the goodness and lovingkindness of the Lord. They should be able to see in us the very things they truly desire in the depths of their hearts. Our lives should make them want to be reconciled to God, to return to Him and to enjoy the benefits of fellowship with God. This is why Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:14-16) Are you living your life out in the open? Are you letting your light shine so others may see it? Do not hide your light; let the world see it, shine it forth for all to see!

David Robison

Verse 6 - A remnant and a Heir: Is 65:8-12

“Thus says the LORD, ‘As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, “Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,” so I will act on behalf of My servants in order not to destroy all of them. I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and an heir of My mountains from Judah; even My chosen ones shall inherit it, and My servants will dwell there.’” (Isaiah 65:8-9)

As you read the history of Israel it is easy to loose sight of the greater picture. God’s covenant with Abraham was of a greater purpose than just establishing a nation. God’s purpose was that, through the nation Israel, He might bring forth a savior that would bless all mankind. “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Geneses 22:16-18) Certainly God was going to bless Abraham’s decedents, but God’s greater purpose was to bring forth a “seed”; a “seed” that would bless all the nations. Paul makes it very clear that, in this scripture, God was speaking of Jesus. “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ.” (Galatians 3:16)

In this scripture, God speaks of a remnant that would be left. God promises not to destroy all of Israel, though she deserved it due to her sins, but God promised to leave a remnant. God’s promise was not based on any inherent righteousness that belonged to the remnant, but that His promise of bringing forth a “seed” may be fulfilled. God was intent that “and heir of My mountains” would come forth from Judah just as He had previously prophesied. I am grateful that God did not allow the sins of Israel to nullify His promise of a savior.

This scripture also speaks of those who would inherit the Promise Land along with His Heir. It would be God’s chosen ones, His servants, which would inherit His mountains. Peter speaks of God’s chosen ones when he writes, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10) Peter is not speaking of the nation of Israel but of all who would call upon Jesus and receive His salvation and sanctification. God’s promises were no longer the sole possession of the Jews, but were to be for all who would receive His Son and walk in His ways.

The Israelites had bought into a deception that, just because they were Israelites, God would continue to bless and protect them, even if they refused to walk in His ways. However, they rebelled and rejected God, their husband, so God divorced Israel and determined to give His “promise land” to another. “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:11-12) As Christians, we too can fall into the same deception, but God is clear. It is not enough to simply call ourselves children of God; we must also walk as children of God. Jesus put it this way, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” (Matthew 7:21) It is time to live as the people we really are, the children of God.

David Robison

Verse 5 - Love, provocation, and retribution: Is 65:1-7

“I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’ to a nation which did not call on My name. I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts.” (Isaiah 65:1-2)

In the New Testament, we are described as being the “Bride of Christ.” As brides go, however, we are not much of a catch. When I look at the church and the people Jesus died to save, I sometimes think that Jesus could have done better. When Jesus set His heart to woe and wed us, we were not much to behold. We were not a righteous people, we were living lives of sin, and we gave no thought to seeking the Lord. While we were yet unlovely, God loved us. While we were yet undesirable, God sought us out. The Apostle John reminds us, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. We love, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:10, 19) The Apostle Paul concurs with John, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) How incredible is God’s love towards us! His love for us is not based upon who we are but on who He is. “God is love” (1 John 4:16)

“A people who continually provoke Me to My face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on bricks; who sit among graves and spend the night in secret places; who eat swine's flesh, and the broth of unclean meat is in their pots. Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.” (Isaiah 65:3-5)

In spite of God’s unfailing love, the people of Israel rebelled against their lover and followed a way of their own choosing. Instead of living according to the ordnances of God, they followed after their own lusts and desires. They comforted themselves that they were, after all, children of Israel and assumed that God would accept them on that basis, yet they lived like the gentiles around them. They possessed a form of self-righteousness. As Jews, they believed that they were better and more righteous than other people, yet they forgot that just having the law did not make them better than anyone else unless they actually lived according to that law. As Christians, it is easy to fall into the same deception of self-righteousness. We call ourselves “Christians” and consider ourselves to be holier than unbelievers, but far too often we live like the same unbelievers we are quick to judge. What we call ourselves makes no difference. It is how we live our lives that we will be judged.

“‘Behold, it is written before Me, I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will even repay into their bosom, both their own iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers together,’ says the Lord. “Because they have burned incense on the mountains and scorned Me on the hills, therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.’” (Isaiah 65:6-7)

Someone once said, “The wheels of God’s justice may turn slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.” God is long suffering, but He will not let sin go unpunished. We may think God does not see and we may assume God doesn’t really care, but God does see and He does care. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) We reap what we sow and, if we have learned and continued in the sins of our fathers, we may even reap what they sowed as well. It is not hard to see that many sins get passed down from generation to generation. For example, drunkenness, addictions, and sexual impurity are often passed down from one generation to another. With each successive generation the effect and the magnitude of these sins multiplies. Now is the time to deal with our sins and break the cycle of sin. We may have sinned but by the grace of God, these sins can end with us. We do not have to pass them on to our children; we can deal with them now. “But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.” (1 Corinthians 11:31)

David Robison

Verse 4 - A cry for help: Is 64:1-12

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down.” (Isaiah 64:1)

Isaiah begins to reflect upon Israel’s present condition and the path that has led her to this place. Isaiah comes to understand that it has been Israel’s sins that has led her away from God and has brought upon her these present sufferings and afflictions.

“Behold, You were angry, for we sinned, we continued in them a long time; and shall we be saved? For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on Your name, who arouses himself to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.” (Isaiah 64:5-7)

Isaiah confesses that not only has Israel sinned but she has continued in them “a long time.” The word picture in the Hebrew is of a “vanishing point.” This word speaks of a time past that can no longer be remembered. Israel’s sins had lasted for so long, that Isaiah could not remember when they started. It seemed as if she has always sinned and, even though Isaiah know that there was a time when Israel walked with God, he could not remember the time, it had happened too long ago. All of Israel had become unclean and defiled. The term used by Isaiah for “filthy garment” is that of a “menstruation cloth”. Israel’s defilement was not some small stain but rather was complete and abhorrent, one that could not easily be expunged. For so long had Israel shunned God’s ways to walk in her own uncleanness, that God eventually gave her over to “the power of her iniquities.” What a horrible thing to be left to the power of our iniquities. Paul wrote of those who God “gave over to degrading passions.” (Romans 1:26) When we are given over to our own sins the end result can only be death and corruption.

Yet in spite of the realities of Israel’s apostasy, Isaiah still finds hope. Isaiah calls to mind the eternal goodness, compassion, and faithfulness of God. Specifically, three things encourage him that Israel can still be saved.

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8) Isaiah reminds himself (and God) that we are His children and He is our Father. God has created us and He will not forever forget the works of His hands. If God does punish and afflict us it is only for our redemption and, if we turn from these things, God will abundantly pardon. The key is to learn to submit to His hands and His working in our lives. He is the potter and we are the clay and the clay must submit itself to the hands of the potter. It is only when we resist that God has to use greater force to form us into what He wishes.

“Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways.” (Isaiah 64:4-5) No matter how bleak the times may appear to be, God is never very far away. God is always ready and willing to act on behalf of those who need Him. Often what restrains God from acting is simply our own forgetfulness of God. The busyness of life can easily push God from our minds. Even in difficult times, we can become so absorbed in solving our problems ourselves that we forget to call upon God. We fall into the trap of thinking we can manage life by ourselves and forget that God hold the answers to every of life’s problems. If we need help, there is really only one place to turn, to the Lord.

“Will You restrain Yourself at these things, O Lord? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?” (Isaiah 64:12) The implied answer is “No!” God will not wait forever. Though He may delay, there will come a time when He will act. “Now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly.” (Luke 18:7-8) Sometimes faith is not enough. Sometimes faith must be mixed with patience. “[Be] imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12) When we cry out to God, if He fails to answer immediately, we should not give up and loose hope for He will answer us. In my own life I have gleaned great comfort from this one thought: no matter how bad things are now, they will not last forever. In time, God will act!

David Robison

Verse 3 - Why has God grown cold: Is 63:15-19

“Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation; where are Your zeal and Your mighty deeds? The stirrings of Your heart and Your compassion are restrained toward me. Why, O Lord, do You cause us to stray from Your ways and harden our heart from fearing You? Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage. We have become like those over whom You have never ruled, like those who were not called by Your name.” (Isaiah 63:15, 17, 19)

Who is to blame for Israel’s condition? Has Israel slipped into apostasy due to the lack of God’s zeal and the concealment of His mighty deeds? Is God to blame for their hardness of heart? Has God caused them to stray from His own ways? Has God’s love for them grown cold? Was it not their own sin and the stubbornness of their own heart that lead them astray?

God is actively searching for those for whom He can show Himself strong. “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) God wants to be both God and Father to us and, if something is restraining Him toward us, it is not Him but we who are at fault. God stands ready to receive us, He longs to gather us in, but if we are left outside it is because of our own choosing. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!” (Luke 13:34)

If we find ourselves distant from God, it is our responsibility to return to Him. Waiting for Him to come to us will not close the separation; we must choose to return to Him. “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you.” (Malachi 3:7) Returning to the Lord is something that is done with our heart. The issue is not where we are physically but where we are spiritually in our hearts. To return to the Lord we need to deal with our heart. “And rend your heart and not your garments. Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil.” (Joel 2:13) Here is some practical advice from the scriptures to help in returning to the Lord.

“Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, ‘Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.’” (Hosea 14:2) We need to talk to God about the condition of our heart. We need to confess our sins and the coldness of our heart. We need to allow ourselves to hear what God has to say about us and then choose to repent of those things. We cannot hide our sin; now is not the time to keep silent; we must go to the Lord and talk it over with Him.

“Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7) We must choose God’s ways over our own ways. Living with God often requires a change in our life style. When we choose to walk with God, we are also choosing to leave our own path and to walk in the path He has chosen for us. We cannot walk with God and at the same time walk after our own lusts and desires. We must leave our own ways and choose to walk in His.

“Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, ‘If you return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.’” (1 Samuel 7:3) We must worship God alone. We must be willing to forsake all other gods and serve only the Lord. It is interesting that Samuel refers to them as “foreign” gods. The world serves many things: money, power, pleasure, and possessions. The world may seek and serve these things, but we have been redeemed out of this world. We are to choose to seek the things of the Kingdom of God and to serve Him alone. We are not to be like the world but rather we are to be like His son Jesus.

“If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; if you remove unrighteousness far from your tent, and place your gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks, then the Almighty will be your gold and choice silver to you.” (Job 22:23-25) What is your treasure? What are the things you value? An easy way to tell is to consider what are the things that you could not afford to loose? Can you live without your riches, your relationships, your vocation, even your church? We can live without a lot of things but we cannot live with out the Lord. As Paul said, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8) We too need to be willing to surrender all for the privilege of knowing Jesus, for when we know Him, all other things pale in contrast. He is our Gold and He is our treasure.

David Robison

Verse 2 - How far we have drifted: Is 63:11-14

“Then His people remembered the days of old, of Moses. Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them, who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name?” (Isaiah 63:11-12)

Our journey away from God does not happen overnight, it is a long path composed of many individual decisions that lead us away from the presence of God. Sometimes the incremental loss is so unperceivable that it is only after time, when we look back over our lives, that we realize how far we have drifted. This is the story of Israel. Life went on year after year and one day they woke up to realize that God was no longer with. It is important to realize that what Isaiah laments the most is not the loss of the miraculous working of God, although that was most certainly missed, but the loss of the presence of God. God had placed His Holy Spirit in their midst, but that was then and this is now. They still were in the Promised Land, they still had the law and the priests, the temple had not yet been destroyed, but they did not have the presence of God.

Moses understood the importance of the presence of God to the nation of Israel. “And He said, ‘My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.’ Then he said to Him, ‘If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?’” (Exodus 33:14-16) What distinguishes believers from the rest of the world? It’s not the blessings and the gifts but it’s the presence of the Lord. When people come into our churches, it’s not enough for them to feel blessed and experience the moving of the gifts of the Spirit, as important as they are, but above all they need to experience the presence of God.

How does one find his way back to God after he has drifted so far? The church of Ephesus found its self in just such a place. God awakened them to their condition with these words, “I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Revelation 2:2-4) The church at Ephesus was doing many things right. They had deeds, toil, and perseverance, but they had lost hold of what was of chief importance, their love for God. How were they to return to their first love with the Father? “Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first.” (Revelation 2:5) God counsels them to do three things: remember what they had lost, repent for their own waywardness, and return to their first deeds. Do you remember your early days with the lord, when His presence was so near to you and you enjoyed your intimate times with Him? Have you since drifted away from that place with Him? If so, repent and do the deeds you first did when you first came to know Him. If you do this then, in short order, you will again find the blessings of His presence and the sweetness of His intimate fellowship.

David Robison

Verse 1- Love and betrayal: Is 63:8-10

“For He said, ‘Surely, they are My people, sons who will not deal falsely.’ So He became their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.” (Isaiah 63:8-9)

God chose Israel not because they were worthy, not because of their great righteousness, but because of His great love for them. God had placed His love upon Abraham and committed His love to Abraham’s descendents forever. “Because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them. And He personally brought you from Egypt by His great power, driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in and to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is today.” (Deuteronomy 4:37-38) God loved Israel and, with great power, delivered them from the bondages of Egypt. That day He purchased Israel for Himself. They were to be His own people, a nation to show forth His glory. “Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, and I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; and I bent down and fed them.” (Hosea 11:3-4) For a while, Israel reveled in God’s love but it didn’t take long for her to wander.

“But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them.” (Isaiah 63:10)

How could a nation that was so loved by their God turn away from Him? How is it that we often forget God though He is always with us, always loves us, and always cares for us? “‘Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you,’ declares the Lord God. But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing.’” (Ezek 16:14-15) While Israel was small, despised, and needy, she needed God, but when she became beautiful and was filled with the splendor of the Lord, she forgot her God and turned to others. How easy it is to delight in the good things God has given us and yet forget where they came from. We can even deceive ourselves that all we have is because of our own goodness and strength. We can easily forget that all we have, every good gift, is from the Father above. God understands the heart of man and warned Israel from the very beginning. “Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 6:10-12)

What is the secret to not forgetting our Lord? The key is found in what we desire most from the Lord. Do we love the Lord because of the good things He gives us or do we love Him because He first loved us? Do we long for the blessings of the Lord more than we long for the Lord Himself? Do we worship Him because He has been good to us or do we worship Him because He is worthy? If we love the things of God more than God, then when we receive those things we will forget the one who gave them. If, however, we love God more than His gifts, then His gifts will be a blessing but will never detract from the pleasures we experience in His presence. Let us look past the blessings we have received to see the loving giver behind them.

David Robison

A ballade for Israel: 63:7

“I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has granted them according to His compassion and according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.” (Isaiah 63:7)

Over the next two chapters, the prophet Isaiah recounts the history between Israel and God. It is a story that covers thousands of years. During that time, Israel had her high points and her low points, yet through it all, God’s love towards her never faded. At times He was blessed by her love for Him and at other times he was angry with her because of her sin, yet in all times He loved her. At the heart of this story are God’s amazing love, goodness, and compassion for Israel.

David Robison

The day of God's vengenance: Is 63:1-4

“Who is this who comes from Edom, with garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, this One who is majestic in His apparel, marching in the greatness of His strength? ‘It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.’ Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? ‘I have trodden the wine trough alone, and from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger and trampled them in My wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, and I stained all My raiment. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and My year of redemption has come.’” (Isaiah 63:1-4)

I am writing this during the Christmas system when we often romanticize about the cute baby Jesus lying in the manger. During this season we can easily forget that this baby Jesus grew up, became a man, and died for our sins. We can also forget that this grow baby Jesus will one day return to judge the living and the dead. We love the image of “Jesus, meek and mild” but turn away from the image of “Jesus, the concurring king.” Jesus came the first time in humility and weakness, but the next time He will come in strength. “So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” (Hebrews 9:28) Jesus work to provide forgiveness for all mankind is finished. When He returns, it will be to execute justice and judgment. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31) In that day, Jesus will not be weak, but will judge with righteous judgment and will compel all men to honor Him as Lord. For many, that day will not be a happy day, but a day to fear and of dread. “Alas, you who are longing for the day of the Lord, for what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you? It will be darkness and not light; as when a man flees from a lion and a bear meets him, or goes home, leans his hand against the wall and a snake bites him. Will not the day of the Lord be darkness instead of light, even gloom with no brightness in it?” (Amos 5:18-20)

The Day of Judgment is coming for all. The question is, “for what purpose will that day be for you?” For some, it will be a day they experience to the fullest degree the wrath of God. For others, for those who have become believers in Jesus Christ, it will be a day of inexpressible joy in the presence of God. “In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8) For what purpose will that day be for you? That is up to us to decide. Our choices in this life will determine the effect of that day on our lives. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) Now is the time to choose for the Lord. Don’t miss your opportunity, some day it will be too late.

David Robison

Go through the gates: Is 62:10-11

“Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples! Indeed the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the world: ‘Say to the daughter of Zion, “Surely your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.”’” (Isaiah 62:10-11 NKJV)

Jesus, when he was about to ascend into heaven, gave His disciples this command, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Life inside the four walls of the church can be very comfortable. Inside the church we find comfort, support, fellowship, and camaraderie. So comfortable is it that we can forget that the “great commission” begins with the word “Go!” As we approach the end of the age, we cannot afford to be cloistered in our churches. We must get up and go out, go through the gates, to bring the message of reconciliation to the world. We are to go and prepare a way for the people to return to their God. There are four things that we must do.

Build up the highway. We are living in a time when people are rejecting the ways of God in favor of their own ways. This is not new to our time but a common habit of mankind. In the days of Jeremiah the nation of Israel was in a similar state. “For My people have forgotten Me, they burn incense to worthless gods and they have stumbled from their ways, from the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, not on a highway.” (Jeremiah 18:15) Even in some churches the ideas of sin and repentance have become out-of-date, a concept for a time gone by. We may not prefer the ancient paths but that does not mean that they are out-of-date. The ways of God are just as relevant today as they were in bible times. We must not be ashamed of the Gospel nor the ways of God. We must be willing to boldly show forth the ways of God to the world that people might know that there is a new way to live, God’s way. They no longer need to walk in their own ways, God has established for them a highway and He is inviting them to “get on board.”

Take out the stones. Christians are like God’s advertisement and sometimes we don’t make Christianity look very appetizing. Our sinful lives can prove a hindrance to those trying to find God. When David sinned with Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan rebuked him saying, “However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.” (2 Samuel 12:14) How many times have you heard people use the claims of hypocrisy in the church as an excuse to stay away? To the extent that it is true, we are to blame. In Antioch Paul rebuked Peter and the other Jews because, “They were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel.” (Galatians 2:14) They were saying one thing but living another. We need to get serious about our lives. We need to not just talk the talk but walk the walk. We need to begin to live the faith that we profess so that others can see the reality of the gospel lived out in our lives.

Lift up a banner. There are a lot of causes and ideologies around which people gather today. These causes and ideologies become like banners, or flags, that fly over the group and define the group. For example, politically, there are those who fly the conservative flag while others fly the liberal flag. Inside the church, there are those who fly the charismatic flag while others fly the evangelical flag. Jesus has a flag that He wants to fly over His people, “He has brought me to his banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.” (Song of Solomon 2:4) The banner that God is raising over His people is love. When we relate and interact with the world, the most important thing they should see is God’s love expressed through us. God’s kingdom is a kingdom of love. In fact, “God is love.” (1 John 4:16) We must carry this message of God’s love to the world. We must help them to see, “For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16)

Say to the people. God’s message is a message of hope and of promise. The salvation of God is here now and is available to all. We do not have to wait and hope that some day we might be saved, after all, “Now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation’” (2 Corinthians 6:2) We can have hope that, in what ever moment we choose to turn to God, He is there waiting and ready to answer and save us. And for those who choose to walk with God, in the end, there will be the rewards of the kingdom. “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” (Revelation 22:12) What ever is done for the pursuit of the Kingdom will not go unrewarded. We can freely give ourselves to the work of the Kingdom knowing that our labor will not be in vain. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) We must make clear this message of hope to the world. The good news of the Kingdom is not just for ourselves, we must share it with the world.

David Robison

Go for your dreams: Is 62:8-9

“The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by His strong arm, ‘I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies; nor will foreigners drink your new wine for which you have labored.’ But those who garner it will eat it and praise the Lord; and those who gather it will drink it in the courts of My sanctuary.” (Isaiah 62:8-9)

Webster defines “garner” as “to acquire by effort.” The things of the Kingdom of God do not always come easily. Sometimes it takes some effort to acquire what God has for us. Consider Jesus’ promise, “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” (Luke 11:10) In the Greek, the tense used for the verbs implies a continual effort. For example, the verse could easily be translated, “For everyone who asks, and keeps on asking, receives.” In the Kingdom, receiving, finding, and having doors opened for you takes the continual effort of asking, seeking, and knocking. The Kingdom of God is not apprehended by the passive, but by those who energetically pursue it. Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12)

In this verse, the Lord wants to encourage our hearts that our efforts in Him are not in vain. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) It is as if God is giving us permission to “go for it!” Now is not the time for timidness. Now is not the time to be fearful. Now is the time to press forward into all God has for us. God has given each one of us dreams and visions for our lives and now is the time to reach forward to lay hold of those dreams and visions. God wants to give us our dreams and He wants those dreams to produce praise for Him from our hearts. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12) What has God put in your heart? What ever it is, God says “go for it!”

David Robison

God rejoices over us: Is 62:4-5

“It will no longer be said to you, ‘Forsaken,’ nor to your land will it any longer be said, ‘Desolate’; but you will be called, ‘My delight is in her,’ and your land, ‘Married’; for the Lord delights in you, and to Him your land will be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you.” (Isaiah 62:4-5)

We are often encourages in the scriptures to rejoice in God. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) We are also told that our affections should be turned heavenward and not set upon things on the earth. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2 KJV) We should find our delight in Him rather than in the things of this life. “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalms 37:4)

We often think about our obligation to live and cherish the Lord, but how often do we stop and think about how much He loves us? This scripture says that God delights in us and He rejoices over us in love. “The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (Zephaniah 3:17) It is quite something to imagine God in heaven shouting for joy over His people. When God thinks of us, He is moved to exuberant shouts of joy. God is not stoic in His emotions but freely expresses His love for us among those who are in heaven. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength because that is the way that God loves us. “The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.’” (Jeremiah 31:3)

I will never be able to adequately express my gratitude to the Lord for His love for me. My words of love, praise, and thanksgiving will always fall short of what He is worthy of. There is nothing I can offer Him in return for His kindness and love. But at least I will have all of eternity to try!

David Robison

A new name: Is 62:2

“The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the LORD will designate.” (Isaiah 62:2)

At the time of this prophesy “righteousness” and “glory” would not be what you would typically associated with the nation of Israel. Israel had already slid into apostasy and her younger sister Judah was following right behind her. By the time of Ezekiel, God had new names for Israel and Judah, “Now your older sister is Samaria, who lives north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lives south of you, is Sodom with her daughters.” (Ezekiel 16:46) How is it then that God prophesies of their righteousness and glory? God was declaring that, one day, He would give Israel a new name; a name of His own choosing. In the Hebrew understanding, a person’s name spoke of their nature. Remember the story of when Abigail fled to David to plead for the life of her husband and his men. “Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him.” (1 Samuel 25:25) As his name was, so was he.

God is into changing name, and not just names, but also natures. God not only wants to give us a new name but also a new nature. Our lives are not limited by our past. It does not matter who or what we were before we came to Jesus, in Christ we are made new. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Our future in God is not dependent on our past. It does not matter what kind of sinner we were. It doesn’t matter what background we came from. In Christ we are made new and our potential in His is unlimited. It’s good to be new!

David Robison