Isaiah 65:17-25 – Be prepared for a great future

Eschatologically, the Bible teaches that there will come a time of blessing in the future. This period has been referred to as the age of the Messiah. During this time, believers can anticipate blessings. Isaiah refers to the creation of “new heavens and a new earth”. From 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Behold if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation…” We conclude new creation begins with the works of Christ. Then in 2 Peter 3:3-13, we will see what Christ has begun being brought to its completion at His second coming and the final judgment.

In these verses, the blessings in this new age are enumerated. Firstly, God will bring a total newness to everything. The former things will not be the narrative. The past will be erased and remembered no more. In its place, there will be gladness and rejoicing. Secondly. Jerusalem will be a place of great joy, rejoicing, and celebration. Sorrow or tears brought about by man’s fallen condition will be removed and be unheard of. Thirdly, longevity will be the experience of the people. No premature death will be experienced, and older folks will live out their full length of life. God, Himself will be rejoicing in the destiny of His people. Fourthly, verses 21-23 speak of living a satisfying life of peace and abundance. Their work will be fruitful and productive and they will be satisfied by the labor of their hands. Fifthly, what will be more wonderful is that their cry to God will be heard. Before they even say a word to God their desire will already be answered. Finally, Zion will be a place of peaceful co-existence. It will be a place where ferocious animals will live peacefully with the timid and mild ones. None will take advantage of the other. This seems to indicate that enemies will be at peace with each other. Peace and tranquillity will be the common experience of people in that safe and holy city. Ultimately. evil will not be found in this new creation of God.    

 

What a time it will be for us who is heading there! Now that we know of these glorious promises what must we do in preparation for those great experiences? In 2 Peter 3:11-12, we are told to live rightly in anticipation of the glorious future. Peter said that we ought to be people who nurture “…holy conduct and godliness,  looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.”  

 

Isaiah 65:11-16 – The challenge to choose wisely

In Isaiah 65:11-16, the Lord contrasts what the unfaithful would ultimately experience from that of the remnant. The latter would inherit the promised land and experience peace and abundance. The unfaithful would inherit one grim future all the way. Playing with two words “Fortune” and “Destiny,” the unfaithful was referred to in their participation in the feast with Canaanite idols. What they failed to realize was that their destiny was in the hand of God. He alone controls destiny and not those idols. For not responding to God’s call through Isaiah and His other prophets, a very gloomy future would be their portion. They were destined for the slaughter.

Verses 13-16 contrast the experiences the remnant and unfaithful would experience.  While the remnant would be in plenty, the unfaithful would experience hunger and want. The former would be rejoicing but the latter would cry and experience deep sorrow. Meanwhile, the faithful remnant could anticipate a splendid future. The troubles they had experienced God would erase them all, and they would all be a forgotten past. In their place, the remnant would know Yahweh as the God of truth and value His name and enjoy His favor. 

Life’s journey requires that we make right choices. Each decision we make will determine the outcome of our life in the future. The results are usually not immediately known but they will be experienced, good or bad. We can choose to be faithful like the remnant and inherit the great promises of God. Or we can choose the path of the unfaithful and reap woes, sorrow and unrest, and ultimate destruction. So choose your path wisely today and enjoy a great future in God!   

   

  

 

Isaiah 65:8-10 – Remaining aithful to God

In the first seven verses of Isaiah 65, the Lord finally responded to the prophet’s prayer. He revealed why He was displeased with Judah and made Himself available to the Gentiles. How the people of Judah led their lives was insufferable. They had lived contrary to what God wanted of them. They made their sacrifices and burned their incense in unprescribed places. They offered their sacrifices in gardens and not in the temple and burning incense on bricks. They would indulge in necromancy to consult the dead. And they ate pork which to God was unclean food. They were distancing themselves from God.

Thankfully among these insufferable people, God said there was a remnant of good ones. Here Isaiah termed them as new wine. Like in a cluster of unacceptable rotten grapes, some good grapes were found that could produce new wine. So while God would cut off the nation, He would spare that remnant. Here God promised that an offspring of Jacob would inherit the mountain. This offspring of course is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Out of this offspring shall a faithful people come forth to inherit the promised land. They will experience peace and abundance.  

Sharon and Achor were two cities in Canaan. One was located at the extreme western side and the other at the eastern end. What God was saying was that the whole of Canaan would be the promised land of the remnant. Isaiah was referring to the Kingdom of the Messiah, a type of spiritual Canaan. God promised that this would be the blessing which the privileged remnant who seek Him would experience.

God promised to Abraham in Genesis that his descendants would be as numerous as sands on the seashore or as countless as the stars in the sky. Out of the vast number of his descendants, only a minority would remain faithful to God, whom He would preserve to inherit the promised land. This remnant would be those who accept and believe in Christ, God’s Messiah. This would be a minority group among the people of Israel. As we turn to look at the church, we will see that the faithful believers of Christ, in comparison with the vast group of people in the world who would not believe in Him, are also a minority group. But the good news is that they will be inheritors of the Kingdom of the Messiah. Peace and abundance in Christ will be their privilege. This is the promise of God. He will never allow the faithful to experience hopelessness. While judgment awaits the unfaithful, blessings will be the reward of the faithful. And God is not looking for the called and chosen but is looking for the called, chosen, and found faithful. Even though the faithful are a minority, let us be found among this minority. So remain faithful!

 

 

 

      

 

 

 

Isaiah 65:1-7 – Don’t make a mockery of God

In the last three reflections from Isaiah 63:15-64:12, we saw how Isaiah in his prayer longed for God to show His compassion for His people. Then he not only longed for God to show His presence to bring about changes in their circumstances but also for God to touch them. The reason why Judah could not feel God’s compassion, presence, and touch, was because they chose to persist in their stubborn ways contrary to God’s plan. As a result, God allowed the Gentiles to discover His grace. Even though they did not seek Him He made Himself readily found to them. Why? The purpose can be found in Romans chapters 9-11. There the Apostle Paul tells us that God did it to provoke the Jews to jealousy so that they would be stirred to return to Him. The reason God turned to the Gentiles was His displeasure with His covenant people, who persistently rejected His kind overtures to them. In verses 2-7, God gave them reasons why He was displeased with them.  

Firstly, they made their sacrifices and burned their incense in unprescribed places. They offer their sacrifices in gardens and not in the temples and burning incense on bricks. This could be referring to the rooftops of their houses. Secondly, they would sit in tombs consulting the dead. This occultic art known as necromancy was a practice of calling out the supposed spirit of the dead for consultation. In the tombs of those who had departed, they would spend long nights consulting their spirits seeking to gain their wisdom. Thirdly, they would eat pork which God in the Law given through Moses had listed as unclean meat. In what they did they were distancing themselves from God. It was like saying they were holier than God and did not want Him near them. How blatantly audacious!   

Their practices were a constant annoyance to God. The aberrant offerings were like irritating smoke in His nostril. These were not the deeds of only one generation. Every subsequent generation, one after another, continued in these belligerent acts. They were far too much even for a gracious, compassionate God to endure. Unwittingly, they were accumulating their evil deeds and adding on to the reasons for God’s impending wrath.  

If there is one clear lesson from these verses, it is the call not to test the patience of God. He is loving but He will not be mocked. In Galatians 6:7, Paul's warning is so well put. He said, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.” If we persist to live contrary to God’s prescribed ways, there is a sure consequence awaiting us. So live for God and avoid His wrath!  

Isaiah 64:1-7 – His loving touch brings a transformed life

Isaiah 63:15-64:7 describes two yearnings of the prophet. Firstly, despite their hardened hearts, he wished that God in His covenant loyalty and faithfulness would come to their rescue. Secondly, despite their longstanding sin, he yearned for God’s presence to break through and bring a telling difference in their waywardness. He was confident that God’s presence would bring about seismic changes in their life that would cause God’s own name to be known and people converted to serve Him.

In these last five verses of Isaiah 64, he had yet another wish. He longed for God, presenting several reasons why God should cease from His anger with them and touch them instead. Why? Firstly, he longed that God would touch them because they were His children, and He was their Father.  Secondly, God should touch them because He was their potter, and they were like clay in His hand. And He was after all the One who would mold them as a  nation. Thirdly, He should touch them because Judah’s cities, especially Zion, had become a wasteland, leaving Jerusalem utterly desolated.  Fourthly, God must touch them because the beautiful temple of Judah where their forefathers gathered to praise Him had been torn down. He asserted that all that were once precious to them were now in ruins. Pleading for God’s sympathy, Isaiah asked two rhetorical questions: Will You restrain Yourself at these things, Lord? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?

Audaciously Isaiah pled with God to touch them, notwithstanding their longstanding and persistent waywardness. He did not presume on God, by insisting that He was obliged to touch them. Instead, he came reasoning with Him, fully aware that he was pleading to their loving Father, their great Redeemer, and the One who held them in His hand.

God has always been the only One who shapes the destiny of His people. Like the good plan He had for Judah, His people, He also has a great plan for us. And He alone can make a difference in our lives. While He has a great plan for us, He would not force it on us. He wants us to come willingly for He will not violate our free will. But in His love, He will allow the hard circumstances of life to arrest our attention to bring us to the realization of how much we need Him. When we willingly come to Him,  we find His loving arms embracing us and leading us into the fulness of His plan for us. It makes sense to return to God no matter how far we have strayed from Him. He is the Father in the parable of the prodigal son who will not let go of His love for us. No matter how far we have strayed, let us return to Him today!   

 

 

 

Isaiah 64:1-7 - Prayer and divine intervention

In Isaiah 63:15-19, the prophet yearned for God to intervene in their plight. He refused to accommodate the thought that God would ignore them forever. For he knew that in  His covenant faithfulness and loyalty, God, their Father, and Redeemer would not leave them unattended.  So he pleaded with Him to intervene and show concern for them.

In Isaiah 64:1-7, the prophet had another yearning. He yearned for the presence of God. We see in the phrase “at your presence” mentioned three times in the first three verses of the chapter. Isaiah knew that the presence of God would make the telling difference. He illustrated the impact by saying that God’s presence would cause the mountain to quake and brushwood to be kindled like fire to boil water. Isaiah was basically saying that God’s presence would bring about seismic changes in the circumstances of the people and the world. He was sure that in His presence, nations would be shaken up and His name would be recognized. He was confident that at God’s presence, people would be converted to become believers and worshipers.     

Verses 4-9 tell us that from experience there was no one apart from God who would be so compassionate to respond to the plea of the people. Isaiah was sure that God would act on the behalf of those who trust Him and who desire to live righteously according to His prescribed ways. There is no question about Good’s compassion and His ability to save, but we cannot say the same about human desire. When a man is steeped in sin and his heart hardens, he will persist nonchalantly in his waywardness. Man will persist in wickedness and cause God to be hidden from him.

Isaiah knew better. He was confident that prayer would make the difference. In Isaiah 62:7, we saw him committing to give himself no rest until God’s praise be established in Jerusalem. And in Isaiah 62:1, he said:

“For Zion’s sake, I will not keep silent,
And for Jerusalem’s sake, I will not keep quiet,
Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness,
And her salvation like a torch that is burning.”  

What about us? For the sake of the church, the salvation of the world, and the establishment of God’s Kingdom, can we afford to stay quiet and not pray? Unless God’s presence breaks into our circumstances, there can never be changes. And unless we commit to pray earnestly, revival will continue to tarry. If we want to see a revival, let us commit to pray for our families, our church, and our nation!

 

 

 

Isaiah 63:15-19 – To honor God is a conscious choice!

Isaiah refused to entertain the thought that the loving and kind God who had rescued and delivered His people in the day of Moses would ignore them. He knew that in God’s lovingkindness, He would not allow them to remain in their plight, since He alone could bring about the restoration. Here in Isaiah 63:15-19, he earnestly pled with God to intervene in their plight as He did in ancient times.  

Identifying with God’s people, Isaiah wished to experience the zeal and mighty works of God which He had demonstrated in delivering His people in time past. He yearned for God to show His compassion and not be seemingly nonchalant about their desperate condition. Here the prophet gave reasons why God should do something for them. Firstly, He was their Father. Despite how they had strayed from their covenant relationship enacted through their forefathers, Abraham and Jacob, God remained their Father. As a Father, he would certainly have feelings and thoughts for them. Secondly, He was not only their Father but also their Redeemer. And as Redeemer, He certainly could do something to bring about their redemption and restoration.  

Verse 17 appears as if  Isaiah was blaming God for their plight, but he was not. Here He was acknowledging God’s Sovereignty. This is the belief that nothing will ever happen to God’s people if He does not allow it. Nothing can ever happen to us if God does not give His permission. God has granted us a will to freely choose our course in life, so He will not violate that will. When we have chosen a wrong path, God will only allow the consequence to awaken us to our wrong decision and return to Him. However, here Isaiah’s wish was that  God had intervened and not allowed them to stray and ended up in their predicament. He wished God would not give their enemies the opportunity to continue to suppress them, leaving them feeling deserted by Him.  

A passage like this leaves us with the lesson that it is important to make the right choice in life. Every decision we make has consequence. If we choose to do things that contradict God’s will, we will have to bear with the consequences that come with those decisions. We are free to choose but we are not free to choose the result of the decision. Therefore we must choose rightly and wisely. We must choose to honor God in every decision, it is the wisest thing to do!

 

Isaiah 63:10-14 – The principle of cause and effect

Even in God’s chastening His compassion can be experienced. This was how we see in the history of His dealing with Israel. He did not allow His people to be annihilated. In compassion, He came to their rescue to prevent them from being overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness. Yes, He was angry for their rebelliousness and would use their enemies to punish them, yet He would place a limit to what the enemies could do. He came to their rescue when His goal for chastening His people was met. God loves us far too much to leave us as we are. And He is always in the process of transforming and refining us. He knows best what is good for us.

In Isaiah 63:10-14 we see the message that without God, it will be difficult to survive the troubles that confront us. The important question that we should ask when are besieged by trouble is “where is He (God)?” This was the same question the people of Israel asked in a predicament. They remembered what God did to help their forefathers out of their bondage, sorrow, and night. They recalled that for HIs own name, God was the One who had led them out of the Red Sea, placed His Holy Spirit in their midst to guide them, and saw them through the journey. So now in their plight, the obvious question to ask should be where is God? Asking this question also helped them to see how far they had strayed from their loving God.  

We must also remember the law of cause and effect. Every action, good or bad, will elicit a consequence. Whether we walk or fail to walk, in obedience there will always be an effect. So if we don’t like the fruit we are reaping, we must check the seed we are sowing. The question “where is God”, which the people of Israel asked, should be the same one we must ask when we are overwhelmed by our circumstances. It will help us to trace the thing that we have done or fail to do that led to the situation where we cannot even feel His presence. The tough circumstances we encounter are often a condition of our own making. When we fail to live obediently, God will use the hardship we experience to call us to attention to our waywardness. He does it not to crush us but to redirect us. Invariably, when we analyze the cause of our tough times, it always leads us to realize how far we have strayed from God. When we are in a predicament, wisdom dictates that we tackle the root cause not the effect. Always return to God for He is always there waiting for us!

 

 

 

Isaiah 63:7-10 – God’s lovingkindness never fails

In Isaiah 63:7-10, the prophet speaks of the steadfast lovingkindness of God. When he thought about how God had loved Israel, His people, he could not stop praising Him. For He chose to embrace His people with His abundant and steadfast love. God dealt compassionately with them. Israel became His chosen people, and He became their Savior. He also shared their afflictions and came to their rescue so that they would not be overwhelmed. He redeemed them and sustained them in their journey. But Israel was not faithful to Him. As a people, they rebelled and grieved His Spirit. As a result, He turned against them and they became His enemy, and He used their oppressors to fight them. God turned against them not to destroy them but to get them to realize their waywardness and to willingly return to experience His love.

In reflecting on these verses, we cannot get away from the lovingkindness of God. It is an action that originates with Him. This word lovingkindness speaks of God’s covenant faithfulness and loyalty to His people. It describes God’s character and reveals the depth of His love towards His people. If we look at the history of Israel, we will see that it was God who in His love chose them and not the other way around. Israel did not do anything to merit God’s choice. In fact, they spurned His love and became unfaithful to Him. Despite their rebelliousness, His covenant loyalty would not let them go. He chose to discipline them to help to align their attitude toward Him and to return to Him in love.

God loves not only in words and intention but in real action. It is a choice He has made. Hence despite our failures to appropriately reciprocate His love, He remains faithful to us. It is unilateral, He loves regardless. He loves us not because of what we do but in spite of what we do. God’s lovingkindness never fails. When rightly appropriated, His lovingkindness will help us to start the day aright. It helps us to see that every day is a new day to build on His love for us. We must learn to seize every moment of every day to love God in return. Let it not be only our intention but our action. We must love Him with all our heart, our mind, our soul, and our strength. It the only appropriate response to His lovingkindness. Let’s do it!    

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 63 – God, our awesome redeemer

In Isaiah 63:1, the prophet pictures the LORD in a rhetorical question. He emerged triumphantly in a conflict with Edom and Bozrah, her capital. The LORD is seen here adorned in majestic apparel, marching in the fulness of His strength in that conflict. In history, Edom hailed from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. The one whose birthright was cheated by the latter. In the Bible, Edom had been depicted as the enemy of God’s people. Here Isaiah uses Edom and Bozrah to represent the world power which the LORD has conquered. Responding to his own question, Isaiah tells us that the person dressed in majestic apparel is none other than the LORD, the one who spoke in righteousness and mighty to save.  

In verse 2 Isaiah then asks the next rhetorical question. “Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the winepress?” Again he gives the answer in the following verses. The stain on the His garment is the blood of those whom He has slain in His fury. Much like a person who has trodden the winepress and stained by the red juice of the wine, so His garment is stained by the crimson blood of the enemies whom He has judged.  It is a judgment that only He alone can undertake.

God had wished there were other means that salvation could be accomplished but He found none. Sin had to be judged and there was none righteous to carry out the task. So being the only righteous One, He undertook the task Himself. His own arm brought about salvation. There was no other way the perfect judgment could be executed and yet salvation effected.  

Christ is God’s perfect answer to the issue of sin. The consequences of sin have to be dealt with. There is none fit for the role to remove what sin had brought about in man. In sending Christ, through His finished works at Calvary, God has the perfect solution. Our Saviour’s blood was spilled so that ours could be spared. The blood that flowed from His wounds should have been ours. Now in what He has done God’s wrath is appeased. Every time God remembers what Christ has done, He remembers that the price for our sin and the blood required of it has been poured out. What a marvelous Saviour! We are forever grateful for all that He has done. So in response to His unfailing love, we must offer all that we are and all that we will become, to worship and serve Him eternally. It is the only worthy response!

  

Isaiah 62:10-12 – Let's build the church

Zion would become an entirely different place after God had worked on her. As we have seen earlier, God had placed watchmen at the city wall to guard the city. In Isaiah 62:10, the prophet saw Zion as a restored city with gates opened, a highway built, and obstacles removed. The path had been restored so that the people could stream into her. The standard is the banner where an army would rally around and station for the march forward. Since Zion had been restored, the standard ought to be lifted so that God’s people could rally around it and move forward in tandem. In verse 11, God had sounded out the rallying call to all the earth. A rallying call signaling the coming of the Redeemer and His salvation plan. God has graciously alerted all nations to His rescue operation with the rewards and compensation for those deserving them. The Lord’s people would be known as a holy people and the city of Zion would be unshaken, and a sought-out city.

The restored Zion is a reference to the church of Christ. It is a well-established place, where God’s redeemed will come together. Her walls will be restored and guarded, her gates will all be in place and wide open, the highway to her will be made smooth and obstacles removed. It’s going to be an inviting place. Everything will be aligned to enable the people to stream in to populate her. Here we see an anticipation that the church will be the one where salvation will go forth and her people will be known as the Holy people of God. This, the Apostle Peter affirmed in his letter saying that “we are a chosen people, a holy nation, royal priests  nation, a people of God’s own acquisition.” The church will be an established place, a city sought after, and a city that will never be forsaken.

The church is not a building. It is a people redeemed by the Lord gathering to honor Him and to propagate His purpose in the world. Our calling is to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ Jesus. There is no greater pleasure than to be an instrument of the Lord to work out His will and plan in the world. We are the church Jesus has founded and He is the foundation on which we are built. The gates of hell cannot prevent the church from advancing. This presupposes that every member would take up his or her position and rally around the Gospel and proclaim it boldly. Let us do our part! We are God’s mouthpiece in the world so let’s not neglect our duty. As God’s holy people, we must avail ourselves to build the church for His glory!  

 

 

Isaiah 62:8-9 – Satisfied by His grace

As readers of the Bible, we can see that the laws of God have been given to show us what He requires of man in their relationship with Him. They prescribed how man ought to live to please God. While the standards God demands of us are made known in the laws, they do not have the capacity to empower us to obey them. We are left to figure a way of our own to live out the requirements of the laws. This is not helped by our fallen nature which rendered us incapable of keeping what the laws require of us by our own design. We are incapable of auto-correction. Hence instead of being blessed, we inherit curses. But God is gracious and loving. In His grace and love, He provided a way for us. The coming of Jesus made available the means whereby the requirements of the laws can now be fulfilled in our lives. In  Christ Jesus we are made right with God hence His blessings can be received.   

When Isaiah said God “has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm”, what does he mean? He was referring to God’s own power to act, and He chose to act in grace.  We know that the sending of Jesus Christ is an act of His grace. It is His most gracious gesture to mankind. And this grace is entirely His doing. He swore to do it and then went about executing it. Hence, Isaiah wants his readers to know that the blessings we experience are entirely God’s doing. He Himself had done it for us. We no longer need to struggle to come up with our own device to fulfill the requirement of the laws. Now in Christ, we will experience blessings and not curses. In Him, we will no longer lack sustenance, and no one can take away what rightly belongs to us.

In Christ, there is fullness of life. We are privileged to experience the promises of the New Covenant in Christ. We are given to enjoy His goodness. God’s grace through Christ will enable us to live a life of praise. He has granted us access to God’s presence and in His Sanctuary, we will drink of His unending goodness. We cannot help but to thank God as we think of what He has done for us in Christ. Romans 8:3 tells us “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.” He did it all for us so that we can become the righteousness of God and so enjoy the fulness of life. Oh, what a joy it is to be one with the Lord! All praise and honor to Him!

Isaiah 62:6-7 – In need of intercessors

In Isaiah 62:6-7 we learn of the importance of watchmen whom God would raise to guard the wall of Jerusalem. In the context of the church, these watchmen are the intercessors. They play a vital role in the life of the church. Like watchmen or sentries raised to station at the wall of the city of Jerusalem to guard it, intercessors are raised in the church to guard and pray for what's happening in the church.

God in His love for the church will place spiritual watchmen, people who love to pray, to keep guard over the church. They are people who will pray day and night and would not keep silent. These intercessors will be alert to what is going on and will not cease praying for the church till a revival comes. Oh, how we need such intercessors! God is raising us to be intercessors for the church. We are told in the book of Hebrews that Jesus lives to make intercession for us. He is ever before the Father as our advocate pleading on our behalf. We are called to emulate Him to pray and not to faint. In Ezekiel 22:30, God said, “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land so that I would not destroy it….”

Here we are reminded of the parable Jesus told in Luke 11, concerning the persistent friend who would not stop seeking the help of his neighbor till he got what he needed. This man had a friend who came from a distance and he found that he ran out of bread to entertain his guest. So he went to his neighbor's house seeking to borrow some. But the neighbor was asleep already since it was midnight. Refusing to take no for an answer, he kept knocking till the neighbor got up to give him what he needed. The purpose of the parable was to teach us to pray boldly and persistently. Unlike the neighbor in the parable, our God will never be disturbed when we seek Him in prayer. His invitation is for us to pray and don’t stop praying, to seek and keep on seeking, and when we knock at His door, don’t stop knocking. For to everyone who prays He will answer, and everyone who seeks, will find and everyone who knocks on His door, He shall open it.  

We are called to be intercessors for the church. Without God, it is impossible to see the accomplishment of His plan for the church. Without people who are concerned enough to keep the church constantly in prayer, the work of God will stagnate and not progress as it should. So we must be the people who will stand in the gap and intercede. In prayer, the resources of heaven are made available to us for the advancement of God’s Kingdom and work. Let us not neglect the call to pray, especially in this turbulent time. And we must not stop praying till the light shines through and a revival breakout. God will bring it about when we do not stop praying. What a privilege to be part of God’s mighty work!    

 

Isaiah 62:1-5 – Let the church return to her mission!

The Zion that Isaiah prophesized we have learned was referencing the church of Jesus Christ. Her mission since her inception has been to be God’s beacon light to the fallen world. She is called to bring God’s salvation and His righteousness to the world. And all of us have been drawn into the church so that we can be Christ’s redemptive agents today. What Isaiah talked about here seems to be a church that was not fulfilling her call as she should. But God who had brought the church into being would not allow her mission to remain unaccomplished. So the Lord works actively through the church to awaken her to her mission. He works in her to stir her to action. He is determined to ensure that righteousness will go forth as a bright light from the church and salvation like a burning torch. God wants the church to rise to her call so that His glory will be reflected.  

Verse 1 suggests that the church seems so far from what she has been called to be and do. But for the church’s sake, the Lord will not allow her to remain in that state. Isaiah sees how God works actively to make the church the true beacon light, calling the people of the church till she becomes what He has intended for her to be. She will no longer be forsaken or desolate but will instead be God’s delight. Jesus Christ is committed to the church to raise her up to be what she is made to be.

 

The issue confronting us, members of the church, is: will we allow God to use us so that the church, His redemptive agency, will return to fulfill the mission she has been called to fulfill. God is still working in the church, and we can collaborate with the Spirit of God. We must allow Him to revitalize His work in and through us to bring about God’s intended purpose. We must become truly the agency of righteousness and the torch of salvation to the nation. When we, the church, return to our mission and calling, we will be God’s greatest force on earth. We will truly be the bride of Christ and bring delight to God so that He can rejoice over us. This we must endeavor to be for His glory!

Isaiah 61:8-11 – Are we sowing seeds of salvation and righteousness?

God is just and He loves justice. He has a strong dislike for unfairness. Here we sense the reference to God’s people being treated unfairly while in exile. Being a just God, He would not allow the injustice to prevail without aligning it. For that purpose, He established an everlasting covenant with His people to faithfully compensate them for all that they had to endure. Those covenant people will be known as God’s people. They and their offspring would be recognized, and nations would come to recognize that they were indeed God’s blessed people.

Recognizing the Lord’s hand in their lives, the people whom He has so wonderfully blessed will greatly rejoice and exult in Him. For He has ensured their salvation and clothe them with a robe of righteousness. Using the imagery of a bridegroom and bride that would be adorned with the wedding garland and garment, Isaiah saw how God would bless His people. They would not only experience His salvation but would also be clothed with His righteousness. Then praises and righteousness would blossom and abound like new plants sprouting forth before the nations.

Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the everlasting covenant, God has raised a new community of people for His glory. These covenant people will receive salvation and be imputed with His righteousness. They shall be known as the Lord’s blessed people. What is more wonderful is that Isaiah foresaw that there will be many who will join this band of blessed people, like mushrooming new plants. This is the sure work of God. The church, which we are all a part of, is called to proliferate the message of the everlasting covenant in Christ. As we do, we shall see people saved and birthed into the family of God all over the world. We are called to sow the seed of the Gospel to impact the lives of people. What are we doing about this call? Let us take time to sow the seed of the Gospel. In the four kinds of ground in the Parable of the Sower, we calculate that at least 25 percent would be good ground. When seeds of the Gospel fall on the 25% of good ground,  we are guaranteed of at least thirty or sixtyfold, if not a hundredfold. Let us get to work and expand the Kingdom!        

     

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 61:4-7 – Are we Kingdom builders?

Isaiah 61:3 tells us that the people saved and blessed by the Redeemer will be jubilant, praising, and stable people. In place of mourning, they will be clothed with gladness. They will be known as oaks of righteousness and planting of the Lord. Zion will be a transformed place. They will then in turn be used to “rebuild of the ancient ruins.” Why is there a need to restore the ancient ruins? In this context, we know that Judah was disciplined by the Lord because of their disobedience. Her cities were destroyed and devastated, and many of her talented youths were brought into captivity to Babylon. Having been blessed and restored to the relationship, the Lord would use the returnees to rebuild their devastated cities.

Since Zion is a symbol of the church, we surmise that the reference here is to the church being used to rebuild and re-establish righteousness in a world ravaged by sin. The church is God’s instrument in this regard. For many generations, sin has a free reign and left many lives devoid of the purpose of God. Now through the church, God has raised a people whom He will use to restore lives devastated by sin. Strangers and foreigners in the context of the passage will be the Gentiles. Bear in mind that as far as the Bible is concerned, there are only two races in the world. If one is not a Jew, then that person is a Gentile. The church of Jesus Christ will be made up of not just Jews but also Gentiles of all nations. Many of these strangers and foreigners will be used by God in the church to take care of the vineyard and the flock of God. In the New Testament, “vineyard” and “flock” have been used as symbols of the church.   

In verse 6 we see that the members of Zion will make up the priesthood. They will stand in the gap between God and a lost world. As God’s ministers to a lost world, they will also be blessed. People blessed by the ministry of the church will bring in the needful support. In place of humiliation, there will be joy for all the rich blessings they will receive. They will enjoy a double portion of blessings, and everlasting joy will be the experience of people in this new community.  

Know it or not all of us Christians have been enlisted as priests in God’s Kingdom. This is affirmed by 1 Peter 2:9 which says, “But 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….” As God’s chosen royal priests, we all have the mandate to fulfil. As committed ministers, we must proclaim the goodness of God in our world and show forth His marvelous light. Be a Kingdom builder!      

Isaiah 61:1-3 – Living to reflect God’s glory

Undoubtedly, Isaiah 61:1-3 are the words of the Servant and Redeemer. These were confirmed by Jesus in Luke 4:16-19. We are told that Jesus was in the synagogue in Nazareth on a Sabbath day as was His usual routine. There He stood up to read. And the book of Isaiah was handed to Him. When He turned to this portion of the book He read, saying:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

When Jesus had finished reading. He closed the book and said these words were speaking about His ministry. Although Luke stopped at the first line of Isaiah 61:2, we know that Jesus in His ministry fulfilled everything Isaiah 61:1-3 has said. Essentially, seven aspects of Jesus’ ministry are highlighted here.  

Firstly that He would be anointed of the Spirit. Jesus' great accomplishment in His earthly ministry was empowered by the Spirit. He knew His role as He divested of His own inherent power and relied on the power of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, He came to bring the good news to the afflicted. In our fallen state, every one of us is afflicted by the consequence of sin and needs this good tiding. Thirdly, He came to bind up the brokenhearted. For those who are discouraged, He has a special word to bring them comfort. Fourthly, He came to proclaim freedom to the captives. Had it not been for Christ who came to set us free we would have been trapped in sin and continued to go on a downward spiral, heading for eternal condemnation. He came to free us from the bondage of sin. Fifthly, He came to usher in the period of grace, the favorable year of the Lord. Sixthly, He came to warn us of the impending judgment. And seventhly and finally, He came to comfort those who mourn the wretched condition.     

Now in place of defeat, we will be granted triumph. Instead of mourning, we can enjoy gladness. He came to put praises in our lips instead of the spirit of despair. Praise will always lift us up and help us look beyond our despairing circumstances. Christ Jesus has done everything to stabilize and establish us so that we can find our sure foundation in Him. We are guaranteed a life of triumph when we learn to walk with Him. Our righteousness will be as steady as an oak tree. The goal of all that He has done in our life is for us to reflect His glory.

Three short verses but full of lessons. We shall highlight two for our application. If Christ depended on the Holy Spirit in His earthly ministry, how much more do we need to depend on the third person of the Trinity. We need the guidance and direction of the Spirit of God in life and ministry. We must cultivate a sensitivity to the Spirit and rely on Him to assist us in our daily walk. Secondly, in our ministry let us proclaim the liberty that Christ has offered, which only He can give. We must become instruments to help set the captives free from the bondage and snare of sin. Reaching out to the lost must be a part of our routine in life. Let it all be done for the glory of God!     

Isaiah 60:19-22 – Get ready for a glorious time!

The presence of Yahweh will make a difference in Zion. He is the crowning glory. No longer will the people need to depend on the sun or the moon for light. The LORD, Yahweh Himself, will be the source of their light. It is as if God is saying that His people will no longer need to depend on the happier moments of life, day or night, to give them salvation, joy, and meaning. God Himself, who will be in their midst will be their continual light.

What a glorious promise is given in verse 20: God Himself will be with the people forever. He will be their perpetual light. The light of the sun and moon will be replaced by the ever-lasting light of the LORD. And with His presence, the day of mourning will be over.  

Everyone who is part of Zion will be righteous and will possess the promised land forever. They will be known as the planting of God Himself. There will be exponential growth in the number of people. And even the weakest or the least of the member of the city will become a useful instrument in nurturing the city into a mighty nation. This again will be the work of God, the Mighty One.  

In these closing verses of Isaiah 60, we see several promises. The presence of God will be experienced in the church. Salvation and joy will also be experienced. The church will be marked by righteousness. She will continue to expand as people are constantly added to her number. Even the weakest member of the church will be gloriously used. There will be security and protection in the church. God Himself will see to the accomplishment of them all to bring about the manifestation of His own glory. The timing of everything will be perfect in God’s own time. Praise God! We are swept up in the momentum of what God is doing! No time to slack. In fact, it’s time to take the admonition of Paul in Romans 13:11-14 seriously. “…Knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.  The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day…put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh ….” We must stand up for Jesus!

 

Isaiah 60:15-18 – The church a sure place of refuge

The Zion that would be restored would be prosperous, so said Isaiah. No longer would she be a forsaken and despised city but a transformed and glorious one. She would enjoy everlasting dignity and be known as a place of joy for many, from generation to generation.  She would be milking from the wealth of the nations and kings much like a nursing child sucking milk from a mother’s breast. She, who was once the scorn of nations, would now be one that they would sustain. Then her people would know with certainty that their Saviour and Redeemer was none other than Yahweh Himself.

Furthermore, verse 17 said that instead of bronze God would give her gold; and instead of iron, she would have silver. And instead of wood, she would be constructed with bronze and for stone, she would have iron. From a city constructed with far better material, Zion would become a city built with stronger materials, making her more precious and harder to destroy. Her experience would be an entirely different one from her past. Her violent experience would only be a memory of the past, never to be spoken of again in the land. No devastation or destruction would come within her border. Zion’s hallmarks would be peace, righteousness, salvation, and praise. These characteristics would be how she would be defined and identified.  

Like the renewed and gloriously physical Zion, so would the church of Jesus Christ be and much more. She would be a place of refuge from the harsh realities of life. The violence that was due to us was bored by our Saviour and Redeemer at Calvary. As a member of the church, His finished works at Calvary dealt with what should have been our end. So in place of judgment and punishment, Christ has secured our peace, righteousness, salvation, and praise. These tell us to anticipate what we should routinely experience when we walk with Him. Colossians 2:6-7 offer us great advice for our daily journey, saying, “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” So we must walk with Christ, and as we do, we will be firmly rooted in Him, and our faith life will be built up and established in Him. Remember to live a life of praise and thanksgiving, being grateful to our faithful God!

 

 

Isaiah 60:10-14 – Building the gates and walls of the church

In Isaiah 60:10-14, the prophet prophesized the building of the wall of Zion. When the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem, the walls were dismantled, and the people were taken into exile. Initially, God used the foreigner as His instrument in the discipline of His people. When He ascertained that the period of chastening was enough, He used them to liberate the exile and enable them to return to build the walls of Jerusalem. We saw how King Cyrus was used to set the whole plan rolling. He decreed that the Jews could return to their homeland. So under Ezra, a group returned to rebuild the temple. And Nehemiah who was serving King Artaxerxes was given help by the king to secure the material to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

In talking about the rebuilding of the walls of Zion, these verses remind us of the building of the walls of spiritual Zion. If spiritual Zion is the church, then we see here the prophecy of how the foreigners will participate in building the walls of the church. Walls are symbols of strength. They define the boundaries of a city and are the first line of defense, signifying protection. A city without walls will be vulnerable to attack. The walls of the church must be properly established. Any gap must be dealt with so that those within can be secure. God is always looking for men to stand in the gap to ensure that the walls of this spiritual Zion will not have loopholes, making it easy prey for the enemies.

In verse 11, Isaiah talked about the gate of Jerusalem. This gate would never be closed so that it would facilitate a continuous flow of people into the city. Even kings would lead the flow of people, bringing with them their wealth into the city. Like the opened gates of physical Zion, the gate of the church will also be opened to facilitate continuous people of all status, rulers, and ordinary citizens to enter in at any moment, day or night.  Anyone who will not acknowledge and serve Christ, the sovereign King, will ultimately come to ruin.  

Using poetic language, verse 13 speaks of the glory of the church. It will be a place of strength and beauty, a place where God will make glorious by His presence. It will be the sanctuary of the Holy One. Those who once despised it will come submitting humbly to the city and the King. Physical Zion would be glorious for she would be uniquely the city of the Holy One of Israel. In a far more glorious way, the church where Christ is enthroned, will be the place where His glory is manifestly experienced.  

As people who make up the church of Jesus Christ, our transformed life will make Him more patently present. When we, the church, understand our mission, we will be the greatest force on earth. When we manifest the glory of Christ, people will be drawn to submit themselves to Christ’s Lordship. Each one of us has a part to play so that the glory of the church of Christ can be seen and experienced. Be committed to doing our part! It’s a great privilege!    

Isaiah 60:6-9 – Let’s offer all that have to honor God

In talking about the glory of Zion, Isaiah in these verses depicts the Gentiles bringing wealth to that glorious city. They came from the Midian and Ephah from the East, and Sheba from the South, on camels bearing gold and frankincense. They came bearing the good news with their resources in praise and honor of the Lord. Immediately our minds would go back to the scene at the manger where the wise men from the East came bearing gifts of gold and frankincense to the Lord Jesus at His birth. Then from the desert land of Kedar and Nebaioth, probably referring to the Arabians and the Ishmaelites, they would bring their flocks and rams to the altar. This simply means that they came to worship and honor the Lord.

Isaiah also saw groups of people streaming into Zion via the sea. He described them as dense clouds and doves flying to the Lattices. Ships from Tarshish would also bring to Zion loads of believers in addition to silver and gold. These converts came acknowledging the Lord and came to offer their praise to Him.  

We have established that the Zion spoken of in Isaiah 60-61 refers to the church. This being the case, these verses reveal to us that groups of people from all over would stream to Zion the church, to honor and worship the Lord. For God has chosen to glorify Himself through the church. It would be a gathering place for people who believe in Him. They would bring in their wealth to offer to the Lord. The truth is that the Lord will not only work in such a way that there will be an increase in people but also people who are willing to contribute to the growing work of God. Are we bringing in our gifts and our lives as offerings to the Lord?  All that we are and all that we have are God-given. It is a privilege to be able to offer to Him our treasure, time, and talents, and certainly our whole life. He is worthy of it all!

 

Isaiah 60:1-5 – Let our light shine for Jesus

In chapter 59 Isaiah prophesized the coming of the Redeemer and the hope He would bring. Then in Isaiah 60-61, we find the two most positive and hopeful chapters of this book. Here we see the transformation of Zion and the glorious things that would happen to Zion. If the Redeemer we surmised is the Lord Jesus Christ, then Zion without a doubt would be the church of Jesus Christ. We see this affirmed by the author of the letter to the Hebrews. He said in Hebrews 12:22-24 that believers of Christ Jesus by coming to the church “…have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,  to the general assembly and the church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant….”

While the description is of people returning from exile carrying the wealth of their captors to Zion, the scene pictures the church of Jesus Christ. In this Zion, Isaiah predicted blessings for those who dwell in her. Believers are called to greet the light of a new day. Here the glory of the Lord has risen anew. Though engulfed by the darkness that had affected the whole world, the coming of the Redeemer would gloriously change the condition and the experience of the people. What would be seen would be faithful believers reflecting the glory of God. The light of Christ will be seen reflected in the believers, referred to earlier as His offspring.

In verse 3 we are told that nations and kings would be attracted to the glorious light of the new Zion, the church. Believers of God would stream from all over. These believers referred to as sons and daughters would be lovingly, tenderly, and caringly nurtured and cherished. And joy and gladness would be the hallmark of Zion.

The church of Jesus Christ is called to reflect the glorious Light of Christ to dispel darkness. Jesus made it explicitly clear that we are the light of the world. We are to shine in darkness so that men may see our good works and glorify the Father who is in heaven. What are we doing to reflect the light of Christ in our life? Let us shine for Jesus in all that we say and do!   

 

Isaiah 59:15b-21 – Jesus Christ, God’s solution to mankind’s woe

When the Lord saw the deplorable condition among His people, He was displeased. It greatly annoyed Him that no one cared enough or was able to do something to turn it around. No one was even concerned enough to intervene in prayer for them. No longer able to tolerate the deterioration, He decided to intervene to change the situation. He then set out to put right the situation, the injustice, and transgressions. In verses 17-19, Isaiah described God as putting on the armor to engage in warfare to save the people. He wore the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation on His head. He came zealously seeking vengeance to set things aright both in Judah and far away. What He did brought people from all over to come to honor Him. Here is a depiction of God bringing redemption to the world, from the west to the east.

Isaiah predicted that a Redeemer would come to Zion to right the wrong among the people of Israel who would recognize Him and turn from their wrong and repent. The Redeemer would come in with the New Covenant. The Spirit of God would be upon Him and He would speak the Word of God. He would faithfully convey the message of God to His offspring. This suggests that people would be birthed into the Kingdom from the word of this Redeemer. And His word would pass on to the generations forever. This Redeemer we know is no other than Christ Jesus.

Here we see the prophecy of the coming of the Redeemer. His coming is the plan of God to redeem the world. His work would be armed with righteousness and salvation. And He would execute the vengeance of God with great zeal. In these few short verses, we are given to see the work of the Trinitarian God in action bringing about mankind’s redemption. God the Father sent His Redeemer whom we can clearly surmise is Jesus Christ, His begotten Son. He came to speak the word of God, announcing God’s message which the Spirit had inspired and put in His mouth. The message of redemption would now be perpetuated among the people forever. We are glad that God had intervened to bring salvation to mankind. We believers ought to be glad that He has given us a part in His redemption plan. So let us faithfully commit to His work and advance the message of redemption.     

 

 

Isaiah 59:9-15a – Self-awareness, the first step to restoration

In Isaiah 58 and the earlier verses of Isaiah 59, God had known what was preventing His people from getting a breakthrough in their circumstances. He told them it was their sins and wrongdoings, their social injustice, their swiftness to shed innocent blood, and, etc. With all that they had done, they shouldn’t have to wonder why their connection with God was broken. Now for the barrier to be broken down, there must be an honest appraisal of one’s life and a sincere acknowledgment of sin before God. Only then can the intervention of God be expected, and His deliverance is experienced.   

So here in Isaiah 59:9-15a, we see an honest appraisal of their condition and a realization of how far they were from what God had installed for them. For people who once had a relationship with the Lord, it was sheer misery to be separated and isolated from Him. Their miseries were described as people groping in darkness. Instead of light they experienced darkness and had to grope in the darkness like blind people without sight. Furthermore, they felt as if they were sapped of life among those who were healthy. And like hungry bears, they growled for food and they would moan like doves mourning for their mates. They yearned for justice, but it simply illuded them. The salvation they hoped for seemed millions of miles away.

In desperation, they honestly confessed their sins. They saw how far they had transgressed and were going on a downward spiral. They acknowledged how far they had departed from the Lord. Admitting their misery, they confessed their unfaithfulness. They even acknowledged their distorted speech and conversation. Their speeches were full of oppression and lies from their heart. And the truth was far from them. Then they also conceded to practice social injustice. They realized that in what they had done they had walked into their own trap and became the prey of their own making.

 Before we can have a breakthrough and experience the liberty of a forgiven life and be reconciled to God, there must be first a realization of our missteps. If we would not acknowledge our wrong, sin and its consequence will always be lurking around like a shadow. The only experience would be the misery of a life unrestored and unfulfilled. 

Here’s what King David had experienced, and what we should do in Psalm 32.

First his experience in Psalm 32:3-5:
When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. 
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. 

Then his proposal and restoration in Psalm 32: 6-7:

Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance. 

Let’s pause, confess our fault if any, and experience a relationship restored with God!