Year 9, Day 49: Isaiah 65

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Isaiah is wrapping up his message to the people.  He has 3 great points to make as the book closes.  These points pick up and summarize much of the content of the whole book.

First, notice that God says that He has proclaimed Himself to a people who are not His.  These are clearly Gentiles, as the reference to eating pigs makes clear.  The point is that God is all about revealing Himself to the world, seeing who is interested in relationship and who is not. He is wiling to invite people even though they might ignore Him and refuse the invitation. For God, He wants to give people the opportunity to meet Him.  That’s why He called forth the Babylonians and the Assyrians and even the Persians!  He is willing to make Himself known, even to people who aren’t His.

That being said, God does take rejection seriously.  He will take notice when people refuse His invitation into relationship.  He will cause judgment and wrath to come where it is needed.  Those who forsake the Lord will be met with destiny: the sword.

Note, however, that the judgment comes because of humanity.  We choose to forsake Him.  We choose to not listen.  When judgment comes, it comes at the hand of the Lord but we have nobody to blame but ourselves.  He judges us for our choices.  He doesn’t judge us because He is mean or vindictive but because we have made our rebellion clear to Him.

This chapter ends with a look at those who receive Him.  They are promised a new heaven and a new earth.  They are promised the opportunity to live their whole life without it being cut short.  They are promised the reality of reaping what we’ve sown.  They are promised a reality in which God knows our call even before we utter it!  They are promised a relationship with God that is fulfilling in ways that we can only imagine.

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