Isaiah 63 - 66

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These last 4 chapters of the book of Isaiah are some of the most heart-warming and most insightful passages throughout the entire Bible!  Isaiah comes to the end of his long ministry as God's prophet to a nation who was destined by God to be the world's evangelistic outreach center. As we today's reading of chapter 63, Isaiah begins to remind us and the nation of Israel of God's wonderful love. He reminds them of how much grace, mercy, and kindness He showed toward His people. That's why Isaiah says in verse 7 - "I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love. I will praise the Lord for all he has done. I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel, which he has granted according to his mercy and love."

But, Isaiah also reminds them of how they rebelled against this wonderful, loving God! Isaiah cries out and says, "But they rebelled against Him, and grieved His Holy Spirit." 

To the grieving nation who wondered, "What happened to our God?" Isaiah reminds them He's still on His throne, but that He's temporarily become their enemy due to their terrible sinfulness. As such, the people cry out and ask, "Where is our God?"  And Isaiah reminds them of all the many things God has done for them, ranging from the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea to the freedom they enjoyed in the Promised Land.

Notice how Isaiah rehearses their angry questions about the whereabouts of God, and the "why" God allowed them to go into captivity and let the nation be destroyed by their enemies.  Doesn't this remind you of many people today who blame God for the tragedy that's befallen them. It's amazing about what we can learn from chapter 63. We can see so vividly how God loved His people, how they rebelled against Him, how He had to spank them for their sins, and how they now blame Him for everything that's gone wrong.  Do you know anybody like that?  How ungrateful Israel had become!

In chapter 64, Isaiah begins his confession to God. He praises His God for how wonderful He is and how wonderfully He's treated His people. But he also sadly reflects on the missed opportunity Israel had to be a godly nation and reveal the One True God of the Universe. Sadly, Isaiah reminds them in 64:5 - "But you have been very angry with us, for we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags."

In the last few verses of chapter 64, Isaiah humbles himself before God saying, "We are the clay, and you are the Potter. We are formed by your hand. Oh, don't be so angry with us, Lord." And begins to beg for God's forgiveness.

Have you ever thought about that before?  We are the clay, and God's the Potter. It's true. He formed us. But in forming us He also gave us "free will" meaning we are not God's robots, we actually have the ability and choice to disobey God and be our own masters.  While that might sound like a great deal, it isn't part of God's plan.  He has a wonderful plan for you, but it will not pan out if you're going to choose your own way over God's. You'll reap exactly the benefits of your own making.

Chapter 65 is a sad commentary. In this chapter, God is broken-hearted as He shares about another group of people who've come to know Him and worship Him...without the aid of the bible or any priest. He's sad, not because Gentiles throughout the world were beginning to come to Him, but that His own people never tried to so hard to study about and desire a God like that.  

Imagine, if you will, that as a parent of a young boy, all of his friends just think you are the greatest dad in the world, but your own son wants nothing to do with you. How heartbreaking it would be!  If you're not a parent, you couldn't understand this feeling.

In the last couple of chapters, we see how God will kill off most of the people of Israel but will spare the good people who love Him. God even pronounces a "curse" upon the children of Israel. That's why they've been cursed and rejected by every nation around the globe for centuries, even until today!  Gods curse is on Israel, until the day Jesus comes to reign on earth and restores peace and justice, and restores the nation of Israel to a greater place of glory throughout the world they've never known before. 

Some of what Isaiah writes is about future events, such as found in 65:17 - "Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more."

One day yet future, as spoken of in the book of 2 Peter 3 and Revelation 21 where God will create a new heavens and new earth. It will be so glorious that actually the remembrance of the old earth and the old heavens will be totally forgotten. That's how amazing it will be!

Throughout the rest of the book, Isaiah describes the wonders of the end of days and the wonderful place Israel will have among all the nations of the world.

We have a wonderful future and hope!  Are you excited?