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10–26–2020 Isaiah 65:1–25 Bible Study Read Isaiah 65:1–25

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10–26–2020 Isaiah 65:1–25 Bible Study Read Isaiah 65:1–25 10–26–2020 Isaiah 65:1–25 Bible Study Read Isaiah 65:1–25. I will print the Net–2 translation. THE LORD WILL DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SINNERS AND THE GODLY 65 “I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; I appeared to those who did not look for me. I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’ to a nation that did not invoke my name. 2 I spread out my hands all day long to my rebellious people, who lived in a way that is morally unacceptable and who did what they desired. 3 These people continually and blatantly offend me as they sacrifice in their sacred orchards and burn incense on brick altars. 4 They sit among the tombs and keep watch all night long. They eat pork and broth from unclean sacrificial meat is in their pans. 5 They say, ‘Keep to yourself! Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’ These people are like smoke in my nostrils, like a fire that keeps burning all day long. 6 Look, I have decreed: I will not keep silent, but will pay them back; I will pay them back exactly what they deserve, 7 for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,” says the Lord. “Because they burned incense on the mountains and offended me on the hills, I will punish them in full measure.” 8 This is what the Lord says: “When juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes, someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’ So I will do for the sake of my servants— I will not destroy everyone. 9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains. My chosen ones will take possession of the land; my servants will live there. 10 Sharon will become a pasture for sheep, and the Valley of Achor a place where cattle graze; they will belong to my people, who seek me. 11 But as for you who abandon the Lord and forget about worshiping at my holy mountain, who prepare a feast for the god called ‘Fortune,’ and fill up wine jugs for the god called ‘Destiny’— 12 I predestine you to die by the sword, all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, because I called to you, and you did not respond; I spoke and you did not listen. You did evil before me; you chose to do what displeases me.” 13 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Look, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Look, my servants will rejoice, but you will be humiliated. 14 Look, my servants will shout for joy as happiness fills their hearts. But you will cry out as sorrow fills your hearts; you will wail because your spirits will be crushed. 15 Your names will live on in the curse formulas of my chosen ones. The Sovereign Lord will kill you, but he will give his servants another name. 16 Whoever pronounces a blessing in the earth will do so in the name of the faithful God; whoever makes an oath in the earth will do so in the name of the faithful God. For past problems will be forgotten; I will no longer think about them. 17 For look, I am ready to create new heavens and a new earth! The former ones will not be remembered; no one will think about them anymore. 18 But be happy and rejoice forevermore over what I am about to create! For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem to be a source of joy, and her people to be a source of happiness. 19 Jerusalem will bring me joy, and my people will bring me happiness. The sound of weeping or cries of sorrow will never be heard in her again. 20 Never again will one of her infants live just a few days or an old man die before his time. Indeed, no one will die before the age of one hundred; anyone who fails to reach the age of one hundred will be considered cursed. 21 They will build houses and live in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 No longer will they build a house only to have another live in it, or plant a vineyard only to have another eat its fruit, for my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will enjoy to the fullest what they have produced. 23 They will not work in vain or give birth to children that will experience disaster. For the Lord will bless their children and their descendants. 24 Before they even call out, I will respond; while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 A wolf and a lamb will graze together; a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, and a snake’s food will be dirt. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain,” says the Lord. COMMENTS: A PATIENT AND COMPASSIONATE GOD (65:1-16) As the prophecy moves to its close it returns to themes that have been present from the opening chapters. The distinction continues to be made between the true servants of the Lord, and those who provoke him by their false sacrifices and blatant disregard for his laws. These concluding sections of the prophecy provide the answer to the people's prayer given in chapters 63 and 64. v. 1: God's revelation to Israel was given. The people did not approach him with their requests, but God kept calling to them, ‘Here I am, here I am.” This clearly refers to Gentile nations. v. 2: God's mercy was such that he held out his hands continually to an obstinate people. This is a wonderful picture of God's forbearance. Paul quotes the first part of the verse along with verse 1 in Romans 10:20-21 where he is dealing with Israel's rejection of God. Israel could not plead ignorance of God's demands, for she had received revelation. So far from influencing her to do what was right, she continued to walk in evil ways. vs. 3-5: These three verses provide a detailed description of 'the people', with a succession of participles defining its nature. They can be set out as follows following the ESV translation: A) a people who provoke me to my face continually B) sacrificing in gardens C) making offerings incense on brick D) who sit in tombs E) and spend the nights in secret places F) who eat pig’s flesh G) and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels H) who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” I) These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day. Instead of living in obedience to the Lord, Israel sinned openly and in a provocative manner. Constantly she did what caused anger to God. In place of true worship of the living God, Israel so often substituted idolatrous worship and sacrifice. They were also engaging in some cultic practices associated with the dead, sinfully transgressing the food laws by eating pig's meat and other ritually unclean food. Moreover, those who were engaging in these practices considered themselves holier than others and tried to prevent them from coming near. God's attitude to these people is that they are smoke in his nostrils, a fire that burns all day. The meaning appears to be that God's anger is hot just like a continuously burning fire. vs. 6-7: The direct response to the prayer of 64:12 is now given by the Lord. The forthcoming judgment on the people has already been decreed, and it stands sure. The Lord intimates that he will not keep silent any longer but will repay in full their sins. This idea is stressed by the repetition of the Hebrew word ‘I will repay’, with the added words, ‘into their bosoms’. This is a Hebrew idiom used here and twice elsewhere (Ps. 79:12; Jer. 32:18). The use of this language appropriate to the payment of a debt points to the exact nature of God's judgment. In these passages it is best to keep the word ‘bosom’ in the translation. The switch to the personal (‘your bosom’) brings home the coming judgment in a very personal way. It is not just the sins of that generation that invite God's judgment, but the cumulative sins of the past generations as well. Their fathers had committed such sins, and they had continued with them, and now recompense will come. The idea is not that one generation has to be punished for the sins of past generations, but rather that the former sins have been consistently committed by the present generation who face God's wrath for their idolatrous actions. They continue to sacrifice on the mountains to Baal, and so defile the Lord by their syncretistic worship. v. 8: God now reveals the distinction within the nation he will in his execution of judgment. On the one hand there is a believing remnant, for God will not destroy all the people (v. 8). He makes promises to his chosen people (v. 9) and will bless those who seek him (v. 10). Those who forsake the Lord and disobey him (v. 11) will be subjected to judgment (v. 12). A formal declaration of blessing and cursing is now made in verse 8.
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