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Scripture Reading: Isa. 64; Isa. 65; Isa. 66 ; Isa. 61:6
In this message we will cover chapters sixty-four through sixty-six. These chapters reveal the second coming of Christ as the Servant of Jehovah, bringing in the restoration of Israel and of all things, which consummates in the new heaven and new earth. The most striking thing in these chapters is the new heaven and new earth.
Isaiah 64:1-5a and 66:15-16 reveal the second coming of Christ as the Servant of Jehovah (cf. 31:4-5). Isaiah 64:1 says, "Oh that You would rend the heavens, that You would come down." This refers to the consummation of Christ's coming from heaven to earth, from God to man.
The Bible shows us that Christ does not intend to remain in the heavens forever. Rather, He intends to come down to earth and remain on earth for eternity. However, before He can do this, He needs to accomplish His work of renewing the earth. He wants to stay not on the old earth but on the new earth.
In 64:5b through 12 we have the prophet's prayer. Isaiah knew God's heart and prayed according to it. First, he confessed the sins, failures, iniquities, degradation, and corruption of Israel. Then he asked Jehovah to look at them as His people.
Jehovah is willing to be inquired of by those who did not ask for Him. He has stretched out His hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts, who provoke Him to anger, and who are smoke in His nose, a fire that burns all day (65:1-7, 11-12; 66:1-6, 17).
Jehovah will bless Israel with the blessing of "new wine," and they will possess His mountain (Zion), dwelling there, eating, drinking, and rejoicing (65:8-10, 13-16). In the restoration there will be new wine that will cheer God and His people. Furthermore, instead of working or laboring, Israel will eat, drink, and rejoice.
Isaiah 65:18-25 reveals that a restoration will be brought in both to Israel and to all things. Verse 18 says, "Rejoice and exult forever, / In what I create, / For I am now creating Jerusalem as an exultation / And her people as a rejoicing." Jerusalem will be a joy and an exultation, and her people will rejoice. Even God Himself will exult in Jerusalem and rejoice in His people, and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and of crying (v. 19).
Verse 20 continues, "There will no longer be in her / An infant who reaches the age of only a few days / Nor an old man who does not fill up his days; / For the lad will die at a hundred years of age, / And the sinner, being a hundred years of age, will be cursed." In the restoration, an infant will not die before reaching maturity, and one who dies at the age of a hundred will be regarded as a youth.
Verses 21 and 22 go on to say, "They will build houses and inhabit them, / And they will plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof. / They will not build and another inhabit; / They will not plant and another eat; / For like the days of a tree are the days of My people, / And My chosen ones will enjoy the work of their hands to the full." What is the work mentioned here? The unique work carried out by God's people in the restoration will be to sing, praise, worship, and rejoice.
"They will not labor in vain, / Nor bear children unto turmoil; / For they are the seed of those blessed of Jehovah, / And their offspring with them. / And it will be that before they call, I will answer; / Even while they are speaking, I will hear" (vv. 23-24). Calling on the Lord will be their occupation. Even before they call, He will answer.
Verse 25 concludes, "The wolf and the lamb will feed as one, / And the lion will eat straw like the ox, / And dust will be the serpent's food; / They will not harm nor destroy / In all My holy mountain, says Jehovah." The expressions here are very similar to those in 11:6-9, which also speaks of the restoration brought in through Christ. In this restoration death will be limited, and there will be abundant life and much praise and rejoicing.
Isaiah 66:7-14 speaks of the restoration of Zion and Jerusalem. These verses indicate that the time of the restoration will be a wonderful time. For example, verse 12 says, "I now am extending to her / Peace like a river, / And the glory of the nations / Like an overflowing stream." Here glory denotes the riches and produce of the nations (cf. Gen. 31:1, 16; Esth. 1:4), which will be brought to Jerusalem. Furthermore, whereas the hand of Jehovah will be made known to His servants, He will be indignant toward His enemies (v. 14).
Jehovah will gather the nations to worship at Jerusalem, and they will bring with them the scattered children of Israel as a meal offering to Jehovah, of whom Jehovah will take some for priests (cf. 61:6) and some for Levites (66:18-21). Today we offer sinners to God as sacrifices (Rom. 15:16), but in the restoration the nations will bring the scattered Israelites as a meal offering to God. Just as in the ancient time, some will be appointed to serve as priests, and others will do the Levitical service.
According to Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22-24, the restoration of Israel and of all things brought in by Christ as the Servant of Jehovah consummates in the new heaven and new earth. The book of Isaiah covers many things, including God's chastisement and judgment, but it consummates in the new heaven and new earth. After so many things have passed away, what will remain will be the new heaven and new earth with the New Jerusalem.
In the millennial kingdom the Jews will be priests on the earth, and the believers will be priests in the heavens. At that time, the holy city, New Jerusalem, will comprise only the overcoming Old Testament and New Testament saints, but not the Israelites who will be saved at the Lord's coming back. At the end of the millennium, Satan will stir up opposers, mainly from Gog and Magog, to attack the camp of the Jews and the city of the saints, but fire will come down out of heaven to devour them (Rev. 20:9). In the new heaven and new earth after the millennium, the Jews who were saved at the coming of the Lord Jesus will be mingled with the New Jerusalem. Therefore, in the new heaven and new earth, there will be only two peoples. First, there will be the New Jerusalem, composed of the believers and the Jews, God's sons as the royal family to rule over the nations and as the priests to serve God forever. Second, there will be the nations, who will not be regenerated but only restored and who will live on the earth outside the New Jerusalem to be God's people (Rev. 21:3).
