Welcome to The MHB Podcast. This is Michael Baun. And welcome to my 142nd episode. In this episode I want to finish our study of the book of Isaiah. We are in chapter 66. It’s been a long road but we’ve finally finished this book of the Bible. For those of you who have been along since chapter one, you know it’s been over a year’s worth of study. But that’s okay. The depth of meaning contained in Scripture is unfathomable. The truth is I could work through Isaiah all over again and find entirely new layers of meaning. It’s good to spend many long hours studying and meditating on each passage. Reading and understanding the Bible is a task that should take you the rest of your life. I’m not certain which book I’m going to study next but I’m considering Revelation. Revelation has always interested me and I stand to learn a lot with a deep dive into it.
But today we are in Isaiah chapter 66. This chapter continues with the theme of the previous chapter, which is to discuss differences between the righteous and the wicked. When Israel returned home from Babylonian exile there were some Jews who refused to let go of their idolatry. The spiritual condition of these wicked people was typical of the religious elite who lived during the time of Christ and rejected Him to the cross. The parallel extends further into our own time with those who dismiss the gospel and choose their own path of evil. The opening verses of this chapter show us how God views religious ceremony. Religious ceremony is meant to reinforce and help calibrate the condition of your spirit. The condition of your spirit is the true concern for God. If you’ve descended into wickedness and used your religiosity as a cover, then God views your ceremonies as contemptible abominations. In the book of Acts, Stephen references these opening verses in explaining God’s destruction of the temple and His putting an end to the sacrificial system.
This chapter goes on to discuss God’s salvation of His people out of the hands of their oppressors. God will speak terror into the hearts of those who persecute His people. God will comfort those who have been or are being persecuted. God’s promise is to bring a speedy and complete deliverance for those who suffer in this world – and indeed He does – life is short. Those who walk with God in humble obedience will inherit a joyful settlement. In Israel’s case this meant a great homecoming and rebuilding of their land. For us it means an eternal home in the Kingdom of Heaven. This will be a place of total and undisrupted tranquility. A place of abundant satisfaction. But for those who choose defiance and evil, they will face terrible vengeance at the hand of God Himself. God has kept track of every single unrepentant sin from the moment Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. Nothing is hidden from the Father who sees in secret. Without the blood of Christ each of us is accountable for every idle word we’ve spoken. But in a tremendous act of love Jesus went to the cross to cover us in His own perfect righteousness and save us from judgment.
Isaiah closes this chapter, and his entire book, by surveying the happy establishment of the Church on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ. Humanity will finally be redeemed and live in perfect harmony as God originally intended. From paradise to the fall to eternity with God, the Bible is a story of humanity’s long and difficult journey to get back home. But because of Jesus we know this story will have a happy ending. Christ also had a difficult journey as He walked through His fallen creation to face crucifixion. The gospel of Jesus Christ doesn’t end with His death on the cross – it ends with His resurrection to eternal life. That is where your story ends as well – and that makes it no ending at all, but a new beginning. Let’s read verses 1-4:
Isa 66:1 Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?
Isa 66:2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
Isa 66:3 “He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations;
Isa 66:4 I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.”
Israel suffered the chronic problem of prioritizing religiosity over their relationship with God. Their works in the temple were motivated by a desire to appear holy to other people – not motivated by a love for God. Their efforts to glorify themselves were an abomination to God. Their faith in the temple and in religious rituals was vanity. To expose their vain pretenses, the prophets as well as Christ Himself foretold the destruction of their beloved temple. The presence of God would depart from the temple and it would be left desolate. The Babylonians destroyed the temple when they sacked Jerusalem but Israel rebuilt it after their homecoming. The ceremonial services were revitalized for a time, but then the Romans came and destroyed the temple again. The problem with religious ceremony is that wicked people use the ceremonies as justification to facilitate their own evil. Not only did religion make it okay for its followers to do evil things, but the severity of their evil was actually increased because of their religion. They thought they could get away with darker and darker things because of how religious they were. There’s not many behaviors which infuriate God more than that.
So God explained to His people how little the temple meant to Him. He didn’t need the temple in order to be exalted. God’s glory does not depend on us glorifying Him. God resides in eternity in the highest dignity and dominion – above all blessing and praise. The world we inhabit – as glorious as it can be – is simply like God’s footstool. He rules over everything according to His perfect will. This was an exercise in perspective for Israel. Many thought they could build a temple grand enough to satisfy God. But if the entire planet is merely God’s footstool, if the grandeur of God’s throne exceeds that of the cosmos itself, how can humanity build anything that is fit to satisfy the Eternal One? When we think about our homes we remember these are places we go to when we’re tired and to sleep. But God never gets tired and God never sleeps. Everything we see, touch, and experience in this world has been created by God. Before any of this came into existence God was already there. He was already perfect before His creation was made, therefore He isn’t the One who can benefit from it.
God is the One who upholds the universe and everything in it. We wake up each day because God allows it. We can do science and use the physical properties of the creation to make predictions with remarkable precision because God upholds this space in a constant consistency. If God needed a house in this world He would have created one when He created the universe – and the one He created would not have been destroyed by Babylonians or by Romans. A house created by God would have been held in perfect order, unchangeable by human hands in the same way we cannot change the laws governing reality. The truth is God values a humble, penitent, and gracious heart far more than He values a church building or a temple. To put this into perspective: God has the universe, God has the earth, and God has many churches constructed in an effort to honor Him. Despite the seeming immense value of all these things, God overlooks them in order to prioritize your heart. Above all these grand creations God values the person who is poor in spirit, who is humble and serious, who stands in awe of His majesty and in fear of His word. God values the heart which desires nothing more than to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. Above even the most magnificent temples God chooses to dwell in a heart like this. Such a heart is a living temple for God.
Israel was in the habit of using their religious sacrifices to facilitate the evil in their hearts. God made clear that not only were the sacrifices of the wicked unacceptable, but they were an abomination. The Jews didn’t immediately relapse into idolatry after returning home from Babylon, but they did become lackadaisical about their devotion to God. The quality of their offerings began to diminish which betrayed the fact their ceremonies were no longer about honoring God. When Christ gave Himself up as the ultimate sacrifice He brought an end to the sacrificial system. But the Jews didn’t listen to the gospel and continued to perform their rituals because they thought their rituals had the power to make them perfect. It’s not a sin to sacrifice an animal so that you can feed your family and you should give thanks to God while you do it. But it is exceedingly sinful to sacrifice an animal in an effort to make yourself holy. To seek holiness through religious ritual is an offense so great it rivals even murder. The reason is because your rituals suggest the sacrifice of Christ was not enough to atone for your sin. You’re dispensing with the gospel and putting your faith in your own invented religion.
Israel continued in their evil ways and their pretentious attitude made them believe their religion made it all okay. They were vicious and immoral in their conversations and elected to follow the path of sin rather than obey the word of God. They took pleasure in things which provoked God, and as evil spread and consumed their hearts they began to take pleasure in the fact that God was provoked. Religious people who use the name of God to cover up and facilitate their sins are guilty of a grievous evil. Israel persisted in this behavior despite God’s repeated calls for them to repent and reform. They shut themselves off to all the warnings of divine justice and all the offers of divine grace. The Jews were highly educated in God’s word and they knew right from wrong. They knew their actions were displeasing to God. But they didn’t care. The essence of God’s message concerning them was that their devotions meant nothing to Him so long as their hearts were turned away from Him.
The consequence of walking away from God is being left alone with your idols. Israel belonged to the true and living God but instead of a relationship with Him they chose to seek delusions. They mocked God and dishonored Him with their wickedness so God gave them up to their enemies to be trampled and insulted. When you walk away from God you author your own narrative about reality. You develop your own worldview independent of the truth. Your actions and your values are a reflection of your worldview. If your beliefs are wrong then you will act out in such a way that doesn’t mesh with reality. What you put into reality will not work with reality and reality will respond to you in a way that is not pleasing. It’s like putting the wrong kind of fuel in your gas tank. Drafting your own narrative about what’s real is what it means to pull the wool over your own eyes and give yourself up to deception.
The wicked cruelty of Israel meant that God would bring their fears upon them. It’s not uncommon for a faithless person to resort to sin in an effort to stave off something they fear. Telling lies in order to gain or preserve your own advantage is the classic example of this. But God made it clear to Israel their lies were the very thing which brought their own fears forward into reality. The misery a person experiences when they depart from God is misery that comes from within. It is the corruption and manifestation of all the evil nature in a human heart which could only be held at bay and purified by the Spirit of God Himself. That’s what you’re left with if you choose to walk away from God. Let’s read verses 5-14:
Isa 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame.
Isa 66:6 “The sound of an uproar from the city! A sound from the temple! The sound of the LORD, rendering recompense to his enemies!
Isa 66:7 “Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son.
Isa 66:8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children.
Isa 66:9 Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the LORD; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?” says your God.
Isa 66:10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her;
Isa 66:11 that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance.”
Isa 66:12 For thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees.
Isa 66:13 As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
Isa 66:14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the LORD shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.
This passage speaks comfort to those who humble themselves before God and tremble at His word. It’s always important to remember that if you belong to Christ then you need not fear judgment. You will not be involved in the same judgment which faces those who rebel against God. Preachers sometimes have a difficult job in that they need to warn people about the wrath of God without causing those who are in Christ to despair. The best way of doing this is to ensure that each Christian remembers he or she will not be subject to God’s wrath thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Isaiah had assured the godly among Israel that they would receive a gracious look from God. In this passage he brought them a gracious message from God. The word of God has comfort and encouragement for those who practice the humility to receive it. The best way to make sure your heart is open to receive God’s word is to respect the authority of it and to admit you don’t fully understand it.
Isaiah’s message of comfort meant reminding God’s people that God would support them in their struggles against their persecutors. This encouragement was particularly important for the apostles who preached the gospel. The apostles were Jewish by birth so preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ meant having their own family and friends turn against them. When they landed in Gentile cities it was the Jews who lived there who became their most ardent enemies. These enemies actively worked to subvert the gospel and to stir up the Gentiles against the apostles. Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for Christians to experience their own friends and family turn against them or abandon them. Christ was abandoned by His own disciples prior to His crucifixion. Pilate remarked how Christ was given up by His own people.
In order to preach the gospel you must accept that you will be hated by the godless parts of the world. The Jews excommunicated the Christians from their synagogues as if the Christians were a form of cancer. The truth was and is that the Christians among them were their greatest blessings. In an ideal world Christians would be supported and encouraged for the sake of their work. But we don’t live in an ideal world. We live in a world that is feverishly attempting to construct a reality without God. When you speak in the name of Jesus and you work for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom – the part of the world which wants to be without Him will hate you for it. The disciples weren’t hated because of who they were as individuals, they were hated because they bore the name of Jesus and the godless hate Jesus.
I want you to notice the words used by those who cast out the apostles. They said: Let the Lord be glorified. Some of the most evil atrocities committed in history were done by those who claimed to speak in the name of God. You must always beware of individuals masking wicked agendas with feigned zeal for the honor of God and the formalities of devotion. Jesus told His disciples that they would be cast out of the synagogues and killed by people who claim to be serving God. You can also interpret these words as used by those who mocked faith in God. People who speak in defiance of God often say things like let Him show Himself or if He’s all-powerful let’s see if He can do something about this. When Israel was held captive in Babylon, undoubtedly there were Jews among them who mocked the hope of deliverance which the godly used to comfort each other. People who are poor of spirit or are going through a difficult season will often dream of a better tomorrow. These dreams are a consequence of faith that God is good and God loves them. It’s not uncommon for godless people to go out of their way to punch holes in these dreams and do all they can to leave the poor without hope. Misery loves company and they who are truly without God are quite miserable – even if they go to great lengths to conceal it.
But Isaiah’s message to the poor and to the struggling is quite different. He encouraged them to let their faith and their patience hold out a little longer. He acknowledged their enemies hated and oppressed them, he acknowledged their own brothers hated and cast them out. But he reminded them their Father in heaven loves them and will show up for them when no one else will. The providence of God is working to bring comfort to your spirit even if your circumstances are bleak. The will of God is to defend the downtrodden and He will promote their joy while bringing confusion and fear onto their enemies. This fear will be made manifest at the end of the world when Christ comes to set things straight. There will be two different reactions to the appearance of Jesus. The hearts of those who hate God will fail with fear and shame. But the heads of the faithful will be lifted up with great joy knowing their redemption is near. We live in an age where God seems to be hiding Himself – but we can be sure He will not hide Himself forever.
Isaiah’s encouragement included the idea that God’s appearance for His people will make a great noise in the world. The great noise might be a combination of His people shouting for joy while His enemies lament in terror. You can think of this in terms of the Roman conquest of Jerusalem. It’s likely the city of Jerusalem suffered chaotic confusion when it was finally taken by the Romans after a long siege. God’s judgments tend to work this way throughout Scripture. Generally speaking, those who give themselves over to pathological belief don’t miraculously recover once the truth makes itself evident. They become enraged and confused. They spiral down a collective descent into chaos and cruelty. But there is always a remnant of people who can see the truth and keep the conviction to embrace it – no matter how painful embracing it becomes.
Isaiah told Israel that God would establish a Church for Himself in the world. This Church would be abundantly replenished in little time. Isaiah’s prophecy predicted Israel’s deliverance out of Babylon which was carried out easily and silently compared to their rescue from Egypt during the Exodus. The fruit of their deliverance was readily at hand and they wouldn’t have to endure deep post-exile struggles to receive it. This was compared to a mother delivering her baby without the pain of labor. But all of that doesn’t mean Israel was fully restored immediately. It takes weeks for the rains of spring to restore vitality to the earth. As far as I know there’s only one situation in which God created things at full maturity and that’s during the first creation itself. Adam and Eve didn’t grow up from infants to adults – they were created with age-dating factors already in place (a full set of teeth, adult bone structure, etc.). This is why I find conversations about the age of the universe to be somewhat meaningless. We have biblical proof that God creates with age-dating factors already in place, so who’s to say He didn’t do the same with the earth and the universe?
The restoration of Israel post-exile was not something that happened immediately, although it was far less difficult than their establishment post-Exodus. As soon as Cyrus made the proclamation that Israel should go free the captives formed into a body and were ready to make their way home. The reason all of this worked out so well is because it happened according to God’s plan and His plans are perfect. Israel could take solace in the fact that God always sees His work through to the finish. He gave them the strength they needed to rebound from their exile. The God who has maintained the delicate ecological chain of life for ages is the same God who adds to and replenishes the Church.
That’s why Christianity spread so effectively throughout the ancient world and why it remains to this day. God has a purpose and a promise for the Church and He will not fail to bring it to fruition. When the Church was established and the Holy Spirit was poured out, multitudes were converted by the gospel of Christ in very little time compared to other movements. On the day of Pentecost 3,000 souls were added to the Church. Even before the apostles set out to evangelize foreign lands, newly converted Christians were so numerous, so suddenly and easily produced, that they were rather like dew from the morning air than like children from the mother’s womb. The gospel spread with astonishing efficiency. Entire cities were converted unto Christ. The Word of God prevailed all across the world and the Church grew mightily.
Isaiah wanted Israel to know that their present sorrow would soon be turned into abundant joy. God’s people love the Church. They mourn with the Church and they rejoice with the Church. People who love God lay the interests of the Church near to their hearts. When the Church is beautiful, God’s people admire its beauty. When the Church is ugly, God’s people get to work to make it beautiful again. A Christian finds great pleasure in communion with God and with other Christians by way of the Church. Loving the Church as it presently exists in the fallen world requires cordial sympathy and grace. It’s our duty as Christians to mourn with the Church in all its grievances and griefs. But the positive side to all of this is that Christians will also rejoice when the Church rejoices. There will come a day when the Church will have cause to rejoice because its mourning will come to an end and it shall be comforted by God. It’s God’s will that all who are friends of the Church shall share in the blessings He’s ordained for it. Those who suffer with Christ now and endure alongside His Church in the present moment shall reign with Him in the future and rejoice alongside His Church.
Christians should be motivated to bear their part in the praises of the Church. We are called to participate in the great joy of the gospel and to understand the reasons for such thanksgiving. The consolations of grace which have sustained the Church throughout the ages are the same consolations which should sustain us as Christians. This means we find hope in the word of God and the promises of His covenant. The ordinances of God bring structure and stability in our lives. The opportunity to converse in the presence of God – an opportunity which was purchased by the blood of Christ – means we can draw comfort from faith and prayer. So much of understanding Scripture involves properly applying the promises of God to yourself. If you believe these things, and I mean really believe them, then you will apprehend a form of comfort and satisfaction that transcends worldly circumstance. It is great honor and great glory that Christians may call the Lord their God. The adoption into the family and service of God is cause for delight in the heart of every Christian. Your relationship with God should provide the fundamental joy and meaning upon which all of your other relationships are built. The purity, unity, and increase of the Church are good things for all Christians and for these things we should rejoice.
God does not expect His people to rejoice over nothing either. He has promised to give us cause for this praise and to condition our hearts for it. One feature of God’s promise is a long, uninterrupted course of prosperity. God extends peace to us like a river that runs in a constant stream. This is the peace which is imparted by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Gospel peace flows like a river, supplying souls with all good and making them fruitful. It’s like when a river runs through dry ground and supplies the water necessary for life to grow there. The comforts of this world can do this for you temporarily but they often get redirected or blocked by the suffering which is endemic to life. The river of peace which flows from the gospel cannot be stopped by the dams of this world’s troubles. If you dive into this river today, you will be carried through life into the ocean of endless bliss which awaits you on the other side.
In addition to this peace, Israel would gain large and advantageous increases from the conversion of the Gentiles. The Gentiles poured into the Church and brought with them their wealth, honor, power, and interest. All of these things the Gentiles devoted to the service of God and employed for the good of the Church. When you witness the blissful peace which marks the countenance of a Christian, it’s not uncommon for you to want to share in that peace. Now imagine huge numbers of previously godless people all partaking in this peace together. The zeal and ambition you would experience to get your share of it would be miraculous. And the great thing about God’s peace is that there is zero scarcity of it. He has enough for all and enough for each. In the midst of this gathering to the waters of peace God’s name is glorified – and that fact is a cause for our joy perhaps more than anything else. Isaiah said the hand of the Lord shall be known towards His servants, the protecting and supporting hand of His almighty power. The supplying and enriching hand of His inexhaustible goodness. The peace of God on the face of His people is the glory of God. And all of this is made even more evident because God will simultaneously make His wrath known to His enemies. God’s mercy and God’s justice shall both be manifested and eternally magnified.
God doesn’t stop at providing increase and fruition in your life. He also speaks comfort into your heart. God is the only One who can do this. Israel was given land that would support them when they were weary and ready to sleep. We are given the Church which is there to treat us likewise. The Church is there for you when you are weary and struggle to press on. Ministers are there to support you, to guide you, and to encourage you after the manner of the Good Shepherd Himself. But the Holy Ghost is the comforter of your heart. He speaks to you with the wisdom, rationality, and prudence of a father – and He also embraces you with the affection and compassion of a loving mother. The comfort and peace which is found in the Church and flows from the gospel of Jesus Christ is all interconnected. This divine spiritual condition causes your tongue to speak praises, your face to smile, and your heart to rejoice.
The disciples experienced this condition when they were fulfilled with the wonderful satisfaction of the success of their ministries. When a person tries to live apart from God, their spirit begins to thirst until it becomes withered and exhausted. But when they allow the peace of the gospel to indwell them, their dry bones recover youthful strength and vigor. The peace of God is like the marrow inside of a bone. Without it you become dry and brittle. But with it comes life everlasting. With divine comfort nourishing your spirit your bones will become strong once again. The joy of the Lord is your strength, and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Let’s read verses 15-24:
Isa 66:15 “For behold, the LORD will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
Isa 66:16 For by fire will the LORD enter into judgment, and by his sword, with all flesh; and those slain by the LORD shall be many.
Isa 66:17 “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig’s flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the LORD.
Isa 66:18 “For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory,
Isa 66:19 and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations.
Isa 66:20 And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the LORD, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.
Isa 66:21 And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the LORD.
Isa 66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain.
Isa 66:23 From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the LORD.
Isa 66:24 “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
Well, leave it to Isaiah to end his book with a grim warning. This prophecy presents terror for those who are enemies of God but hope for those who are faithful. When Israel was taken captive to Babylon many of the Jews remained stubborn in their hatred of God. They would not turn from their idols and be reformed so for them exile ended in destruction. But those among Israel who accepted God’s grace allowed the experience to sanctify them and they were made the better for it. Isaiah’s prophecy looks further to the future judgment of Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus is the narrow gate by which the precious will be sorted out from the vile. The second coming of Christ will bring confusion and terror to all those who are defiant against Him. Even in the presence of God many people will not let go of their evil. For many people the presence of Jesus will not inspire a love for His grace but rather a hatred for His authority. These will be slain by the fire and sword of God’s wrath – justice will finally be served.
Some of the most hardened sinners during the day of judgment will be those given over to idolatry. They will stand before the incarnation of truth itself while refusing to let go of their pathological beliefs. Idolaters readily dismiss God’s mercy and reject His grace – preferring to define reality after their own interests. If you turn away from God in an effort to define the truth as you see fit, the fallen nature which is inherent to your humanity will cause you to develop a worldview in which you derive pleasure by provoking God. Not only will you be devoted to sin, but the fact that sin angers God will bring you added pleasure. The end of the road is very clear for such as these: they shall be consumed together.
Heaven is a place of eternal bliss for those who come under the grace of God through Jesus Christ. But idolaters and those who work evil will be kept out of heaven and separated from God. On the day of God’s vengeance all the acts of evil which have been committed in the dark will be brought to light. Every injustice from the beginning of time until that very moment is accounted for by God and will be exposed by Him. God knows the works and the thoughts of every person who has ever lived and ever will live. He knows what we do, why we do it, and what our agenda is – even when we think we have the world deceived. Because of God’s omniscience He’s the only One fit to judge the world and to judge the secrets of humanity. Any person who is not covered by the sacrificial atonement of Christ will stand before God in judgment for their sins. None of that is tyrannical punishment either – it’s simply the consequent reaction of our own sinful actions. Since God loved us while we were yet sinners, He has given us the means to transcend these consequences through gospel grace by taking the divine reaction of justice onto Himself. All we have to do is repent and put our faith in Jesus Christ.
Isaiah’s prophecy promises that God will appear to the comfort and joy of all who are faithful to Him in their efforts to advance His kingdom on earth. The advancement of God’s kingdom on earth begins in your own heart. A humble, obedient heart that is full of grace and love is what works to bring the kingdom of God to others. The day is coming when Christ will gather all nations and every language unto Himself. All will see the glory of God as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ. A type of this prophecy was fulfilled when the gospels went out to all nations in every language. Prior to the gospel the Church had been confined to one nation and God was worshiped only in the language of Israel. Christ’s work on the cross opened the road to God’s throne so that all people could come and know Him.
But it wasn’t just good news for the Gentiles – there would be a remnant of Jews set apart for Christ as well. This remnant in Israel were people who groaned and sighed at the injustices and idolatry committed there. Despite the fact that they were members of a corrupt generation, they remained devoted to God and employed for His service. God marked them because of their faith so that they would be protected from judgment. It doesn’t matter who you are, what your past is like, or what your surroundings are like right now. God knows who belongs to Him. The sheep who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ are marked. Your circumstances and your piety are not what saves you – your faith is.
Christians who are set apart by the mark of God’s grace are commissioned to invite others to come and receive the benefit of grace as well. If an entire generation has tended toward corruption then it’s likely there are massive pressures biasing most people towards it. To have overcome these pressures is not something you did on your own effort – you merely escaped the corruption because of God’s grace. Your brothers and sisters need you to throw them a life raft as well. Those who are set apart from corruption by gospel grace must preach this good news to every creature. It’s quite common for God to save individuals from the destruction which attends a life of sin so these individuals can warn others how they themselves narrowly escaped the danger. The disciples took this warning out to sea. They also went into the land which classically belonged to Assyria. They delivered the message to a place called Lydia which was a warlike nation famous for its archers. The news was brought to Italy, Spain, Greece, and the most distant lands of the Gentiles. Eventually all the world would know. Christianity spread so rapidly because God was the One directing it and His disciples understood the urgency of salvation.
The time Jesus spent on earth followed by the spread of the gospel completely revolutionized the course of world history. For ages prior to this explosion of grace the word of God was kept in Judah. The rest of the world sat in darkness – deprived of the joyful sound and magnificent light of the gospel. God knew this and He accounted for it. The eyes of God look with pity on those who by no fault of their own are distant from their Creator. It’s not the same as the wrath which is incurred by those who know God and choose to defy Him. God is compassionate on those who have yet to hear His word which is why He sends evangelists to declare His glory among them. The Jews who were awake to God’s providence went all over the world and told as many people as they could about it. The apostle Paul was the most famous example of this: a pious Jew who had his eyes radically opened to the gospel grace of Jesus Christ. If sharing the gospel sounds like a daunting task for you – just remember there has never been a person who testified about the grace of God without the presence of Jesus Christ in His Holy Spirit right there with them to help them and guide them. You’re not alone.
The word of God never returns void. This means if God sends you out to share the gospel His word is guaranteed to have some kind of impact. Those who receive the gospel should be invited and directed to join themselves to the Lord. Saving souls is of prime importance to God so you can be sure He will supply new converts with the abundant provision required for them to make the journey home to Him. You often see this provision in how excited new Christians are about their relationship with God. It’s normal for this excitement to wear off after about a year – but if the Christian is given proper discipleship then his or her roots will have grown deep by then. Faith works to purify the heart. So when a person puts their faith in Christ the Holy Spirit indwells them and begins the work of transforming them into a better person – or maybe more appropriately – into the person God always meant for them to be. In this way new converts do not bring sacrificial offerings to God, rather they offer themselves up as a living sacrifice – letting their old self die so they can be reborn in Christ Jesus. This is the spiritual process which is temporally symbolized by baptism.
After the apostles spread the gospel far and wide, the Church saw remarkable growth and the addition of many Gentiles. Some of these Gentiles were developed into clergy – which was unusual considering the old Levitical priests were all Jewish and taken from the same tribe within Israel. Accepting Gentiles as clergy was a consequence of the gospel which established the priesthood of all believers. Gentiles could now preside over religious ceremony, minister to God in the holy things, teach other people, and bless them in the name of the Lord. The Church began to see Pastors and Bishops taken from all parts of the world dedicating their lives to prayer and to the study of Scripture. Lay people within the congregation could step up and take care of administrative roles previously reserved for the Levitical clergy.
It’s true that the apostles were all Jews and Paul – who is considered the great apostle of the Gentiles – was himself a Pharisee of the Pharisees. But when the gospel took hold among the Gentiles churches were established using ministers who were from the area. This helped the ministry spread and the familiarity of local leaders made the church more accessible. It’s kind of interesting that they chose this strategy considering Christ said a prophet has no honor in his homeland. Perhaps they supposed gospel grace would be enough to remedy the corruptions responsible for this warning. After all, God is the One who chooses ministers and qualifies them. The call to preach comes from God and He will choose who He desires. If you’re a pastor you should count it as a great honor that you work for God. He’s the One who gifted you, developed you, and gave you your commission. Never make the mistake of thinking you do this on your own.
Once God established the Christian Church, it was also His providence which kept it up through the generations. There’s no doubt that the gospel has radically changed the course of world history. But God is not done yet. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ will also bring a very great and universal change. Old things will pass away and all things will have become new. The change will be so fundamental that creation will be called the new heavens and the new earth. The gospel set aside the old covenant and gave us the new covenant of grace. The gospel brought new commandments and new promises. This brought humanity the newness of spirit which comes from being under God’s grace and a reprieve from the crushing weight of being under the law. The gospel reset the world so thoroughly that it represented a type of the new heavens and new earth which God plans for the end of time.
God is the only One who has the power to make these kinds of changes. God Himself never changes, but He is the only One with the authority to establish new ordinances. God is the only One with the wisdom and power required to create new worlds. When God finishes His work of redemption and creates the new heavens and the new earth, His perfected creation will abide as a lasting change. It will be unalterable into eternity. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not like human kingdoms because God’s Kingdom cannot be moved. The ordinances of God’s Kingdom shall never be shaken and shall abide for eternity. The Kingdom of God is invulnerable to revolution. The Church has been maintained for thousands of years by those who are the seed of Christ. For two thousand years the name of Jesus has never left humanity’s lips. When one generation of gospel servants pass away, another rises to replace it. The power of hell itself is not enough to snuff out the gospel or the Church. The principalities of this world have fought against the church since time immemorial, but they have not prevailed and they have not defeated the saints of the Most High God.
Expansion of the priestly duties didn’t mean sacrificing the quality of worship in any way. The assemblies who come to worship are as consistently and meticulously attended upon as ever. Under the old covenant only male Jews were able to go into the holiest places of worship. But Christ’s work on the cross tore the veil between God and humanity – opening the way for all flesh to come and worship before God. This meant Jews and Gentiles, men and women, and anyone who desired to go into the presence of God could do it. Plus they no longer had to go to the temple, they could worship in religious assemblies which were dispersed all over the world. Because of Jesus Christ, where two or three are gathered anywhere in the world – there is God among them to meet them and to bless them. In the modern world the Church has expanded so far that it’s impossible for all of us to meet at once together. But we know that Christ is our temple and we are all united as one by our faith in Him. Faith, hope, and holy love make Christians into brothers and sisters no matter where they’re from or where they are.
The joy and thanksgiving we experience because of God’s grace is all the more magnified considering the fate of those who persist in evil. Christians feel many things when they look upon the lost, but perhaps chief among these emotions is pity. Those who are lost are those who transgress God. This means more than simply breaking God’s commandments. It means walking away from your entire covenant with God. It means severing ties with Him in your decision to contend with Him as an enemy instead. The worst offenders of this were the religious Jews who rejected the living God and crucified Him. They were the worst offenders because they knew the Scriptures so they should have known what they were doing. But their arrogance and their love of sin blinded them. Even as He gave up His last breaths on the cross, Jesus called upon the Father to forgive these people for they know not what they’re doing.
The closing verse of the book of Isaiah is an illustration of the misery of the lost. It’s represented by the frightful spectacle of a battlefield covered with slain corpses. The dead lie rotting above ground and full of worms which feed on them. Isaiah suggests burning these bodies would be a work so arduous as to be endless. The fire made to burn them would never run out of fuel. The sight of the slain on the battlefield would be abhorrent to passersby and no one would care to come near them. Some interpret this verse as pointing to the aftermath of the Roman invasion of Jerusalem. It’s possible that more than two million people were cut down by the Roman sword – and that doesn’t count the ones who died of famine and pestilence.
But ultimately it’s the fate of all who wage war on God. The wicked become dead in their sins. Those who embrace evil are gnawed upon by their conscience as a worm which never dies. Their rage against God burns within them as a fire which never goes out. Their sin of hating God creates its own punishment inside them – producing an endless cycle of resentment. The more a person allows this evil to transform them the more they become abhorrent to those who look upon them. The conscience of the soul is its own tormentor and the soul is immortal. Embracing sin will turn you into the kind of soul who experiences terror and hatred at the presence of God. God is eternal, therefore so is your torment. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Your forgiveness is ready for you and has been purchased for you by God Himself – because He loves you.
When those who are made righteous by Christ look upon the lost they will experience tremendous gratitude for their Redeemer. The fate of those who die in their transgressions will add contrast which illustrates the joy of those who are saved. It’s scary to think about the battlefield and the masses of those who chose war with God. But that’s exactly the reality of human history. When we walk away from God we take aim at one another. Instead of loving our neighbors we attack them. Time and time again we’ve experimented with a new world order without God and each time it has ended in death and needless misery. The truth will always be the single One left standing when the smoke clears. When surveying the map of history it’s easy to fall into cynicism and wonder why God would bother with us at all. But the truth is each one of us bears His image and has a spark of divinity inside of us. If you look closely you will also see the magnificent works of love and goodness which humanity has accomplished. The joy and love that you experience in your life is but a foreshadow of the bliss which awaits you in the Kingdom of God – who Himself is the embodiment of love. It’s taken me over a year to work through the book of Isaiah, but you can secure your salvation this very instant. The fallen world may be bound to war and death, but your spirit is not. All you have to do is seek Him – and you will find your forgiveness.
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