I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.
Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.
And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.
But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.
Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:
Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 65 offers a powerful glimpse into God's grace, judgment, and ultimate restoration. This chapter contrasts the consequences of rejecting God with the blessings awaiting those who faithfully serve Him, culminating in a vision of a new creation. It's a passage filled with both warning and hope, urging us to examine our hearts and align our thoughts and actions with God's will.
God's Initiative and Israel's Rejection (Isaiah 65:1-7)
The chapter opens with a striking revelation of God's initiative: "I was sought by those who did not ask; I was found by those who did not seek me" (Isaiah 65:1). This highlights God's proactive grace, extending even to those who were not actively pursuing Him. However, this grace was met with rejection by Israel. Despite God's outstretched hands, they stubbornly followed their own desires (Isaiah 65:2).
Tony Evans points out that their thoughts directly influenced their actions. This manifested in idolatrous practices like sacrificing in gardens, consulting the dead among the graves, and defiling themselves by eating pig's meat (Isaiah 65:3-4). These acts were not merely isolated incidents but represented a deep-seated rejection of God's holiness and covenant. God declares that their actions "anger me to my face" (Isaiah 65:3-4), emphasizing the direct affront their rebellion caused. Consequently, God declares, "I will repay them fully for their iniquities" (Isaiah 65:6-7).
This section serves as a potent reminder that our thoughts shape our actions, and our actions have consequences. Cultivating a "kingdom mind," as Evans suggests, is crucial for experiencing spiritual victory. We must actively renew our minds with God's Word (Romans 12:2), allowing it to shape our thoughts and, ultimately, our behavior.
Judgment and the Promise of a Remnant (Isaiah 65:8-16)
Even amidst judgment, God's mercy shines through. He promises to spare a righteous remnant, those who remained faithful to Him in the midst of a perverse generation (Isaiah 65:8-10). This demonstrates God's unwavering commitment to His covenant and His desire to preserve a people for Himself.
In stark contrast, the wicked face dire consequences. They are condemned for doing "what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in" (Isaiah 65:12). God then presents a clear distinction between the fate of the wicked and the fate of His servants. The wicked will experience hunger, thirst, shame, anguish, lament, cursing, and death. But God's servants will eat, drink, rejoice, and shout for joy (Isaiah 65:13-16).
This contrast underscores the ultimate futility of rejecting God. While following the Lord may involve hardships, the end result—eternal joy and fellowship with Him—is infinitely worth it. The "former troubles will be forgotten" (Isaiah 65:16) in the light of God's blessings.
A New Heaven and a New Earth (Isaiah 65:17-25)
The chapter culminates in a breathtaking vision of a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17), a golden age characterized by peace, joy, and restoration. This new creation signifies a complete renewal of all things, a world free from the pain and suffering of the present age.
Several hallmarks of Christ's kingdom are highlighted in this description, including the end of weeping (Isaiah 65:19) and a redeemed animal kingdom (Isaiah 65:25). God's people will enjoy His complete blessing (Isaiah 65:22-24). The pain of exile, where others consumed their homes and lands, will be replaced by a time of abundance and security. This vision offers profound hope, reminding us that God's ultimate plan is one of perfect restoration and unending joy.
This chapter paints a picture of hope. Even when we face difficulties in life, we can look forward to the fulfillment of these promises in the new heaven and the new earth. This future hope should motivate us to live faithfully and obediently in the present, knowing that our labor is not in vain. Isaiah 65 calls us to choose wisely, to embrace God's grace, and to live in anticipation of the glorious future He has prepared for those who love Him.
I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.
Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.
And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.
But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.
Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:
Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 65 offers a powerful glimpse into God's grace, judgment, and ultimate restoration. This chapter contrasts the consequences of rejecting God with the blessings awaiting those who faithfully serve Him, culminating in a vision of a new creation. It's a passage filled with both warning and hope, urging us to examine our hearts and align our thoughts and actions with God's will.
God's Initiative and Israel's Rejection (Isaiah 65:1-7)
The chapter opens with a striking revelation of God's initiative: "I was sought by those who did not ask; I was found by those who did not seek me" (Isaiah 65:1). This highlights God's proactive grace, extending even to those who were not actively pursuing Him. However, this grace was met with rejection by Israel. Despite God's outstretched hands, they stubbornly followed their own desires (Isaiah 65:2).
Tony Evans points out that their thoughts directly influenced their actions. This manifested in idolatrous practices like sacrificing in gardens, consulting the dead among the graves, and defiling themselves by eating pig's meat (Isaiah 65:3-4). These acts were not merely isolated incidents but represented a deep-seated rejection of God's holiness and covenant. God declares that their actions "anger me to my face" (Isaiah 65:3-4), emphasizing the direct affront their rebellion caused. Consequently, God declares, "I will repay them fully for their iniquities" (Isaiah 65:6-7).
This section serves as a potent reminder that our thoughts shape our actions, and our actions have consequences. Cultivating a "kingdom mind," as Evans suggests, is crucial for experiencing spiritual victory. We must actively renew our minds with God's Word (Romans 12:2), allowing it to shape our thoughts and, ultimately, our behavior.
Judgment and the Promise of a Remnant (Isaiah 65:8-16)
Even amidst judgment, God's mercy shines through. He promises to spare a righteous remnant, those who remained faithful to Him in the midst of a perverse generation (Isaiah 65:8-10). This demonstrates God's unwavering commitment to His covenant and His desire to preserve a people for Himself.
In stark contrast, the wicked face dire consequences. They are condemned for doing "what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in" (Isaiah 65:12). God then presents a clear distinction between the fate of the wicked and the fate of His servants. The wicked will experience hunger, thirst, shame, anguish, lament, cursing, and death. But God's servants will eat, drink, rejoice, and shout for joy (Isaiah 65:13-16).
This contrast underscores the ultimate futility of rejecting God. While following the Lord may involve hardships, the end result—eternal joy and fellowship with Him—is infinitely worth it. The "former troubles will be forgotten" (Isaiah 65:16) in the light of God's blessings.
A New Heaven and a New Earth (Isaiah 65:17-25)
The chapter culminates in a breathtaking vision of a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17), a golden age characterized by peace, joy, and restoration. This new creation signifies a complete renewal of all things, a world free from the pain and suffering of the present age.
Several hallmarks of Christ's kingdom are highlighted in this description, including the end of weeping (Isaiah 65:19) and a redeemed animal kingdom (Isaiah 65:25). God's people will enjoy His complete blessing (Isaiah 65:22-24). The pain of exile, where others consumed their homes and lands, will be replaced by a time of abundance and security. This vision offers profound hope, reminding us that God's ultimate plan is one of perfect restoration and unending joy.
This chapter paints a picture of hope. Even when we face difficulties in life, we can look forward to the fulfillment of these promises in the new heaven and the new earth. This future hope should motivate us to live faithfully and obediently in the present, knowing that our labor is not in vain. Isaiah 65 calls us to choose wisely, to embrace God's grace, and to live in anticipation of the glorious future He has prepared for those who love Him.