How will the Lord respond to Isaiah’s heartfelt prayer for his wayward people? Isaiah 65 gives the answer. The Lord reminds Isaiah He has not changed in His character, covenant or compassion for His people. He has been waiting for them to seek Him and ask for His help: “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am’” (1).
Even though, as Isaiah admits, the nation of Israel has become “like those who are not called by your name” (63:19), the Lord has opened His arms wide and “spread out” his hands “to a nation that was not called by my name” (1-2). While the apostle Paul will apply verse 1 to the Gentiles (Romans 10:20), it fits Israel’s situation as well. They have been a “rebellious people who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices” (2; Rom 10:21).
Instead of seeking the Lord, Israel has become a nation that “provoke” Him to His face. They are guilty of following other gods, worshiping false idols, and violating His laws (3-4). Yet, even in their flagrant sin, they arrogantly see themselves as holier-than-thou and spiritually superior; they “say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you’” (5). God’s assessment: “These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.”
In light of Israel’s rogue spirituality, the Lord will indeed respond. Isaiah had prayed He would not “keep silent” (64:12). The Lord answers that prayer: “Behold, it is written before me: ‘I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their lap” (6). All the judgment stored up by the sins of the generations (“your iniquities and your fathers’ iniquities together”—7) God will “measure into their lap” as “payment for their former sins” (7). God will rend the heavens and come down, but not in a way that Israel will welcome.
However, amidst judgment, the Lord will remember mercy. He knows there are some within Israel who remain His “servants” (8, 13-14). These faithful servants, like good grapes, will not be trampled and smashed in the cluster of rebels (8). The Lord will “not destroy them all” (8).
Instead, the Lord “will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah” to possess and dwell in His holy mountain (9). The hills of Sharon and the Valley of Achor (a place of former trouble—Josh.7:26) will become pasturelands for their flocks and homes for their families (10). Those who “have sought” the Lord, proving themselves His faithful “servants”, will experience God’s “blessing” (8-10).
However, those who continue to “forsake the Lord” and chase after other gods (Fortune, Destiny—11) are unfortunately destined for “the sword” and “the slaughter” (11-12). Judgment falls heavily because “when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen (12). Instead, they “did what was evil” in the Lord’s eyes and “chose” what He did “not delight in” (12).
The contrast between the Lord’s servants and those who refuse to serve Him will be stark. Isaiah highlights five drastic contrasts between the two groups in verses 13-16. God’s servants will “eat” while rebels go “hungry”, “drink” rather than go “thirsty”, “rejoice” instead of being “put to shame”, “sing for gladness of heart” and not “cry out for pain of heart”, and be called by “another name” rather than have their name become a “curse” (see 62:4, 12). The Lord’s faithful servants will “bless” themselves by staying faithful to “the God of truth” (repeated twice in verse 16). The Lord will choose to forget their “former troubles” (16).
The reason for the five-fold blessing on the Lord’s true servants is explained in verses 17-25 (verse 17 begins with an explanatory “For”). The Lord will “create a new heavens and a new earth” in which “the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind” (17; linked to verse 16). Instead, Jerusalem and its people will “be glad” and “be a gladness” (18). The Lord’s people will rejoice, and He will rejoice in them (18-19).
In the “new heavens and the new earth”, the Lord’s servants will enjoy the five-fold blessings promised them in verses 13-16. They will eat what they plant (13, 21-22); drink from the fruit of their vineyards (13, 21); rejoice without shame (13, 18); sing for gladness (14, 18); be called blessed by the Lord who answers them before they call (15-16, 23-24).
Isaiah presents a picture of the new heavens that is both similar and different than the current heavens and earth. While there is still planting, building, eating, and drinking (21-22), there will no longer be calamity or distress (23). Infants and old men will not die prematurely but “the young man shall die a hundred years old” (20). Isaiah pictures people living much longer lives: “like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be” (22). No longer will foreigners invade Israel and “eat their fruit” or “inhabit” their homes (21-22). As previously announced in Isaiah 11:6-9, creation will be finally and fully at peace: “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox” (24). In an allusion to Genesis 3:14, the Lord declares the “serpent” shall still eat the “dust” of the earth (25). No longer will animals or the ancient serpent (Satan) “hurt or destroy” on the Lord’s “holy mountain” (25). In the new heavens and earth, life will once again be as the Lord originally intended it to be.
Excursus: Interpreting prophetic “foretelling” of future realities. John Oswalt comments that, as is the case with other Old Testament prophets, Isaiah’s foretelling of coming realities sometimes blends together stages of future fulfillment. For example, verses 17-25 merge both near future and distant future (eternal) blessings into one prophetic picture. Preachers will often use illustration of distant mountain rangers to help explain this prophetic perspective; from a distant vantage point, mountains that are actually far removed from one another can appear close in proximity. In a similar way, Isaiah compresses blessings that will happen in the near future (return of the exiles), the distant future (Millennial kingdom) and the eternal future (new heavens and earth). Not all aspects of his words in verses 17-25 relate to all aspects of their future fulfillment. For example, Israelites who return from exile will still die in the restored, rebuild Jerusalem; however, there will be no death in the new heavens and earth—Rev 21:4).
Verses 17-25 also highlight another important feature of Old Testament “foretelling.” The prophets use terminology and imagery from their time/era to describe what will happen at a future time. So, Ezekiel employs descriptions of military weapons and technologies from his day to describe an end-times battle (Ezekiel 38-39). Ezekiel also uses the religious realities of his time (Temple, Levitical priesthood) to describe final, future realities (Ezekiel 40-48). In Isaiah 65:17-25, the prophet speaks of the blessings that will experienced by God’s servants in “the new heavens and a new earth” using word pictures understandable to his readers: life spans of a tree, enjoying the produce of one’s one labour, farm animals living safely by predatory animals. The realities these pictures speak of are conveyed by these images though they transcend them. Knowing this keeps us from misinterpreting the meaning of the prophet’s words in a woodenly literal way.
Behold Your God
The Lord actively seeks to restore those who are not seeking Him. In His goodness and faithfulness, the Lord extends grace to the “rebellious” (1-3). Though His people fail to “seek” Him, he still seeks them, spreading out His hands to welcome them back (1-2). Though they do not call on His name, he calls to them (12). Though they continually “provoke” Him to His face, He pursues them (3). Though they become like “smoke” in His nostrils, He is still “ready to be sought” and “ready to be found” by them (1, 5). Oh, the compassionate heart of God who’s loyal, covenant love is unfailing and steadfast. While His patience with the rebellious has an end (see below), He is slow to anger and rich in mercy.
The Lord ultimately and actively repays those who insist on rebellion. The Lord’s patience with rebellious people has a limit. He is slow to anger but will not withhold justice and judgment forever. He is the “god of truth” (16) and will not allow sin and falsehood to remain unpunished forever. In fact, He will “repay” the rebellious for their sins and those their fathers stored up in the time of His patience (7). Those who choose other gods, who rely on “Fortune” or “Fate” (Destiny—11) are “destined” for death (11-12).
The Lord makes an eternal distinction between servants and sinners. Isaiah contrasts the lasting blessings that come to the Lord’s “servants” (used 7 times) with the judgment that awaits “sinners” (13-25). By “sinners” (20), the Lord speaks of those who insist and persist in rebellion, who remain in their sins in spite of His entreaty to return and find mercy (1-3). While none are fully righteous (64:6), God’s servants come to His for forgiveness and seek to align their lives with His righteousness (64:4).
Here Am I
I want to genuinely seek the Lord while He is graciously seeking me. The Lord describes Himself as “ready to be sought” and “ready to be found” (1). He spreads out His hands in welcome saying, “Here I am, here I am” (1-2). Sadly, it’s possible to spurn His welcome, refusing to “answer” when He “calls” (2, 12). It’s also possible to “provoke” Him by seeking after false gods (3-4), doing what is “evil” in His eyes (12). I want to be one who runs into His embrace and lives by His revealed will. I want to be one of the “chosen” ones (9, 15, 22) who choose to seek Him (“who have sought me”—10) and delight in what He “delights in” (12).
I want to be one of the servants the Lord blesses in the new heavens and earth. The true “servants” of the Lord will enjoy His blessings in a new heaven and earth (13-25). The Lord promises to “create” a future that reverberates with rejoicing and erupts with gladness. Creation will be once again be a safe, stable, harmonious place (23, 25). Former troubles will be forgotten (17); blessings will be durable and lasting (20, 22). Weeping will be no more (19). This is the inheritance and heritage of those who the Lord calls “my servants” (13). In Revelation 21-22, the apostle John takes Isaiah’s vision and elevates it further (no death at all—Rev 21:4). The new heavens and earth, centered on the New Jerusalem, will be culmination of blessing and glory awaiting the Lord’s “servants” who “worship him” (Rev. 22:3-4). I want to be there! I want all my family to be there. As the Lord helps me, I will be a servant who extends the invitation to the new heavens and earth to as many others as I can. Maranatha; Come Lord Jesus.
Rick and Linda Reed 