Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Isaiah 65: new heavens and a new earth

 In Isaiah 65, 1-2, the Lord invites people to come to him:

1 I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me;
I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’
To a nation which did not call on My name.

however, Israel didn't listen to the Lord and rebbeled against Him:

2 I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,
Who walk in the way which is not good, [a]following their own thoughts,

Israel made a lot of things that displeased the Lord such as: offering sacrifices to other gods, eating pork, spent a night in cemiteries to get messages from the dead, etc; but there are still servants of the Lord that will be treated in a special manner:

9 I will bring forth [g]offspring from Jacob,
And an heir of My mountains from Judah;
My chosen ones shall inherit it,
And My servants will live there.

They will inherit the mountains from Judah
But those that don't repent will die:

12 I will destine you for the sword,
And all of you will bow down to the slaughter.
Because I called, but you did not answer;
I spoke, but you did not listen.
Instead, you did evil in My sight
And chose that in which I did not delight.

while the servants will eat, drink and rejoice.
The chapter finishes with a promise of new heavens and new earth:

17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to [o]mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.
19 I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.


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