Midweek Advent 2 (2022)

Isaiah 65:17-25

The prophet Isaiah was taken before the throne of God and had a coal brought to his lips to take away his sin and to have his guilt atoned, He spoke with a wayward king of Israel who refused God’s gift of a prophecy and so the Lord gave the King a sign, that the virgin would be with child. He revealed to the world that the Servant of God who would accomplish the salvation promised in the garden, would suffer greatly.

The servant would bear our griefs, carry our sorrows, and when the world looked at Him we would believe that he was stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted, but in truth He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities, and by his chastisement we have peace, and his wounds have healed us. For the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all.

So it should be no surprise that Isaiah who saw God’s holy mountain where death was swallowed up forever would also have been a prophecy regarding the new heavens and the new earth.

The Lord reveals to Isaiah that He will create a new heavens, and new earth, and we will not remember any of the sorrows or pains that came from this life. For they belong to the world that is passing away. That is all the problems that Adam brought by his sin that corrupted this earth will be done and gone. This means sickness, disease, hunger, thirst, pain, and sorrows all of those things that are the result of sin will perish along with the world. This includes even our bodies that are being given over unto death, but we will receive something new.

What will God bestow upon His people, it will be a place of joy and gladness forever. In our present world, we think that we can only understand joy or gladness by first going through sorrow, but we can be happy and glad without knowing suffering. We realize how fleeting it is when it is taken from us in this life, but we long for those days when we did not know sorrows.

We will be able to rejoice forever in this kingdom which means there will no longer be the problems that bring death, and God himself will rejoice in the new Jerusalem and be glad in his people.

For right now with the world as it is, we do not know God purely as Joy and gladness for there is much sin. That is why we witness His wrath, not only in our lives, but in the world as His judgments are carried out, but in the new creation, there will no longer be a need for God’s wrath, for there will be no sin. As all of those things are put behind us. Look at how the prophet describes life in the new Jerusalem.

Now you might have some questions about what is happening in verse 20, for there was supposed to be no more death, and no more sin, so what is Isaiah saying here? This seems to contradict everything we know about God’s kingdom.

He is speaking in terms that we can understand. So he is painting a picture that contrasts with this life. If a sinner makes it a 100 years, we would say they are blessed. That no longer will we bear children that pass away, that this heartache and pain is gone is wonderful, and to say that we would be considered young at 100 years? It is one thing to say that we will never die, but to spell it out in this way helps bring it home to us.

The home that we build will not be stolen from us, or burned down, the vineyards and the harvest will not be taken by thieves or marching armies, we shall long enjoy the works of our hands. This peace will extend throughout all the land. For God will be there with us, answering us before we can even call and hearing us in a moment.

Indeed even the animals which are known for bringing destruction and death, and being a terror to mankind will be pacified in this new creation. Those that were predators and prey will now stand side by side on the field no longer shedding blood. It is a world of peace.

And that wicked serpent who led Adam and Eve will receive the fruits of his labors, eating the dust of the earth as Satan is banished unto hell itself forever.

This is why the Lord says, they shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. Now this sounds a bit strange to our ears, why just one mountain? Well Jerusalem is on the mountain, and that is where God has setup a great feast where death is swallowed up forever.

We learned last week why this World must come to an end, but look at what is coming. You can see why the people long ago looked ahead to the coming of Christ with great joy, why the disciples asked again, and again if now was the time that He would establish His kingdom. They were aware that Christ was bringing about a great and glorious kingdom, but they had in mind only a kingdom that belonged to this world, and not the world that is to come. The disciples learned what Christ meant by the power of the Holy Spirit, his Kingdom is not of this earth.

His Kingdom is going to be established in the new heavens and the new earth. So don’t cling to this world which is wearing out, rather lay it aside and see what Jesus has prepared for you in paradise. It is something magnificent, and something that is difficult for us to comprehend, but it shall be glorious.

So my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this is why it is ok that the World is coming to an end, it is why we as Christians pray for it even, and pray boldly. Amen Come Lord Jesus. For the problems that plague us now will not be remembered, and it will be a place of unending joy and gladness. There we shall know God nothing but God’s love which we have seen a foretaste of in Christ our Lord, In Jesus name. Amen.