God's Kingdom Come
Notes
Transcript
INTRO:
INTRO:
Isaiah gives glimpses of God’s Kingdom established on earth.
I. The Pagans and God(65:1, 17, 20–25; 66:6, 15–17, 22–24)
I. The Pagans and God(65:1, 17, 20–25; 66:6, 15–17, 22–24)
A. His current dealings with the Gentile nations (65:1)
A. His current dealings with the Gentile nations (65:1)
“I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name.
God is revealing himself to non-Jewish people, and for a while he is choosing saved Gentiles instead of Israel to perform his will.
God has always reached out to humanity
Part of the promise to Abram
In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Jesus is everyone’s Messiah and Savior!
Our church, just as all who came before us, has been comissioned to carry the good news of salvation.
Peter in Acts recognized the universal nature of the gospel
God gave him a vision that what He is cleansed is cleansed
Then God sent him to Cornelius’ home
They believed the gospel and then...
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
We ALL have the chance to be saved if we but repent and believe in Jesus.
B. His future dealings with the Gentile nations (65:17, 20–25; 66:6, 15–17, 22–24)
B. His future dealings with the Gentile nations (65:17, 20–25; 66:6, 15–17, 22–24)
The entire world will be subjected to universal punishment and then to perfection.
Sadly, not all will repent.
Some reject Christ’s offer of eternal life and die in their own sins.
The people of the world will be judged now and in eternity.
1. The punishment (66:6, 15–17)
1. The punishment (66:6, 15–17)
A reference to the great tribulation
a. God takes fiery vengeance on his enemies (66:6):
The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord, Who fully repays His enemies!
There is a great commotion in the city, and a terrible noise comes from the Temple.
b. Multiplied millions of sinners are slain at that time (66:15–17):
For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.
For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many.
“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.
The Lord comes with fire to mete out his punishment.
In Revelations, the Great Tribulation and some of its judgments are described.
sadly: it will be a time of vast calamity and death.
death in tribulation
1/4 will die during the seal judgments.
rev 6:8
So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
So in rapid order, 25% of the earth’s people will die. A quarter of 7.3 billion people is 1,830,398,495 dead. That’s 1.8 Billion dead.
1/3 of those left during Trumpets Rev 9:15
So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.
This means that a third of 5.4 billion people will die. That’s another 1,812,094,510 billion dead. Billion with a B.
By now there are 3,679,100,976 people left.
Add to that:
unprecedented war and atrocities will be recurring.
No numbers are given but the deathtoll is likely to be massive!
And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
In contrast to this:
2. The perfection (65:17, 20–25; 66:22–24)
2. The perfection (65:17, 20–25; 66:22–24)
A reference to the glorious Millennium. Here are some features of this perfect age:
a. There are no infant deaths (65:20a).
“No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
b. All but the rebellious live to celebrate their 100th birthdays (65:20b):
Only sinners die young.
c. A time of great prosperity (65:21–23):
They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, And their offspring with them.
They live in their own houses, eat from their own vineyards, and are blessed by the Lord.
d. A time when prayers are instantly answered (65:24):
“It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
Before the prayers are spoken, God answers them.
e. The wolf, lamb, lion, and ox dwell in perfect harmony (65:25).
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” Says the Lord.
f. The permanent creation of new heavens and earth (65:17; 66:22):
“For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “So shall your descendants and your name remain.
No one thinks of the old ones anymore, for the new ones are so beautiful and will last forever.
g. Universal worship of God (66:23):
And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
Everyone worships God regularly.
h. A sober reminder of the holiness of God (66:24):
“And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
The rebellious are devoured by worms and are destroyed by fire.
II. The People of God(65:2–16, 18–19; 66:1–5, 7–14, 18–21)
II. The People of God(65:2–16, 18–19; 66:1–5, 7–14, 18–21)
A. The old Israel (65:2–15; 66:1–5)
A. The old Israel (65:2–15; 66:1–5)
1. The rebellious ones (65:2–7, 11–15; 66:3–4)
1. The rebellious ones (65:2–7, 11–15; 66:3–4)
a. Their perversions (65:2–5; 66:3)
(1) Idolatry (65:2–3):
I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts;
A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick;
The people have rebelled against God and have insulted him.
(2) Witchcraft (65:4):
Who sit among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs; Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
They worship evil spirits and eat forbidden food.
(3) Hypocrisy (65:5; 66:3):
Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.
“He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations,
They are a stench in God’s nostrils because they choose their own ways.
God defined holiness and they ignored that and did as they pleased
b. Their punishment (65:6–7, 11–15; 66:4)
(1) To be paid in full for their sins (65:6–7):
“Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silence, but will repay— Even repay into their bosom—
Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together,” Says the Lord, “Who have burned incense on the mountains And blasphemed Me on the hills; Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.”
They pay for their sins and for the sins of their ancestors.
(2) To be cut down by the sword (65:11–12):
“But you are those who forsake the Lord, Who forget My holy mountain, Who prepare a table for Gad, And who furnish a drink offering for Meni.
Therefore I will number you for the sword, And you shall all bow down to the slaughter; Because, when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear, But did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.”
They are destroyed because they did not listen to the Lord.
(3) To suffer from hunger and thirst (65:13)
Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, My servants shall eat, But you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice, But you shall be ashamed;
(4) To cry out in sorrow (65:14)
Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, But you shall cry for sorrow of heart, And wail for grief of spirit.
(5) To become a curse among the people (65:15):
You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen; For the Lord God will slay you, And call His servants by another name;
The Lord destroys them.
(6) To bring upon them all these things (66:4):
So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.”
They do not listen to the Lord.
2. The righteous ones (65:8–10; 66:1–2, 5):
2. The righteous ones (65:8–10; 66:1–2, 5):
These verses refer to God’s faithful remnant throughout the ages.
a. They will be preserved and made prosperous in the land (65:8–10).
Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it,’ So will I do for My servants’ sake, That I may not destroy them all.
I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, And from Judah an heir of My mountains; My elect shall inherit it, And My servants shall dwell there.
Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, And the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, For My people who have sought Me.
b. They will be esteemed by God for their humility (66:1–2).
Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?
For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.
c. They will hear his reassuring voice (66:5):
Hear the word of the Lord, You who tremble at His word: “Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, That we may see your joy.’ But they shall be ashamed.”
They will hear God telling them not to be discouraged if they are scorned.
B. The new Israel (65:16, 18–19; 66:7–14, 18–21)
B. The new Israel (65:16, 18–19; 66:7–14, 18–21)
1. The duration (66:7–9):
1. The duration (66:7–9):
“Before she was in labor, she gave birth; Before her pain came, She delivered a male child.
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.
Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord. “Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.
The nation will be reborn in a single day!
2. The description (65:16, 18–19; 66:10–14, 18–21)
2. The description (65:16, 18–19; 66:10–14, 18–21)
Final fulfillment of this will be in the Millennium
a. The people will be totally forgiven (65:16):
You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen; For the Lord God will slay you, And call His servants by another name;
God will put aside his anger and forgive their evil.
b. Jerusalem will be rebuilt and filled with rejoicing (65:18–19):
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy.
I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying.
There will be no more crying in the city.
c. The city will enjoy financial prosperity (66:10–12):
“Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory.”
For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees.
The wealth of nations will flow to the city, and it will be blessed with peace.
d. The people will be comforted by God himself (66:13):
As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
He will comfort them as a mother comforts her child.
e. The people will rejoice (66:14):
When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies.
When they see their city, they will be filled with joy.
f. The people will see God’s glory (66:18–21):
“For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.
I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.
Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.
And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
They will come from every nation to his holy mountain.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
[1]
[1] H. L. Willmington, The Outline Bible(Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), Is 65–66:21.