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TH1163: On-Line
ISAIAH
Please turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 61, as we continue our study through the Word of God. We studied last time regarding the darkness of the tribulation period as God pours out His wrath upon a Christ rejecting world. And it is out of that darkness that the light of God comes bursting through, dispelling the darkness. And as the Lord returns, He comes to set up His kingdom, ruling and reining from Jerusalem for 1,000 years, a period of time that is known as the kingdom age or the millennial kingdom. And then we moved from the kingdom age to the eternal state, where God creates a new heaven and earth, and the curse is finally completely removed.
Now as we move into chapter 61, Isaiah is going to speak of the two advents or comings of Jesus Christ. Now it was difficult many times for the prophets to see and understand all that they were writing. It is like looking at two mountains, one in front of the other, and it appears that they are right next to each other. And with the information you have at that time, you came to the best conclusion that you could. But as you climb to the top of one of those mountains, you see the truth of the matter. That there is a long distance between the two, many miles. They are not right next to each other.
The same is true here. As we now have the New Testament, it is like a light that opens up some of the darkness that was hidden in the Old Testament writings. The same is true of the first and second comings of Christ, many times the writers did not see the two comings, but saw them right next to each other. But again, the New Testament gives us a clear perspective of things as we shall see. So lets begin reading in verse 1 of Isaiah chapter 61.
ISAIAH 61
VERSES 1-2a
1. The first thing that comes out of this section is the Trinity. Notice carefully who is speaking, Jesus. The one who has anointed Jesus for the ministry is God the Father. And the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus. One God manifested in three distinct persons.
2. Secondly, when Jesus began His ministry He went down to the Jordan River and was baptized by John the baptist. Of that time we read in Matthew 3:16-17, "When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’" After Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit He was taken into the wilderness, or led into the wilderness by the Spirit, where He fasted for forty days, and then was tempted by the devil, putting the devil to silence by using the Word of God.
It is after this that we read in Luke 4:14-20, "Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’ Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him."
You need to understand that when Jesus read this portion of Isaiah they all recognized it as a Messianic prophecy. And thus, all eyes were fixed upon Him to see what He was going to say next, what words of wisdom He would impart to them regarding this portion of Scripture. We read in verse 21 what took place next. "And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’"
Jesus was telling them that He is the fulfillment of these words spoken by Isaiah, He is the Messiah! He spoke the good news to those who were living in sin with no way out. He came to heal or bind up those who were broken hearted. That is they were broken over their sinful condition, recognizing they could do nothing about their sinful condition. And Jesus is telling them not to worry, He can touch them and heal them. He came to set them free from the captivity of sin they were in. His life set into motion the year of the Lord or that period of time we know as the age of grace, which has been going on for some 2,000 years now!
3. Interestingly enough, Jesus stopped right in the middle of the sentence He was reading, He didn’t complete it. Why would He do that? Well lets read the rest of verse 2 and you will understand why Jesus stopped reading where He did and put the scroll of Isaiah down, saying "...‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’" Luke 4:21.
VERSE 2b
1. When Jesus came the first time He came as a lamb to take away the sins of the world. As John 3:17 says "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." When Jesus came down the Mount of Olives He rode a donkey, and when a king would ride into town on a donkey you would not need to fear, for he was coming in peace and not in vengeance or to conquer. But when Jesus comes again He comes as the lion from the tribe of Judah riding on a white horse. When a king came riding on a white horse he was coming to conquer, not in peace. Jesus is coming a second time to pour out His wrath upon a Christ rejecting world.
Interestingly enough the period of God’s grace is illustrated by being called the "year of the LORD" while God’s wrath is spoken of as "the day of vengeance". Again, not a literal day, but a 7 year period known as the tribulation period, with the last 3 ½ years being known as the great tribulation. And as God’s wrath is completed, He will comfort those who mourn as He returns to set up His kingdom, and righteousness will flow throughout the land. God’s grace always outshines His wrath!
VERSE 3
1. The Jews today are preparing for the Messiah. In Israel, across from the wailing wall or the western wall, is a sign that says in Hebrew, "PREPARE FOR MESSIAH IS COMING!" The tragedy comes into view when you realize what Jesus said in John 5:43 is going to come to pass. They are going to think that the anti-Christ is their Messiah. Jesus said in John "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive." And for 3 ½ years they will believe this man is their Messiah until he shows his true colors. And it is at this point they recognize their error and flee for their lives, as the anti-Christ comes after them to destroy them. And he is able to destroy 2/3 of the Jewish people, but many will flee to the rock city of Petra and will be protected by God for those remaining 3 ½ years. And those that are there will turn to the true Messiah, Jesus Christ, and He will turn their sorrow, their grief into joy. He will replace their mourning with beauty. He will remove the heaviness of heart they have with praise. They will stand strong in the righteousness of God and bring Him glory. This, of course, is speaking of the kingdom age.
VERSE 4
1. Not only will Jerusalem be destroyed during the tribulation period, but the whole earth will be affected, and in ruin. Jesus said of this time in Matthew 24:21-22 "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." But now we are moving into the kingdom age and the land will be restored, and it will be built again, as will Jerusalem where our Lord will rule and reign from.
VERSES 5-6
1. As I have said, during the kingdom age the Jews will be honored. No longer will they be hated. In Exodus 19:5-6 the Lord said to Israel, "‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." And thus, as they turn to their Messiah, God will make them priests in His kingdom, the servants to the Most High God.
2. By faith we are children of Abraham, as Romans 4:16 says, "Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all." Now in saying that, God will also make us a kingdom of priests before Him in the kingdom age. In Revelation 1:5-6 we read "and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." Also, in Revelation 5:9-10 we read "And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.’" We too will be servants of the Most High God in the kingdom age!
VERSE 7
1. The Lord is speaking of the Law of the first born, in that the first born would get a double portion of the family inheritance, he would receive the birthright and the blessings. And God is saying that He will give His people, Israel, a double portion of blessings in the kingdom. As Isaiah 35:10 says "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
VERSE 8a-b
1. God loves justice, He hates injustice. Sounds very simple and yet how many people who call themselves Christians rip others off in business dealings or whatever, and then give to the Lord. Do you really think God will be pleased with this and accept it? Not at all is He pleased with it, nor will He accept it!
VERSE 8c
1. In the kingdom age righteousness will fill the land, and God will direct those who have entered into the kingdom age and those born during that time in truth.
VERSE 8d
1. This everlasting covenant is the new covenant that is found in the blood of Christ. And for those that think the Jews have been excluded from this covenant because they have rejected their Messiah, think again. In Jeremiah chapter 31 we read beginning in verse 31, "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah--not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of......them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever. Thus says the LORD: ‘If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the LORD.’" Jeremiah 31:31-37.
In other words, if the sun stops shining, if man can measure out the heavens, then God will cast off Israel. But the sun will continue to shine. Have you ever woke up one morning and the sun wasn’t there. If it wasn’t there, neither would we be here! Man continues to try to measure the heavens, and it keeps getting bigger. And thus, God will not, He has not cast off Israel.
VERSE 9
1. Prior to the tribulation period the church will be raptured or caught up to be with the Lord. During the tribulation period many will come to know the Lord, some will be put to death for their faith in Christ, and others will make it through the tribulation period knowing the Lord. Those that made it through the tribulation period will enter into the kingdom age in physical bodies and they will marry and have children during this period of time, this 1,000 year reign of the Lord.
VERSE 10
1. The garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness are obtained by faith in Christ. Paul, in Philippians chapter 3 is contrasting all he had obtained in the flesh with all he has in Christ. We read beginning in verse 4, "though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." You can’t earn it, it can’t be bought, all you can do is receive it by faith in Jesus Christ!
2. Isaiah also speaks of us being a bride prepared to meet her bridegroom. We see this come to pass in Revelation 19:7-8 where we read "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ and because of that we can come and partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb!
VERSE 11
1. As dark as things may look now and as dark as things will get on this earth, don’t be discouraged. The Lord will triumph. His work will be completed. As Jesus comes to set up His kingdom here on this earth, out of that we will see righteousness and praise spring forth throughout the land!
ISAIAH 62
VERSES 1-2
1. Mount Zion, in the city of Jerusalem, the Lord will establish His kingdom. It will be the focal point of the world. God will complete this work.
2. Also, in the kingdom age the Lord will give us a new name, a name that will reflect our character. God changed the name of Jacob, which means "heal-catcher", to Israel, or "governed by God". Just as the Lord said in the letter He wrote to the church in Pergamos, He said "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it." Revelation 2:17.
VERSE 3
1. As the gentile nations look upon the Jews, they will be seen as the crowning glory of the whole earth.
VERSE 4
1. They were forsaken and their land became desolate, but no longer. Now they will be called HEPHZIBAH or "my delight is in her" and their land will be called BEULAH or "married. In other words God will delight in His people and the land will be restored and kept by Him. No longer forsaken, but truly blessed!
VERSE 5
1. Did you hear what God says about you? He rejoices over you! Can you believe that? I don’t think we fully comprehend how much God really loves us. Paul, in Ephesians chapter 3, wanted these believers to understand God’s love as fully as they could. He said beginning in verse 17, "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19. The richness of God’s love I don’t think we will fully understand until we see Him face-to-face.
VERSES 6-7
1. The watchmen guarded the city by keeping watch on the walls of the city day and night. And I believe God is saying to us that we, as watchmen, are to be praying for the peace of Jerusalem as Psalm 122:6-9 says. We read "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good."
We should keep praying for God’s people until God brings to pass all He desires for His people. Pray until it is all accomplished and God sets up His kingdom. It is as Jesus said in Matthew 6:9-10, "In this manner, therefore, pray: our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Pray that God’s kingdom will come, and understand this, one day those prayers will be answered and God’s kingdom will be established on this earth, and the Jews will return to their God!
VERSES 8-9
1. No longer will the Jews labor for nothing. No longer will they plant, care for and harvest their crops, only to have the enemy come in and take it away from them. Remember the story of Gideon in Judges chapter 6. We read "Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites." Judges 6:11. Why was Gideon hiding in the winepress threshing his wheat? Because he was afraid that the Midianites would come and take it away from him. You see, you never thresh wheat in a winepress, for it was low on the mountain, and there was no wind to blow away the chaff as you were threshing the wheat. But if he went up high on the mountain to do it, they would see him and they would steal if from him. And God is saying that in the kingdom age they will not have to fear any longer, for they will enjoy the fruits of their labor.
VERSE 10
1. Prepare the way for the Lord is coming! Raise the banner, let the people know the things that are about to take place.
VERSE 11
1. Yes, during the tribulation period things will look very black for Israel. But the Lord is saying not to lose hope, He is coming back to revive and restore His people.
VERSE 12
1. No longer will they be forsaken. No longer will they be persecuted. They will be honored in the kingdom age!
2. I want to leave you this evening with these words from Zechariah as he begins with the final battle against the Lord and His anointed and he ends with the setting up of the kingdom and God’s people dwelling safely once again. Beginning in verse 1 of Zechariah chapter 14 we read "Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south. Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, for the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the LORD my God will come, and all the saints with You. It shall come to pass in that day that there will be no light; the lights will diminish. It shall be one day which is known to the LORD-- neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen that it will be light. And in that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and half of them toward the western sea; in both summer and winter it shall occur...
...And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be–‘The LORD is one,’ and His name one. All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be raised up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin's Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananeel to the king's winepresses. The people shall dwell in it; and no longer shall there be utter destruction, but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited."