Isaiah’s last chapter often shuttles back and forth between discussions of both “good” and “evil” people … who live upon earth.

For example, in Isaiah 66:2 we saw (yesterday’s Lesson) a godly man “trembling” (in reverence) at God’s Word, and doing so with a “poor and contrite” spirit, in humility.

Bu today, in Isaiah 66:3 we see something quite different. The evil man “trying” to be religious! “Putting on” a false front.

“He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.”

The killing of the “ox” is an act of worship, worshipping Jehovah God. (The ox is the largest and most expensive animal in all the Mosaic law that could be offered to go. This represents REAL love to God!) But in God’s Eyes … if this worshipper has a wicked heart … he (again in God’s Eyes) had just as well committed murder!

Read it: “He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man.”

Wow!

And any man, here a Jew, who brings a “lamb” to the altar, the lamb being the central “animal” sacrifice for all Israel … doing so with a hypocritical heart, a sinful heart … had just as well brought a “dog!” (Dogs being unclean animals and “anathema” to God as far as worship is concerned!)

Read it: “He that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck.”

But there’s more in our verse: “He that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood.” The noun “oblation” means a “gift,” one given to God as an act of adoration. This offerer had, not being “in tune” with the Lord, just as well offered hog’s blood! Unclean, unclean, unclean!

And the religious Jew who “burns incense to God” (again an act of worship) with a heart “foreign” to God, not living right … he is (in God’s Eyes) as if he had just blessed/worshipped an idol! “He that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol.”

Wow!

These people have “chosen their own (wrong) ways,” Isaiah preached.

They “delight” in their disobedience, their rebellion to the Lord. (Though his deviant lifestyle is “covered/seasoned” with acts of worship, the duties of religion!)

Jesus expertly summed this shocking Isaiah Text in the following manner: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” Matthew 15:8

See what I mean?

In a fairly short two verse span Isaiah has praised the godly and condemned the ungodly!

God knows our “hearts.”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

I have referred (both when studying and preaching) to today’s Text through the years, repeatedly. It suggests a “mindset” we Christians should maintain.

At “attitude” we should cultivate toward the Word of God.

And God is the Speaker, here in Isaiah 66:2. “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”

The verb “look” is significant. Rather than being the normal “raah” (in Hebrew), the Holy Spirit opts for “nabat!” A much stronger term, it seems to me. It means “to pay attention to!” Even this: “to set One’s Desire upon!” God so desiring and overseeing you and me … IF we sufficiently love His Word! In the King James Text, “nabat” means “to consider” 5 times and “to respect” 3 times!

What kind of man so attracts God’s gracious approbation? (The word means “to test” with the idea of one having “passed” that test! It has a Latin background.)

The person with a “poor and contrite” spirit (heart). Where “poor” means “lowly” and “contrite” means “beaten, smitten, stricken!”

Wow!

In other words, a “humble” man or woman. Not “proud” for sure!

But there is another qualification, too … he or she must “tremble” at the Word! THIS is the aspect of our Verse that so intrigues me. Such deep respect for the Bible!

The root (“charad”) means “to be afraid,” no doubt about that. But “to fear” is this sense: being so reverent, so respectful, so honoring the Scripture … that one thereby “trembles.”

Maybe even this: “to be anxiously careful!”

God said this back in 1 Samuel 2:30. “For them that honour Me … I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.”

“Dear Lord,” I pray, “grant us this kind of serious attitude toward the Word of God.”

Our Verse, our Clause once again: “Thus saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Isaiah 66:2b

Amazing!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

The Millennium is under discussion in Isaiah 65:25, the chapter’s last verse. How living conditions then, under the Reign of the Lord Jesus Christ … here on earth, will be altered for the better! And altered forever!

Actually, it appears the “curse” (as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin) will be lifted from all creation … and things will be restored to their “pre-Garden-of-Eden” innocence, glory.

And our Text today … Isaiah 65:25 … is an example of this “reversal,” at least in the animal world! (God’s Word says a lot about His creatures, the animals. I believe God loves even them! And cares for them as well.)

“The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”

Wolves and lambs … no longer “hunter” and “hunted!” No longer enmity between them!

And lions not attacking and killing innocent little animals? Rather, eating straw (hay) like the cattle do!

And the snakes … a Hebrew word with “dark” connotations, meaning “to practice divination, magic, to observe signs and omens” … will eat “dust,” apparently no longer being venomous!

All nature … transformed!

Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) … here promising … “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”

No more killing!

No more pain!

And “God’s Holy Mountain,” is specifically the Temple, but all Jerusalem, no doubt the Holy Land (Israel) as well … but it would not surprise me … the entire world!

Wow!

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

I have loved this verse, Today’s Text, for years. Since I first learned of it as a young Preacher, I suspect.

It is no doubt to be completely fulfilled during the coming Millennium, that Golden Age that will descend upon earth when Jesus comes again!

But still … I believe that even personally I have experienced (and seen) it come to fruition … even during these dark days.

Here it is: “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24, with God Himself being the Speaker.

The verse, quite clearly, speaks of PRAYER. People “calling.” And God “hearing.” More than that, God “answering!”

And we all know (and have known since we got saved) that God indeed answers prayer.

As in Jeremiah 33:3 … “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

But Jesus too, promised such: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

But the unique thing about Isaiah 65:24 is that God is here promising to “hear and answer” … even BEFORE His people even ask!

Wow!

As if (and of course it is true) God can “read” our desires and longings, even before we express them!

I know He has “answered” some of my prayers … prior to my ever asking them!

Let’s all we all stop right now … and THANK HIM for His Attentiveness to our needs!

Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

Our chapter begins rather cryptically. But God is the Speaker: “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.” Isaiah 65:1

The “nation” that was (still is) called by God’s Name is none other than “ISRAEL.” (The “el” at the end of this little proper noun is God’s very name “El” or “Elohiym.”)

But the “nation” that is NOT called by God’s name (and is the subject of our Verse today) is the vast block of human creation we would now call the “gentiles.” As a group, of course. (Actually the noun “goy” is employed here, a sure giveaway that the gentiles are in view. If the Jews had been in mind, likely “am” would have been used, another Hebrew noun meaning “people.”)

And God has “courted” or “pursued” or sought to “speak good news” to these gentiles as well. To “us,” I might rejoice!

Yes, God said to us who are not Jews … “Behold Me, behold Me!”

Twice Isaiah (quoting God) here writes “hinneh,” both occurrences (of course) being interjections! (As in: “Wow! What a surprise! Amazing! Look! God is offering us Salvation!”)

Here’s the point today: ISRAEL DID NOT WANT THE LORD! SHE REJECTED HIM! SO GOD, IN HIS LOVE AND GRACE, HAS TURNED TO US GENTILES! (AT LEAST UNTIL SUCH A TIME THAT ISRAEL IS READY TO BE SAVED!)

Our Text’s opening clauses are admittedly tough, hard to discern or interpret. But God is saying that the most unlikely of all people (the gentiles again) have been saved! People most unlikely to have ever sought the Lord!

We who are saved by God’s Grace and who are not Jews should be ecstatic today! “Jesus loved even me!”

And I am pretty sure I have explained this verse rightly because of something Paul later said about it. In Romans 10:20-21 it looks to me like he also applies Isaiah 65:1 to the gentiles. “But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. BUT TO ISRAEL he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.”

“BUT TO ISRAEL” … in distinction to the gentiles who have believed!

Wow!

I love that word “whosoever!” I think it wonderfully expresses the very Heart of God! The God Who provides salvation for gentiles, too.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.