The Lord Establishes a New Heaven And New Earth
July 11, 2021
Commentary
All those that love and mourn for the Holy City are commanded to rejoice with Jerusalem (v. 10). The imagery of a mother nursing her baby with fresh milk is illustrative of the nations of the world that shall look once again to Jerusalem for spiritual nourishment (v. 11). It is during that time that she shall experience peace like a river and glory like a flowing stream (v. 12). God is compared to a mother who comforts her child (v. 13). As God extends a spiritual rebirth to the nation of Israel during the time of her darkest hour, she will become the channel of God’s blessing to the Gentiles.
When God restores His people to Jerusalem in the Millennium, they will rejoice and prosper, but on her enemies He will swoop down in judgment like a fire to slay them (vv. 14-18). So severe will that judgment be that Isaiah notes that the slain of the Lord shall be many (v. 16). The religion of the last days is described as an abomination (v. 17). Because God knows both their works and their thoughts, He shall come in furious judgment upon them (v. 18).
People outside Israel will turn to Him and worship Him (vv. 19-21). In fact the remnant of believing Jews will travel as missionaries to other parts of the world to tell Gentiles about God’s glory (v. 19). Some of them will even be selected as priests and Levites showing that all nations will be blessed through Israel (v. 21). This will usher in the final state of glorification, which shall be an unchanging state for both the redeemed and the damned (vv. 22-24). The redeemed will be in heaven, in their glorified and fixed state looking down on the suffering in the lake of fire where the worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched (Mark 9:34; Rev. 20:14-15).
Application
Just as the converted Jews became a blessing to the Gentiles I want to become a blessing to all.
Isaiah 66:10– 24 (NET)
10 “Be happy for Jerusalem and rejoice with her, all you who love her! Share in her great joy, all you who have mourned over her!
11 For you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished; you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts.
12 For this is what the Lord says: “Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river, the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks. You will nurse from her breast and be carried at her side; you will play on her knees.
13 As a mother consoles a child, so I will console you, and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”
14 When you see this, you will be happy, and you will be revived. The Lord will reveal his power to his servants and his anger to his enemies.
15 For look, the Lord comes with fire, his chariots come like a windstorm, to reveal his raging anger, his battle cry, and his flaming arrows.
16 For the Lord judges all humanity with fire and his sword; the Lord will kill many.
17 “As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards, those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like mice —they will all be destroyed together,” says the Lord. 18 “I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am coming to gather all the nations and ethnic groups; they will come and witness my splendor. 19 I will perform a mighty act among them and then send some of those who remain to the nations—to Tarshish, Pul, Lud (known for its archers), Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor. 20 They will bring back all your countrymen from all the nations as an offering to the Lord. They will bring them on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels to my holy hill Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the Israelites bring offerings to the Lord’s temple in ritually pure containers. 21 And I will choose some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord. 22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain. 23 From one month to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to worship me,” says the Lord. 24 “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die, and the fire that consumes them will not die out. All people will find the sight abhorrent.”
Illustration: Susannah Wesley Prayed 1 hr Each Day For Her Children
Susannah Wesley, mother of John Wesley spent one hour each day praying for her 17 children. In addition, she took each child aside for a full hour every week to discuss spiritual matters. No wonder two of her sons, Charles and John, were used of God to bring blessing to all of England and much of America. (Evie Megginson – Sermon Central)