Sermon Central
Isaiah 65
A Rebellious People
I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’
To a nation which did not call on My name.
Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,
Offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on bricks;
Who eat swine’s flesh,
And the broth of unclean meat is in their pots.
For I am holier than you!’
These are smoke in My nostrils,
A fire that burns all the day.
I will not keep silent, but I will repay;
I will even repay into their bosom,
“Because they have burned incense on the mountains
And scorned Me on the hills,
Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.”
8Thus says the LORD,
And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,’
So I will act on behalf of My servants
In order not to destroy all of them.
And an heir of My mountains from Judah;
Even My chosen ones shall inherit it,
And My servants will dwell there.
And the valley of Achor a resting place for herds,
For My people who seek Me.
Who forget My holy mountain,
Who set a table for Fortune,
And who fill cups with mixed wine for Destiny,
And all of you will bow down to the slaughter.
Because I called, but you did not answer;
I spoke, but you did not hear.
And you did evil in My sight
And chose that in which I did not delight.”
13Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD,
Behold, My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty.
Behold, My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.
But you will cry out with a heavy heart,
And you will wail with a broken spirit.
And the Lord GOD will slay you.
But My servants will be called by another name.
Will be blessed by the God of truth;
And he who swears in the earth
Will swear by the God of truth;
Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And because they are hidden from My sight!
And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.
Or an old man who does not live out his days;
For the youth will die at the age of one hundred
And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred
Will be thought accursed.
They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
They will not plant and another eat;
For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,
And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.
Or bear children for calamity;
For they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD,
And their descendants with them.
24It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25“The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD.