Isaiah 66
God’s Ultimate Victory
True Worship vs. 1-2
False Worship vs. 3-4
Persecution for God’s People vs. 5-6
Prosperity for God’s People vs. 7-14
The Final Judgement vs. 12-24
Intro:
We are in the last chapter of the book of Isaiah
66 chapters done in 45 messages over 54 weeks
What a wonderful ride and look into the depths of God goodness and comfort
Throughout his book, Isaiah has presented us with alternatives:
Trust the Lord and live, or rebel against the Lord and die.
He has explained the grace and mercy of God and offered His forgiveness.
He has also explained the holiness and wrath of God and warned of His judgment.
He has promised glory for those who will believe and judgment for those who scoff.
He has explained the foolishness of trusting man’s wisdom and the world’s resources.
The prophet calls the professing people of God back to spiritual reality.
He warns against hypocrisy and empty worship.
He pleads for faith, obedience, a heart that delights in God, and a life that glorifies God.
There is no peace,’ saith the Lord, ‘unto the wicked’ for in order to have peace, you must have righteousness.
The only way to have righteousness is through faith in Jesus Christ.
Isaiah’s message has been, “Be comforted by the Lord!”
But God cannot comfort rebels!
If we are sinning against God and comfortable about it, something is radically wrong.
That false comfort will lead to false confidence, and that will lead to the chastening hand of God.
Read Isaiah 66:1-4
Transition:
True Worship vs. 1-2
Vs 1 has to be one of the most humbling verses in the Bible
Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool
We get that God’s throne is in heaven.
Rev 4-5 gives us this wonderful picture of what it will be like
It’s the picture of earth being his footstool that shows us how really small we are
A footstool is a small piece of furniture that supports the tired feet of its owner
And it’s not that we are his footstool but this big blue marble we live on is the footstool
We are a minuscule speck that exists on earth
This verse shows the majesty of God and our smallness
Is it done to belittle us? Maybe a little, but it is really done to show us who deserves our worship
He gives us a picture of how big God really is
The danger is when we try to bring God down to our size
God does not live in buildings; He dwells with those who submit to Him
1 Kings 8:27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!”
This is the amazing miracle of God
He is too big for our buildings but first perfectly in our hearts
Is 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
He inhabits eternity and our hearts at the same time
Where is the house that you will build Me? . . . But on this alone I will look: on Him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word:
We may want to serve God - but serve Him our way.
We may want to build God something, but what can we build that is worthy of God?
Instead, what God really wants from us is a poor and a contrite spirit, and to tremble at His word.
Contrite is literally “‘lamed’ or disabled, here used with spiritual significance: one who is aware of the damage wrought by sin, of personal inability to stand upright before God.”
Ps 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit
A humble and contrite person isn't impressed with themselves and are aware of their sin
Are you one of those who trembles at God’s word?
Spurgeon says “They tremble at the searching power of God’s Word. Do you never come into this place and sit down in the pew, and say, ‘Lord, let your Word search me and try me, that I may not be deceived’?
Many people in the church today are unaffected by the word of God
Trembling is not just hearing, or even applying, but when we hear it shakes our world
It shows us our sinfulness and desperate need for a savior
False Worship vs. 3-4
In Isaiah’s day, were God’s people trembling at His Word? No, they were not.
Instead, they were going through the motions of worship without having a heart for God.
The people were not sacrificing the animals; they were murdering them!
Because their hearts were far from God, their offerings were as unclean things to the Lord.
Is 29:13 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men
We have to be very careful that we are not just doing empty rituals
Is 1:11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
It is the heart of the worshiper that determines the value of the offering
In the empty religious ritualism, God’s people thought they were pleasing God.
But the LORD says that when a man kills a bull in sacrifice, it is as if he slays a man.
Their religious ritualism added to their sin, it didn’t take it away!
Just as they have chosen their own ways . . . so will I choose their delusions: (NKJV)
God’s people chose their rebellion against Him, and they persisted in it despite His continual warnings.
As an extreme display of judgment, God will choose their delusions and send a delusion among them.
This is a sobering reminder of what God will do on the earth during the Great Tribulation,
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness
God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.
But what will happen during the Great Tribulation is just the ultimate fruit of what God does all the time among men.
When we reject God and seek our own delusion, He may send one to us.
How can we keep from being given over to a delusion?
By answering the LORD when He calls, by hearing Him when He speaks. It’s really that simple.
Persecution for God’s People vs. 5-6
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.”
Here, Isaiah shows how those with a shallow, empty religion mock those of genuine faith.
Ps 38:20 Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good.
Those with empty faith also are upside down backwards when it comes to righteousness
Is 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
First, empty religion hates genuine faith (hated you).
Second, empty religion rejects true faith (cast you out).
Third, empty religion acts in the name of the LORD (for My name’s sake).
Fourth, empty religion mocks with spiritual sounding words
But they shall be ashamed:
Most importantly, empty religion will never ultimately triumph.
Luke 6:22-23 Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
At the end of days, if not before, they shall be ashamed, when they hear the voice of the LORD, who fully repays His enemies!
Prosperity for God’s People vs. 7-14
Before she travailed, she gave birth:
Isaiah prophesies a day when the victory will come easily to Jerusalem, when she will be as the promise of Romans 8:37
Rom 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us
Here, she gives birth - but without pain! Truly, who has heard such a thing?
Rejoice with Jerusalem: All God’s people are called to share in Jerusalem’s joy.
The time of deliverance, victory, and vindication have come!
Be glad with her, all you who love her!
If God’s people will do this, it will be a blessing for them also: that you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom.
When the Messiah returns in glory and triumph, the peace of Jerusalem will be like a gentle, powerful river that is never disturbed.
But not Jerusalem alone: And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.
God speaks with supreme tenderness to His faithful servants.
No one can comfort like a mother, and God will bring that kind of comfort to His people.
The Final Judgment vs. 15-24
God’s hand will bring blessing to His servants but “indignation toward His enemies” (66:14); and Isaiah describes that “indignation” in verses 15–18.
The Day of the Lord will be a storm of judgment with fire and whirlwinds, and with the sword of God; “And those slain by the Lord shall be many.”
Who will be slain? Those who have disobeyed God’s Law in their eating and their worshiping
Instead of worshiping the true and living God, they turned to pagan idols and pagan practices.
It is not enough to be “religious”; we must serve Him according to what He says in His Word
Closing:
