Sermon: The Best is Yet To Come!
Isaiah 65:17-25 “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.18 Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy.19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more. 20 “No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! 21 In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. 22 Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains.23 They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. 24 I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Introduction: God Has Saved the Best for Last! This earth is headed for a glorious finish as God’s holy creation. God promises to establish His kingdom in righteousness and peace on a global scale. Hard to imagine when we look around us at the fallen and depraved conditions of our day. Yet God promises to bring this world to a glorious finish which was God’s original intent in creating the heavens and the earth in the first place. It has always been His intention to establish His Son on the throne to rule over the earth and administer justice that would not end. A world in which God’s law will be taught and embraced by all the subjects of the kingdom. God’s purposes will not be thwarted by Satan. In fact, God in Christ exercised control over Satan during the earthly ministry of Jesus. Jesus gave the same authority to the Church and God will exercise His dominion by binding Satan for the 1000-year Millennial period when Jesus return. Make no mistake, God will demonstrate His control visibly on the earth and glorify Himself in that way.
The promise of this text was the great hope that motivated the Old Testament Saints. Heb. 11:13-16 says “They died in faith “without receiving the promises but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed, if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had the opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared a city for them.”
God created a perfect world without sickness, sorrow, and trouble. Because of willful disobedience, the fall of man occurred, and the image of God was thwarted. God’s plan in sending His only begotten Son was restore man and redeem the world. The Jews were divinely selected to be God’s channel, Jerusalem was selected to be God’s city and Faith was to be God’s way. The Old Testament prophecies, instruments of worship, religious rituals, types, and shadows all pointed to Christ the coming Messiah and His new world. The Jews freed from bondage and returning to their homeland pointed to the reign of Christ in the heavenly New Jerusalem. Even though many see this text as a millennial passage referring to the eternal happy state of the kingdom in Heaven, Isaiah proclaims the joy, peace, justice, and prosperity of the millennial kingdom bring here and now. Just as this text inspired hope in the Old Testament saints, the disciples of Jesus’ day were motivated by this hope as well so that when He appeared after His resurrection, they eagerly asked Him: “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” [Acts 1:6]
Peter’s writings indicate that we are to be motivated by this hope as well as he looks forward to the ultimate end: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of “God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” [2 Pet. 3:10-13] The study of this prophecy is not something that Jesus wants us to dismiss as speculation, it has practical application for our lives today.
Many prophets and righteous men desired to see the Redeemer's wonderful works, and to hear his words of heavenly wisdom, but died without beholding him; so those who come after us shall enjoy such manifestations of his glory as our eyes have not been permitted to witness; for the progress of his kingdom must be onward, from glory to glory, until it shall end in the everlasting light and blessedness of heaven. God has saved the best for last! Believers have been given glimpses into the unfolding, progress plan of God that Old Testament saints never saw! Yet we know because of God’s promise the best is yet to come.
1. Complete Joy Is Coming -The Present Joy of the Church is Just the Beginning! Isaiah 65:17-19 “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.18 Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy.19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more.
Our joy seems to be only short lived as our world is war torn, and stressful. Isaiah says God is creating new heavens and a new earth and he encourages us to be glad in what God is creating. The first creation was done under the cover of darkness but when it was complete, we had cause to rejoice. God can be trusted, he made us and created a perfect environment for us to thrive. God knows the challenges we face, the pain we feel, the suffering we have endured, yet the promise is our joy will blot out the memory of our past. Complete joy is coming so we should be glad now. We have a foretaste of what is to come. Our salvation, temporal blessings, influence, positions and all we enjoy is a just foretaste of what is to come. Complete joy is coming! Can you imagine life so good the sound of weeping and crying will not be heard anymore! Complete joy is coming so rejoice.
2. Perfect Prosperity is Coming! Isaiah 65:20-23 “No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! 21 In those days people will live in the houses they built and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. 22 Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains.23 They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed.”
The prosperity we experience even as children of God is imperfect and ever changing. The length of our lives, the duration of our good health, the success of our children, the amount of our financial resources is all subject to change. Can you imagine living to be hundreds of years old in good health, a safe environment, successful God-fearing children and able to enjoy the fruits of your labor? We should praise God for a free country, just laws, a measure for health and strength, a roof over our head and good food to eat. We should thank God for electricity and fuel for cooking and heating, but the best is yet to come. Perfect Prosperity is Coming! God is a progressive God constantly moving towards his new heavens and a new earth. It would be shocking if the Old Testament saints could see the church today, If our fore parents could see our world today! The progress we have make would probably astonish them. The freedom we enjoy would amaze them, but the best is yet to come. Complete Joy Is Coming! Perfect Prosperity is Coming!
3. Peaceful Tranquility and Justice is Coming! Isaiah 65:24-25 “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Nothing disturbs the peace of God’s people like waiting or delay. I am grateful anytime God answers prayer, but can you imagine, before they call, God promised to answer them as soon as the desires are formed in their hearts before they could get them out of their lips. That brings peace and tranquility to every needy soul.
In addition, God will bring about a new just world. How? He will change the nature within men. Notice the example, the wolf and the lamb, creatures with two different natures will be at peace. God promises to take out the fierceness of the spirits of his people’s enemies, so that they shall live quietly and peaceably together. God promises a time of tranquility to his church under the metaphor of serpents eating the dust, their proper meat, Instead of flying upon men to deceive, torment them, men will lord over Satan and tread on serpents without fear or harm. This signifies a time when justice reigns over the world and peace and tranquility will reign in every heart. Complete Joy Is Coming! Perfect Prosperity is Coming! Peaceful Tranquility and Justice is Coming! God has saved the best for last!
I understand for those who have accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, they experience joy unspeakable and full of glory! They enjoy prosperity in the spirit, soul, and body! Because they enjoy peaceful tranquility and justice by casting the cares upon the Lord. They enjoy the privilege of answered prayer. Isaiah promises the best is yet to come and we should be happy every day! The hymnwriter said it this way,
1) I AM HAPPY EVERY DAY AS I TRAVEL THROUGH THIS LAND. I'VE BEEN MIGHTY BLESSED BY GOD I'M HOLDING TO HIS HAND, MY JOURNEYS ALMOST OVER THE BATTLES NEARLY WON. I HAVE A FEELING IN MY HEART THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
2) STANDING DOWN ON JORDANS BANKS AS I FACE LIFES CHILLY TIDE, THE STORMS OF LIFE ARE RAGING, BUT I'M HAPPY DOWN INSIDE. I SEE THE LIFE BOAT COMING FOR TO TAKE ME SAFELY HOME, I HAVE A FEELING IN MY HEART THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
Chorus
OH, THE BEST IS YET TO COME WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE HEAVENS GATES, FOR THE FIRST TIME I SEE JESUS I CAN HARDLY WAIT, HE'LL SHOW ME TO MY MANSION SAY CHILD THIS IS YOUR HOME, I HAVE A FEELING IN MY HEART THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
