Isaiah 65
Posted by Calvary Chapel Fremont at 8/4/2010 8:57 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Pastor Tim Brown Calvary Chapel Fremont Isaiah
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Pastor Tim Brown Calvary Chapel Fremont Isaiah
Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Wednesday August 4, 2010
Isaiah 65
64:10-12 for a running start n2 our passage. “What is God going to do?” That’s the question at the end of C64. C64 ends w/ the people of Israel disobedient/nation of Israel destroyed. 64:12 asks the question: What will be God’s response to this?
1-2
God desires 2b known. Israel was to know God/make Him known.
And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself… 2 Samuel 7:23
When the nations came in contact w/ Israel, God wanted the nations to be impressed w/ Him.
So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ Dt. 4:6
Israel was 2b a window for the light of God to fall on all the nations, but instead, they were a wall. They tried to make a name for themselves/not for God. Their rebellious nature soiled the name of God. Just like the Pharisees that Jesus rebuked in Mt. 23, Israel had become the opposite of what God desired them 2b. Instead of making people sons of God they made them twice sons of hell. Instead of light, there was darkness.
This is the Lord’s complaint about the church of Ephesus in Rev. 2 – they no longer shine w/ the light of Christ and their lampstand will be removed. They have doctrinal orthodoxy/moral integrity/ spiritual passion – but these things don’t radiate light – they reflect light. And if the light of love for God isn’t in the place, the things that should reflect, don’t reflect, and they are shrouded in darkness. The moon reflects light/sun radiates light. The moon can only reflect what the sun radiates. If the love of Jesus isn’t shining on the truth of Jesus, the truth of Jesus is darkness.
God desires light for the nations and since He can’t depend upon those chosen for the task – He does it Himself. He turns to the Gentiles while at the same time not turning from Israel.
God’s opening His arm to the nations is not a closing of His arms to Israel – God still has plans for them. When you open your arms to receive your 2nd child that doesn’t mean you close your arms to your 1st child.
I will hold out my arms to my grandchildren/sometimes they will walk right on by because a little plastic toy holds more fascination for them than the arms of the one who loves them. He said, “Here I am, here I am” to Israel for centuries and so now He seeks glory among the nations.
3-5
They sacrifice in a place (garden) and w/ materials (bricks – Ex. 20:25) that the Lord has forbidden. This is where disobedience begins - disobedience begins w/ that which is inconvenient.
People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated. D.A. Carson, For the Love of God, in Christianity Today, “Reflections,” V44, n9.
At the men’s breakfast it looked like a lot more men would be in attendance than anticipated. I made the announcement 2b modest on their portions the first time through. One man made the comment that God should double the food or shrink our stomachs. I knew what he meant, but I’m sure that every man there would rather God double the food than have to exercise the discipline to take modest portions. Discipline is inconvenient. Godliness is inconvenient. Prayer is inconvenient.
They wouldn’t travel to Jerusalem – inconvenient. They wouldn’t make an altar of stone – inconvenient. Outcome – not communing w/ the living God, but w/ the dead.
Go to church – inconvenient – I’ll worship my Creator as I fish in this beautiful stream. I won’t take time to pray – I’ll listen in as Joel Osteen prays. You are not communing w/ the living God, but w/ a dead god of your imagination. And here’s the weird thing - as they increase their sin, they think they are increasing their holiness – that this is pleasing to God. This is homespun spirituality. And what I am preaching now is offensive to those w/ a do-it-yourself spirituality. Keep to yourself and don’t come near me. This is what culture says to the church.
They appreciate that there is a God, but not that God has spoken/ given clear direction as how to relate to Him. They want to relate to/worship God, but they will worship God as they see fit. If you want to honor/bless me, ask me what I like. Maybe you think I’m like you and appreciate fruitcake/yams/hominy. You’d be sorely mistaken. Don’t relate to me as you imagine I want 2b related to, relate to me in a way that would truly bless me. This can only be done if you take time to know me – but that would be inconvenient.
6-7
The judgment of God is cumulative – the sin of generations is dealt w/ at one time. Cf. Mt. 23:34-36. Jesus had said earlier that if Sodom/Gomorrah had seen what Capernaum had seen, they would have repented. Greater privilege resolves n2 greater accountability.
You will reap what you have sown – and what your fathers have sown. Amos: for three and for four…
8-10
The remnant of Israel – God will not sweep away the righteous w/ the wicked.
11-12
The rebellious of Israel – they leave the Lord’s table and set a table for false gods. My life is not in God’s hands, but in the hands of Fortune/Destiny. There is a power greater than God’s.
The core beliefs of astrology that were prevalent in the ancient world are epitomized in the maxim, "as above, so below". Wikipedia
13-16 The servants of God contrasted w/ those who wouldn’t serve. The remnant is distinguished from the rebellious. The Lord makes a separation between those who do/don’t honor Him regardless of ethnicity. The Lord speaks of My servants/My people/My chosen ones
17-25 The Millennium – this can’t be heaven for there is death/can’t be present dispensation for the longevity of life. God gathers servants among the Gentiles/Israel and heaps His blessings upon them.
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Isaiah 65
64:10-12 for a running start n2 our passage. “What is God going to do?” That’s the question at the end of C64. C64 ends w/ the people of Israel disobedient/nation of Israel destroyed. 64:12 asks the question: What will be God’s response to this?
1-2
God desires 2b known. Israel was to know God/make Him known.
And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself… 2 Samuel 7:23
When the nations came in contact w/ Israel, God wanted the nations to be impressed w/ Him.
So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ Dt. 4:6
Israel was 2b a window for the light of God to fall on all the nations, but instead, they were a wall. They tried to make a name for themselves/not for God. Their rebellious nature soiled the name of God. Just like the Pharisees that Jesus rebuked in Mt. 23, Israel had become the opposite of what God desired them 2b. Instead of making people sons of God they made them twice sons of hell. Instead of light, there was darkness.
This is the Lord’s complaint about the church of Ephesus in Rev. 2 – they no longer shine w/ the light of Christ and their lampstand will be removed. They have doctrinal orthodoxy/moral integrity/ spiritual passion – but these things don’t radiate light – they reflect light. And if the light of love for God isn’t in the place, the things that should reflect, don’t reflect, and they are shrouded in darkness. The moon reflects light/sun radiates light. The moon can only reflect what the sun radiates. If the love of Jesus isn’t shining on the truth of Jesus, the truth of Jesus is darkness.
God desires light for the nations and since He can’t depend upon those chosen for the task – He does it Himself. He turns to the Gentiles while at the same time not turning from Israel.
God’s opening His arm to the nations is not a closing of His arms to Israel – God still has plans for them. When you open your arms to receive your 2nd child that doesn’t mean you close your arms to your 1st child.
I will hold out my arms to my grandchildren/sometimes they will walk right on by because a little plastic toy holds more fascination for them than the arms of the one who loves them. He said, “Here I am, here I am” to Israel for centuries and so now He seeks glory among the nations.
3-5
They sacrifice in a place (garden) and w/ materials (bricks – Ex. 20:25) that the Lord has forbidden. This is where disobedience begins - disobedience begins w/ that which is inconvenient.
People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated. D.A. Carson, For the Love of God, in Christianity Today, “Reflections,” V44, n9.
At the men’s breakfast it looked like a lot more men would be in attendance than anticipated. I made the announcement 2b modest on their portions the first time through. One man made the comment that God should double the food or shrink our stomachs. I knew what he meant, but I’m sure that every man there would rather God double the food than have to exercise the discipline to take modest portions. Discipline is inconvenient. Godliness is inconvenient. Prayer is inconvenient.
They wouldn’t travel to Jerusalem – inconvenient. They wouldn’t make an altar of stone – inconvenient. Outcome – not communing w/ the living God, but w/ the dead.
Go to church – inconvenient – I’ll worship my Creator as I fish in this beautiful stream. I won’t take time to pray – I’ll listen in as Joel Osteen prays. You are not communing w/ the living God, but w/ a dead god of your imagination. And here’s the weird thing - as they increase their sin, they think they are increasing their holiness – that this is pleasing to God. This is homespun spirituality. And what I am preaching now is offensive to those w/ a do-it-yourself spirituality. Keep to yourself and don’t come near me. This is what culture says to the church.
They appreciate that there is a God, but not that God has spoken/ given clear direction as how to relate to Him. They want to relate to/worship God, but they will worship God as they see fit. If you want to honor/bless me, ask me what I like. Maybe you think I’m like you and appreciate fruitcake/yams/hominy. You’d be sorely mistaken. Don’t relate to me as you imagine I want 2b related to, relate to me in a way that would truly bless me. This can only be done if you take time to know me – but that would be inconvenient.
6-7
The judgment of God is cumulative – the sin of generations is dealt w/ at one time. Cf. Mt. 23:34-36. Jesus had said earlier that if Sodom/Gomorrah had seen what Capernaum had seen, they would have repented. Greater privilege resolves n2 greater accountability.
You will reap what you have sown – and what your fathers have sown. Amos: for three and for four…
8-10
The remnant of Israel – God will not sweep away the righteous w/ the wicked.
11-12
The rebellious of Israel – they leave the Lord’s table and set a table for false gods. My life is not in God’s hands, but in the hands of Fortune/Destiny. There is a power greater than God’s.
The core beliefs of astrology that were prevalent in the ancient world are epitomized in the maxim, "as above, so below". Wikipedia
13-16 The servants of God contrasted w/ those who wouldn’t serve. The remnant is distinguished from the rebellious. The Lord makes a separation between those who do/don’t honor Him regardless of ethnicity. The Lord speaks of My servants/My people/My chosen ones
17-25 The Millennium – this can’t be heaven for there is death/can’t be present dispensation for the longevity of life. God gathers servants among the Gentiles/Israel and heaps His blessings upon them.
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