Scripture: Isaiah 64:8-11

C.I.: Acceptance & Judgment

During the month of January we are studying a series of lessons on the book of Isaiah.
After Isaiah’s day God’s people went into spiritual decline – i.e., they didn’t want to do God’s will God’s way!
So Isaiah warns the people of this – and then declares to them what is to come in the future!

I. Words of Warning & Comfort for God’s People, (Isaiah 66)

A. The Dangers of “Just Going through the Motions” (vs. 1-4):

1. Have you ever wondered if some people use worship as a form of “spiritual bribery”? (vs. 1-2)
a. People in our Reading were saying – “If you do something for us – we will rebuild your house.
1) Yet God is not impressed with either – man-made religion or man-made buildings.
2) (vs. 1-2a), “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. – Where is a house you could build for Me? – Where is a place I may rest? – For My hand has made all these….”

b. Temples made with hands - are as devoid of God as is worship offered - without sincere hearts.
1) If we truly want God’s attention – He declares to us what is required.
2) (v. 2b), “But to this one I will look, - to him who is humble & contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” – This is still true today – (Quote Jn. 4:23; 17:17; Eph. 4:23).
3) God doesn’t want us telling Him what He should do – He wants us to listen & obey Him.

2. Simply going through the motions of worship - without a humble heart is worthless. (vs. 3-4)
a. (v. 3a), “He who kills an ox is like one who slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; - he who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine’s blood.”
1) Doing the right things (Truth) – with the wrong heart (spirit) – is like doing the wrong things.
2) For in their worship – their heart was intent on doing what they wanted – not what God wants (v. 3b), “They have chosen their own ways & their soul delights in their own abominations.”

b. Sadly, today, people worship on the basis - of what pleases & attracts crowds but not God!
1) (Gal. 1:10), “For am I now seeking the favor of men or of God? – Or am I striving to please men? – If I were still trying to please men, - I would not be a servant of Jesus Christ.”
2) Just as God’s people then were warned of these things – so too have we been warned…
3) (II Tim. 4:2-4), “Preach the word… For the time will come when they will not endure ….”

c. Unfortunately, the people of God in Isaiah’s day were no longer listening to God.
1) (v. 4), “I called and no one answered; - I spoke, but they did not listen. – And they did evil in
My sight, - and chose that in which I did not delight.”
2) They made their choice – in spite of what God had said – delighting in their wants & not His.
3) God will therefore punish them – in accordance with their own desires … Judgment!

B. Encouragement for the Righteous (vs. 5-14)

1. God will vindicate His “Righteous Remnant” – who were hated by their brethren.
a. (v. 5), “Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: ‘Your brothers who hate you,
. . . They will be put to shame.’”
1) Believers expect problems from non-believers (quote Jn. 16:33; II Tim. 3:12)
2) But from brethren who do not accept God’s word – it always catches us by surprise!

b. While the remnant faces criticism from others - they ultimately receive their reward from God!
1) God uses the experience of a woman suffering through labor to illustrate His point.
2) (v. 7), “As soon as she travailed, she delivered; as soon as her pain came, she gave birth to a boy.”
3) God promises trials will be short – & seem as nothing when compared with what comes later,
(II Cor. 4:16-17), “We do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner
man is being renewed day by day. –For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an
eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.”

c. While we do not get to choose what happens to us – we do get to choose how we respond to it.
1) In lesson #1 – we noted how God uses the terms Zion, Jerusalem – to refer to His people.
2) (vs. 10-11) - How we should respond – “Be joyful,” “Be exceedingly glad,” “Be satisfied.”
3) Why? – Not because of what others do – but because of what God will do, (v. 12), “ I extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an ever-flowing stream.”
4) So when things look dark – as they sometimes do – remember what’s coming – (II Thess. 1:6-10), “It is only just for God to repay with affliction … when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who believe!”

C. Judgments & Blessings (vs. 15-24)

1. Judgment for all those who call themselves His children – yet walk in sin!
a. (vs. 16-18), “For the Lord will execute by fire … those who sanctify & purify themselves – to go to the gardens for an idol in the middle … I know their works & their thoughts.”

b. God knows the secret things about us – these will not go unpunished – if we do not repent.
1) (Lk. 12:1-2), “Beware the leaven of the Pharisees, - which is hypocrisy. – For there is nothing covered up – that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be made known. – Whatever you have said in the dark – shall be heard in the light, whatever you have whisper
2) Thus, God demands holiness from all His people – (I Jn. 1:5-7), “God is light & in Him….”

2. But blessings - for God’s righteous remnant – who remained faithful in spite of sufferings!
a. (vs. 19-21), “‘I will send survivors to the distant nations …to the coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. – And they will declare My glory among the nations… I will also take some of them for priests & Levites,’ says the Lord.”
1) The “righteous remnant” will be victorious over apostates – and among non-believers.
2) Their message is about the Lord – so those who hear/believe can be victorious, (Mk. 16:16).
3) These victors will now become – leaders and priests for the Lord, (I Pt. 2:9-10), “You are a chosen race … for you once were not a people, - but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, - but now you have received mercy.”