Isaiah 64-66
Original Post  August 8, 2014

My study Bible says that chapter 65 is summarizes the whole book of Isaiah.   It also provides hope for a people who are headed for suffering.   God has revealed that there is still good in His people, and that He will not destroy them completely.   As I have mentioned in previous posts, His grace and love surpass His quest for justice.   For if God were just and not loving, all of us would be destroyed.   If it were not for His mercy and love, that temper His judgment, no one would survive.

The text seems to speak clearly of  the millennial reign of God.  Perfect peace, where animals don't attack each other, and neither do men.  The curse is lifted, and our life span will be much longer, as it was in the beginning.   There are some tantalizing questions here as well:  "the former things will not be remembered, neither will they come to mind"  (65:17)  I wonder if that means that we will not remember those who perished because they didn't know the Lord?    And how can that be, if the last two sentences of the book say that those who are saved will go out and look at the dead bodies of those who rebelled?

The question about what we will know, or remember in heaven is often asked.   Of course, we aren't qualified or privileged to know such a thing.  The Bible tells us that we will be happy, and that we will not fear anything.    It must be that our knowledge of God will be increased enough for us to realize that every human has a choice to make:  accept God for who He is, and follow His teachings,  or deny and suffer the consequences.  

It seems difficult to think of people that we love in hell.   God loves everyone, and some of them are clearly going to be there because they denied Him.   Perhaps we will be enough like God to accept that everyone had the opportunity to know Him and some deliberately chose not to.   Whether they are part of our family tree or not isn't the issue.   Of course they are part of someone's family....so we must be somehow enlightened.

These last chapters of Isaiah are encouraging to us as we go though difficult times today.  They remind us that even though the road may be difficult, and the trials large God will not abandon us.   There lies in store for us a beautiful place of eternal rest.   We  often call the grave "eternal rest" but that is completely inaccurate.   The grave is temporary, a momentary pause on the way to rest, restoration, peace and happiness.    The grave holds no attraction, it is more like a doorway though which we pass in order to enter a far more spacious and beautiful place.    That next room is what God is describing here.   I think Isaiah shares his vision both for the people of his day, and for the people of ours.

PR