Read Isaiah 65:1–10
Questions from the Scripture text: By whom was the Lord sought (Isaiah 65:1a)? Found (verse 1b)? To whom did He present Himself (verse 1c–d)? How does He describe His relation to Jacob and Judah (Isaiah 65:2a, cf. Romans 10:20–21)? In what way have they been rebellious (Isaiah 65:2b–c)? What else have they done (Isaiah 65:3a)? In what ways did they provoke Him to anger (Isaiah 65:3-4)? What have all these things said to the Lord (Isaiah 65:5a–c)? With what effect (verse 5d–e)? What are we to consider (Isaiah 65:6a)? Where has this condemnation been recorded? What will the Lord do (Isaiah 65:6b–d, Isaiah 65:7e)? What will He repay? Into what? Who speaks in Isaiah 65:8a? From where does new wine originate (verse 8b)? What mustn’t be done if it is to be obtained (verse 8c)? What is in the cluster (verse 8d)? Who will bring forth what from whom (Isaiah 65:9a)? From whom will He bring forth what else (verse 9b)? What does He call these descendants and heirs in verse 9c? What in verse 9d? What formerly marred/cursed places will be restored (Isaiah 65:10)?
To whom does the Lord give Himself? Isaiah 65:1–10 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord gives Himself, by sovereign grace, to sinners from all nations.
Beginning to finish. Isaiah 65:1 forms a bookend with Isaiah 66:19–20, letting us know that we are now in the conclusion to the whole of Isaiah’s prophecy.
Grace to the nations (Isaiah 65:1). The Lord is sought, found, and known by people from the nations. “Not called by My Name” means those who began outside the church—in this case, outside Jacob and Judah. In Romans 10:20, the apostle quotes this verse to show that it was the Lord’s plan all along to save from among the nations. His description of them shows that this saving is only by sovereign, electing, regenerating grace: “ones not asking” and “ones not seeking Me.”
Wrath to church members (Isaiah 65:2-7). Isaiah 65:2 sharply contrasts Isaiah 65:1. The people called by His Name have refused all of His overtures to them. They are rebellious (walking according to their own thoughts, rather than God’s good thoughts, Isaiah 65:2). And they have provoked YHWH continually to anger to His face (Isaiah 65:3a)!
Immediately, dear reader, you should know how these members of the visible church have so provoked the wrath of the Lord, lest you/we now repeat the same. What are “their own thoughts” that have replaced God’s Word?
First, they worshiped in the beauty of creation (“who sacrifice in gardens,” Isaiah 65:3b). Rather than worshiping in the assembly that the Lord calls at the place the Lord has called it and the time that the Lord has called it, these people thought the beauty of the creation could enhance or even substitute for the ordinary worship of God. And this provoked God to wrath!
Second, they worshiped by the efforts and skills of men (“burn incense on altars of brick,” Isaiah 65:3c). Rather than following God’s simple design for the altar, they have employed the creativity and skill of man to produce worship that man finds more impressive. But what impresses man, here provokes God to wrath!
Third, they attributed power or knowledge to the dead (“who sit among the graves, and spend the night in the tombs,” Isaiah 65:4a–b). Even in branches of the visible church today, there are those who look for spiritual power or insight in dead saints and what they leave behind. But their graves themselves remind us that they are helpless sinners dependent entirely upon the same grace that we are! Looking to the dead for help may seem spiritual, but it provokes God to wrath!
Finally, they cared much more to indulge themselves than to consecrate themselves separate from the world. Bacon sounds delicious, as does lobster broth, but God had proscribed these things (Isaiah 65:4b–c) as part of their being holy.
In sum, by following their own ideas for worship, spirituality, and pleasure, they were basically saying that they enjoyed religion without God Himself (Isaiah 65:5a–b), as if they could have a holiness that didn’t derive from Him and was even better than His (verse 5c)! It is no wonder that He was continually furious with them (verse 5d–e) and decreed that He would repay them in full measure into the core of their being (“their bosom,” Isaiah 65:6-7).
Grace to elect church members (Isaiah 65:8-10). Toward the beginning of the prophet’s book, this rebellious and wrath-provoking people were described as a disappointing vineyard (cf. Isaiah 5:1–7). Now, the illustration returns with the Lord refusing to destroy some clusters from the vineyard, because there will yet be new wine in them. For His Servant’s sake, which is to say, for the sake of Christ, there are some who will not be destroyed.
Whereas we might have said before “even from the nations the Lord will preserve a remnant!” At this point in the prophecy of Isaiah, we find ourselves saying, “Even from Jacob and Judah, the Lord will preserve for Himself a remnant!” (Isaiah 65:8-9). These are His elect (Isaiah 65:9c), whose being conformed to Christ is implied in the phrase “My servants” (verse 9d). Whereas Sharon and Achor are both to be devastated in Israel’s punishment, yet the covenant blessing will return. Those seeking from the nations in v1 are now joined in Isaiah 65:10 by those elect whom the Lord makes to be “My people who have sought Me.” Glorious grace!
So, in glorious grace, the Lord saves into His church from outside; and, in glorious grace, the Lord converts those from within His church. If we find in ourselves inclinations toward the things that provoked His wrath in Isaiah 65:2-7, let us repent in dependence upon His Spirit, looking for His grace to change our minds about worship and life.
What do you think is most beautiful in worship? What do you find most impressive in worship? What does God Himself think about these things, according to this passage? Did you begin your life inside the church, or outside the church? How is God glorified by the way that you have come to know Him?
Sample prayer: Lord, forgive us, for all day long You have stretched out Your hands to us, but how often we have walked according to our own thoughts! This has shown up very specifically in how we have thought and felt about worship, delighting in creaturely beauty rather than the beauty of the Creator, and rejoicing in our own skill rather than Your design and power. Though much of our spirituality has deserved wrath, grant now that, for the sake of Your Servant Jesus Christ, You would bring forth Christ-likeness in us, so that we might not be destroyed, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP67 “O God, Give Us Your Blessing” or TPH425 “How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place=
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