Before we Call – Isaiah 65:17-25
17 For I am about to create new heavens
and a new earth;
the former things shall not be remembered
or come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I am creating;
for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
and its people as a delight.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and delight in my people;
no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
or the cry of distress.
20 No more shall there be in it
an infant that lives but a few days,
or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;
for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,
and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain,
or bear children for calamity;
for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord—
and their descendants as well.
24 Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
but the serpent—its food shall be dust!
They shall not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain,
says the Lord.
What does the passage say?
V. 17-19 Creation of a new world. Sin distorted the world God created. The Kingdom of Jerusalem, which God established crumbled down because of the disobedience of the people. Now, the Lord promises a new kingdom to come. “See I will create new heavens and new earth” (v. 17. NIV). As God was pleased with the creation, the Lord will be pleased with this new creation. It says, “I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more” (v. 19 NIV).
V. 20-25 In this new creation, there will be no sorrow. No death, and no pain. It says, “They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit”(v. 21 NIV). At the time, the Israelites were under the oppression of all the other countries attacking and salvaging their goods. The new creation and hope God is presenting is a place where you will work, and your work is recognized. The new creation is where we will see God face to face, and where enemies will live in harmony.
What does this mean to me/ us?
The Lord will come again as he promised. We as Christians should all have the longing for that second coming. However, we need to ask ourselves, ‘Do I wait for the Lord’s kingdom to come because I am not satisfied with my world?’
Of course, the brokenness of the world brings us the longing to see God’s kingdom to come. However, it should also become a motivation for us see where God wants us to become a kingdom maker in this world. “The world and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountains” (v. 25 NIV). Are we making the effort to bring this peace in our lives?
‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.’
We pray this prayer every day. Do you hear God’s calling for us to become a kingdom builder?
Lord, we long for the peace of your Kingdom. May that Kingdom become realized in our lives every day. Help us to be your Kingdom builders. They Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. In Christ name we pray, AMEN.
What are your thoughts?
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