By Robert L. Olsen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
God Restores
Isaiah 65:17–25
We now come to the end of the Book of Isaiah, which focuses on hope and judgment.
In this section, Isaiah focuses on a time in the future where those who love the Lord will face no more trials and live in peace. However, scholars are uncertain if this time refers to the millennium or the final judgment and eternal state to come. Regardless, the important thing to focus on is the fact that believers will be taken care of by their heavenly Father.
A Place of Joy (17–20)
The new heavens and new earth that God will create will be filled with joy, not pain and suffering. History is filled with overwhelming suffering and destruction and while we remain relatively free from persecution in the U.S., we need to remember that our brothers and sisters in Christ are persecuted throughout the world.
Yet in their suffering, they can teach us how to persevere by looking forward to what God has planned for us (see John 14:1–4).
One of the reassurances of Christianity is we know that God works all things, including suffering, for the good of those who love Him (see Rom. 8:28), and ultimately, we will spend eternity with Jesus which gives us strength to press on when we are faced with adversity.
A Place of Prosperity (21–23)
While we are living in this glorious new earth, we will experience prosperity. Our work will not be tainted by sin.
Many Christians think work was created by God as a form of punishment, that we are to work because of Adam’s sinful act in the garden. But Adam was to work before his fall. Work is not punishment, but a wonderful blessing from God.
If we think about work — growing crops, repairing broken things, reading and planning — these are not bad in and of themselves.
They can be laborious and difficult, causing us to get injured or wearing us down both physically and mentally. But God Himself works, as Jesus tells us in John 5:17, which means it cannot be sinful.
In fact, many of us can find joy in our work, and we are living out our calling by glorifying God in our work. He has given us gifts and abilities to be used for His glory, and in many cases, these will continue into the new earth. However, our work then will not be toilsome but joyous.
A Place of Peace (24–25)
In the last section of Chapter 65, Isaiah reminds us that the new heavens and earth will be filled with peace, with an absence of war. The imagery used by Isaiah shows antagonistic relations being healed — the wolf will get along with the lamb, and the lion will no longer eat an ox but straw instead. All forms of animosity will be plowed over, and in its place will be peace.
In our current rocky times of political unrest, it gives us great hope to think we will eventually spend eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Since this is the case, we need to live lives that bring glory to God.
We need to trust and hope in Him and not look to our circumstances to bring us joy and meaning.
One of the problems many people in our society have is they look to politics to bring them meaning and purpose, which is why so many people are angry. It will not be this way forever.
In Chapter 66, Isaiah speaks of the coming judgment that will precede the new heaven and earth. Here, those who have not trusted in Christ for their salvation will be separated from God forever, in eternal punishment (see Isa. 66:24).
This should fill us with hope, but it should also spur us on to share the gospel so that as many people as possible have an opportunity to hear it, respond and avoid their eternal demise.
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