ISAIAH 66 – The Past, Present, and Future of Israel – Part 1
July 19, 2010
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ISAIAH 66:1 – Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest
?
The Lord addresses Israel, and pre-addresses his query by reminding Israel of the size of a building it would take to contain his person and kingdom. The point is that they cannot build such a building. But it is also a stark reminder God does not need a building in which to dwell. Where could you put such a building?
When Isaiah wrote this, Solomon’s temple was in full blossom in Jerusalem, so Israel had a beautiful temple for a place to worship. God reminds them in 66:1,2 that He is much greater than his temple, and that they are
not worshipping the building, but the One whose Spirit indwells it.
ISAIAH 66:2 – For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Matthew 5:3 – Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Romans 2:28,29 – For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: [29] But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
This is the type of man God has always sought to worship him in spirit and in truth.
There was only one man, absolutely perfect in having these characteristics from birth to death in sinless flesh, and that man was Jesus Christ, God himself in perfect flesh. He alone was qualified to present himself, his body and his blood, as the total one-time offering for the sins of all who would accept him as their offering.
Solomon’s temple, which “had been” built by human hands made
by the hand of God, was indeed a thing of beauty, but its ordinances and sacrifices all pointed as figures, types, or symbols of an anointed man, whom God looked to as a man worthy of being indwelled by God in all his fullness, the God-man, Christ Jesus.
Luke 2:40 – And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
Luke 2:52 – And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Philippians 2:5-12 – Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
II Corinthians 5:19 – To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Colossians 2:9,10 – For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. [10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Ephesians 2:22 – In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Israelis were placing their faith in the stone temple and animal sacrifices rather than the mercy and grace of God’s Spirit indwelling it, and not in his promised Seed of Genesis 3:15 who was some 700 years in the future when Isaiah wrote his Book.
ISAIAH 66:2,3 – For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. [3] He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Psalm 51:15-17 – O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. [16] For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering [17]The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart,
O God, thou wilt not despise.
The temple ordinances and sacrifices meant nothing, and were not accepted, unless they came from a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart.
Hebrews 10:4-13 – For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. [5] Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: [6] In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. [7] Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. [8] Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; [9] Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. [10] By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Jesus spoke John 5:39-41 to those Jews who rejected him as the Messiah. (John 5:18)
John 5:39-41 – Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. [40] And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. [41] I receive not honour from men.
God’s own people rejected him in the days of the prophets who warned them of the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities that were coming on them for their evil conduct. God chose their delusions and brought their fears upon them as a consequence of their actions. Jesus, as the Prophet described by Moses, also told the generation of his day of the consequences of their actions in rejecting him.
ISAIAH 66:4 – I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Matthew 23:27-39–Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye are like unto whited sepulchres which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
[28] Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
[29] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, [30] And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers,
we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. [31] Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that
ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
[32] Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. [33] Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can
ye escape the damnation of hell? [34] Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: [35] That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon
the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. [36] Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
[37] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! [38] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.[39] For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Matthew 5:8 – Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Romans 2:29 – But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.