65:1 “I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; I appeared to those who did not look for me. I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’ to a nation that did not invoke my name.
In verses 1-7, Isaiah predicted the dispensation of grace. The dispensation of grace is the church age. Jehovah will make Himself available to a people who did not ask for Him. He will appear to a people who did not look for Him. He will reveal Himself to a people whom He did not call by name. Israel was called by name. The Gentiles were not called by name. In the future, Jehovah will reveal Himself to the Gentiles. In Romans 10, the Apostle Paul quoted this verse to prove that the Gentiles were prophetically called into the salvation knowledge of God.
It is important to note that Paul also quoted Deuteronomy 28. God would call a non-nation to provoke Israel to jealousy. This “non-nation” is the church. The church is not a nationality. It is not a nation. It consists of Jews and Gentiles from all nations. It consists of all believers in Christ from the day of Pentecost to the Rapture. There are many theologians who falsely teach that the church was a mystery revealed only in the New Testament. The church was mentioned in Deuteronomy 28 and in Isaiah 65. The true mystery was the grafting in of the church to the promises of Israel.
65:2 I spread out my hands all day long to my rebellious people, who lived in a way that is morally unacceptable, and who did what they desired.
In verses 2-5, when Gentiles come to the Messiah, then Israel will be set aside. Jehovah continually held out His arms to Israel, but she refused to come to Him.
65:3 These people continually and blatantly offend me as they sacrifice in their sacred orchards and burn incense on brick altars.
Israel was more interested in worshiping demons than she was in returning to Jehovah. In these demonic rituals, Israel sacrificed her children to demons.
65:4 They sit among the tombs and keep watch all night long. They eat pork, and broth from unclean sacrificial meat is in their pans.
Israel was more interested in necromancy than she was in returning to Jehovah. Not only did Israel eat pork (which was forbidden by the Mosaic Law), but she ate and drank magical potions as well.
65:5 They say, ‘Keep to yourself! Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’ These people are like smoke in my nostrils, like a fire that keeps burning all day long.
Israel burnt sacrifices to God, but it was only an empty ritual. She committed spiritual adultery with demons. The smoke of these hypocritical sacrifices was unpleasant to Jehovah.
It is interesting to note that the modern Talmud is full of occult practices, including prayers to the dead. Modern Israel is currently still involved in the occult. Modern Israel accuses Christians of being polytheistic (because of her trinitarian beliefs), but at the same time, Israel is heavily involved in the occult. This kind of worship is appalling to Jehovah. He turns away from modern occultic Israel, just as one would turn away from smoke in their noses.
65:6 Look, I have decreed: I will not keep silent, but will pay them back; I will pay them back exactly what they deserve,
Jehovah will pay Israel back for her idolatry. Israel will get what she deserves.
65:7 for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,” says the Lord. “Because they burned incense on the mountains and offended me on the hills, I will punish them in full measure.”
Israel was committing spiritual adultery with demons in the high hills. Jehovah will punish Israel for worshiping demons right in front of His eyes. While the Gentiles will come to the Messiah, Israel will become more involved in the occult.
65:8 This is what the Lord says: “When juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes, someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’ So I will do for the sake of my servants— I will not destroy everyone.
Verses 8-16 contain prophecies of the Great Tribulation. In verses 8-12, Isaiah predicted that there would be different destinies for the remnant and the non-remnant. The remnant will be the Jews who believe in Jesus. The non-remnant will be those Jews who reject Jesus. God has always kept a small remnant alive. It is the survival of the remnant which causes Israel to exist as a nation. Since God will never destroy the believing Jewish remnant, then the unbelieving nation of Israel survives along with them.
When a vineyard owner finds a cluster of rotten grapes, he does not destroy the entire cluster. He removes the good grapes and makes delicious wine from it. He throws the rotten grapes away. The rotten grapes are the non-remnant of Jewish unbelievers. The good grapes are the remnant of Jewish believers.
There are three types of servants in the Book of Isaiah. Unbelieving Israel is the unfaithful servant. The Suffering Servant, or the Messianic King, is the obedient servant. The servants in this verse are the third group of the believing Jewish remnant.
In verses 1-7, God showed that the nation of Israel had always rejected Jehovah and turned to the occult. Why did God not destroy Israel? The reason is that the nation of Israel has always been a cluster of rotten grapes, but there were always some good grapes which God could save and make good wine. The only reason that the Jewish people exist today is because of the believing Jewish remnant. They are the good grapes who save Israel from extinction.
65:9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains. My chosen ones will take possession of the land; my servants will live there.
The Jewish remnant will one day possess all of the land of Israel which God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
65:10 Sharon will become a pasture for sheep, and the Valley of Achor a place where cattle graze; they will belong to my people, who seek me.
Sharon was an agricultural oasis on the eastern coastal plains (south of Mount Carmel). The Valley of Achor (west of Jericho) was known for her sheep-herding. During the Millennial Kingdom, the Jewish believing remnant will control all of the land of Israel from east to west.
65:11 But as for you who abandon the Lord and forget about worshiping at my holy mountain, who prepare a feast for the god called ‘Fortune,’ and fill up wine jugs for the god called ‘Destiny’— 65:12 I predestine you to die by the sword, all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, because I called to you, and you did not respond, I spoke and you did not listen. You did evil before me; you chose to do what displeases me.”
In verses 11-12, Isaiah predicted the destiny of the unbelieving Jewish remnant. The believing remnant will survive and possess the land. This will not be the case with unbelieving Israel.
Fortune and Destiny were the names of gods whom Israel worshiped in an attempt to learn the future. Gad was the Aramean god of luck. Meni was the pagan god of destiny. Those who reject Jehovah will follow these fictitious demonic gods. These Jewish people who were worshipping demonic idols were destined for slaughter.
65:13 So this is what the sovereign Lord says: “Look, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry! Look, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty! Look, my servants will rejoice, but you will be humiliated!
In verses 13-16, Isaiah predicted the destiny of the non-remnant.
Israel set food and drink before idols to please them, but the food and drink was never consumed. Those who serve food and drink to idols will die by the sword.
65:14 Look, my servants will shout for joy as happiness fills their hearts! But you will cry out as sorrow fills your hearts; you will wail because your spirits will be crushed.
The believing remnant will shout for joy. The non-remnant will cry in sorrow.
65:15 Your names will live on in the curse formulas of my chosen ones. The sovereign Lord will kill you, but he will give his servants another name.
The believing remnant will receive a new name, because they will receive a new character from God. The non-remnant will be killed by Jehovah Himself. One of the purposes of the Great Tribulation is to purge the non-believers out of the world.
65:16 Whoever pronounces a blessing in the earth will do so in the name of the faithful God; whoever makes an oath in the earth will do so in the name of the faithful God. For past problems will be forgotten; I will no longer think about them.
The believing remnant will make honest oaths to God. When their sin nature is changed, then they will actually keep their oaths to God. God will forget their previous sins and bless them.
65:17 For look, I am ready to create new heavens and a new earth! The former ones will not be remembered; no one will think about them anymore.
In verses 17-25, Isaiah predicted some of the events of the Millennial Kingdom.
There will be two “new heavens and new earths” that are coming in the future. The first new heavens and new earth will be that of the Millennial Kingdom in Revelation 20. The second new heavens and new earth will be that of the eternal order in Revelation 21-22. All of the verses of the Old Testament (including this one) describe the first new heavens and new earth of the Millennial Kingdom. The new heavens and new earth of the eternal order were never mentioned in the Old Testament. Their first and only mention was by John in Revelation 21-22.
It is important to note that there will be sin and death in the Millennial Kingdom. There will be no sin and death in the eternal order. The Millennial Kingdom will last 1,000 years. The eternal order will last forever. After the Great Tribulation, there will be a 75-day increment before the Millennial Kingdom is recreated. The Eternal Order will also be recreated, but no increment is mentioned.
65:18 But be happy and rejoice forevermore over what I am about to create! For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem to be a source of joy, and her people to be a source of happiness.
During the Millennium Kingdom, Jerusalem will be a new rebuilt city. It will become a place of joy. Since there is a New Jerusalem, then there will most likely also be a New Dallas, a New Paris, a New London, a New Hong Kong, and a New Moscow. All cities and all geographical areas will be rebuilt. All of the world will be renovated by God Himself. God is the Great Architect. He will rebuild a new world from the ashes of the current world which will later be devastated by the judgments of the Great Tribulation.
65:19 Jerusalem will bring me joy, and my people will bring me happiness. The sound of weeping or cries of sorrow will never be heard in her again.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Jerusalem will no longer grieve the Holy Spirit. The city will bring joy to Jehovah. There will be no more sorrow in Jerusalem. All of the Jews and Gentiles will gladly worship Jehovah together in Jerusalem.
65:20 Never again will one of her infants live just a few days or an old man die before his time. Indeed, no one will die before the age of a hundred, anyone who fails to reach the age of a hundred will be considered cursed.
During the Millennial Kingdom, life spans will be extended. There will be no infant fatalities. There will be no more abortions. Throughout history, there have been more children who have died before the age of nine than people who have survived after age nine. Feminists have killed much of the unborn, because of their desire to fornicate. There will be no ungodly feminists in the Millennial Kingdom. This infant death cycle of feminism will be eliminated.
The ones who are considered “cursed” are unbelievers. During the Millennial Kingdom, only unbelievers will die. Unbelievers will be executed at 100 years old. This execution could take place by divine means, angels, or by the Millennial government. Angels have always been called the army of the Lord. They may be the policemen and peace-keepers of the Millennial Kingdom. They could stop murders and crimes before they happen. They could bring court testimony against the acts and motives of unbelievers.
It is important to note that according to Jeremiah 31, all of the Jews of the Millennial Kingdom will become believers, including their children. All of the sheep Gentiles who enter into the Millennial Kingdom will become believers. Therefore, the only unbelievers will be those Gentiles who are born into the Millennial Kingdom. They will still possess the original sin nature of their parents. In order to be saved, they must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ before their 100th birthday. If they believe, then they will live throughout the Millennial Kingdom and enter into the eternal order. If they fail to believe, then they will be executed.
65:21 They will build houses and live in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the Jewish remnant will build houses and plant vineyards in peace.
65:22 No longer will they build a house only to have another live in it, or plant a vineyard only to have another eat its fruit, for my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will enjoy to the fullest what they have produced.
During the Millennial Kingdom, there will be an absence of anti-Semitic foreign invaders who want to destroy the Jewish remnant. Therefore, the Jewish remnant will be allowed to eat their own crops.
65:23 They will not work in vain, or give birth to children that will experience disaster. For the Lord will bless their children and their descendants.
God will bless the work and the children of the Jewish remnant. There will be no more Gentile foreign armies who will enter into Israel and smash their babies heads against the walls. No Gentile foreign armies will ever enslave God's Jewish children again.
65:24 Before they even call out, I will respond; while they are still speaking, I will hear.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Jehovah will hear and answer the prayers of the Jewish remnant before they even ask.
65:25 A wolf and a lamb will graze together; a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, and a snake’s food will be dirt. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain,” says the Lord.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the animal kingdom will also be blessed. They will return to their pre-Garden-of-Eden conditions. They will lose their ferocity. They will live in peace and harmony with each other. They will no longer be carnivorous. They will all be vegetarians. The current dog-eat-dog world will no longer exist.