Sought After - Isaiah 65

Isaiah 65:2 "I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;"

Speaking to Israel in their days of rebellion and idol worship. The Lord is talking to them but they will not listen.

v1 "I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not; I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name."

We are seeing the wooing of the Gentiles which we will see happen in the New Testament. They will come to Christ when Israel would not. It is the story of the king who invited guest who would not attend the wedding so he sought those of the highways and byways.

v7 "Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills; therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom."

These events led up to the coming of Christ although the verses are somewhat shrouded in mystery at this time.

v8 "Thus saith the LORD, as the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it; so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all."

It is wonderful that God is full of mercy and even in rebellion, he will preserve some of the nation.

v17 "For behold I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." See also 2 Peter 3:13

While the judgment is carried out with Israel, there is a look ahead to a more glorious day.

v19 "And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying."

Then the promise that the LORD is always near.

v24 "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."

From the words of that great song: "There waits for me a glad tomorrow."

Hearken to Me - Isaiah 51

Isaiah 51:1 "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD; look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged."

Here the Lord is telling Israel to listen. Those who follow righteousness, that is. They would know who they are. He is reminding them of Abraham and how a great nation was brought forth from one man whom the Lord trusted.

v3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody."

You will sing again in the promised land. The Lord has not cast you off forever. It was a time of judgment but judgment will end and the nation will again blossom.

v7 "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings."

In the midst of captivity, this seems to come for it appears that the Lord is encouraging his people to persevere.

v9 "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old, Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?"

I can almost see Isaiah standing before a crowd delivering a soul stirring message from the Lord.

v11 "Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and morning shall flee away."

Then we see the mercy of the Lord. He will remove the fear from his people and give it to their enemy.

v22 "Thus saith the Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: v23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee;"

The message to Israel is that those of you who know the Lord should listen (hearken) build up your strength and get ready for something good.

Law Read and Explained Nehemiah 8

Nehemiah 8:10 "Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

On a certain day the people have gathered together as one in the street near the water gate. They have asked Ezra to read the law. Understand, these people have been in a foreign land and many have never seen Jerusalem or heard the law. The day is a sad day for them and a joyous day. They have learned that they have not been following the law and that God has shown great grace to them by not completely destroying them. Their fathers promised to follow the law and now they find out it did not happen.

v5 "And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people:) and when he opened it, all the people stood up;"

They have erected a wooden pulpit for Ezra to stand on, so he was physically above them so all could see. It does not mean that he was better, just physically above them.

v8 "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading."

I think this is where we get our pulpits in our churches and in some cases the people sitting behind the preacher. Here it gives a list of those who stood with Ezra.

v9 "And Nehemiah which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep, For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law."

So the people went away comforted and came back the next day.

v14 "And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month;"

So the people willing to obey went out and stripped off branches from trees and made booths for themselves. Word was spread throughout the area.

v17 "And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel do so. An there was very great gladness."

The feast went on for seven days while they read in the book of the law.

Not only are the people returned physically to Jerusalem but they are returning spiritually to the LORD by obeying his law. It is truly a great day.

Jeshua is Joshua.

II Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Revival in Jerusalem.

Geneology.