God Restores • Isaiah 65:17-25
By Don Hicks
In times of great trouble, have you ever heard an older, more mature Christian friend, or believing parent, or perhaps a much-loved saintly grandparent say, “I’m not worried, because I’ve already read the end of the story.” Our lesson from Isaiah today can lead you to this kind of faith and security.
So you can be certain of your understanding of the teachings of God’s word on our future, you need to first read the Scriptures found in Isaiah 65:17-25. Before you leave your initial study, also study Revelation 21:1-7 and Genesis 3:10-15. As is always the case when we properly study and understand the Bible, we will find complete agreement in all of it, from Genesis to Revelation.
Our study guide writer suggests the first verse of our key passage for today is well worth memorizing. In the Christian Standard Bible, it reads: “For I will create a new heaven and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17).
If you prefer to memorize the King James Version, the verse reads: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”
The study guide always recommends a key verse to memorize, and the writer was certainly right to recognize this as a key verse with a tremendous Biblical truth.
Being with Christ in heaven will be so wonderful that we will not remember the troubles and trials of this world. The elderly, beloved disciple, John, was inspired to say it this way: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more” Revelation 21:1 (CSB).
What did John want to communicate when he said, “…the sea was no more?” The Jewish people were not a seafaring people and to them the sea was considered a dangerous problem. Also, John was separated from all of his Christian brothers and friends. He was exiled on the Isle of Patmos far out in the Aegean Sea, and it was the sea that separated him from his much-needed fellowship with other followers of the Christ. Thus, removal of the sea was one of John’s greatest desires.
The Bible uses family situations and relationships to explain the greatest of God’s truths. Among the greatest of man’s troubles or tragedies in the family is the loss of a child. Isaiah stresses that in the New Jerusalem, “a nursing infant will no longer live only a few days” Isaiah 65:20a (CSB). This is the truth that Isaiah uses as an example to explain his statement, “I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people. The sound of weeping and crying will no longer be heard in her” Isaiah 65:19 (CSB).
Another use of family to explain God’s truths is very often the bride and groom in a wedding. John uses the wedding image here: “I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying; ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them” Revelation 21:2 (NIV).
For me personally, the illustration of a beautifully dressed bride coming toward the groom is a very meaningful illustration. I looked down the white aisle runner to see my bride coming toward me in the beautiful white wedding gown that her mother and grandmother had handmade for her. Because of that unforgettable sight, I cannot imagine a more loving and meaningful illustration of God’s gift of heaven to us.
The Revelation tells us, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” Revelation 21:4 (NIV). Isaiah records God telling us that in the new heaven and a new earth, He will be so attentive to us that, “Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear” Isaiah 65:24 (CSB).
The last verses of our focal passage in Isaiah tells us, “But the serpents food will be dust!” (Isaiah 65:25 (CSB). The serpent’s food being dust is a reference to Genesis 3:10-15 which includes: “So the LORD God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this… You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head” Genesis 3:14-15 (NIV).
Hicks is associational missions director for Jasper Association in Bay Springs.
