The Book Of Isaiah. Day 180, Past Troubles Forgotten

In today's text the Lord contrasts the fate of His faithful ones with the fate of those who have rejected Him. Although this message was spoken to Isaiah's people, it is as applicable to all of us today as it was to the people of Isaiah's day, for it is spoken to those who have knowledge of God and have chosen to turn Him away. 

"But as for you who forsake the Lord and forget My holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of wine mixed for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will fall in the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in My sight and chose what displeases Me." (Isaiah 65:11-12) The references to "Fortune" and "Destiny" are references to idolatry. He is speaking to those who forgot His "holy mountain" (who are not worshiping Him at Jerusalem) and who have chosen to worship other gods.

These words are spoken specifically to the Israelites of Isaiah's day but the message is the same throughout the ages: we can choose to worship God and reap the blessings promised to His children or we can choose to reject Him and reap the consequences of our sin. It's not as if Isaiah's people didn't know about the Lord; they deliberately chose to reject Him. In our day most people of the developed world have heard about the Lord; anyone who has heard about Him but who rejects Him is making a deliberate choice. 

"Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.'" (Isaiah 65:13) God promises to provide for those who have made Him their Lord. Earlier in the Old Testament, before He took the Israelites into the Promised Land, He spoke about all the blessings that would be theirs if they remained faithful to Him. In this same way, He speaks a promise to us today in regard to His Son, saying that He will provide all of our needs according to His riches in Christ. (Philippians 4:19) He speaks this promise to those who are "in Christ"---who have accepted Him as Lord. 

The Lord continues comparing the righteous with the wicked, saying to the wicked: "My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit." (Isaiah 65:14) We were created for a relationship with our Creator. When we reject Him, we can never be whole in spirit. There is nothing else that can satisfy our souls. 

"You will leave your name for My chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign Lord will put you to death, but to His servants He will give another name." (Isaiah 65:15) A person's reputation endures after they have left the earth. If they lived a godly life, their name can be used as an example of faith. We find many of these examples on the pages of the Bible. If they lived a wicked life, their name can be used as a "curse"---as an example of the judgment a person can bring upon himself by evil deeds. Their name can become synonymous with shame. 

But those who place their trust in the name of the Lord will be provided for. Those who place their trust in the name of the Lord will be an example of godliness. Those who place their trust in the name of the Lord will have His provision in our mortal lives and will have eternal life with Him after life in our mortal bodies is over. "Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the name of the one true God; whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the one true God. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from My eyes." (Isaiah 65:16)