The prophet Isaiah, like all the other
Jewish prophets, spoke of the time when the Christ would come. He
gave so many details about the life and mission of Jesus that he is
known as the Gospel Prophet! I want us to focus on chapters 55 and
56 of the book of Isaiah, and see how they clearly foretell events
that were fulfilled in the New Testament. Isaiah was looking forward
to the time of Christ, and even beyond the resurrection, to the early
church. The lavender paragraphs are Old Testament quotations, and
the blue ones are from the New Testament.
Chapter 55
Ho,
every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no
money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without
money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which
is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken
diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul
delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear,
and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant
with you, even the sure mercies of David. - Isaiah 55:1-3.
In this passage we see several things
that refer directly to Jesus. First the call to those who thirst,
which Jesus gave in John 7.
In
the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,
saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that
believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which
they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not
yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) - John
7:37-39.
We also see God stressing the
importance of laboring to purchase the true bread,
which He equates with hearing His words. In John 6, Jesus takes up
the same theme Himself being the bread.
Labour
not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth
unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for
him hath God the Father sealed. -- John 6:27.
For
the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life
unto the world. --John 6:33.
And
Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me
shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
-- John 6:35.
I
am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of
this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is
my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. -- John
6:51.
It
is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words
that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. --
John 6:63.
Then
Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the
words of eternal life. -- John 6:68.
It is by hearing, and believing, the
words of Jesus that we eat this bread. Isaiah said hear, and
your soul shall live, Jesus said the words that I speak
unto you... they are life, and Peter rightly concluded: thou
hast the words of life.
There is one more item to consider in
the 3rd verse of Isaiah 55.
Incline
your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I
will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of
David.
The promise is that if we hear His
word, He will make a covenant with us. This is the New Covenant.
For
this is my blood of the new testament [covenant], which is shed for
many for the remission of sins. -- Matthew 26:28.
Now
the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his
will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through
Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. --
Hebrews13:20,21.
Now look at verse four. This also
refers to Jesus.
Behold,
I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander
to the people. -- Isaiah 55:4.
It
is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me
beareth witness of me. -- John 8:17,18.
And
from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first
begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto
him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood...
-- Revelation 1:5.
Verse five is a fascinating prophecy
that was fulfilled, symbolically at least, in John chapter 12. In a
wider sense it speaks of the salvation of the Gentiles in general.
Behold,
thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew
not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the
Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. -- Isaiah
55:5.
And
there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the
feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of
Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip
cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of
man should be glorified. -- John 12:20-23.
Does Jesus' answer to the request of
the Greeks seem strange to you? He said what He did because He
realized where He was in the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Those
Gentile men were a sign to Him.
Father,
glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have
both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore,
that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An
angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not
because of me, but for your sakes. -- John 12:28-30.
Seek
ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near
-- Isaiah 55:6.
Then
Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk
while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that
walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have
light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.
These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from
them. -- John 12:35,36.
Let
the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and
let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to
our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. -- Isaiah 55:7-9.
This is a wonderful representation of
the Gospel. We give up our way and our thoughts, and accept God's
way, and His thoughts. We return to God in repentance, and He
abundantly pardons!
John
14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no
man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -- 1 John 1:9.
Chapter 56
The first verse of
chapter 56 tells of two things that would happen in the future: the
coming of God's salvation, and the revelation of His righteousness.
Thus
saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is
near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. -- Isa 56:1
The salvation that Isaiah wrote about
is the salvation Jesus brought to us. It was Jesus Himself. A
prophet named Simeon was impressed by the Spirit to go to the temple
the day Jesus was dedicated by His parents. When he saw Jesus, he
saw the fulfillment of this verse. He saw this salvation.
And
he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought
in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then
took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now
lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For
mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before
the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the
glory of thy people Israel. -- Luke 2:27-32.
And
I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and
strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ:
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them
before our God day and night. -- Revelation 12:10.
The following passage from 1 Peter
shows that the Old Testament prophets, who foretold the salvation to
come, didn't fully understand what it was. They wrote about it for
us, not for themselves, or the people of their time.
Receiving
the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which
salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who
prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or
what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did
signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and
the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not
unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are
now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you
with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels
desire to look into. -- 1 Peter 1:9-12.
According to Isaiah 56:1, the
righteousness of God would also be revealed. Paul affirms that it is
revealed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
-- Romans 1:16,17.
The next verse may seem out of place
among those describing the Gospel, but as we will see later, it
really belongs there!
Blessed
is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on
it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand
from doing any evil. - Isa 56:2
One important thing the Gospel did was
to open the way for non-Jews to enjoy the full benefits of a covenant
relationship with God. The New Covenant is open to anyone
whosoever will Jews and Gentiles alike.
Neither
let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD,
speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people:
neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. - Isa
56:3
Wherefore
remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are
called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the
flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the
covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh
by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one,
and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us
-- Eph 2:11-14.
For
through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens
with the saints, and of the household of God -- Eph 2:18,19.
The next two verses of chapter 56 are
really interesting. God mentions that salvation will be available
specifically for eunuchs. Why didn't He single out farmers, or
shepherds? Well, there may be several reasons, but I believe He had
in mind a particular event that would serve as a specific fulfillment
of this verse.
For
thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and
choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even
unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a
name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an
everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. - Isa 56:4,5
In Acts chapter 8, a story is recorded
that fulfills this verse:
And
the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward
the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza,
which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of
Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the
Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to
Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot
read Esaias the prophet. -- Acts 8:26-28.
The
place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep
to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened
he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and
who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the
earth. -- Acts 8:32,33.
He was reading chapter 53 of Isaiah.
If he read three more chapters, he would have read about himself!
Maybe this is why he accepted the the message Philip preached so
quickly! God works in the most amazing ways.
Then
Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and
preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came
unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what
doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest
with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the
chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both
Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. -- Acts 8:35-38.
The next two verses of Isaiah 56 reach
a specific fulfillment in Acts chapter 10. That entire chapter is
the story of a stranger to whom God gives salvation.
Also
the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve
him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one
that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my
covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them
joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their
sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be
called an house of prayer for all people. - Isa 56:6,7
There
was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the
band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God
with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to
God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the
day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it,
Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up
for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for
one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a
tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou
oughtest to do. -- Acts 10:1-6.
Cornelius immediately sent men to look
for Peter in Joppa. During the meantime, Peter had a vision in which
he learned that God had declared the Gentiles clean,
and that he should go with those men to Cornelius' house. So Peter,
and six others, went with them.
Then
Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is
no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him,
and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. -- Acts
10:34,35.
While Peter preached Christ to the
household of Cornelius, the Holy Spirit fell on them
signifying Gods acceptance of them.
And
they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as
came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the
gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and
magnify God. Then answered Peter, can any man forbid water, that
these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as
well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the
Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. -- Acts
10:45-48.
Jesus also quoted Isaiah 56:7, when He
ran the crooks out of the Temple:
And
he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be
called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den
of thieves. -- Mark 11:17.
There is one other thing in verse seven
that might seem confusing at first the sacrifices and
offerings that God would accept. We don't do that anymore, do we?
The New Covenant has sacrifices too, just not animal sacrifices!
Consider these verses:
But
this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat
down on the right hand of God -- Hebrews 10:12.
Ye
also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ. -- 1 Peter 2:5.
And
walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself
for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling
savour. -- Ephesians 5:2.
I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. -- Romans 12:1.
The last verse we will look at in
Isaiah 56 clearly reveals God's plan to include the Gentiles in the
New Covenant.
The
Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I
gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
- Isa 56:8
Be
it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto
the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. -- Acts 28:28.
The new covenant believers will keep
the Sabbath.
Without question,
the prophecies of Isaiah 55 and 56 speak of the time when Jesus would
come and the Gospel would be preached to the Gentiles. God does
nothing without first showing His plans to the prophets.
Surely
the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his
servants the prophets. -- Amos 3:7.
According to the prophecy, when the
sons of the stranger take hold of the New Covenant,
they also observe the Sabbath. Yes, the Gentiles who join
themselves to the Lord are to be Sabbath-keepers. The Sabbath
is as important for the Christian today as it ever was. Many people
have only vague notions as to what the New Covenant is, and have been
taught that the Sabbath is not part of it. But the Bible clearly
explains the New Covenant, so it need not be a mystery to anyone.
The Sabbath is very much a part of it!
The New Covenant
The nature of the
New Covenant was explained in advance by the prophet Jeremiah:
But
this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel;
After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward
parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they
shall be my people. -- Jeremiah 31:33.
In the book of Hebrews, Paul quotes
Jeremiah 31:33 when he describes the New Covenant:
For
this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and
write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they
shall be to me a people -- Hebrews 8:10.
The New Covenant involves God writing
His law in our hearts. Which law would that be? It is none other
than the Ten Commandments. The ceremonial laws connected with the
animal sacrifices are of no more use now, since the sacrifice of
Jesus has replaced them.
It is important to notice that the Old
Covenant was the Ten
Commandments. The law of ceremonies and sacrifices went along with
the Ten Commandments to deal with sin, which results when the
Commandments are broken.
And
he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform,
even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
-- Deuteronomy 4:13.
In the New Covenant, God writes His law
in our hearts, rather than on stone. The sacrifice and mediation of
Jesus replace the animal sacrifices and Levitical priesthood, as the
means of dealing with transgression or the breaking of the
Commandments.
In addition to being written in our
hearts, the Ten Commandments are written in one other place too:
And
the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his
temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and
voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. --
Revelation 11:19.
The Ark of the Testament, or Covenant,
is the box that was specifically designed to hold the Ten
Commandments. That means there is a copy of the Ten Commandments in
Heaven now! The Seventh-day Sabbath is at the very heart of the
Commandments, and remains unchanged.
Sabbath in the new Earth
In case any doubt remains that the
Seventh-day Sabbath is intended for New Covenant Christians, consider
this verse from Isaiah chapter 66:
For
as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain
before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and
from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before
me, saith the LORD. -- Isaiah 66:22,23
In Heaven, and the new Earth, all
flesh will observe the Sabbath by going to worship God. God
has no intention of abolishing the Sabbath commandment. And why
would He? He set the seventh day apart for rest at the very
beginning, when the world was perfect, and it will still be the rest
day when He recreates the Earth.
And
God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens
and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the
seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on
the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed
the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested
from all his work which God created and made. -- Gen.
1:31-2:3.
Jesus prophesied of a time, many years
after His resurrection, when His followers would have to flee for
their lives because of war:
But
pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath
day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the
beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. --
Matt. 24:20,21.
What about all the people that didn't
know this - are they lost? No! Only those who refuse to know it, or
refuse to obey once they know.
And
the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men
every where to repent -- Acts 17:30.
If
ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. -- John
13:17
For
this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his
commandments are not grievous. -- 1 John 5:3.
