Old Testament - Isaiah 64 & 65 - October 7, 2022

 10/7/2022 – Isaiah 64-65

Isaiah 64: Isaiah continues to tell us of the last days. He prays for the Second Coming and for the salvation that will follow. D&C 133 is very similar: v 40-45: “Calling upon the name of the Lord day and night, saying: O that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence….O Lord, thou shalt come down to make thy name known to thine adversaries, and all nations shall tremble at thy presence….For  since the beginning of the world have not men heard nor perceived by the ear, neither that any eye hath seen, O God, besides thee, how great things thou hast prepared for him that waiteth for thee.”

 But back to Isaiah: in v 4 he tells us: “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” The Second Coming and the following Millennium are the culmination of why the earth was created, and why we were given our time on the earth where we would have the opportunity for our spiritual growth and education.  

When that time comes, peoples’ attitude and way of living will make a difference in how they react: “Thou meetest him that worketh righteousness, and rejoiceth him that remembereth thee in thy ways; in righteousness there is continuance, and such shall be saved….” JST 64:5-6

The next verses acknowledge that we have all made mistakes: “But now, O Lord, thou art out father; we are the clay, and thou our potter…” (v 8). Christ will come, and He will continue to help all people to finish and to understand our earthly education. 

Isaiah 65: V’s 1-7 speak of God as being found by those who did not seek Him. I love the JST of v 1-2: “I am found of them who seek after me, I give unto all them that ask of me; I am not found of them that sought me not, or that inquireth not after me. …Behold me, look upon me; …for I have spread out my hands all the day…”. The Lord sees a difference between those who know that they should call upon the Lord but do not and those who do not call upon Him because they do not know they should. But I feel, whatever life we have lived on earth, He will open His arms in order to help us to move forward. “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not…” (v 1)

V's 17-25 refer to the Millennium. It seems that people living at that time will no longer have desires for the things to be as they once were. “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind”( v 17) Everything will be gloriously new, sorrow will cease (v 19), children will not die in infancy (v 20), homes will be built, and fruit trees and gardens planted and enjoyed, and there will be peace (v21-22).

I love v’s 24-25 which speak of the blessings of being so close to the Lord: “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the bullock; and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.”  

That is certainly the end we would all want to have, and it is what He has promised us. All we have to do is to follow the directions He has given to us throughout His scriptures.


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