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ISAIAH: GOD'S DIRECTIVES TO THOSE TROUBLED AT GOVERNMENTAL APOSTASY
Part XLIX: God's Salvation For The Glory Of His Future Kingdom
(Isaiah 62:1-12)
  1. Introduction
    1. In certain circles, it is assumed that the more godly the Christian, the greater will be his earthly wealth and fame. For this reason, a televangelist not long ago claimed God did not want his people in churches to be poor, but to aim to enjoy material wealth in this life!
    2. Such an aim is foreign to Scripture, for the Bible reveals some of the greatest of believers in the Church, Christ's apostles, were noted for suffering material poverty and disrespect from others, 1 Cor. 4:9-11!
    3. Instead, the believer is directed by Scripture to seek the glory of the age that is to come rather than the glories of this present age, a truth that is candidly presented in Isaiah 62:1-12 as follows:
  2. God's Salvation For The Glory Of His Future Kingdom, Isaiah 62:1-12.
    1. The prophet Isaiah announced he tirelessly longed for and hence spoke about the fulfillment of God's promises regarding Jerusalem's coming Messianic and eternal blessings, Isaiah 62:1.
    2. Having made this announcement, Isaiah described Jerusalem's coming Messianic glory, Isaiah 62:2-5:
      1. He announced that Gentiles would one day behold and appreciate Jerusalem's glory, Isaiah 62:2a.
      2. He announced that God will rename Jerusalem to signify her change in character, Isaiah 62:2b.
      3. He announced that one day God would view Jerusalem as His chosen spot, as His crown, Isaiah 62:3.
      4. He announced that one day, Jerusalem will be desired and loved by both God and His people, 62:4-5.
    3. Longing for that Messianic day, Isaiah called for Jerusalem's city watchmen to call upon the Lord continually until the Lord fulfilled His promises regarding Jerusalem's future glory, Isaiah 62:6-7.
    4. Isaiah then expressed an impatience for the arrival of that Kingdom, an impatience revealing his certainty that Jerusalem would be delivered, a certainty aimed to encourage Judah in her current plight , 62:8-12:
      1. Isaiah noted that in the Messianic reign, Jerusalem will be able to keep her agricultural products and not have to pay part of them as tribute to Gentile overlords, Isa. 62:8-9. This prediction had a stirring application for the people of Judah in that era, for Isaiah ministered in Judah during the reigns of Ahaz, Hezekiah and Manasseh when they paid tribute to dominating foreign nations to avoid being destroyed, 2 Kings 16:7-8; 17:3; 18:13-16 with Ryrie St. Bib., KJV , 1978 ed., p. 968, "Intr. to the Book of Isaiah."
      2. To combat Judah's anxiety over this short-term pressure from the Gentiles, Isaiah called with a sense of urgency for Jerusalem's inhabitants to prepare for Messiah's arrival, an urgency exposing the prophet's strong faith that Jerusalem would be delivered regardless of the current situation, 62:10 NIV:
        1. Isaiah's repetition of his calls to "pass through" and to "build up" both "convey a sense of urgency," exposing his great motivation for Jerusalem to be delivered by her Messiah, B.K.C., O.T., p. 1117.
        2. God's prophet thus called Judah to prepare for Messiah's arrival as though He were already on His way, an expression of urgency that mirrored both Isaiah's longing that Jerusalem be delivered from her enemies and gloom as well as his strong belief that this deliverance would truly occur ! (Ibid.)
      3. Isaiah then described the coming, certain glorious arrival of the Messiah into Jerusalem, Isaiah 62:11:
        1. Isaiah foretold how God would make a worldwide announcement that all the Gentiles, even Israel's oppressors, should know that He will indeed come with salvation for His people, Isaiah 62:11a.
        2. Isaiah predicted God's reward for his people's faithfulness to Him and His ways would be with Him, so they were to look earnestly for His arrival, and faithfully keep doing His will, Isa. 62:11b!
      4. Hence, Isaiah prophetically viewed Jerusalem in the coming Kingdom with her Messiah dwelling in her, a city that will no longer be abandoned by God; rather, Jerusalem will be full of God's holy people as a city favored, desired, honored and not deserted by God as in her past days of discipline, Isa. 62:12.
Lesson: Since God's PROMISE regarding the FUTURE BLESSINGS of Messiah's Kingdom are SURE, God's people are to be HIGHLY MOTIVATED to LONG for and thus to LIVE FAITHFULLY in RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR that era as OPPOSED to longing for and living for this CURRENT world.

Application: May we NOT view THIS life and its FLEETING BLESSINGS as our "heaven" to be gained, but TRUST the TRUTHFULNESS of Scripture's revelation about the ETERNAL REWARDS of God so as to live for the FUTURE, coming Kingdom of Christ by being faithful NOW to His WILL!