Happy New Year

New Years.
Out with the old, in with the new.
A blank slate.
Hope of change.

Quite likely, Isaiah would’ve partied hard on New Years.
Maybe even stayed up to see the ball drop.

   
Twice the prophet carefully articulates the idea of revolution.1
Out with the old, in with the new.
Gone is the rebellious city of man, in with the mountain of God.
Hope fulfilled.

Though Isaiah’s days were dark, he understood an important truth. He knew that out of judgment's fire, change would come. And while unrighteousness seemed to prevail at every turn, God would one day make things right. One day the His order would be established and evil dealt a decisive blow.

Hope was not futile. In fact, it was to be fostered. Praising God in advance Isaiah carefully articulates the certainty of coming change:

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for your have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the foreigner’s palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt again…as heat by the shade of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is put down (25:1-5)

Long before the unrighteous city of man had fallen or all wrongs made right, Isaiah sought to embolden hope. With four clear statements Isaiah aims to engender anticipation for the coming of God's kingdom:

The faithful will experience perpetual celebration (25:6)

“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.” 

Mount Zion is for all peoples.
Isaiah repeatedly emphasizes the inclusivity of God’s redemptive plan.
God, through David’s seed, would work to procure hope for all.
In Zion, a great feast will ensue.

And note the superlatives: rich food with well-aged, well-refined wine.
On Mount Zion there is no fast food or cheap drink.
God only serves the good stuff at His parties.
Good food. Good wine. Good times.

Even the best of our days simply cannot measure up to heaven’s feasts. They were never meant to.  The very best of memories and experiences are simply intended to point us patiently toward home - toward heaven’s table. Toward a place of perpetual, perfected, joyous communion with God.

The faithful will have no fear of death (25:7-8)

“He will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord will wipe away all tears from all faces…”

The children of Adam have long felt death’s sting. 

Yet in Zion, this mortal enemy is swallowed whole.
Tears and sorrow wiped dry by His tender hand.
All things are made new. True life restored.

On Zion sin will have no bearing on the lives of men.
Where spiritual and physical death once held sway, He changed things.

The Son of God defeated death. Jesus’ resurrection decisively tilted the tables.

And while the power of death is defeated, we await for the fullness of life to be revealed (I Corinthians 15). For on that Day, Christ who is our life will manifest His glory and we will see Him as He is.

Our Eternal Hope.
Our Eternal Victory.
Our Eternal Life.

The faithful will see their God (25:9)

Waiting is a tough one for me.

A line more than three cars deep, what's the hold up?

But Isaiah extols perseverance.  Waiting for God’s manifested salvation. 

Waiting for God to fully reveal His purposes and plan.
Know the waiting will be worth it. The main attraction will not disappoint.

The faithful will watch the unrighteous order be undone (25:10-12)

On Mount Zion the curse is lifted and the enemy is eternally undone. 

With artful word play, Isaiah envisions a swimmer incapable of gaining momentum.

The wicked simply will not gain traction.  Evil will be laid low.  

All wrongs will be made right.  No tears.  No regrets.  No "what if".      

_______

In the new order, righteousness wins.

And as we hope in this new year may our outlook for better days be grounded in the promise that God will one day establish His city (Hebrews 11:16).  May our lesser hopes and aims bow to the Holy One of Israel for He will one day usher in wholesale change, eradicating evil and securing the future of His children. Thinking toward this day, may our hearts rise above the clamor and may we join the apostle John in saying, "Come Lord Jesus".

Blessings.

1. In general the first portions of Isaiah, chapters 1-39, don't make for great inspirational reading.  God is literally at war with Israel (1:24; 5:24-25; 29:1-4).  His disdain for their sinful rebellion eventually launches Isaiah into several prophetic discourses targeting every nation under the heavens.  As noted in the outline below in the middle of pronouncing judgment, Isaiah twice references the overarching purposes of God to make all things new. 

• 13:1-23:18 – An announcement to the nations: judgment is at hand 
• 24:1-27:13 – Out with the old, in with the new: the divine order established in Zion
• 28:1-33:24 – An announcement to Judah: judgment is at hand 
• 34:1-35:10 – Out with the old, in with the new: the divine order established in Zion