05/14/2022 – Day 076 – Chapters 56 – 61: Prophecies in Isaiah extend beyond the 2nd coming of Christ.
In our last cycle – Day 076 commentary was posted on 08/09/2020. Included are topical summaries of these six chapters as well as a recommendation of the book: “Isaiah” by J. Alec Motyer. We have been looking of late at the book Heaven by Randy Alcorn. Randy uses no less than eleven verses in chapters 56 through 61 of Isaiah in references.
I am going to share just one of these verses , Isaiah 60:21 in a three paragraph section of Chapter 9: “Why is Earth’s Redemption Essential to God’s Plan, see pages 96-97:
“Of of New Jerusalem, we’re told that ‘nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful , but only those whose names are written in the ‘Lamb’s book of life’ (Revelation 21:27. Isaiah tells us the same, using inclusive language that could not apply to the old Earth under the Curse: ‘Then with all your people be righteous’ (60:21). Isaiah addes, ‘and they will possess the land [erets] forever.’ The earth will be theirs, not for a glorious decade or century or millennium, but forever.
Though Isaiah’s reference to animal’s sacrifices and a temple (v. 7) raise questions, it is clear that the passage as a whole is a prophetic depiction of the future New Earth. There is no interpretive reason to believe that the descriptions in Isaiah 60 of the New Earth will be fulfilled any less literally than those in Isaiah 52-53. Because Isaiah’s words about the Messiah’s first coming were sto meticulously fulfilled, down to specific physical details, shouldn’t we assume that his prophecies to subsequent chapters concerning life on the New Earth will likewise be literally and specifically fulfilled?
Christ’s millenial reign may prefigure the fulfillment of God’s promises about Jerusalem’s future. But we will see their ultimate fulfillment only in the New Jerusalem on the New Earth, when the Curse is gone, death is no more, and God’s peole will live on the earth forever.”
Soli Deo Gloria!