In Isaiah 64, Isaiah remembers the power and majesty of the LORD when He comes, because He has already come in the past with great impact. Then he asks a powerful question: When will you return? He answers his own question: We are not worthy of your return. We are a people who are filled with sin. He tells us even their best deeds are “filthy rags.” He notes Zion has been destroyed, and the Temple has been burned. It doesn’t get any worse than this. But then He asks the LORD to return and restore the people. Because the LORD is good and perfect, hope in His love and mercy is always justified. Isaiah rightly points out the peoples’ sin, yet still holds out hope that the LORD will return to them. He holds faith in the goodness of the LORD, not in the people’s ability to be good.
Isaiah 65 starts with strong words of judgment from the LORD. He tells us He looked for people to restore, and waited for people to return. Yet, they did not. They broke all His commands and worshiped idols. It sounds as if the hope we read about in Isaiah 64 was false hope, but then the chapter turns and the LORD tells us those who serve Him will be blessed, while those who turn away will be cursed. The blessing is more amazing than anything we have ever experienced on earth. The LORD promises a new heaven and a new earth. He promises that Jerusalem will be restored. Then He promises the wild animals and domestic animals will eat and lie down together, and snakes will eat dust. This perfect world of which we read is for all who serve the LORD. Those who continue to reject Him will be rejected, but those who serve Him will know this incredible life and the joy it brings.
Isaiah closes with chapter 66. In it the LORD tells us of the amazing blessing of living in His new world, and the depth of the curse of those who reject Him. Using the terms of a nursing mother caring for her infant child, the LORD tells us His children will experience the same comfort from Him. He tells us we will receive all we need, and will experience safety and blessing. The chapter and the book ends with a reminder that those who reject the LORD will suffer the most dire consequence: They will be burned and cast out to the place where the worm never dies and the first never goes out. Jesus used those very words to describe what will happen to those who reject Him. That makes tremendous sense, because Jesus is the one who will usher in the amazing new heaven and earth of which the LORD spoke through Isaiah.
As we return to John 14, Jesus is still preparing His apostles for His death, resurrection and return to heaven. He starts the chapter by telling the disciples He is leaving them to go and “prepare a place for them.” He speaks of His Father’s house, and of many rooms. He tells them they know the way to the place He is going. Thomas speaks up and says, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus’ answer is familiar to any who have even a cursory knowledge of His life and teaching: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) What a powerful statement! No one comes to God’s presence except through Jesus, because Jesus is the living testimony of His Father’s will. When Philip continues the confused responses, by asking for Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus tells them if they have seen Him, they have seen the Father. Jesus continues by telling them the way to know Jesus is one with the Father is through His deeds. Then He offers a most incredible promise: 12“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12 (ESV) It seems absurd to imagine we can do greater works than Jesus did, but many of us have: we have travelled to countries beyond Israel and told people in those places the good news of Jesus’ salvation. Jesus never did that. Some of us have spoken to more people than Jesus ever did. The list goes on, but the point is clear: when we believe in Jesus, He empowers us to do things He didn’t do, and the things He did. As the chapter moves to its conclusion, Jesus promises to send the “Helper” the Holy Spirit, to fill us, lead us, and empower us. He tells us if we love Him, we will keep His commandments, and He will send the Comforter to comfort and direct us. Many in our day, leave out the importance of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives as Jesus’ followers, but Jesus made it clear without the Holy Spirit, we won’t be able to do His work in the world. He promised the Holy Spirit to empower us, and He has delivered on that promise. Now, we must live into that presence and power, so we can love one another as He first loved us, and carry out the works He prepared for us to do, the greater works He has prepared for us!