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Tuesday 5 June 2012

Isaiah 65:1-7 - Israel's failure

Isaiah 64 and 65 are like a conversation between Isaiah and God. In chapter 64 Isaiah has asked how can God allow things to go on the way they are. Will He not come down and do something about it? Now we get the answer.
God's answer is that He would reveal Himself to a people who did not seek Him, nor call on His name. Paul sees the gospel going to the Gentiles as the fulfilment of this. Jesus came to the Jews, to His own people, but they did not receive Him, so He went to the rest of the world. Paul says that ultimately this will result in Israel becoming jealous and finally turning to God, recognising Jesus for who He is.
Israel, who should have been His faithful people, walked in the opposite of God's ways. He had continually told them what the right way to live was, but they ignored God's ways. They provoked Him, even told Him to go away.
Israel would pay for her sins. This happened with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Indeed, throughout history the Jews have suffered much. If only they had followed God's ways they could have avoided all this.

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