III. JEHOVAH BEING WILLING TO BE INQUIRED OF
BY THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR HIM
Jehovah is willing to be inquired of by those who did not ask for Him. He has stretched out His hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts, who provoke Him to anger, and who are smoke in His nose, a fire that burns all day (65:1-7, 11-12; 66:1-6, 17).
IV. JEHOVAH BLESSING ISRAEL WITH THE BLESSING OF "NEW WINE," AND THEY POSSESSING HIS MOUNTAIN
Jehovah will bless Israel with the blessing of "new wine," and they will possess His mountain (Zion), dwelling there, eating, drinking, and rejoicing (65:8-10, 13-16). In the restoration there will be new wine that will cheer God and His people. Furthermore, instead of working or laboring, Israel will eat, drink, and rejoice.
V. A RESTORATION BEING BROUGHT IN
BOTH TO ISRAEL AND TO ALL THINGS
Isaiah 65:18-25 reveals that a restoration will be brought in both to Israel and to all things. Verse 18 says, "Rejoice and exult forever, / In what I create, / For I am now creating Jerusalem as an exultation / And her people as a rejoicing." Jerusalem will be a joy and an exultation, and her people will rejoice. Even God Himself will exult in Jerusalem and rejoice in His people, and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and of crying (v. 19).
Verse 20 continues, "There will no longer be in her / An infant who reaches the age of only a few days / Nor an old man who does not fill up his days; / For the lad will die at a hundred years of age, / And the sinner, being a hundred years of age, will be cursed." In the restoration, an infant will not die before reaching maturity, and one who dies at the age of a hundred will be regarded as a youth.
Verses 21 and 22 go on to say, "They will build houses and inhabit them, / And they will plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof. / They will not build and another inhabit; / They will not plant and another eat; / For like the days of a tree are the days of My people, / And My chosen ones will enjoy the work of their hands to the full." What is the work mentioned here? The unique work carried out by God’s people in the restoration will be to sing, praise, worship, and rejoice.
"They will not labor in vain, / Nor bear children unto turmoil; / For they are the seed of those blessed of Jehovah, / And their offspring with them. / And it will be that before they call, I will answer; / Even while they are speaking, I will hear" (vv. 23-24). Calling on the Lord will be their occupation. Even before they call, He will answer.
Verse 25 concludes, "The wolf and the lamb will feed as one, / And the lion will eat straw like the ox, / And dust will be the serpent’s food; / They will not harm nor destroy / In all My holy mountain, says Jehovah." The expressions here are very similar to those in 11:6-9, which also speaks of the restoration brought in through Christ. In this restoration death will be limited, and there will be abundant life and much praise and rejoicing.
(Life-Study of Isaiah, Chapter 32, by Witness Lee)
