This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "God Is Not Finished With Us" 6/30/2013

GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH US

 

Isaiah 65:17-25

 

V:17. "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."

 A. God's plan of redemption for man does not end until He creates a new Heaven and

      a new Earth.  1 Cor 15:24

   1. Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden caused all mankind to be separated from God

      and in need of a redeemer. 1 Cor 15:22

      a. Jesus is our redeemer.

      b. Jesus is the bridegroom and all believers that make up the Church are His bride.

  2. Throughout the ages, Jesus has prepared His Bride to be placed in this New

 

      Heaven and this new Earth. John 3:29

B. The old Heaven and the old earth, which is corrupted by sin will be consumed with

      fire.

  1. An unblemished Heaven will be created and the unblemished Church, the bride

      of Jesus will be its inhabitants.

  2. God will not remember the old Heaven and the old earth nor its sins.

  3. The hearts of man will not be able to remember past sins.

     a. Only the new will be present in their minds.

     b. During our life as Christians, we get to start fresh every day. 2 Cor 5:17

     c. God does not hold us accountable for the sins of yesterday, because they are

         covered by the blood of Jesus.

C. God, the Father is active in His creation.

   1. He is always in control.

   2. He is the authority over Heaven and earth and all it's creations.

       a. He has the authority to create and the authority to destroy.

       b. He created this current Heaven and earth and He will replace it with a new

           Heaven and earth.

 

V:18. "But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy."

 A. The hope of all believers is this new heaven and new earth.

      1. This is the day that the Lord has made and we should rejoice and be glad in it.

 B. The day will come when only joy will exist in the hearts of believers.

     1. This new heaven and new earth will be created after Satan and all his demons are

         cast into the lake of fire forever.  1 Cor 15:24

     2. The only influence of man will be the Holiness of God.

 C. God has elected us to be the people of joy. John 15:11

    1. There will be nothing but Joy in this new Jerusalem.

    2. The focus of the inhabitants of the new Jerusalem will be the Lord.

    3. In this life, we do not know joy without sadness.

    4. In the New Jerusalem, we will know only the joy of the Lord.

 

V:19. "And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying".

 A . The atmosphere in the New Jerusalem will be one of complete serenity.

     1. Jesus will reign.

     2. The environment will be controlled by the Lord.

         a. There will be no circumstances to cause crying or weeping.

         b. All circumstances will result in the joy of the Lord.

 B. We will know only the Lord and all His righteousness.

     1. The glory of the Lord will be constantly in the midst of His people. 

     2. Hearts and minds will praise God continuously.

 

V:20. "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die a hundred years old; but the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed."

 A. There are two time frames considered in this passage of scripture.

      1. There is the time of the creation of the New Heaven and the new earth which

          is the beginning of eternity future presented in verses 16-19.

      2. There is the time of the millennial reign of Christ, which is presented in this

 

          verse.

      3. The millennial kingdom comes prior to the creation of the New Heaven and the

           new Earth.

         a. The millennial kingdom is the time set aside by God for the restoration of the

             nation of Israel.

        b. God will fulfill His prophecy that all Israel will be saved.  Rom 11:26

     4. The Church, all God's redeemed, will be taken up to be with Christ prior to

          the start of the millennial (1000 yr) reign of Christ.    Rev. 20:6

  B. During the millennial reign of Christ, He will prolong the life span of man.

      1. A person will still be considered a child at 100 years old.

      2. In the beginning, it was not uncommon for a man to live 900 years. 

  C. Even during the millennial reign of Christ, God will not fix the mind of man

      so He cannot sin.

      1. Obedience to God's command will be left to the will of man.

          a. A sinner will be cursed if He only lives a hundred years.

 

V:21. "And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them."

 A. The millennial kingdom will be a time of great productivity and prosperity.

     1. There will be success in every area of life.

     2. Man's labor will yield success.

 B. Man will be blessed according to his works.

 

V:22. "They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."

 A. During the millennial, man will enjoy the fruits of his labors.

    1. Jesus will reign and evil will have no way to operate in the hearts of man.

     2. In the Garden of Eden, Adam enjoyed the fruits of his labor without
        worry.

     3. In the millennial kingdom, God will restore the confidence that Adam had in the

         Garden.

     4. When Christ rules in our hearts, confidence in life is automatic.

     5. When Christ rules in our hearts, all things work for our good.

 

V:23. "They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them."

 A. God has blessed man with the ability to be successful in all his labors.

     1. We have a choice to do good or evil.

     2. Those who follow the will of the Lord are protected through the troubles of life.

 B. During the millennial period, there will be no troubles of life.

     1. Man will live in peace because he will be in the immediate presence of God.

     2. Believers today may live in peace because we have the indwelling of God.

 C. The children raised in the millennial will not rebel against their parents and will

      have success according to the blessings of the Lord.

     1. The Nation of Israel will be blessed fulfilling the promises God gave to Abraham

          and David.  2 Sam 7:13

     2. We all are the blessed of the Lord.

         a. Our obedience to the Lord prompts Him to do exceedingly abundant things in

 

            our lives.

 

V:24. "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."

 A. God knows our thoughts before we ever express them.

     1. God knows our needs and answers our prayers as we are calling on Him.

     2. God is the fulfillment of our needs.

 B. We should always remember to call on the Lord and rely on Him for our help.

     1. Man does not know all that God knows about us.

     2. Man cannot do for us what God has in store for us.

     3. God is our present help. Psalm 46:1

 

V:25. "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD."

 A. Doing the millennium, God will change the appetite of all animals so that they

    will be at peace with each other.

  1. Man will not fear any animal because they will be at peace with him.

  2. In the Garden of Eden, Adam was in charge of all God’s creations.

  3. In the lion's den, Daniel was not harmed.

      a. God controlled the appetite of the lions and made them peaceful for

          the period that Daniel was in the den.

 4. There is nothing to hard for God.   Ps 59:9

B. God is our peace.