17 “See, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.
20 “Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;
the one who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.
21 They will build houses and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them,
or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,
so will be the days of my people;
my chosen ones will long enjoy
the work of their hands.
23 They will not labor in vain,
nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,
they and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
and dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.
Points of Interest:
Project of the Day–New heaven and earth
I mentioned yesterday that God seemed to be expanding the renovation project beyond the borders of Jerusalem. Here we see that God is not satisfied with a couple of local franchises in Achor and Sharon. God is going global. The whole world is being rebuilt into God’s holy mountain.
Promise of the Day—New and improved short memories
In 63:7-14, Isaiah talks about how easy it has been in the past for God’s people to forget the ways God has come through for them. In the new world God is bringing about, people will still have a tendency to forget, but what they’ll forget is the hard times. Trouble and suffering are such vague and distant memories that they slip the mind, or feel like bad dreams.
Image of the Day–Vegetarian lions
I don’t know whether these grass-fed lions are literal, metaphorical, or both. Maybe the overhaul of the way things work is so thorough in God’s new world that it even affects the rules in the animal kingdom, or maybe God is metaphorically promising that there will be no more bullies, kidnappers, or tormentors. One way or another or both, in the new world there’s no such thing as predator and prey. There’s no longer any danger of a pack of wild animals attacking the caravan. And even if the shepherds were to get drunk on the job–which they won’t–the sheep will be just fine, comfortably grazing with the wolves and the lions.
Bible Reference of the Day—The serpent eats dust
Like the lion and the wolf, the serpent is no longer dangerous. Unlike the wolf, though, the serpent ends up alone; and unlike the lion, the serpent eats dust, which sounds less delicious than greens. I think Isaiah is harkening back to the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1), when Adam and Eve’s tempter is a serpent. The one who started everyone out on the wrong trail in the first place doesn’t get to join the celebration when God finally gets them back on track to where they really want to be.
Lifespan of the Day—100 is the new 30
God starts off by promising that no one will ever again experience the tragedy of a child dying in infancy, but that’s far too small a goal. It’s not just that people won’t die in childhood; people won’t even die in old age. When they hit 100, they’re just getting started. Nothing gets cut short on the new holy mountain; everyone and everything will have the time and space to reach their full potential.
Another Promise of the Day— Quick ears
Recently–for complicated reasons, it turns out–Jacob and his children have wondered whether God is a bit hard of hearing. They shout and shout, but God doesn’t seem to be listening. In the new world, the connection between people’s lips and God’s ears is so fast that it seems like they haven’t even finished speaking before God is hearing and acting.
Taking it Home:
For our church: I was hooked at nice homes and abundant vineyards to call my own, but a place where everyone gets along? I’m in. Let’s be honest, if you were a sheep, would you ever, ever, ever conceive of trusting a wolf? Ask God to give our church that same remarkable sheep-wolf power in our relationships: reconciliation, trust, harmony, and the power to live (and graze) peacefully in the midst of differences. While maybe farfetched and utopian-sounding, ask God to make our church a place where everyone gets along. Ask God to protect the intricate web of relationships that comprise our church. If you have a relationship or situation at a church that has been hard, ask God to mend it the way he’s done it with our four-legged friends.
Daily Bible Guide 