Reverence of Revelation
6/1/26 Bible Thought (Isaiah 66)
Main Idea: God’s people must remain reverent of His word as they await the fulfillment of His promise.
A Look at the Text:
As the book of Isaiah draws to a close, the future is still in focus. Once again, we see a final day approaching, filled with both blessing and dread. The key to the difference is how one responded to God’s revelation.
Yahweh, as the exalted King over His creation, didn’t need His temple or His people’s service (Isa. 66:1-2). As the One who fashioned the heavens as the work of His fingers (Isa. 66:2; Ps. 8:3), He has never depended upon human beings for anything.
Yet, He offered a future of hope for those who would respond to His revelation. Through Isaiah, He issued a promise for those who are humble and contrite in spirit, those who tremble at His Word (Isa. 66:2).
“All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be,
declares the LORD.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word” (Isa. 66:2)
Again, He wasn’t interested in some façade of religion with people following their own ideas (Isa. 66:3-4). He wanted His call answered (Isa. 66:4) and for His people to tremble in reverence at His word (Isa. 66:5).
There was a glorious future coming for those who belonged to Him (Isa. 66:7-14). Yet, the future was dreadful for those who refused Him. He would come with fire and judgment (Isa. 66:15-16), a fire that would not be quenched Isa. 66:24).
A day was coming when He would be glorified among the nations (Isa. 66:18-19), and those who responded in proper reverence of Him would enjoy new heavens and a new earth (Isa. 66:22).
Bringing it Home:
The future day that Isaiah saw is still to come. There will be a final day of judgment and salvation. There will be a grand day of recreation. The time is yet to come when the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14).
Yet, many struggle to believe this today. To this, we can rest assured that even in the days of the apostles, a day of scoffing was predicted (2 Pet. 3:3-4). Even more, we must remember that although these promises have tarried for thousands of years, in the sight of God it hasn’t even been a week yet (2 Pet. 3:8).
While we await God’s promise, we must remain ever humble and submit to His Word with reverence.
In the midst of a day and age when skepticism is popular and cynicism is celebrated, let us always take God at His Word. We must, in reverence, tremble at His Word, acknowledging that He is the Creator, and we are the creature. He is the Sovereign, and we are His subjects.
His promises will come to pass, even if they seem delayed to us. Let us then always keep our hearts with vigilance (Prov. 4:23) and keep them in humility. If God says it, that settles it.
Challenge:
Do I take God at His Word?