The Journey Church
November 30, 2025
  • This Is Our God
  • Holy Forever (Christmas)
  • No One Like The Lord (We Crown You)
  • Thank You Jesus
  • Isaiah 65 Summary
    This final chapter divides the human race into two categories: true versus false worshipers. It describes plainly the heart and behavior of both, as well as their eternal destinies: heaven or hell. Destined for the New Heaven and New Earth or Eternal Separation from God in a place intended for Satan and his army.
    Isaiah 66:1–6 ESV
    1 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? 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. 3 “He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations; 4 I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.” 5 Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame. 6 “The sound of an uproar from the city! A sound from the temple! The sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies!
    Someone once said, “Your worship will never rise higher than your view of God.”
    If God is small, worship becomes small. If God is manageable, worship becomes mechanical. If God is just a feeling, worship becomes emotionalism.
    But if God is the One who sits on heaven’s throne, whose feet rest upon the earth—your worship cannot help but be transformed.
    Isaiah 66 begins by enlarging our view of God so He can enlarge our worship.
    The Sagrada Familia is special because it's Antoni Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece, blending Gothic and Art Nouveau styles with a unique, nature-inspired design. Its spiritual atmosphere is created by the stunning play of light through stained glass and its complex symbolism, with a structure mimicking a forest
    The Cathedral That Took Their Breath Away (True Worship vs. False Worship)
    Imagine walking into the Sagrada Familia. The ceilings rise so high they disappear into shadow. The stained glass glows like fire. The organ shakes the stone beneath your feet. You feel small—in a good way.
    Now imagine hearing a whisper behind you: “It’s beautiful, but God doesn’t live here.”
    Isaiah 66 opens with that startling reality:
    “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool… What is the house you would build for Me?”
    God isn’t impressed by big buildings, grand structures, or outward religion. He is seeking the humble, the contrite, the one who trembles at His Word.
    The illustration sets up the shock of Isaiah 66:1–2— that true worship is not outward beauty but inward humility.
    To say that God created and defines our worship means that worship is not a human invention or personal preference—it is a divine design. Worship exists because God willed it, and worship is practiced in the ways God has revealed.

    Big Idea: We Have a God Who Defines, Divides, and Delivers

    He defines our worship, divides true worshipers from false, and delivers the true worshipers to eternal life and the false worshipers to eternal death.
    vs. 1-6

    1. God Defines True Worship from False Worship

    Worship Starts with God, Flows from God, and Returns to God.
    *Humans cannot contain the Sovereign God of the Universe; they made devices. (Temples, places of Worship, rituals, etc.)
    God wants His people to follow the truth He has revealed to them. For Israel that was primarily the Mosaic Covenant. Pointing the people back to the Word of God, Isaiah was indicating that they needed to obey it if they were to enjoy His blessings.

    *Worship Begins with His Greatness, not our Creativity

    When You Think of Worship, What Comes to Mind?
    Most people focus on the external aspects of worship rather than its heart. 
    *The Music
    Volume, style, song selections.
    *Environment
    Lights, environment, and mood.
    *Outward Expression
    Lifting Hands, clapping, singing loudly, kneeling. All of these things can be how we view true worship.
    *Performance Quality
    smooth transitions, quality of the music.
    God is figuratively pictured as sitting on His throne with the earth as His footstool.
    So, is Isaiah apposed to rebuilding the new temple. The answer is no. He was no more anti-temple than Haggai or Zechariah. He saw the future rebuilding of the temple as a sign of the approaching end, a sacrament of the coming kingdom. But at the same time he was painfully aware of the capacity of human beings to misuse it; to focus on the temple itself instead of the God of the temple to corrupt it with impure worship.
    Isaiah understood that the physical restoration of the temple was not enough.
    Unless there was spiritual renewal the future would simply repeat the sins of the past. He was not against the temple, but against ecclesiasticism, that ugly distortion of true religion which inevitably reasserts itself where there is no recognition of the greatness of God or heartfelt contrition before him.
    Ecclesiasticism is when the church system becomes more important than the God the church exists to worship.
    Like Malachi, Isaiah saw that Jerusalem was ground zero for God’s Final Judgment.

    a. True Worshipers are Humble, Contrite, and Follow His Word

    You cannot worship a god whom you think is too small.
    Note: True worship is not performance-based; it is posture-based. What is your posture before a Holy God? 
    Humble and Contrite indicate Our Posture in worship.
    The Bible shows that worship is expressed through both the posture of the body and the posture of the heart. Body language in worship matters—but only when it flows from a heart rightly postured before God.
    THE INTERNAL POSTURE DEMANDS
    * A Posture of Humility
    Worship begins by lowering ourselves and lifting Him High!
    * A Posture of Reverence and Awe
    “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” (Heb. 12:28–29) God’s greatness shapes our seriousness and our joy.
    *A Posture of Surrender and Obedience
    Romans 12:1 “Present your bodies as a living Sacrifice.”
    Worship is a life laid down.
    EXTERNAL POSTURE
    Physical posture is not everything—but in Scripture it is never nothing. Our bodies often reveal a spiritual reality.
    1. Standing in Honor
    “And the people stood to hear the Book of the Law.” (Neh. 8:5) Honor, attentiveness, readiness.
    2. Bowing Reverence
    “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” (Ps. 95:6) Submission, humility, surrender.
    3. Kneeling in Submission
    Daniel prayed “on his knees three times a day.” (Dan. 6:10) Kneeling expresses dependence and reverence.
    4. Lifting Hands in Surrender
    “I will lift up my hands in Your name.” (Ps. 63:4) “Lift up holy hands in prayer.” (1 Tim. 2:8) Lifting hands symbolizes surrender, longing, praise, and need.
    5. Silence in Awe
    “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10) Silence is also worship—an expression of awe, trust, and surrender.
    6. Falling on Our Faces in Holy Fear
    Abraham (Gen. 17:3), Moses (Num. 20:6), Isaiah (Isa. 6:5), John (Rev. 1:17) This is the posture of total awe before a holy God.
    Posture Helps to Align our Hearts to God’s Truth
    God cares far more about the posture of your heart than the position of your body.

    b. False Worshipers Choose Their Way Over God’s Way

    It all starts with a failure to listen and respond to God’s word.
    How Do You Listen and Respond to the Word of God?
    People in Israel who professed to know the LORD but who actually hated and discriminated against God’s people would be shamed by His discipline when the temple would be destroyed by the Babylonians.
    False worship in Scripture is never just about wrong technique—it’s about a misdirected heart, a misplaced trust, and a distorted view of God.
    1). They Redefine God instead of submitting to Him.
    Principle: False worship starts when people prefer a God who accommodates their desires rather than a God who confronts them.
    False worshipers don’t begin by rejecting worship—they begin by reshaping God into their own image.
    Exodus 32 – The golden calf: Israel still called the calf “Yahweh who brought you out of Egypt.” → They didn’t claim a new god; they redefined the true God into something manageable.
    2). They Follow their desire instead of God’s word.
    The heart becomes the standard, not Scripture.
    Judges 21:25 – “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
    Romans 1:24–25 – God gives people over to “the desires of their hearts," leading them to exchange “the truth about God for a lie.”

    Principle

    People choose their own way because it feels right, even when it isn’t true.
    3). They Prefer Convenience Over Commitment
    False worshipers choose paths that demand less sacrifice, less obedience, and less surrender.
    Malachi 1:7–8 – They offered blind and lame sacrifices because it was convenient.
    John 6:66 – Many walked away from Jesus when His words became costly.

    Principle

    The heart naturally seeks a god who requires nothing yet gives everything.
    Note: False Worship is always cheap and a Cheap God cannot save you.
    4). They Let Fear of Man override a Fear of God.
    They make decisions based on acceptance, approval, or cultural pressure.
    1 Samuel 15:24 – Saul disobeys because he “feared the people.”
    Isaiah 51:7 – God’s people feared the “reproach of man.”

    Principle

    Whenever people fear others more than God, they will eventually worship what they fear.
    vs. 5-6

    C. God Will Vindicate those Who Honor Him and Judge those Who Mock Him

    To “vindicate” means to prove right, uphold, or justify in the presence of accusations or suffering.
    Isaiah 50:7–9 — “He who vindicates me is near.” The Servant trusts that God will defend Him against all accusations.
    Romans 8:33–34 — God vindicates His people through Christ’s intercession and resurrection.
    Honor is shown through obedience, humility, and steadfast trust in God’s character—especially when misunderstood.
    Mockery in Scripture is not simply joking—it is defiant rejection of God’s authority, a posture of pride that challenges His sovereignty.
    Galatians 6:7 — “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked.”
    Psalm 1:1–6 — The wicked scoff, but their way perishes.
    Isaiah 37:23–29 — God judges Assyria for mocking Him and His people.
    Isaiah 66:7–17 ESV
    7 “Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. 8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children. 9 Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the Lord; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?” says your God. 10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; 11 that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance.” 12 For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. 14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies. 15 “For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment, and by his sword, with all flesh; and those slain by the Lord shall be many. 17 “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig’s flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the Lord.
    vs. 7-17

    2. God Divides True Worshipers from False Worshipers

    Exegetical Understanding
    vs. 7-11 Zion’s Newborn Children
    In Isaiah’s day, Zion, under God's judgment, had given birth to a remnant. In the hour of her final judgment, she will give birth again. Everything in this chapter stresses the suddenness and miraculous nature of the birth. This birth is, so to speak, before she even goes into labor. 
    There is profound prophetic insight here, for in the fullness of time the new age came to birth just as Isaiah predicted. Out of the Israel of the old covenant, judged and rejected by God, emerged the church of Jesus Christ. It was already ‘born’, as it were, before Jerusalem’s destruction; that was simply the severing of the umbilical cord.
    On Pentecost, when the spirit fell on the people they received power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the Earth. The Church is born.
    vs. 12-17 “I will comfort You”
    Isaiah is almost ready now to bring his vision to a close by drawing out it’s full missionary implications. But first He has some comforting words for the faithful in Israel.
    The New Jerusalem, the city of God will be everything that the former Jerusalem never was and never could be. Those who grieved over the passing of the Old will now be comforted.

    *God’s Judgment is Universal

    vs. 15-16
    God will judge every person, every nation, and every deed—and His verdict will be final, unrepeatable, and unchangeable.
    Hebrews 9:27 ESV
    27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
    Romans 2:5–11 — God “will render to each one according to his works… for God shows no partiality.”
    Ecclesiastes 12:14 — God will bring every deed into judgment, “including every secret thing.”
    2 Corinthians 5:10 — We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
    Revelation 20:11–13 — “The dead, great and small, stood before the throne.”
    The particle introduces a sudden, dramatic revelation, emphasizing certainty and immediacy. Isaiah uses “behold” to introduce moments of God’s decisive intervention.
    Fire in Isaiah is:
    Purifying for the remnant
    consuming for the wicked.
    One Mt. Sinai God descends in fire.
    Isaiah 30:27–33 — God’s breath is like a torrent of brimstone
    Malachi 4:1 — the day of the Lord burns like an oven
    His chariots are like a whirlwind:
    God rides in chariots like a storm—evoking:
    Yahweh as Divine Warrior (Isa. 63:1–6)
    The storm-theophany of God’s judgment (Nahum 1:3; Ps. 18:7–15)
    This means that judgement is swift and overwhelming.
    Purpose Clause: “to render His anger in fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire”
    God’s rebuke vindicates the faithful and condemns the arrogant.

    *God’s Judgement is not Symbolic, it is Historical and Final

    The judgement is not symbolic it is Historical and Final
    “Enter into Judgment with all Flesh”
    All Flesh, universally means: all humanity without limitation to Israel.
    “His Sword”
    The Sword has been the symbol of God’s judgment throughout the history of scripture.
    Not mild
    Not Symbolic
    Not Temporary

    *God divides Publicly, Perfectly, and Finally.

    At the judgment, God divides true and false worshipers by what the heart loved, what the life produced, and how they responded to His Word and His Son.
    Those who humbled themselves under God’s Word and trusted Christ will be vindicated; those who honored God outwardly while rejecting His Word and His Son will face His fiery judgment.
    At the final judgment, God’s separation is public and eternal.
    Matthew 25:31–46
    Christ separates the nations “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”
    One group enters eternal life.
    The other enters eternal punishment.
    Revelation 20:11–15
    All are judged according to their works.
    The Book of Life reveals who belongs to the Lamb.
    Those outside are cast into the lake of fire.
    Why do so many people today downplay or discount the judgement or the reality of hell?
    Cultural Shifts and Modern Sensibility
    Modern Western culture emphasizes human rights, empathy, and rehabilitation, which often clash with traditional views of eternal punishment . The idea of a benevolent and loving God condemning people to everlasting torment can seem incompatible with contemporary moral standards.
    Evolving Theological Interpretations
    Within religious communities, there has been a growing emphasis on God's grace, mercy, and universal love over wrath and judgment. Many modern theologians and individuals favor interpretations that focus on:
    Annihilationism: The belief that the wicked are utterly destroyed after judgment, rather than suffering eternally.
    Universalism: The belief that all people will eventually be reconciled with God.
    Metaphorical Language: Viewing descriptions of hell in scripture as symbolic representations of separation from God or intense psychological suffering, rather than a literal place of fire and brimstone.
    How Did Jesus describe and talk about the reality of Hell?
    Jesus spoke extensively and explicitly about the reality and nature of hell, often using vivid, severe language. In fact, many scholars note that Jesus warned about hell more often than any other biblical figure, describing it as a literal and a final place of just punishment for those who reject God.
    Gehenna (Valley of Hinnom): Jesus frequently used the term Gehenna, which was the name of a literal valley outside Jerusalem known as a place of historical child sacrifice and, later, a perpetually burning trash dump where refuse and the bodies of the unburied were destroyed.
    Eternal Fire / Unquenchable Fire: Jesus referred to hell as "eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41) and "unquenchable fire" (Mark 9:43). This fire is described as something that consumes, a place of intense misery and suffering.
    Outer Darkness: In several parables, Jesus described hell as a place of "outer darkness" where there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12, 25:30). This signifies profound exclusion, isolation, and regret, away from the light and joy of God's presence.
    For Jesus, the reality of hell underscores the seriousness of sin and the urgency of repentance .
    Isaiah 66:18–24 ESV
    18 “For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, 19 and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations. 20 And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21 And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord. 22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. 23 From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord. 24 “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
    vs. 18-24

    3. God Delivers True Worshipers and Condemns False Worshipers

    His gathering, rescuing activity, once restricted to the dispersed of Israel, is to be extended to all people. He will come and gather people of all nations and tongues so that they may see his glory (18).
    The goal of mission is the glory of God, that God might be known and honored for who he really is. How this goal is to be achieved is spelled out in what follows.
    Isaiah uses one final image from the old covenant and the old order of things: “from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another” (v. 23). But Revelation 21:23 tells us that the new Jerusalem will not need the light of the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God will illuminate it.

    *God’s Ultimate Plan Is Creation Renewal, Not Abandonment

    Isaiah ends not with destruction but with new creation. God’s final goal is not to scrap the world but to remake it—renewed, purified, permanent, and unshakeable.
    Key truths:
    God is committed to His creation.
    Redemption includes the physical world, not merely souls.
    The new creation is enduring (“shall remain”), unlike the fading and corruptible present world.
    This anticipates Revelation 21–22, showing that Isaiah and the New Testament speak with one voice: God makes all things new.
    “…so shall your offspring and your name remain.” (v. 22)
    God will preserve a faithful people for Himself Forever.....
    God’s people's future is as secure as the New Creation itself. Unfortunately, most of the world lives day by day in the ultimate uncertainty about future security beyond this worldly existence. Romans 8:1 “There is therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ.”

    *Worship Will be Universal, Joyful, and unending

    “From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me.” (v. 23)
    Continuous, unbroken worship (new moon/Sabbath = rhythm of time
    Nations who once rejected God are now all gathered before His throne. Worship becomes the defining rhythm of life.

    * God Will Bring Final Visible Judgment on His Enemies

    The last verse of Isaiah is intended to be shocking to our system.
    God’s enemies are publicly shown as defeated.
    The “worms” and “fire” (echoed by Jesus in Mark 9:47–48) symbolize eternal verdict, not annihilation.
    The righteous witness God’s perfect justice with no fear of corruption returning.
    This is not morbid curiosity but theological assurance:
    In God’s new world, evil will never rise again.
    CLOSING
    Isaiah’s final vision for is intended to bring great comfort to the Saved and a sobering warning to those who are rebellious and enemies of God.
    The Two Gates at the End of the Road (Hope + Warning)
    Imagine you’re hiking a long mountain trail that finally splits into two paths near the top.
    One path opens to a breathtaking overlook:
    Sunlight breaking across the horizon
    Air clear and crisp
    A valley alive with color and joy
    A place you want to stay forever
    The other path leads to a cliff edge:
    Dark smoke rising
    The ground cracked and scorched
    A visible warning of what lies beyond
    Nobody is confused about which path leads to life.
    Isaiah ends his book by showing both gates. The new heavens and the new earth—a world made new with joy, peace, and worship. And the fate of those who reject God—eternal separation and visible judgment.
    Isaiah’s question is simple:
    “You are at the fork. Which way will you turn?”
    As We close: “Choose the path that leads to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Walk toward the light of His new creation.”
    Will You Bow the Knee in Worship Today?

      • Isaiah 66:1–6ESV

      • Isaiah 66:7–17ESV

      • Hebrews 9:27ESV

      • Isaiah 66:18–24ESV

The Journey Church
mark@thejourneykilleen.com
3616557125
http://www.thejourneykilleen.com
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