Introduction

† Isaiah 65 shows God answering a rebellious people while opening the door to the nations, it's not future, it's fulfilled in the first century when Israel rejected Christ and the gospel went to the Gentiles (Romans 10:20-21)
† This chapter contrasts unbelieving Israel with the faithful remnant and the new covenant people, showing judgment on one and blessing on the other (Romans 9:6-8)
† We'll walk through this verse by verse and show how it's fulfilled in Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (Matthew 22:7)
† This directly fulfills the mystery revealed in Christ, that Gentiles are fellow heirs (Ephesians 3:6)

Isaiah 65:1
I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, Here I am, here I am, to a nation which did not call on My name.

† This is clearly the Gentiles being brought in, people who weren't seeking God now finding Him through Christ (Romans 10:20)
† God reveals Himself to those outside Israel, proving the covenant always included the nations (Acts 13:46-48)
† This fulfills the promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3)

Isaiah 65:2
I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,

† This is Israel rejecting Christ, even while God reached out to them through His Son and the apostles (Matthew 23:37)
† Their problem wasn't lack of access, it was stubborn rebellion and self-will (John 5:40)
† Paul directly applies this to his generation of Israel (Romans 10:21)

Isaiah 65:3
A people who continually provoke Me to My face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on bricks;

† This shows Israel's ongoing idolatry and corruption, even while claiming to serve God (Isaiah 1:29)
† By the first century, their traditions had replaced true obedience (Mark 7:6-9)
† Their hypocrisy brought judgment upon that generation (Matthew 23:27-36)

Isaiah 65:4
Who sit among graves and spend the night in secret places; who eat swine's flesh, and the broth of unclean meat is in their pots.

† This describes spiritual uncleanness and rebellion against God's law (Leviticus 11:7)
† It's symbolic of Israel becoming defiled while thinking they were holy (Titus 1:15-16)
† Their outward religion hid inward corruption (Matthew 23:25)

Isaiah 65:5
Who say, Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am holier than you! These are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.

† This is the pride of the Pharisees, claiming superiority while rejecting God's truth (Luke 18:11)
† Their self-righteousness was offensive to God (Isaiah 64:6)
† Jesus directly rebuked this attitude (Matthew 23:12)

Isaiah 65:6
Behold, it is written before Me, I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will even repay into their laps,

† God declares judgment is coming on that generation (Matthew 24:34)
† This isn't delayed, it's immediate to those rejecting Christ (Luke 19:41-44)
† The recompense came in AD 70 with Jerusalem's destruction

Isaiah 65:7
Both their own wrongdoings and the wrongdoings of their fathers together, says the Lord. Because they have burned incense on the mountains and mocked Me on the hills, I will measure their former work into their laps.

† This shows cumulative judgment, their generation filled up the sins of their fathers (Matthew 23:32)
† Jesus said all the righteous blood would come upon them (Matthew 23:35-36)
† That judgment was poured out in the siege of Jerusalem (Luke 21:20-22)
† The famine, slaughter, and suffering described by Josephus match the curse language in this chapter (Luke 21:22)

Isaiah 65:8
This is what the Lord says: As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it, so I will act in behalf of My servants in order not to destroy all of them.

† God preserves a remnant, not all Israel is destroyed (Romans 11:5)
† The believing Jews were spared, especially those who fled Jerusalem (Luke 21:21)
† This shows mercy within judgment

Isaiah 65:9
I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and an heir of My mountains from Judah; My chosen ones shall inherit it, and My servants will live there.

† This is the true seed, believers in Christ, not physical lineage (Galatians 3:29)
† The inheritance is spiritual, not earthly land (Hebrews 11:16)
† God's elect inherit the kingdom (Matthew 25:34)

Isaiah 65:10
Sharon will be a pasture land for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for My people who seek Me.

† This is restoration language, peace and blessing for God's people (Hosea 2:15)
† It's fulfilled in the new covenant rest (Hebrews 4:9-10)
† Those who seek Him find life and peace

Isaiah 65:11
But as for you who abandon the Lord, who forget My holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups with mixed wine for Destiny,

† This is apostate Israel turning to false worship (1 Corinthians 10:21)
† They abandoned God while keeping religious appearance (2 Timothy 3:5)
† Their judgment was certain

Isaiah 65:12
I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will bow down to the slaughter. Because I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not listen. Instead, you did what was evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.

† This directly points to the destruction in AD 70 (Luke 21:24)
† They refused Christ and chose evil (John 1:11)
† Judgment came because they wouldn't listen

Isaiah 65:13
Therefore this is what the Lord God says: Behold, My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Behold, My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.

† This contrast shows believers vs unbelievers (Luke 6:20-25)
† The faithful receive life, the rebellious face lack and shame
† This was fulfilled spiritually and physically in that generation

Isaiah 65:14
Behold, My servants will shout joyfully with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart, and you will wail with a broken spirit.

† Joy belongs to those in Christ (John 16:22)
† Sorrow came upon Jerusalem during judgment (Luke 23:28-30)
† This division is covenantal, not future

Isaiah 65:15
You will leave your name for a curse to My chosen ones, and the Lord God will put you to death. But My servants will be called by another name.

† Israel's name became associated with judgment (Matthew 21:43)
† Believers are given a new identity in Christ (Acts 11:26)
† This is the transition from old covenant to new
† The new name is directly connected to being called Christians, marking the new covenant identity (Acts 11:26)
† This shows a clear break from old covenant Israel to the new covenant people

Isaiah 65:16
Because the one who is blessed on the earth will be blessed by the God of truth; and the one who swears on the earth will swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My sight.

† The old troubles are removed in the new covenant (Revelation 21:4)
† Truth is now revealed fully in Christ (John 14:6)
† The focus shifts from old system to new life

Isaiah 65:17
For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.

† This is covenant language, not the end of the physical world (Hebrews 12:26-28)
† The old covenant heaven and earth passed away in AD 70 (Matthew 24:35)
† The new creation is the church in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)
† Isaiah 65:17 ties directly to Jesus saying heaven and earth would pass in His generation (Matthew 24:34-35)
† This proves it's not the end of the physical world, it's the end of the old covenant system

Isaiah 65:18
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness.

† This is the new Jerusalem, the church (Galatians 4:26)
† It's a people, not a physical city (Hebrews 12:22-23)
† Joy comes through Christ

Isaiah 65:19
I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be joyful in My people; and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying.

† This is fulfilled in the new covenant peace (Revelation 21:4)
† Spiritual restoration replaces sorrow
† God dwells with His people

Isaiah 65:20
No longer will there be in it an infant who lives only a few days, or an old person who does not live out his days; for the youth will die at the age of one hundred, and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed.

† This describes covenant life and blessing, not literal immortality (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
† It's symbolic of fullness of life in the new covenant
† Death and curse are tied to sin, not age
† This cannot be describing a future perfect world since death is still present in the verse
† This proves it's covenant language about blessing and curse, not a literal eternal state (Revelation 21:4)

Isaiah 65:21
They will build houses and inhabit them; they will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

† This is stability and blessing in God's kingdom (Matthew 6:33)
† It's not about land, it's about security in Christ
† The faithful inherit lasting life

Isaiah 65:22
They will not build and another inhabit, they will not plant and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands.

† This reverses covenant curses (Deuteronomy 28:30)
† In Christ, there's lasting reward
† The blessing is secure

Isaiah 65:23
They will not labor in vain, or give birth for disaster; for they are the descendants of those blessed by the Lord, and their offspring with them.

† This is fruitfulness in the new covenant (John 15:5)
† God's people aren't working in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58)
† Blessing flows through generations

Isaiah 65:24
It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will listen.

† This shows direct access to God (Hebrews 4:16)
† Prayer is immediate in Christ
† God dwells with His people now

Isaiah 65:25
The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent's food. They will do no evil or harm on all My holy mountain, says the Lord.

† This is symbolic peace, enemies reconciled (Ephesians 2:14-16)
† It's not about animals, it's about people united in Christ
† The kingdom is a place of peace

Historical References

† Josephus describes the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, confirming the judgment spoken of here (Wars of the Jews, Book 6)
† Eusebius records the church fleeing Jerusalem before its destruction, preserving the remnant (Ecclesiastical History 3.5)
† Irenaeus connects new creation language to the work of Christ and the church (Against Heresies Book 5)

How it applies to us today

† We're living in the new heavens and new earth now, not waiting for it (2 Corinthians 5:17)
† We've been brought into the promise as Gentiles, just like Isaiah said (Ephesians 2:11-13)
† Judgment already came on the old system, so we don't live in fear of a future destruction (Hebrews 12:28)
† Our identity is in Christ, not in old covenant shadows (Colossians 2:16-17)
† We're not waiting for a new world, we're living in the fulfilled kingdom now (Luke 17:20-21)
† We don't identify with a physical nation or land, our citizenship is in heaven right now in Christ (Philippians 3:20)
† The old covenant system is gone, so we don't go back to shadows, we live in the substance found in Christ (Hebrews 10:1, Colossians 2:17)
† God hears us now without delay because we have direct access through Christ, not through a temple system (Hebrews 10:19-22)
† We're part of the remnant that was preserved, not by lineage, but by faith in Christ (Romans 11:5-6)
† Everything Isaiah described has already been fulfilled, so we're not watching for it, we're living in it now (Luke 21:22)

Q & A Appendix

Q: Is Isaiah 65 talking about the end of the world?
A: No, it's talking about the end of the old covenant system and the establishment of the new, fulfilled in AD 70 (Hebrews 8:13, Matthew 24:34-35)

Q: What are the new heavens and new earth?
A: It's the new covenant reality in Christ, where believers are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17, Hebrews 12:28)

Q: Who are the servants in this chapter?
A: The faithful remnant and all believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile (Romans 11:5, Galatians 3:28-29)

Q: Does Isaiah 65 teach a future millennial kingdom?
A: No, the chapter itself shows judgment and blessing happening together in one generation, which matches the first century transition, not a future age (Matthew 24:34, Luke 21:22)

Q: Why is there still death in Isaiah 65:20 if it's the new heavens and new earth?
A: Because it's covenant language, not a description of a perfect eternal state, it shows blessing and curse within a transitional period, proving it's not a future sinless world (Revelation 21:4, Hebrews 8:13)

Q: Who is the rebellious people in this chapter?
A: It's first century Israel who rejected Christ despite God reaching out to them continually (Romans 10:21, Matthew 23:37)

Q: Who are the Gentiles in Isaiah 65:1?
A: They are the nations who were not seeking God but were brought in through the gospel (Acts 13:46-48, Ephesians 3:6)

Q: What does new heavens and new earth really mean?
A: It's the removal of the old covenant system and the establishment of the new covenant in Christ (Hebrews 12:26-28, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Q: When did the judgment in this chapter happen?
A: It happened in AD 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed, exactly as Jesus warned that generation (Luke 21:20-22, Matthew 24:34)

Q: What is the new name given to God's servants?
A: It's the identity found in Christ, seen in believers being called Christians (Acts 11:26, 1 Peter 4:16)

Q: Is this talking about physical land promises being restored?
A: No, the inheritance is spiritual and fulfilled in Christ, not tied to earthly territory (Hebrews 11:16, Galatians 3:29)

Q: Why does Isaiah use physical imagery like houses and vineyards?
A: It's covenant blessing language describing stability and peace, not literal real estate promises (Deuteronomy 28:1-6, Matthew 6:33)

Q: Are we still waiting for any of this to be fulfilled?
A: No, everything described has already been fulfilled, we're living in the reality of it now (Luke 21:22, Hebrews 12:28)

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †
© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.

Source Index

† Isaiah 65
† Romans 10:20-21, Matthew 24:34-35, Hebrews 12:26-28, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 3:6
† Josephus, Wars of the Jews Book 6, Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 3.5, Irenaeus Against Heresies Book 5