Letter to the Returnees

Letter 463 (letter to returnees) 30/07/2010
This week, as we looked at the first 16 verses of Isaiah 65, it became unmistakably clear that a very serious message and call is issued in this text to the descendants of the northern kingdom. The relevancy of the message would have been appropriate only to those who were beginning to come out of their state of "a nation that did not call My name" (Isaiah 65:2), that is those who had been in oblivion regarding their identity and were just beginning to discover it. Hence, it would have been mainly directed at the first century addressees of the apostles' messages, and later down the road, to those who now are likewise finding out their Israelite heritage.

So, what is it that YHVH is saying to these returnees, who are no doubt gleefully celebrating their newly found identity? He first defines them as "rebellious" (verse 2), but also as very religious, self righteous, and sanctimonious (verses 3-5; something He would not have found necessary to say to the nations that were steeped in idol worship and didn't know any better). The fact that YHVH is addressing those whom He had called His own is further made clear by His strong rebuke of them, and of their fathers : "Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silence, but will repay -- even repay into their bosom -- your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together,' says YHVH, 'who have burned incense on the mountains and blasphemed Me on the hills; Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom'" (verses 6-7). In verse 9 He calls them by name: "I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah an heir of My mountains." He then goes on to qualify what are some of the traits of this people: "But you are those who forsake YHVH, who forget His holy mountain" (verse 11). One does not forsake or forget someone or something that one had not been acquainted with or connected to in the first place. Again, it is obvious that YHVH is speaking to His own! In His address He intermingles descriptions such as: "My elect shall inherit it, and My servants shall dwell there. Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, for My people who have sought Me" (verse 9-10), with the negative ones we have looked at above. And so, within the same people group are to be found His servants, His elect, a people who have sought Him, but also the blasphemous ones, the idol worshippers, those who are forsaking and forgetting Him, and the hypocrites who are 'holier than thou.' YHVH then goes on to describe the blessings that are awaiting His faithful and obedient ones, contrasting them with the very severe judgment that is to be the lot of the others.

Paul makes reference to this chapter in his commentary to "his kinsman after the flesh," in Romans chapters 9 and 10. He mentions that within YHVH's chosen people there are those on whom He will have mercy and those on whom He will not (9:15-18). There are many who have not understood this latter statement. Often it has even been viewed as 'unfair.' But if read in the context of Isaiah 65:1-16 it becomes much clearer. Finally, if we are those mercy vessels, then we must pay close attention to what Isaiah is saying to us in the aforementioned chapter.