To Worship and Glorify God: Isaiah 66 (4)

Pray Psalm 135.1-4.
Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD;
Praise Him, O you servants of the LORD!
You who stand in the house of the LORD,
In the courts of the house of our God,
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.
For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His special treasure.

Read Isaiah 66.14-17.

Reflect.
1. These verses describe a “now, and not yet” scenario. Explain.

2. Whom does God especially condemn?

Meditate.
This is one of many “now, and not yet” passages in the Scriptures. Those who “see” (v. 1) the promised salvation of the Lord now, if only in their minds and hearts, with the eye of faith, will indeed rejoice to see it. Those who realize it – “see” it – increasing in their lives now, will also rejoice, and flourish in the salvation of the Lord. And when at last we see Jesus face to face, and see the full beauty and splendor and power and glory and blessedness of our great salvation in Him, then we will rejoice and flourish as never before. This is the not yetof which we gain a foretaste in every nowof our great salvation.

The coming of the salvation of the Lord – at every stage – brings the judgment of the Lord against the unbelieving world (cf. Rom. 1.18-32). The wrath of God is being revealed nowagainst all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth, deny the Lord, and choose the lie. But a great and irreversible day of judgment is yet to come, when God will eternally banish from before Him those who persist in enmity against Him (v. 15, 16).

And chief among those whom God will banish are people who go through the motions of religion, but without any real commitment to God (v. 17; cf. Matt. 7.21-23). They look like they know the Lord and want to worship and serve Him, but then they set aside His Law and “worship” Him according to their own ideas and what suits their purposes. All such people “shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.

Prepare.
1. How does God exercising His wrath against ungodliness and unrighteousness bring glory to His Name?

2. What does it mean to you to see the salvation of the Lord? How can you see more of it?  

3. Why is God so insistent that we worship and serve Him His way, and not ours?

For it is not only in the present life that I provide consolation for you through my heralds, but also in the heavenly city I will fill you with manifold joys—granting you the resurrection from the dead. This is what he meant by comparing the growth of bones to the growth of a plant. Theodoret of Cyr (393-466 AD), Commentary on Isaiah 20.66.13-14

Lord, I want to see and enjoy more of Your great salvation now. Help me today to…

Pray Psalm 135
Use this psalm to praise God for His great salvation, and to repent of any idols that may yet be distracting you from Him.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 135 (St. Gertrude: Onward, Christian Soldiers)
Praise the Savior, praise Him, for His Name is good. 
Sing, for it is pleasant, to our glorious God!
All whom He has chosen and redeemed by grace, 
praise His Name together, praise Him in this holy place!
Refrain v. 1
Praise the Name of Jesus, you who serve His Word!
Raise your voice and praise our good and glorious Lord!

Great and sovereign, Jesus rules o'er all above, 
doing as He pleases, sovereign in His love.
Clouds and seas obey Him, lightning, too, and rain; 
He the winds brings forth in pow'r and sends them back again.
Refrain

Egypt's firstborn fell to God's redeeming pow'r.
Kings and nations crumbled in redemption's hour.
He the land of promise to His people gave.
Thus His Kingdom Jesus gives to all He's pleased to save.
Refrain

Evermore Your Name, O Savior, shall endure!
Your renown throughout all ages is secure.
For You have compassion, vindicating all

those who serve Your Name and on Your saving mercy call.
Refrain

Vain the nations serve the idols of their hands; 
mouths and ears they have but cannot understand.
Every idol vain is, lacking life or breath; 
all who serve them, like them, shall be lost to lasting death.
Refrain

Bless the Lord you people, all who love the Lord!
Bless Him, you who trust His sovereign, holy Word!
Bless the Lord from Zion, Him Who in it dwells; 
praise Him! Lift your voices, all His grace and glory tell!
Refrain

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).