Lesson on Isaiah 2:5

In the last lesson, we discovered how global peace becomes a reality. Because people obey God and submit to His settlements of their disputes, peace finally covers the world and all its inhabitants. In this lesson, we will examine Isaiah's call to the people.

Isaiah 2:5.(NIV)(NASB)(NKJV)(NCV)

Invitations are wonderful things. You sort through a stack of mail and find an invitation nestled between junk mail. The crisp envelope bears your name. Heavy paper, covered with elegant print, beckons you to share in a celebration.

Although Isaiah's invitation doesn't arrive in the mail, it's an invitation nonetheless. "Come, O house of Jacob," he says (Isaiah 2:5). He invites the rest of his people to walk with him in the light of God. On the surface, I admit this doesn't sound like much of a celebration. But let's keep looking.

The Bible contains many passages that use the idea of light and darkness to represent redemption and rebellion. When the Biblical authors speak of light dawning on or shining in the darkness, they often speak of redemption coming to those who squirm under the slavery to sin or the one who brings that redemption to the slaves. Isaiah also makes use of this type of imagery. Read a couple examples:

The people walking darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2).

"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness" (Isaiah 42:6-7).

Think about the parable I told in reviewing Isaiah's first chapter. Those who had been redeemed from slavery sang a song. They were laughing and clapping. They celebrated because they had a tremendous reason to celebrate.

Revelation tells of a massive celebration that will take place among all the redeemed when they are all reunited with their Lord permanently. Although the passage leaves the details up to our imaginations, John describes a great shout as loud as "the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder." The people shout to one another to rejoice and be glad. The day they have long anticipated has arrived, a celebration described as the wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9).

The Lamb is a New Testament name for Jesus Christ. The wedding is also a figure of speech. The Church (a collective term for all believers in Jesus throughout all the ages) is pictured as the Bride of Christ. The marriage, therefore, is the permanent joining of Jesus to His Church.

We could discuss first century Jewish wedding customs and probably gain important insights into this passage. Different cultures celebrate marriages in different ways, but the point is that celebration does follow the marriage ceremony.

Let's consider the idea of an invitation once again. You can't do anything to merit an invitation to a wedding or graduation. Once you receive the invitation, you must choose whether to accept it. The invitation itself is not binding. In most cases, you must respond positively to the invitation if you wish to attend the event. If you do not respond, whoever sent the invitation usually counts your lack of response as a negative response.

Once you've accepted this invitation to attend, you begin to live in a manner consistent with your acceptance. You prepare for the event; perhaps you buy a gift, shop for the appropriate clothing, or peruse the bridal registry.

God's offer of redemption works in much the same way. You cannot initiate the invitation to the redemption celebration. Once you've read or heard about this invitation, you must choose whether to accept it. Ignoring the issue doesn't count as a positive response.

Once we've accepted the offer of redemption, we ought to live in a manner consistent with our acceptance. We ought to prepare for the big celebration. Paul instructs, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord" (Ephesians 5:8-10). The description of the Lamb's bride, the Church, in Revelation describes her wedding clothing as being her righteous deeds (Revelation 19:8). Doing things that are good, right, and true don't get us to the celebration, but these acts prepare us for the celebration.

Paul continues his instructions about living as children of light. He says, "Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." Paul provides a few suggestions, although not an exhaustive list, of things we can do that fit with God's will. He says to be controlled by the Spirit, encourage one another with spiritual songs, worship the Lord inwardly, express thanks to God, and submit to other believers (Ephesians 5:15-21). All these things will prepare us, if we've accepted the invitation, for the great celebration in store for us.

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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.