Isaiah’s Little Apocalypse
(Isaiah 24:17-23, 25:6-8, 26:19-21, 27:12-13)
1. A chauffeur had driven the chemistry professor to dozens of speaking engagements. He’d heard the same canned speech scores of times.
He said on the way to another engagement, "Professor, I believe I could give your speech myself; I’ve heard it so often." The professor said, "I’ll bet you $50 you can’t." "You’re on," said the chauffeur.
He stopped the car and the two exchanged attire. They came to the banquet. the chauffeur dressed in a tuxedo, sat at the head of the table and was introduced. he stood up and gave the speech verbatim.
There was a standing ovation when he was finished.
The emcee got up and said, "You know, we are so fortunate to have such a fine resource with us tonight, and since we have a little extra time, let’s have some questions and answers. The first question was asked and the chauffeur stood there dumbfounded. Finally he said, "That’s such an easy question, even my chauffeur could answer that question." Which, of course, he did. [Ryan Johnson, sermon central, altered].
2. When it comes to the Bible’s teaching about the End Times, some of you are like the chauffer – you don’t really understand, even though you are familiar with the words. Others are like the professor. Most of us are somewhere in-between. A large section of the Bible deals with the End Times, so God does want us to understand these things. All Scripture is both inspired and profitable.
2. The Book of Revelation has another title, The Apocalypse. This is based on the Greek word for revelation, “apocolypsis.”
3. Paul Henebury writes, “What has been called ‘the little apocalypse’ in Isaiah 24-27 begins with a description of God’s wrath upon the earth (Isa. 24:1-23), before introducing an era when God ‘will swallow up death forever, and...wipe away tears from all faces’ (Isa. 25:8). Yahweh says that He will expand ‘all the borders of the land’ (Isa. 26:15), which obviously recalls the Abrahamic oath of Genesis 15:18-21. Judgement again gives way to blessing. There is even a mention of resurrection (Isa. 26:19 cf. Job 19:25-26), which places this section at the time of the Lord’s establishment of His kingdom...an era of true justice...an era of a resurgent and resplendent Israel (Isa. 27:6). ‘In sum’ says Vlach, ‘Isaiah’s Little Apocalypse show that a global kingdom follows global tribulation.’” [The Words of the Covenant, p. 249].
4. In sequence, we have the coming 7-year tribulation, the return of Jesus to the earth and the binding of Satan, the Millennial Kingdom, and the New Heaven and New Earth (eternal state). Isaiah deals with all these themes, though not always sequentially.
Do not confuse the Millennium, which is also the Kingdom Age, with heaven or the eternal state. Those in heaven/eternal state are immortal and sinless, and heaven lasts forever. In the Millennium, people are mortal and have a sin nature, and the Millennium only lasts 1,000 years, which is why it is called the Millennium. Both the Millennium and the Eternal State/heaven are part of God’s Kingdom plan.
5. Although the New Testament clarifies the Old Testament teachings on the End Times, the End Time events can be found in many passages, but this portion of Isaiah is among the most impressive.
Main Idea: God has a plan for us; but He also has an even more complex plan for history. History is heading to a conclusion and toward a purpose, His glory.
I. The Tribulation and the Binding of SATAN’S Hosts During the Kingdom (24:17-23).
A. The passage in Revelation should be understood in LIGHT of this one.
Rev. 20:1-3, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
B. Satan is bound in the INTERFACE between the Tribulation and the Millennium.
If Satan and his demons are bound during the Millennium, why is there still sin in the Millennium? Because mortal people have a sin nature; Satan’s temptations and manipulations increase the frequency and intensity of sin on the earth, but he is not the only problem. We are, at times, our own enemy.
II. The Earthly KINGDOM and the Heavenly (New Heaven/Earth) Together Take History in One Wonderful Direction (25:6-8, 27:12-13).
A. Revelation ELABORATES upon Isaiah’s combined thematic presentation.
1. We see Israel with its territory expanded and nations respecting Israel.
2. We see the Eternal State where sin, mortality, and sadness are no more.
3. Just as Jesus two comings are often prophetically combined, so the Millennium and the New Heaven and New Earth are combined; Revelation sorts it all out.
B. History is headed in a PRE-PLANNED direction.
1. Hinduism, with its constant reincarnation, sees history as a constant cycle.
2. Secularism sees history as aimless and without meaning
3. We see history as moving in a direction, culminating in the End Time events, and with great meaning, the glory of God – and personal meaning for us as those Who serve Him eternally.
C Isaiah predicts a great FEAST for all ethnicities, not just for the Jews (6-8).
1. This will be on Mount Zion on the earth, which will be much larger and higher
2. Will this feast be perennial?
3. The nations will have their eyes opened. The church age previews this.
4. Meanwhile, believers in heaven look forward to a parallel feast/ Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
Revelation 19:9, “9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
D. God will FULFILL His covenant promise to Abraham: the Israelites will receive all their promised land (27:12-13).
Genesis 15:18, On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates…”
E. We know God will literally fulfill His PROMISES to us because He is faithful.
III. The Faithful Find Strength TODAY from What God Promises for Tomorrow (26:1-21, esp. 19-21).
A. The faithful lived in light of the PROMISED Kingdom age.
B. This included appropriating God’s PEACE (shalom) in light of His promises (3).
Let’s do a math problem. If a sheep was tethered to a pole on a rope that was 25 feet long, how many square feet would he have to graze? p r² . Let’s begin by squaring 25, we end up with 625. Multiplying by an approximation of p as 3.14, we end up with 1,962.5 square feet.
We are tethered to God, if we keep our mind on Him. What He allows is represented by circle, with boundaries that He has established. Within that circle are many experiences, good and bad. But we must remind ourselves that we are tethered to Him, keeping our mind on Him.
C. Their experiences in history were DISAPPOINTING and their attempts to bring in a golden age like giving birth to wind.
D. They believed God would physically RESURRECT the faithful dead in the end times (19).
E. Even during the Tribulation, Jewish believers will BIDE their time (20-21).
There can be long periods of time we just have to endure and wait out. We try to keep ourselves distracted and make the best of such times. But for the believer, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, even if that light is our home-going.
F. Believers today need that same STRATEGY to persevere.
