Faithfulness (Isaiah 65)
Have you ever found yourself wondering why life doesn’t look the way you thought it would? Maybe you’ve prayed for something, longed for God to act, and yet things seem to stay the same—or even get worse. You know what God has promised, but you don’t see it in your reality. What do you do in that gap between God’s promises and your experience?
This is where Isaiah 65 meets us. It’s written to people living in that tension—waiting for God to fulfill His word while facing a world that feels broken, uncertain, and even unfair. In this chapter, God reveals His faithfulness, His justice, and His ultimate plan to renew everything. But He also shows us how to live faithfully in the here and now.
The challenge before us is not just to hear this message, but to respond—to let it shape the way we trust, the way we hope, and the way we live every day. Let’s dive into the text and see how Isaiah’s words speak to us today.
Respond to God’s Grace with Surrender (1-5)
Isaiah 65:1–5 (ESV) — 1 I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name. 2 I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; 3 a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; 4 who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig’s flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels; 5 who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.
Imagine a father, arms outstretched, calling out to his child. The child is running, but not toward him—away from him, chasing distractions and danger. The father keeps calling, keeps reaching, refusing to give up. That’s the image we see of God in the opening verses of Isaiah 65. He says, "I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me." His hands are open, stretched out to a rebellious people who continually reject Him.
But let’s not sanitize this picture. The rebellion God describes here isn’t polite or passive—it’s blatant and offensive. He stretches out His hands, and they ignore Him to burn incense in pagan gardens. They sit among graves, engage in detestable rituals, and tell God’s messengers, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” It’s not just rebellion; it’s arrogance and self-righteousness.
What strikes me here is the sheer persistence of God’s grace. He keeps calling, keeps inviting, even though He’s met with rejection. Why? Because His heart is for restoration. Even when His people refuse to seek Him, He seeks them. This isn’t a one-time effort; it’s the ongoing rhythm of grace. It’s the same grace we see in the ministry of Jesus, who sat with sinners, ate with tax collectors, and stretched out His arms on a cross for a world that mocked Him.
How are we responding to God’s outstretched hands? Maybe you’re sitting here thinking, “I don’t burn incense in gardens. I’m not rebelling.” But rebellion isn’t always loud and obvious. Sometimes, it’s as simple as ignoring His voice. It’s the quiet drift of prioritizing our plans over His, of filling our lives with everything but Him.
This passage presses us to consider the idols we cling to—the things we think will satisfy us more than God. Maybe it’s success, comfort, relationships, or control. Whatever it is, God is calling, “Come to me. Let go. Trust me.”
It also pushes us to surrender and confess that we are unholy. Surrender isn’t easy. It means acknowledging that we don’t have it all together, that our way isn’t working. It’s humbling. But that’s exactly where grace meets us—in our surrender. God’s outstretched hands are for healing and restoration.
So, what does surrender look like? Making space for God’s will in your life—through His Word, through prayer, through honest reflection. And it means being willing to change, to let Him reshape your priorities.
The beauty of this passage is that God’s hands remain outstretched. No matter how far we’ve wandered, no matter how stubborn we’ve been, His grace is still calling. The only question is, will we respond?
Isaiah 65:6–7 (ESV) — 6 Behold, it is written before me: “I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their lap 7 both your iniquities and your fathers’ iniquities together, says the Lord; because they made offerings on the mountains and insulted me on the hills, I will measure into their lap payment for their former deeds.”
Isaiah shifts the focus from God’s outstretched hands of grace to His promise of justice. While His patience is immense, it is not infinite. God says, “Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay.” The rebellion of His people, detailed earlier, will not go unanswered. Their sins—the defiance, the idolatry, the rejection of His ways—have accumulated like a debt that must be paid.
Trust God’s Justice in a Broken World (8-16)
Isaiah 65:8–9 (ESV) — 8 Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and they say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,’ so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah possessors of my mountains; my chosen shall possess it, and my servants shall dwell there.
But notice how God’s justice operates. He doesn’t wipe out everything indiscriminately. In verses 8 and 9, He gives us a picture of a cluster of grapes. “As new wine is found in the cluster,” He says, “and they say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,’ so I will do for my servants’ sake.” God’s justice is not reckless or cruel. It is deliberate, measured, and merciful. He preserves a remnant, a faithful group who turn and commit to Him, even in the midst of widespread rebellion.
Isaiah 65:10–16 (ESV) — 10 Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, for my people who have sought me. 11 But you who forsake the Lord, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny, 12 I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in.” 13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame; 14 behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, but you shall cry out for pain of heart and shall wail for breaking of spirit. 15 You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord God will put you to death, but his servants he will call by another name, 16 so that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes.
This brings us to the dividing line in the text. God sets two groups in stark contrast: the rebellious and the faithful. For the rebellious, there is judgment—a destiny of shame and despair. But for His servants, there is blessing—joy, satisfaction, and security. “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame.” The imagery is vivid and uncompromising.
What does this mean for us? It’s a reminder that God sees the injustice, the rebellion, and the sin in our world—and He will deal with it. His justice may seem delayed to us, but it is never absent. He will repay. And yet, in His justice, He makes a way for His servants to be blessed, to be preserved in the midst of judgment.
Are we trusting in God’s justice, or are we trying to take matters into our own hands? When we see injustice around us—when evil seems to prosper and righteousness seems to lose—do we trust that God will ultimately make things right? Or do we let bitterness, frustration, or vengeance creep into our hearts?
For those who remain faithful, God promises joy and provision, even in the face of a broken world. Trusting His justice means resisting the urge to control outcomes, refusing to repay evil for evil, and committing to live righteously, even when it’s costly.
Faithful living requires patience. It demands that we keep our eyes fixed on God’s character, trusting that He is both merciful and just. God’s servants are not spared from hardship, but they are given hope: the assurance that their labor is not in vain and that God will bring ultimate justice.
Anchor Your Life in God’s Promises of Renewal (17-25)
Isaiah 65:17–25 (ESV) — 17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their descendants with them. 24 Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.
Isaiah closes this chapter with one of the most beautiful and sweeping promises in Scripture. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” God is declaring His ultimate plan—not just a better version of the present but a complete renewal of creation. This is not a temporary fix for the brokenness we see around us; it’s a promise of transformation so profound that the pain and sorrow of this world will no longer linger in our hearts or minds.
The text paints a picture of life as it was meant to be. Joy and gladness will define this new creation. “No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days.” Suffering, death, and loss—those relentless realities of our world—will be no more. Instead, people will live in security, enjoying the fruit of their labor without fear of it being taken away. “They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.”
And at the heart of this promise is a restored intimacy with God. Verse 24 says, “Before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” God will be so near, so present with His people, that their needs will be met before they even voice them. The alienation caused by sin will be undone, and the relationship between God and His people will be one of perfect harmony.
The final verse offers an image of cosmic peace: “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox.” This is not just a return to Eden—it’s the fulfillment of everything creation was meant to be. God’s renewal will extend to every corner of existence, reversing the curse of sin and bringing peace to all things.
How does this promise shape our lives now? It calls us to live with an eternal perspective. When we anchor our lives in God’s promises, we stop clinging to the temporary and start investing in what truly matters. Are we living as though this world is all there is, or are we building our lives on the hope of God’s renewal? Do we prioritize His kingdom, His values, and His mission, or are we consumed by the fleeting concerns of today?
Anchoring our lives in God’s promises doesn’t mean ignoring the challenges of the present. It means facing them with hope, knowing they are not the end of the story. It means living as faithful witnesses, showing the world a glimpse of the renewal God has promised. It means setting our minds on things above, as Paul writes in Colossians 3:1-2, and allowing that perspective to transform how we love, serve, and endure.
This hope is not abstract or distant; it is secured in Christ. Through His resurrection, He began the work of new creation, and through His return, He will bring it to completion. God’s promises of renewal invite us to lift our eyes, strengthen our faith, and live for what is eternal.
Conclusion: Faithful Living in Light of God’s Promises
When we began, we asked what it looks like to live faithfully when life doesn’t match up with what we hope for or what God has promised. Isaiah 65 answers that question by showing us who God is and what He’s doing. He is a God of grace, extending His hands to those who turn to Him. He is a God of justice, who will deal with sin and rebellion. And He is a God of renewal, who promises to make all things new.
The message is clear: faithfulness means responding to His grace with surrender, trusting His justice in a broken world, and anchoring our lives in His eternal promises. It’s not passive waiting; it’s active living—a life shaped by who God is and what He has promised to do.
So, where does that leave us? It leaves us with a choice. Will we keep clinging to what’s temporary, trying to control our own lives, or will we let go and trust the God whose hands are stretched out to us? Will we live as His faithful servants, trusting that His justice will prevail, even when we can’t see it? Will we lift our eyes from the fleeting concerns of this world and set our hope on His promise to renew all things?
The hope of Isaiah 65 is not just that God will fulfill His promises, but that He is already at work—calling us, preserving us, and preparing us for a future that’s more glorious than we can imagine. Through Christ, that future is secure. His resurrection is the proof, and His return will be the fulfillment. Until that day, let’s live faithfully, trusting the God who has promised, “Behold, I am making all things new.”