Isaiah 65: 20 Commentary

Tractorman,

Great post; you’ve captured the essence of my eschatalogical journey as well. I printed books for Bethany House Publishers for many years and saw ALL the popular prophecy books roll across my press. Most all of them grieved me for one reason or another but none like the Left Behind series. We printed literally MILLIONS of them. I’m SO glad that the mask is coming off a lot of this stuff. I am now a dyed in the wool pre-trib, pre-mil believer but the only way I got there is by first rejecting all of the popular notions. And then it took me the better part of 15 years to rebuild my eschatology from little more than the Bible itself. Along the way I discovered MANY affirming authors from the 1800’s and early 1900’s that have all been buried from circulation that offer things NO ONE is talking about today except perhaps one author who has written a most remarkable book that is truly transformational regarding these matters. His name is Joseph Dillow and his amazing book is called Reign of the Servant Kings. It’s a hard read (study) but a great one; not without controversy. I find that a number of mainline Christian bookstores only carry it by special order. Every paragraph is meat. How I wish Dillow’s book had come across my press when it was first published nearly 22 years ago!!

By Scott Dale (wrote 581 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 1/28/2012 04:37 am

@ Draz - thank you SO MUCH for doing all the research on this.

My ‘eschatological teeth’ were cut on Hal Lindsey, Jack Van Impe, Chuck Missler, et al… I used to spout THEIR teachings as if they were Gospel… I had it all figured out of course… until their ‘non date-setting date setting’ predictions (along with a book and video for sale) were in the ‘epic fail’ category…

Israel became a nation in 1948… 40 years were a generation… that made 1988 the year of the Rapture… and of course the Pre-Trib was the RIGHT view, so the Church would be raptured 7 years before in 1981… well, that came and went… then Edgar Whisenant wrote a book and was featured prominently on ‘Southwest Radio Church’ with Noah Hutchings giving us ‘88 reasons why the Rapture would occur in 1988′… that also came and went..

Jack Van Impe then told us that Russia was poised to attack Israel in the mid-90’s, fulfilling Eze 38-39… so get ready, the Rapture was right around the corner (along with a video to sell).

Hal Lindsey got back into the thick of it again telling us all that JERUSALEM was the KEY, which was re-captured by Israel in 1967… add 40 years which equaled 2007… subject 7 years and ta-da… 2000 was the year of the Rapture… Chuck Missler led the Y2K charge on ‘Focus on the Family’ telling us all that the chips in underground oil pipelines would all go haywire, blah, blah, blah… that all passed as well…

… and now we have Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins with their massive ‘Left Behind’ book and movie-series whipping the evangelical church into ‘Rapture Frenzy’ fury… and to question the Pre-Trib position is seen as ‘heresy of the highest order’ in said-circles (even thought 85% of professing Christianity does NOT hold to the Pre-Trib position - yeah, I’ve actually worked the numbers).

I long for the return of Jesus right along with the next guy, and I can understand the thrill and excitement of ’spit-balling’ about when Jesus might return (I mean, who doesn’t?)… I don’t even have an issue with the Pre-Trib position (I think it DOES have some merit with its Church-Israel distinctions - even though it IS a relatively NEW systematically defined position).

What I DO have an issue with is the EXCESSES, HYPE and what I call CHRISTIAN GHOST STORIES all designed to have the Church reading the newspaper in one hand and their Bible in another to the point that whenever Israel sneezes, the Church catches a cold.

… and I also understand new believers getting caught up in the excitement and spouting ‘all the latest’ from the favorite ‘end-times’ teachers… it’s to be expected…

My only REAL issue causing some mild frustration is when believers in their zeal go BEYOND what scripture says quoting an author’s thoughts in a book as if it is a given…

A friend of mine recently made what I think is a very insightful comment, and was NOT discouraging the continued study of eschatology, but he said, ‘If those living in the 1st century got the FIRST advent of Jesus wrong (believing Messiah would set up His earthly Kingdom right there and then), what makes US think WE will get the 2nd coming of Jesus right’ (with all our dogmatic assertions of WHEN the Rapture with occur and Jesus will return)??

I think we need to exercise restraint and NOT go beyond the Bible into the speculation and conjecture of some well-meaning author’s opinion in a book.

Again, thank you for the research.

By Tractorman (wrote 3584 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 1/27/2012 22:50 pm

@tractorman - The teaching that people living in the Millennium will die if they have not accepted Christ by the age of 100 is most prominently found in the writings of Lahaye/Jenkins. I believe it is a major plot element in Kingdom Come (Left Behind book 16). I, personally, have never seen this verse used in that context in any other source. To me, it feels like reading something into the verse that isn’t there. The same Hebrew word is translated elsewhere in the Old Testament as “curse,” “lightly esteemed,” “swifter,” and “vile,” among other things. It is never used to mean “die.” The closest possible translation might be “whet,” which with a little bit of imagination could be interpreted as being “cut off.” Here is the Strong’s definition for the word translated “accursed” in that verse:

A primitive root; to be (causatively make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.): - abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease (-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light (-en, -er, ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), X slight [-ly], be swift (-er), (be, be more, make, re-) vile, whet.

By Draz (wrote 1 Bible Commentary - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 1/27/2012 19:40 pm

@Cynthia - wow, that is QUITE a DOGMATIC statement - can you please elaborate on WHY you believe the TEXT (and specifically the word “ACCURSED”) supports your statement that people will DIE if they haven’t accepted Jesus by 100 years old during the Millennial?

Do you have ANY supporting commentary on this position from other sources?

If you were teaching a ladies Bible study or children in Sunday School, you would actually teach this as fact and be willing to stand before Jesus holding this view?

Just curious.

By Tractorman (wrote 3584 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 1/3/2012 18:42 pm

Isaiah 65:20 Those who survive the Tribulation,or are born duing the Millenium,have until they reach 100 years of age to decide whether they want Jesus Christ to be there Saviour.If by the time they turn 100 years old and have not accepted Jesus they will die.This leads to the Great White Throne Judgement ,which then leads to the Lake of Fire,which is the second death.This is for eternity.

By Cynthia Smith (wrote 2 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 1/3/2012 00:51 am

Isaiah65:20 Those who survive the Tribulation, or are born during the Millenium, have untill they are 100 years old to decide whether they accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour. At the time they reach 100 years if the have not chosen their fate is death, and eventually the Great White Throne Judgement,which leads to the Lake of Fire.

By Cynthia Smith (wrote 2 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 1/3/2012 00:40 am

I agree with Scott Dale in his view on this verse! The people spoken of here will most probably be the remnant of the people of the earth and their children after the Great Tribulation and the Second coming of the Lord Jesus on earth!

By TIUCHE (wrote 3264 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 11/11/2011 10:21 am

Chapter 65 is a most extraordinary chapter. It has reference to the resurrection/rapture, the millennial reign and the eternal state all mingled within it. I believe this verse refers to the period (or dispensation) of the millennial reign of Christ.

By Scott Dale (wrote 581 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 11/11/2011 06:11 am

Is this verse refer to the Millemiun reign of 1,000 years or the Eternal State. Thanks

By Don Jentes (wrote 1 Bible Commentary - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 11/11/2011 02:08 am