The Holy City Will Open the Gateway of Salvation to
Everyone.
The gates into the Lord’s presence will never be closed, and access to Him will be possible at all times (Re. 21:25). Throughout history, the gates of cities have always been closed at night. Businesses, shops, and homes have also been locked due to the spirit of sin and lawlessness that has swept over the earth. However, when Christ returns to set up His Kingdom of righteousness, there will be no need to lock the gates or doors. Peace and security will envelop the earth, and there will be no lawlessness, crime, or secret attack by enemies. Everyone will know the Salvation of the Lord that rules Jerusalem and the earth.
The Holy City Will
Open the Gates of Salvation to All:
The Gates Will Never
Be Closed
11 Your
gates will stay wide open around the clock to receive the wealth of many lands.
The kings of the world will cater to you. 12 For the nations
refusing to be your alliesb will perish; they shall be destroyed.
13 The glory of Lebanon will be yours—the forests of firs, pines,
and box trees—to beautify My sanctuary. My Temple will be glorious.
14 The sons of anti-Semites will come and bow before you! They will kiss your feet! They will call Jerusalem “The City of the Lord” and “The Glorious Mountain of the Holy One of Israel.”[1] (Isaiah60:11–14)
I. People Led by Their Rulers in A Triumphal Procession Will Enter to Worship and Bring Their Gifts to The Lord (V. 11). The idea seems to be that the leaders of nations will have appointed times for conferences or meetings with the Lord.
II. The Only People Excluded from The Kingdom of God Will Be Those Who Have Refused to Join God’s People in Serving the Lord (V. 12). When the Lord first returns to establish God’s Kingdom on earth, all who have refused to trust and serve Him will face His judgment. They will be refused entrance into God’s Kingdom, be removed from the earth, and perish. Remember why: They rejected the Lord’s light, His holy character, and love, which now fill Jerusalem and the earth.
III. In New Jerusalem, The Temple Will Be a Place of Spectacular Beauty. In the ancient world, Lebanon was known for having the most beautiful and costly building materials. For that reason, the glory of Lebanon, its luxurious building materials, will be used to construct the Temple. The Temple will also be a place of reverence, for the Lord will honor the Temple with His presence and fill the Temple with His glory.
IV. Some of the Worshippers in That Day Will Be Descendants of People Who Had Once Oppressed the Jews (V. 14). No doubt there will also be descendants of people who formerly tormented true believers. Nevertheless, these descendants of past persecutors will bow in Jerusalem and confess the Lord. They will call Jerusalem the “City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” Joining the descendants of the Lord’s former enemies will be the Israelites themselves, those who have truly trusted the Lord.
V. The Door of Salvation Is Wide Open. Today any person can approach the Lord and be accepted by Him. However, the day is coming when access to the Lord will be closed. On that day, God will execute judgment upon all the wicked and the unbelievers who have turned away from Him. Still, for now, access to God’s presence is possible. Every human being can cross the threshold into God’s presence and be accepted by Him. But note these facts:
1) Access
Into God’s Presence Is Granted Only If a Person Comes in Jesus’ Name.
V “I am the door: by me, if any man enters in,
he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (Jn. 10:9).
V “By whom also we have access by faith into
this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Ro. 5:2).
V “For through him, we both have access by one
Spirit unto the Father” (Ep. 2:18).
V “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him” (Ep. 3:12).
2) Access
Into God’s Presence Is Granted Only If a Person Recognizes and Honors the
Truth, And Jesus Christ Is The Truth.
V “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (Jn. 14:6).
V “Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in” (Is. 26:2).
3) Access
Into God’s Presence Is Granted Only If a Person Repents, Turns Away from Sin,
And Follows the Lord.
V “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to
enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he
hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having a high priest over the house of
God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water” (He. 10:19–22).
V “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Ps. 23:3–4).[2]
The Condition of National Prosperity
God’s Curse Shall Be Upon Them
They Shall Wither and Decay for Lack of The Divine Favour and of the Graces Which God Dispenses to Mankind Through His Church (Zech. 14:17–19).[3]
12 “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.”[4]
“Every nation shall fall unless it serves the Lord, the righteous God, the God of Israel, through whom alone is Salvation. The figure of serving Israel means serving the God of Israel” (Matthew Arnold). Foerster remarks that “the Roman pontiffs abuse this oracle of the prophet to establish their tyranny over monarchs. In particular, it is recorded of Pius IV., that at the time of his election, he caused a coin to be struck, on one side of which was his own image, adorned with a triple crown, and on the other, these words of the prophet were inscribed.”
Barnes Gives Suggestions for The Historical Illustration of
The Passage:
“The idea of
the verse is that no nation can flourish and long continue that does not obey
the Law of God, or where the true religion does not prevail, and the worship of
the true God is not maintained. History is full of affecting illustrations of
this. The ancient republics and kingdoms fell because they had not the true
religion. The kingdoms of Babylon, Assyria, Macedonia, Egypt, the Roman empire,
and all the ancient monarchies and republics soon fell to ruin because they had
not the salutary restraints of the true religion and because they lacked the
protection of the true God. France cast off the government of God in the first Revolution
and was drenched in blood. It is a maxim of universal truth that the nation
which does not admit the influence of the laws and the government of God must
be destroyed. No empire is strong enough to wage successful war with the great
Jehovah; and, sooner or later, notwithstanding all that human policy can do,
corruption, sensuality, luxury, pride, and far-spreading vice will expose a
nation to the displeasure of God and bring down the heavy arm of his
vengeance.”
The precise
form in which this subject is dealt with must depend on the standpoint of the
preacher. It is better, therefore, only to give the lines in which thoughts,
arguments, and persuasions may run.
The Conditions
of National Prosperity Are—
I.
Belief in God. Atheism has never
built up and never can build up a stable nation. An atheistic nation is like a
wall of loose stones. There is nothing to bind it into a unity of strength.
II.
Acknowledgment of God. From different
points of view, the absolute necessity for some public and authorized testimony
of the national faith may be urged.
III.
Obedience to God. By the recognition
of his Law as the absolute standard of national righteousness, the final court
of appeal.
IV. Reference to God. In all times of national perplexity or peril. “Righteousness exalteth a nation,” but righteousness is this—trying to know God’s will and trying to do it. —R. T.[5]
Prayer: “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.”
Father God,
thank you for making a way possible for us to partake with you in building your
Kingdom here on earth. Your Kingdom, Lord, is your people, and we praise you
that we are your chosen children. Father God, thank you for the hope you have
given us through our willing acceptance of your call upon our lives. May we
honor you with our lives.
Father, we
also ask that your mercy would flow abundantly toward all those at this time
not willing to submit their will to you and receive the hope of eternal life. These
individuals reject the eternal life that you have made possible through the
death of your Son and are willing to accept eternal damnation and separation
from you in the eternal flames of hell. As your children Lord, we need your
strength to boldly preach to those lost and dying souls whom our adversary, the
devil, blinds. May we speak up for you and the love you have for us, as
demonstrated by the death of your Son, Christ Jesus.
We are a
people of a stubborn heart, full of self-will and a sense of inflated pride about
ourselves and what we believe we can accomplish on our own. We are deceived, Lord,
and we need you to show us our need for you. We have strayed so far from your
perfect plans for us and have deluded ourselves into thinking we know better
than you. We deserve your judgment because we reject you; however, we also know
you are longsuffering, merciful, and compassionate, not willing that a single
soul should perish. You have made a way possible for us to have eternal life;
all we need to do is accept it. Help us, Father God, to accept your perfect
will for our lives and then share that with anyone you bring across our path
and are willing to listen.
We bless your Holy Name, Father God; in Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
The Holy City Will Open the Gates of Salvation to All: The Gates Will Never Be Closed. However, The Only People Excluded from The Kingdom of God Will Be Those Who Have Refused to Join God’s People in Serving the Lord.
b 60:12
refusing to be your allies,
literally, “that will not serve you.”
[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible,
Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.
[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters
36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible.
Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
[3] Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. 1910. Isaiah.
Vol. 2. The Pulpit Commentary. London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.
[4] The Holy Bible:
King James Version. 1995. Electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of
the 1611 Authorized Version. Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
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