How does Isaiah 48:7 connect with 2 Corinthians 5:17 about new creation? Freshly Created—Isaiah 48:7 “They are created now and not long ago; before today you did not hear of them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’” • The Lord announces works that are “created now,” underscoring His ongoing, present-tense power to bring entirely new realities into existence. • Israel has no prior knowledge of these works; this prevents boasting and magnifies God’s sovereign initiative (cf. Isaiah 42:9). • The wording “created now” signals an act of divine creation every bit as literal as Genesis 1, but happening in real time among His people. New Creation Realized—2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!” • In Christ, God performs that same creative act within individuals. • “New creation” (κτίσις) uses the same creation language Scripture reserves for God’s original creative work (cf. Colossians 1:16). • What God promised as “created now” in Isaiah finds personal fulfillment: every believer becomes a literal, God-made novelty. Connecting Threads Between the Two Verses • God Alone Creates: both passages place creation solely in God’s hands, excluding human contribution or prior claim (“lest you should say, ‘I knew them’” / “not of yourselves,” Ephesians 2:8-10). • Present-Tense Miracle: Isaiah says “now,” Paul says “has come”—each stresses that God’s creative power is active, not confined to the past. • Erasure of the Old: Isaiah erases Israel’s ability to boast in prior knowledge; Paul declares the old has “passed away,” ending the former life (cf. Galatians 2:20). • Purpose for Witness: freshly created works in Isaiah were to display God’s uniqueness among the nations; the new-creation believer displays Christ to the world (Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 2:7). • Continuity of Redemption: Isaiah’s prophetic “new things” prepare the stage for the gospel’s ultimate new thing—regenerated people who form the redeemed community (1 Peter 2:9-10). Other Scriptures That Echo the Theme • Ezekiel 36:26—new heart and new spirit. • John 3:3—being “born again.” • Ephesians 2:10—“created in Christ Jesus for good works.” • Colossians 3:10—putting on the “new self.” • Revelation 21:5—“Behold, I make all things new.” Why This Matters for Everyday Life • Assurance: the believer’s newness is as factual as God’s original act of creation—settled, not symbolic. • Humility: since it is “created now” by God alone, there is no room for self-credit. • Hope: the same God who created you anew continues to unfold fresh works you have not yet imagined (Philippians 1:6). • Mission: living as God’s “new thing” invites others to taste His renewing power (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). |
    |