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Isaiah 66

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God Rejects Hypocritical Worship 1–4

1
Thus saith Jehovah, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what manner of house will ye build unto me? and what place shall be my rest? ​
2
For all these things hath my hand made, and so all these things came to be, saith Jehovah: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word. ​
3
He that killeth an ox is as he that slayeth a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as he that breaketh a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as he that offereth swine’s blood; he that burneth frankincense, as he that blesseth an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations: ​
4
I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did that which was evil in mine eyes, and chose that wherein I delighted not. ​

Vindication for the Faithful 5–6

5
Hear the word of Jehovah, ye that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hate you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, Let Jehovah be glorified, that we may see your joy; but it is they that shall be put to shame. ​
6
A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Jehovah that rendereth recompense to his enemies. ​

The Sudden Restoration of Zion 7–14

7
Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child. ​
8
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. ​
9
Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith Jehovah: shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? saith thy God. ​
10
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her;
11
that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. ​
12
For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and ye shall suck thereof; ye shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees. ​
13
As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. ​
14
And ye shall see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass: and the hand of Jehovah shall be known toward his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies. ​

The Lord's Fiery Judgment 15–17

15
For, behold, Jehovah will come with fire, and his chariots shall be like the whirlwind; to render his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire. ​
16
For by fire will Jehovah execute judgment, and by his sword, upon all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah shall be many. ​
17
They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go unto the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together, saith Jehovah. ​

Gathering the Nations to Worship 18–21

18
For Iknowtheir works and their thoughts: the time cometh, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and shall see my glory. ​
19
And I will set a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. ​
20
And they shall bring all your brethren out of all the nations for an oblation unto Jehovah, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith Jehovah, as the children of Israel bring their oblation in a clean vessel into the house of Jehovah. ​
21
And of them also will I take for priests and for Levites, saith Jehovah. ​

The Eternal State 22–24

22
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith Jehovah, so shall your seed and your name remain. ​
23
And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith Jehovah. ​
24
And they shall go forth, and look upon the dead bodies of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Isaiah 66

Verse 1

The heaven is my throne — Stephen quotes vv.1–2 to show that the LORD 'dwelleth not in temples made with hands' (Acts 7:48); Solomon had already said the heaven of heavens could not contain him (1 Kings 8:27). The 'house' is bayith, the 'place of my rest' menuchah, a resting-place.

Verse 2

to this man will I look — Nabat, to look intently and with favour. The man is ani (poor, afflicted), nakeh (smitten, 'contrite') and chared (trembling) at the word. So Ps 51:17 says, 'a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise'; and Christ says, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit' (Matt 5:3).

Verse 3

as if he slew a man — Four pairs set a lawful offering beside a forbidden act: ox and man, lamb and dog, grain offering (minchah) and swine's blood, incense and idol. The offerer has 'chosen their own ways', and 'The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD' (Prov 15:8).

Verse 4

I also will choose their delusions — Bachar, 'choose', is the verb of v.3: they chose their ways, and the LORD chooses their ta'alul (caprice, vexation) and 'fears' (megurah). The principle is Prov 1:31, 'shall they eat of the fruit of their own way'; the unanswered call echoes Jer 7:13.

Verse 5

cast you out for my name's sake — Nadah, to thrust out, banish. The hated and expelled are those who 'tremble at his word', like the man of v.2 who 'trembleth at my word'. Christ foretells it: 'ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake' (Matt 10:22). The LORD 'shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed'.

Verse 6

A voice of noise from the city — Qol, voice, is repeated three times: from the city, from the temple (heykal), from the LORD. The last is the answer to the first two: he 'rendereth recompence' (gemul, requital) to his enemies. Compare 'The LORD also shall roar out of Zion' (Joel 3:16).

Verse 7

Before she travailed — The birth precedes the pain. The child is a zakar, a male, and 'she' is Zion (v.8). The same figure of the woman bringing forth a 'man child' appears in Rev 12:5; the barren one who 'didst not travail' is told to sing in Isa 54:1.

Verse 8

shall a nation be born at once? — Goy, nation, and pa'am, a single stroke or time. 'Earth' is erets, which also means land. Such a thing has not been heard before (cf. Isa 64:4). Paul names the mother of believers: 'Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all' (Gal 4:26).

Verse 9

Shall I bring to the birth — Shabar, literally 'to break', here the breaking that opens the birth; Hezekiah's day used the same picture: 'the children are come to the birth' (Isa 37:3). The LORD who begins also delivers, and does not 'shut' ('atsar) the womb: 'saith thy God'.

Verse 11

breasts of her consolations — Shad, the breast, and tanchum, consolation, from nacham, the verb of 'comfort' in v.13. Zion nourishes those who mourned for her (v.10). Compare 'Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles' (Isa 60:16) and 'the sincere milk of the word' (1 Pet 2:2).

Verse 12

peace to her like a river — Shalom extended as a nahar, a great river; the lost possibility is named in Isa 48:18, 'then had thy peace been as a river'. 'Glory of the Gentiles' is their wealth flowing in (Isa 61:6). 'Dandled' is sha'a', to fondle, said of a child on the knees.

Verse 13

As one whom his mother comforteth — Nacham occurs three times in the verse: the mother comforts, the LORD comforts, and Zion's children are comforted. It is the verb of Isa 40:1, 'Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God'; the same thought runs through 2 Cor 1:4, the God who 'comforteth us in all our tribulation'.

Verse 14

bones shall flourish like an herb — Parach, to bud or bloom, and deshe, tender grass. The reverse is Prov 17:22, 'a broken spirit drieth the bones'. The verse ends by dividing his servants from his enemies: 'the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies'.

Verse 15

the LORD will come with fire — Suphah, a whirlwind or storm, is what his chariots are like; 'The chariots of God are twenty thousand' (Ps 68:17). The coming is for judgment: 'rebuke with flames of fire'. Paul speaks of 'everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord' (2 Thess 1:9).

Verse 16

plead with all flesh — Shaphat, to judge; to 'plead' here is to execute a verdict, as in Ezek 38:22, 'I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood'. The 'slain' (chalal, pierced) 'of the LORD' recall the sword of the rider in Rev 19:21. 'All flesh' (basar) is the term closing v.23.

Verse 17

behind one tree in the midst — The gardens are those of earlier rebuke: 'sacrificeth in gardens' and 'eat swine's flesh' (Isa 65:3–4). Swine was unclean (Deut 14:8). 'The mouse' is akbar. Purification rites without obedience end in being 'consumed together' (yachad; cf. Isa 1:28).

Verse 18

all nations and tongues — Goy and lashon, nations and tongues. The LORD, who says 'I know their works and their thoughts', gathers them to 'see my glory' (kavod). So 'All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord' (Ps 86:9); the mountain of the LORD's house draws them in Isa 2:2.

Verse 19

I will set a sign among them — Oth, a sign or token. Survivors (palit) are sent to Tarshish, Pul, Lud, Tubal and Javan (Greece), to those who 'have not heard my fame'. Isa 52:15 has like words, which Paul applies to his own preaching: 'To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see' (Rom 15:21).

Verse 20

for an offering unto the LORD — The brethren are brought as a minchah, the grain offering, in a 'clean vessel' like Israel's. Paul uses the figure of his ministry to the Gentiles: 'the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable' (Rom 15:16). Compare 'bring my sons from far' (Isa 43:6).

Verse 21

for priests and for Levites — Some of those gathered from the nations are taken into the offices of kohen and Levi. Israel was called 'a kingdom of priests' (Ex 19:6), and the New Testament says of believers, 'a royal priesthood' (1 Pet 2:9); compare 'ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD' (Isa 61:6).

Verse 22

the new heavens and the new earth — The promise of Isa 65:17, 'I create new heavens and a new earth', returns as the pledge of permanence: 'amad, to stand, is said of both creation and 'your seed and your name'. Peter looks for it (2 Pet 3:13) and John sees it (Rev 21:1).

Verse 23

from one new moon to another — Chodesh and shabbath, the monthly and weekly times of worship. 'All flesh' (basar) now 'come to worship' (shachah, bow down), as Zech 14:16 foretells of the nations going up 'to worship the King'. Paul calls such days 'a shadow of things to come' (Col 2:17).

Verse 24

their worm shall not die — Tola', maggot, and the unquenched fire are said of the carcases of transgressors. Christ takes the words of hell: 'Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched' (Mark 9:48). 'Abhorring' (dera'on) is paired in Dan 12:2 with 'everlasting contempt'.