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Commentary on Isaiah 65 verses 11–16
Here the different states of the godly and wicked, of the Jews that believed and of those that still persisted in unbelief, are set the one over - against the other, as life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse.
I. Here is the fearful doom of those that persisted in their idolatry after the deliverance out of Babylon, and in infidelity after the preaching of the gospel of Christ. Observe,
1.What the doom is that is here threatened: "I will number you to the sword as sheep for the slaughter, and there shall be no escaping, no standing out; you shall all bow down to it," Isa 65:12. God's judgments come, (1.) Regularly, and are executed according to the commission. Those fall by the sword that are numbered or counted out to it, and none besides. Though the sword seems to devour promiscuously one as well as another, yet it is made to know its number and shall not exceed. (2.) Irresistibly. The strongest and most stout-hearted sinners shall be forced to bow before them; for none ever hardened their hearts against God and prospered.
2.What the sins are that number them to the sword. (1.) Idolatry was the ancient sin (Isa 65:11): "You are those who, instead of seeking me and serving me as my people, forsake the Lord, disown him, and cast him off to embrace other gods, who forget my holy mountain (the privileges it confers and the obligations it lays you under) to burn incense upon the mountains of your idols (Isa 65:7), and have deserted the one only living and true God." They prepared a table for that troop of deities which the heathen worship and poured out drink-offerings to that numberless number of them; for those that thought one God too little never thought scores and hundreds sufficient, but were still adding to the number of them, till they had as many gods as cities and their altars were as thick as heaps in the furrows of the field, Hos 12:11. Some take Gad and Meni, which we translate a troop and a number, to be the proper names of two of their idols, answering to Jupiter and Mercury. Whatever they were, their worshippers spared no cost to do them honour; they prepared a table for them, and filled out mixed wine for drink-offerings to them; they would pinch their families rather than stint their devotions, which should shame the worshippers of the true God out of their niggardliness. (2.) Infidelity was the sin of the later Jews (Isa 65:12): When I called, you did not answer, which refers to the same that Isa 65:2 did (I have stretched out my hands to a rebellious people), and that is applied to those who rejected the gospel. Our Lord Jesus himself called (he stood and cried, Joh 7:37), but they did not hear, they would not answer; they were not convinced by his reasonings nor moved by his expostulations; both the fair warnings he gave them of death and ruin and the fair offers he made them of life and happiness were slighted and made no impression upon them. Yet this was not all: You did evil before my eyes, not by surprise, or through inadvertency, but with deliberation: You did choose that wherein I delighted not; he means that which he utterly detested and abhorred. It is not strange that those who will not be persuaded to choose that which is good persist in their choice and pursuit of that which is evil. See the malignity of sin; it is evil in God's eyes, highly offensive to him, and yet it is committed before his eyes, in his sight and presence, and in contempt of him; it is likewise a contradiction to the will of God; it is doing that, of choice, which we know will displease him.
II. The aggravation of this doom, from the consideration of the happy state of those that were brought to repentance and faith.
1.The blessedness of those that serve God, and the woeful condition of those that rebel against him, are here set the one over - against the other, that they may serve as a foil to each other, Isa 65:13-16. (1.) God's servants may well think themselves happy, and for ever indebted to that free grace which made them so, when they see how miserable some of their neighbours are for want of that grace, who are hardened, and likely to perish for ever in unbelief, and what a narrow escape they had of being among them. See Isa 66:24. (2.) It will add to the grief of those that perish to see the happiness of God's servants (whom they had hated, and vilified, and looked upon with the utmost disdain), and especially to think that they might have shared in their bliss if it had not been their own fault. It made the torment of the rich man in hell the more grievous that he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom, Luk 16:23. See Luk 13:28. Sometimes the providence of God makes such a difference as this between good and bad in this world, and the prosperity of the righteous becomes a grievous eye-sore and vexation of heart to the wicked (Psa 112:10), and it will certainly be so in the great day. We fools counted his life madness and his end without honour; but now how is he numbered with the saints and his lot is among the chosen. Now,
2.The difference of their states lies in two things: -
(1.)In point of comfort and satisfaction. [1.] God's servants shall eat and drink; they shall have the bread of life to feed, to feast upon, continually, shall be abundantly replenished with the goodness of his house, and shall want nothing that is good for them. Heaven's happiness will be to them an everlasting feast; they shall be filled with that which now they hunger and thirst after. But those who set their hearts upon the world, and place their happiness in that, shall be hungry and thirsty, always empty, always craving; for it is not bread; it surfeits, but it satisfies not. In communion with God, and dependence upon him, there is full satisfaction; but in sinful pursuits there is nothing but disappointment. [2.] God's servants shall rejoice and sing for joy of heart. They have constant cause for joy, and there is nothing that may be an occasion of grief to them but they have an allay sufficient for it; and, as far as faith is in act and exercise, they have a heart to rejoice, and their joy is their strength. They shall rejoice in their hope, because it shall not make them ashamed. Heaven will be a world of everlasting joy to all that are now sowing in tears. But, on the other hand, those that forsake the Lord shut themselves out from all true joy, for they shall be ashamed of their vain confidence in themselves, and their own righteousness, and the hopes they had built thereon. When the expectations of bliss wherewith they had flattered themselves are frustrated, O what confusion will fill their faces! Then shall they cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit, perhaps in this world, when their laughter shall be turned into mourning and their joy into heaviness, and certainly in that world where the torment will be endless, easeless, and remediless - nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, to eternity. Let these two be compared, Now he is comforted and thou art tormented, and which of the two will we choose to take our lot with?
(2.)In point of honour and reputation, Isa 65:15, Isa 65:16. The memory of the just is, and shall be, blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot. [1.] The name of the idolaters and unbelievers shall be left for a curse, shall be loaded with ignominy and made for ever infamous. It shall be used in giving bad characters - Thou art as cruel as a Jew; and in imprecation - God make thee as miserable as a Jew. It shall be for a curse to God's chosen, that is, for a warning to them; they shall be afraid of falling under the curse upon the Jewish nation, of perishing after the same example of unbelief. The curse of those whom God rejects should make his chosen stand in awe. The Lord God shall slay thee; he shall quite extirpate the Jews and cut them off from being a people; they shall no longer live as a nation, nor ever be incorporated again. [2.] The name of God's chosen shall become a blessing: He shall call his servants by another name. The children of the covenant shall no longer be called Jews, but Christians; and to them, under that name, all the promises and privileges of the new covenant shall be secured. This other name shall be an honourable name; it shall not be confined to one nation, but with it men shall bless themselves in the earth, all the world over. God shall have servants out of all nations who shall all be dignified with this new name. They shall bless themselves in the God of truth. First, They shall give honour to God both in their prayers and in their solemn oaths, in their addresses for his favour as their felicity and their appeals to his justice as their Judge. This is a part of the homage we owe to God; we must bless ourselves in him, that is, we must reckon that we have enough to make us happy, that we need no more, and can desire no more, if we have him for our God. It is of great consequence what we bless ourselves in, what we most please ourselves with and value ourselves by our interest in. Worldly people bless themselves in the abundance they have of this world's goods (Psa 49:18; Luk 12:19); but God's servants bless themselves in him, as a God all-sufficient for them. He is their crown of glory and diadem of beauty, their strength and portion. By him also they shall swear, and not by any creature or any false god. To his judgment they shall refer their cause, from whom every man's judgment doth proceed. Secondly, They shall give honour to him as the God of truth, the God of the Amen (so the word is); some understand it of Christ who is himself the Amen, the faithful witness (Rev 3:14), and in whom all the promises are yea and amen, Co2 1:20. In him we must bless ourselves, and by him we must swear unto the Lord and covenant with him. He that is blessed in the earth (so some read it) shall be blessed in the true God, for Christ is the true God and eternal life, Jo1 5:20. And it was promised of old that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed, Gen 12:3. Some read it, He shall bless himself in the God of the faithful people, in God as the God of all believers, desiring no more than to share in the blessings wherewith they are blessed, to be dealt with as he deals with them. Thirdly, They shall give him honour as the author of this blessed change which they have the experience of; they shall think themselves happy in having him for their God who has made them to forget their former troubles, the remembrance of them being swallowed up in their present comforts: Because they are hidden from God's eyes, that is, they are quite taken away; for, if there were any remainder of their troubles, God would be sure to have his eye upon it, in compassion to them and concern for them. They shall no longer feel them; for God will no longer see them. He is pleased to speak as if he would make himself easy by making them easy; and therefore they shall with a great deal of satisfaction bless themselves in him.
(Vers. 15, 16.) And you shall dismiss your name in the oath to my chosen ones, and the Lord God will kill you, and He will call His servants by another name, in which whoever is blessed on earth will be blessed in God, amen: and whoever swears on earth will swear in God, amen. LXX: For you shall abandon your name to my chosen ones. But the Lord will kill you, and to those who serve me, a new name will be called, to whom blessings will be given on earth: for they bless the true God, and those who swear on earth will swear by the true God. In reference to satiety, which is called Sabaa in Hebrew, others have interpreted it as an oath; a word that has many meanings and is varied according to the different accents. It is understood as both an oath and satiety, and fullness, and many, and seven. We have spoken about it in the book of Genesis, and in this volume (Chapter IV), where seven women took hold of one man. Again, because it is translated by the Septuagint, it is true, and in Hebrew it is called Amen; Aquila translates it as πεπιστωμένως, that is, faithfully. But what he says is this: as others succeed you, your name will be the oath of my chosen ones, so that they may have you as an example of evils and detest such endurance, and they may swear thus: I will not suffer what the people of the Jews have suffered. Whether your name will be in satiety, which is usually said of those whose remembrance and memory is odious, and who have come to the point of satiety and disgust. Or certainly this should be said, that they should abandon their own name for the chosen ones of the Lord, so that a crowd of nations may succeed them; and they themselves may be called sons of Abraham and Israel. About whom Paul speaks: Peace be upon them, and upon the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). For neither are those who are of Israel, Israel; nor are those who are the descendants of Abraham all his children (Romans 9:7), to whom it is said: If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham (John 8:39). And because they are the descendants of Abraham, and not his children, as we explained above, John the Baptist reproaches them, saying: And do not presume to say, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham (Matthew 3:9). For how can they be his children, who said to wood and stone, you have begotten me: when, on the contrary, those who are from faith, are called the children of Abraham? But you, he says, will be killed by the Lord, so that you will not be called circumcision, but incision (Galatians III): so that you may lack eternal life, so that you may not have the one who says: I am the life (John XIV, 6). But he says that he will call his servants by another name, or a new one, which will be celebrated throughout the whole world. And it shall be blessed: to such an extent that whoever is called by that name shall be blessed in the Lord, and shall receive the sign of true Circumcision, amen: which the Lord often uses in the Gospel to affirm what has been said: Amen, amen I say to you (John 5:19). However, there is no new or different name, except one that is derived from the name of Christ, so that the people of God should no longer be called Jacob, and Judah, and Israel, and Ephraim, and Joseph, but Christian. For whoever swears on the earth, does not swear in idols and false gods, but in God; this statement is confirmed again by the seal of Amen. Moreover, according to the Septuagint, those who translated the true God as Amen, so that the true God may be blessed, and those who swear on the earth, may swear by the true God, we refer not only to the person of God the Father, about whom it is written: That they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3), but also to the Son, who is himself the true God, as the evangelist John says: The Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know the true one, and we are in his true Son, Jesus Christ (John 5:20). This is the true God and eternal life. For if the Savior speaks of himself: I am the truth (John XIV, 6), consequently he received the name true God from the truth, so that he would not be called God according to false gods, but according to the true God the Father, and he himself is the true God. Otherwise, if he is not true, he will be similar to an idol, which leads to the damnation of those who deny Christ as the true God. This is, however, a new name, which is written for him in the Apocalypse upon a stone (Chapter II), to which blessing is given in the whole world.
For “abundance,” which is sabaa in Hebrew, others translate “oath.” But the word has many meanings, which vary in accordance with where the accent is placed, for it can be understood as “oath” or “abundance” or “sufficiency” or “plurality” or “seven,” concerning which we already indicated that in the book of Genesis, as well as in the current book, seven women take one man. Again, for that which the Septuagint translates as “true” and the Hebrew as “amen,” Aquila renders pepistōmenōs, that is, “faithfully.” But this is what it says: “Your name will be a curse for the benefit of my chosen who will follow in your place, that they may have you as an example of evil consequences and may detest enduring such things, and, therefore, swear this oath: ‘I will not suffer what the Jewish people suffered.’ ” Or, perhaps your name will be “abundant,” in as much as it will be spoken so frequently that the memory or mention of it will become odious to them and engorge them on it, such that they will grow nauseated.…And there will be blessing, insofar as whoever is called by that name will be blessed by the Lord and will receive a sign of true circumcision: “amen,” which the Lord often uses to indicate approval in the Gospel: “Amen, amen, I say to you.” But neither this new name nor another name is anything unless derived from the name of Christ, so that the people of God would never be called Jacob, Judas, Israel, Ephraim or Joseph, but “Christian.” For “whoever swears in the land” does so not by idols or by false gods but by God, as is confirmed by the “amen” at the end of the sentence. Furthermore, the Septuagint translates “true God” in place of “amen,” so that the true God may be blessed and that those “who swear in the land” would swear by the true God. But we do not follow the error of the Arians in referring this “true God” to the person of God the Father alone, of whom it is written, “that they may know you the one true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” But we refer also to the Son, who is himself the true God, as John the Evangelist testifies: “The Son of God came to give us understanding, that we would know the true one and exist in his true Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 65:16 powerfully articulates a foundational shift in the eschatological vision of God's renewed creation, where all human reliance and solemn commitments will be exclusively directed toward the "God of truth." This verse contrasts the former era of seeking blessing or swearing by earthly, transient things with a future characterized by absolute devotion to the faithful and true God. It culminates in a profound promise of radical transformation, where the pain and memory of past afflictions are completely erased, signifying a comprehensive spiritual and emotional restoration for God's redeemed people.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Isaiah 65:16 is situated within a pivotal chapter that delineates a stark contrast between divine judgment and glorious restoration. The preceding verses (Isaiah 65:1-12) detail God's indictment of rebellious Israel, outlining their idolatry and unfaithfulness, which led to severe consequences. Following this pronouncement of judgment, verses 13-16 introduce a dramatic shift, promising blessing and a new reality for God's faithful servants, distinguishing them from the unrepentant. Verse 16 specifically serves as a bridge, establishing the theological basis for the radical transformation described immediately after, particularly the promise of new heavens and a new earth, where former troubles are utterly forgotten. It marks the spiritual foundation upon which the physical renewal will be built, emphasizing a transformed relationship with God.
Historical & Cultural Context: The book of Isaiah, spanning centuries of prophetic activity, addresses both pre-exilic and post-exilic Judah. By chapter 65, the context leans heavily towards the post-exilic period, where the people of Israel had returned from Babylon but still faced challenges of spiritual apathy, syncretism, and the temptation to revert to idolatrous practices or rely on human strength. In the ancient Near East, swearing oaths was a profoundly serious act, invoking divine witness and sanction. People would swear by their gods, by the king, or by the earth itself, demonstrating where their ultimate allegiance and trust lay. Against this backdrop, Isaiah 65:16's command to bless and swear "in the God of truth" is a radical call for exclusive monotheistic devotion, rejecting any form of polytheism or reliance on finite, created things. It reorients the people's entire worldview and system of belief towards the one true, reliable God.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Isaiah and biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Faithfulness and Truth, presenting God as ʼEl ʼAmên—the "God of Truth" or "God of Amen"—whose character is utterly reliable and unchanging. This contrasts sharply with the falsehood and transience of idols and human endeavors, a theme prevalent throughout Isaiah (e.g., the folly of idolatry in Isaiah 44:9-20). Secondly, it highlights Radical Transformation and New Creation, not just physically (as seen in the life in the new creation described in Isaiah 65:17-25), but primarily spiritually. The shift from "blessing oneself in the earth" to "in the God of truth" signifies a profound spiritual reorientation and the establishment of a new covenant relationship. Finally, the promise that "the former troubles are forgotten" introduces the theme of Complete Restoration and the Eradication of Suffering, a key eschatological hope that culminates in the vision of God wiping away every tear (e.g., Revelation 21:4). This verse thus serves as a theological anchor for the comprehensive renewal promised to God's faithful.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 65:16 employs several potent literary devices to convey its transformative message. Parallelism is evident in the symmetrical structure of the first two clauses: "he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth." This repetition highlights the complete shift from an earthly focus to a divine one in both personal well-being and public declaration. Contrast is central, juxtaposing "in the earth" with "in the God of truth," emphasizing the fundamental change in the source of blessing and the object of oaths. This contrast underscores the exclusive devotion required in the new era. Furthermore, the phrase "forgotten, and... hid from mine eyes" utilizes Hyperbole and Anthropomorphism. While troubles may not be literally erased from memory, the hyperbole emphasizes their complete irrelevance and lack of power in the new reality. The anthropomorphism of "hid from mine eyes" attributes human characteristics (eyes, the act of hiding) to God, conveying His deliberate and complete removal of past suffering from the consciousness of His people and His own divine purview, signifying a perfect and enduring peace.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 65:16 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of ultimate reality and the destiny of God's people. It underscores that true blessing, security, and integrity are found only in the God of truth, a concept that resonates throughout the biblical narrative, emphasizing His unchanging character and reliability as the ultimate foundation for life. This divine truth stands in stark contrast to the fleeting and deceptive nature of idols and human endeavors, which ultimately lead to sorrow and futility. The promise of forgotten troubles points to a radical eschatological hope where God's redemptive work is so complete that the pain of the past no longer holds sway, foreshadowing a future of perfect peace and unblemished joy. This transformation is not merely external but deeply internal, signifying a renewed relationship with God where all trust, worship, and vows are directed solely to Him, marking the dawn of a new covenant era characterized by authenticity and divine faithfulness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 65:16 offers a compelling challenge and immense comfort for believers today. It calls us to critically examine the sources of our perceived blessings and security. Do we, like those who "bless themselves in the earth," primarily seek our well-being, identity, and affirmation from worldly achievements, material possessions, social status, or human approval? Or do we genuinely "bless ourselves in the God of truth," finding our ultimate satisfaction, provision, and purpose in His unwavering character and promises? This verse urges us to cultivate an exclusive devotion to God, ensuring that our words, commitments, and the very foundation of our lives are rooted in His absolute truth and faithfulness. Furthermore, the promise that "the former troubles are forgotten, and... hid from mine eyes" provides profound hope for those grappling with past traumas, regrets, or persistent sorrows. It assures us that God's redemptive power extends to the deepest wounds of our souls, promising a future—both now and eternally—where His healing is so complete that the pain of the past loses its grip, replaced by His enduring peace and joy. This vision encourages us to trust in God's restorative work, believing that He can redeem even our most painful experiences and bring about a future free from their haunting shadow.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean to "bless oneself in the earth" versus "in the God of truth"?
Answer: To "bless oneself in the earth" refers to seeking one's well-being, prosperity, and security from worldly sources or human efforts. This could include relying on material wealth, political power, human wisdom, or even false gods associated with the land. It signifies a misplaced trust in finite, created things. In contrast, to "bless oneself in the God of truth" means to find one's ultimate source of blessing, security, and identity exclusively in the one true God, whose character is utterly faithful and reliable. It represents a radical reorientation of trust and devotion from the temporal to the eternal, from the created to the Creator. This shift is foundational to the new covenant relationship described in Isaiah's prophetic vision.
How can "former troubles be forgotten" if memories persist?
Answer: The phrase "because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes" is a powerful expression of comprehensive divine restoration. While it doesn't necessarily imply a literal erasure of memory in a human sense, it signifies that in the new creation, the pain, power, and haunting presence of past afflictions will be completely neutralized. The troubles will no longer define, burden, or cause sorrow. From God's perspective ("hid from mine eyes"), it means He no longer brings them to mind for judgment or allows them to mar the perfect peace of His redeemed people. It's a promise of radical healing and a future where the past's wounds have no hold, echoing the promise in Revelation 21:4 that God will wipe away every tear.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 65:16 finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the very embodiment of the "God of truth," for He declared Himself to be the way, the truth, and the life and is described as "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). In Christ, humanity truly blesses itself in the God of truth, as all spiritual blessings are found "in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). Through His atoning sacrifice, Jesus inaugurated the new covenant, making it possible for all who believe to swear by the God of truth, not merely with words but with lives transformed by His Spirit. His death and resurrection are the definitive acts that bring about the "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17), where the "former troubles" of sin, condemnation, and death are not merely forgotten but utterly vanquished. Through Christ, our past sins are forgiven and remembered no more (Hebrews 8:12), and the promise of a future free from sorrow and pain finds its ultimate guarantee in His triumphant reign, leading to the new heavens and new earth where God dwells fully with His people.