Isaiah 65:18

Translation
King James Version
But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
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KJV (with Strong's)
But be ye glad H7797 and rejoice H1523 for ever H5703 in that which I create H1254: for, behold, I create H1254 Jerusalem H3389 a rejoicing H1525, and her people H5971 a joy H4885.
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Complete Jewish Bible
So be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for look! I am making Yerushalayim a joy, and her people a delight.
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Berean Standard Bible
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight.
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American Standard Version
But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
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World English Bible Messianic
But be you glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
But be you glad and reioyce for euer in the things that I shall create: for beholde, I will create Ierusalem, as a reioycing and her people as a ioye,
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Young's Literal Translation
But joy ye, and rejoice for ever, that I am Creator, For, lo, I am creating Jerusalem a rejoicing, And her people a joy.
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See also
Psalms 98:1Psalms 98:9Isaiah 66:10Isaiah 66:14Revelation 11:15Revelation 11:18Revelation 19:1
In the KJVVerse 18,916 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Isaiah 65:18 is a glorious prophetic declaration, unveiling God's sovereign intent to usher in an era of unprecedented and perpetual joy. This verse pivots from themes of judgment to a vibrant vision of eschatological restoration, asserting that God Himself is the divine architect of this new reality. He promises to create a renewed Jerusalem, not merely as a physical city, but as an intrinsic source and embodiment of rejoicing, whose inhabitants will likewise be permeated with profound and unending gladness, signifying a complete and irreversible reversal of past sorrows and a future defined by divine delight and perfect communion.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is a climactic statement within the latter part of the Book of Isaiah, often designated "Third Isaiah" (chapters 56-66), which primarily addresses the post-exilic community in Judah. This section masterfully interweaves stern rebukes for the people's continued unfaithfulness and idolatry with magnificent promises of future restoration and blessing. Chapter 65 specifically contrasts the judgment pronounced upon the rebellious and those who have forsaken the Lord, as detailed in Isaiah 65:1-7, with the glorious destiny awaiting God's faithful servants, a theme introduced in Isaiah 65:8. Immediately preceding verse 18, God makes the breathtaking declaration in Isaiah 65:17 that He is creating "new heavens and a new earth." This cosmic pronouncement sets the ultimate stage for the radical transformation described in our verse, establishing a context of ultimate renewal where past sorrows are forgotten and a new reality, infused with divine presence and joy, is eternally ushered in.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Isaiah's prophecies span a vast historical period, with "Third Isaiah" most likely reflecting the challenges and hopes of the Jewish community returning from Babylonian exile. This community faced the arduous task of rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple, often amidst spiritual apathy, internal strife, and external opposition. The historical Jerusalem had endured immense suffering, destruction, and desolation, culminating in the Babylonian conquest and exile. Consequently, the promise of a "rejoicing" city would have resonated as a profound and almost unbelievable reversal of their lived experience. Culturally, the prosperity and well-being of a city and its people were intrinsically linked to divine favor and covenant faithfulness. The promise of God "creating" Jerusalem as a source of joy would have offered not just political restoration, but a divinely orchestrated, spiritual renewal, pointing to a return to a golden age where God's presence brought unadulterated blessing and peace.
  • Key Themes: Isaiah 65:18 profoundly contributes to several overarching themes foundational to Isaiah and broader biblical theology. Foremost is the theme of Divine Initiative and New Creation, powerfully emphasized by the repeated "I create." This highlights God's sovereign power to bring into existence something entirely new and perfect, not merely a repair of the old, echoing the primordial creation accounts found throughout Genesis 1. Another central theme is Everlasting Joy and Restoration, where sorrow, pain, and the consequences of sin are definitively replaced by an enduring, divinely-sourced gladness that is both commanded and promised to be perpetual. This joy is intrinsically linked to the Transformation of Jerusalem, moving from a symbol of judgment and desolation to the very embodiment of God's delight and the dwelling place of His joyful people. This vision of a renewed Jerusalem serves as a powerful symbol of Eschatological Hope, pointing to a future state of perfect communion and blessing that transcends all earthly limitations and suffering, a hope that finds its ultimate expression in the New Testament vision of the New Jerusalem.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • create (Hebrew, bârâʼ', H1254): This primitive root (H1254) signifies more than merely forming or making; it denotes bringing into existence something entirely new, often without pre-existing material, and always with a divine agent. It is the same verb used in Genesis 1:1 for God's original act of creation, emphasizing the unparalleled, sovereign power of God. In Isaiah 65:18, its repetition underscores that the promised future is not a mere renovation but a radical, divine act of new creation, ensuring its perfection and eternal nature.
  • rejoice (Hebrew, gîyl', H1523): This root word (H1523) conveys the vivid sense of spinning around or leaping for joy, indicative of intense, often exuberant, emotion. It denotes a profound gladness and delight. Coupled with "be ye glad" (from H7797, sûws, meaning to be bright or cheerful), it emphasizes the depth and effusiveness of the joy that God commands and promises. This is not a passive contentment but an active, overflowing gladness that characterizes the new creation.
  • forever (Hebrew, ʻad', H5703): This term (H5703) denotes a terminus or duration, implying perpetuity, eternity, or "world without end." When God commands His people to "rejoice for ever" and promises a Jerusalem that is "a rejoicing" and "a joy," this word assures the permanence and unending nature of this divine blessing. It signifies that the joy of the new creation is not temporary or fleeting, but an eternal reality established by God Himself, transcending all limitations of time.

Verse Breakdown

  • "But be ye glad and rejoice for ever [in that] which I create:" This opening clause functions as both a divine imperative and a profound invitation. The dual command "be ye glad and rejoice" calls God's people to actively participate in the joy that is about to be revealed, emphasizing an exuberant, not merely passive, gladness. The phrase "for ever" underscores the eternal nature of this commanded gladness, directly linking it to the object of their rejoicing: "that which I create." This highlights God's sovereign initiative; the joy is not self-generated or circumstantial but flows directly from His ongoing, powerful act of new creation. It sets the stage for a joy that is not contingent on human circumstances but on divine action and its enduring outcome.
  • "for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing," This clause provides the foundational reason ("for") and the specific focus of the new creation and its resulting joy. The emphatic interjection "behold" draws immediate and urgent attention to God's declaration, signaling something of profound significance. The repetition of "I create" powerfully reinforces divine sovereignty and omnipotence, echoing the initial creation. Here, Jerusalem, which had been a symbol of desolation, judgment, and sorrow, is divinely transformed into the very embodiment of joy. It will not merely contain joy, but be "a rejoicing" (Hebrew gîylâh, H1525), signifying that joy will be its intrinsic nature, its defining characteristic, and its perpetual state, a radical reversal of its historical experience.
  • "and her people a joy." This final clause extends the promise of joy from the city itself to its inhabitants, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of God's redemptive work. Just as Jerusalem becomes "a rejoicing," its "people" (Hebrew ʻam, H5971) will become "a joy" (Hebrew mâsôws, H4885). This signifies a complete transformation of their collective state and individual identity. No longer defined by sorrow, suffering, or the consequences of sin, they will be characterized by profound, intrinsic gladness. This collective joy is a direct and certain result of God's creative work, assuring that the new creation will bring about a renewed, joyful community in perfect harmony with its divinely established environment and its Creator.

Literary Devices

Isaiah 65:18 is rich with powerful Literary Devices that amplify its message of divine hope and transformation. The most prominent is Repetition, particularly of the verb "create" (Hebrew bârâʼ) and the concepts of "rejoicing" and "joy." The repeated "I create" emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty and His unique, unparalleled ability to bring forth something entirely new and perfect, echoing the original creation narrative. The multiple uses of words for joy ("glad," "rejoice," "rejoicing," "joy") amplify the central theme, underscoring the abundance, depth, and pervasive nature of the promised gladness. Personification is also powerfully evident as Jerusalem is not merely a place where joy exists, but is itself "a rejoicing," suggesting that joy becomes an inherent quality and identity of the city. Similarly, "her people a joy" personifies the inhabitants as embodiments of this emotion, indicating a fundamental change in their very being. Furthermore, the verse functions as a Divine Decree, a declarative statement of God's intention and power, which carries the weight of certainty and inevitability. The stark shift from the preceding verses of judgment and rebuke to this glorious declaration of joy creates a powerful Contrast, highlighting the radical nature of God's redemptive work and the profound difference between the old order of sin and suffering and the new order of divine blessing and delight.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Isaiah 65:18 stands as a profound theological statement on God's redemptive purpose and His ultimate plan for creation. It reveals a God who is not merely reactive to human sin but actively and sovereignly engaged in bringing about a glorious, new reality. The emphatic repetition of "I create" ties this future hope directly to God's original creative power, suggesting that the eschatological restoration is as fundamental, comprehensive, and complete as the initial act of bringing the cosmos into being. This divine initiative ensures the permanence, perfection, and unending nature of the promised joy. The transformation of Jerusalem from a place of sorrow, desolation, and judgment to the very embodiment of "rejoicing" signifies a complete reversal of the consequences of sin and brokenness, pointing to a future where God's presence brings unadulterated delight. This joy is not fleeting but "for ever," establishing an eternal state of blessedness for God's people within His renewed creation. The verse thus speaks to God's unwavering faithfulness, His omnipotent power to overcome all brokenness and suffering, and His ultimate desire for His people to experience unending communion and gladness in His presence.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Isaiah 65:18 offers immense spiritual nourishment and profound practical guidance for believers navigating the complexities of life in a fallen world. In an age often marked by pervasive sorrow, anxiety, and the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures, this verse anchors our hope in a divinely guaranteed future of eternal joy. It challenges us to lift our gaze beyond immediate circumstances and to cultivate an eschatological perspective, understanding that our ultimate destiny is not despair but perpetual gladness rooted in God's sovereign creative and redemptive work. This magnificent promise should empower us to endure present trials with resilient hope, knowing that any suffering is temporary and light compared to the everlasting joy God is preparing. Furthermore, it calls us to live with an anticipatory joy even now, recognizing that the "new creation" has already begun in Christ. Our present gladness, though imperfect and often mingled with sorrow, becomes a foretaste and a powerful testimony to the greater reality to come. It reminds us that our joy is not self-generated or dependent on external conditions, but a divine gift, flowing directly from God's sovereign initiative and His unwavering faithfulness to His promises. Therefore, we are encouraged to fix our eyes on the Creator, trusting in His power to transform all things and to bring about the fullness of joy He has promised.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the promise of God "creating" eternal joy reshape your perspective on current difficulties, sorrows, or disappointments in your life?
  • In what tangible ways can you begin to experience or express the "gladness and rejoicing" of God's new creation in your daily life, even before its full, ultimate realization?
  • How does the transformation of Jerusalem in this verse encourage you about God's ability to redeem and restore what seems broken, lost, or beyond hope in your own life, your community, or the world?

FAQ

Is this prophecy about a literal earthly Jerusalem or a spiritual one?

Answer: While the prophecy uses the literal name "Jerusalem," biblical scholars generally understand this vision to encompass both a literal and a spiritual fulfillment, with the spiritual being the ultimate and enduring reality. Historically, it offered profound hope to the post-exilic community for the restoration of their physical city and nation. However, the sweeping language of "new heavens and a new earth" in Isaiah 65:17 and the absolute, unending nature of the promised joy ("for ever") points beyond any temporary earthly restoration to an ultimate, eschatological reality. In the New Testament, this vision culminates in the New Jerusalem described in Revelation, which is both a heavenly city and a powerful symbol of God's perfected people dwelling in His presence. Therefore, it speaks to a transformed physical reality and, more profoundly, to a renewed spiritual community, where God's presence ensures everlasting joy.

How can we "rejoice for ever" if we still experience sorrow and suffering in this life?

Answer: The command and promise to "be ye glad and rejoice for ever" is primarily an eschatological imperative, pointing to the unending, unadulterated joy that will characterize God's new creation. While believers undeniably still experience sorrow, pain, and suffering in the present age, this verse provides the ultimate framework for our hope and the source of our present, albeit imperfect, joy. Our present gladness is often an anticipatory joy, rooted in the absolute certainty of God's promises and the accomplished work of Christ. The New Testament teaches that even in suffering, we can rejoice in hope, knowing that our trials produce perseverance, character, and ultimately, hope that does not put us to shame (Romans 5:3-5). This eschatological promise empowers us to view present difficulties through the lens of eternal hope, knowing that God will ultimately wipe away every tear and eradicate all sorrow (Revelation 21:4). Our present joy is a down payment and a foretaste of the full, unending joy that awaits us in the new heavens and new earth.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Isaiah 65:18 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who is the very embodiment and inaugurator of God's new creation. The "new heavens and a new earth" that God promises to create are initiated and made possible through Christ's sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, which conquered sin and death, making reconciliation with God possible (2 Corinthians 5:17). Through faith in Him, believers become "new creations," already participating in the life and joy of the age to come, being "created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus Himself is the promised source of true and lasting joy, assuring His disciples a joy that no one can take away, even amidst tribulation (John 16:22). The prophetic transformation of Jerusalem into "a rejoicing" and its people into "a joy" foreshadows the New Testament concept of the Church as the spiritual Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God's Spirit, filled with the joy of the Lord, a heavenly city to which believers have already come by faith (Hebrews 12:22-24). Ultimately, the promise of "rejoicing for ever" culminates in the glorious return of Christ and the establishment of the New Jerusalem, where God will dwell eternally with His people, and all sorrow, pain, and death will be no more, replaced by eternal, unadulterated joy in His glorious presence (Revelation 21:3-4). Thus, Christ is the means, the substance, and the ultimate destination of the everlasting joy promised in Isaiah.

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Commentary on Isaiah 65 verses 17–25

If these promises were in part fulfilled when the Jews, after their return out of captivity, were settled in peace in their own land and brought as it were into a new world, yet they were to have their full accomplishment in the gospel church, militant first and at length triumphant. The Jerusalem that is from above is free and is the mother of us all. In the graces and comforts which believers have in and from Christ we are to look for this new heaven and new earth. It is in the gospel that old things have passed away and all things have become new, and by it that those who are in Christ are new creatures, Co2 5:17. It was a mighty and happy change that was described Isa 65:16, that the former troubles were forgotten; but here it rises much higher: even the former world shall be forgotten and shall no more come into mind. Those that were converted to the Christian faith were so transported with the comforts of it that all the comforts they were before acquainted with became as nothing to them; not only their foregoing griefs, but their foregoing joys, were lost and swallowed up in this. The glorified saints will therefore have forgotten this world, because they will be entirely taken up with the other: For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. See how inexhaustible the divine power is; the same God that created one heaven and earth can create another. See how entire the happiness of the saints is; it shall be all of a piece; with the new heavens God will create them (if they have occasion for it to make them happy) a new earth too. The world is yours if you be Christ's, Co1 3:22. When God is reconciled to us, which gives us a new heaven, the creatures too are reconciled to us, which gives us a new earth. The future glory of the saints will be so entirely different from what they ever knew before that it may well be called new heavens and a new earth, Pe2 3:13. Behold, I make all things new, Rev 21:5.

I. There shall be new joys. For, 1. All the church's friends, and all that belong to her, shall rejoice (Isa 65:18): You shall be glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create. The new things which God creates in and by his gospel are and shall be matter of everlasting joy to all believers. My servants shall rejoice (Isa 65:13), at last they shall, though now they mourn. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 2. The church shall be the matter of their joy, so pleasant, so prosperous, shall her condition be: I create Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy. The church shall not only rejoice but be rejoiced in. Those that have sorrowed with the church shall rejoice with her. 3. The prosperity of the church shall be a rejoicing to God himself, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servants (Isa 65:19): I will rejoice in Jerusalem's joy, and will joy in my people; for in all their affliction he was afflicted. God will not only rejoice in the church's well-doing, but will himself rejoice to do her good and rest in his love to her, Zep 3:17. What God rejoices in it becomes us to rejoice in. 4. There shall be no allay of this joy, nor any alteration of this happy condition of the church: The voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her. If this relate to any state of the church in this life, it means no more than that the former occasions of grief shall not return, but God's people shall long enjoy an uninterrupted tranquillity. But in heaven it shall have a full accomplishment, in respect both of the perfection and the perpetuity of the promised joy; there all tears shall be wiped away.

II. There shall be new life, Isa 65:20. Untimely deaths by the sword or sickness shall be no more known as they have been, and by this means there shall be no more the voice of crying, Isa 65:19. When there shall be no more death there shall be no more sorrow, Rev 21:4. As death has reigned by sin, so life shall reign by righteousness, Rom 5:14, Rom 5:21. 1. Believers through Christ shall be satisfied with life, though it be ever so short on earth. If an infant end its days quickly, yet it shall not be reckoned to die untimely; for the shorter its life is the longer will its rest be. Though death reign over those that have not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, yet they, dying in the arms of Christ, the second Adam, and belonging to his kingdom, are not to be called infants of days, but even the child shall be reckoned to die a hundred years old, for he shall rise again at full age, shall rise to eternal life. Some understand it of children who in their childhood are so eminent for wisdom and grace, and by death nipped in the blossom, that they may be said to die a hundred years old. And, as for old men, it is promised that they shall fill their days with the fruits of righteousness, which they shall still bring forth in old age, to show that the Lord is upright, and then it is a good old age. An old man who is wise, and good, and useful, may truly be said to have filled his days. Old men who have their hearts upon the world have never filled their days, never have enough of this world, but would still continue longer in it. But that man dies old, and satur dierum - full of days, who, with Simeon, having seen God's salvation, desires now to depart in peace. 2. Unbelievers shall be unsatisfied and unhappy in life, though it be ever so long. The sinner, though he live to a hundred years old, shall be accursed. His living so long shall be no token to him of the divine favour and blessing, nor shall it be any shelter to him from the divine wrath and curse. The sentence he lies under will certainly be executed, and his long life is but a long reprieve; nay, it is itself a curse to him, for the longer he lives the more wrath he treasures up against the day of wrath and the more sins he will have to answer for. So that the matter is not great whether our lives on earth be long or short, but whether we live the lives of saints or the lives of sinners.

III. There shall be a new enjoyment of the comforts of life. Whereas before it was very uncertain and precarious, their enemies inhabited the houses which they built and ate the fruit of the trees which they planted, now it shall be otherwise; they shall build houses and inhabit them, shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them, Isa 65:21, Isa 65:22. Their intimates that the labour of their hands shall be blessed and be made to prosper; they shall gain what they aimed at, and what they have gained shall be preserved and secured to them; they shall enjoy it comfortably, and nothing shall embitter it to them, and they shall live to enjoy it long. Strangers shall not break in upon them, to expel them, and plant themselves in their room, as sometimes they have done: My elect shall wear out, or long enjoy, the work of their hands; it is honestly got, and it will wear well; it is the work of their hands, which they themselves have laboured for, and it is most comfortable to enjoy that, and not to eat the bread of idleness, or bread of deceit. If we have a heart to enjoy it, that is the gift of God's grace (Ecc 3:13); and, if we live to enjoy it long, it is the gift of God's providence, for that is here promised: As the days of a tree are the days of my people; as the days of an oak (Isa 6:13), whose substance is in it, though it cast its leaves; though it be stripped every winter, it recovers itself again, and lasts many ages; as the days of the tree of life; so the Septuagint. Christ is to them the tree of life, and in him believers enjoy all those spiritual comforts which are typified by the abundance of temporal blessings here promised; and it shall not be in the power of their enemies to deprive them of these blessings or disturb them in the enjoyment of them.

IV. There shall be a new generation rising up in their stead to inherit and enjoy these blessings (Isa 65:23): They shall not labour in vain, for they shall not only enjoy the work of their hands themselves, but they shall leave it with satisfaction to those that shall come after them, and not with such a melancholy prospect as Solomon did, Ecc 2:18, Ecc 2:19. They shall not beget and bring forth children for trouble; for they are themselves the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and there is a blessing entailed upon them by descent from their ancestors which their offspring with them shall partake of, and shall be, as well as they, the seed of the blessed of the Lord. They shall not bring forth for trouble; for, 1. God will make their children that rise up comforts to them; they shall have the joy of seeing them walk in the truth. 2. He will make the times that come after comfortable to their children. As they shall be good, so it shall be well with them; they shall not be brought forth to days of trouble; nor shall it ever be said, Blessed is the womb that bore not. In the gospel church Christ's name shall be borne up by a succession. A seed shall serve him (Psa 22:30), the seed of the blessed of the Lord.

V. There shall be a good correspondence between them and their God (Isa 65:24): Even before they call, I will answer. God will anticipate their prayers with the blessings of his goodness. David did but say, I will confess, and God forgave, Psa 32:5. The father of the prodigal met him in his return. While they are yet speaking, before they have finished their prayer, I will give them the thing they pray for, or the assurances and earnests of it. These are high expressions of God's readiness to hear prayer; and this appears much more in the grace of the gospel than it did under the law; we owe the comfort of it to the mediation of Christ as our advocate with the Father and are obliged in gratitude to give a ready ear to God's calls.

VI. There shall be a good correspondence between them and their neighbours (Isa 65:25): The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, as they did in Noah's ark. God's people, though they are as sheep in the midst of wolves, shall be safe and unhurt; for God will not so much break the power and tie the hands of their enemies as formerly, but he will turn their hearts, will alter their dispositions by his grace. When Paul, who had been a persecutor of the disciples (and who, being of the tribe of Benjamin, ravened as a wolf, Gen 49:27) joined himself to them and became one of them, then the wolf and the lamb fed together. So also when the enmity between Jews and Gentiles was slain, all hostilities ceased, and they fed together as one sheepfold under Christ the great Shepherd, Joh 10:16. The enemies of the church ceased to do the mischief they had done, and its members ceased to be so quarrelsome with and injurious to one another as they had been, so that there was none either from without or from within to hurt or destroy, none to disturb it, much less to ruin it, in all the holy mountain; as was promised, Isa 11:9. For, 1. Men shall be changed: The lion shall no more be a beast of prey, as perhaps he never would have been if sin had not entered, but shall eat straw like the bullock, shall know his owner, and his master's crib, as the ox does. When those that lived by spoil and rapine, and coveted to enrich themselves, right or wrong, are brought by the grace of God to accommodate themselves to their condition, to live by honest labour, and to be content with such things as they have - when those that stole steal no more, but work with their hands the thing that is good - then this is fulfilled, that the lion shall eat straw like the bullock. 2. Satan shall be chained, the dragon bound; for dust shall be the serpent's meat again. That great enemy, when he has been let loose, has glutted and regaled himself with the precious blood of saints, who by his instigation have been persecuted, and with the precious souls of sinners, who by his instigation have become persecutors and have ruined themselves for ever; but now he shall be confined to dust, according to the sentence, On thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat, Gen 3:14. All the enemies of God's church, that are subtle and venomous as serpents, shall be conquered and subdued, and be made to lick the dust, Christ shall reign as Zion's King till all the enemies of his kingdom be made his footstool, and theirs too. In the holy mountain above, and there only, shall this promise have its full accomplishment, that there shall be none to hurt nor destroy.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–25. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 13:15
Neither would it be congruous that in the city of Jerusalem and among the people of God, who will receive an eternal creation of exaltation and joy, there be heard any longer the voice of weeping and wailing, now that pain, sorrow and moaning have departed, for incompatible realities are surely unable to exist together.… In such a city, there is no difference in ages, as between the infant and the elderly, the young and the “old man who does not fulfill his days.” Instead, like children of the resurrection, all “attain to the perfect person, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” such that none will either lack or exceed the life span, nor will it be the case that some persons retain their strength while others fail with age and cease to be what they were. Everyone, moreover, will reach one hundred years of age, as did Abraham, who received the promise that he would have his son Isaac at one hundred. It is not necessary to recount the many praises of this particular number, lest our argument run too long. This alone will we say, that ten decades are squared and square forms possess strength.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 17, 18.) Because the former troubles have been forgotten and hidden from my eyes. For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. LXX: For they shall forget the affliction of the past, and it shall not come to mind. But there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, and they shall not remember the former things, nor shall they come to mind. But they shall find joy and exultation in it. The cause of joy and confession of the true God is that the eternal oblivion will follow the previous sorrows, so that they will not remember the idols and the former errors, but will pass from darkness to light, so that they may enjoy eternal blessedness. For they will forget the past evils, not by the forgetfulness of memory, but by the succession of good things, according to what is written: 'In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one side by side with the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.' (Eccles. 7:14). And elsewhere it is said: 'Affliction makes joy forgotten in an hour' (Eccles. 11:29): because while they are in distress, they will not enjoy the former pleasures, according to the mistaken mind of Epicurus. Although it can also be said, that in the new heaven and the new earth, all memory of previous conversations is erased, so that this very thing does not become a part of the evils, to recall the narrowness of the past. But those who believe that everything we see will perish interpret it according to the testimony of the Gospel: Heaven and earth will pass away (Matthew 24:35). And according to the testimony of the Apostle Paul: For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). Moreover, those who embrace change, improvement, and do not consider the destruction of elements to be a demise, use this example: In the beginning, you established the earth, O Lord, and the works of your hands are the heavens. They will perish, but you remain, and all of them will wear out like a garment, and you will change them like clothing, and they will be changed (Psalm 102:26-27). This clearly demonstrates a transformation for the better, not an annihilation into nothingness, but a change. For the scripture that is written in another place, 'The moon shall shine as the sun, and the sun shall receive sevenfold light' (Isaiah 30:26), does not indicate the destruction of the former things, but their transformation for the better. In order to understand this, let us consider examples from our own condition: when an infant grows into a child, and a child into a youth, and a youth into a man, and a man into an old man, each age does not perish completely. It is still the same person as before, but gradually changes and is said to have perished from its former state. What the intelligent and Apostle Paul said: For the figure of this world passeth away (1 Cor. VII, 31). Let us consider what he said: The figure passeth away, not the substance. Peter also signifies the same: For this they are willfully ignorant of: that the heavens were before, and the earth out of water, and through water, consisting by the word of God: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire (2 Pet. III, 5 seqq.): in what sense this is to be understood, he teaches afterwards: But we look for new heavens and a new earth, according to his promise (Ibid., 13): he did not say, we shall see other heavens and another earth, but the old and ancient ones changed for the better. We can say this also, that those who have turned away from idolatry and forsaken their former error, see new heavens and a new earth, not considering the elements as gods or as those things that are born from the earth. Now we confess that the heavens and the earth are the work of God's hands. But during that time, we worshipped as servants and creatures with reverence for God, which David also acknowledges in the psalm: 'I will see the heavens, the work of your fingers' (Psalm 8:4). Not that David did not see the heavens at that time when he said these things; but by each increase of virtues and knowledge of future things, he sees new heavens that he did not see before. But what is said at the end of this testimony: 'Which I create,' is omitted by the Septuagint.
Cyril of AlexandriaAD 444
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:6.65:18
Instead of the former affliction, the prophet says, “they shall find in her joy and exultation.” To what does “in her” refer? Without a doubt it can be said that it refers to the church of Christ. It must be noted that some commentators refer this passage not to the period of our earthly life but to the one that is to come after this present age. For the prophet says that the just will find joy and gladness and will enjoy endless delight, that is, spiritual delight, when this creation had been transformed and renewed. For one of the holy apostles said: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. But according to his promise we wait for new heaven and a new earth.” Choose, therefore, whichever of these interpretations appeals to you, the former or the latter. For one should not reject what brings benefit to us.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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