Isaiah chapter 66
The LORD esteems humble people who love the Bible. The LORD judges the obligation-mindset. The LORD restores Jerusalem. The new heavens and the new earth.
THE LORD ESTEEMS HUMBLE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE BIBLE
VERSE 1. The LORD says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build to me? Where will I rest?
VERSE 2. For my hand has made all these things, and so all these things came to be,” says the LORD: “but I will look to this man, even to he who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.
NIV translation. Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
humble and contrite in spirit. These exact words were said of Mohandas K. Gandhi at his funeral:
Humility and a contrite spirit can be more powerful than empires.
trembles at my word. The LORD God blesses the person who trembles at the Scriptures.
In our day, some people “tremble” as they read the Bible.
THE LORD JUDGES THE OBLIGATION-MINDSET
VERSE 3. He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations:
VERSE 4. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears on them; because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they didn’t listen; but they did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I didn’t delight.”
when I spoke, they didn’t listen. The people had been dutifully carrying out their religious obligations. They offered sacrifice and kept the Law.
Yet their heart was not in it. They were not in love with the LORD God. Their worship was merely external.
In our day many Christians have an “obligation-mindset.” They dutifully fulfill their spiritual obligations. They attend their church and do whatever their leaders say.
Yet their heart is not in it. They are not in love with the Lord Jesus Christ. Their worship is merely external.
VERSE 5. Hear the LORD’s word, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy;’ but it is those who shall be disappointed.
Your brothers who hate you … have said. Godly people are being insulted for their godliness.
Matthew 5:11. Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
VERSE 6. A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that repays his enemies what they deserve.
THE LORD RESTORES JERUSALEM
VERSE 7. Before she travailed, she gave birth. Before her pain came, she delivered a son.
NLT translation. Before the birth pains even begin, Jerusalem gives birth to a son.
VERSE 8. Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she gave birth to her children.
NLT translation. Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem’s birth pains begin, her children will be born.
VERSE 9. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says the LORD. “Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God.
VERSE 10. “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her. Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her;
Rejoice with Jerusalem. How Jerusalem is doing is a major concern for those of us who love the LORD God.
be glad with her. We rejoice when Jerusalem does well.
all you who mourn over her. We weep tears when Jerusalem suffers.
VERSE 11. that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”
VERSE 12. For the LORD says, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you will nurse. You will be carried on her side, and will be dandled on her knees.
VERSE 13. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you. You will be comforted in Jerusalem.
You will be comforted in Jerusalem. Everything comes back to Jerusalem.
VERSE 14. You will see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones will flourish like the tender grass. The LORD’s hand will be known among his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies.
Universalis translation. You will see and your heart will rejoice, and your bones will flourish like living grass; the LORD’s power shall be known to his servants.
You will see. When we are in sync with the LORD Godʼs purposes and actions, we will be in on his blessings.
your heart will rejoice. Our hearts will be filled with joy.
your bones will flourish like living grass. Our body will experience full healing.
the LORD’s power shall be known to his servants. We will grow in the power of God.
VERSE 15. For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and his chariots will be like the whirlwind; to render his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
VERSE 16. For the LORD will execute judgment by fire and by his sword on all flesh; and those slain by the LORD will be many.
VERSE 17. “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, behind one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says the LORD.
VERSE 18. “For I know their works and their thoughts. The time comes that I will gather all nations and languages, and they will come, and will see my glory.
NLT translation. I can see what they are doing, and I know what they are thinking. So I will gather all nations and peoples together, and they will see my glory.
The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
all nations and languages. The LORD God will gather people from every nation and language.
see my glory. Jerusalem will be a great sign of the glory of the LORD God.
VERSE 19. “I will set a sign among them, and I will send those who escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to far-away islands, who have not heard my fame, nor have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.
NCV translation. I will put a mark on some of the people, and I will send some of these saved people to the nations: to Tarshish, Libya, Lud (the land of archers), Tubal, Greece, and all the faraway lands. These people have never heard about what I have done nor seen my glory. So the saved people will tell the nations about my glory.
NLT translation. I will perform a sign among them. And I will send those who survive to be messengers to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (who are famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to all the lands beyond the sea that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. There they will declare my glory to the nations.
I will send some of these saved people to the nations. The LORD God will send Jewish missionaries to evangelize the entire world.
the saved people will tell the nations about my glory. This is not an errand of good works. It is not an outreach of kindness or mercy.
No, this is a mission to speak.
They evangelize. They promote faith in the One God.
They are as filled with the power of God as the prophets of old.
Theirs is an evangelism greater than anything before. They will lead countless multitudes to faith and eternal salvation.
The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
VERSE 20. They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into the LORD’s house.
NASB translation. Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.
brethren from all the nations. These Jewish evangelists will win converts from every nation on earth.
The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
VERSE 21. Of them I will also select priests and Levites,” says the LORD.
priests and Levites. Some Christians say this text is speaking figuratively.
They imagine that when it uses Jewish words such as priest and Levite, it actually means “Christian minister.”
However, it it talking about Gentiles who become Jewish. And then become Jewish priests and Jewish Levites.
This is a Jewish evangelization.
The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH
VERSE 22. “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,” says the LORD, “so your offspring and your name shall remain.
Paul says when we are spiritually reborn, we become a “new” creation. But what does that mean? What does the evidence show us? Read more »
VERSE 23. It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says the LORD.
all flesh will come to give worship before me. That is, all of humanity.
This Jewish evangelism of the world impacts all of humanity.
Now everyone is invited to the table of the LORD God. All people everywhere can participate in the new wine.
The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
We Christians have great admiration for the Jewish people. Yet we have a proven history of treating them terribly. What is the right way forward? Read more »
VERSE 24. “They will go out, and look at the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me; for their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
next chapter »
(Jeremiah chapter 1)
ISAIAH
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66
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Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.