Isaiah 66

Chapter 66

1 This is what the LORD says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?
Could you build me such a resting place?2 My hands have made both heaven and earth;
they and everything in them are mine.t
I, the LORD, have spoken!
“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,
who tremble at my word.3 But those who choose their own ways—
delighting in their detestable sins—
will not have their offerings accepted.
When such people sacrifice a bull,
it is no more acceptable than a human sacrifice.
When they sacrifice a lamb,
it’s as though they had sacrificed a dog!
When they bring an offering of grain,
they might as well offer the blood of a pig.
When they burn frankincense,
it’s as if they had blessed an idol.4 I will send them great trouble—
all the things they feared.
For when I called, they did not answer.
When I spoke, they did not listen.
They deliberately sinned before my very eyes
and chose to do what they know I despise.”5 Hear this message from the LORD,
all you who tremble at his words:
“Your own people hate you
and throw you out for being loyal to my name.
‘Let the LORD be honored!’ they scoff.
‘Be joyful in him!’
But they will be put to shame.6 What is all the commotion in the city?
What is that terrible noise from the Temple?
It is the voice of the LORD
taking vengeance against his enemies.7 “Before the birth pains even begin,
Jerusalem gives birth to a son.8 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’st birth pains begin,
her children will be born.9 Would I ever bring this nation to the point of birth
and then not deliver it?” asks the LORD.
“No! I would never keep this nation from being born,”
says your God.10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem!
Be glad with her, all you who love her
and all you who mourn for her.11 Drink deeply of her glory
even as an infant drinks at its mother’s comforting breasts.”12 This is what the LORD says:
“I will give Jerusalem a river of peace and prosperity.
The wealth of the nations will flow to her.
Her children will be nursed at her breasts,
carried in her arms, and held on her lap.13 I will comfort you there in Jerusalem
as a mother comforts her child.”14 When you see these things, your heart will rejoice.
You will flourish like the grass!
Everyone will see the LORD’s hand of blessing on his servants—
and his anger against his enemies.15 See, the LORD is coming with fire,
and his swift chariots roar like a whirlwind.
He will bring punishment with the fury of his anger
and the flaming fire of his hot rebuke.16 The LORD will punish the world by fire
and by his sword.
He will judge the earth,
and many will be killed by him.

17 “Those who ‘consecrate’ and ‘purify’ themselves in a sacred garden with its idol in the center—feasting on pork and rats and other detestable meats—will come to a terrible end,” says the LORD.
18 “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.19 I will perform a sign among them. And I will send those who survive to be messengers to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyanst and Lydianst (who are famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece,t 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.20 They will bring the remnant of your people back from every nation. They will bring them to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD. They will ride on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the LORD.

21 “And I will appoint some of them to be my priests and Levites. I, the LORD, have spoken!
22 “As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain,
so will you always be my people,
with a name that will never disappear,”
says the LORD.23 “All humanity will come to worship me
from week to week
and from month to month.24 And as they go out, they will see
the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me.
For the worms that devour them will never die,
and the fire that burns them will never go out.
All who pass by
will view them with utter horror.”

Isaiah 66

1 This is what the Lord says:
“The heavens are my throne
and the earth is my footstool.
Where then is the house you will build for me?
Where is the place where I will rest?

2 My hand made them;t
that is how they came to be,”t says the Lord.
I show special favort to the humble and contrite,
who respect what I have to say.t

3 The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man;t
the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck;ts
the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it;t
the one who offers incense also praises an idol.t
They have decided to behave this way;t
they enjoy these disgusting practices.t

4 So I will choose severe punishmentt for them;
I will bring on them what they dread,
because I called, and no one responded,
I spoke and they did not listen.
They did evil before me;t
they chose to do what displeases me.”

5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who respect what he has to say!t
Your countrymen,t who hate you
and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name,
say, “May the Lord be glorified,
then we will witness your joy.”t
But they will be put to shame.

6 The sound of battle comes from the city;
the sound comes from the temple!
It is the sound of the Lord paying back his enemies.

7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth!
Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!

8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen this?
Can a countryt be brought forth in one day?
Can a nation be born in a single moment?
Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!

9 “Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?”
asks the Lord.
“Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?”
asks your God.s

10 Be happy for Jerusalem
and rejoice with her, all you who love her!
Share in her great joy,
all you who have mourned over her!

11 Fort you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished;t
you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts.ts

12 For this is what the Lord says:
“Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river,
the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks.t
You will nurse from her breastt and be carried at her side;
you will play on her knees.

13 As a mother consoles a child,t
so I will console you,
and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”

14 When you see this, you will be happy,t
and you will be revived.t
The Lord will reveal his power to his servants
and his anger to his enemies.t

15 For look, the Lord comes with fire,
his chariots come like a windstorm,s
to reveal his raging anger,
his battle cry, and his flaming arrows.t

16 For the Lord judges all humanityt
with fire and his sword;
the Lord will kill many.t
17 “As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards,t those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like micet – they will all be destroyed together,”t says the Lord.18 “I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am comings to gather all the nations and ethnic groups;t they will come and witness my splendor.19 I will perform a mighty act among themt and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul,t Luds (known for its archerst), Tubal, Javan,s and to the distant coastlandst that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.20 They will bring back all your countryment from all the nations as an offering to the Lord. They will bring themt on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camelst to my holy hill Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the Israelites bring offerings to the Lord’s temple in ritually pure containers.21 And I will choose some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord.22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain.23 From one montht to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all peoplet will come to worship me,”t says the Lord.

24 “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die,t and the fire that consumes them will not die out.t All people will find the sight abhorrent.”ts