Isaiah 66

Heaven Is God’s Throne

1Thus says the Lord, “1Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a 2house you could build for Me? And where is a place that 3I may rest?2For 4My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and 5contrite of spirit, and who 6trembles at My word.

Hypocrisy Rebuked

3“But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers 7swine’s blood; He who 89burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol. As they have chosen their 10own ways, And their soul delights in their 11abominations,4So I will 12choose their 13punishments And will 14bring on them what they dread. Because I called, but 15no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen. And they did 16evil in My sight And chose that in which I did not delight.”5Hear the word of the Lord, you who 17tremble at His word: “Your brothers who 18hate you, who 19exclude you for My name’s sake, Have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy.’ But 20they will be put to shame.6A voice of uproar from the city, a voice from the temple, The voice of the Lord who is 21rendering recompense to His enemies.

7“Before she travailed, 22she brought forth; Before her pain came, 23she gave birth to a boy.824Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be 25born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.9Shall I bring to the point of birth and 26not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.

Joy in Jerusalem’s Future

10“Be 27joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who 28love her; Be exceedingly 29glad with her, all you who mourn over her,11That you may nurse and 30be satisfied with her comforting breasts, That you may suck and be delighted with her 31bountiful bosom.”12For thus says the Lord, “Behold, I extend 32peace to her like a river, And the 33glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; And you will 34be nursed, you will be 35carried on the 36hip and fondled on the knees.13As one whom his mother comforts, so I will 37comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”14Then you will 38see this, and your 39heart will be glad, And your 40bones will flourish like the new grass; And the 41hand of the Lord will be made known to His servants, But He will be 42indignant toward His enemies.15For behold, the Lord will come in 43fire And His 44chariots like the whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.16For the Lord will execute judgment by 45fire And by His 46sword on all flesh, And those slain by the Lord will be many.17“Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the 47gardens, 48Following one in the center, Who eat 49swine’s flesh, detestable things and mice, Will 50come to an end altogether,” declares the Lord.

18“For I 51know their works and their 52thoughts; 53the time is coming to 54gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. 19I will set a 55sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations: 56Tarshish, 57Put, 58Lud, 59Meshech, 60Tubal and 61Javan, to the distant 62coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will 63declare My glory among the nations. 20Then they shall 64bring 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 65holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a 66clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21I will also take some of them for 67priests and for Levites,” says the Lord.22“For just as the 68new heavens and the new earth Which I make will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “So your 69offspring and your 70name will endure.23And it shall be from 71new moon to new moon And from sabbath to sabbath, All 72mankind will come to 73bow down before Me,” says the Lord.24“Then they will go forth and look On the 74corpses of the men Who have 7576transgressed against Me. For their 77worm will not die 78And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an 79abhorrence to all 80mankind.”