Isaiah 66
66
God Will Judge All Nations
1This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is where I rest my feet.
So do you think you can build a house for me?
Do I need a place to rest?
2I am the one who made all things.
They are all here because I made them,” says the Lord.
“These are the people I care for:
the poor, humble people who obey my commands.
3Some people kill bulls as a sacrifice,
but they also beat people.
They kill sheep as a sacrifice,
but they also break the necks of dogs.
They offer up grain offerings,
but they also offer the blood of pigs.#66:3 dogs … pigs God did not want his people to offer dogs and pigs as sacrifices.
They burn incense,
but they also love their worthless idols.
They choose their own ways,
and they love their terrible idols.
4So I decided to use their own tricks.
I will punish them using what they are most afraid of.
I will do this because I called to them,
but they did not answer.
I spoke to them,
but they did not listen.
They did what I said is evil.
They chose to do what I did not like.”
5You who obey the Lord’s commands,
listen to what he says:
“Your brothers hated you.
They turned against you because you followed me.
Your brothers said, ‘When the Lord shows his glory,
then we will rejoice with you.’
But they will be punished.”
Punishment and a New Nation
6Listen! There is a loud noise coming from the city and from the Temple. It is the Lord punishing his enemies. He is giving them the punishment they deserve.
7-8“A woman does not give birth before she feels the pain. A woman must feel the pain of childbirth before she can see the boy she gives birth to. Who ever heard of such a thing? In the same way, no one ever saw a new world begin in one day. No one has ever heard of a new nation that began in one day. But when Zion feels the pain, she will give birth to her children. 9In the same way, I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born.”
The Lord says this: “I promise that if I cause you the pain of birth, I will not stop you from having your new nation.” Your God said this.
10Jerusalem and all her friends, be happy!
All of you who were sad for her, be happy and rejoice with her!
11Be happy that you will receive mercy
like milk coming from her breast.
Jerusalem’s “milk” will satisfy you!
You will drink it and enjoy her glory.
12This is what the Lord says:
“Look, I will give Jerusalem peace that will flow in like a river.
Wealth from all the nations will come flowing into her like a flood.
And like little babies, you will drink that ‘milk.’
I will hold you in my arms,
and bounce you on my knees.
13I will comfort you like a mother comforting her child.
You will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14When you see these things, you will be happy.
You will be free and grow like grass.
The Lord’s servants will see his power,
but his enemies will see his anger.
15Look, the Lord is coming with fire.
His armies are coming with clouds of dust.
He is angry,
and he will punish his enemies with flames.
16The Lord will judge the people
and will punish them with fire and his sword.
There will be many people killed by the Lord.
17The Lord says, “These are the people who wash themselves and make themselves pure so that they can go into their special gardens#66:17 special gardens Gardens where people worshiped false gods. to worship their idols. They follow each other into the gardens to eat meat from pigs, rats, and other dirty things. But they will all be destroyed together.
18“They have evil thoughts and do evil things, so I am coming to punish them. I will gather all nations and all people. Everyone will be gathered together to see my Glory.#66:18 my Glory See “glory” in the Word List. 19I will put a mark on some of the people. I will send some of these saved people to the nations of Tarshish, Libya,#66:19 Libya A country in North Africa, west of Egypt. Lud#66:19 Lud This country was probably in the country that is now western Turkey. (the land of archers), Tubal,#66:19 Tubal This country was probably in what is now eastern Turkey. Greece, and all the faraway lands. Those people have never heard my teachings. They have never seen my Glory. So the saved people will tell the nations about my glory. 20And they will bring all your brothers and sisters from those other nations to my holy mountain#66:20 my holy mountain This is probably Mount Zion, the mountain Jerusalem is built on. Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord. Your brothers and sisters will ride on horses, mules, camels, and in chariots and wagons. They will be like the gifts that the Israelites bring on clean plates to the Temple of the Lord. 21I will also choose some of these people to be priests and Levites.” The Lord himself said this.
The New Heavens and the New Earth
22The Lord says, “I will make a new world—new heavens and a new earth—that will last forever. In the same way, your names and your children will always be with me. 23Everyone will come to worship me on every worship day; they will come every Sabbath and every first day of the month.#66:23 first day of the month Literally, “new moon.” See “new moon” in the Word List. This is what I, the Lord, have said.
24“Whoever goes out of the city will see the dead bodies of those who sinned against me. The worms eating those bodies will never die, and the fires burning them will never go out. It will be horrible to anyone who sees it.”
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Yeshayah (Isaiah) 66
66
1Thus said יהוה, “The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is this house that you build for Me? And where is this place of My rest?
2“And all these My hand has made, and all these that exist,” declares יהוה. “Yet to such a one I look: on him who is poor and bruised of spirit, and who trembles at My Word.
3"But whoever slays the bull strikes a man; whoever slaughters the lamb breaks a dog’s neck; whoever brings a grain offering – pig’s blood; whoever burns incense blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways, and their being delights in their abominations.
4“I shall also choose their punishments, and bring their fears on them. Because I called, but no one answered. I spoke and they did not hear, and they did evil before My eyes, and chose what was displeasing to Me.”
5Hear the Word of יהוה, you who tremble at His Word, “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for My Name’s sake, said, ‘Let יהוה be esteemed, so that we see your joy.’ But they are put to shame.”
6“A roaring sound from the city, a voice from the Hĕḵal, the voice of יהוה, repaying His enemies!
7“Before she laboured, she gave birth; before a pain came to her, she was delivered of a male child.
8“Who has heard the like of this? Who has seen the like of these? Is a land brought forth in one day? Is a nation born at once? For as soon as Tsiyon laboured, she gave birth to her children.
9“Shall I bring to birth, and not give delivery?” says יהוה. “Shall I who give delivery restrain birth?” said your Elohim.
10“Rejoice with Yerushalayim, and be glad with her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn for her;
11so that you feed, and shall be satisfied with the breast of her comforts, so that you drink deeply, and shall delight yourselves in her overflowing esteem.”
12For thus said יהוה, “See, I am extending peace to her like a river, and the esteem of the nations like a flowing stream. And you shall feed; you shall be carried on the side, and be fondled on her knees.
13“As one whom his mother comforts, so I comfort you. And in Yerushalayim you are comforted.”
14“And you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones flourish as tender grass. And the hand of יהוה shall be known to His servants, and His displeasure to His enemies.
15“For look, יהוה comes with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His displeasure with burning, and His rebuke with flames of fire.
16“For by fire and by His sword יהוה shall judge all flesh, and the slain of יהוה shall be many –
17those who set themselves apart and cleanse themselves at the gardens after ‘one’ in the midst, eating flesh of pigs#See Isa. 65:4 and the abomination and the mouse, are snatched away, together,” declares יהוה.
18“And I, because of their works and their imaginations, am coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My esteem.
19“And I shall set a sign among them, and shall send some of those who escape to the nations – Tarshish and Pul and Luḏ, who draw the bow, and Tuḇal and Yawan, the coastlands afar off who have not heard My report nor seen My esteem. And they shall declare My esteem among the nations.
20“And they shall bring all your brothers as an offering to יהוה out of all the nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My set-apart mountain Yerushalayim,” declares יהוה, “as the children of Yisra’ĕl bring an offering in a clean vessel into the House of יהוה.
21“And from them too I shall take for priests – for Lĕwites,” declares יהוה.
22“For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me,” declares יהוה, “so your seed and your name shall stand.
23“And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath,#Possible meaning: Every week on the Sabbath. all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” declares יהוה.
24“And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me.#See Isa. 24:6; Isa. 34:2, 3; Psa. 110:6; Jer. 25:33 For their worm shall not die, and their fire not be quenched. And they shall be repulsive to all flesh!”
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