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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Isaiah 66: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Isaiah 66
66
1 #
Mt 5.34; Acts 7.49-50. Thus says the Lord:
“Heaven is my throne
and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house which you would build for me,
and what is the place of my rest?
2All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things are mine,#66.2 Gk Syr: Heb came to be
says the Lord.
But this is the man to whom I will look,
he that is humble and contrite in spirit,
and trembles at my word.
3“He who slaughters an ox is like him who kills a man;
he who sacrifices a lamb, like him who breaks a dog's neck;
he who presents a cereal offering, like him who offers swine's blood;
he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like him who blesses an idol.
These have chosen their own ways,
and their soul delights in their abominations;
4I also will choose affliction for them,
and bring their fears upon them;
because, when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke they did not listen;
but they did what was evil in my eyes,
and chose that in which I did not delight.”
5Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word:
“Your brethren who hate you
and cast you out for my name's sake
have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified,
that we may see your joy’;
but it is they who shall be put to shame.
6 #
Rev 16.1,17. “Hark, an uproar from the city!
A voice from the temple!
The voice of the Lord,
rendering recompense to his enemies!
7 #
Rev 12.5. “Before she was in labor
she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her
she was delivered of a son.
8Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?
For as soon as Zion was in labor
she brought forth her sons.
9Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth?
says the Lord;
shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?
says your God.
10“Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her;
11that you may suck and be satisfied
with her consoling breasts;
that you may drink deeply with delight
from the abundance of her glory.”
12For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will extend prosperity to her like a river,
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;
and you shall suck, you shall be carried upon her hip,
and dandled upon her knees.
13As one whom his mother comforts,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
your bones shall flourish like the grass;
and it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants,
and his indignation is against his enemies.
15“For behold, the Lord will come in fire,
and his chariots like the stormwind,
to render his anger in fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16For by fire will the Lord execute judgment,
and by his sword, upon all flesh;
and those slain by the Lord shall be many.
17“Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating swine's flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, says the Lord.
18“For I know#66.18 Gk Syr: Heb lacks know their works and their thoughts, and I am#66.18 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb it is coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, 19and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Put,#66.19 Gk: Heb Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. 20And they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their cereal offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.
22 #
Is 65.17; 2 Pet 3.13; Rev 21.1. “For as the new heavens and the new earth
which I will make
shall remain before me, says the Lord;
so shall your descendants and your name remain.
23From new moon to new moon,
and from sabbath to sabbath,
all flesh shall come to worship before me,
says the Lord.
24 #
Mk 9.48. “And they shall go forth and look on the dead bodies of the men that have rebelled against me; for their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America