Isaiah 66
66
True and False Worship
1#The Lord rejects the abuses associated with Temple worship in order to emphasize his concern for the sincere worshiper. Thus says the Lord:
The heavens are my throne,
the earth, my footstool.
What house can you build for me?
Where is the place of my rest?#2 Sm 7:4–7; 1 Kgs 8:27; Acts 7:49; 17:24.
2My hand made all these things
when all of them came to be—oracle of the Lord.
This is the one whom I approve:
the afflicted one, crushed in spirit,
who trembles at my word.#Ps 24:1–2.
3#The sacrificial abuses listed will only merit punishment. The true worshipers, the downtrodden, are those who “tremble” (vv. 2, 5) at God’s word. Although they are ridiculed by those who reject them (v. 5), the latter will be afflicted with divine punishment; their “choice” will be met by the Lord’s choice (v. 4). The one slaughtering an ox, striking a man,
sacrificing a lamb, breaking a dog’s neck,
Making an offering of pig’s blood,
burning incense, honoring an idol—
These have chosen their own ways,
and taken pleasure in their own abominations.#Lv 11:7.
4I in turn will choose affliction for them
and bring upon them what they fear.
Because when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, no one listened.
Because they did what was evil in my sight,
and things I do not delight in they chose,#Is 65:12; Prv 1:24; Jer 7:13.
5Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word!
Your kin who hate you
and cast you out because of my name say,
“May the Lord show his glory,
that we may see your joy”;
but they shall be put to shame.
6A voice roaring from the city,
a voice from the temple;
The voice of the Lord
rendering recompense to his enemies!#Jl 4:16; Am 1:2.
Blessings of Prosperity and Consolation
7#The renewal of Zion is pictured in terms of a miraculous, instantaneous birth, facilitated by God’s intervention. Before she is in labor,
she gives birth;#Is 49:18–21; 54:1.
Before her pangs come upon her,
she delivers a male child.
8Who ever heard of such a thing,
or who ever saw the like?
Can a land be brought forth in one day,
or a nation be born in a single moment?
Yet Zion was scarcely in labor
when she bore her children.
9Shall I bring a mother to the point of birth,
and yet not let her child be born? says the Lord.
Or shall I who bring to birth
yet close her womb? says your God.
10#The poet addresses the children born of Jerusalem, their mother. In v. 13 the metaphor switches to the Lord as mother (cf. 49:15), comforting her charges but destroying the enemies. Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her,
all you who love her;
Rejoice with her in her joy,
all you who mourn over her—#Tb 13:14.
11So that you may nurse and be satisfied
from her consoling breast;
That you may drink with delight
at her abundant breasts!
12For thus says the Lord:
I will spread prosperity over her like a river,
like an overflowing torrent,
the wealth of nations.
You shall nurse, carried in her arms,
cradled upon her knees;
13As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.#Is 40:1; 49:13.
14You will see and your heart shall exult,
and your bodies shall flourish like the grass;
The Lord’s power shall be revealed to his servants,
but to his enemies, his wrath.
15For see, the Lord will come in fire,
his chariots like the stormwind;
To wreak his anger in burning rage
and his rebuke in fiery flames.
16For with fire the Lord shall enter into judgment,
and, with his sword, against all flesh;
Those slain by the Lord shall be many.#Lv 11:29.
17#This verse seems to have some connection with 65:2–3. Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who stands within, eating pig’s flesh, abominable things, and mice, shall all together come to an end, with their deeds and purposes—oracle of the Lord.
God Gathers the Nations. 18#God summons the neighboring nations to Zion and from among them will send some to far distant lands to proclaim the divine glory. All your kin: Jews in exile. The “gathering of the people and the nations” is an eschatological motif common in the prophetic tradition; cf. 56:8. I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; they shall come and see my glory.#Is 56:1, 8; 59:20. 19I will place a sign among them; from them I will send survivors to the nations: to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands which have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory; and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations. 20They shall bring all your kin from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots, in carts, upon mules and dromedaries, to Jerusalem, my holy mountain, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the Lord.
22Just as the new heavens and the new earth
which I am making
Shall endure before me—oracle of the Lord—
so shall your descendants and your name endure.#Is 65:17; Rev 21:1.
23From new moon to new moon,
and from sabbath to sabbath,
All flesh shall come to worship
before me, says the Lord.#Is 1:13.
24#God’s enemies lie dead outside the walls of the New Jerusalem; just as in the past, corpses, filth and refuse lay in the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) outside the city; cf. 34:1–4; 2 Kgs 23:10. They shall go out and see the corpses#Is 1:27–28; Mk 9:45.
of the people who rebelled against me;
For their worm shall not die,
their fire shall not be extinguished;
and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Isaiah 66
66
1Yahweh says:
“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build to me?
Where will I rest?
2For my hand has made all these things,
and so all these things came to be,” says Yahweh:
“but I will look to this man,
even to he who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
and who trembles at my word.
3He 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.
4I 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.”
5Hear Yahweh’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 Yahweh be glorified,
that we may see your joy;’
but it is those who shall be disappointed.
6A voice of tumult from the city,
a voice from the temple,
a voice of Yahweh that repays his enemies what they deserve.
7“Before she travailed, she gave birth.
Before her pain came, she delivered a son.
8Who 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.
9Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says Yahweh.
“Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God.
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;
11that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts;
that you may drink deeply,
and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”
12For Yahweh 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.
13As one whom his mother comforts,
so I will comfort you.
You will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14You will see it, and your heart shall rejoice,
and your bones will flourish like the tender grass.
Yahweh’s hand will be known among his servants;
and he will have indignation against his enemies.
15For, behold, Yahweh 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.
16For Yahweh will execute judgment by fire and by his sword on all flesh;
and those slain by Yahweh will be many.
17“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, following one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says Yahweh.
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.
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. 20They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to Yahweh, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahweh, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into Yahweh’s house. 21Of them I will also select priests and Levites,” says Yahweh.
22“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,” says Yahweh, “so your offspring and your name shall remain. 23It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says Yahweh. 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.”
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