Isaiah66
New King James Version
1Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?
2For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.
3“He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations,
4So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.”
5Hear the word of the Lord, You who tremble at His word: “Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, That we may see your joy.’ But they shall be ashamed.”
6The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord, Who fully repays His enemies!
7“Before she was in labor, she gave birth; Before her pain came, She delivered a male child.
8Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.
9Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord. “Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.
10“Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory.”
12For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees.
13As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies.
15For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many.
17“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.
18“For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.
19I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.
20Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.
21And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
22“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.
23And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
24“And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 66.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God looks at the heart, and vengeance is threatened for guilt. (1-4). The increase of the church, when Jew and Gentile shall be gathered to the Redeemer. (5-14). Every enemy of the church shall be destroyed, and the final ruin of ungodly men shall be seen. (15-24).
vv1-4
The Jews gloried much in their temple. But what satisfaction can the Eternal Mind take in a house made with men's hands? God has a heaven and an earth of his own making, and temples of man's making; but he overlooks them, that he may look with favour to him who is poor in spirit and serious, self-abasing and self-denying; whose heart truly sorrows for sin: such a heart is a living temple for God. The sacrifice of the wicked is not only unacceptable, but a great offence to God. And he that now offers a sacrifice after the law, does in effect set aside Christ's sacrifice. He that burns incense, puts contempt upon the incense of Christ's intercession, and is as if he blessed an idol. Men shall be deceived by the vain confidences with which they deceive themselves. Unbelieving hearts, and unpurified consciences, need no more to make them miserable, than to have their own fears brought upon them. Whatever men put in the place of the priesthood, atonement, and intercession of Christ, will be found hateful to God.
vv5-14
The prophet turns to those that trembled at God's word, to comfort and encourage them. The Lord will appear, to the joy of the humble believer, and to the confusion of hypocrites and persecutors. When the Spirit was poured out, and the gospel went forth from Zion, multitudes were converted in a little time. The word of God, especially his promises, and ordinances, are the consolations of the church. The true happiness of all Christians is increased by every convert brought to Christ. The gospel brings with it, wherever it is received in its power, such a river of peace, as will carry us to the ocean of boundless and endless bliss. Divine comforts reach the inward man; the joy of the Lord will be the strength of the believer. Both God's mercy and justice shall be manifested, and for ever magnified.
vv15-24
A prophetic declaration is given of the Lord's vengeance on all enemies of his church, especially that of all antichristian opposers of the gospel in the latter days. 19,20, set forth the abundance of means for conversion of sinners. These expressions are figurative, and express the plentiful and gracious helps for bringing God's elect home to Christ. All shall be welcome; and nothing shall be wanting for their assistance and encouragement. A gospel ministry shall be set up in the church; they would have solemn worship before the Lord. In the last verse the nature of the punishment of sinners in the world to come is represented. Then shall the righteous and wicked be separated. Our Saviour applies this to the everlasting misery and torment of impenitent sinners in the future state. To the honour of that free grace which thus distinguishes them, let the redeemed of the Lord, with humility, and not without holy trembling, sing triumphant songs. With this affecting representation of the opposite states of the righteous and wicked, characters which include the whole human race, Isaiah concludes his prophecies. May God grant, for Christ's sake, that our portion may be with those who fear and love his name, who cleave to his truths, and persevere in every good work, looking to receive from the Lord Jesus Christ the gracious invitation, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Key Words
כֹּה: properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
שָׁמַיִם: the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)
כִּסֵּא: properly, covered, i.e. a throne (as canopied)
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
בָּנָה: to build (literally and figuratively)
מָקוֹם: properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)
מְנוּחָה: repose or (adverbially) peacefully; figuratively, consolation (specifically, matrimony); hence (concretely) an abode
Cross References
Isaiah 66Stephen quotes verses 1-2 to show that the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Solomon's proverb serves as a direct commentary on the abhorrence of formal sacrifices by wicked people.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels God sending strong delusion on those who chose their own ways and did not believe.
Supported by JFB
Solomon's dedication prayer recognizes that heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain God.
Supported by JFB
Christ's first beatitude on the poor in spirit directly aligns with God looking to the contrite.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels God's dwelling with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit.
Supported by JFB
Verbatim verbal parallel regarding God calling with no answer and speaking with no hearing.
Supported by JFB
Parallel scoffing challenge of persecutors asking God to hasten his work and be glorified.
Supported by JFB
John's vision of the woman travailing and bringing forth a man child echoes Zion's sudden birth.
Supported by JFB
Paul uses the metaphor of offering the Gentiles as an acceptable sacrifice to God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfillment of the promise to take believers as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Earlier mention in Isaiah of the creation of the new heavens and new earth.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The final state where there is no physical temple, for the Lord is its temple.
Supported by JFB
Paul at Mars Hill declares that the Lord of heaven and earth dwells not in temples.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Josiah's tender, contrite heart and trembling at God's words exemplifying this spiritual template.
Supported by JFB
Mosaic law classifying the dog as unclean, highlighting the gravity of the comparison.
Supported by JFB
God's early rejection of formal, hypocritical ritual sacrifices without heart obedience.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Christ warns of excommunication and killing by those who think they do God service.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallel eschatological judgment of fire and plague upon those who fought against Jerusalem.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Direct parallel condemning those eating swine's flesh and abominable things in idolatrous gardens.
Supported by JFB