The Book of the Prophet Isaiah 66 The Final Rejection of the Rebels

 The Book of the Prophet Isaiah 66

The Final Rejection of the Rebels

1 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? And what place will be my resting place?”

2 “For my hand made all these things, and all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

3 He who kills an ox is like one who strikes a man; he who sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; he who burns incense is like one who blesses an idol. They also have chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in their abominations.

4 I also will desire their delusions, and I will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, no one listened; But they did what seemed evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I had no pleasure.

5 Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake, say, “Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy”; but they shall be put to shame.

6 A voice of great tumult will come from the city, a voice from the temple, the voice of the Lord, who repays his enemies.

7 Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pains came, she delivered a son.

8 Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in a single day? Can a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet Zion was in labor and gave birth to her children.

9 “Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the Lord. “Shall I bring forth and shut the womb?” says your God.

10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her;

11 That you may nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breasts; that you may drink deeply and delight in the splendor of her glory.

12 For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; then you shall nurse, you shall be carried on her hip, and dandled on her knees.

13 As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

14 You shall see this, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like tender grass; then the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall be indignant against his enemies.”

15 For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

16 For with fire and with his sword the Lord will plead with all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

17 Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves in the gardens, one after another, those who eat 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; the time is coming when I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see my glory.

19 And I will set a sign among them, and those who escape from them I will send to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, archers, to Tubal and Javan, to the distant islands, which have not heard of my fame, nor seen my glory; And they will proclaim my glory among the nations.

20 And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the Lord, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain, Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their offerings in clean vessels to the house of the Lord.

21 And I will also take some of them to be priests and Levites, says the Lord.

22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will remain before me, says the Lord, so will your descendants and your name remain.

23 From one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me, says the Lord.

24 They will go out and look upon the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me; For their worm will never die, and their fire will never be quenched; they will be an abhorrent to all mankind.