Isaiah 66

Isaiah 66:1-24 . THE HUMBLE COMFORTED, THE UNGODLY CONDEMNED, AT THE LORD'S APPEARING: JERUSALEM MADE A JOY ON EARTH.

This closing chapter is the summary of Isaiah's prophecies as to the last days, hence the similarity of its sentiments with what went before.

1. heaven . . . throne . . . where is . . . house . . . ye build--The same sentiment is expressed, as a precautionary proviso for the majesty of God in deigning to own any earthly temple as His, as if He could be circumscribed by space ( 1 Kings 8:27 ) in inaugurating the temple of stone; next, as to the temple of the Holy Ghost ( Acts 7:48 Acts 7:49 ); lastly here, as to "the tabernacle of God with men" ( Isaiah 2:2 Isaiah 2:3 , Ezekiel 43:4 Ezekiel 43:7 , Revelation 21:3 ).
where--rather, "what is this house that ye are building, &c.--what place is this for My rest?" [VITRINGA].

2. have been--namely, made by Me. Or, absolutely, were things made; and therefore belong to Me, the Creator [JEROME].
look--have regard.
poor--humble ( Isaiah 57:15 ).
trembleth at . . . word--( 2 Kings 22:11 2 Kings 22:19 , Ezra 9:4 ). The spiritual temple of the heart, though not superseding the outward place of worship, is God's favorite dwelling ( John 14:23 ). In the final state in heaven there shall be "no temple," but "the Lord God" Himself ( Revelation 21:22 ).

3. God loathes even the sacrifices of the wicked ( Isaiah 1:11 , Proverbs 15:8 , 28:9 ).
is as if--LOWTH not so well omits these words: "He that killeth an ox (presently after) murders a man" (as in Ezekiel 23:39 ). But the omission in the Hebrew of "is as if"--increases the force of the comparison. Human victims were often offered by the heathen.
dog's neck--an abomination according to the Jewish law ( Deuteronomy 23:18 ); perhaps made so, because dogs were venerated in Egypt. He does not honor this abomination by using the word "sacrifice," but uses the degrading term, "cut off a dog's neck" ( Exodus 13:13 , 34:20 ). Dogs as unclean are associated with swine ( Matthew 7:6 , 2 Peter 2:22 ).
oblation--unbloody: in antithesis to "swine's blood" ( Isaiah 65:4 ).
burneth--Hebrew, "he who offereth as a memorial oblation" ( Leviticus 2:2 ).
they have chosen--opposed to the two first clauses of Isaiah 66:4 : "as they have chosen their own ways, &c., so I will choose their delusions.

4. delusions--( 2 Thessalonians 2:11 ), answering to "their own ways" ( Isaiah 66:3 ; so Proverbs 1:31 ). However, the Hebrew means rather "vexations," "calamities," which also the parallelism to "fears" requires; "choose their calamities" means, "choose the calamities which they thought to escape by their own ways."
their fears--the things they feared, to avert which their idolatrous "abominations" ( Isaiah 66:3 ) were practised.
I called . . . none . . .
did . . . chose--not only did the evil deed, but did it deliberately as a matter of choice ( Romans 1:32 ). "They chose that in which I delighted not"; therefore, "I will choose" that in which they delight not, the "calamities" and "fears" which they were most anxious to avert.