Isaiah 66

1 The Lord saith these things, Heaven is my seat, and the earth is the stool of my feet. Which is this house, which ye shall build to me, and which is this place of my rest? (The Lord saith these things, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is this House, which ye shall build for me, yea, where is this place for my rest?/where is my resting place?)

2 Mine hand made all these things, and all these things be made, saith the Lord; but to whom shall I behold, no but to a poor man and contrite in spirit, and greatly dreading my words? (My hands made all these things, and all these things be made, saith the Lord; but to whom shall I look upon, no but one who is poor, and contrite in spirit, and who greatly feareth my words/and who hath great reverence for my words.)

3 He that offereth an ox, is as he that slayeth a man; he that slayeth a sheep, is as he that braineth a dog; he that offereth an offering, is as he that offereth swine's blood; he that thinketh on incense, is as he that blesseth an idol (he who burneth incense, is like he who blesseth an idol); they choosed all these things in their ways, and their soul delighted in their abominations.

4 Wherefore and I shall choose the scornings of them, and I shall bring to them those things which they dreaded; for I called, and none there was that answered; I spake, and they heard not; and they did evil before mine eyes, and choosed those things, which I would not. (And so I shall choose those who be mocked by them, and I shall bring to them those things which they feared; for I called, and there was no one who answered; I spoke, and they did not listen; and they did evil before my eyes, and chose those things, which I would not choose/which I did not desire.)

5 Hear ye the word of the Lord, which quake at his word; your brethren hating you, and casting (you) away for (you bear) my name, said, The Lord be glorified, and (then) we shall see (you) in your gladness; forsooth they shall be shamed. (Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye who shake at his word; your kinsmen who hate you, and who cast you away for the sake of my name, have said, Let the Lord be glorified, and then we shall see you rejoice, or be happy; so it shall be, but they shall be shamed.)

6 The voice of the people from the city, the voice from the temple, the voice of the Lord yielding a reward to his enemies. (Those cries of the people from the city, those cries from the Temple, be the sound of the Lord yielding a reward, or requiting, unto his enemies.)

7 Before that she travailed of child, she childed; before that the sorrow of her childbearing came, she childed a son. (Before that she could go into labour, she gave birth; before that the pain of her labour began, she gave birth to a son.)

8 Who heard ever such a thing, and who saw a thing like this? Whether the earth shall travail of child in one day, either a folk shall be childed together? For why Zion travailed of child, and childed her sons. (Whoever heard of such a thing, and whoever saw something like this? Shall a whole country be born after just one day's labour, or shall an entire nation be born together? But Zion went into labour, and gave birth to her children all at once.)

9 Whether that I make others to bear child, (but) shall not bear child myself? saith the Lord. Whether I that give generation to other men, shall be barren? saith thy Lord God. (Shall I who let others give birth, not give birth myself? saith the Lord. Shall I who give children, or descendants, to others, be barren myself? saith the Lord thy God.)

10 Be ye glad with Jerusalem, and all ye that love that, make full out joy therein; all ye that mourn on that Jerusalem, make ye joy with it in joy; (Be ye happy with Jerusalem, and all ye who love that city, rejoice there; all ye who have mourned over Jerusalem, now make ye joy with it;)

11 that both ye suck, and be [ful]filled of the teats and comfort thereof (that ye may suck, and be fulfilled by the breasts that give comfort there), (and) that ye milk (out), and flow in delights, of all manner glory thereof.

12 For why the Lord saith these things, Lo! I shall bow down on it, as a flood of peace, and as a flowing stream, the glory of heathen men, which ye shall suck; ye shall be borne at teats, and (when they shall take you) on (their) knees, they shall speak pleasantly to you. (For the Lord saith these things, Lo! I shall bring peace upon it, like a river, and the wealth of the heathen, like a flowing stream; and this ye shall suck when ye shall be carried at the breast, and when they shall take you upon their knees, and they shall speak pleasantly to you.)

13 As if a mother speaketh fair to any child (Like when a mother speaketh softly to her child), so I shall comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

14 Ye shall see, and your heart shall have joy, and your bones shall burgeon as an herb. And the hand of the Lord shall be known in his servants, and he shall have indignation to his enemies. (Ye shall see, and your heart shall have joy, and your bones shall burgeon like the herbs. And the hand, or the power, of the Lord shall be known, or shall be seen, among his servants, and he shall have anger toward his enemies.)

15 For lo! the Lord shall come in fire, and as a whirlwind his chariots, to yield in indignation his strong vengeance, and his blaming in the flame of fire. (For lo! the Lord shall come in fire, and his chariots like a whirlwind, to yield his strong vengeance in anger, and his rebuke in the fiery flames.)

16 For why the Lord shall deem in fire, and in his sword to each flesh; and slain men of the Lord shall be multiplied, (For the Lord shall judge all flesh, or all the people, with fire, and with his sword; and many people shall be killed by the Lord,)

17 that were hallowed, and guessed them clean, in gardens after one gate within; that eat swine's flesh, and abomination, and a mouse, they shall be wasted together, saith the Lord. (yea, they who were hallowed, and thought themselves to be clean, yet who go into gardens one gate within, that be dedicated to idols; and who eat swine's flesh, and mice, and other abominations, they all shall be destroyed, saith the Lord.)

18 Forsooth I (shall) come to gather together the works of them, and the thoughts of them, with all folks and languages; and they shall come, and shall see my glory.

19 And I shall set a sign in them, and I shall send of them that be saved to heathen men, into the sea, into Africa, and into Lydia, and to them that hold [an] arrow, into Italy, and (into) Greek land, to isles far (off), (and) to them that heard not of me, and saw not my glory. And they shall tell (of) my glory to heathen men, (And I shall give them a sign, and I shall spare some of them, and send them to the heathen, yea, to Tarshish, and to Africa, and to Lydia, and to them who hold an arrow/to Meshek, and to Rosh, and to Italy, and to Greece, and to the islands afar off, and to those who have not heard of me, and have not seen my glory. And they shall tell of my glory to the heathen,)

20 and they shall bring all your brethren (out) of all folks (as) a gift to the Lord, in horses, and [in] chariots, and in litters, and in mules, and in carts, to mine holy hill, Jerusalem, saith the Lord; as if the sons of Israel bring a gift in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. (and they shall bring out all your kinsmen from all the nations as a gift to the Lord, on horses, and in chariots, and on litters, and on mules, and in carts, to my holy hill in Jerusalem, saith the Lord; like the Israelites bring a gift in a clean vessel into the House of the Lord.)

21 And I shall take of them into priests and deacons, saith the Lord. (And I shall make some of them to be priests and Levites, saith the Lord.)

22 For as new heavens and new earth, which I make to stand before me, saith the Lord, so your seed shall stand, and your name. (For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I shall make, shall stand before me, saith the Lord, so your children, or your descendants, and your name, shall also endure.)

23 And a month shall be of (a) month, and a sabbath of (a) sabbath; each man shall come for to worship before my face, saith the Lord (and everyone shall come to worship before me, saith the Lord).

24 And they shall go out, and shall see the carrions of men, that trespassed against me; the worm of them shall not die, and the fire of them shall not be quenched; and they shall be unto filling of sight to each man. (And they shall go out, and shall see the corpses of those, who trespassed against me; the worm of them shall not die, and the fire of them shall not be quenched; and they shall be loathed by all people.)

Isaiah 66 Commentary

Chapter 66

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)

Verses 1-4 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.

Verses 5-14 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.

Verses 15-24 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. Ver. ( isaiah 66:19-20 ) 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 66

This chapter treats of the same things as the former, the rejection of the unbelieving Jews, and the regard had to them that did believe; the conversion of that people in the latter day; the calling of the Gentiles, and the happy state of the church in the last times. The causes of the rejection of the Jews were their unworthy notions of God, as if he was confined to the temple of Jerusalem, and to be pleased with external sacrifices, now both at an end under the Gospel dispensation; a better sacrifice being offered, and a more spiritual worship set up everywhere; which notions are considered, Isa 66:1-3, and because they were set upon their ways and works, and rejected the Gospel of Christ, they are threatened with ruin, Isa 66:3,4 and the disciples of Christ, whom they excommunicated and persecuted, have a promise of divine appearance for them, while vengeance shall be taken on their enemies, their city and temple, Isa 66:5,6, nevertheless, in the latter day, there will be a large and sudden conversion of this nation of the Jews, which is signified by the birth of them, which will be matter of great joy to all the true lovers of the interest of Christ, Isa 66:7-11 and what will add to the prosperity, joy, and comfort of the church of Christ at this time, will be the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles, Isa 66:12-14 at which time the vials of God's wrath will be poured out upon antichrist and his followers, Isa 66:15-17 and the chapter is concluded with a fresh account of large conversions of men of all nations, and of the union of Jews and Gentiles in one church state, which shall long remain, and be undisturbed by enemies, who will be all slain, and their carcasses looked upon with contempt, Isa 66:18-24.