Isaiah Chapter 66

From The Open Bible Project

66:1 Thus says Yahweh, "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what manner of house will you build to me? and what place shall be my rest?

• (a) My majesty is so great, that it fills both heaven and earth, and therefore cannot be included in a temple like an idol, condemning by this their main confidence which trusted in the temple and sacrifices.

66:2 For all these things has my hand made, and [so] all these things came to be," says Yahweh: "but to this man will I look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.

• (b) Seeing that both the temple and the things in it, with the sacrifices were made and done by his appointment, he shows that he has no need of it, and that he can be without them, See Geneva.
• (c) To him that is humble and pure in heart, who receives my doctrine with reverence and fear.

66:3 He 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:

• (d) Because the Jews thought themselves holy by offering their sacrifices, and in the mean season had neither faith or repentance, God shows that he no less detests these ceremonies than he does the sacrifices of the heathen, who offered men, dogs and swine to their idols, which things were expressly forbidden in the law.

66:4 I also will choose their delusions [punishments], and will bring their fears on them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear: but they did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I didn't delight."

• Jesus spoke to the Jew first, and because the Jewish authority did not listen, God punished them. -KC
• (e) I will discover their wickedness and hypocrisy, with which they think to blind my eyes to all the world.

66:5 Hear the word of Yahweh, 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 [put to shame].

• The "brothers" are the Jews who hated Jewish Christians. They would be put to shame. -KC
• (f) He encourages the faithful by promising to destroy their enemies, who pretended to be as brethren, but were hypocrites, and hated them that feared God.

66:6 A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Yahweh that renders recompense to his enemies.

• (g) The enemies will shortly hear a more terrible voice, even fire and slaughter, seeing they would not hear the gentle voice of the prophets, who called them to repentance.

66:7 "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she delivered a son.

• Compare Revelation 12:5. The Church is born. -KC
• (h) Meaning, that the restoration of the church would be so sudden and contrary to all men�s opinions as when a woman is delivered before she looked for it, and without pain in travail.

66:8 Who has heard such a thing? who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

• (i) This will pass the capacity of man to see such a multitude that will come up at once, meaning under the preaching of the gospel of which they who came out of Babylon were a sign.

66:9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth?" says Yahweh: "shall I who cause to bring forth shut [the womb]?" says your God.

• (k) Declaring by this that as by his power and providence women travailed and delivered so he gives power to bring forth the Church at his appointed time.

66:10 "Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her;

• Why should people be glad when they are mourning over her? They were mourning because Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70. But God says, be glad about it. Why? because HE created a NEW system, without sacrifices. Revelation speaks of people rejoicing when the harlot city was destroyed. -KC

66:11 that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory."

• (l) That is may rejoice for all the blessings that God bestows on his Church.

66:12 For thus says Yahweh, "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.

• (m) I will give her happiness and prosperity in great abundance.
• (n) Read (Isaiah 60:16).
• (o) You will be cherished as her dearly beloved children.

66:13 As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem."

66:14 You will see [it], and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass: and the hand of Yahweh shall be known toward his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies.

• (p) You will have new strength and new beauty.

66:15 For, behold, Yahweh will come with fire, and his chariots shall be like the whirlwind; to render his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

• God did come upon his enemy with fire upon the harlot city of Jerusalem. -KC
• (q) This vengeance God began to execute at the destruction of Babylon and has always continued it against the enemies of his Church, and will do till the last day, which will be the accomplishment of it.

66:16 For by fire will Yahweh execute judgment, and by his sword, on all flesh; and the slain of Yahweh shall be many.

66:17 "Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves [to go] to the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating pig's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together," says Yahweh.

• It is explicit that God will make an end to the Old Covenant by destroying the temple system. -KC
• (r) Meaning, the hypocrites.
• (s) By which are meant them that maliciously transgressed the law, by eating beasts forbidden, even to the mouse which nature abhors.

66:18 "For I [know] their works and their thoughts: [the time] comes, that I will gather all nations and languages; and they shall come, and shall see my glory.

• The "last trump" where God gathers all the nations. -KC
• (t) The Gentiles will be partakers of that glory, which before I showed to the Jews.

66:19 "I will set a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the islands afar off, who have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.

• (u) I will make these that I chose, that they perish not with the rest of the infidels: by which he alludes to the marking of the posts of his people, whom he preserved, (Exodus 12:7).
• (x) I will scatter the rest of the Jews, who escaped destruction, into various nations.
• (y) That is, Cecilia.
• (z) Meaning Africa.
• (a) That is Lydia, or Asia minor.
• (b) Signifying the Parthians.
• (c) Italy.
• (d) Greece.
• (e) Meaning, the apostles, disciples and others who he first chose of the Jews to preach to the Gentiles.

66:20 They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to Yahweh, on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahweh, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into the house of Yahweh.

• (f) That is the Gentiles, who by faith will be made the children of Abraham as you are.
• (g) By which he means that no necessary means will want, when God will call the Gentiles to the knowledge of the gospel.

66:21 Of them also will I take for priests [and] for Levites," says Yahweh.

• (h) That is, of the Gentiles, as he did Luke, Timothy and Titus first, and others after to preach his word.

66:22 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me," says Yahweh, "so your seed and your name shall remain.

• There is no end to the Kingdom of God in which we live. -KC
• (i) By this he signifies the kingdom of Christ in which his Church will be renewed, and where before there were appointed seasons to sacrifice in this there will be one continual Sabbath, so that all times and seasons will be meet.

66:23 It shall happen, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me," says Yahweh.

66:24 "They shall go forth, and look on the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they will be loathsome to all mankind."

• (k) As he who declared the happiness that will be within the Church for the comfort of the godly, so does he show what horrible calamity will come to the wicked, that are out of the Church.
• (l) Meaning, a continual torment of conscience, which will always gnaw them, and never permit them to be at rest, (Mark 9:44).
• (m) This is the just recompense for the wicked, who contemning God and his word, will be by God�s just judgments abhorred by all his creatures.