Isaiah
Chapter 66
1 God says, “The sky is my throne, and the earth is where I rest my feet. Where is the home you build for me? And where can I rest?”
2 God made all these things; they exist because of him. But I will pay attention to the person who is poor and has a humble spirit, who respects my words.
3 Whoever kills an ox is like someone who murders a person; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like someone who kills a dog; whoever presents a grain offering is like someone who offers pig blood; whoever burns incense is like someone who worships an idol. Indeed, they follow their own paths, and their souls enjoy their disgusting acts.
4 I will also pick the lies they believe and make their fears come true; because when I called, no one answered; when I talked, they didn’t listen. Instead, they did bad things in front of me and picked what I didn’t like.
5 Listen to God’s message, you who respect his word; your brothers who hated you and threw you out because of me said, “Let God be honored.” Yet he will show himself for your happiness, and they will feel shame.
6 A loud sound from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of God that gives payback to his enemies.
7 Before she had labor pains, she gave birth; before her pain started, she had a baby boy.
8 Has anyone heard of such a thing? Has anyone seen such things? Can the earth produce in one day? Or can a nation be born in a moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.
9 Will I let a baby be born and then not let it come out? asks God. Will I let it come out and then close the womb? asks your God.
10 Be happy with Jerusalem and celebrate with her, all who love her; be joyful with her, all who grieve for her.
11 So you can feed and be content with the comfort she gives; so you can nurse and be happy with how much she has to give.
12 For this is what God says: I will bring peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream: then you will nurse, be carried on her hip, and rocked on her knees.
13 Like a mother who comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 When you see this, your heart will be happy, and your bones will grow strong like a plant: and God’s support will be clear to his servants, and his anger to his enemies.
15 Look, God will come with fire, and with his chariots like a storm, to show his anger with intensity, and his correction with fire.
16 God will judge all people with fire and his sword, and many will be killed.
17 Those who try to make themselves pure by rituals in gardens, standing behind one particular tree, and eat pork, disgusting things, and mice, will be destroyed together, says God.
18 I know what they do and think. I will bring together all countries and languages; they will come and see my greatness.
19 I will put a sign among them, and I will send the survivors to different nations – to Tarshish, Pul, Lud, where they use bows, to Tubal and Javan, and to distant islands that have not heard of me or seen my power. They will tell the foreigners about my greatness.
20 They will bring all your brothers as a gift to God from every nation by horses, chariots, carts, mules, and fast animals to God’s holy mountain, Jerusalem, as God says, like the Israelites bring a gift in a clean container to God’s house.
21 I will select some of them to be priests and Levites, says God.
22 Just like the new heavens and the new earth that I will create will always be with me, says God, so will your children and your name always be.
23 Every month and every week, all people will come to worship before me, says God.
24 They will go out and see the dead bodies of those who sinned against me. The worms on them will not die, and the fire will not go out. Everyone will hate the sight of them.