Isaiah

Isaiah Chapter 66

• Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

God is so great and made all things. Where can we possibly find a place for God to dwell?

• Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Here is how to please God. To tremble at His word. I cringe at those who make light of the word of God. The Word is the Word and should be taken very seriously. It should be something we devour night and day like we do food for our bodies. The Word is food for our souls.

Those who are of a humble, contrite spirit also please the Lord. These are the types that recognize their need for God. They recognize their dependency upon Him and that they cannot possibly save themselves or make it on their own.

• Isaiah 66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

Those that God is grieved at are those that go ahead and make an outward religious show but have sin in their lives. Then their offerings are in vain. Those that choose their own ways instead of God's ways cannot please God. We need to depend upon God and yield to His word. The only way to know God's ways is to devour His word constantly. Those described in the above paragraph were making a sacrifice but not with all their hearts. Their heart just isn't in it. It had turned into a ritual.

• Isaiah 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

This is so sad. He called and they did not answer, He spoke and they did not hear. This is how the rebellious are. Without God's word abiding within us, we will automatically choose that which does not delight the Lord.

• Isaiah 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

We need to tremble at the word of God. Here the righteous are again addressed and given the assurance that they will be joyful and their enemies ashamed. God sees all things.

• Isaiah 66:6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompense to his enemies.

No matter how it seems now that evil prevails and the wicked rule. That will change. Those that love God and believe in Him will prevail in the end. Those that even now are being oppressed because they believe in Jesus Christ will rule the world. Be very careful how you treat someone who loves and believes in Jesus Christ.

• Isaiah 66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.

Some believe this man child is Jesus Christ and some believe that this is the rebirth of Israel in the last days.

• Isaiah 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
• 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
• 10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
• 11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

The nation of Israel was born at once in the latter days. She travailed almost as soon as she was born. Oppressors are still trying to take over the land that surrounds her.

Israel has always struggled to survive. Because of sin and rebellion she was broken off, but the nation was reborn in 1948. She continues to struggle with her enemies because she has not yet recognized her savior and Lord. Some bible scholars believe there will be one last final tribulation that will at last bring Israel to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as savior.

• Isaiah 66:12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

The time of Jacob's trouble will last only a short time and they will be delivered. God will at last bring peace and the Gentiles and Israel will abide in peace.

• Isaiah 66:13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
• 14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
• 15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
• 16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

God will bring vengeance upon the enemies of Israel. This will probably be at the battle of Armageddon.

• Isaiah 66:17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
• 18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that 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 I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

All former rebellion will end. Idolatry will cease.

• Isaiah 66:20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
• 21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
• 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
• 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
• 24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

The new heavens and the new earth are again mentioned here. The seed of Israel and also those Gentiles who have believed in the name of Jesus shall remain forever and reign as priest and kings with Jesus Christ. They will be able to see the carcasses of those that were their enemies in hell and everlasting punishment.

We have the chance to choose whose side we are on: Evil or good, God or the enemies of God. It is our choice. You may ask, How will I know what is right. There are so many religions, so many denominations and so many different beliefs. How do I know?

Study the word. Devour the word. Heed the word. If you seek the word with a heart that desires to know God, His spirit will guide you into all truth. You will know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

If you read the word just to find fault then you may or may not understand the truth. If you seek the word in honesty to find the Lord and learn of His ways, He will send His Holy Spirit to help you to understand and receive His salvation. We don't have to be lost. We don't have to sin. We don't have to go to hell and be lost forever. He made a way of salvation. Through Jesus Christ you can receive a new heart and a new Spirit. You can love those who hate you, you can do good instead of evil. Yes, you will make mistakes but they will not defeat you. You will get new desires and the old sinful desires become weaker and weaker. Old things pass away and all things become new.

When one becomes a true child of God, what will happen literally in the future at the coming of Christ will happen now in your innermost being. To be part of the new heaven and earth we must have the new birth, which can happen now, even today.

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. He loves you and wants to save you. It’s not His will that any should perish. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

-Dorna Chambers

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