Old Testament Commentary - Isaiah 66

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
                    CHAPTER 66                     

At the Second Coming, Israel, as a nation, shall be born in a day; the wicked shall be destoryed; and the Gentiles shall hear the gospel.

  1 THUS saith the LORD, The heaven is my athrone, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
  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 acontrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
  3 aHe 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.
  4 I also will achoose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I bcalled, 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.
  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 aglorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
  6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.
  7 aBefore she btravailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
  8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one daya? 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.
  8a the earth be made to bring forth in one day What is being referenced here of the earth bringing forth in one day is that day of the Lord which is to come when the Lord gathers his people to be presented unto the Father, having their sins remitted in him in 'that day', the day of the Lord which is also referenced in the vision of Zechariah chapter 3 verse 9. (See the commentary on that chapter of Zechariah verse 9).
  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.
  12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her alike a river, and the glory of the bGentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
  13 As one whom his amother comforteth, so will I bcomfort you; and ye shall be ccomforted in Jerusalem.
  14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the ahand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
  15 For, behold, the LORD will come with afire, and with his bchariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
  16 For by fire and by his asword bwill the LORD cplead with all flesh: and the dslain of the LORD shall be many.
  17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the aabomination, and the bmouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
  18 For I aknow their aworks and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather call nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
  19 And I will set a asign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and bLud, 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 cdeclare my glory among the dGentiles.
  20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an aoffering 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 apriests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
  22 For as the anew heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your bseed 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 aworm shall not die, neither shall their bfire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.