Dawn over a calm sea seen from a high coast: far islands low and blue on the horizon, one small square sail out on the silver water.

New heavens and earth

Isaiah 66

Does God look for anything from you but a humble heart?

24 verses≈ 6 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–5Zion on trialJudah’s sin, the mountain raised, the vineyard’s song
6Holy, holy, holyIsaiah’s call, in the year King Uzziah died (about 740 BC)
7–12ImmanuelAhaz’s fear, the sign, the Child, the shoot of Jesse
13–23The nations judgedBabylon to Tyre: the LORD is Judge of all the earth
24–27The whole earthThe earth laid waste, and death swallowed up
28–35Woe and a KingEgypt’s help or the LORD’s, and the King in His beauty
36–39Hezekiah’s crisisSennacherib, 701 BC: the prayer, the sickness, the envoys
40–48Comfort My peopleTo the exiles ahead: Cyrus, the idols, the Servant
49–55The Servant and ZionPierced for our transgressions; Zion restored
56–66New heavens and earthA house of prayer, the Anointed One, all things newChapter 66

Heaven Is My Throne

God

God

This is what the LORD says:

“Heaven is My throne,

and earth is My footstool.

What kind of house will you build for Me?

Or where will My place of repose be?

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

God

Has not My hand made all these things?

And so they came into being,”

declares the LORD.

God

“This is the one I will esteem:

he who is humble and contrite in spirit,

who trembles at My word.

Isaiah 66:2

God

Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man;

whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;

whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood;

whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol.

Indeed, they have chosen their own ways

and delighted in their abominations.

So I will choose their punishment

and I will bring terror upon them,

because I called and no one answered,

I spoke and no one listened.

But they did evil in My sight

and chose that in which I did not delight.”

God

You who tremble at His word,

hear the word of the LORD:

“Your brothers who hate you

and exclude you because of My name

have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified

that we may see your joy!’

But they will be put to shame.”

Isaiah

Dusk over Jerusalem: a wild storm wind driving dark cloud low over the temple height, smoke and dust whipped through the lanes, a crowd far off in a square turning toward the height.

Hear the uproar from the city;

listen to the voice from the temple!

It is the voice of the LORD,

repaying His enemies what they deserve!

Question

Quick question

“Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me?”

Stephen quotes 66:1–2 to the council in Acts 7. What is his point?

Rejoice with Jerusalem

God

“Before she was in labor, she gave birth;

before she was in pain, she delivered a boy.

Who has heard of such as this?

Who has seen such things?

Can a country be born in a day

or a nation be delivered in an instant?

Yet as soon as Zion was in labor,

she gave birth to her children.

God

Shall I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it?”

says the LORD.

“Or will I who deliver close the womb?”

says your God.

Isaiah

Festival morning in a stepped lane of a rebuilt Jerusalem: families climbing toward the height with green branches and baskets of firstfruits, a boy with a small hand drum, old women laughing in a doorway.

Be glad for Jerusalem and rejoice over her,

all who love her.

Rejoice greatly with her,

all who mourn over her,

Isaiah

so that you may nurse and be satisfied

at her comforting breasts;

you may drink deeply and delight yourselves

in her glorious abundance.

God

Morning: a broad, full, calm river flowing between green banks of reeds and willows through a quiet valley, a small herd drinking far off.

For this is what the LORD says:

“I will extend peace to her like a river,

and the wealth of nations like a flowing stream;

you will nurse and be carried on her arm,

and bounced upon her knees.

As a mother comforts her son,

so will I comfort you,

and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”

0:18

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Isaiah

When you see, you will rejoice,

and you will flourish like grass;

then the hand of the LORD will be revealed to His servants,

but His wrath will be shown to His enemies.

Final Judgments against the Wicked

Isaiah

Night on a wide empty plain: a whirlwind of dust sweeping across it under black cloud, a long line of fire running through the dry grass before it.

For behold, the LORD will come with fire—

His chariots are like a whirlwind—

to execute His anger with fury

and His rebuke with flames of fire.

Isaiah

For by fire and by His sword,

the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh,

and many will be slain by the LORD.

God

“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves—to follow one in the center of those who eat the flesh of swine and vermin and rats—will perish together,” declares the LORD.

God

“And I, knowing their deeds and thoughts, am coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory.

God

God

I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

To the far islands

Survivors sent out from Jerusalem to the far edges of the world Israel knew, to peoples who had never heard of the LORD’s fame or seen His glory.

God

Morning on the road climbing to a rebuilt Jerusalem: a long mixed caravan of glad Judean families on mules, camels and wagons, led by men of other peoples, all coming up together.

And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the LORD on horses and chariots and wagons, on mules and camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the Israelites bring an offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.”

God

“And I will select some of them as priests and Levites,” says the LORD.

God

Morning on a stone road climbing a slope: travelers of different peoples walk up together, a Phoenician trader, an Egyptian in white linen, Moabite herdsmen and a Judean family, with a laden donkey, seen from behind and the side.

From one New Moon to another

and from one Sabbath to another,

all mankind will come to worship before Me,”

says the LORD.

God

“As they go forth, they will see the corpses

of the men who have rebelled against Me;

for their worm will never die,

their fire will never be quenched,

and they will be a horror

to all mankind.”

The book’s last word (66:1–24)

Whiteboard

Isaiah ends with every life before God: worship with all mankind, or rebellion and ruin. The door to worship stands open to every nation.

Pray

LORD, heaven is Your throne and earth Your footstool, yet You look to the humble who tremble at Your word. Make me that one. Comfort me as a mother comforts her son, send me to tell of Your glory, and keep me among those who worship before You forever. Amen.

You’ve experienced

Isaiah 66

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A verse to carry with you

This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.

Isaiah 66:2

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