Isaiah 66

The LORD Comes in Judgment and Glory

1Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, and what place will be my resting place? 2My hand made all these things, and so all these things came to be, says the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: one who is poor and crushed in spirit and trembles at my word. 3The one who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a person;
the one who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
the one who presents a grain offering, like one who presents pig’s blood;
the one who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations. 4So I also will choose their delusions and bring upon them what they dread, because when I called, no one answered;
when I spoke, they did not listen. They did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in.”

5Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at the LORD’s word: “Your brothers who hate you and cast you out because of my name have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, so that we may see your joy!’ But they are the ones who will be put to shame.” 6A sound of tumult from the city! A sound from the temple! The sound of the LORD repaying enemies what is due. 7Before she was in labor, she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her, she delivered a son. 8Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen things like these? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth in one moment? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.

9“Will I bring to the point of birth and not cause delivery?” says the LORD. “Will I, who cause birth, close the womb?” says your God. 10Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her, 11so that you may nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breast, so that you may drink deeply and delight in the abundance of her glory. 12For thus says the LORD: “Look, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream. You will nurse;
you will be carried on the hip and bounced upon the knees.

13As one whom a mother comforts, so I will comfort you;
in Jerusalem you will be comforted. 14You will see, and your heart will rejoice;
your bones will flourish like new grass. The hand of the LORD will be known toward the LORD’s servants, and indignation toward the LORD’s enemies. 15For look, the LORD will come in fire, and the LORD’s chariots like the whirlwind, to render anger in fury and rebuke with flames of fire. 16For by fire the LORD will execute judgment, and by the LORD’s sword, upon all flesh;
and many will be those slain by the LORD.

17Those who sanctify and purify themselves to enter the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig flesh, the abomination, and the mouse, will come to an end together, says the LORD. 18For I know their works and their thoughts. The time is coming to gather all nations and languages;
they will come and see my glory. 19I will set a sign among them, and from them I will send survivors to the nations—to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, and to distant coastlands that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. They will declare my glory among the nations. 20They will bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations as an offering to the LORD—on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on dromedaries—to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, just as the people of Israel bring a grain offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.

21And from among them I will also take some as priests and Levites, says the LORD. 22For as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making will remain before me, says the LORD, so your offspring and your name will remain. 23From new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh will come to worship before me, says the LORD. 24They will go out and look upon the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched;
they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.