1I revealed (or manifested) Myself to those who did not look for Me; I have been found by those who were not seeking Me. I said, “Here I am, here I am!” to a nation that did not call on My name.
2All day long I have reached out My hands to an obstinate people that walk in evil ways, pursuing their own imaginations;
3A people that continually provoke Me to anger to My very face; that offer sacrifices in gardens, and burn incense upon altars of brick;
4That lurk among the graves and monuments, that eat swine's flesh, and whose pots contain broth of abominable (forbidden) meats;
5That say, “Stand back, do not come near to me; for I am holier than you”. These people are like smoke in My nose, a fire that burns all the day.
6Look, my decree is written out before Me; “I will not keep silent, but will pay them back in full,
7For the sins of both you and your ancestors”, says the LORD, “because they have defied Me and have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed Me upon the hills; I will return a full measure their former deeds into their lap”.
8Thus says the LORD: “Just as some good grapes are still found in the cluster of bad grapes, and people say, “Do not destroy it; for a blessing is still in it”; so will I do for My servants' sakes, that I will not destroy them all.
9And I will bring forth offspring out of Jacob, and out of Judah who will possess My mountains; and My chosen people shall inherit it, and My servants shall live there.
10And Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down and rest in, for My people that have sought Me.
11But as for you who forsake the LORD, that forget My holy mountain, that prepare a feast to honor the god of Fate, and a drink offering of mixed wine to Destiny.
12I will now ‘destine’ you to the sword, and you shall all fall before the slaughter; because when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen; but did evil before My very eyes, and deliberately chose that which displeases Me.
13Therefore, thus says the LORD God: “Behold, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed;
14My servants shall sing for the joy of their hearts, but you shall cry for the sorrow of your heart, and shall wail because of your anguish.
15And your name shall remain for My chosen ones to use as a curse; for the LORD God shall put you to death, but to His servants the LORD shall give another name,
16Whoever invokes a blessing in the land shall do so by the one true God, and he that takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth, because the former troubles will be forgotten, and because they are hidden from My eyes.
17For I will create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create; for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight, and its people a joy.
19And I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in My people; and the sound of weeping shall be no more heard in her.
20There shall no more be an infant in it in who only lives a few days, nor an old man that does not live out his years; for the one who shall die at a hundred years old shall be considered a mere child; but sinners that fail to reach the age of a hundred years shall be considered accursed.
21And they shall build houses, and live in them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22No longer shall they build houses, and someone else lives there; nor shall they plant, and someone else eats. For like the days of a tree shall be the days of My people, and My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23They shall not labor in vain, nor bear children destined for trouble; for they will be the people blessed by the LORD, and their descendants with them.
24And before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall neither hurt nor destroy on all My holy mountain,” says the LORD. [Here is a summary of Chapter 66 from “The Prophecies of Isaiah”, by Dr. Joseph Addison Alexander (1809-186), Princeton University] This chapter winds up the prophetic discourse by expressly predicting the change of dispensations, and describing the difference between the two. The major differences between the old and the new dispensations are summarized here: 1. God will no longer dwell in temples made with hands, v. 1. 2. Instead, He shall live within every sincere and humble heart, v. 2. 3. The ancient sacrifices, even though divinely instituted, will now be as hateful as pagan rites, v. 3. (This is partly because it is an affront, in view of Christ’s perfect and once-for-all final sacrifice for all sins.) 4. Those who still cling to the ritual of abolished sacrifices will be fearfully but righteously requited (punished), v. 4. 5. The true and faithful Israel, who were cast out by these deluded sinners, shall soon be glorified; and the carnal Israel shall be fearfully rewarded (punished), vs. 5, 6. 6. The ancient Zion can already be seen travailing through its transition to a new and glorious dispensation, vs. 7-9. 7. They who mourned for her seeming desolation will now rejoice in her prosperity and honor, vs. 10-14. 8. At the same time the carnal Israel shall be destroyed, as apostates and idolaters, vs. 14-17. 9. God knows their evil plans and deeds; and the place they once occupied shall now be filled by the elect from all nations, v. 18. 10. A remnant of the ancient Israel shall be sent out among the gentiles to gather these elect, v. 19. 11. These elect shall come from every quarter and by every method of conveyance, v. 20. 12. Some of these chosen people shall have the priestly honors bestowed upon them, v. 21. 13. This new dispensation is not to be temporary, as was the previous one, but shall last forever, v. 22. 14. While spiritual Israel is thus restored from all nations, its apostate counterpart shall be consumed by a lingering decay in full view of an astonished world, vs. 23, 24. The Lord rebukes (condemns) hypocrisy Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
    |