These two chapters from Isaiah are prophesying
quite a few things. The beginning of the age of the gentiles when
Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon conquered the nation of Israel. The transition from the first covenant age
to the second. Then the age after the age of the gentiles when the Roman
Empire was conquered in 1453 AD and all
the earthly promises of God were to begin to come to pass in the world. The
language used is highly illustrative that require the use of the
scripture as a whole to really understand. For the purposes of this
article the reader should focus on the general picture of wrath directed
at those who forsake Gods word and the promises that will be fulfilled
in their time and season to those who accept it.
Isaiah 65:1 I am sought of them that asked not
for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold
me, to a nation that was not called by my name. 2 I have spread out my
hands all the day to a rebellious people, which walks in a way that was
not good, after their own thoughts; 3 A people that provokes me to anger
continually to my face; that sacrifices in gardens, and burns incense on
altars of brick; 4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the
monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in
their vessels; 5 Which say, Stand by yourself, come not near to me; for
I am holier than you. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns
all the day. 6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence,
but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom, 7 Your
iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, said the LORD,
which have burned incense on the mountains, and blasphemed me on the
hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom. 8
Thus said the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one
said, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my
servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all. 9 And I will
bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my
mountains: and my elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell
there. 10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor
a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.
11 But you are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain,
that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering
to that number. 12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you
shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, you did not
answer; when I spoke, you did not hear; but did evil before my eyes, and
did choose that wherein I delighted not. 13 Therefore thus said the Lord
GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry: behold, my
servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty: behold, my servants
shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed: 14 Behold, my servants shall
sing for joy of heart, but you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall
howl for vexation of spirit. 15 And you shall leave your name for a
curse to my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay you, and call his
servants by another name: 16 That he who blesses himself in the earth
shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that swears in the earth
shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are
forgotten, and because they are hid from my eyes. New Heavens and Earth
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former
shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be you glad and
rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem
a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in
her, nor the voice of crying. 20 There shall be no more there an infant
of days, nor an old man that has not filled his days: for the child
shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years
old shall be accursed. 21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them;
and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall
not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat:
for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and my elect shall
long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, nor
bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the
LORD, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass, that
before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will
hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall
eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They
shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, said the LORD.
66:1Thus said the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my
footstool: where is the house that you build to me? and where is the
place of my rest? 2 For all those things has my hand made, and all those
things have been, said the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to
him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word. 3 He
that kills an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrifices a lamb, as
if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offers an oblation, as if he offered
swine's blood; he that burns incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yes,
they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their
abominations. 4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their
fears on them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke,
they did not hear: but they did evil before my eyes, and chose that in
which I delighted not. 5 Hear the word of the LORD, you that tremble at
his word; Your brothers 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. 6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice
from the temple, a voice of the LORD that renders recompense to his
enemies. Rejoice with Jerusalem 7 Before she travailed, she brought
forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. 8 Who has
heard such a thing? who has 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? said the LORD: shall I cause to
bring forth, and shut the womb? said your God. 10 Rejoice you with
Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her: rejoice for joy
with her, all you that mourn for her: 11 That you may suck, and be
satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that you may milk out,
and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 For thus said the
LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of
the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall you suck, you shall be
borne on her sides, and be dandled on her knees. 13 As one whom his
mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you shall be comforted in
Jerusalem. 14 And when you 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. God's
Final Judgments against the Wicked 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. 17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves
in the gardens behind one tree in the middle, eating swine's flesh, and
the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, said 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 to 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. 20 And they shall bring all your brothers for an offering
to the LORD out of all nations on horses, and in chariots, and in
litters, and on mules, and on swift beasts, to my holy mountain
Jerusalem, said 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, said the LORD. 22 For as the new
heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,
said 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, said the LORD. 24
And they shall go forth, and look on the carcasses 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 to all flesh.
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