1
Thus says the LORD:
Heaven is My throne,
and the earth is the footstool for My feet;
what house will you build for Me,
and what place will be My resting place?
2
Has not My hand made all these things,
and so all these things came to be? says the LORD.
But to this one I will look:
to the one who is afflicted and broken in spirit,
and who trembles at My word.
3
He who slaughters an ox also kills a man;
he who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck;
he who offers a grain offering also offers swine’s blood;
he who burns incense also worships an idol.
Therefore, since they have chosen their own ways,
and their soul delights in their detestable things,
4
so I also will choose to deal with them harshly
and bring upon them what they dread;
because when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, they did not listen,
but they did what was evil in My sight
and chose what I did not desire.
5
Hear the word of the LORD,
you who tremble at His word!
Your brothers, who hate you,
who cast you out because of My name,
have said, “Let the LORD show His glory,
that we may see your joy!”
But they shall be put to shame.
6
Listen, a sound of uproar from the city,
listen, it comes from the temple!
Listen, the LORD is bringing retribution
on His enemies!
7
Before she was in labor, she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her, she delivered a son.
8
Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Can a land be born in one day,
or a nation be brought forth at once?
Yet as soon as Zion was in labor,
she gave birth to her children.
9
Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause delivery? says the LORD.
Or shall I who cause delivery shut the womb? says your God.
10
Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
all you who love her!
Rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her!
11
so that you may nurse and be satisfied
from her comforting milk,
that you may drink deeply and delight
in her abundant breast.
12
For thus says the LORD:
Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;
you shall nurse, you shall be carried,
and you shall be dandled upon the knee.
13
As one whom his mother comforts,
so will I comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14
When you see this, your heart will rejoice,
and you will be like tender grass growing abundantly;
then the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,
and his indignation to his enemies.
15
For behold, the LORD will come with fire,
and his chariots like a whirlwind,
to render his anger with fury
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16
For the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh
by fire and by his sword,
and those slain by the LORD will be many.
17
Those who sanctify and purify themselves for the gardens,
following one in the midst,
who eat swine’s flesh
and abominable things and mice,
shall come to an end together, declares the LORD.
18
For I know their works and their thoughts,
and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues,
and they shall come and see my glory.
19
And I will set a sign among them,
and from them I will send survivors to the nations,
to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, to Meshech and Rosh, to Tubal and Javan,
to the distant coastlands that have not heard of me
and have not seen my glory,
and they shall declare my glory among the nations.
20
And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations
as an offering to the LORD, on horses and in chariots and in litters,
and on mules and on swift camels,
to my holy mountain, Jerusalem, says the LORD,
as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel
into the house of the LORD.
21
And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites,
says the LORD.
22
For as the new heavens and the new earth
that I make
shall remain before me, says the LORD,
so shall your offspring and your name remain.
23
From new moon to new moon,
and from Sabbath to Sabbath,
all flesh shall come to bow down
before me, says the LORD.
24
And they shall go out and look
on the corpses of the men who have rebelled against me.
For their worm shall not die,
and their fire shall not be quenched,
and they shall be an abhorrence
to all flesh.
👑🔥🕊️ Summary of Isaiah 66 – Final Judgment and New Glory for God’s People
Isaiah 66 is the great closing of the book of Isaiah — joining together the majesty of God, judgment on rebels, and the promise of everlasting glory for the faithful. God declares that He does not need man-made buildings, but a heart that is broken and trembles at His word. Then He promises the miraculous birth of a new nation, and the glory of God will be revealed to the whole world. In the end, all nations will come to worship God, but rebels will be judged forever.
📌 1. God Seeks an Obedient Heart, Not Ritual Alone (verses 1–4)
“Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool…”
- The Lord does not need a temple or offerings if the human heart is full of rebellion
- What the Lord seeks:
People who tremble at His word — who stand in awe of His word
- Empty worship and heartless ritual are regarded as an abomination
🎯 The Lord is not impressed by outward form — He sees the depth of the heart and obedience.
📌 2. Joy over the Birth of a New Nation (verses 5–9)
“Zion will bring forth her children in an instant…”
- A stirring picture: Jerusalem giving birth to a new people without pain —
Symbolizing God’s wondrous work in building His people
- Those who tremble at the Lord will rejoice,
But those who reject His word will be put to shame
🎯 The new nation (the true people of God) is born not by human effort, but by the power of the Lord.
📌 3. Restoration and Comfort Like That of a Mother (verses 10–14)
“I will comfort you as one is comforted by his mother…”
- The Lord promises to comfort and satisfy the new Jerusalem
- The servants of the Lord will see His hand and rejoice
- The enemies of the Lord will see His wrath and be brought low
🎯 In the midst of a harsh world, God’s comfort is like a mother’s embrace — gentle and full of love.
📌 4. Universal Judgment and Worship from All Nations (verses 15–24)
“The Lord comes with fire… to judge all mankind…”
- The Lord will judge the whole world
Those who defile themselves will perish
- Yet from every nation, the Lord will gather His true worshipers
Even taking from the nations to become priests and Levites
🎯 In the future, the whole earth will worship the Lord every new moon and Sabbath
📌 Finally:
“They will see the corpses of those who rebelled against Me…”
➡️ Final picture: an enduring contrast between the glory of God’s people and the lasting suffering of rebels
📖 Main Lessons
- The Lord seeks a heart that trembles at His word, not mere ritual
- True restoration is born from divine intervention, not human effort
- God’s people will be comforted like a child by a mother — God’s love is deeply personal and tender
- There will be global judgment, but also global worship
- The end of history is not chaos, but God’s peaceful and everlasting rule
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“God does not dwell in houses made by human hands…”
➡️ Stephen quotes Isaiah 66:1 to show that God is present through the Spirit, not through buildings
“You are the temple of God…”
➡️ The emphasis that believers are the dwelling place of God
“But you have come to Mount Zion… and the assembly of the firstborn…”
➡️ A picture of the spiritual New Jerusalem, a new people born by divine power
📖 Revelation 21:1–4, 22–27
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth… and the new city Jerusalem…”
➡️ The complete fulfillment of Isaiah 66’s promise — the glory of God shining over all creation
🎯 Isaiah 66 closes with warning and hope: there is eternal life in the glory of God, or eternal destruction for those who reject Him.
🕊️ “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool…” – Isaiah 66:1
🕊️ “But to this one I will look: to the one who is afflicted and broken in spirit…” – Isaiah 66:2
🕊️ “Zion will bring forth her children…” – Isaiah 66:8
🕊️ “I will comfort you as a mother comforts her child.” – Isaiah 66:13
🕊️ “From new moon to new moon… all flesh shall come to worship before Me.” – Isaiah 66:23
