Study notes

Isaiah 66

Introducing IsaiahWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

54:1–66:24 Section

The last chapters in Isaiah described what would happen to people who did things God hated. God hated it when his people only acted as if they worshipped and obeyed him. But what they actually did was commit murder. They told lies and treated needy people badly. God hated it when people made evil plans and worshipped false gods. God longed for his people to stop sinning and to obey him. God described his longing like holding out his hands to welcome a stubborn nation.

God promised to bring judgement against his people for their sins. They would suffer and would be put to shame. He also invited them to change so that they could live. He described this like buying food and drink from him at a market. But God gave the food and drink for free. That showed how deeply God wanted them to turn back to him and be forgiven.

The last chapters in Isaiah also described what would happen to people who obeyed God. People who obeyed were humble, trusted God and wanted to be taught by him. They would be blessed and would be welcome in God’s house. That was another name for the temple. God promised to live with anyone who turns away from their sins. This promise applied to people from Jacob’s family line, to outsiders and to people from all nations. They would possess God’s holy mountain of Zion. This meant that they could live in the land where God ruled as King.

God described the light and brightness and new day of Jerusalem. He was talking about something more than the time when people returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. God described a completely new work that he would do. He would create new heavens and a new earth. In the new heavens and new earth, everyone would honour God. This was described as people from all over the world coming to Jerusalem. They would worship God there. This Jerusalem that God described would be full of joy. There would be no more crying. No one would cause harm or destroy anything or anyone. Everyone would do what was right and fair. God would do this new work when it was the right time.

Many years later Jesus said that God was starting that new work through him. Jesus used the words of Isaiah 61:1–2 to describe the work he was doing on earth (Luke 4:14–21). In Revelation, John also described the new heavens and new earth. The city where God ruled for ever as King was called the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1–5).

65:1–66:24

Here, the Lord responds to the prayer in Isaiah 63:7–64:12.

66:1

My throne … My footstool: God's kingdom extends over all creation (see Isaiah 40:22; Matthew 5:34–035).
house … place of repose: The entire universe is God's home, so humans cannot confine him to a building (see 1 Kings 8:27).
Stephen quoted Isaiah 66:1–2a in his final sermon (Acts 7:49–50).

66:2

God is pleased to live with people who are humble and have contrite hearts. A humble person does not think too highly of themselves. A contrite heart is a heart that is truly sorry for sin (Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 51:17).
who trembles at My word: The humble and contrite submit themselves to God’s will, but the proud resist it.

66:3

delighted in their abominations: This refers to pagan worship practices.
slaughters an ox … blesses an idol: Some wicked people offered sacrifices as the law of Moses required. But they continued to sin and worship idols. Because of this, their sacrifices were no better than pagan offerings in God’s sight (see Isaiah 1:11–17).

66:6

listen to the voice from the temple: This is similar to the situation in Ezekiel 9 when God's executioner began to destroy the wicked people of Jerusalem.
repaying His enemies what they deserve!: God would punish the members of his own people who refused to obey him. He would give them the judgment they deserved.
Because they continued in sin and rejected God, they had become his enemies.

66:7

in labor … delivered a boy: See Isaiah 9:6–7; 54:1–3.

66:8

Can a country be born in a day or a nation be delivered in an instant?: Zion is pictured as a woman giving birth to many children. This image shows that the city will quickly grow in population (see Isaiah 49:19–20; 54:1–3; compare 1:8–9).

66:9

The Lord promised that he would surely recreate his holy nation.

66:12

a river: The people who lost peace and prosperity during the exile in Babylon will receive it back in abundance (see Isaiah 48:18).

66:13

will I comfort you: Compare Isaiah 40:1.

66:14

flourish like grass: Contrast Isaiah 40:7; 64:6.
God's enemies included disobedient people from foreign nations and from within Israel (see Isaiah 61:2 and 66:6).

66:15–16

the Lord will come with fire: God will appear with furious judgment against his enemies (see Psalm 7:13). By contrast, he will reveal his glory to his people (see Isaiah 40:5, 10).
God will judge all creation as a part of the process of renewing the earth (see Isaiah 24:1–4; 65:17).

66:17

People who dedicate (consecrate) and cleanse (purify) themselves through idol worship are offensive to God (see Isaiah 1:28–31; 65:4).

66:18–23

When God reveals his glory to all people, the nations join in God’s plan of redemption. They can even serve as priests and Levites before him. The godly from all nations last from generation to generation as they serve the living God.

66:19

The sign announces God's glory to all nations (Isaiah 66:20). God will establish a righteous and faithful new people made up of godly Gentiles together with faithful Israelites (Revelation 15:3–4; see also Acts 2).

66:21

That some of the Gentiles would serve as priests and Levites shows the removal of God’s distinction between Hebrews and Gentiles (see Isaiah 56:7; see also Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 4:11–13).

66:22

will endure before Me: God's promise to Abraham was certain (Genesis 17:7; see also Galatians 3:8, 14).
your name will endure: The identity of this new people will last forever (see Isaiah 59:21).

66:24

Isaiah gives a final warning of the severity of God’s judgment. The book begins and ends with the condemnation of those who have rebelled (see Isaiah 1:2–4).
God's judgment on wicked people will cause extreme fear because they will have no hope or relief from suffering (see also Matthew 5:22; 25:41; Mark 9:47–48; Revelation 20:11–15).

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources