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Isaiah 66:1

Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

2

For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

3

He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

4

I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

5

Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren 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 rendereth recompense to his enemies.

7

Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.

8

Who hath heard such a thing? who hath 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? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

10

Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

11

That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

12

For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

13

As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

14

And when ye 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.

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 midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith 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 unto 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 brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith 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, saith the LORD.

22

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith 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, saith the LORD.

24

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases 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 unto all flesh.

Isaiah 66:1

66:1 earth is my footstool. There is no mention here of stars, or other worlds. The heavens are the Lord’s, and men on earth are His primary interest and concern.

Isaiah 66:2

66:2 this man. Although God created the mighty cosmos, His heart is occupied with those who “trembleth at my word!” See Psalm 115:15-16.

Isaiah 66:22

66:22 I will make. God will both “create” (Isaiah 65:17) and “make” the new heavens and the new earth, just as He long ago both “created and made” the first heavens and earth (Genesis 2:3). This present earth and its atmospheric heaven must be purged by fire of all the age-long marks of sin and death (II Peter 3:10), and then will be made new (Revelation 21:5) by both the creative (i.e., calling into existence) and formative (i.e., building up into more complex existence) acts of our Creator and Maker.

Isaiah 66:22

66:22 remain. Unlike this present heavens and earth, which are “passing away” (Matthew 24:35) under the law of entropic decay, the new heavens and new earth will remain new eternally, for there will be no more decay and death in that world.

Isaiah 66:24

66:24 look upon the carcasses. The Lord Jesus used this terminology in describing the awful nature of eternal hell, the lake of fire (e.g., Mark 9:42-48), the ultimate fate of all who die without Christ (Revelation 20:11-15). This verse intimates that redeemed men and women will somehow be able to view the sufferings of the lost in that distant corner of the universe (which certainly cannot be on the new earth) in order to contemplate the magnificence of salvation. This probably will be only a one-time viewing, for soon “the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17).

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