← All Chapters The Book of Isaiah · Chapter 66

Isaiah 66: All Flesh Shall Worship

God looks to the humble and contrite, gathers all nations to see his glory, and establishes a new creation that endures forever.

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Isaiah 66 (WEB)

1 Thus says Yahweh, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what kind of house will you build to me? and what place shall be my rest?

2 For all these things has my hand made, and so all these things came to be,” says Yahweh: “but to this man will I look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.

3 He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses 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, no one answered; when I spoke, they didn’t listen; but they did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I didn’t delight.”

5 Hear Yahweh’s word, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, ‘Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your joy;’ but it is those who shall be disappointed.

6 A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Yahweh that renders recompense to his enemies.

7 “Before she travailed, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a son.

8 Who has heard such a thing? who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she gave birth to her children.

9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says Yahweh: “shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God.

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her;

11 that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”

12 For thus says Yahweh, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and you will nurse. You will be carried on her side, and will be dandled on her knees.

13 As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

14 You will see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass: and the hand of Yahweh shall be known toward his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies.

15 For, behold, Yahweh will come with fire, and his chariots shall be like the whirlwind; to render his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

16 For by fire will Yahweh execute judgment, and by his sword, on all flesh; and the slain of Yahweh shall be many.

17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating pig’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says Yahweh.

18 “For I know their works and their thoughts: the time comes, that I will gather all nations and languages; and they shall come, and shall see my glory.

19 “I will set a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the islands afar off, who have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.

20 They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to Yahweh, on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahweh, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into Yahweh’s house.

21 Of them also will I take for priests and for Levites,” says Yahweh.

22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,” says Yahweh, “so your seed and your name shall remain.

23 It shall happen, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me,” says Yahweh.

24 “They shall go out, and look on the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

Summary

Isaiah's closing chapter sweeps from the throne of heaven to the gathering of the nations. God declares that heaven is his throne and earth his footstool, so no house humans build can contain him; what he looks to is the one who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at his word. He rejects empty, defiant worship, exposing those who go through religious motions while choosing their own abominable ways. He comforts those who tremble at his word and are hated by their own brothers, promising that their mockers will be put to shame. Then comes a startling image of sudden new birth: before she was in labor, Zion gives birth; a nation is born in a day. God, who brings to birth, will surely complete the delivery. He calls all who love Jerusalem to rejoice with her and be comforted at her breast, for he will extend peace to her like a river and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream, comforting his people as a mother comforts her child. He will come with fire to judge his enemies, but his greater purpose unfolds as he gathers all nations and tongues to see his glory, sending survivors to distant lands that have never heard his fame to declare his glory among the nations. From all peoples he will even take priests and Levites. The book ends with the promise that as the new heavens and new earth endure before him, so his people's name and offspring will endure, and all flesh will come to worship before him from one Sabbath to another—closing with a final, sober warning about the fate of those who rebel against him.

Voices

  • Yahweh (the LORD) — The God enthroned in heaven who looks to the humble and contrite, comforts his people like a mother, gathers all nations, and makes a new creation that endures.
  • The humble and contrite — Those who tremble at God's word and are hated for his name's sake, whom God regards, comforts, and vindicates.
  • All nations and tongues — The peoples gathered to see God's glory, among whom survivors are sent to declare his fame, so that all flesh comes to worship before him.

Key Verse

Isaiah 66:2 (WEB)

For all these things has my hand made, and so all these things came to be,” says Yahweh: “but to this man will I look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.

Lessons Learned

  • God is too great to be housed by anything we build, yet he draws near to the humble and contrite.
  • God treasures a heart that trembles at his word above outward religious display.
  • God comforts his people with the tenderness of a mother comforting her child.
  • God's purpose reaches all nations and tongues, that they may see his glory and worship him.
  • God looks to the humble and contrite. “But to this man will I look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66:2, WEB).
  • God comforts like a mother. “As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you” (Isaiah 66:13, WEB), extending peace like a river.
  • God gathers all nations to see his glory. “I will gather all nations and languages; and they shall come, and shall see my glory” (Isaiah 66:18, WEB).
  • God's new creation endures forever. “As the new heavens and the new earth… shall remain… so your seed and your name shall remain” (Isaiah 66:22, WEB).
  1. What kind of worshiper does God look to, according to verses 1-2?
  2. What is the meaning of the sudden birth imagery in verses 7-9?
  3. How does God describe the comfort he gives his people in verses 12-13?
  4. What is God's purpose in gathering all nations and sending out messengers (verses 18-21)?
  5. How does ending the whole book of Isaiah with a vision of all flesh worshiping God shape your hope?
  1. God looks not to grand temples or impressive offerings but to the one who is humble, contrite, and trembles at his word (66:1-2). What matters to him is a heart bowed low before him, not the scale of our religious efforts.
  2. The imagery pictures God bringing about a sudden, almost effortless new birth—a nation born in a day (66:7-9). It assures the people that what God begins he will surely complete; he does not bring to the point of birth without delivering.
  3. God promises to extend peace to his people like a river and to comfort them as a mother comforts her child (66:12-13). The tender maternal image reveals the gentleness and intimacy of God's care for those who are his.
  4. God gathers all nations and tongues to see his glory and sends survivors to distant peoples who have never heard of him, so they may declare his glory among the nations (66:18-19). His purpose is global worship, drawing even priests from among the nations.
  5. This is a personal-application question. Invite members to reflect on how Isaiah's grand finale—every nation worshiping the Lord—anchors their hope and mission. As leader, let the vision of all flesh worshiping God enlarge the group's view of his saving purpose.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.