“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;
I was found by those who did not seek me.
To a nation that did not call on my name,
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’
All day long I have held out my hands
to an obstinate people,
who walk in ways not good,
pursuing their own imaginations—
a people who continually provoke me
to my very face,
offering sacrifices in gardens
and burning incense on altars of brick;
who sit among the graves
and spend their nights keeping secret vigil;
who eat the flesh of pigs,
and whose pots hold broth of impure meat;
who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me,
for I am too sacred for you!’
Such people are smoke in my nostrils,
a fire that keeps burning all day.
“See, it stands written before me:
I will not keep silent but will pay back in full;
I will pay it back into their laps—
both your sins and the sins of your ancestors,”
says the Lord.
“Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains
and defied me on the hills,
I will measure into their laps
the full payment for their former deeds.”
This is what the Lord says:
“As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes
and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it,
there is still a blessing in it,’
so will I do in behalf of my servants;
I will not destroy them all.
I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
and from Judah those who will possess my mountains;
my chosen people will inherit them,
and there will my servants live.
Sharon will become a pasture for flocks,
and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds,
for my people who seek me.
“But as for you who forsake the Lord
and forget my holy mountain,
who spread a table for Fortune
and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,
I will destine you for the sword,
and all of you will fall in the slaughter;
for I called but you did not answer,
I spoke but you did not listen.
You did evil in my sight
and chose what displeases me.”
Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“My servants will eat,
but you will go hungry;
my servants will drink,
but you will go thirsty;
my servants will rejoice,
but you will be put to shame.
My servants will sing
out of the joy of their hearts,
but you will cry out
from anguish of heart
and wail in brokenness of spirit.
You will leave your name
for my chosen ones to use in their curses;
the Sovereign Lord will put you to death,
but to his servants he will give another name.
Whoever invokes a blessing in the land
will do so by the one true God;
whoever takes an oath in the land
will swear by the one true God.
For the past troubles will be forgotten
and hidden from my eyes.
“See, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.
“Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;
the one who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.
They will build houses and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
No longer will they build houses and others live in them,
or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,
so will be the days of my people;
my chosen ones will long enjoy
the work of their hands.
They will not labor in vain,
nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,
they and their descendants with them.
Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
and dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.
- Isaiah 65:1-25
This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.
“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word.
But whoever sacrifices a bull
is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
is like one who presents pig’s blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense
is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,
and they delight in their abominations;
so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and will bring on them what they dread.
For when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil in my sight
and chose what displeases me.”
Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word:
“Your own people who hate you,
and exclude you because of my name, have said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
that we may see your joy!’
Yet they will be put to shame.
Hear that uproar from the city,
hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound of the Lord
repaying his enemies all they deserve.
“Before she goes into labor,
she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
she delivers a son.
Who has ever heard of such things?
Who has ever seen things like this?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
than she gives birth to her children.
Do I bring to the moment of birth
and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her.
For you will nurse and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance.”
For this is what the Lord says:
“I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes.
See, the Lord is coming with fire,
and his chariots are like a whirlwind;
he will bring down his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
For with fire and with his sword
the Lord will execute judgment on all people,
and many will be those slain by the Lord.
“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.
“And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.
“I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels. And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
- Isaiah 66:1-24
Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments
Isaiah 65:1-16 ‘Israel in the Plan of God’: “In 65:1-7, Isaiah describes the dispensation of grace, a period of time during which most of Israel has turned away from God and many Gentiles are coming to faith. Then in verses 8-16, Isaiah goes on to describe the Great Tribulation. In verses 8-12, he distinguishes between the destiny of the remnant and the non-remnant. Here the prophet describes how God will supply for the faithful remnant, whereas He will withhold provisions from those who are apostates. The passage makes it clear that apostates will be allowed to suffer and die, while the faithful remnant will receive divine protections and be given food and water. By this means the faithful remnant will be able to survive the persecutions and devastations of the Great Tribulation.”
- Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, Exploring Bible Prophecy
Isaiah 65:1 ‘not ask … not seek … not called.’: “Though Israel sought the Lord, they did so only superficially. They did not genuinely seek Him. The NT assigns an additional sense to these words in Romans 10:20, applying them to Gentiles who find Him through the work of His sovereign grace.”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 65:2 ‘I have stretched out … rebellious people’: “God had continually taken the initiative in inviting His people Israel to walk in His ways, but time after time they rebuffed Him. Using this verse, Paul concurred in citing the rebelliousness of his fellow Jews (Rom. 10:21).”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 65:6 ‘I will not keep silence’: “The Lord’s response to the prayer asking Him not to restrain Himself in granting deliverance (64:12) was that He will act in judgment, not deliverance, to punish sin (v. 7).”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 65:10 ‘Sharon … Valley of Achor’: “Sharon was the western, fertile territory on the Mediterranean coast, south of Mt. Carmel (35:2). The eastern Valley of Achor was near Jericho and the Jordan River (Josh. 7:24, 26). Together, they represented the whole land.”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 65:15 ‘your name as a curse … another name’: “Israel’s new name was intended to reflect her favored status among the nations (62:2-4). Delinquent Israelites, on the other hand, were to endure the reproach of men, so that the very name Jew would be disclaimed.”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 65:17-25 ‘Hew Heavens and Earth’: “In verses 17-25, Isaiah provides some details about the new heavens and new earth. While many believe this refers to the eternal order, these new heavens and new earth are not to be confused with those of Revelation 21-22. The latter describes the new heavens and new earth of the eternal order, while the Isaiah passage describes those of the messianic kingdom, which will actually be a renovation of the present heavens and earth. Those mentioned in Revelation are not a renovation, but a brand new order.”
- Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, Exploring Bible Prophecy
Isaiah 65:17-19 ‘rejoicing in God’s work in our lives’: “This passage, like the rest of Isaiah’s closing chapters, will have complete fulfillment in the latter days when Christ will come—when the whole company of his elect ones will have been gathered from throughout the world; when the whole creation will have been renewed; when new heavens and a new earth will be the product of the Savior’s power; when, forever and forever, perfected saints of God will behold his face and rejoice in him. I believe these verses actually describe the condition of the redeemed during the reign of Christ on the earth. But the work spoken of in the text has already begun among us. There is to be a literal new creation, but that new creation has already commenced. So I think that even now we ought to manifest a part of the joy. If we are called on to be glad and rejoice in the completion of the work, let us rejoice in the commencement of it as well. The Lord himself will rejoice. We who are in sympathy with him are exhorted and even commanded to be glad, so let us not be slack in this heavenly duty. People will never rejoice in God’s new work of creation while they are rejoicing in their own works and trusting in themselves and boasting their own merits. It is a sign of grace when a person is sick of self and is in harmony with God. People must stop rejoicing in what they can do and come to rejoice in what God has done and is doing. This shows that true change has occurred in someone’s life.”
- Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes
Isaiah 65:20 ‘No more shall an infant … Nor an old man’: “Long life will prevail in the millennial kingdom. In the temporal phase of the kingdom, death will happen, but not nearly so early as in the time of Isaiah. Sinner … accursed. In the millennial phase of Israel’s kingdom, a sinful person may die at age 100, but will be considered a mere youth at the time of his premature death. Having died an untimely death at such a youthful time, it will be assumed that God has taken his life for sin. The curse will be reversed in the Millennium, but it will not be removed until the eternal state (cf. Rev. 22:3).”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 65:23 ‘Nor … for trouble’: “Lit. this means ‘for sudden death.’ Subjects in the kingdom will enjoy freedom from ordinary misfortunes related to the premature death of infants. There will be the lowest infant mortality rate ever. Because of longer life (v. 20), this means the earth will be greatly populated at an exponential rate of reproduction. Cf. Revelation 20:7-9 where a massive collection of people at the end of the kingdom come against Christ.”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 66:1-6 ‘The Rebirth of Israel’: “Isaiah 66 :1-6 deals with the rejection of the Tribulation temple. Once the temple is rebuilt, the sacrificial system stipulated in the Mosaic law will be reinstituted. However, this temple receives no sanction from God. Isaiah speaks of a house or temple being built for God which He does not sanction. It cannot refer to Solomon’s temple or the temple built by Zerubbabel, because God sanctioned both of them. Nor can it refer to the millennial temple because that one will be built by Messiah, and God will certainly sanction it. Therefore, the only temple this could refer to is the Tribulation temple. So Isaiah foresees the building of a temple that God will not sanction. God wants Israel to return to Him in faith, not merely to build Him a house.”
- Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, Exploring Bible Prophecy
Isaiah 66:3 ‘as if he slays a man’: “God loathes even the sacrifices of the wicked (cf. Prov. 15:8; 28:9). They often killed children to offer in sacrifice (cf. Ezek. 23:39). Some of the Jews were offering bulls as sacrifices with the same emptiness in their hearts as the pagans offering ‘a man’ on the altar. breaks a dog’s neck. This refers to offering dogs in sacrifice, which, as unclean (Jer. 15:3; cf. 56:10, 11), are associated with swine (Matt. 7:6; 2 Pet. 2:22). To sacrifice a lamb with an attitude no different than if it were a dog betrayed the emptiness of the offerer. All of these images are meant to illustrate the shallow hypocrisy of a person who makes an offering to God, but with no more heartbrokenness than a pagan who kills a child, offers a dog, sacrifices pig’s blood, blesses an idol, and loves such abominations. God will judge such (v. 4).”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 66:5 ‘Your brethren who hated you’: “The apostate Israelites intensified their rivalry with the faithful remnant (65:11-15) and blasphemously said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified,’ words uttered in the sarcastic spirit of 5:19 by these apostates. In the end, ‘they shall be ashamed’ because God’s judgment will fall.”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 66:12 ‘peace … like a river’: “The picture is of abundant peace, like that of a tranquil stream (cf. 32:16-18; 48:18; contrast 8:6). A wadi filled with a never-ending, rushing torrent of water pictures the millennial wealth and prosperity of Israel, in contrast to their previous poverty among the Gentiles, like a normally dry, desert stream bed (cf 41:18; 43:20).”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 66:13 ‘God’s promise to all’: “The specific context of this verse and its relationship to the Jewish people are clear. We have never hesitated to assert our conviction that there are great blessings in store for God’s ancient Israel and that the day will come when Israel’s comfort will abound, when the glory of the Gentiles will flow to Israel like a flowing stream and that chosen nation will be comforted by God as one whom his mother comforts. But we believe that these passages are applicable to all the servants of God that the comforting passages of Scriptures are theirs, that whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, barbarian or Greek, we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gl 3:28). So I believe this passage belongs to every child of God. It is well that there is such a promise as this on record, for believers need comfort. The work of comforting his saints is not too low for God to be engaged in. He sometimes uses instruments, but all real comfort to a broken heart must come directly from God himself. He does not say, ‘l will send an angel to comfort you,’ but, ‘I will comfort you.’ It must be God’s work. He must do it, for when a soul is truly humbled, heavily laden, and broken in pieces by God’s hand, there is only one.”
- Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes
Isaiah 66:16 ‘the slain … many’: “The many who fight against the Lord when He comes to establish His kingdom will die (34:6, 7; Rev. 19:21).”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 66:19 ‘those … who escape’: “The faithful remnant of Israel is in view; they had escaped both the persecutions of their enemies and the judgment of God against those enemies (v. 16). Tarshish and Pul and Lud … Tubal and Javan. Tarshish was possibly in Spain, Pul and Lud in North Africa, Tubal in northeast Asia Minor, and Javan in Greece. These were representative Gentile populations that will hear of God’s glory through the faithful remnant.”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 66:24 ‘worm does not die … fire is not quenched’: “The corpses of those enduring everlasting torment will serve as a vivid reminder to the grievous nature and terrible consequences of rebellion against God.”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
Isaiah 66 ‘Reflections’: “God can deal ruthlessly with nations and men and men’s favorite religions and temples. There is no religious group or church organization in the world that God will not abandon if it ceases to fulfill His divine will. Ecclesiastical robes are not impressive enough or gold crosses heavy enough or titles long enough to save the church once she ceases to fulfill the will of God among sinful men who need the transforming news of Christ’s gospel.
“The God who raised them up in centuries past will turn away unless they continue to fulfill the gracious will of God, following on to know the Lord, walking humbly and meekly in faith and love. Crowds do not impress the Almighty. Size is not a significant matter with Him. He will turn His blessing to some small mission, to a simplehearted people somewhere whose greatest possession is the desire to love Him and obey Him.”
- A. W. Tozer, Tragedy in the Church
My Thoughts
Jesus makes the famous “Ask, Seek, and Knock” entreaty in Matthew 7:7, in the Sermon on the Mount. But the beginning of Isaiah 65 is God saying that without the asking, seeking, and knocking, God showed up for His people Israel, but they ignored Him. In fact, for much of these last two chapters, God speaks of ignoring Him as an abomination.
Have you had a strong-willed child or an employee who went out of their way to ignore you when you said something? With a child, you have to break through that barrier. With an employee, they will quickly cease to be employed. God has revealed Himself to the world, but somehow the world refused to see the signs, and they focus on what they, as humans, have built out of the materials God provided.
Beyond ignoring God and worshipping God falsely (ceremony for religion sake rather than having God in your heart), God’s chosen people defiled themselves and their land, building shrines to false gods. These people have been given a cursed name.
But those who stay true to God will be spared and given a new name. If there is any juice to be had in a bunch of grapes, God will preserve that juice and not totally destroy that bunch of grapes. Yet, while some will eat and drink, others will go hungry and thirsty. God will remember those who remain loyal and faithful.
In the millennial reign, people will live much longer than today, and with better health.
Isaiah 65 ends with an often-misquoted verse. The wolf will lie down with the lamb and the lion will eat grass like the ox.
In Isaiah 66, it starts with the false worshipping of God being like ignoring God, an abomination before God.
God then makes the analogy of a mother giving birth. God is like that mother, providing birth (life itself), providing comfort, and nurturing the child.
But while God will provide judgment to the ungodly, the prophet shows the End Times with all nations coming to Jerusalem to worship God.
The concept of the regions mentioned might mean the entire world, but from Revelation, much of the world will be destroyed during the tribulation. The maps will be rendered useless as the land masses will shift. Between the Great Tribulation and the wars that follow, the inhabited world may be reduced to those regions in a literal sense. And also, the modes of transportation might be reduced to chariots and wagons in a post-Apocalyptic world as envisioned in some Hollywood movies. But regardless of the mode of transportation, the nations will know that God had the victory and only God will be worshipped. That worship will be in the New Jerusalem.
Some Serendipitous Reflections
“Isaiah 65:1-16 Judgment and Salvation 1. When have you been so caught up with chasing after modern ‘idols’ that you have been unable to hear God calling you? What did it take for him to finally break through?
“2. What qualities mark the people who receive the curses pronounced by Isaiah? Where do you see that in evidence today? Or will this only be manifested in the distant future? Why do you think so?
“3. How can the promises of verses 13-16 become deeply enough ingrained in you to be of help when you feel spiritually hungry, thirsty and ashamed?
“4. In terms of ‘hide and seek’, do you see God in your own life as more the hider or the seeker? ls there any area in your life today where God is holding out his hands (v.2) or calling, ‘Here am I’ (v.1)? How will you respond?
“Isaiah 65:17-25 New Heaven and a New Earth 1. How does this new creation come into being for us (see 2 Co 5:17)? What will be the impact of this truth on our lifestyle (see 2 Pe 3:11-13)? What does this vision ultimately mean to us (see Rev 21:1-5)?
“2. Which of these New Testament applications of this heavenly vision especially strikes you now? Why?
“3. Try to picture your life without any of the causes or results of grief, sin and pain. What would that free you to do? How might this vision of what God will bring about affect the way you deal with the struggles you do face now?
“Isaiah 66: 1. ln your background, what religious traditions do you especially value: Communion? Certain holidays? Certain mode of baptism? Saying the creeds? Special type of ‘religious’ building? The Scriptures? Other: ? How important are these things to you now?
“2. How would you feel if you were suddenly (or asked by God) forced to stop practicing these traditions? How would you feel if, like the sons and daughters in this chapter, you were once again free to do so?
“3. When have you found yourself focusing on the forms of worship and missing the reality of what it’s all about? What is worship all about (vv.2-5)?
“4. What might help public worship become more in line with the ideal? How does your private worship compare to the ideal? What have you found helpful in cultivating a spirit of worship?
“5. Although normally God is pictured as a father, Isaiah has used feminine images to describe God (see also 31 :5; 42:14; 49:15). What does the picture of God as a mother tell you about the type of relationship God desires to have with you? What shades of meaning does it represent to you that seeing God as a father does not? In what way do you need to be drawn close and comforted by God as your mother now?
“6. What types of people do you find it hard to reach out to or care about? Why? What does the final vision (of the glory of God being declared among the nations) say to you about the loving purposes of God for those hard-to-love people? How might you reflect that love for them this week at home? ln your work place? In your church? In your community? What hope is held out to you that such efforts are not useless?”
- Lyman Coleman, et al, The NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups
Isaiah 65 is divided into two sets of questions as noted, and Isaiah 66 has one set of questions.
Substitute whatever group for any reference to a small group or ask who could come to your aid.
If you like these Thursday morning Bible studies, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Thursday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
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