Isaiah 65
65
God’s Righteous Judgment
1“I revealed myself to those
who didn’t even ask to know me.
Those who did not seek me found me. # 65:1 See Rom. 10:20–21.
I said to a nation that did not call on my name, # 65:1 See Matt. 21:42–43; 1 Peter 2:1–10.
‘Here I am! Here I am! I will help you!’
2Day after day I have graciously outstretched my hands # 65:2 There is at least a hint here of the outstretched hands of Jesus on the cross.
to a people who turned their backs to me,
whose way of life is corrupt,
who insist on going their own way. # 65:2 Or “after their own thoughts.” See Judg. 21:25; 2 Cor. 10:3–6.
3They are a people who continually insult me to my face.
They openly and defiantly offer sacrifices to their gods
in their sacred groves
and burn incense on pagan altars. # 65:3 Or “altars of bricks” or “[roof] tiles,” i.e., rooftops. See 2 Kings 23:12; Jer. 19:13; 32:29; Zeph. 1:5.
4They sit inside tombs
and spend the night in secret caves. # 65:4 Possibly to receive messages from the dead. The Hebrew meaning is uncertain.
They eat pork # 65:4 Pork was considered unclean according to Jewish dietary laws.
and their pots are polluted with the broth of unclean meat.
5They tell others,
‘Stay away! Don’t come near; I’m too holy for you to touch.’
These people are like a stench in my nostrils,
a smoldering fire that doesn’t go out!
6Their verdict is determined before me,
and I will not keep silent:
‘I will repay them for what they have done;
I will pay them back for what their sins deserve, # 65:6 Or “I will repay them into their laps.”
7for both their sins and the sins of their fathers.
Because they burned incense on the high places
and blasphemed me on the hills,
I will punish them severely, as their actions deserve,’ ”
says Yahweh.
A Chosen Remnant
8Here is what Yahweh says:
“As new wine is found in the cluster,
and someone says,
‘Don’t destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,’
that’s what I will do for my servants’ # 65:8 The “Servant” of the Lord is now plural “servants,” a term that is mentioned seven times in this chapter (vv. 8, 9, 13 [three times], 14, 15). One has become many (see Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 12:12–14; Heb. 2:6–13). sake.
I will not destroy them all.
9I will raise up offspring from Jacob
and from my chosen ones of Judah
to possess my mountains,
and my servants will settle there.
10For my people who seek me,
I will make the Plain of Sharon # 65:10 The Plain of Sharon extends north of the city of Joppa.
a pasture for flocks in the east,
and in the west, the Valley of Trouble # 65:10 Or “Valley of Achor,” commonly identified as Wadi el-Kelt, a deep ravine south of Jericho.
will be a resting place for cattle,
for my people who seek me and no other god.
11“But you who forsake Yahweh
and ignore my holy mountain,
who celebrate a feast for the goddess called Lady Luck # 65:11 Or “Gad,” the name of the Babylonian god of Fortune (Luck).
and fill cups of wine to toast the god Destiny, # 65:11 Or “Meni,” the name of the Babylonian god of Destiny.
know this: your luck has run out.
12For I will destine you for the sword!
You will all kneel down to be slaughtered like sheep
because when I called, you did not answer,
and when I spoke, you did not listen! # 65:12 See Prov. 1:24–33; Heb. 4:12–13.
You did evil before me and chose what I despise.”
13Therefore, this is what the Lord God 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.
14My servants will sing joyfully with hearts of gladness,
but you will cry out from the pain deep inside,
and wail from a broken heart.
15When you die, your name will become a curse
used by my chosen ones.
The Lord God will put you to death,
but his godly servants
will leave behind the legacy of an honorable name.
16For whoever pronounces a blessing on the earth
will do so in the name of the God of Faithfulness. # 65:16 Or “the God of Truth” or “the God of Amen.” See Gen. 12:2–3.
And whoever swears by an oath on the earth
will invoke the name of the God of Faithfulness.
The failures # 65:16 Or “troubles,” “emotional pain,” “guilt,” “anxieties,” “hardships,” “distresses,” or “tribulations.” of the past
will be forgotten;
they will be hidden from my eyes.”
The Kingdom of God
17“Look! I am creating
entirely new heavens and a new earth! # 65:17 See Isa. 66:22; 2 Peter 3:12–13; Rev. 21:1.
They will be so wonderful
that no one will even think about the old ones anymore!
18As you wait for the reality of what I am creating,
be filled with joy and unending gladness!
Look! I am ready to create Jerusalem
as a source of sheer joy,
and her people, an absolute delight!
19I will rejoice in this new Jerusalem
and find great delight in my people.
You will no longer hear
the sound of weeping or cries of distress.
20No baby will die in infancy there,
and everyone will live out their full lifespan. # 65:20 See Pss. 21:4; 91:16; Prov. 3:1–14.
For when centenarians die,
they will be considered youngsters,
and anyone who dies earlier
will be considered of no account.
21-22People will build their own houses to live in,
and they will not be taken over by someone else.
They will plant their own vineyards to enjoy, # 65:21–22 Or “eat [drink] their fruit.” The implication of these two verses is that foreign invaders will not take over the land.
and they will not be confiscated by someone else.
They will live long lives, like age-old trees, # 65:21–22 See Rev. 22:2.
and my chosen ones will enjoy to the fullest
the work of their hands throughout their lives.
23They will neither work in vain for someone else,
nor will their children face disaster
for they will be children # 65:23 Or “seed.” See Isa. 53:10. and grandchildren # 65:23 Or “descendants.”
who are blessed by Yahweh.
24Before they even call out to me,
I will answer them; # 65:24 See Isa. 30:19; Jer. 33:3; Matt. 6:8; John 16:23–24.
before they’ve finished telling me what they need,
I’ll have already heard.
25The wolf and the lamb will graze side by side, # 65:25 See Isa. 11:6.
and the lion will eat straw like the ox, # 65:25 See Isa. 11:7.
and the serpent’s food will be dust. # 65:25 See Gen. 3:14; 1 Cor. 15:47–49. Man was made from dust. The serpent feeds on whatever we withhold from God. The devil’s dining room is the fallen human nature and the minds of men who are not yielded to God. Over time, the serpent feeds and grows into the great dragon (see Rev. 12:9).
There will be neither violence nor murder
on my entire holy mountain of Zion,” says Yahweh.
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Isaiah 65: TPT
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