Chapter Sixty-Six

The ideological connection of the new chapter with the preceding one consists in the fact that it likewise speaks of the renewed Zion and the new conditions of religious life in it. Theocratically educated Israel could not imagine itself without a temple. And consequently, from its perspective, it was more than natural to remember one’s temple and ask the prophet, what would become in the glorious Messianic kingdom of its chief national sanctuary—the Old Testament temple and all that was connected with it in ritual observance? Anticipating this perfectly legitimate question, the prophet begins his special discourse on the temple and the Mosaic cult. We cannot help but emphasize here also that in the view on the last subject (ritual law)—the present, concluding chapter remarkably coincides with what was said in the first, introductory chapter of the book of the prophet Isaiah, which brilliantly confirms the value and unity of its author, from the first page to the last.

1–4. Worship of God “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24), in connection with decisive condemnation of hypocritical ritualism. 5–14. The fulfillment of Divine promises concerning Zion and its spiritual joy. 15–24. The consequences of God’s dread judgment for the righteous and the sinful.

Isaiah 66:1. Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool; what is the house which you would build for Me, and what is the place of My rest? “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool... all these things My hand has made.” The ritualistic spirit of the Old Testament Jew, educated in the external observance of the Mosaic law, could not rise to the height of the spiritual and moral foundations of that law. Even in moments of relative fervor, he apparently sought only one external expression, dreaming as if to please God better with the most magnificent temple building or the most abundant and sumptuous sacrifice. Refuting this delusion, the Lord deigns through the prophet to show all the incongruity, all the futility and emptiness of such desires. In the same sense, but with even greater clarity, the book of the Acts of the Apostles comments on this place, first in the discourse of the deacon Stephen: “The Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands, as the prophet says” (Isa 66:1-2), and then in the discourse of the Apostle Paul, delivered by him in the Athenian Areopagus: “The God who made the world and everything in it, He, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples built by human hands, and He is not served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives all things life and breath and everything” (Acts 7:48 and Acts 17:24-25).

Isaiah 66:2. All these things My hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he that is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word. “But this is the one to whom I will look: he that is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word.” This is one of the most important passages in the book of the prophet Isaiah and throughout the entire Old Testament Bible: it clearly marks the height of “ethical monotheism” which the best representatives of biblical prophecy reached. From this it becomes evident that the Lord seeks from man not the external, often merely mechanical, observance of various ritual acts, but a deep internal disposition—humble contrition for sins and reverent bowing before His divine will. In these few words the prophet Isaiah powerfully and aptly depicted the contrast between boastful ritualism and humble contrition for sins, which was subsequently more vividly and in detail revealed by the Lord Himself in the well-known parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14). As once, pride and selfishness became the cause of man’s fall and separated him from God (Gen 3:5-6), so now only humility, repentance, and contrition for sins are able to attract God’s mercy to man again and reunite him with God. All these moods and thoughts have a series of parallels, both in the prophet Isaiah himself and in other prophets, especially in the Psalmist (Isa 29:19; Isa 64:5-6; Ps 50).

Isaiah 66:3. “He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers swine’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations; In these two verses is contained the most decisive condemnation of hypocritical and soulless ritualism, which instead of the sought justification before God brings only further condemnation. This passage, in its content and tone, is very reminiscent of a similar passage from the prologue of the book of the prophet Isaiah (Isa 1:11-15). The prophet spares no colors here to depict as powerfully as possible all the barrenness and even “abominableness” in the eyes of divine righteousness of such sacrifices: he either compares them with direct crimes, even with murder (“he who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man,” or puts on the same footing what was considered among the Hebrews as impious and vile (Deut 14:8; cf. Matt 7:6). “They have chosen their own ways,” and did not follow the path of God’s commandments, the proper observance of which required, first of all, an appropriate inner disposition, instead of which they possessed completely different, opposite thoughts and feelings. For all this the Lord pronounces His righteous judgment on the lawless, of which the following verse speaks.

Isaiah 66:4. I also will choose harsh treatment for them, and bring upon them what they fear; because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not desire. Isaiah 65:12. “So I will choose harsh treatment for them, and bring upon them what they fear.” The prophet uses here his beloved device—speaking in antithesis: insofar as you thought to find pleasure in such barren sacrifices, bordering almost on pagan “abominations,” so I will punish you, bringing upon you what is terrible to you. Somewhat enigmatic appears here the meaning of the words: “I will choose their delusion.” 81 Judging by the context, it is most correct here to understand “delusion” as that boastful, self-satisfied, haughty spirit in which all these false legalists who offered empty and even harmful sacrifices existed, lacking the inner, spiritualizing meaning. In that case the phrase “I will choose their delusion” will be equivalent to: “and in view of their sinful hardness, I will bring upon them what is terrible.” Under this latter, that is, what is “terrible,” one can understand either the internal state of spiritual deafness and blindness, in which Israel, hearing, did not hear and, seeing, did not see (which is mentioned in the subsequent context) or else—those external calamities which befell this people (which was discussed in the preceding context—Isaiah 65:12). Isa 66:5-14. A new section of prophetic discourse, encouraging those of the sons of Israel who remained faithful to the Lord and suffered for it from the reproach of their own countrymen who turned away from Him.

Isaiah 66:5. Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame. “Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word.” Comparing these words with the earlier (verse 2), we see that here the Lord addresses the righteous and faithful sons of Israel, devoid of the spirit of arrogance and pride, that has overcome the blinded majority of the people. “Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake.” A remarkable prophetic detail, that the first persecutors of new Christians were representatives of the old Judaism (Acts 6:12 and others.). To such confessors of Christ a high reward is promised even in the commandments of blessedness: “blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you and speak all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matt 5:11).

Isaiah 5:19. “Let the Lord be glorified, and we will see your joy.” Words of reproach and mockery directed at believers—the same words which Isaiah in chapter 5:19 had put in the mouths of lawless and unbelieving people in the beginning of his prophetic ministry: “Let the Lord... hasten and let us see it.” Those same words of unbelief coming from a cruel, serpentine heart (Matt 15:19), we hear from the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees... “let him come down from the cross, and we will believe in him” (Matt 27:42-43; Mark 15:29-33; Luke 23:35; Vlastov – 422). Isaiah 66:6. A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies! “But they will be put to shame. Behold... the voice from the temple, the voice of the Lord rendering recompense to His enemies.” Those who persecute the faithful to the Lord and His Messiah among the Jews and who mockingly made fun of them will be bitterly humiliated: the sign of the glory of the Lord, as a source of high spiritual joy, will indeed be given to the faithful sons of Israel and it will shame the mockers. The latter will suffer an even more severe direct punishment from the Lord, rendering recompense to His enemies, which is spoken of in more detail below (verses 15–18 and 24). In the words of this prophecy about the terrible noise in the city and the voice coming from the temple, Blessed Jerome and many other interpreters see a definite allusion to similar facts from the history of the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, as described by Josephus Flavius (Jewish War 6:5, 3.) and others.). The closest parallel to this passage are two verses from chapter 26—verses 11 and 21.

Isaiah 66:7. Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she was delivered of a son. Isaiah 66:8. “Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born all at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she brought forth her children. Isaiah 66:9. “Shall I bring to birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord; “or shall I who cause delivery shut the womb?” says your God. “Before she was in labor she gave birth... she was delivered of a son.” In the present and the two following verses is described the very sign which the Lord will give for the triumph of believers and for the shame of unbelievers: this is precisely the extraordinary speed of birth and the multitude of the appearance of the spiritual offspring of Zion. According to the ordinary laws of childbearing this process takes place painfully and for a long time; here, however, in one day, without almost any pain, Zion at once gives birth to an entire people. It is clear, of course, that this birth is not fleshly, but spiritual, birth by water and the Spirit (John 3:1-8). The fulfillment of this sign can be seen both in particular cases of conversion to Christianity of entire thousands of people under the influence of apostolic preaching (Acts 2:41 and others.), and in the general fact of the extraordinarily rapid and broad spread of Christianity. The significance of this image is especially strengthened when compared with the contrasting—formerly the fleshly Israel suffered greatly, but gave birth to nothing; now the spiritual Israel did not suffer, but gave birth to many sons (Isa 26:18). The prophet Isaiah has already had occasion to conduct extensive discourse on this multitudinous offspring in his book before (See for example, Isa 49:17-21 and Isa 54:1 and others.). Blessed Jerome draws attention to the circumstance that the prophet first speaks of the birth of only one Son (Isa 66:7), and then—of many sons, understanding the former as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and the latter—as all His followers.

Isaiah 66:10. “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; “Rejoice with Jerusalem... all who mourn over her.” About this spiritual joy of the renewed Zion, that is, the Church of Christ, the prophet Isaiah has spoken many times before and in the most vivid images (Isa 49:12-18; Isa 61:2-3; Isa 65:18 and others.). In this case, he considers it necessary to remind again of this, in order to impart the most effective comfort to the faithful sons of Israel, who were in a state of understandable sorrow, under the influence of all manner of mockery and direct persecution (verse 5). The further context of the discourse (verses 13–14) points directly to this purpose.

Isaiah 66:12. For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream.” All these images and thoughts represent a repetition of what was earlier scattered in parts in various places of the book of the prophet Isaiah, where a comparison of peace to a river was given (Isa 48:18) and a comparison of it to a flowing stream (Isa 30:28) was made, and where it was also said that the wealth and possessions of nations would be turned to the service of faithful Zion (Isa 60:5; Isa 61:6). New Testament testimonies that in Jerusalem, the city of peace, the peace of God with men was established, serve as the best justification of this prophecy (John 14:27 and others.).

Isaiah 66:13. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” Maternal love—the highest of all earthly attachments. And the poet not in vain said that he “alone in the world glimpsed holy sincere tears, those are the tears of poor mothers...” Here with this deep, strong and holy love the Lord compares His attitude toward faithful Israel. In another place we have already seen that He not only likens His relations to the feelings of a mother, but even places them above the latter (Isa 49:15).

Isaiah 66:14. And you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation to his enemies. “And you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like green grass.” The result of that comfort which the Lord imparts to all his faithful servants will be their high joy, which will embrace their entire being. The image of “flourishing bones” is especially typical for Old Testament biblical worldview: as during misfortunes and calamities the bones of man dry up and are ready to break (Ps 30:11; Ps 31:3), so on the contrary, in days of joy, well-being and prosperity they grow fat, become young, and as if flourish (Job 21:24; Prov 15:30; Isa 58:11). Isa 66:15-18. From verse 15 to verse 18 goes a section of discourse concerning the fate of unrepentant sinners, for whom the day of the revelation of the glory of the Lord to believers will be a day of the revelation of righteous, but dread divine judgment.

Isaiah 66:15. For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and His chariots like the whirlwind, to render His anger in fury, and His rebuke in flames of fire. “For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and His chariots like a whirlwind.” Fire is one of the most commonly used attributes of Old Testament theophanies. God “in fire” comes down on Sinai (Exod 19:18), in a pillar of cloud and fire He leads Israel through the wilderness (Exod 13:21-22), by means of heavenly fire consuming a sacrifice, He reveals His will to David (1 Chr 21:26), to Solomon (2 Chr 7:1). Not once did the prophet Isaiah, speaking of theophany, mention the accompanying “fire” (Isa 10:16-18; Isa 27:4; Isa 29:6; Isa 30:27; Isa 33:12-14 and others.). The New Testament writings also recognize the participation of fire as a symbol, or even as an agent of God’s dread judgment (2 Pet 3:7-10; 2 Thess 1:8 and others.). The mention of “chariots”—nothing other than an image taken from the custom of Eastern rulers to accompany themselves with cavalry and chariots, symbolizing the greatness and dread power of this dread judgment.

Isaiah 66:16. For by fire will the Lord execute judgment, and by his sword, on all flesh; and those slain by the Lord shall be many. “For the Lord will execute judgment with fire and with His sword.” “Sword” as a symbol of divine righteousness and punishment of sinners was encountered by the prophet Isaiah more than once before (Isa 27:1; Isa 34:5-6; Isa 42:13; Isa 52:10; Isa 59:17 and others.).

Isaiah 66:17. “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the Lord. A shortened repetition of what was spoken of more in detail above (Isa 65:3-7).

Isaiah 66:18. “For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, The beginning of this verse “For I know their works and their thoughts”—should more correctly be attributed to the end of the preceding one, as the concluding judgment of righteous divine judgment. But from the further words of verse 18: “and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues,” a new section of prophetic discourse should begin, in which is spoken of the calling of nations into the church of Christ and in general about its universal character.

Isaiah 66:19. “And I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations. “And I will set a sign among them, and send forth from them survivors to the nations: to Tarshish, Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands, who have not heard of Me and have not seen My glory.” Judging by the beginning of the verse, one might think that the discourse concerns all nations; but the further words of the text, especially the contrast of the persons spoken of with “the nations,” that is, the pagans, almost leave no doubt that by “the saved from them” are meant those who believed in the Messiah, Jews, and most directly—the apostles and disciples of the Lord, upon whom the lot of preaching both far and near, that is, to both Jews and pagans, fell. In that case, by “the sign” or mark of their distinctive ministry it is insufficient to understand only “the sign of the Cross”—a sign common to all Christians, but one should understand the “seal of apostolic ministry,” that is, those singular gifts of the Holy Spirit with which on the day of Holy Trinity the apostles were endowed (in particular, for example, the gift of tongues, which especially struck many and made them believe in Christ—Acts 2:12-13). “And I will send forth... to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul and Lud, to those who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the distant islands.” A whole series of given geographical and ethnographical terms. Since the prophet by these terms wanted to show the boundaries of the spread of the missionary preaching of the saved, the territories or nationalities designated by them should be sought, so to speak, on the very horizon of the prophet’s field of vision. “Tarshish”—in present-day Spain—is the extreme point in the West (Jonah 1:3; Isa 23:6; Isa 60:9). “Pul and Lud”—apparently extreme points in the South, and “Tubal and Javan”—the boundaries in the North. In particular, it should be noted that the ethnographical term “Pul,” apparently, is somewhat corrupted in the modern Hebrew-Russian text.82 The form “Put” found in the Greek-Slavonic translation should be considered more correct,83 and also in various other places of the Hebrew Bible (Gen 10:6). Judging by biblical usage, the terms “Put and Lud” denote territories adjacent to Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia, that is, lying in North Africa. According to the well-known ethnographical table of the Bible, “Put” and “Lud” are presented directly as one a brother, the other a son of “Mitsraim,” that is, the progenitor of the Egyptians (Gen 10:6). In that same table the two following names—“Tubal and Javan” are also mentioned as sons of Japheth (Gen 10:2). Relying on biblical parallels, it is commonly believed that by the term “Tubal” or “Thobal” should be understood the population of the northern part of the Asia Minor peninsula, or even the inhabitants of the modern Caucasus, related to the Georgians and Svans. By the name “Javan” most commentators incline to see either directly “Ionians,” or, in general, the population of Hellas and the Archipelago. “Distant islands”—an indefinite indication of remote and still unknown at that time nationalities and countries, which in the course of time will also become witnesses and participants in the glorious Messianic kingdom (cf. Num 24:24).

Isaiah 66:20. “And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. Verses 20–21 depict the brilliant results of the new missionary preaching, expressed in the wide and rapid influx of new members into the Church of Christ. “And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord... to My holy mountain, to Jerusalem.” Some exegetes are inclined to see here a prophecy of the return of the Jews from captivity among all the peoples to which they had come in the course of their political history (Dillmann etc.). But the context of the discourse more favors the view that here is spoken of the drawing into the Church of Christ of the “spiritual brothers” of Israel, that is, the best representatives from all pagan nations. It is evident that the prophet Isaiah here already beholds in fulfillment that which he prophesied at the beginning of his book, saying; “and many peoples will come and say, come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob... For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord—out of Jerusalem” (Isa 2:3; see also Isa 49:12; Isa 61:6-7; Isa 60:3). With such understanding of this passage, the calling of Christians from pagans “brothers,” that is, by that very name by which first Christians called one another, becomes especially remarkable (Acts 15:23 and others.). Just as the Israelites bring their grain offering to the house of the Lord in a clean vessel. In the Old Testament pagans and everything pagan were considered unclean and, as such, could not, of course, be the subject of an acceptable sacrifice. Now, however, with respect to pagan-Christians this prohibition loses its force: on the contrary, they, as first-fruits having known God, represent a clean and well-pleasing sacrifice. A beautiful New Testament commentary on this view can be provided by the account in the Acts of the Apostles of the well-known vision of the Apostle Peter (Acts 10:9-31). In particular, the comparison or, more precisely, the likening of the persons spoken of to the “sons of Israel” indirectly confirms the justice of the opinion that the discourse above was not about the sons of Israel, even if they had returned from captivity, but about something entirely different, that is, converted pagans. This is confirmed by the further words of the next verse with even more clarity.

Isaiah 66:21. “And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord. “And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.” Throughout the Old Testament period the privilege of priesthood belonged only to one tribe—the Levite. Now, however, in those New Testament times which are open to the prophet’s view, access to hierarchical ministry is given to all worthy, not only from among all converted Jews, but also from among baptized pagans. The fulfillment of this prophecy can be seen, for example, in the words of the Apostle Peter: “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood... once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people” (1 Pet 2:9-10).

Isaiah 66:22. “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. “For just as the new heavens and the new earth which I create will always stand before Me, says the Lord, so will your seed and your name stand.” The new conditions of life of the New Covenant church, among which many of the former privileges of the Jewish people will disappear, and which will as if renew the very face of the earth (Isa 65:17), could have instilled a spirit of despair in the Hebrews and sown doubt about the fulfillment of the Divine promises given to the patriarchs. But the Lord solemnly assures that all these fears and apprehensions are without real foundation: the chosen people of God, in the persons of its representatives, will forever remain the object of special providential care of God (Isa 48:18 and Isa 53:2). It is not Israel who will be grafted into the stock of the pagan tree, but the pagans, as a wild olive, will be grafted into the people of God.

Isaiah 66:23. “From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord. “From month to month and from Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh will come to worship before My face.” In these words of the prophet one can, it seems, see a direct answer to the lamentation of the Jews about the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and the forced cessation of ritual worship (verses 1–2). Under the new order of things, about to come in the Christian church, the possibility of continuous worship will be opened (Isa 60:6; Zech 14:16). The indicators of the eternity and continuity of this service are taken from two of the most stable and typical Old Testament institutions: from month to month, from Sabbath to Sabbath—that is, regularly there will be customary worship services. But along with this, the distinctive feature of New Testament worship in comparison with Old Testament worship is strongly brought out: to it is admitted and in it actively participates “all flesh,” and not only the Jews, as in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 66:24. “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the people who have rebelled against me; for their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. “And they shall go out and see the corpses of the people who have turned away from Me: for their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be an abomination to all flesh.” The prophet Isaiah concludes this discourse, as well as his entire book, with a dread sentence against the wicked, analogies to which we have observed more than once above (see the end of chapters 48, 50). Describing the heavy fate of unrepentant sinners, the prophet Isaiah uses, as is his custom, one familiar image. To anyone going out south of Jerusalem, the valley of Hinnom presented itself, where all filth and carcasses were dumped and where therefore a devouring fire was constantly maintained. It is with this well-known place to each inhabitant of Jerusalem that the locality and fate of the wicked is compared, which, like any refuse, will be given over to decay (worms) and fire (cf. verse 16). This image passed also into New Testament worldview (Mark 9:44), where it, from a mere symbol among some writers who misunderstand it, sometimes assumes an overly crude, realistic character. * * * In the Slavonic translation from the LXX: “And I myself will choose their mockery, and their sins I will repay to them; because I called them and they did not heed Me.” Editor’s note. In the Synodal translation. Editor’s note. In the Slavonic translation from the LXX: “and I will send from them saved ones into... Tarshish and into Put, and into Lud and into Mosoch, and into Tubal and into Hellas.” Editor’s note. In the Slavonic translation—“Tubal”; Editor’s note.