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The Lord says, ‘Heaven is my throne.
The earth is under my control.
So how could you ever build a house for me?
Where would my resting place be?
2 Didn't I make everything by my power?
That is how all things were created,’
announces the Lord.
‘The people I value are not proud.
They are sorry for the wrong things they have done.
They have great respect for what I say.
3 But others are not like that.
They sacrifice bulls to me,
but at the same time they kill people.
They offer lambs to me,
but they also sacrifice dogs to other gods.
They bring grain offerings to me,
but they also offer pig's blood to other gods.
They burn incense to me,
but they also worship statues of gods.
They have chosen to go their own way.
They take delight in things I hate.
4 So I have also made a choice.
I will make them suffer greatly.
I will bring on them what they are afraid of.
When I called out to them, no one answered me.
When I spoke to them, no one listened.
They did what is evil in my sight.
They chose to do what displeases me.’
5 Listen to the word of the Lord.
Listen, you who tremble with fear when he speaks. He says,
‘Some of your own people hate you.
They turn their backs on you because you are faithful to me.
They make fun of you and say,
“Let the Lord show his glory by saving you.
Then we can see how happy you are.”
But they will be put to shame.
6 Hear the loud sounds coming from the city!
Listen to the noise coming from the temple!
I am the one causing it.
I am paying back my enemies for everything they have done.
7 ‘Zion is like a woman who has a baby
before she goes into labour.
She has a son
even before her labour pains begin.
8 Who has ever heard of anything like that?
Who has ever seen such a thing?
Can a country be born in a day?
Can a nation be created in a moment?
But as soon as Zion goes into labour,
there are many more of her people.
9 Zion, would I bring you to the moment of birth
and not let it happen?’
says the Lord.
‘Would I close up a mother's body
when it is time for her baby to be born?’
says your God.
10 ‘Be glad along with Jerusalem, all you who love her.
Be filled with joy because of her.
Take great delight in her,
all you who mourn over her.
11 You will feed at her comforting breasts.
And you will be satisfied.
You will drink until you are full.
And you will delight in her rich and plentiful supply.’
12 The Lord continues,
‘I will cause peace to flow over her like a river.
I will make the wealth of nations sweep over her like a flooding stream.
You will feed and be carried in her arms.
You will play on her lap.
13 As a mother comforts her child,
I will comfort you.
You will find comfort in Jerusalem.’
14 When you see that happen, your hearts will be filled with joy.
Just as grass grows quickly, you will succeed.
The Lord will show his power to those who serve him.
But he will pour out his anger on his enemies.
15 The Lord will judge them with fire.
His chariots are coming like a violent storm.
He will pour out his burning anger on his enemies.
It will blaze out like flames of fire.
16 The Lord will judge with fire and with his sword.
He will judge all people.
He will put many people to death.
17 ‘Some people set themselves apart and make themselves pure. They do it so they can go into the gardens to worship other gods. They follow what the worship leader tells them to do. They are among those who eat the meat of pigs and rats. They also eat other “unclean” things. Those people and the one they follow will come to a horrible end,’ announces the Lord.
18 ‘They have planned to do many evil things. And they have carried out their plans. So I will come and gather the people of every nation and language. They will see my glory when I act.
19 ‘I will give them a sign. I will send to the nations some of those who are left alive. I will send some of them to the people of Tarshish, Libya and Lydia, who are famous for using bows. I will send others to Tubal and Greece. And I will send still others to islands far away. The people who live there have not heard about my fame. They have not seen my glory. But when I act, those I send will tell the nations about my glory. 20 And they will bring back all the people of Israel from all those nations. They will bring them to my holy mountain in Jerusalem. My people will ride on horses, mules and camels. They will come in chariots and wagons,’ says the Lord. ‘Those messengers will bring my people as an offering to me. They will bring them to my temple, just as the Israelites bring their grain offerings in bowls that are “clean”. 21 And I will choose some of them to be priests and Levites,’ says the Lord.
22 ‘I will make new heavens and a new earth. And they will last for ever,’ announces the Lord. ‘In the same way, your name and your children after you will last for ever. 23 Everyone will come and bow down to me. They will do it at every New Moon feast and on every Sabbath day,’ says the Lord. 24 ‘When they go out of Jerusalem, they will see the dead bodies of those who refused to obey me. The worms that eat their bodies will not die. The fire that burns them will not be put out. It will make everyone sick just to look at them.’
54:1–66:24 The last chapters in Isaiah described what would happen to people who did things God hated. God hated it when his people only acted as if they worshipped and obeyed him. But what they actually did was commit murder. They told lies and treated needy people badly. God hated it when people made evil plans and worshipped false gods. God longed for his people to stop sinning and to obey him. God described his longing like holding out his hands to welcome a stubborn nation. God promised to bring judgement against his people for their sins. They would suffer and would be put to shame. He also invited them to change so that they could live. He described this like buying food and drink from him at a market. But God gave the food and drink for free. That showed how deeply God wanted them to turn back to him and be forgiven. The last chapters in Isaiah also described what would happen to people who obeyed God. People who obeyed were humble, trusted God and wanted to be taught by him. They would be blessed and would be welcome in God's house. That was another name for the temple. God promised to live with anyone who turns away from their sins. This promise applied to people from Jacob's family line, to outsiders and to people from all nations. They would possess God's holy mountain of Zion. This meant that they could live in the land where God ruled as King. God described the light and brightness and new day of Jerusalem. He was talking about something more than the time when people returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. God described a completely new work that he would do. He would create new heavens and a new earth. In the new heavens and new earth, everyone would honour God. This was described as people from all over the world coming to Jerusalem. They would worship God there. This Jerusalem that God described would be full of joy. There would be no more crying. No one would cause harm or destroy anything or anyone. Everyone would do what was right and fair. God would do this new work when it was the right time. Many years later Jesus said that God was starting that new work through him. Jesus used the words of Isaiah 61:1–2 to describe the work he was doing on earth (Luke 4:14–21). In Revelation, John also described the new heavens and new earth. The city where God ruled for ever as King was called the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1–5).