65:24 before they call…while they are still speaking. Relationship with the Lord will be so close that He will anticipate and provide for every need (58:9).
65:25 wolf…lamb…lion…ox…serpent’s. Dangers from the animal world will be nonexistent during the reign of the Servant of the Lord (11:6–9).
Isaiah 66
66:1, 2 Isaiah began the final summary of his prophecy with a reminder that God is not looking for a temple of stone, since as Creator of all things, the whole universe is His dwelling place. Stephen cited this passage before the Sanhedrin to point out their error in limiting God to a temple made with hands (Acts 7:49, 50). On the contrary, God is looking for a heart to dwell in, a heart that is tender and broken, not one concerned with the externalities of religion (cf. Matt. 5:3–9). God is looking to dwell in the heart of a person who takes His Word seriously (cf. 66:5; John 14:23).
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 empty heartedness 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 empty heartedness of the offerer. All of these images are meant to illustrate the shallow hypocrisy of one 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).
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.
66:7–9 Here is another comparison with the human birth process (see 13:8), this time to teach two lessons: 1) no birth can come until labor pains have occurred (vv. 7, 8); and 2) when labor occurs, birth will surely follow (v. 9). Cf. Jer. 30:6, 7; Matt. 24:8; 1 Thess. 5:3. The point is that Israel’s suffering will end with a delivery! The Lord will not impose travail on the remnant without bringing them to the kingdom (v. 10).
66:11 feed and be satisfied. The prophet compares Jerusalem to a nursing mother.
66:12 peace…like a river. The picture is of abundant peace that compares to a wadi filled with a rushing torrent of water.
66:14 to His servants…to His enemies. Prosperity will belong to the faithful remnant, but wrath to those who oppose the Lord.
66:15 whirlwind…flames of fire. That the wrath of God will come to the rebels is expressed in language describing the end-time judgment (cf. 29:6).
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).
66:17 sanctify themselves and purify themselves. Sanctification and purification for right purposes are right, but when done for purposes of idol worship, will draw judgment from the one true God.
66:18 their works and their thoughts. The Lord was aware of the motivations behind the actions of apostate Israelites (v. 17). gather all nations and tongues. See 2:2–4. Jerusalem will be the center of world attention because of the presence of the Messiah there.
66:19 those…who escape. The faithful remnant of Israel are in view, who 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 NE Asia Minor, and Javan in Greece. These were representative Gentile populations that will hear of God’s glory through the faithful remnant.
66:20 bring all your brethren. As their offering to the Lord, the Gentiles who hear of God’s glory will expedite the return of Israel’s faithful remnant (43:6; 49:22).
66:21 priests and Levites. Some of the returning remnant will function in these specialized roles in the services of the millennial temple and memorial sacrifices (cf. Ezek. 44–46).
66:22 your descendants…remain. National Israel will have a never-ending existence through the Millennium, and on into the new heavens and the new earth throughout eternity.
66:23 All flesh…worship before Me. All humanity will participate in worshiping the Lord at stipulated times during the temporal phase of the messianic kingdom.
66:24 worm does not die…fire is not quenched. The corpses of those enduring everlasting torment will serve as a vivid reminder to all of the grievous nature and terrible consequences of rebellion against God. In referring to this verse, Jesus referred to the Valley of Hinnom—i.e., Gehenna—where a continually burning trash-heap pictured the never-ending pain of the lost (Mark 9:47, 48). See note on Jer. 19:6.
Isaiah 1
1:1 a Num. 12:6
1:1 b 2 Chr. 26—32
1:2 c Jer. 2:12
1:3 d Jer. 8:7
1:3 e Jer. 9:3, 6
1:3 1 manger or feed trough
1:3 2 understand
1:4 f Is. 57:3, 4; Matt. 3:7
1:4 3 Lit. heavy, weighed down
1:4 4 offspring, seed
1:5 g Jer. 5:3
1:7 h Deut. 28:51, 52; 2 Chr. 36:19
1:8 i Job 27:18
1:8 j Jer. 4:17
1:8 5 shelter
1:9 k 2 Kin. 25:11, 22; Lam. 3:22
1:9 l Gen. 19:24; Rom. 9:29
1:10 m Deut. 32:32
1:11 n (1 Sam. 15:22)
1:12 o Ex. 23:17
1:13 p Matt. 15:9
1:13 q Joel 1:14
1:13 6 worthless
1:14 r Num. 28:11
1:14 s Lam. 2:6
1:15 t Prov. 1:28
1:15 u Ps. 66:18; Is. 59:1–3; Mic. 3:4
1:15 7 Pray
1:15 8 bloodshed
1:16 v Jer. 4:14
1:16 w Rom. 12:9
1:17 9 Some ancient vss. the oppressed
1:17 10 Vindicate
1:18 x Is. 43:26; Mic. 6:2
1:18 y Ps. 51:7; (Is. 43:25); Rev. 7:14
1:20 z Is. 40:5; 58:14; Mic. 4:4; (Titus 1:2)
1:21 a Is. 57:3–9; Jer. 2:20
1:21 b Mic. 3:1–3
1:21 11 Unfaithful
1:22 c Jer. 6:28
1:23 d Hos. 9:15
1:23 e Prov. 29:24
1:23 f Jer. 22:17
1:23 g Is. 10:2; Jer. 5:28; Ezek. 22:7; Zech. 7:10
1:24 h Deut. 28:63
1:24 12 be relieved of
1:24 13 avenge Myself
1:25 i Is. 48:10; Ezek. 22:19–22; Mal. 3:3
1:25 14 refine with lye
1:26 j Jer. 33:7–11
1:26 k Is. 33:5; Zech. 8:3
1:27 15 Lit. returners
1:28 l Job 31:3; Ps. 9:5; (Is. 66:24; 2 Thess. 1:8, 9)
1:29 16 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; some Heb. mss., Tg. you
1:29 17 Sites of pagan worship
1:31 m Ezek. 32:21
1:31 n Is. 66:24; Matt. 3:12; Mark 9:43
Isaiah 2
2:2 a Mic. 4:1
2:2 b Gen. 49:1
2:2 c Ps. 68:15
2:3 d Jer. 50:5; (Zech. 8:21–23; 14:16–21)
2:3 e Luke 24:47
2:4 1 knives
2:5 f Eph. 5:8
2:6 g Num. 23:7
2:6 h Deut. 18:14
2:6 i Ps. 106:35
2:6 2 Or clap, shake hands to make bargains with the children
2:7 j Deut. 17:16; Is. 30:16; 31:1; Mic. 5:10
2:8 k Is. 40:19, 20; Jer. 2:28
2:10 l Is. 2:19, 21; Rev. 6:15, 16
2:11 m Prov. 16:5; Is. 5:15
2:11 n Hos. 2:16
2:11 3 proud
2:13 o Is. 14:8; Zech. 11:1, 2
2:14 p Is. 30:25
2:16 q 1 Kin. 10:22; Is. 23:1, 14; 60:9
2:17 4
pride
2:18 5 Or shall utterly vanish
2:19 r Hos. 10:8; (Rev. 9:6)
2:19 s (2 Thess. 1:9)
2:19 t Ps. 18:7; Is. 2:21; 13:13; 24:1, 19, 20; Hag. 2:6, 7; Heb. 12:26
2:19 6 Lit. dust
2:22 u Ps. 146:3; Jer. 17:5
2:22 v Job 27:3
2:22 7 Lit. Cease yourselves from the man
2:22 8 Lit. in what is he to be esteemed
Isaiah 3
3:1 a 2 Kin. 25:3; Is. 5:13; Jer. 37:21
3:1 b Lev. 26:26
3:1 1 Every support
3:2 c 2 Kin. 24:14; Is. 9:14, 15; Ezek. 17:12, 13
3:3 2 Eminent looking men
3:4 d Eccl. 10:16
3:4 3 boys
3:4 4 Or capricious ones
3:5 5 aged
3:5 6 despised, lightly esteemed
3:6 7 Lit. hand
3:8 e 2 Chr. 36:16, 17; Mic. 3:12
3:9 f Gen. 13:13; Is. 1:10–15
3:10 g (Deut. 28:1–14; Eccl. 8:12; Is. 54:17)
3:10 h Ps. 128:2
3:11 i (Ps. 11:6; Eccl. 8:12, 13)
3:11 8 done to him
3:12 j Is. 9:16
3:12 9 lead you astray
3:13 k Is. 66:16; Hos. 4:1; Mic. 6:2
3:13 10 contend, plead His case
3:14 l Matt. 21:33
3:14 11 burned
3:15 m Mic. 3:2, 3
3:16 12 Head held high
3:16 13 seductive, ogling
3:16 14 tripping or skipping
3:17 n Deut. 28:27
3:17 o Jer. 13:22
3:18 p Judg. 8:21, 26
3:18 15 headbands
3:24 q Is. 22:12; Ezek. 27:31; Amos 8:10
3:24 16 burning scar
3:25 17 Lit. strength
3:26 r Jer. 14:2; Lam. 1:4
3:26 s Lam. 2:10
Isaiah 4
4:1 a Is. 2:11, 17
4:1 b 2 Thess. 3:12
4:1 c Luke 1:25
4:2 d Is. 12:1–6; (Jer. 23:5); Zech. 3:8
4:3 e Is. 60:21
4:3 f Phil. 4:3
4:4 g Mal. 3:2, 3
4:4 1 bloodshed
4:5 h Ex. 13:21, 22; Num. 9:15–23
4:5 i Zech. 2:5
4:5 2 canopy
4:6 j Ps. 27:5; Is. 25:4
Isaiah 5
5:1 a Ps. 80:8; Jer. 2:21; Matt. 21:33; Mark 12:1; Luke 20:9
5:1 1 Lit. In a horn, the son of fatness
5:2 b Deut. 32:6
5:2 2 Lit. hewed out
5:3 c (Rom. 3:4)
5:4 d 2 Chr. 36:15, 16; Jer. 2:5; 7:25, 26; Mic. 6:3; Matt. 23:37
5:5 e 2 Chr. 36:19; Ps. 80:12; 89:40, 41
5:6 f 2 Chr. 36:19–21
5:6 g Is. 7:19–25; Jer. 25:11
5:6 3 hoed
5:7 4 wailing
5:8 h Jer. 22:13–17; Mic. 2:2; Hab. 2:9–12
5:8 5 Accumulate houses
5:9 i Is. 22:14
5:10 j Ezek. 45:11
5:10 6 1 bath=1⁄10 homer
5:10 7 1 ephah=1⁄10 homer
5:11 k Prov. 23:29, 30; Eccl. 10:16, 17; Is. 5:22
5:11 8 pursue
5:12 l Amos 6:5
5:12 m Job 34:27; Ps. 28:5
5:13 n 2 Kin. 24:14–16
5:13 o Is. 1:3; 27:11; Hos. 4:6
5:15 p Is. 2:9, 11
5:16 q Is. 2:11
5:17 r Is. 10:16
5:17 9 Lit. fatlings, rich ones
5:18 10 drag
5:18 11 emptiness or falsehood
5:19 s Jer. 17:15; Amos 5:18
5:21 t Prov. 3:7; Rom. 1:22; 12:16; (1 Cor. 3:18–20)
5:23 u Ex. 23:8; Prov. 17:15; Is. 1:23; Mic. 3:11; 7:3
5:24 v Ex. 15:7
5:24 w Job 18:16
5:24 12 Lit. tongue of fire
5:25 x 2 Kin. 22:13, 17; Is. 66:15
5:25 y Ps. 18:7; Is. 64:3; Jer. 4:24; Nah. 1:5
5:25 z Is. 9:12, 17; Jer. 4:8; Dan. 9:16
5:26 a Is. 11:10, 12
5:26 b Is. 7:18; Zech. 10:8
5:26 c Mal. 1:11
5:26 d Joel 2:7
5:27 e Dan. 5:6
5:28 f Jer. 5:16
5:28 13 Lit. be regarded as
5:30 g Is. 8:22; Jer. 4:23–28; Joel 2:10; Luke 21:25, 26
5:30 14 distress
Isaiah 6
6:1 a 2 Kin. 15:7; 2 Chr. 26:23; Is. 1:1
6:1 b John 12:41; Rev. 4:2, 3; 20:11
6:2 c Ezek. 1:11
6:3 d Rev. 4:8
6:3 e Num. 14:21; Ps. 72:19
6:5 f Ex. 6:12, 30
6:5 1 destroyed, cut off
6:6 g Rev. 8:3
6:7 h Jer. 1:9; Dan. 10:16
6:7 2 atoned for
6:8 i Gen. 1:26
6:9 j Is. 43:8; Matt. 13:14; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:40; Acts 28:26; Rom. 11:8
6:10 k Ps. 119:70; Mark 6:1–6; Acts 7:51; Rom. 10:1–4
6:10 l Jer. 5:21
6:11 m Mic. 3:12
6:12 n 2 Kin. 25:21; Is. 5:9
6:13 o Deut. 7:6; Ezra 9:2
Isaiah 7
7:1 a 2 Chr. 28
7:1 b 2 Kin. 16:5, 9
7:1 1 conquer it
7:2 2 Lit. settled upon
7:3 3 Lit. A Remnant Shall Return
7:4 c Ex. 14:13; Is. 30:15; Lam. 3:26
7:4 4 Be careful
7:4 5 be calm
7:6 6 cause a sickening dread
7:7 d 2 Kin. 16:5; Is. 8:10; Acts 4:25, 26
7:8 e 2 Sam. 8:6; 2 Kin. 17:6
7:8 7 Lit. shattered
7:9 f 2 Chr. 20:20; Is. 5:24
7:11 g Matt. 12:38
7:11 8 Lit. make the request deep or make it high above
7:14 h Matt. 1:23; Luke 1:31; John 1:45; Rev. 12:5
7:14 i (Is. 9:6)
7:14 j Is. 8:8, 10
7:14 9 Lit. God-With-Us
7:16 k Is. 8:4
7:16 l 2 Kin. 15:30
7:17 m 2 Chr. 28:19, 20; Is. 8:7, 8; 10:5, 6
7:17 n 1 Kin. 12:16
7:18 o Is. 5:26
7:19 p Is. 2:19; Jer. 16:16
7:20 q Is. 10:5, 15
7:20 r 2 Kin. 16:7; 2 Chr. 28:20
7:20 10 The Euphrates
7:23 s Is. 5:6
Isaiah 8
8:1 a Is. 30:8; Hab. 2:2
8:1 1 Lit. Speed the Spoil, Hasten the Booty
8:2 b 2 Kin. 16:10
8:4 c 2 Kin. 17:6; Is. 7:16
8:4 d 2 Kin. 15:29
8:4 2 knows how
8:4 3 plunder
8:6 e John 9:7
8:6 f Is. 7:1, 2
8:7 4 The Euphrates
8:7 5 Overflow
8:8 g Is. 30:28
8:8 h Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:23
8:8 6 Lit. be the fullness of
8:8 7 Lit. God-With-Us
8:9 i Joel 3:9
8:10 j Is. 7:7; Acts 5:38
8:10 k Is. 7:14
8:10 l Rom. 8:31
8:10 8 Heb. Immanuel
8:11 9 Mighty power
8:12 10 Lit. fear or terror
8:12 11 Lit. in dread
8:14 m Is. 4:6; 25:4; Ezek. 11:16
8:14 n Luke 2:34; 20:17; Rom. 9:33; 1 Pet. 2:8
8:14 12 holy abode
8:14 13 stumbling over
8:15 o Matt. 21:44
8:15 14 captured
8:17 p Deut. 31:17; Is. 54:8
8:17 q Hab. 2:3
8:18 r Heb. 2:13
8:18 s Ps. 71:7
8:19 t 1 Sam. 28:8
8:19 u Is. 29:4
8:19 v Ps. 106:28
8:20 w Is. 1:10; 8:16; Luke 16:29
8:20 x Is. 8:22; Mic. 3:6
8:20 15 Or they have no dawn
8:21 y Rev. 16:11
8:21 16 Or by their king and by their God
Isaiah 9
9:1 a Is. 8:22
9:1 b 2 Kin. 15:29; 2 Chr. 16:4
9:1 c Matt. 4:13–16
9:2 d Matt. 4:16; Luke 1:79; 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 5:8
/> 9:3 e Judg. 5:30
9:3 1 So with Qr., Tg.; Kt., Vg. not increased joy; LXX Most of the people You brought down in Your joy
9:4 f Judg. 7:22
9:5 g Is. 66:15
9:5 2 boot
9:5 3 for the fire
9:6 h (Is. 7:14; Luke 2:11); John 1:45
9:6 i Luke 2:7; (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9)
9:6 j (Matt. 28:18; 1 Cor. 15:25); Rev. 12:5
9:6 k Judg. 13:18
9:6 l Titus 2:13
9:6 m Eph. 2:14
9:7 n Dan. 2:44; Matt. 1:1, 6; Luke 1:32, 33; John 7:42
9:7 o Is. 37:32
9:8 p Gen. 32:28
9:12 4 In judgment
9:14 q Rev. 18:8
9:16 r Is. 3:12; Mic. 3:1, 5, 9; Matt. 15:14
9:17 s Ps. 147:10
9:17 t Is. 5:25
9:17 5 foolishness
9:18 u Ps. 83:14; (Is. 1:7; 10:17); Nah. 1:10; Mal. 4:1
9:19 v Is. 8:22
9:19 w Mic. 7:2, 6
9:20 x Lev. 26:26
9:20 y Jer. 19:9
9:20 6 slice off or tear
9:21 z 2 Chr. 28:6, 8; Is. 11:13
9:21 a Is. 9:12, 17
Isaiah 10
10:1 a Ps. 58:2
10:3 b Job 31:14
10:3 c Is. 13:6; Jer. 9:9; Hos. 9:7; Luke 19:44
10:3 d Is. 5:26
10:4 e Is. 24:22
10:4 f Is. 5:25
10:4 1 Lit. under
10:5 g Jer. 51:20
10:6 h Is. 9:17
10:6 i 2 Kin. 17:6; Jer. 34:22
10:7 j Gen. 50:20; Mic. 4:11, 12; Acts 2:23, 24
10:8 k 2 Kin. 19:10
10:9 l Gen. 10:10; Amos 6:2
10:9 m 2 Chr. 35:20
10:9 n 2 Kin. 16:9
10:12 o 2 Kin. 19:31; Is. 28:21
10:12 p 2 Kin. 19:35; 2 Chr. 32:21; Jer. 50:18
10:12 2 completed
10:13 q (2 Kin. 19:22–24); Is. 37:24–27; Ezek. 28:4; Dan. 4:30
10:13 3 mighty
10:14 r Job 31:25
10:15 s Jer. 51:20
10:16 4 So with Bg.; MT, DSS YHWH (the LORD)
10:17 t Is. 9:18
10:18 u 2 Kin. 19:23
10:20 v 2 Kin. 16:7
10:20 5 Lit. struck
10:21 w (Is. 9:6)
10:22 x Rom. 9:27, 28
10:22 y Is. 6:13
10:23 z Is. 28:22; Dan. 9:27; Rom. 9:28
10:24 a Is. 7:4; 12:2
10:24 b Ex. 14
10:25 c Is. 10:5; 26:20; Dan. 11:36
10:26 d 2 Kin. 19:35
10:26 e Judg. 7:25; Is. 9:4
10:26 f Ex. 14:26, 27
10:26 6 arouse
10:27 g Ps. 105:15; (1 John 2:20)
10:29 h 1 Sam. 13:23
10:29 i 1 Sam. 11:4
10:29 7 Or over the pass
10:30 j 1 Sam. 25:44
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 346