Judgment and Hope

66 This is what the Lord says:

“Heaven is my throne,g

and the earth is my footstool.h

Where is the housei you will build for me?

Where will my resting place be?

2 Has not my hand made all these things,j

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,k

and who tremble at my word.l

3 But whoever sacrifices a bullm

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’sn blood,

and whoever burns memorial incenseo

is like one who worships an idol.

They have chosen their own ways,p

and they delight in their abominations;q

4 so I also will choose harsh treatment for them

and will bring on them what they dread.r

For when I called, no one answered,s

when I spoke, no one listened.

They did evilt in my sight

and chose what displeases me.”u

5 Hear the word of the Lord,

you who tremble at his word:v

“Your own people who hatew 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.x

6 Hear that uproar from the city,

hear that noise from the temple!

It is the soundy of the Lord

repayingz his enemies all they deserve.

7 “Before she goes into labor,a

she gives birth;

before the pains come upon her,

she delivers a son.b

8 Who has ever heard of such things?

Who has ever seenc things like this?

Can a country be born in a dayd

or a nation be brought forth in a moment?

Yet no sooner is Zion in labor

than she gives birth to her children.e

9 Do I bring to the moment of birthf

and not give delivery?” says the Lord.

“Do I close up the womb

when I bring to delivery?” says your God.

10 “Rejoiceg with Jerusalem and be glad for her,

all you who loveh her;

rejoice greatly with her,

all you who mourni over her.

11 For you will nursej and be satisfied

at her comforting breasts;k

you will drink deeply

and delight in her overflowing abundance.”l

12 For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peacem to her like a river,n

and the wealtho of nations like a flooding stream;

you will nurse and be carriedp on her arm

and dandled on her knees.

13 As a mother comforts her child,q

so will I comfortr you;

and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

14 When you see this, your heart will rejoices

and you will flourisht like grass;

the handu of the Lord will be made known to his servants,v

but his furyw will be shown to his foes.

15 See, the Lord is coming with fire,x

and his chariotsy are like a whirlwind;z

he will bring down his anger with fury,

and his rebukea with flames of fire.

16 For with fireb and with his swordc

the Lord will execute judgmentd on all people,

and many will be those slaine by the Lord.

17 “Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens,f following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs,g ratsh and other unclean things—they will meet their endi together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.

18 “And I, because of what they have planned and done,j am about to comea and gather the people of all nationsk and languages, and they will come and see my glory.l

19 “I will set a signm among them, and I will send some of those who surviven to the nations—to Tarshish,o to the Libyansb and Lydiansp (famous as archers), to Tubalq and Greece,r and to the distant islandss that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory.t They will proclaim my glory among the nations. 20 And they will bringu all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountainv in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,”w says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels.x 21 And I will select some of them also to be priestsy and Levites,” says the Lord.

22 “As the new heavens and the new earthz that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure.a 23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbathb to another, all mankind will come and bow downc before me,” says the Lord. 24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodiesd of those who rebellede against me; the wormsf that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched,g and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”