ISA

Isaiah 65

1“I am inquired of by those who didn’t ask. I am found by those who didn’t seek me. I said, ‘See me, see me,’ to a nation that was not called by my name. 2I have spread out my hands all day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; 3a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens, and burning incense on bricks; 4who sit among the graves, and spend nights in secret places; who eat pig’s meat, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day. 6“Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will repay, yes, I will repay into their bosom 7your own iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together”, says Yahweh, “who have burned incense on the mountains, and blasphemed me on the hills. Therefore I will first measure their work into their bosom.” 8Yahweh says, “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for a blessing is in it:’ so I will do for my servants’ sake, that I may not destroy them all. 9I will bring offspring out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains. My chosen will inherit it, and my servants will dwell there. 10Sharon will be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down in, for my people who have sought me. 11“But you who forsake Yahweh, who forget my holy mountain, who prepare a table for Fortune, and who fill up mixed wine to Destiny; 12I will destine you to the sword, and you will all bow down to the slaughter; because when I called, you didn’t answer. When I spoke, you didn’t listen; but you did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I didn’t delight.” 13Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry; behold, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, my servants will rejoice, but you will be disappointed. 14Behold, my servants will sing for joy of heart, but you will cry for sorrow of heart, and will wail for anguish of spirit. 15You will leave your name for a curse to my chosen, and the Lord Yahweh will kill you. He will call his servants by another name, 16so that he who blesses himself on the earth will bless himself in the God of truth; and he who swears on the earth will swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from my eyes. 17“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem to be a delight, and her people a joy. 19I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; and the voice of weeping and the voice of crying will be heard in her no more. 20“No more will there be an infant who only lives a few days, nor an old man who has not filled his days; for the child will die one hundred years old, and the sinner being one hundred years old will be accursed. 21They will build houses and inhabit them. They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22They will not build and another inhabit. They will not plant and another eat; for the days of my people will be like the days of a tree, and my chosen will long enjoy the work of their hands. 23They will not labor in vain nor give birth for calamity; for they are the offspring of Yahweh’s blessed and their descendants with them. 24It will happen that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. Dust will be the serpent’s food. They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain,” says Yahweh.

Matthew Henry — chapter overview

Introduction

Isaiah 65

We are now drawing towards the conclusion of this evangelical prophecy, the last two chapters of which direct us to look as far forward as the new heavens and the new earth, the new world which the gospel dispensation should bring in, and the separation that should by it be made between the precious and the vile. "For judgment" (says Christ) "have I come into this world." And why should it seem absurd that the prophet here should speak of that to which all the prophets bore witness? Pe1 1:10, Pe1 1:11. The rejection of the Jews, and the calling in of the Gentiles, are often mentioned in the New Testament as that which was foreseen and foretold by the prophets, Act 10:43; Act 13:40; Rom 16:26. In this chapter we have, I. The anticipating of the Gentiles with the gospel call (Isa 65:10). II. The rejection of the Jews for their obstinacy and unbelief (Isa 65:2-7). III. The saving of a remnant of them by bringing them into the gospel church (Isa 65:8-10). IV. The judgments of God that should pursue the rejected Jews (Isa 65:11-16). V. The blessings reserved for the Christian church, which should be its joy and glory (Isa 65:17-25). But these things are here prophesied of under the type and figure of the difference God would make between some and others of the Jews after their return out of captivity, between those that feared God and those that did not, with reproofs of the sins then found among them and promises of the blessings then in reserve for them.

Cross-references: 1Pet 1:10 · 1Pet 1:11 · Acts 10:43 · Acts 13:40 · Rom 16:26 · Isa 65:10 · Isa 65:2 · Isa 65:8 · Isa 65:11 · Isa 65:17