What does Isaias Chapter 66 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

House and sacrifice questions retain the edition’s distinct interpretation. Birth and maternal comfort accompany Jerusalem’s promised joy. Gathered nations, transported brethren and final carcasses conclude the oracle.

Chapter breakdown

Isaias 66 calls heaven the Lord's throne and earth his footstool, asking what house or resting place people can build. His hand made all; he regards the poor, little and contrite who tremble at his words. Ox, sheep, offering and incense are paired with killing a man, knocking out a dog's brains, swine blood and blessing an idol. Chosen abominations meet mockeries and feared events after unanswered calling. The edition separately reads this through old-law sacrifices abolished under the new law, explaining its temple and incense language; the narrative does not silently substitute a different doctrinal explanation.

Those cast out by hostile brethren hear their quoted appeal to the Lord's glory and seeing joy, followed by confusion and voices from people, city, temple and Lord. Birth before labor and questions about land and nation in a day accompany Sion's children. The edition reads Gentile converts born as it were suddenly. The Lord questions bringing to birth and generation; lovers and mourners of Jerusalem rejoice in consolation pictured by breasts, river-like peace, Gentile glory, carrying and knees, and a mother's comfort. Bones flourish like herb and servants know his hand while enemies meet anger.

Fire, whirlwind chariots, rebuke and sword announce judgment with many slain. Garden purification and eating swine, abomination and mouse meet consumption. Gathering nations and tongues to see glory includes a sign and survivors sent to sea, Africa, Lydia, Italy, Greece and distant islands. Brethren come by horses, chariots, litters, mules and coaches as an offering compared with clean vessels. Priests and Levites are taken of them, without resolving nationality beyond the wording. Seed and name stand like new heaven and earth; month and sabbath mark adoration. The final view is of transgressors' carcasses with undying worm and unquenched fire, loathsome to all flesh.

The story inside

Opening: House and sacrifice questions retain the edition’s distinct interpretation. Development: Birth and maternal comfort accompany Jerusalem’s promised joy. Conclusion: Gathered nations, transported brethren and final carcasses conclude the oracle.

Lessons worth keeping

1
House and sacrifice questions retain the edition’s distinct interpretation.
2
Birth and maternal comfort accompany Jerusalem’s promised joy.
3
Gathered nations, transported brethren and final carcasses conclude the oracle.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 83867–83869
66:1. Thus saith the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool: what is this house that you will build to me? and what is this place of my rest?
Lines 83871–83872
What is this house, etc.... This is a prophecy that the temple should be cast off.
Lines 83874–83877
66:2. My hand made all these things, and all these things were made, saith the Lord. But to whom shall I have respect, but to him that is poor and little, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my words?
Lines 83879–83884
66:3. He that sacrificeth an ox, is as if he slew a man: he that killeth a sheep in sacrifice, as if he should brain a dog: he that offereth an oblation, as if he should offer swine’s blood; he that remembereth incense, as if he should bless an idol. All these things have they chosen in their ways, and their soul is delighted in their abominations.
Lines 83886–83889
He that sacrificeth an ox, etc.... This is a prophecy that the sacrifices which were offered in the old law should be abolished in the new; and that the offering of them should be a crime.—Ibid. Remembereth incense.... Viz., to offer it in the way of a sacrifice.
Lines 83907–83908
66:7. Before she was in labour, she brought forth; before her time came to be delivered, she brought forth a man child.
Lines 83910–83912
Before she was in labour, etc.... This relates to the conversion of the Gentiles, who were born, as it were, all on a sudden to the church of God.
Lines 83930–83936
66:12. For thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring upon her as it were a river of peace, and as an overflowing torrent the glory of the Gentiles, which you shall suck; you shall be carried at the breasts, and upon the knees they shall caress you. 66:13. As one whom the mother caresseth, so will I comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
Lines 83973–83983
66:22. For as the new heavens, and the new earth, which I will make to stand before me, saith the Lord: so shall your seed stand, and your name. 66:23. And there shall be month after month, and sabbath after sabbath: and all flesh shall come to adore before my face, saith the Lord. 66:24. And they shall go out, and see the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched: and they shall be a loathsome sight to all flesh.