Isaiah Chapters 64-66
Opening Prayer for Isaiah 64–66
Father, as we open Your Word in Isaiah 64–66, quiet our hearts and open our eyes. We come as Your people who have seen both Your fierce judgment and Your tender mercy. Search us, cleanse us, and make us ready to hear the cry of a broken nation and the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. Let every word take root in us and produce lasting fruit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Looking Back
Isaiah 63 opens with a startling vision of the Lord returning from judgment against Edom, His garments stained with the blood of His enemies, declaring that the day of vengeance has come and the year of redemption for His people. The prophet then turns from that fierce picture of divine justice to a heartfelt remembrance of God’s past mercies—how the Lord carried Israel, guided them by His Spirit, and became their Savior even when they rebelled. The chapter closes with a desperate plea: the people feel abandoned, their temple is in ruins, and they cry out for God to look down from heaven, return, and act once more on behalf of His inheritance.
Isaiah 64–66 continues that cry with confession and longing, then answers it with God’s final words of both judgment and everlasting restoration.
Scripture NKJV
Isaiah 64
1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down!
That the mountains might shake at Your presence—
2 As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil— To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
3 When You did awesome things for which we did not look,
You came down, The mountains shook at Your presence.
4 For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways.
You are indeed angry, for we have sinned— In these ways we continue;
And we need to be saved.
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
7 And there is no one who calls on Your name,
Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us,
And have consumed us because of our iniquities.
8 But now, O Lord, You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.
9 Do not be furious, O Lord, Nor remember iniquity forever;
Indeed, please look—we all are Your people!
10 Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful temple, Where our fathers praised You,
Is burned up with fire; And all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12 Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O Lord?
Will You hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?
Isaiah 65
The Righteousness of God’s Judgment
1 “I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name.
2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,
Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts;
3 A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face;
Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick;
4 Who sit among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs;
Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
5 Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me,
For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.
6 “Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silence, but will repay—
Even repay into their bosom—
7 Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together,”
Says the Lord, “Who have burned incense on the mountains
And blasphemed Me on the hills;
Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.”
8 Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is found in the cluster,
And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it,’
So will I do for My servants’ sake, That I may not destroy them all.
9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, And from Judah an heir of My mountains;
My elect shall inherit it, And My servants shall dwell there.
10 Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, And the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,
For My people who have sought Me.
1 1 “But you are those who forsake the Lord, Who forget My holy mountain,
Who prepare a table for Gad, And who furnish a drink offering for Meni.
12 Therefore I will number you for the sword, And you shall all bow down to the slaughter;
Because, when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear,
But did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.”
13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, My servants shall eat,
But you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink,
But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice,
But you shall be ashamed;
14 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, But you shall cry for sorrow of heart,
And wail for grief of spirit.
15 You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen;
For the Lord God will slay you, And call His servants by another name;
16 So that he who blesses himself in the earth Shall bless himself in the God of truth;
And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth;
Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My eyes.
The Glorious New Creation
17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing,
And her people a joy.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people;
The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying.
20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days,
Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old,
But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat;
For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,
And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble;
For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord,
And their offspring with them.
24 “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox,
And dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,”
Says the Lord.
Isaiah 66
True Worship and False
1 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,”
Says the Lord.
“But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.
3 “He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck;
He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood;
He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol.
Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations,
4 So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them;
Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.”
The Lord Vindicates Zion
5 Hear the word of the Lord, You who tremble at His word:
“Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified, That we may see your joy.’ But they shall be ashamed.”
6 The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple!
The voice of the Lord, Who fully repays His enemies!
7 “Before she was in labor, she gave birth; Before her pain came,
She delivered a male child.
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?
Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor,
She gave birth to her children.
9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord.
“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her;
Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom,
That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory.”
12 For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.
Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried,
And be dandled on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
The Reign and Indignation of God
14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass;
The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants,
And His indignation to His enemies.
15 For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh;
And the slain of the Lord shall be many.
17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves,
To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst,
Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse,
Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.
18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. 19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. 20 Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. 21 And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
24 “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
What it Means
Isaiah 64 – A Desperate Cry for God to Come Down
Isaiah 64 is a heartfelt prayer of confession and longing. It continues directly from the end of chapter 63, where the people have remembered God’s past mercies and now pour out their sense of abandonment and guilt. The chapter moves from an urgent plea for divine intervention, through deep confession of sin, to a final appeal based on their relationship with God as Father and Potter.
Verses 1–5: “Oh, that You would tear open the heavens and come down!”
The chapter opens with a passionate cry: the people beg God to rip open the heavens and come down in power, just as He did in the days of old—when mountains quaked and nations trembled at His presence. They remember that God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him and who delight in doing what is right. Yet they also admit that even these righteous acts are possible only because God meets those who rejoice in doing good and remember Him in His ways.
This section is filled with holy longing. The people know they cannot fix themselves; they need God Himself to intervene dramatically.
Verses 6–7: Honest Confession of Sin
The tone shifts to deep humility. The people confess:
All of them have become like one who is unclean.
All their righteous acts are like filthy rags.
They wither like a leaf, and their sins sweep them away like the wind.
No one calls on God’s name or strives to take hold of Him.
God has hidden His face from them and given them over to the consequences of their iniquities.
This is one of the clearest confessions of collective sin in the Old Testament. They do not excuse themselves or blame others. They own the full weight of their uncleanness and the reality that even their best efforts are stained.
Verses 8–12: “Yet You are our Father”
Despite their unworthiness, the people still appeal to their relationship with God. They say:
“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand.”
They plead that God would not be angry forever or remember their sins endlessly.
They remind Him that they are His people.
They point to the devastation around them—the holy cities have become a wilderness, Zion is a desolation, and the temple (the place where their fathers praised God) has been burned with fire. Everything they treasured has been ruined.
The chapter ends with a final question hanging in the air: “Will You restrain Yourself at these things, O Lord? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?”
Main Themes
Desperate need for God’s presence – Only a fresh, powerful coming of God can change their situation.
Complete confession – They hold nothing back about their sin and uncleanness.
God as Father and Potter – Even in failure, they cling to the covenant relationship.
The tension of judgment and hope – The desolation is real, yet they still dare to ask for mercy.
Isaiah 64 is the raw, honest prayer of a people who know they deserve judgment yet still cry out to the only One who can restore them. It sets the stage for God’s response in chapters 65–66, where He answers both the confession and the longing.
Isaiah 65 – God’s Answer: Judgment for the Rebellious, Restoration for the Faithful
Isaiah 65 is the Lord’s direct response to the desperate prayer of chapters 63–64. The people have cried out for God to come down, confessed their uncleanness, and appealed to Him as Father. Now God answers—with both severe warning and breathtaking promise. He distinguishes between the rebellious who have rejected Him and the remnant who will inherit blessing, and He ends with one of the most beautiful pictures of the new creation in all of Scripture.
Verses 1–7: “I was ready… but you did not call”
God begins by declaring that He has always been available: “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek Me.” He has stretched out His hands all day long to a rebellious people who walk in a way that is not good, following their own thoughts.
He lists their specific sins:
Offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on bricks
Sitting among the graves and spending the night in secret places
Eating swine’s flesh and unclean broth
Saying “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you”
These practices mix pagan idolatry with a false sense of superior holiness. Because of this persistent rebellion, God declares that their sins are written before Him and that He will repay them fully—into their laps.
Verses 8–16: A Remnant Will Be Saved
Yet God will not destroy everything. He compares His people to a cluster of grapes that still contains new wine: “Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it.” For the sake of His servants, He will preserve a remnant.
A clear division is drawn:
God’s servants will eat, drink, rejoice, and sing for joy of heart.
Those who forsake the Lord will go hungry, thirsty, be put to shame, cry out in pain of heart, and howl in brokenness of spirit.
The rebellious will leave their name as a curse, while God’s servants will be called by another name.
Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth, and whoever takes an oath will swear by the God of truth—because the former troubles are forgotten.
God is creating a new people marked by truth and joy, while the unfaithful face the consequences of their choices.
Verses 17–25: New Heavens and a New Earth
The chapter reaches its glorious climax. God announces: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”
In this new creation:
There will be gladness and rejoicing forever.
No more the sound of weeping or the cry of distress.
People will live long, full lives—no infant mortality, no death in the prime of life.
They will build houses and inhabit them, plant vineyards and eat their fruit (no more losing what they work for).
They will not labor in vain or bear children for calamity.
Before they call, God will answer; while they are still speaking, He will hear.
The wolf and the lamb will graze together, the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food.
Nothing will hurt or destroy on all God’s holy mountain.
This is a picture of complete restoration—peace with God, peace with one another, and peace with creation itself.
Main Themes
God has always been near and ready, but many refused Him.
There is a real distinction between the faithful remnant and the persistently rebellious.
Judgment is certain for those who reject the Lord.
God will create something entirely new—new heavens, a new earth, and lasting joy for His people.
The former pains and failures will be forgotten in the light of what He is about to do.
Isaiah 65 answers the cry of chapter 64 with both sobering truth and unshakable hope. God will not ignore sin, but neither will He abandon His purpose to restore and rejoice over His people forever.
Exploring the New Creation Imagery in Isaiah 65:17–25
Isaiah 65:17–25 contains one of the most vivid and hopeful pictures of God’s ultimate purpose in all of Scripture. After addressing rebellion and promising judgment, the Lord turns and declares something entirely new. This is not merely a repaired version of the present world—it is a fresh creation that radically transforms every dimension of life.
1. “New Heavens and a New Earth” (v. 17)
The foundational image is cosmic. God announces that He will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things—the old order marked by sin, sorrow, and death—will not be remembered or even come to mind. This is more than restoration; it is replacement. The brokenness that has defined human history will be so thoroughly overcome that it fades from memory.
2. Everlasting Joy Instead of Weeping (vv. 18–19)
God Himself will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in His people. The sound of weeping and the cry of distress will be gone. Joy is no longer fragile or temporary—it becomes the permanent atmosphere of the new creation. God’s own gladness is the source and guarantee of His people’s gladness.
3. Long Life and Secure Work (vv. 20–23)
In the present world, life is cut short by disease, violence, and tragedy. Work is often frustrating, and people lose what they have built or planted. In the new creation:
No infant dies after a few days.
No one dies in the prime of life.
People build houses and actually live in them.
They plant vineyards and enjoy the fruit.
Labor is no longer in vain, and children are not born for calamity.
These images reverse the curse of Genesis 3—frustration in work, pain in childbearing, and the shadow of death. Life becomes full, fruitful, and secure.
4. Immediate and Intimate Prayer (v. 24)
“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” The distance and delay that so often mark prayer in this age disappear. Communion with God becomes effortless and immediate. The relationship is so close that God’s response anticipates the request.
5. Peace Across Creation (v. 25)
The final image is one of complete harmony:
The wolf and the lamb graze together.
The lion eats straw like the ox.
The serpent’s food is still dust (a lingering reminder of the curse), yet it no longer harms.
Nothing hurts or destroys on all God’s holy mountain.
This is not just human peace—it is the restoration of the entire created order. Predation, fear, and violence between creatures cease. The whole earth reflects the peace of God’s presence.
The Bigger Picture
This vision answers the cry of Isaiah 64. The people begged God to tear open the heavens and come down. In chapters 65–66 He promises something even greater: He will make all things new. The same theme reappears in Isaiah 66:22, where the new heavens and new earth are said to remain forever before the Lord, just as the offspring and name of His people will remain.
The New Testament picks up this imagery directly. Peter writes of looking forward to “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). Revelation 21–22 expands it further: God dwelling with His people, wiping away every tear, and declaring, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
The new creation imagery in Isaiah 65 is therefore both a comfort and a compass. It assures us that God’s final word is not judgment but joy, not ruin but renewal. Every sorrow, every injustice, and every death will one day be swallowed up in a world where God’s delight and His people’s joy are complete and unending.
The Connection Between Isaiah 65 and Revelation 21
The new creation vision in Isaiah 65:17–25 finds its clearest and most complete fulfillment in Revelation 21. John does not invent a new hope; he sees the same promise God gave through Isaiah, now brought to its final, glorious reality through the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Direct Parallels
1. New Heavens and a New Earth Isaiah 65:17 – “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth…” Revelation 21:1 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…”
Both passages begin with the same foundational declaration. The old order is not merely improved—it is replaced.
2. The Former Things Forgotten Isaiah 65:17 – “…and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” Revelation 21:4 – “…for the former things have passed away.”
The pain, failure, and sorrow of the present age will not linger as lingering memories. They will be completely overcome.
3. No More Weeping or Distress Isaiah 65:19 – “…no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.” Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore…”
Isaiah’s promise of the end of weeping becomes, in Revelation, the personal action of God Himself wiping away every tear.
4. God Dwelling with and Delighting in His People Isaiah 65:18–19 – God creates Jerusalem as a joy and its people as a gladness; He Himself rejoices over them. Revelation 21:3 – “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
The relational heart of both visions is the same: God present with His people in unbroken joy.
5. “I Am Making All Things New” Isaiah 65:17 uses the language of fresh creation. Revelation 21:5 records the direct voice of the One seated on the throne: “Behold, I am making all things new.”
John hears the same Creator who spoke in Isaiah now declaring the work complete.
How Revelation Expands Isaiah’s Vision
Isaiah gives the broad strokes of the new creation—joy, longevity, secure work, peace in nature, and intimate prayer. Revelation fills in the details:
The holy city, the New Jerusalem, comes down from heaven as a bride prepared for her husband.
The absence of the sea (a biblical symbol of chaos and threat).
The nations walking by the light of the city, and the kings of the earth bringing their glory into it.
The river of the water of life and the tree of life (echoing Eden, now fully restored and open).
The complete removal of the curse (Revelation 22:3).
Where Isaiah looks forward in hope, Revelation looks back from the finished reality and shows us what that hope looks like when it is fully realized in Christ.
The Theological Thread
Isaiah 65 answers the desperate cry of chapter 64 with the promise that God will not abandon His purpose. Revelation 21 shows that this purpose is accomplished through the Lamb who was slain. The new creation is not a different plan—it is the same plan brought to completion. The God who spoke through Isaiah is the same God who sits on the throne in Revelation and declares the work done.
For the believer, this connection means the hope held out in Isaiah is not distant poetry. It is the guaranteed future secured by Jesus, and every tear, every loss, and every longing is already answered in the One who is making all things new.
The Dimensions of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:15–17)
In Revelation 21, an angel measures the New Jerusalem with a golden measuring rod. The measurements are precise, deliberate, and rich with meaning.
The Measurements Themselves
John records:
The city is laid out as a square: its length and width are equal.
Its length, width, and height are all the same: 12,000 stadia.
The wall of the city measures 144 cubits (by human measurement, which the angel was using).
A stadion was an ancient Greek unit of roughly 600 feet (about 185 meters). Using that conversion:
12,000 stadia ≈ 1,400 to 1,500 miles (approximately 2,200–2,400 kilometers) on each side.
The wall of 144 cubits is about 200–216 feet (roughly 65–72 meters) thick or high, depending on how the measurement is understood.
These are enormous dimensions. If placed on a map, a city 1,400–1,500 miles in each direction would cover a vast portion of a continent. The equal height makes the city a perfect cube.
The Shape: A Perfect Cube
The fact that length = width = height is highly significant. In the Old Testament, the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies) in both the tabernacle and Solomon’s temple was also a perfect cube (1 Kings 6:20). Only the high priest could enter that cube once a year, and only with blood.
In the New Jerusalem the entire city is a cube. This suggests that the whole city has become the Most Holy Place. God’s presence is no longer confined to an inner sanctuary—His glory fills the entire dwelling place of His people. Access is no longer restricted; it is complete and permanent.
Symbolic Meaning of the Numbers
The numbers themselves carry deep symbolism:
12,000 is 12 × 1,000. Twelve is the number of God’s people (12 tribes of Israel + 12 apostles). One thousand often signifies completeness or fullness. Together they point to the full, complete people of God—Old and New Covenant believers together.
144 cubits is 12 × 12. Again, the number of God’s people multiplied by itself, underscoring perfection and completeness.
These measurements are not primarily meant to give us architectural blueprints. They communicate that the city is vast beyond imagination, perfectly proportioned, and designed to hold the entire redeemed people of God in the full presence of the Lord.
Why the Dimensions Matter
The sheer size tells us that the New Jerusalem is not a small, exclusive place. It is spacious enough for every one of God’s people from every age and nation. The cubic shape tells us that the barrier between God and humanity has been removed forever. What was once limited to a tiny inner room is now the reality of the entire city.
In short, the dimensions proclaim both the immensity of God’s dwelling place and the completeness of His people’s access to Him. The city is as large as grace is wide, and as perfect as God’s presence is holy.
Isaiah 66 – The Final Word: True Worship, Sudden Restoration, and Eternal Distinction
Isaiah 66 is the closing chapter of the book. It brings together the cries of chapter 64 and the promises of chapter 65 into a final, sobering, and glorious conclusion. God speaks about true worship versus empty religion, the sudden birth of a restored people, the comfort He will give, the judgment that will fall on the rebellious, and the everlasting new creation where the redeemed worship and the wicked remain under judgment.
Verses 1–6: Heaven Is My Throne – What God Truly Seeks
God begins by declaring His greatness: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house could you build for Me?” He is not impressed by impressive buildings or elaborate rituals. What He looks for is a person who is humble, contrite in spirit, and who trembles at His word.
He then sharply rejects those who offer sacrifices while living in rebellion—comparing their offerings to murder, idolatry, and abomination. These people choose their own ways and delight in their detestable practices. Therefore God will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them.
At the same time, He hears the mocking of those who hate His faithful ones and say, “Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy!” God promises that the sound of uproar from the city and the temple will be the sound of the Lord repaying His enemies.
Verses 7–14: Zion’s Sudden Birth and Motherly Comfort
In a striking image, God describes Zion giving birth before she goes into labor—a nation born in a single day, a people brought forth in a moment. This points to the sudden, supernatural restoration of God’s people.
Those who love Jerusalem and mourn over her are invited to rejoice with her. God promises to extend peace to her like a river and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream. He will comfort His people as a mother comforts her child, and they will be nursed, carried on the hip, and bounced on the knees. When they see this, their hearts will rejoice and their bones will flourish like grass. The hand of the Lord will be made known to His servants, and His indignation to His enemies.
Verses 15–17: Judgment by Fire
The Lord will come with fire and His chariots like the whirlwind to render His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fire. By fire and by His sword He will enter into judgment with all flesh. Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating swine’s flesh and other abominations, will come to an end together.
Verses 18–24: The Gathering of the Nations and the Final Scene
God declares that He knows their works and their thoughts. The time is coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see His glory. He will set a sign among them and send survivors to the distant coastlands that have not heard of His fame or seen His glory. They will declare His glory among the nations.
From the nations, some will be brought as an offering to the Lord, and God will even take some of them as priests and Levites. Just as the new heavens and the new earth that He makes will remain before Him, so will the offspring and the name of His people remain.
The book ends with a dual picture that never fades:
From one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before the Lord.
They will go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who rebelled against Him. Their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.
Main Themes
God desires humble, trembling hearts more than impressive religious performance.
Restoration can come suddenly and supernaturally, like a birth without labor.
God comforts His people with deep, motherly tenderness.
Final judgment is real, fiery, and permanent for those who persist in rebellion.
The new creation endures forever, and in it the redeemed worship while the fate of the rebellious stands as an everlasting warning.
Isaiah 66 closes the book by holding together both the tenderness of God’s comfort and the seriousness of His judgment. The same God who answers the cry of the humble with new heavens and a new earth also ensures that rebellion does not have the final word.
Exploring the New Heavens and New Earth
The promise of “new heavens and a new earth” stands at the climax of Isaiah’s prophecy and forms one of the most important threads running from the Old Testament into the New. It appears twice in the final chapters of Isaiah and then becomes a central hope in the New Testament.
In Isaiah 65 and 66
Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”
Here God announces a complete renewal of the entire created order. The old heavens and earth—marked by sin, sorrow, injustice, and death—will be replaced. The former things will not merely fade; they will be so thoroughly overcome that they no longer even come to mind. This is not repair or improvement. It is new creation.
Isaiah 66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain.”
This second mention adds the note of permanence. Just as the new creation will endure forever in God’s presence, so will the people of God and their name. The new heavens and earth are not temporary; they are the lasting home of the redeemed.
Together these two verses frame the final vision of Isaiah: God will make all things new, the former troubles will be forgotten, and both the new creation and God’s people will remain before Him forever.
What the Image Communicates
The language of new heavens and new earth carries several layers of meaning:
Cosmic scope – The renewal is not limited to Israel or even to humanity. The entire created order is included. Everything that was damaged by the fall will be made new.
Reversal of the curse – The frustrations of work, the pain of loss, premature death, and the brokenness of creation itself (seen earlier in Isaiah 65:20–25) are undone. Peace, security, and joy take their place.
God’s permanent dwelling – The new creation is the place where God fully and forever dwells with His people. The separation caused by sin is finally and completely removed.
Enduring stability – Unlike the present world, which is subject to decay and judgment, the new heavens and earth “remain” before the Lord. They are secure because they rest on God’s own unchanging purpose.
The New Testament Fulfillment
The apostles pick up Isaiah’s language directly.
Peter writes: “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). He links the hope explicitly to God’s promise—the same promise given through Isaiah.
John sees the fulfillment in Revelation 21:1: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” What follows is the detailed picture of God dwelling with His people, wiping away every tear, and declaring, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Revelation does not replace Isaiah’s vision; it completes it. The new heavens and new earth become the setting for the New Jerusalem, the bride, the river of life, and the unbroken presence of God and the Lamb.
Why This Promise Matters
The new heavens and new earth assure us that God’s final word over creation is not judgment or abandonment, but renewal. Every cry of Isaiah 64, every longing for justice, every tear, and every death will one day give way to a world where righteousness dwells and God’s people remain before Him forever.
It is the same promise from beginning to end: the God who created the first heavens and earth will create them anew—and this time, nothing will ever spoil what He has made.
Analysis of Isaiah 65:20–25
These six verses form the heart of the new-creation vision that began in verse 17. After announcing the new heavens and new earth, the Lord describes what life will be like for His people in that renewed order. Each verse reverses a specific pain or frustration of the present fallen world.
Verse 20 – The End of Premature Death
“No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.”
The first blessing is the removal of untimely death. Infant mortality and death in the prime of life—two of the most painful realities of the present age—will be gone. Living to a hundred will be considered normal, even youthful.
The mention of “the sinner” still dying at a hundred has prompted much discussion. Some see this as describing a millennial age that still contains a measure of mortality and sin before the final eternal state. Others view the language as figurative, emphasizing extreme longevity and the complete overturning of the curse of short, fragile life. In either case, the dominant note is the radical lengthening and securing of human life under God’s blessing.
Verses 21–22 – Secure Enjoyment of Labor
“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.”
These verses reverse the curse of frustrated labor (Genesis 3:17–19) and the historical experience of exile and oppression, when people built and planted only for others to take the fruit. In the new creation, work becomes fruitful and lasting. God’s people will enjoy the results of their own labor for as long as a tree lives—an image of stability, rootedness, and long-term blessing.
Verse 23 – Fruitful Families Without Calamity
“They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their descendants with them.”
The pain of raising children only to see them suffer or die is removed. Children will no longer be born into a world of disaster. The entire family line stands under the blessing of the Lord. Both work and family life become sources of lasting joy rather than anxiety or loss.
Verse 24 – Immediate Communion with God
“Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.”
The distance and delay that often mark prayer in this age disappear. Relationship with God becomes so close and responsive that He answers before the request is fully spoken. This is the restoration of unbroken fellowship—the kind of intimacy first enjoyed in Eden and now made permanent.
Verse 25 – Peace Across Creation
“The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.
The final picture expands beyond human life to the entire created order. Natural enmity and predation cease. The wolf and lamb feed side by side; the lion becomes a peaceful herbivore. The serpent still eats dust (a lingering echo of Genesis 3:14), yet it no longer poses a threat. Nothing hurts or destroys on God’s holy mountain. Harmony is restored between creatures and between creation and its Creator.
Overall Significance
Isaiah 65:20–25 paints a world in which the major wounds of the fall are healed:
Death loses its early and sudden power.
Work becomes fruitful and secure.
Family life is free from calamity.
Prayer becomes immediate and intimate.
Creation itself is at peace.
These verses sit between the announcement of new heavens and a new earth (v. 17) and the closing promise of Isaiah 66:22 that this new creation will remain forever. They show us, in concrete and moving detail, what it means for God to make all things new. The frustrations, fears, and fractures of the present age will not have the final word. In their place will stand long life, meaningful work, secure families, close communion with God, and a creation no longer at war with itself.
Affirmations
Isaiah 64:1 “I cry out for the Lord to tear open the heavens and come down into my life with power.” Affirmation: Today I can stop waiting in quiet despair—I have permission to ask God to break into my circumstances right now.
Isaiah 64:6 “I have become unclean, and even my best efforts are like filthy rags before God.” Affirmation: Today I am free from the pressure to impress God. I can come honestly, knowing He already sees everything and still invites me close.
Isaiah 64:8 “The Lord is my Father and my Potter; I am the clay in His hands.” Affirmation: Today I can release control. God is shaping me with purpose, and I do not have to fix myself.
Isaiah 65:1 “God was ready for me even when I was not seeking Him.” Affirmation: Today I rest in the truth that God’s love reached for me first—I am not the one holding this relationship together.
Isaiah 65:17 “God is creating new heavens and a new earth for me, and the former things will no longer come to mind.” Affirmation: Today I can loosen my grip on past pain. A future is coming where the old sorrows lose their power.
Isaiah 65:24 “Before I call, God answers; while I am still speaking, He hears me.” Affirmation: Today my prayers do not need to be perfect. God is already listening and ready to respond.
Isaiah 65:25 “I will one day live in a place where nothing hurts or destroys on God’s holy mountain.” Affirmation: Today I hold real hope—peace is not just a distant dream; it is God’s promise, and it can begin to settle in my heart now.
Isaiah 66:2 “God looks to me when I am humble, contrite in spirit, and tremble at His word.” Affirmation: Today God is not measuring my performance. He draws near to a soft and responsive heart.
Isaiah 66:13 “As a mother comforts her child, so the Lord comforts me.” Affirmation: Today I do not have to carry my hurts alone. The Lord Himself offers me deep, personal comfort.
Isaiah 66:22 “Just as the new heavens and new earth will remain forever, so my place with God is secure and lasting.” Affirmation: Today I stand on solid ground. My belonging with God is as permanent as the new creation He has promised.
Closing
As we close our reading of Isaiah 64–66, we have heard the raw cry of a people longing for God to tear open the heavens and come down, followed by His faithful answer of both just judgment and breathtaking hope. In these final chapters the Lord promises new heavens and a new earth where former sorrows are forgotten, where life is secure and joyful, where prayer is answered before it is spoken, and where nothing hurts or destroys on His holy mountain. Thank you for joining me on this journey through the Bible. I appreciate each of you more than words can say, and I love you deeply. May the God who makes all things new fill your hearts with His peace and keep you close to Him until we meet again in His Word.
Special thanks are given to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, for the gift of writing and the privilege of sharing this Bible Study. His guidance and blessings have made this work possible, and it is with a grateful heart that can share my study with you. I hope you find it informational and helpful in your spiritual journey. I am asking that you open your hearts and minds to accept the word of Christ into your hearts and accept His word to transform your life in positive ways. This is the first part of my online Christian Bookstore Fellowship and I do accept donations that will further my mission to have a Bookstore in our community, a place where we can sit down face to face and enjoy this Bible Study over open and honest conversation. I will continue this online Study as well to complete the entire year. Thank you for following The Mustard Seed Christian Bookstore Fellowship & Café online Bible Study.
This Bible study is written with inspiration and wisdom from the Holy Spirit, Scripture from the Holy Bible (NIV), NKJV Life Application Study Bible, analytical support and help in organizing and presentation from Grok AI (which examines multiple sources online) and writing assistance with drafting and editing from Microsoft Co-Pilot.
