Here I Am, Here I Am
Our Father says he kept saying here I am to people who never asked, who preferred tombs and secret rites. Judgment is sorted: his servants eat while others go hungry. Then he makes new heavens and earth, where crying stops and no one builds for another.
65 1I let myself be sought by those who did not ask for me; I let myself be found by those who did not seek me. I said, "Here I am, here I am," to a nation that did not call on my name. a a v1 Paul quotes this verse in Romans 10:20 as our Father's open invitation reaching the Gentiles — the nations who were not called by his name find him. 2All day long I have spread out my hands to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own schemes, 3a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and burning incense on bricks; 4who sit among the tombs and spend the night in secret places; who eat the flesh of pigs, with broth of forbidden things in their pots; 5who 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 day long. 6Look, it stands written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will repay into their lap, 7both your own sins and the sins of your ancestors together, says our Father; because they burned incense on the mountains and insulted me on the hills, I will measure into their lap full payment for their former deeds.
8This is what our Father says: As the new wine is found in the cluster, and someone says, "Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it," so I will do for the sake of my servants, and not destroy them all. 9"I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah an heir of my mountains; my chosen will inherit it, and my servants will dwell there. 10Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who have sought me. 11But you who forsake me, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny. b b v11 Fortune and Destiny were pagan gods of luck and fate — the people set out feasts for them instead of trusting the Father who had pursued them. 12I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will bow down to the slaughter, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not listen; you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what gave me no delight."
13Therefore this is what the Sovereign Father says: Look, my servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame; 14"look, my servants will sing for gladness of heart, but you will cry out for pain of heart and wail for a broken spirit. 15You will leave your name to my chosen as a curse, and the Sovereign Father will put you to death; but his servants he will call by another name, 16so that whoever invokes a blessing in the land will bless himself by the Father of truth, and whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the Father of truth; for the former troubles are forgotten and hidden from my eyes.
New Heavens, New Earth
17"For look, I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. c c v17 John sees this promise fulfilled in his vision of the new heaven and new earth — Rev 21:1. Peter calls it "the home of righteousness" we await — 2 Pet 3:13. 18But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for look, I am creating Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. 19I will rejoice over Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no longer will the sound of weeping be heard in her, or the cry of distress. 20No more will there be in it an infant who lives only a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; for the young man will die one hundred years old, and the one who falls short of one hundred will be thought accursed. 21They will build houses and live in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22They will not build for another to live in, or plant for another to eat; for my people's days 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 or bear children for sudden terror, for they are the offspring of those our Father has blessed, and their descendants with them. 24Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear." 25The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will not harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain, says our Father.
