Heaven Is My Throne
Heaven is his throne, so no building houses him; he looks instead at whoever trembles at his word. Those cast out by their own brothers are vindicated. Our Father comforts like a mother and gathers every nation, and the book ends staring at rebels' corpses.
66 1This is what our Father says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where, then, is the house you would build for me? And where is the place of my rest? 2My hand has made all these things, and so they all came into being, declares our Father. But this is the one to whom I will look: the one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my word. 3But whoever slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; whoever offers a grain offering, like one who presents pig's blood; whoever burns frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations. 4So I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their dread upon them, because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they did not listen. They did what was evil in my eyes and chose what does not please me." 5Hear the word of our Father, you who tremble at his word: "Your own brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name's sake have said, 'Let our Father be glorified, that we may see your joy'—but it is they who will be put to shame."
6A sound of uproar from the city! A voice from the temple! It is the voice of our Father, repaying his enemies what they have done!
7Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came upon her, she delivered a son. 8Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a land be born in a single day? Can a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner was Zion in labor than she brought forth her children.
9"Will I bring to the moment of birth and not deliver?" says our Father. "Will I who deliver shut the womb?" says your Father.
10Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her, 11that you may nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breast, that you may drink deeply and delight in her overflowing glory.
12For this is what our Father says: "I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; you will nurse and be carried on her hip and bounced upon her knees. 13As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem." a a v13 Our Father pictures his own comfort in the tenderness of a mother soothing her child—his heart for his people is gentle beyond what any one human image can hold.
14When you see this, your heart will rejoice, and your bones will flourish like new grass; the hand of our Father will be made known to his servants, but his fury to his enemies.
15For look—our Father will come with fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to unleash his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16For with fire and with his sword our Father will execute judgment on all flesh, and those slain by our Father will be many.
17"Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the gardens, following one in the midst, eating the flesh of pigs and vermin and mice, will come to an end together, declares our Father. b b v17 'Following one in the midst': the central ritual figure or idol at the heart of their pagan ceremony.
18"For I know their deeds and thoughts. The time comes to gather all nations and tongues; they will come and see my glory.
19"I will set a sign among them and send survivors to the nations—Tarshish, Pul, Lud (who draw the bow), Tubal, Javan, and distant coastlands that never heard of me or saw my glory. They will declare my glory among the nations. 20They will bring all your brothers from every nation as an offering to our Father—on horses, in chariots and wagons, on mules and camels—to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says he, as Israel brings a grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of our Father. 21And some of them I will take to be priests and Levites, says our Father.
22"For just as the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me, declares our Father, so will your offspring and your name endure. 23From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh will come to worship before me, says our Father.
24"And they will go out and look on the corpses of those who rebelled against me; for their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be a horror to all flesh."
