Isaiah 65:1-16 - Judgment And Salvation

¹ "I let myself be sought by those who didn't ask for me; I let myself be found by those who didn't seek me. I said, "Here I am! Here I am!' to a nation that didn't call on my name. ² I held out my hands all day long to a disobedient people, who walk in a way that isn't good, following their own inclinations ³ a people who continually provoke me to my face; they keep sacrificing in gardens and waving their hands over stone altars; ⁴ who sit among graves, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pigs' meat, with the broth of detestable things in their pots; ⁵ who say, "Keep to yourself!' "Don't touch me!' and "I am too holy for you!' "Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day long. ⁶ Watch out! It stands written before me: "I won't keep silent, but I will pay back in full; I'll indeed repay into their laps ⁷ both your iniquities and your ancestors' iniquities together,'' says the LORD. "Because they offered incense on the mountains and insulted me on hills, I'll measure into their laps full payment for their earlier actions."

⁸ This is what the LORD says: "Just as new wine is found in the cluster, and people have said, "Don't destroy it, for there is a gift in it,' so I'll act for my servants' sake, by not destroying them all. ⁹ I'll bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah they will inherit my mountains; my chosen people will inherit it, and my servants will live there. ¹⁰ Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a fold for herds, for my people who have sought me. ¹¹ But as for you who forsake the LORD, who forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill drink offerings for Destiny, ¹² I'll consign you to the sword, and all of you will bend down for the slaughter because when I called, you didn't answer, when I spoke, you didn't listen; but you did what was evil in my sight, and chose what I took no pleasure in."

¹³ Therefore, this is what the LORD says: "See, my servants will eat, but you'll go hungry; my servants will drink, but you'll go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you'll be put to shame. ¹⁴ My servants will sing in gladness of heart, but you'll cry for help from anguish of heart, and you'll howl from brokenness of spirit. ¹⁵ You'll leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse, and the Lord GOD will put you to death permanently. ¹⁶ Then whoever takes an oath by the God of faithfulness, and whoever takes an oath in the land, will swear by the God of faithfulness, because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes.