Isaiah 65:1-16 - Judgment And Salvation

¹ I permitted myself to be sought by those who did not ask for me. Those who did not seek me found me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said: 'Here I am, here I am.' ² All day long I held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations (thoughts), ³ a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick. ⁴ They sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil. They eat the flesh of pigs. Their pots are full of unclean meat. ⁵ They say: 'Keep away! Do not come near me, for I am too sacred for you! Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.' ⁶ See, it stands written before me. I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps ⁷ both your sins and the sins of your fathers, says Jehovah. This is because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills. I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds.

⁸ Jehovah says: As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and men say, 'Do not destroy it, there is yet some good in it,' so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. ⁹ I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains. My chosen people will inherit them and my servants will live there. ¹⁰ Sharon will be pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me. ¹¹ But as for you who forsake Jehovah and forget my holy mountain, which spread a table for the God of Fortune (Babylonian diety) and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, ¹² I will destine you for the sword, and you will all bend down for the slaughter! I called but you did not answer. I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.

¹³ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: 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 My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit. ¹⁵ You will leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse. The Sovereign Lord Jehovah will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. ¹⁶ Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of (amen, so be it) truth; he who takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.