Heaven Is Yahweh’s Throne
Thus says Yahweh,
“aHeaven is My throne, and the earth is the footstool of My feet.
Where then is a bhouse you could build for Me?
And where is a place that I may rest?
2 For aMy hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,” declares Yahweh.
“But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and bcontrite of spirit, and who ctrembles at My word.
3 “But he who slaughters an ox is the one who strikes down a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb is the one who breaks a dog’s neck;
He who offers a grain offering is the one who offers aswine’s blood;
He who boffers a memorial offering of frankincense is the one who blesses wickedness.
As they have chosen their cown ways,
And their soul takes pleasure in their ddetestable things,
4 So I will achoose their punishments
And will bbring on them what they dread,
Because I called, but cno one answered;
I spoke, but they did not listen.
And they did what was devil in My eyes
And chose that in which I did not take pleasure.”
5 Hear the word of Yahweh, you who atremble at His word:
“Your brothers who bhate you, who cexclude you for My name’s sake,
Have said, ‘Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your gladness.’
But dthey will be put to shame.
6 A voice of rumbling from the city, a voice from the temple,
The voice of Yahweh who is apaying recompense to His enemies.
7 “Before she was in labor pains, ashe gave birth;
Before her pangs came, bshe delivered a male child.
8 aWho has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?
Can a land be brought forth through labor pains in one day?
Can a nation be born all at once?
As soon as Zion was in labor pains, she also gave birth to her sons.
9 Shall I bring to the point of breaking forth and anot cause birth?” says Yahweh.
“Or shall I who causes birth shut the womb?” says your God.
Joy in Jerusalem’s Future
10 “Be aglad with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who blove her;
Be exceedingly cjoyful with her, all you who mourn over her,
11 That you may nurse and abe satisfied with her comforting breasts,
That you may suck and be delighted with her bbountiful bosom.”
12 For thus says Yahweh, “Behold, I stretch out apeace to her like a river,
And the bglory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
And you will be nursed; you will be ccarried on the hip and played with on the knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts, so I will acomfort you;
And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14 Then you will asee this, and your bheart will be joyful,
And your cbones will flourish like the new grass;
And the dhand of Yahweh will be made known to His slaves,
But He will be eindignant toward His enemies.
15 For behold, Yahweh will come in afire
And His bchariots like the whirlwind,
To return His anger with wrath,
And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For Yahweh will execute judgment by afire
And by His bsword on all flesh,
And those slain by Yahweh will be many.
17 “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the agardens,
Following one in the center,
Who eat bswine’s flesh, detestable things, and mice,
Will ccome to an end altogether,” declares Yahweh.
18 “And I know their works and their athoughts; the time is coming to bgather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. 19 I will set a asign among them and will send those who have escaped from them to the nations: bTarshish, Put, cLud, Meshech, dTubal, and Javan, to the distant ecoastlands that have neither heard My report nor seen My glory. And they will fdeclare My glory among the nations. 20 Then they shall abring all your brothers from all the nations as a grain offering to Yahweh, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to My bholy mountain Jerusalem,” says Yahweh, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a cclean vessel to the house of Yahweh. 21 I will also take some of them for apriests and for Levites,” says Yahweh.
22 “For just as the anew heavens and the new earth
Which I make will endure before Me,” declares Yahweh,
“So your bseed and your cname will endure.
23 And it shall be from anew moon to new moon
And from sabbath to sabbath,
All mankind will come to bworship before Me,” says Yahweh.
24 “Then they will go forth and look
On the acorpses of the men
Who have btransgressed against Me.
For their cworm will not die
dAnd their fire will not be quenched;
And they will be an object of econtempt to all mankind.”