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¶ I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that
sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not
called by my name.
.2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; .3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; 4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. |
1 -
I
am sought Paul applied the verse to Gentiles ro1020.
1 - Not called by my name Better translated, "not calling upon my name." 2 - Thoughts From machasheboth which may also be translated," devices. See jb0512, ps03310, pr1921, je1119. 3 - Provoketh Not in the sense we think of in human interaction. The provocation was actions that called for God's appointing or allowing the nation's fall. See de3221, 2ch3425. 3 - Sacrifieth in gardens Following the immoral practices of the Canaanites in beautiful gardens and groves. See is0129, is5705, ez2028. 3 - Altars of brick The word "altars" is supplied by translators. Such places of heathen ceremonies are not known. The Jews of the time of Jeremiah offered incense to the heavenly bodies je1913. 4 - Among the graves Apparently for supposed communication with the dead. See ec0905,6. |
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Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense,
even recompense into their bosom,
.7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom. |
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¶ Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and
one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my
servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.
9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. 10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me. 11 ¶ But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. .12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. |
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wine Sour grapes have been found is0504,
but here is a cluster that is different – a remnant of the people.
Wine in the cluster is unfermented. 11 - Ye that forsake the Lord The Lord here turns to address those who forsake Him v2. 11 - Troop Hebrew gad, the God of fortune. Not only had those in rebellion chosen false worship, they have a false god. He was Baal-gad in jos1117. 11 - Number Apparently a pagan god. Hebrew meni. Correctly translated as "destiny." "But as for you who forsake the LORD and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny," (NIV) 12 - Number you The word here is manah, the root of meni. The prophecy picks up on the meaning of the name and declares that their destiny would be the sword. |
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Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye
shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty:
behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:
14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. 15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name: .16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. |
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 .17
¶ For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former
shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. .20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child [youth] shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. 20 - An infant of days Literally "an infant who lives only a few days." This verse is problematic because there will be no death in the new earth v17, re2104. Jerusalem and the land of Israel were to have been models of God's great plan of happiness and of the final home of the saved is6001. If the people had followed the instructions given them de2801 we may expect that they would have enjoyed long life ps09116 and that babies would not have died. The Jewish people as a nation did not fulfill their role je1311, mt2133. They received the curses of Deuteronomy instead of the blessings de2815. The new heavens and the new earth are described in Revelation re2101. You and I may choose to be there! See explanation below. How can this describe the New Earth v17 and picture a temporal Jerusalem? Jerusalem is a type or symbol of the heavenly city just as Babylon symbolizes the seat of wickedness. In chapter 2 we see that Mount Zion was to be above the other mountains representing its superior place of leadership among the nations. Jerusalem was on top of Mount Zion. The prosperous Jerusalem pictured here didn't happen because Israel was found unfaithful at the end of their 70 symbolic weeks of probation (490 years) as described in Daniel 9. The Jewish people were no longer commissioned as a nation to be this light to the Gentiles ga0328. The sanctuary in the wilderness was was a model of the sanctuary in heaven ex2540. After being settled in what had been Canaan, the tabernacle (tent) which had been the sanctuary was replaced by the temple of Solomon which still followed the pattern but on a larger scale. So on Mount Zion was the city and in the city was the temple and in the most holy place of the temple was the manifestation of the presence of God. It all helps us understand our heavenly home. Isaiah may have been assuming that his readers would make the connection between the prosperous earthly city and the pure heavenly one. It is popular today to interpret these prophecies about the literal city of Jerusalem as still future. The Scriptures do not support this. Jesus spoke very clearly. See Matt. 21:33-end, mentioned above. Image
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 .21
And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. .22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. .24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. .25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. 21 - They shall build A promise for heaven, too. See note page. 24 - Before they call We see here the situation in the new earth, but God is gracious and often has the answer to our prayer on its way before we call. 25 - Compare is1109. Image
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In verse 20 we read of a child may live for only a few days and that sinners would be cursed at when a hundred years old. As already discussed above, the overall text is about heaven, verse 17. It is best understood realizing that phrases and statements are metaphors with meaning well understood by the readers. When Isaiah wrote, Israel was often attacked. People would plant but invaders would harvest, verse 21. Finally the picture of the new heaven and earth is that animals will not be wild as they are here; the wolf and the lamb will be together in peace verse 25. Both will apparently be vegan but again, we are not told. One thing is certain: our going home will be peaceful and we will go and do and be. We will create and make friends. The picture is relief from the oppression of Isaiah's time and of problems we will not have. Praise God.
You
may wish to read the more complete explanation above.
And
see comments about no death in heaven for Ps.
104.21.