A dear sister of mine shared with me Isaiah Chapter 66:1-4 and asked my take on it. Let me tell you, the Most High YAHUAH means business. He starts off the chapter with a powerful rhetorical question, asking who could possibly build a house for Him or provide Him with rest? It's like He's saying, "I am the ruler of the Heaven(s) and the Earth, I don't need anything from anyone, I own it all!"
1 Thus said Yah, “The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you build for Me? And where is the place of My rest?
Verse 2 says that even in Creating EVERYTHING with His OWN hands, He will still look out for (seek out) and show favor to “this” person (singling out a specific type) one who is humble, contrite, reveres His teachings and respects His word.
2 For all these My hand has made, and all those things that exist,” declares Yah. Yet, to such a one I look: on him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My word.
In verse 3 Yah compares those who kill an ox to those who kill a man. Those who sacrifice a lamb are the same as those who cut off a dog's neck. Those who offer a sacrifice are similar to those who offer the blood of a pig. Those who burn incense are compared to those who bless an idol. These individuals have chosen their own ways (path) and find pleasure in their abominable (detestable) actions.
3 But He that slays a bull / ox is as if he slew a man; he that slaughters a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; he that brings an offering, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burns incense, as if he blessed an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.
Verse 4 talks about how Yah will select their delusions and bring their fears upon them. This is because when He spoke, they ignored His call and disregarded His words. They committed wickedness in His sight and chose things that were displeasing to Him.
In other words, they gave no love to what He said and through their actions showed they didn’t care. His words didn’t matter. Their OWN pride, self-righteous and fleshly desires created a snare. So much so Yah would use their delusions and fears against them. That’s deep!
4 I shall choose their punishments (some versions say) and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear: but they did evil before My eyes, and chose what was displeasing to Me.”
In Conclusion:
Yah is observing those who are doing wickedness and caught up with self-righteousness. These particular people have chosen to completely disregard His word, not listening to His voice. He's calling out to them, but they’re turning a blind eye, ignoring His teachings. They’ve lost respect for His word yet put on this facade of righteousness. What may seem like a religious celebration to us could actually be an abomination to the Most High.
He is using these comparisons to expose their wicked and detestable works. Even though the deeds may appear righteous to some, they mean nothing to Yah. He sees through the charades. And let me tell you, He's not happy about it. He warns that the same deceptions, delusions and fears they held onto will come back on them. The complete opposite of peace and harmony.
And it's not just about Yah being displeased with their actions, it's also about the negative impact these self-righteous individuals have on those who are genuinely seeking a connection with Him. These individuals can be a major hindrance to others, pushing their own religious beliefs onto them through judgment, criticism, guilt, and manipulation. This behavior is not only burdensome, but it can also turn people away from the idea of being a “believer” in Yah and His Son altogether.
So let us all…
Check ourselves,
Humble ourselves,
Revere His word, and
Let go of our own selfish desires.
It's a constant battle with our flesh, but one that is absolutely worth fighting.
So, let's make a pact, you and I. 🥂 Let's commit to walking this journey of life with humility, always ready to receive the divine guidance that Yah has to offer (even if it comes in a shape or form, we aren’t accustomed to receiving). Let's not allow our own weaknesses and ego to hinder our progress and purpose. Instead, let's embrace the challenge and grow stronger in the process.
Thank you, Yah, for using my sister, to share this passage! It carries such a powerful message that can truly enlighten and be an encouraging reminder for all of us.
In humility we walk!
Have an incredibly blessed day!
🙏🏽❤️
Octavia
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In case you missed it
Powerful. Powerful. Powerful 👏🏽👏🏽All Praises to The Most High Yah -Our Creator!🙏🏽🙌🏽 Yes, in humility with a contrite heart, return to the Father and learn "His" ways. It's so much deeper when our King YAHshuah said to have a heart like a child....truly it's to have a heart to learn from our Father-a desire to please Abba not by outward works but with a surrendered heart. A great complimentary study to this is 2 Chronicles when Israel returned back to Yah with their hearts 🙏🏽💝
Amazing reflection Sis! Yah is so good how He keeps revealing Himself to us in fresh ways through His word and Ruach🙌🏽
II Chronicles 31:20-21
[20] Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before Yahuah.
[21] And in every work that he began in the service of the house of Yah, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his Elohim, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.
Amen🙏🏽