Table of Contents
Isaiah 66
1 This is what YHWH says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
1 “Thus says YHWH: The heavens are My throne, and the earth is the footstool of My feet. Where is the house that you will build for Me? And where is the place of My rest?”
2 Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?”
declares YHWH.
“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word.
2 “All of these things my power created, and they came into existence, declares YHWH. But I will pay attention to this one: the afflicted, broken in spirit, who fears My word.”
3 But whoever sacrifices a bull
is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
is like one who presents pig’s blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense
is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,
and they delight in their abominations;
3 “The one who slaughters an ox is like one who strikes a man; the one who sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; the one who offers a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood; the one who makes a memorial offering of incense is like one who blesses an idol. They too have chosen their ways, and in their abominations, their soul delights.”
4 so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and will bring on them what they dread.
For when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil in my sight
and chose what displeases me.”
4 “I also will choose their delusions, and I will bring their fears upon them, because I called, and no one answered; I spoke, and they did not listen. They did evil in My eyes, and chose that which I did not delight in.”
5 Hear the word of YHWH,
you who tremble at his word:
“Your own people who hate you,
and exclude you because of my name, have said,
‘Let YHWH be glorified,
that we may see your joy!’
Yet they will be put to shame.
5 “Hear the word of YHWH, you who tremble at His word: Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for My name’s sake, said, ‘Let YHWH be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but they shall be ashamed.”
6 Hear that uproar from the city,
hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound of YHWH
repaying his enemies all they deserve.
6 “A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, the voice of YHWH rendering recompense to His enemies.”
7 “Before she goes into labor,
she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
she delivers a son.
7 “Before she travailed, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child.”
8 Who has ever heard of such things?
Who has ever seen things like this?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
than she gives birth to her children.
8 “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Or shall a nation be brought forth at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”
9 Do I bring to the moment of birth
and not give delivery?” says YHWH.
“Do I close up the womb
when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
9 “Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? says YHWH: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? says your God.”
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you who love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her.”
11 For you will nurse and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance.”
11 “That you may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that you may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”
12 For this is what YHWH says:
“I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
12 “For thus says YHWH: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried on the side, and be dandled upon the knees.”
13 As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
13 “As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of YHWH will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes.
14 “And you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like grass: and the hand of YHWH shall be known toward His servants, and His indignation toward His enemies.”
15 See, YHWH is coming with fire,
and his chariots are like a whirlwind;
he will bring down his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
15 “For behold, YHWH will come with fire, and His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.”
16 For with fire and with his sword
YHWH will execute judgment on all people,
and many will be those slain by YHWH.
16 “For by fire and by His sword will YHWH plead with all flesh: and the slain of YHWH shall be many.”
17 “Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares YHWH.
17 “Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, declares YHWH.”
18 “And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.
18 “For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see My glory.”
19 “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.
19 “And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those who escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the distant islands that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the nations.”
20 And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to YHWH—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says YHWH. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of YHWH in ceremonially clean vessels.
20 “And they shall bring all your brothers out of all nations as an offering to YHWH, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to My holy mountain Jerusalem, says YHWH, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of YHWH.”
21 And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says YHWH.
21 “And I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites, says YHWH.”
22 “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares YHWH, “so will your name and descendants endure.
22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, says YHWH, so shall your seed and your name remain.”
23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says YHWH.
23 “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says YHWH.”
24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
24 “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorrence unto all flesh.”
Plato’s Downfall of Atlantis compared to Isaiah 66:1-24
1. Divine Judgment
Isaiah 66:1-24:
Isaiah 66 presents a vision of God’s judgment on both the righteous and the wicked. The chapter begins by emphasizing God’s transcendence and sovereignty (verses 1-2) and criticizes the hypocritical and insincere worship practices of the people (verses 3-4). God declares that He will bring retribution upon those who have chosen their own ways and rejected His word. The chapter ends with a vivid depiction of the final judgment, where the wicked are consumed by unquenchable fire (verse 24).
Plato’s Atlantis (from Timaeus and Critias):
Plato’s account of Atlantis describes the divine judgment that falls upon the island due to the moral corruption and hubris of its inhabitants. Initially, Atlantis is portrayed as a powerful and advanced civilization, but as the people grow prideful and morally degenerate, they lose favor with the gods. The gods decide to punish Atlantis by sending catastrophic floods and earthquakes, ultimately causing the island to sink into the ocean, erasing it from existence.
Comparison:
- Divine Judgment: Both texts depict a scenario where divine judgment is executed against those who have strayed from moral and righteous behavior. In Isaiah, God judges the people for their insincere worship and moral failings, while in Plato’s narrative, the gods judge Atlantis for its hubris and corruption.
- Consequences of Sin: The downfall in both texts is directly linked to the moral decay of the people. In Isaiah, the judgment comes upon those who engage in abominable practices, while in Atlantis, the destruction is a consequence of the people’s pride and moral failure.
2. The Transcendence and Sovereignty of the Divine
Isaiah 66:1-2:
Isaiah 66:1-2 emphasizes God’s sovereignty over all creation, declaring that “The heavens are My throne, and the earth is the footstool of My feet.” This imagery highlights the vastness of God’s authority, which cannot be contained within a physical temple or limited to human constructs. It challenges the people to recognize the true nature of God’s presence.
Plato’s Atlantis:
In Plato’s account, the gods are also portrayed as having ultimate control over the world, including the fate of entire civilizations. The destruction of Atlantis demonstrates the gods’ ability to bring about the rise and fall of empires according to their will. The gods’ actions in wiping out Atlantis are a reminder of the limits of human power in the face of divine authority.
Comparison:
- Divine Sovereignty: Both Isaiah and Plato’s texts emphasize the transcendence and ultimate authority of the divine. In Isaiah, God’s dominion extends over the entire cosmos, while in Plato’s narrative, the gods wield their power to maintain cosmic order, even if it means destroying an entire civilization.
- Human Limitation: Both texts highlight the limitations of human power in the face of divine authority. In Isaiah, the question “Where is the house that you will build for Me?” underscores the futility of trying to contain the divine, while in Atlantis, the civilization’s downfall serves as a stark reminder that human achievements are insignificant when opposed to divine will.
3. Moral Corruption and Consequences
Isaiah 66:3-4:
Isaiah 66:3-4 critiques the people for their hypocritical worship, where outward religious practices are disconnected from genuine righteousness. God declares that He will choose their “delusions” and bring their “fears” upon them because they have chosen their own ways and ignored His word.
Plato’s Atlantis:
The people of Atlantis, once virtuous and just, become morally corrupt over time. Their moral decay leads them to pursue power and wealth at the expense of virtue, prompting the gods to intervene. The destruction of Atlantis is portrayed as a direct consequence of their moral failings.
Comparison:
- Moral Decay: Both texts link the downfall of a society to moral corruption. In Isaiah, the people’s insincere worship and disobedience lead to divine retribution, while in Atlantis, the civilization’s moral decline leads to its ultimate destruction.
- Consequences of Pride: In both accounts, pride plays a key role in the downfall. The Atlanteans’ pride leads them to challenge the gods, while the people in Isaiah are criticized for their arrogance in thinking they can appease God with empty rituals.
4. Restoration and the Fate of the Righteous
Isaiah 66:5-14:
Isaiah 66:5-14 contrasts the fate of the righteous with that of the wicked. While the wicked face destruction, the righteous are promised comfort and restoration. God promises to extend peace to Jerusalem like a river and to comfort His people as a mother comforts her child.
Plato’s Atlantis:
Plato’s narrative does not offer a direct counterpart to the restoration of the righteous. However, the destruction of Atlantis can be seen as a purging act, restoring balance to the world by removing a corrupt civilization. The survivors of Atlantis (if any) are not mentioned, and there is no indication of restoration.
Comparison:
- Restoration of the Righteous: Isaiah provides a clear promise of restoration and comfort for the righteous, a theme not present in Plato’s account. While Atlantis is utterly destroyed, Isaiah holds out hope for the faithful, emphasizing the dual aspect of divine justice: punishment for the wicked and reward for the righteous.
- Absence of Restoration in Atlantis: The complete destruction of Atlantis without mention of restoration underscores the finality of divine judgment in Plato’s narrative, in contrast to Isaiah’s message of hope for those who remain faithful.
5. The Ultimate Victory of the Divine
Isaiah 66:15-24:
The closing verses of Isaiah 66 describe a final judgment where God’s wrath is poured out on His enemies, and the wicked are consumed by fire. The vision culminates in the establishment of God’s ultimate authority, where “all flesh shall come to worship before Me” (Isaiah 66:23), and the remains of the wicked serve as a warning to all.
Plato’s Atlantis:
The destruction of Atlantis serves as a testament to the gods’ ultimate victory over human pride. By erasing Atlantis from the world, the gods reassert their control and maintain the cosmic order, ensuring that no human civilization can rival divine power.
Comparison:
- Final Judgment: Both Isaiah and Plato depict a scenario where the divine power asserts ultimate control over creation. Isaiah describes a final judgment where God’s authority is recognized by all, while Plato’s narrative shows the gods’ decisive action in maintaining cosmic balance.
- Warning to the World: In both texts, the outcome serves as a warning to others. The destruction of the wicked in Isaiah and the obliteration of Atlantis both underscore the consequences of defying divine authority.
Conclusion
Isaiah 66:1-24 and Plato’s description of the downfall of Atlantis share common themes of divine judgment, the consequences of moral decay, and the ultimate authority of the divine. Both texts serve as powerful reminders of the limits of human power and the inevitable consequences of straying from moral and righteous paths. While Isaiah offers a message of hope and restoration for the righteous, Plato’s narrative underscores the finality of divine retribution. Both, however, emphasize the ultimate victory of the divine over human pride and corruption.
