Isaiah 66:1-6: Tremble at the LORD’s Word

The LORD confronts His people with the reality that He is the Creator of all things and of the new heavens and new earth. Rather than seeing their worship as something that they must do for Him (for He needs nothing from them), they must come before Him in humility, contrition, and trembling at His Word, which He speaks as His gift to them. Those who come before the LORD in self-chosen ways, engaging in hypocritical or syncretistic worship, will receive only condemnation from the LORD. Those who come before the LORD according to the ways of His choosing, however, will receive vindication from Him, even if they are mocked and ridiculed now. Rev. Doug Minton, pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Milford, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Isaiah 66:1-6. "The Fifth Evangelist” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through Isaiah 40-66. Though Isaiah lived one hundred years beforehand, he writes to the people of God in exile in Babylon to assure them that their God reigns and will rescue them through the work of His servant. These promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, whose work Isaiah proclaims vividly seven hundred years beforehand.