Isaiah 66:12-14

The *Lord continues the word picture that describes *Jerusalem as a mother. So ‘she’ and ‘her’ in verse 12 mean *Jerusalem. And God’s people, that is, his holy nation, are like the child. God will provide for their complete satisfaction.

God had intended wonderful gifts of love to his people (see Isaiah 48:18). Now those gifts will become a reality. The *Lord will provide love and life, and everything that his people may need. The reason for their happiness will be to give a witness to other nations.

• The ‘good hand of God’ is a word picture. It expresses how God acts in order to show his kindness to his loyal people.

God punishes his enemies

v15 ‘Look! The *Lord will arrive in *chariots of fire. It is as if he is riding on the winds of a powerful storm. Once more he will act because of his fierce anger. He will pour out flames of fire over his enemies. v16 The *Lord will carry out his judgement on all guilty people in the world. He will punish them by fire and sword. Those whom the *Lord kills will be a great number. v17 They carefully prepare themselves to enter their sacred gardens to *worship *idols. They disgust me because they eat the meat of pigs and mice. I will *destroy you all for this wicked behaviour,’ declares the *Lord.