Isaiah 66:1-11

This is what the Lord says: Heaven  is my throne,  and earth is my footstool.  Where could you possibly build a house for me? And where would my resting place be?  My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. This is the  Lord’s declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble,  submissive   in spirit,  and trembles at my word. One person slaughters an ox, another kills a person; one person sacrifices a lamb, another breaks a dog’s neck; one person offers a grain offering, another offers pig’s blood; one person offers incense, another praises an idol — all these have chosen their ways and delight in their abhorrent practices.  So I will choose their punishment, and I will bring on them what they dread because I called and no one answered; I spoke and they did not listen; they did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in.  You who tremble at his word,  hear the word of the  Lord:  “Your brothers who hate and exclude you for my name’s sake have said,  ‘Let the Lord be glorified so that we can see your joy! ’ But they will be put to shame.”  A sound of uproar from the city! A voice from the temple — the voice of the  Lord, paying back his enemies what they deserve!  Before Zion was in labor, she gave birth; before she was in pain, she delivered a boy. Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her sons. “Will I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it? ” says the Lord; “or will I who deliver, close the womb? ” says your God. Be glad for Jerusalem and rejoice over her, all who love her.  Rejoice greatly with her, all who mourn over her — so that you may nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breast and drink deeply and delight yourselves from her glorious breasts.