“THUS SAYS THE LORD: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things MY HAND HAS MADE, And all those things exist,” Says the LORD. “But ON THIS ONE WILL I LOOK: ON HIM WHO IS POOR AND OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT, AND WHO TREMBLES AT MY WORD.” (Isaiah 66:1-2)
When God says here in verse 1, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool,” He’s not communicating where He sits or what He does with His feet. He’s communicating who He is and what He’s NOT looking for.
This is kind of like this little reality check for the Israelites here who are so proud of their temple, so proud of their own achievements for God. They would have said, wait, Isaiah, hang on. Look at all that we’re doing. Look at the temple and the religious system. Look at the religious sacrifices we perform, Isaiah. They thought that they were spiritually healthy because they had big accomplishments for God, but THAT’S NOT WHAT GOD WAS LOOKING FOR.
The temple was a good thing—God blessed the temple—but by Isaiah’s day many of the Israelites had their confidence in the temple and in THE FORMALITIES and RITUALS OF THE TEMPLE, NOT in THE LORD HIMSELF. So, God is saying to them here, listen, I don’t need your fancy temple and your rituals. You think I’m impressed by that? I own everything. I made everything. What do you think you’re gonna do for me, Israelites? THERE’S NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO FOR ME THAT I NEED, WHAT I NEED IS THIS:
I NEED YOU TO HUMBLE YOURSELVES BEFORE ME AND FOR YOU TO LOVE AND RESPECT MY WORD.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham