Isaiah 66:4
I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss is that God doesn't just respond to their actions; He chooses the consequences. He selects the punishments and fears that perfectly mirror their own deliberate rejection of His calling and speaking. This isn't random misfortune; it's a precise, deliberate judgment that reflects their own choices back onto them.
The Lord declares that because the people have ignored His calls and spoken words, choosing instead to do evil and delight in what He dislikes, He will now choose their destructive paths and bring about their deepest fears. This is a direct consequence of their persistent rejection of His guidance and their willful disobedience, setting the stage for divine judgment.
When we consistently ignore God's call, what happens when He finally 'chooses' for us?
In Isaiah 66:4, God declares, 'I also will choose harsh treatment for them.' This isn't a random act of anger, but a deliberate response to their persistent rejection of Him. The Hebrew word translated here as 'harsh treatment' or 'delusions' (ta'alulim) carries a sense of chosen, deliberate actions, even a kind of mockery.
Imagine someone repeatedly turning down invitations from a friend. Eventually, the friend might stop inviting them altogether and instead 'choose' to let them face the consequences of their isolation. God's choice here is to bring about the very fears and judgments they tried to avoid through their disobedience. It's a powerful illustration of the principle: 'As they have chosen, so shall they be treated.'
God spoke, He called. Why didn't they listen? And what does their silence mean for them?
The verse pinpoints the reason for God's judgment: 'because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen.' This wasn't just a passive neglect; it was an active turning away. God initiated communication, extending invitations and speaking His truth, likely through prophets and His word.
Their failure to respond—to 'answer' and 'listen'—led them to 'do what was evil' and 'chose that in which I did not delight.' Their silence towards God opened the door to sin and rebellion. This highlights a crucial spiritual dynamic: when we tune out God's voice, we become more susceptible to following our own flawed desires and making choices that displease Him. It’s like a ship with no rudder; it will eventually drift towards dangerous rocks.
This verse speaks to the ultimate consequence of persistent rejection of God's call and commands. It resonates with the repeated historical cycles of disobedience, divine warning, and eventual judgment that characterized ancient Israel, culminating in exile and the destruction of their beloved temple. The prophecy highlights that God's judgment is a chosen response to human choice – when people persistently choose their own way, God ultimately 'chooses' the resulting consequences for them.
Late 8th century BC— this verse
Prophetic Warnings and Rejection
Isaiah delivers his prophetic message to Judah, warning of impending judgment due to their disobedience and idolatry, but his warnings are largely ignored by the populace and leadership.
701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
The Assyrian army under Sennacherib besieges Jerusalem. While the city is miraculously spared from destruction, the devastation in surrounding areas underscores the consequences of defiance against God.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and a significant portion of Judah's elite to Babylon, marking a period of growing foreign dominance and loss of sovereignty.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
This passage echoes Isaiah's theme of God calling out and people refusing to listen, leading to God turning away and their pleas for mercy being unanswered.
Jeremiah 7:13Similar to Isaiah, Jeremiah recounts God speaking repeatedly and the people refusing to listen, highlighting their persistent disobedience and the consequences.
Hebrews 12:25This New Testament passage warns against rejecting God's voice, drawing a direct parallel to the consequences faced by those who ignored His spoken words, just as described in Isaiah.
Romans 1:24-32This passage describes God giving people over to their desires because they rejected Him, similar to how Isaiah states God will choose their 'fears' and 'delusions' because they did what was evil and not what He delighted in.
Psalm 81:11-12This psalm speaks of God giving His people over to their stubborn hearts when they refuse to listen, mirroring Isaiah's message that God will bring their fears upon them because they chose what was evil.
barnesIsaiah 66:4: "I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not."
I also will choose their delusions - Margin, 'Devices.' The Hebrew word rendered here 'delusions' and 'devices' (תעלוּלים ta‛ălûlı̂ym) properly denotes petulance, sauciness; and then vexation, adverse destiny, from עלל ‛âlal, to do, to accomplish, to do e…
pulpitIsaiah 66:4: "I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not."
Verse 4. - Their delusions; or, their childish follies (LXX., ἐμπαίγματα). As God sends on some men "strong delusion that they should believe a lie" (2 Thessalonians 2:11), so on others he sends a spirit of childish folly, which makes their conduct silly and…
What's easy to miss is that God doesn't just respond to their actions; He chooses the consequences. He selects the punishments and fears that perfectly mirror their own deliberate rejection of His calling and speaking. This isn't random misfortune; it's a precise, deliberate judgment that reflects their own choices back onto them.
The Lord declares that because the people have ignored His calls and spoken words, choosing instead to do evil and delight in what He dislikes, He will now choose their destructive paths and bring about their deepest fears. This is a direct consequence of their persistent rejection of His guidance and their willful disobedience, setting the stage for divine judgment.
The Lord declares that because the people have ignored His calls and spoken words, choosing instead to do evil and delight in what He dislikes, He will now choose their destructive paths and bring about their deepest fears. This is a direct consequence of their persistent rejection of His guidance and their willful disobedience, setting the stage for divine judgment.
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The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent temple, exiling most of the remaining population. This event represents the pinnacle of God's judgment on Judah's persistent unfaithfulness.
c. 538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Return from Exile
The Persian king Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple, marking the beginning of the restoration period.
"I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in…" — What's easy to miss is that God doesn't just respond to their actions; He chooses the consequences. He selects the punishments and fears that perfectly mirror their own deliberate rejection of Hi…
