The Key to Pure Worship

To begin with, the prophecy emphasizes Jehovah's grandeur: "This is what Jehovah has said: "The heavens are my throne, and the earth is my footstool.  Where, then, is the house that you people can build for me, and where, then, is the place as a resting-place for me?"  (Isaiah 66:1) Some believe that the prophet is discouraging the Jews from rebuilding the temple to Jehovah when the nation is restored to its homeland.  Not so; Jehovah himself will command that the temple be rebuilt.  (Ezra 1:1-6; Isaiah 60:13; Haggai 1:7, 8) What, then, does this passage mean?

First, we might consider why the earth is described as Jehovah's "footstool."  This is not a derogatory term.  Among all the billions of celestial bodies in the universe, the earth alone is given this special designation. Our planet will           stand forever as unique,  for it is here that Jehovah's only-begotten  Son paid the ransom, and it is here that Jehovah will vindicate his sovereignty by means of the Messianic Kingdom.  How fitting that the earth be called  Jehovah's  footstool! A king might use such a footstool!  A king might use  such a footstool for ascending to his lofty throne and thereafter as a resting-place for his feet.

Of course, a king would not reside upon his footstool, nor does Jehovah reside upon this earth. Why, even the vast physical heavens cannot contain him!  ( 1 Kings 8:27) Jehovah's throne and his resting -place are located in the spirit realm, which is the sense of the expression "the heavens" as used at Isaiah 66:1. the next verse drives the point home: "Now all these things my own hand has made, so that all these came to be,' is the utterance of Jehovah."  (Isaiah 66:2a)  Picture Jehovah making a sweeping gesture as he points out "all these things "-everything in heaven and on earth.  (Isaiah 40:26; Revelation 10:6)  As the Grand Creator of all the universe, he deserves to have more than a mere building devoted to him.  He deserves more than merely an outward form of worship.

What kind of worship is fitting for the Universal Sovereign?  He himself tells us:  "To this one, then, I shall look, to the one afflicted and contrite in spirit and trembling at my word." (Isaiah 66:2b)  Yes, essential to pure worship is a right heart attitude on the part of the worshiper.  (Revelation 4:11)  The worshiper of Jehovah must be "afflicted and contrite in spirit." Does this mean that Jehovah wants us to be unhappy? No, he is "the happy God," and he wants his worshipers to be joyful as well.  (1 Timothy 1:11; Philippians 4:4)  However, all of us sin frequently, and we must not take our sins lightly.  We ought to be "afflicted" by them, saddened that we miss the mark of Jehovah's righteous standards.  (Psalm 51:17)  We need to show that we are "contrite in spirit" by repenting, fighting against our sinful tendencies and praying to Jehovah for forgiveness. -Luke 11:4; 1 John 1L8-10.

In addition, Jehovah looks to those 'trembling at his word.' Does this mean that  he wants us to quake  with fear whenever we read his pronouncements?  No, rather, he wants us to view what he says with awe and reverence. We sincerely seek his counsel, using for guidance in all the affairs of life.  (Psalm 119:105) We may 'tremble,' too, in the sense that we fear the very though of disobeying God, of polluting his truth with human traditions or of treating it lightly. Such a humble attitude is essential to pure worship-but sadly, it is a rarity in today's world. 

Next time: Jehovah Hates Hypocritical Worship

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, Volume II, 2001