3781 — A Disreputable Class
Have you any light on Isa. 66:17, or any extracts that will make it clearer? The prophet is simply revealing to us a class of apostates of the last days manifest to a greater or less extent in all the great crises of human history. The class is made up of those who turn from the salvation, the only salvation which God can give, and that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves. Their thought is not upon God, but upon their own selfish devices. The one tree evidently has reference to an idolatrous emblem, or symbol, and "asherah" a symbol of nature-worship. Evidently in this worship they hold high revels, eating swine's flesh and the abomination and the mouse — characteristic of their worship. All of these things were forbidden in the menu which God gave to Israel. They are evidently used here to show that the class mentioned have no regard for God or for the instructions which He has given.