Holman Christian Standard Bible (214 page)

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God's Deliverance of Rebellious Israel
14
 This is what the
Lord
, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says:
Because of you, I will send to Babylon
and bring all of them as fugitives, 
even the Chaldeans in the ships in which they rejoice. 
15
 I am Yahweh, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.
16
 This is what the 
Lord
 says —
who makes a way in the sea,
and a path through surging waters, 
17
 who brings out the chariot and horse, 
the army and the mighty one together
(they lie down, they do not rise again;
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick ) —
18
 “Do not remember the past events,
pay no attention to things of old. 
19
 Look, I am about to do something new; 
even now it is coming. Do you not see it?
Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, 
rivers in the desert.
20
 The animals of the field will honor Me,
jackals and ostriches,
because I provide water in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert, 
to give drink to My chosen people.
21
 The people I formed for Myself
will declare My praise. 
22
 “But Jacob, you have not called on Me,
because, Israel, you have become weary of Me. 
23
 You have not brought Me your sheep for 
•burnt
 offerings
or honored Me with your sacrifices. 
I have not burdened you with offerings
or wearied you with incense. 
24
 You have not bought Me aromatic cane with silver,
or satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened Me with your sins;
you have wearied Me with your iniquities. 
25
 “It is I who sweep away your transgressions 
for My own sake 
and remember your sins no more. 
26
 Take Me to court; let us argue our case together. 
State your case, so that you may be vindicated.
27
 Your first father sinned, 
and your mediators have rebelled against Me. 
28
 So I defiled the officers of the sanctuary,
and
•set
Jacob apart for destruction 
and Israel for abuse.
Isaiah
Spiritual Blessing
44
“And now listen, Jacob My servant,
Israel whom I have chosen. 
2
 This is the word of the 
Lord
your Maker who formed you from the womb;
He will help you:
Do not fear; Jacob is My servant;
I have chosen Jeshurun.
3
 For I will pour water on the thirsty land
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants
and My blessing on your offspring.
4
 They will sprout among  the grass
like poplars by flowing streams.
5
 This one will say, ‘I am the 
Lord
's';
another will call himself by the name of Jacob;
still another will write on his hand, ‘The 
Lord
's,'
and name himself by the name of Israel.”
No God Other Than Yahweh
6
 This is what the
Lord
, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, the
Lord
of
•Hosts
, says:
I am the first and I am the last. 
There is no God but Me. 
7
 Who, like Me, can announce the future?
Let him say so and make a case before Me, 
since I have established an ancient people.
Let these gods declare the coming things,
and what will take place.
8
 Do not be startled or afraid.
Have I not told you and declared it long ago?
You are my witnesses! 
Is there any God but Me? 
There is no other Rock; I do not know any.
9
 All who make idols are nothing,
and what they treasure does not profit.
Their witnesses do not see or know anything,
so they will be put to shame. 
10
 Who makes a god or casts a metal image
for no profit? 
11
 Look, all its worshipers will be put to shame,
and the craftsmen are humans.
They all will assemble and stand;
they all will be startled and put to shame.
12
 The ironworker labors over the coals,
shapes the idol with hammers,
and works it with his strong arm.
Also he grows hungry and his strength fails;
he doesn't drink water and is faint.
13
 The woodworker stretches out a measuring line,
he outlines it with a stylus;
he shapes it with chisels
and outlines it with a compass.
He makes it according to a human likeness, 
like a beautiful person,
to dwell in a temple.
14
 He cuts down cedars for his use,
or he takes a cypress or an oak.
He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest.
He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
15
 It serves as fuel for man.
He takes some of it and warms himself;
also he kindles a fire and bakes bread;
he even makes it into a god and worships it;
he makes an idol from it and bows down to it.
16
 He burns half of it in a fire,
and he roasts meat on that half.
He eats the roast and is satisfied.
He warms himself and says, “Ah!
I am warm, I see the blaze.”
17
 He makes a god or his idol with the rest of it.
He bows down to it and worships;
He prays to it, “Save me, for you are my god.”
18
 Such people do not comprehend
and cannot understand,
for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see,
and their minds so they cannot understand.
19
 No one reflects,
no one has the perception or insight to say,
“I burned half of it in the fire,
I also baked bread on its coals,
I roasted meat and ate.
I will make something detestable with the rest of it,
and I will bow down to a block of wood.”
20
 He feeds on  ashes.
His deceived mind has led him astray,
and he cannot deliver himself,
or say, “Isn't there a lie in my right hand? ” 
21
 Remember these things, Jacob,
and Israel, for you are My servant;
I formed you, you are My servant;
Israel, you will never be forgotten by Me.
22
 I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, 
and your sins like a mist.
Return to Me, 
for I have redeemed you. 
23
 Rejoice, heavens, for the 
Lord
has acted;
shout, depths of the earth.
Break out into singing, mountains,
forest, and every tree in it.
For the
Lord
has redeemed Jacob,
and glorifies Himself through Israel. 
Restoration of Israel through Cyrus
24
 This is what
•Yahweh
, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb, says:
I am Yahweh, who made everything;
who stretched out the heavens by Myself; 
who alone spread out the earth;
25
 who destroys the omens of the false prophets
and makes fools of diviners;
who confounds the wise
and makes their knowledge foolishness; 
26
 who confirms the message of His servant
and fulfills the counsel of His messengers;
who says to Jerusalem, “She will be inhabited,”
and to the cities of Judah, “They will be rebuilt,”
and I will restore her ruins;
27
 who says to the depths of the sea, “Be dry,”
and I will dry up your rivers;
28
 who says to Cyrus, “My shepherd,
he will fulfill all My pleasure” 
and says to Jerusalem, “She will be rebuilt,” 
and of the temple, “Its foundation will be laid.”
Isaiah
45
The
Lord
says this to Cyrus, His anointed, 
whose right hand I have grasped 
to subdue nations before him,
to disarm  kings, 
to open the doors before him
and the gates will not be shut:
2
 “I will go before you
and level the uneven places;
I will shatter the bronze doors
and cut the iron bars in two. 
3
 I will give you the treasures of darkness
and riches from secret places, 
so that you may know that I,
•Yahweh
,
the God of Israel call you by your name. 
4
 I call you by your name,
because of Jacob My servant 
and Israel My chosen one.
I give a name to you,
though you do not know Me.
5
 I am Yahweh, and there is no other; 
there is no God but Me. 
I will strengthen you,
though you do not know Me,
6
 so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
that there is no one but Me. 
I am Yahweh, and there is no other.
7
 I form light and create darkness, 
I make success and create disaster; 
I, Yahweh, do all these things.
8
 “Heavens, sprinkle from above,
and let the skies shower righteousness. 
Let the earth open up
so that salvation will sprout
and righteousness will spring up with it. 
I, Yahweh, have created it.
9
 “Woe to the one who argues with his Maker —
one clay pot among many. 
Does clay say to the one forming it,
‘What are you making?' 
Or does your work say,
‘He has no hands'? 
10
 How absurd is the one who says to his father,
‘What are you fathering?'
or to his mother,
‘What are you giving birth to? ' ”
11
 This is what the 
Lord
,
the Holy One of Israel and its Maker, says:
“Ask Me what is to happen to  My sons, 
and instruct Me about the work of My hands. 
12
 I made the earth,
and created man on it.
It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, 
and I commanded all their host.
13
 I have raised him up in righteousness, 
and will level all roads for him.
He will rebuild My city, 
and set My exiles free, 
not for a price or a bribe,”
says the
Lord
of 
•Hosts
.
God Alone is the Savior
14
 This is what the
Lord
says:
The products of Egypt and the merchandise of 
•Cush
and the Sabeans, men of stature, 
will come over to you 
and will be yours;
they will follow you,
they will come over in chains
and bow down to you.
They will confess to you:
God is indeed with you, and there is no other;
there is no other God.
15
 Yes, You are a God who hides Himself, 
God of Israel, Savior. 
16
 All of them are put to shame, even humiliated; 
the makers of idols go in humiliation together.
17
 Israel will be saved by the 
Lord
with an everlasting salvation;
you will not be put to shame or humiliated
for all eternity. 
18
 For this is what the 
Lord
 says —
God is the Creator of the heavens.
He formed the earth and made it.
He established it;
He did not create it to be empty,
but formed it to be inhabited  —
“I am Yahweh,
and there is no other.
19
 I have not spoken in secret, 
somewhere in a land of darkness.
I did not say to the descendants of Jacob:
Seek Me in a wasteland. 
I, Yahweh, speak truthfully; 
I say what is right.

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