Israel Refined for God's Glory

48 Hear this, O house of Jacob,
    (A)who are called by the name of Israel,
    and (B)who came from the waters of Judah,
(C)who swear by the name of the Lord
    and confess the God of Israel,
    but not in truth or right.
For they call themselves after the holy city,
    (D)and stay themselves on the God of Israel;
    the Lord of hosts is his name.

“The former things (E)I declared of old;
    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;
    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.
Because I know that (F)you are obstinate,
    and your neck is an iron sinew
    and your forehead brass,
(G)I declared them to you from of old,
    before they came to pass I announced them to you,
lest you should say, (H)‘My idol did them,
    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’

“You have heard; now see all this;
    and will you not declare it?
From this time forth (I)I announce to you new things,
    hidden things that you have not known.

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God’s Stubborn People

48 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob,
    you who are called by the name of Israel
    and born into the family of Judah.
Listen, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord
    and call on the God of Israel.
You don’t keep your promises,
    even though you call yourself the holy city
and talk about depending on the God of Israel,
    whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Long ago I told you what was going to happen.
    Then suddenly I took action,
    and all my predictions came true.
For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are.
    Your necks are as unbending as iron.
    Your heads are as hard as bronze.
That is why I told you what would happen;
    I told you beforehand what I was going to do.
Then you could never say, ‘My idols did it.
    My wooden image and metal god commanded it to happen!’
You have heard my predictions and seen them fulfilled,
    but you refuse to admit it.
Now I will tell you new things,
    secrets you have not yet heard.

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