The Lord, Not Idols

“This is what the Lord says—
    Israel’s King(A) and Redeemer,(B) the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;(C)
    apart from me there is no God.(D)
Who then is like me?(E) Let him proclaim it.
    Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
    and what is yet to come—
    yes, let them foretell(F) what will come.
Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
    Did I not proclaim(G) this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God(H) besides me?
    No, there is no other Rock;(I) I know not one.”

All who make idols(J) are nothing,
    and the things they treasure are worthless.(K)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;(L)
    they are ignorant, to their own shame.(M)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(N)
    which can profit nothing?(O)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(P)
    such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
    they will be brought down to terror and shame.(Q)

12 The blacksmith(R) takes a tool
    and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
    he forges it with the might of his arm.(S)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
    he drinks no water and grows faint.(T)
13 The carpenter(U) measures with a line
    and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
    and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,(V)
    human form in all its glory,
    that it may dwell in a shrine.(W)
14 He cut down cedars,
    or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
    or planted a pine,(X) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(Y) for burning;
    some of it he takes and warms himself,
    he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships(Z) it;
    he makes an idol and bows(AA) down to it.
16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
    over it he prepares his meal,
    he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
    “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.(AB)
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
    he bows down to it and worships.(AC)
He prays(AD) to it and says,
    “Save(AE) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(AF) nothing;
    their eyes(AG) are plastered over so they cannot see,
    and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
19 No one stops to think,
    no one has the knowledge or understanding(AH) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(AI)
    I even baked bread over its coals,
    I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(AJ) thing from what is left?
    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(AK)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(AL) a deluded(AM) heart misleads him;
    he cannot save himself, or say,
    “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(AN)

21 “Remember(AO) these things, Jacob,
    for you, Israel, are my servant.(AP)
I have made you, you are my servant;(AQ)
    Israel, I will not forget you.(AR)

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The High Priest of a New Covenant

Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest,(A) who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,(B) and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle(C) set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

Every high priest(D) is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices,(E) and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.(F) If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.(G) They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy(H) and shadow(I) of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned(J) when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a](K)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:5 Exodus 25:40

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

10 The law is only a shadow(A) of the good things(B) that are coming—not the realities themselves.(C) For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect(D) those who draw near to worship.(E) Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.(F) But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.(G) It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats(H) to take away sins.(I)

Therefore, when Christ came into the world,(J) he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
    but a body you prepared for me;(K)
with burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you were not pleased.
Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll(L)
    I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a](M)

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”(N)—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”(O) He sets aside the first to establish the second.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)

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