God Answers Hezekiah

Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘You prayed to me about the message that came from King Sennacherib of Assyria. I have heard you.’

So the Lord says this about the king of Assyria: “He will not come into this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not bring his shields up against this city or build up a hill of dirt to attack its walls.

He will go back the way he came. He will not come into this city. The Lord says this!

“Go to Hezekiah and tell him that the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says, ‘I heard your prayer, and I saw your tears. I will add 15 years to your life.

This is the sign from the Lord to show you that he will do what he says:

The Lord Is the Eternal Creator

The Lord says, “Faraway countries, be quiet and listen to me! Nations be brave. Come to me and speak. We will meet together and decide who is right.

Only the Lord Can Save Us

The Lord says, “You, Israel, are my servant. Jacob, I chose you. You are from the family of my friend, Abraham.

People of Israel, descendants of Jacob, you may be weak and worthless, but do not be afraid. I myself will help you.” This is what the Lord himself says. “I am the Holy One of Israel, the one who saves you.

The Lord Challenges the False Gods

The Lord, the king of Jacob, says, “Come, present your arguments. Show me your proof.

God Is Always With His People

Jacob, the Lord created you. Israel, he made you, and now he says, “Don’t be afraid. I saved you. I named you. You are mine.

The Lord says, “You people are my witnesses and the servant I chose. I chose you so that you would help people believe me. I chose you so that you would understand that ‘I Am He’—I am the true God. There was no God before me, and there will be no God after me.

The Lord, the Holy One of Israel, saves you, and he says, “I will send armies to Babylon for you. Many people will be captured. Those Chaldeans will be taken away in their own boats. (They are so proud of those boats.)

God Will Save His People Again

The Lord is making roads through the sea. He is making a path for his people, even through rough waters. The Lord says,

The Lord is the king of Israel. The Lord All-Powerful is the one who will set Israel free. And he says, “I am the only God. There are no other gods. I am the Beginning and the End.

The one who rescued you is the Lord, the one who formed you in your mother’s womb. He says, “I, the Lord, made everything. I put the skies there myself. I spread out the earth before me.”

The Lord sends his servants to tell his messages to the people, and he makes those messages come true. He sends messengers to tell the people what they should do, and he proves that the advice is good.

God Chooses Cyrus to Rebuild Judah

The Lord says to Jerusalem, “People will live in you again.” He says to the cities of Judah, “You will be rebuilt.” He says to them, “I will repair your ruins.”

The Lord God is the Holy One of Israel. He created Israel, and he says, “My children, you asked me to show you a sign. You told me to show you what I have done.

The Lord says, “Egypt and Ethiopia are rich, but, Israel, you will get those riches. The tall people from Seba will be yours. They will walk behind you with chains around their necks. They will bow down before you and ask you to pray for them and say, ‘The true God really is with you, and there is no other God.’”

False Gods Are Useless

The Lord says, “Bel has fallen to the ground. Nebo is kneeling before me. “Men put those idols on the backs of animals. They are only heavy burdens that must be carried. They do nothing but make people tired.

The Lord, the Savior, the Holy One of Israel, says, “I am the Lord your God. I teach you for your own good. I lead you in the way you should go.

The Lord, the Holy Protector of Israel, speaks to his servant. People hate that servant. Nations despise him. He is now a slave to rulers. The Lord says to him, “Kings will see you and stand to honor you. Great leaders will bow down to you.” This will happen for the Lord. The Holy One of Israel is the one who chose you, and he can be trusted.

The Day of Salvation

This is what the Lord says: “There will be a special time when I show my kindness. Then I will answer your prayers. There will be a special day when I will save you. Then I will help you and protect you. And you will be the proof of my agreement with the people. The country is destroyed now, but you will give the land back to the people who own it.

But now Zion says, “The Lord has left me; the Lord has forgotten me.”

But the Lord says, “Can a woman forget her baby? Can she forget the child who came from her body? Even if she can forget her children, I cannot forget you.

Look up! Look all around you! All of your children are gathering together and coming to you.” The Lord says, “On my life, I promise you this: Your children will be like jewels that you tie around your neck. Your children will be like the necklace that a bride wears.