I am the Lord your God. I take hold of your right hand. I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid. I will help you.’

That’s as foolish as eating ashes! The mind of someone like that has led him astray. He can’t save himself. He can’t bring himself to say, “This thing I’m holding in my right hand isn’t really a god at all.”

“Cyrus is my anointed king. I take hold of his right hand. I give him the power to bring nations under his control. I help him strip kings of their power to go to war against him. I break city gates open so he can go through them. I say to him,

With my own hand I laid the foundations of the earth. With my right hand I spread out the heavens. When I send for them, they come and stand ready to obey me.

The Lord has made a promise. He has lifted up his right hand and mighty arm. He has promised, “I will never give your grain to your enemies for food again. Outsiders will never again drink the fresh wine you have worked so hard for.