God’s Case Against Israel

Heaven and earth, listen! This is what the Lord says: “I raised my children and helped them grow up, but they have turned against me.

The Lord says, “Why do you continue giving me all these sacrifices? I have had enough of your sacrifices of rams and the fat from well-fed animals. I don’t want the blood of those bulls, sheep, and goats.

The Lord says, “The women in Zion have become very proud. They walk around with their heads in the air, acting like they are better than other people. They flirt with their eyes and make tinkling sounds with their ankle bracelets as they take their quick little steps.”

God Will Punish Assyria’s Pride

The Lord says, “I will use Assyria like a stick. In my anger I will use Assyria to punish Israel.

The Lord says, “I will cause bad things to happen to the world. I will punish the evil people for their sin. I will make proud people lose their pride. I will stop the bragging of cruel people.

The Lord says, “Look, I will cause the armies of Media to attack Babylon. Nothing will stop them, even if someone offers them gold and silver.

And now the Lord says, “In three years (counting as exactly as a hired helper would) all those people and the things they are proud of will be gone. Only a few of their weakest people will be left.”

The Lord says, “I will cause the Egyptians to fight against themselves. Men will fight their brothers. Neighbors will be against neighbors. Cities will be against cities. Kingdoms will be against kingdoms.

But the Lord says, “Your people have died, but they will live again. The bodies of my people will rise from death. Dead people in the ground, stand and be happy! The dew covering you is like the dew sparkling in the light of a new day. It shows that a new time is coming, when the earth will give birth to the dead who are in it.”

The Lord says, “These people come to honor me with words, but I am not really important to them. The worship they give me is nothing but human rules they have memorized.

The Lord says, “Now, I will stand and show people how great and powerful I am.

The Lord says, “This will happen when my sword in the sky is covered with blood.” Look, the Lord’s sword will cut through Edom. He judged them guilty, and they must die.

he said to them, “Give this message to your master, Hezekiah: The Lord says, ‘Don’t be afraid of what you heard from the commanders! Don’t believe what those “boys” from the king of Assyria said to make fun of me.

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!

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.

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.

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 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 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 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 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.