Isaiah_Chapter 48

The house of Jacob, named by the name of Israel, who comes out of the waters of Judah, listen to me. You swear by the name of the Lord, proclaiming the God of Israel, but not in truth or righteousness.

(They call themselves the people of the Holy City and rely on the God of Israel, the Lord of hosts.)

The Lord said, I have explained the earlier things from ancient times, and they have come out of my mouth, as I have instructed them. Suddenly, I did something, and it was done.

Because I have always known that you are stubborn, your neck is iron, and your forehead is copper,

So I have explained these things to you from ancient times, before they are completed, so that you may not say, These things have been done by my idols, my carved idols, and my cast idols.

You have already heard it, and now you want to see all of this, don’t you explain? From now on, I will reveal to you new things that are hidden and unknown to you.

This matter is created today, not from ancient times, and you have not heard it before this day, so that you may say, I have already known this matter.

You never heard, never knew, your ears never opened. I knew that you acted extremely deceitfully, and since your birth, you have been called rebellious.

For my name’s sake, I will hold back my anger for a while, and for my praise, I will endure you and not cut you off.

I refine you, but it’s not like refining silver. You are in the furnace of suffering, I have chosen you.

I will do this for my own sake, how can I make my name blasphemed? I will not give my glory to false gods.

Jacob, Israel, whom I have chosen, listen to me. I am Jehovah, I am the first and last.

I have laid the foundation of the earth with my hand, and spread out the heavens with my right hand. When I call out, I stand still.

Gather yourselves together and listen, who among them has said these things. The person whom the Lord loves will do what he pleases to Babylon, and his arm will be placed on the Chaldeans.

Only I have said, I have summoned him and brought him, and his path will prosper.

You should come near me to hear this. I never spoke in a secret place from the beginning, but since this happened, I have been there. Now the Lord GOD has sent me and his spirit. (Or Jehovah and His Spirit sent me)

This is what the Lord your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: I am the Lord your God, teaching you for your benefit and guiding you in your path.

May you have always obeyed my commands, and your peace be like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Your descendants will be as many as the sand of the sea, and the offspring in your womb will be as many as grains of sand. His name will not be cut off or destroyed before me.

Come out of Babylon, escape from the Chaldeans, and proclaim with a joyful voice, saying, The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob; proclaim this to the ends of the earth.

The Lord guided them through the desert, and they were not thirsty. He made water flow out of the rock for them, splitting it and causing the water to gush out.

The wicked shall not have peace, said the Lord.