230 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
230 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
God's
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Help for Israel
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# Chapter 41
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1. "Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea.
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Bring your strongest arguments.
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Come now and speak.
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The court is ready for your case.
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2. "Who has stirred up this king from the east,
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rightly calling him to God's service?
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Who gives this man victory over many nations
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and permits him to trample their kings underfoot?
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With his sword, he reduces armies to dust.
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With his bow, he scatters them like chaff before the wind.
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3. He chases them away and goes on safely,
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though he is walking over unfamiliar ground.
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4. Who has done such mighty deeds,
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summoning each new generation from the beginning of time?
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It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last.
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I alone am he."
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5. The lands beyond the sea watch in fear.
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Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war.
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6. The idol makers encourage one another,
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saying to each other, "Be strong!"
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7. The carver encourages the goldsmith,
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and the molder helps at the anvil.
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"Good," they say. "It's coming along fine."
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Carefully they join the parts together,
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then fasten the thing in place so it won't fall over.
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8. "But as for you, Israel my servant,
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Jacob my chosen one,
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descended from Abraham my friend,
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9. I have called you back from the ends of the earth,
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saying, 'You are my servant.'
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For I have chosen you
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and will not throw you away.
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10. Don't be afraid, for I am with you.
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Don't be discouraged, for I am your God.
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I will strengthen you and help you.
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I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
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11. "See, all your angry enemies lie there,
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confused and humiliated.
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Anyone who opposes you will die
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and come to nothing.
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12. You will look in vain
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for those who tried to conquer you.
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Those who attack you
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will come to nothing.
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13. For I hold you by your right hand--
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I, the LORD your God.
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And I say to you,
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'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you.
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14. Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob,
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don't be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you.
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I am the LORD, your Redeemer.
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I am the Holy One of Israel.'
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15. You will be a new threshing instrument
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with many sharp teeth.
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You will tear your enemies apart,
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making chaff of mountains.
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16. You will toss them into the air,
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and the wind will blow them all away;
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a whirlwind will scatter them.
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Then you will rejoice in the LORD.
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You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.
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17. "When the poor and needy search for water and there is none,
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and their tongues are parched from thirst,
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then I, the LORD, will answer them.
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I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.
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18. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus.
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I will give them fountains of water in the valleys.
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I will fill the desert with pools of water.
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Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.
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19. I will plant trees in the barren desert--
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cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine.
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20. I am doing this so all who see this miracle
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will understand what it means--
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that it is the LORD who has done this,
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the Holy One of Israel who created it.
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21. "Present the case for your idols,"
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says the LORD.
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"Let them show what they can do,"
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says the King of Israel.
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22. "Let them try to tell us what happened long ago
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so that we may consider the evidence.
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Or let them tell us what the future holds,
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so we can know what's going to happen.
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23. Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead.
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Then we will know you are gods.
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In fact, do anything--good or bad!
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Do something that will amaze and frighten us.
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24. But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all.
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Those who choose you pollute themselves.
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25. "But I have stirred up a leader who will approach from the north.
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From the east he will call on my name.
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I will give him victory over kings and princes.
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He will trample them as a potter treads on clay.
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26. "Who told you from the beginning
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that this would happen?
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Who predicted this,
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making you admit that he was right?
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No one said a word!
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27. I was the first to tell Zion,
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'Look!
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Help is on the way!'
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I will send Jerusalem a messenger with good news.
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28. Not one of your idols told you this.
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Not one gave any answer when I asked.
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29. See, they are all foolish, worthless things.
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All your idols are as empty as the wind.
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