The LORD Has Chosen Israel
But now listen, O Jacob My servant, Isa 41:8Jer 30:10Rom 11:5-6Heb 3:7-8Jer 4:7Jer 46:27-28Psa 105:6Deu 7:6-8
Israel, whom I have chosen.
This is the word of the LORD, your Maker, Jer 1:5Isa 43:1Isa 46:3-4Isa 44:24Isa 43:7Isa 49:1Eph 1:4Isa 41:10
who formed you from the womb and who will help you:
“Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant,
Jeshurun, 1 whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, Jol 2:28Act 2:17Isa 59:21Jhn 7:37-39Pro 1:23Rev 21:6Act 2:39Zec 12:10
and currents on the dry ground.
I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants,
and My blessing on your offspring.
They will sprout among the grass Isa 58:11Psa 1:3Psa 92:13-15Ezk 17:5Act 4:4Psa 137:1-2Act 2:41-47Act 5:14
like willows 2by flowing streams.
One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ Zec 13:91Pe 2:92Co 8:5Deu 26:17-19Exo 13:9Gal 6:16Neh 9:38Mic 4:2
another will call himself by the name of Jacob,
and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’
and will take the name of Israel.”
Thus says the LORD, Isa 41:4Isa 43:10-11Rev 1:8Rev 22:13Isa 44:8Isa 45:5-6Isa 48:17Isa 48:12
the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts:
“I am the first and I am the last,
and there is no God but Me.
Who then is like Me? Isa 41:26Isa 41:22Isa 46:9-10Isa 45:21Act 17:26Deu 32:8Gen 17:7-8Isa 41:4
Let him say so!
Let him declare his case before Me,
since I established an ancient people.
Let him foretell the things to come,
and what is to take place.
Do not tremble or fear. Isa 43:101Sa 2:2Deu 4:35Deu 4:39Jhn 10:30Psa 18:312Sa 22:32Deu 32:39
Have I not told you and declared it long ago?
You are My witnesses!
Is there any God but Me?
There is no other Rock;
I know not one.”
All makers of idols are nothing, Isa 41:24Jer 10:14-15Hab 2:18-20Isa 41:29Psa 97:71Co 8:41Ki 18:26-402Co 4:4
and the things they treasure are worthless.
Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend,
so they are put to shame.
Who fashions a god or casts an idol Jer 10:5Hab 2:18Act 19:261Co 8:41Ki 12:28Dan 3:1Dan 3:14Isa 41:29
which profits him nothing?
Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, Isa 42:17Isa 45:16Isa 1:29Psa 97:71Ki 18:19-291Ki 18:401Sa 5:3-71Sa 6:4-5
for the craftsmen themselves are only human.
Let them all assemble and take their stand;
they will all be brought to terror and shame.
The blacksmith takes a tool Isa 40:19Isa 41:6-7Isa 46:6-7Exo 32:4Exo 32:8Hab 2:13Jer 10:3-11
and labors over the coals;
he fashions an idol with hammers
and forges it with his strong arms.
Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength;
he fails to drink water and grows faint.
The woodworker extends a measuring line; Jdg 17:4-5Act 17:29Deu 4:16-18Psa 115:5-7Rom 1:23Deu 27:15Deu 4:28Exo 20:4-5
he marks it out with a stylus;
he shapes it with chisels
and outlines it with a compass.
He fashions it in the likeness of man,
like man in all his glory,
that it may dwell in a shrine.
He cuts down cedars Isa 40:20Hab 2:19Hos 4:12Jer 10:3-8
or retrieves a cypress 3or oak.
He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest.
He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
It serves as fuel for man. 2Ch 25:14Isa 44:10Isa 45:20Jdg 2:19Rev 9:20
He takes some of it to warm himself,
and he kindles a fire
and bakes his bread;
he even fashions it into a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it.
He burns half of it in the fire,
and he roasts meat on that half.
He eats the roast and is satisfied.
Indeed, he warms himself and says,
“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”
From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. Isa 45:201Ki 18:26Dan 3:17Dan 3:29Dan 6:16Dan 6:20-22Dan 6:27Isa 36:19-20
He bows down to it and worships;
he prays to it and says,
“Save me, for you are my god.”
They do not comprehend or discern, Isa 6:9-102Co 4:3-4Jhn 12:39-402Th 2:9-12Jer 5:21Psa 81:12Pro 2:5-9Mat 13:14-15
for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see
and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
And no one considers in his heart, Deu 27:151Ki 11:51Ki 11:72Ki 23:13Deu 32:46Exo 7:23Ezk 40:4Hos 7:2
no one has the knowledge or insight to say,
“I burned half of it in the fire,
and I baked bread on its coals;
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
He feeds on ashes. Hos 12:1Job 15:31Psa 102:9Rom 1:282Ti 2:13Hos 4:12Rom 1:251Ki 22:20-23
His deluded heart has led him astray,
and he cannot deliver himself or say,
“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
Jerusalem to Be Restored
Remember these things, O Jacob, Isa 44:1-2Isa 49:15-16Deu 4:23Isa 43:1Isa 43:15Isa 46:8-9Zec 10:9Deu 31:19-21
for you are My servant, O Israel.
I have made you, and you are My servant;
O Israel, I will never forget you.
I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, Isa 43:251Co 6:20Act 3:18-19Isa 43:11Pe 1:18-19Psa 103:12Isa 55:7Jer 33:8
and your sins like a mist.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; Eph 1:6-7Rev 5:8-14Psa 69:34Isa 49:3Jer 51:48Psa 96:11-12Psa 98:7-8Rev 19:1-6
shout aloud, O depths of the earth.
Break forth in song, O mountains,
you forests and all your trees.
For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,
and revealed His glory in Israel.
Thus says the LORD, Isa 42:5Isa 45:12Isa 54:5Isa 45:18Isa 44:2Isa 43:14Isa 51:13Job 9:8
your Redeemer who formed you from the womb:
“I am the LORD,
who has made all things,
who alone stretched out the heavens,
who by Myself spread out the earth,
who foils the signs of false prophets Psa 33:10Job 5:12-142Sa 15:31Jer 50:361Co 1:20-27Isa 47:12-14Jer 51:57Isa 29:14
and makes fools of diviners,
who confounds the wise
and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
who confirms the message of His servant 1Ki 18:36-38Isa 42:92Pe 1:19-21Act 2:25-28Dan 9:25Isa 60:10Jer 30:18Jer 33:7
and fulfills the counsel of His messengers,
who says of Jerusalem,
‘She will be inhabited,’
and of the cities of Judah,
‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’
who says to the depths of the sea, Isa 42:15Jer 50:38Jer 51:36Isa 11:15-16Isa 43:16Isa 51:15Jer 51:32Psa 74:15
‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’
who says of Cyrus, 2Ch 36:22Isa 45:1Dan 10:1Ezr 6:3-18Isa 45:13Isa 46:11Isa 63:11Psa 78:71-72
‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’
who says of Jerusalem,
‘She will be rebuilt,’
and of the temple,
‘Let its foundation be laid.’”