Isaiah, chapter 48
The Lord Corrects His People
eople of Israel, you come from Jacob's family
and the tribe of Judah.
You claim to worship me, the Lord God of Israel,
but you are lying.
2You call Jerusalem your home and say you depend on me,
the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel.
3Long ago I announced what was going to be,
then without warning, I made it happen.
4I knew you were stubborn and hardheaded.
5And I told you these things, so that when they happened
you would not say, “The idols we worship did this.”
6You heard what I said, and you have seen it happen.
Now admit it's true!
I will show you secrets you have never known.
7Today I am doing something new,
something you cannot say you have heard before.
8You have never been willing to listen to what I say;
from the moment of your birth, I knew you would rebel.
The Lord Warns Israel
9I, the Lord, am true to myself;
I will be praised
for not punishing and destroying you.
10I tested you in hard times just as silver is refined
in a heated furnace.
11I did this because of who I am.
I refuse to be dishonored or share my praise
with any other god.
12 Israel, my chosen people, listen to me.
I alone am the Lord, the first and the last.
13With my own hand I created the earth
and stretched out the sky.
They obey my every command.
The Lord Speaks to the Nations
14Gather around me, all of you! Listen to what I say.
Did any of your idols predict this would happen?
Did they say that my friend would do
what I want done to Babylonia?
15I was the one who chose him. I have brought him this far,
and he will be successful.
16Come closer and listen!
I have never kept secret the things I have said,
and I was here before time began.
It Is Best To Obey the Lord
By the power of his Spirit the Lord God has sent me
17with this message:
People of Israel, I am the holy Lord God,
the one who rescues you.
For your own good, I teach you,
and I lead you along the right path.
18How I wish that you had obeyed my commands!
Your success and good fortune
would then have overflowed like a flooding river.
19Your nation would be blessed with more people
than there are grains of sand along the seashore.
And I would never have let your country be destroyed.
20 Now leave Babylon! Celebrate as you go.
Be happy and shout for everyone to hear,
“The Lord has rescued his servant Israel!
21 He led us through the desert
and made water flow from a rock
to satisfy our thirst.
22 But the Lord has promised that none who are evil
will live in peace.”