Study Desk

"There is no peace for evil people," says the Lord .

He made my tongue like a sharp sword. He hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me like a sharp arrow. He hid me in the holder for his arrows.

But I said, "I have worked hard for nothing; I have used all my power, but I did nothing useful. But the Lord will decide what my work is worth; God will decide my reward."

Now he told me, "You are an important servant to me to bring back the tribes of Jacob, to bring back the people of Israel who are left alive. But, more importantly, I will make you a light for all nations to show people all over the world the way to be saved."

The Lord answers, "Can a woman forget the baby she nurses? Can she feel no kindness for the child to which she gave birth? Even if she could forget her children, I will not forget you.

Children were born to you while you were sad, but they will say to you, ‘This place is too small for us. Give us a bigger place to live.'

This is what the Lord God says: "See, I will lift my hand to signal the nations; I will raise my banner for all the people to see. Then they will bring your sons back to you in their arms, and they will carry your daughters on their shoulders.

I will soon show that I do what is right. I will soon save you. I will use my power and judge all nations. All the faraway places are waiting for me; they wait for my power to help them.

You dried up the sea and the waters of the deep ocean. You made the deepest parts of the sea into a road for your people to cross over and be saved.

Troubles came to you two by two, but no one will feel sorry for you. There was ruin and disaster, great hunger and fighting. No one can comfort you.

I will now give that cup of punishment to those who gave you pain, who told you, ‘Bow down so we can walk over you.' They made your back like dirt for them to walk on; you were like a street for them to travel on."

This is what the Lord says: "You were not sold for a price, so you will be saved without cost."

"Now see what has happened," says the Lord . "Another nation has taken away my people for nothing. This nation who rules them makes fun of me," says the Lord . "All day long they speak against me.

Listen! Your guards are shouting. They are all shouting for joy! They all will see with their own eyes when the Lord returns to Jerusalem.

But he took our suffering on him and felt our pain for us. We saw his suffering and thought God was punishing him.

But he was wounded for the wrong we did; he was crushed for the evil we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him, and we are healed because of his wounds.

We all have wandered away like sheep; each of us has gone his own way. But the Lord has put on him the punishment for all the evil we have done.

Men took him away roughly and unfairly. He died without children to continue his family. He was put to death; he was punished for the sins of my people.

For this reason I will make him a great man among people, and he will share in all things with those who are strong. He willingly gave his life and was treated like a criminal. But he carried away the sins of many people and asked forgiveness for those who sinned."

The Lord says, "Sing, Jerusalem. You are like a woman who never gave birth to children. Start singing and shout for joy. You never felt the pain of giving birth, but you will have more children than the woman who has a husband.