Study Desk

therefore I declared to you long ago.I announced it to you before it occurred,so you could not claim, ‘My idol caused them;my carved image and cast idol control them.’

They have been created now, and not long ago;you have not heard of them before today,so you could not claim, ‘I already knew them!’

I will delay my anger for the sake of my name,and I will restrain myself for your benefit and for my praise,so that you will not be destroyed.

Yet as you listen, the childrenthat you have been deprived of will say,‘This place is too small for me;make room for me so that I may settle.’

For I am the Lord your Godwho stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—his name is the Lord of Armies.

So listen to this, sufferingand drunken one—but not with wine.

I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,who said to you:Lie down, so we can walk over you.You made your back like the ground,and like a street for those who walk on it.

So now what have I here”—

Just as many were appalled at you—his appearance was so disfiguredthat he did not look like a man,and his form did not resemble a human being—

so he will sprinkle many nations.Kings will shut their mouths because of him,for they will see what had not been told them,and they will understand what they had not heard.

“For this is like the days of Noah to me:when I swore that the water of Noahwould never flood the earth again,so I have sworn that I will not be angry with youor rebuke you.

Pay attention and come to me;listen, so that you will live.I will make a permanent covenant with youon the basis of the faithful kindnesses of David.

so you will summon a nation you do not know,and nations who do not know you will run to you.For the Lord your God,even the Holy One of Israel,has glorified you.”

Let the wicked one abandon his wayand the sinful one his thoughts;let him return to the Lord,so he may have compassion on him,and to our God, for he will freely forgive.

“For as heaven is higher than earth,so my ways are higher than your ways,and my thoughts than your thoughts.

so my word that comes from my mouthwill not return to me empty,but it will accomplish what I pleaseand will prosper in what I send it to do.”

Who was it you dreaded and feared,so that you lied and didn’t remember meor take it to heart?I have kept silent for a long time, haven’t I?So you do not fear me.

Because of his sinful greed I was angry,so I struck him; I was angry and hid;but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart.

He saw that there was no man—he was amazed that there was no one interceding;so his own arm brought salvation,and his own righteousness supported him.

So he will repay according to their deeds:fury to his enemies,retribution to his foes,and he will repay the coasts and islands.