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Israel the Chosen
44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel,
whom I have chosen:
44:2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee
from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my
servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and
floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy
seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
44:4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as
willows by the water courses.
44:5 One shall say, I am the LORD's; and another shall call
himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe
with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name
of Israel.
The Lord, Not Idols
44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his
redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the
last; and beside me there is no God.
44:7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and
set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient
people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let
them shew unto them.
44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee
from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my
witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I
know not any.
44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity;
and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are
their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may
be ashamed.
44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that
is profitable for nothing?
44:11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the
workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together,
let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be
ashamed together.
44:12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals,
and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the
strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength
faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
44:13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it
out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh
it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a
man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in
the house.
44:14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and
the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees
of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish
it.
44:15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take
thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh
bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh
it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
44:16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part
thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is
satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am
warm, I have seen the fire:
44:17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his
graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it,
and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my
god.
44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut
their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that
they cannot understand.
44:19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there
knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it
in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals
thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I
make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down
to the stock of a tree?
44:20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him
aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there
not a lie in my right hand?
44:21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my
servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel,
thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy
transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me;
for I have redeemed thee.
44:23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout,
ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye
mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD
hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
Jerusalem to Be
Inhabited
44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed
thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things;
that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth
abroad the earth by myself;
44:25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh
diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh
their knowledge foolish;
44:26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and
performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to
Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of
Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed
places thereof:
44:27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy
rivers:
44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall
perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou
shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be
laid. |
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
