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The
Blessings of Israel |
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| Isaiah 44:1 |
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"But now listen, O Jacob, My servant, And Israel,
whom I have chosen: |
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| Isaiah 44:2 |
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Thus says the LORD who made you And formed you
from the womb, who will help you, 'Do not fear, O Jacob My servant; And you Jeshurun
whom I have chosen. |
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| Isaiah 44:3 |
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'For I will pour out water on the thirsty land
And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And
My blessing on your descendants; |
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| Isaiah 44:4 |
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And they will spring up among the grass Like
poplars by streams of water.' |
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| Isaiah 44:5 |
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"This one will say, 'I am the LORD'S'; And that
one will call on the name of Jacob; And another will write on his hand, 'Belonging
to the LORD,' And will name Israel's name with honor. |
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| Isaiah 44:6 |
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"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and
his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there
is no God besides Me. |
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| Isaiah 44:7 |
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'Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare
it; Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, From the time that I established the
ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming And the
events that are going to take place. |
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| Isaiah 44:8 |
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'Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I
not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses.
Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.'" |
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The Folly of Idolatry |
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| Isaiah 44:9 |
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Those who fashion a graven image are all of
them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses
fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame |
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| Isaiah 44:10 |
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Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to no
profit? |
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| Isaiah 44:11 |
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Behold, all his companions will be put to shame,
for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let
them stand up, let them tremble, let them together be put to shame. |
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| Isaiah 44:12 |
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The man shapes iron into a cutting tool and
does his work over the coals, fashioning it with hammers and working it with his
strong arm. He also gets hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and
becomes weary. |
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| Isaiah 44:13 |
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Another shapes wood, he extends a measuring
line; he outlines it with red chalk. He works it with planes and outlines it with
a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of man, so that
it may sit in a house. |
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| Isaiah 44:14 |
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Surely he cuts cedars for himself, and takes
a cypress or an oak and raises it for himself among the trees of the forest. He
plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow. |
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| Isaiah 44:15 |
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Then it becomes something for a man to burn,
so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also makes a fire to bake bread.
He also makes a god and worships it; he makes it a graven image and falls down
before it. |
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| Isaiah 44:16 |
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Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half
he eats meat as he roasts a roast and is satisfied. He also warms himself and
says, "Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire." |
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| Isaiah 44:17 |
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But the rest of it he makes into a god, his
graven image. He falls down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says,
"Deliver me, for you are my god." |
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| Isaiah 44:18 |
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They do not know, nor do they understand, for
He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that
they cannot comprehend. |
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| Isaiah 44:19 |
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No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding
to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its
coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an abomination,
I fall down before a block of wood!" |
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| Isaiah 44:20 |
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He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned
him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right
hand |
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God Forgives and Redeems |
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| Isaiah 44:21 |
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"Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel,
for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will
not be forgotten by Me. |
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| Isaiah 44:22 |
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"I have wiped out your transgressions like a
thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed
you." |
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| Isaiah 44:23 |
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Shout for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done
it! Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into a shout of
joy, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it; For the LORD has redeemed
Jacob And in Israel He shows forth His glory. |
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| Isaiah 44:24 |
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Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one
who formed you from the womb, "I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, Stretching
out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone, |
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| Isaiah 44:25 |
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Causing the omens of boasters to fail, Making
fools out of diviners, Causing wise men to draw back And turning their knowledge
into foolishness, |
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| Isaiah 44:26 |
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Confirming the word of His servant And performing
the purpose of His messengers. It is I who says of Jerusalem, 'She shall be inhabited!'
And of the cities of Judah, 'They shall be built.' And I will raise up her ruins
again. |
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| Isaiah 44:27 |
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"It is I who says to the depth of the sea, 'Be
dried up!' And I will make your rivers dry. |
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| Isaiah 44:28 |
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"It is I who says of Cyrus, `He is My shepherd!
And he will perform all My desire.' And he declares of Jerusalem, 'She will be
built,' And of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.'" |
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