True Worship and False
1 Thus says theLord:
# “HeavenisMy throne,
And earthisMy footstool.
Whereisthe house that you will build Me?
And whereisthe place of My rest?
2 For all thosethingsMy hand has made,
And all thosethingsexist,”
Says theLord.
# “But on thisonewill I look:
# Onhimwhoispoor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.
3 “Hewho kills a bullisasifhe slays a man;
# He who sacrifices a lamb,asifhebreaks a dog’s neck;
He who offers a grain offering,asifheoffersswine’s blood;
He who burns incense,asifhe blesses an idol.
Just as they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,
4 So will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
# Because, when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chosethatin which I do not delight.”
The Lord Vindicates Zion
5 Hear the word of theLord,
You who tremble at His word:
# “Your brethren whohated you,
Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said,
# ‘Let theLordbe glorified,
# Thatwe may see your joy.’
But they shall be ashamed.”
6 The sound of noise from the city!
A voice from the temple!
The voice of theLord,
Who fully repays His enemies!
7 “Before she was in labor, she gave birth;
Before her pain came,
She delivered a male child.
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?
Orshall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion was in labor,
She gave birth to her children.
9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says theLord.
“Shall I who cause delivery shut upthewomb?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem,
And be glad with her, all you who love her;
Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 That you may feed and be satisfied
With the consolation of her bosom,
That you may drink deeply and be delighted
With the abundance of her glory.”
12 For thus says theLord:
# “Behold,I will extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.
# Then you shallfeed;
# Onhersides shall you becarried,
And be dandled onherknees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
# So I willcomfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
The Reign and Indignation of God
14 When you seethis,your heart shall rejoice,
# Andyour bones shall flourish like grass;
The hand of theLordshall be known to His servants,
AndHisindignation to His enemies.
15 For behold, theLordwill come with fire
And with His chariots, like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and byHis sword
TheLordwill judge all flesh;
# And the slain of theLordshall bemany.
17 “Thosewho sanctify themselves and purify themselves,
Togoto the gardens
After anidolin the midst,
Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse,
Shall be consumed together,” says theLord.
18 “For Iknowtheir works and theirthoughts. It shall be that I willgather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.
19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations:toTarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan,tothe coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory.And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.
20 Then they shallbring all your brethrenfor an offering to theLordout of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says theLord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of theLord.
21 And I will also take some of them forpriestsandLevites,” says theLord.
22 “For asthe new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says theLord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 Andit shall come to pass
Thatfrom one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
# All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says theLord.
24 “And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
# For theirworm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”