The Lord Corrects His People

1People of Israel,

you come from Jacob's family

and the tribe+ of Judah.

You claim to worship me,

the Lord God of Israel,

but you are lying.

2You call Jerusalem your home

and say you depend on me,

the Lord All-Powerful,

the God of Israel.

3Long ago I announced

what was going to be,

then without warning,

I made it happen.

4I knew you were stubborn

and hardheaded.

5And I told you these things,

so that when they happened

you would not say,

“The idols we worship did this.”

6You heard what I said,

and you have seen it happen.

Now admit it's true!

I will show you secrets

you have never known.

7Today I am doing something new,

something you cannot say

you have heard before.

8You have never been willing

to listen to what I say;

from the moment of your birth,

I knew you would rebel.

The Lord Warns Israel

9I, the Lord, am true to myself;

I will be praised for not punishing

and destroying you.

10I tested you in hard times

just as silver is refined

in a heated furnace.+

11I did this because of who I am.

I refuse to be dishonored+

or share my praise

with any other god.

12 Israel, my chosen people,

listen to me.

I alone am the Lord,

the first and the last.

13With my own hand

I created the earth

and stretched out the sky.

They obey my every command.

The Lord Speaks to the Nations

14Gather around me, all of you!

Listen to what I say.

Did any of your idols

predict this would happen?

Did they say that my friend+

would do what I want done

to Babylonia?+

15I was the one who chose him.

I have brought him this far,

and he will be successful.

16Come closer and listen!

I have never kept secret

the things I have said,

and I was here

before time began.

It Is Best To Obey the Lord

By the power of his Spirit

the Lord God has sent me

17with this message:

People of Israel,

I am the holy Lord God,

the one who rescues you.

For your own good,

I teach you, and I lead you

along the right path.

18How I wish that you

had obeyed my commands!

Your success and good fortune

would then have overflowed

like a flooding river.

19Your nation would be blessed

with more people

than there are grains of sand

along the seashore.

And I would never have let

your country be destroyed.

20 Now leave Babylon!

Celebrate as you go.

Be happy and shout

for everyone to hear,

“The Lord has rescued

his servant Israel!

21He led us through the desert

and made water flow from a rock

to satisfy our thirst.

22 But the Lord has promised

that none who are evil

will live in peace.”