Isaiah 45
45The LORD has chosen Cyrus to be king. He has appointed him to conquer nations; he sends him to strip kings of their power; the LORD will open the gates of cities for him. To Cyrus the LORD says,H559H3068H4899H3566H3225H2388H7286H1471H6440H6605H4975H4428H6605H6440H1817H8179H54622"I myself will prepare your way, leveling mountains and hills. I will break down bronze gates and smash their iron bars.H3212H6440H3474H1921H3474H3474H7665H1817H5154H1438H1280H12703I will give you treasures from dark, secret places; then you will know that I am the LORD and that the God of Israel has called you by name.H5414H214H2822H4301H4565H3045H3068H7121H8034H430H34784I appoint you to help my servant Israel, the people that I have chosen. I have given you great honor, although you do not know me.H3290H5650H3478H972H7121H8034H3655H30455"I am the LORD; there is no other god. I will give you the strength you need, although you do not know me.H3068H430H2108H247H30456I do this so that everyone from one end of the world to the other may know that I am the LORD and that there is no other god.H3045H4217H8121H4628H657H1107H30687I create both light and darkness; I bring both blessing and disaster. I, the LORD, do all these things.H3335H216H1254H2822H6213H7965H1254H7451H3068H62138I will send victory from the sky like rain; the earth will open to receive it and will blossom with freedom and justice. I, the LORD, will make this happen."H7491H8064H4605H7834H5140H6664H776H6605H6509H3468H6666H6779H3162H3068H12549Does a clay pot dare argue with its maker, a pot that is like all the others? Does the clay ask the potter what he is doing? Does the pot complain that its maker has no skill?H1945H7378H3335H2789H2789H127H2563H559H3335H6213H6467H302710Do we dare say to our parents, "Why did you make me like this?"H1945H559H1H3205H802H234211The LORD, the holy God of Israel, the one who shapes the future, says: "You have no right to question me about my children or to tell me what I ought to do!H559H3068H6918H3478H3335H7592H857H1121H6467H3027H668012I am the one who made the earth and created human beings to live there. By my power I stretched out the heavens; I control the sun, the moon, and the stars.H6213H776H1254H120H3027H5186H8064H6635H668013I myself have stirred Cyrus to action to fulfill my purpose and put things right. I will straighten out every road that he travels. He will rebuild my city, Jerusalem, and set my captive people free. No one has hired him or bribed him to do this." The LORD Almighty has spoken.H5782H6664H3474H1870H1129H5892H7971H1546H4242H7810H559H3068H663514The LORD says to Israel, "The wealth of Egypt and Ethiopia will be yours, and the tall men of Seba will be your slaves; they will follow you in chains. They will bow down to you and confess, 'God is with you - he alone is God.H559H3068H3018H4714H5505H3568H5436H582H4060H5674H3212H310H2131H5674H7812H6419H410H657H43015The God of Israel, who saves his people, is a God who conceals himself.H403H410H5641H430H3478H346716Those who make idols will all be ashamed; all of them will be disgraced.H954H3637H1980H3639H3162H2796H673617But Israel is saved by the LORD, and her victory lasts forever; her people will never be disgraced.' "H3478H3467H3068H5769H8668H954H3637H5769H570318The LORD created the heavens - he is the one who is God! He formed and made the earth - he made it firm and lasting. He did not make it a desolate waste, but a place for people to live. It is he who says, "I am the LORD, and there is no other god.H559H3068H1254H8064H430H3335H776H6213H3559H1254H8414H3335H3427H306819I have not spoken in secret or kept my purpose hidden. I did not require the people of Israel to look for me in a desolate waste. I am the LORD, and I speak the truth; I make known what is right."H1696H5643H2822H4725H776H559H2233H3290H1245H8414H3068H1696H6664H5046H433920The LORD says, "Come together, people of the nations, all who survive the fall of the empire; present yourselves for the trial! The people who parade with their idols of wood and pray to gods that cannot save them - those people know nothing at all!H6908H935H5066H3162H6412H1471H3045H5375H6086H6459H6419H410H346721Come and present your case in court; let the defendants consult one another. Who predicted long ago what would happen? Was it not I, the LORD, the God who saves his people? There is no other god.H5046H5066H3289H3162H8085H6924H5046H3068H430H1107H6662H410H3467H369H210822"Turn to me now and be saved, people all over the world! I am the only God there is.H6437H3467H657H776H41023My promise is true, and it will not be changed. I solemnly promise by all that I am: Everyone will come and kneel before me and vow to be loyal to me.H7650H1697H3318H6310H6666H7725H1290H3766H3956H765024"They will say that only through me are victory and strength to be found; but all who hate me will suffer disgrace.H559H3068H6666H5797H935H2734H95425I, the LORD, will rescue all the descendants of Jacob, and they will give me praise.H3068H2233H3478H6663H1984
Columbus, OH
