Isaiah 48

Listen to me, descendants of Jacob.
I’m talking to you people of Israel,
Descended from Judah’s tribe. [1]
You make promises in the LORD’s name
You invoke the name of God.
But you’re not honest in how you do it.
You don’t mean it. You don’t care.
2You say you’re from the Holy Town 2]
And you trust Israel’s God.
His name is LORD of All.
3I told you what was going to happen.
I spelled it out for you. [3]
Then when the time was right,
I brought my words to life.
4I’ve told you about it ahead of time
Because you’re stubborn,
Rigid, and boneheaded.
5I told you about it then
So you couldn’t get away with saying,
“Don’t blame me.
My idols made me do it.
Those metal-coated wooden figures
Gave orders I had to obey.”

You’ve heard what I said.
You saw what I did.
Isn’t it time to admit it, now?
I’ll tell you what time it is.
Time for me to tell you something you didn’t know.
These are secrets I’ve guarded for a long time.
7This isn’t old news.
It’s happening now.
You’re not going to say,
“I already knew that.”
8You didn’t know it.
You never heard it.
You wouldn’t have heard it if I had said it.
You’ve been a rebel child from the day you were born.

I’m going to hold back my anger
Because it’s the right thing to do.
People will see that, and they’ll praise me for it.
I choose to be patient with you
Instead of destroying you.
10I’m scraping impurities off you,
Like a head of sludge off melted silver.
I’ll have to put you in a furnace
And turn up the heat.
11I’m saving you because it’s who I am.
My name is tied to you, my pride and joy.
So I won’t let anyone take you from me
Or drag my name through the mud.

Listen to me, Jacob’s children,
My chosen people of Israel.
I am God. The only one.
The first one. The last one.
13These hands made the earth.
They spread the sky above.
Earth and sky obey me.
They do whatever I say.

Come close and listen.
Did anyone predict what I just told you?
The LORD has chosen one man [4] he loves.
That man will deal with Babylon.
15I said it would happen.
Then I called him for this mission.
I brought him this far.
I’ll see him finish what he started.
16Come closer. Don’t miss this.
I’ve never spoken to you in secret [5] code,
Hiding behind riddles and babble.
I’ve always been here, from the beginning.
17This message is from the LORD.
He’s your Savior and Israel’s Holy God:
I am the LORD your God.
I teach you how to live your lives
And point you down the right path.
18If only you had paid attention.
Goodness, you would have been so successful.
Prosperity overflowing like flooding rivers
And rising seas with walloping waves.
19You would have had kids like a beach has sand.
The name of Israel would have survived.
It would not have been erased. [6]

Get out of Babylon.
Run, don’t walk. Get gone.
Spread the word everywhere. Scream it.
Tell everyone, “The LORD saved Israel.”
21God’s people didn’t go thirsty
When he led them through the desert.
He made the rocks bleed water. [7]
He split them open and water gushed out.
22The LORD says, “For wicked people,
There’s no place of safety, no hope of peace.”