" ‘Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness.

" ‘None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

" ‘…Judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. Yes, truth is lost….

" ‘And the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

" ‘So shall they revere the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, says the LORD.

" ‘But now this says the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel. Fear not: for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you.

" ‘Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. You are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior. I have declared, and have saved, and I have proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore you are my witnesses, says the LORD, that I am God.

" ‘Yes, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall reverse it? I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins.

"Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare you, that you may be justified. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring….

" ‘Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for you are my servant: I have formed you; you are my servant: O Israel, you shall not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed you.

-The Messiah Foretells His Mission-

" ‘Listen, O islands, unto me; and hearken, you people, from far; The LORD has called me from the womb; from the belly of my mother has he made mention of my name. And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand has he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he hid me; and said unto me, "You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified."

" ‘Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.

" ‘And now, says the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, "Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength."

" ‘And he said, "It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the end of the earth."

" ‘This says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhorred, to a servant of rulers, kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose you.

" ‘This says the LORD, in an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that you may say to the prisoners, "Go forth"; to them that are in darkness, "Show yourselves."

" ‘They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he that has mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

" ‘And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be exalted. Look, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

" ‘Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD has comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

" ‘Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But this says the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contends with you, and I will save your children.

" ‘The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakens me morning by morning, he wakens my ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

" ‘I gave my back to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

" ‘The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

" ‘I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

" ‘Awake, awake; put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. For this says the LORD, you have sold yourselves for nothing; and you shall be redeemed without money.

" ‘How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that says unto Zion, "Your God reigns!"

" ‘For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, says the LORD that has mercy on you. And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children.

" ‘Ho, everyone that thirsts, come…to the waters, and he that has no money; come…buy, and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

" ‘Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfies not? Listen diligently unto me, and eat…that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

" ‘Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to them. Look, you shall call a nation that you know not, and nations that knew not you shall run unto you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.

" ‘Seek…the LORD while he may be found, call…upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.’ "

REFERENCES

Isaiah 59:1-4; Isaiah 59:14-16, 19-20; Isaiah 43:1-2, 8, 10-13, 25-26; Isaiah 44:3, 21-22; Isaiah 49:1-13; 24-25; Isaiah 50:4-7; Isaiah 61:1-3, 10; Isaiah 52:1, 3, 7; Isaiah 54:10, 13; Isaiah 55:1-7.

CHAPTER 47