Through the Bible – Day 288

₁Has anyone believed us

or seen the mighty power

of the LORD in action?

₂Like a young plant or a root

that sprouts in dry ground,

the servant grew up

obeying the LORD.

He wasn't some handsome king.

Nothing about the way he looked

made him attractive to us.

₃He was hated and rejected;

his life was filled with sorrow

and terrible suffering.

No one wanted to look at him.

We despised him and said,

“He is a nobody!”

₄He suffered and endured

great pain for us,

but we thought his suffering

was punishment from God.

₅He was wounded and crushed

because of our sins;

by taking our punishment,

he made us completely well.

₆All of us were like sheep

that had wandered off.

We had each gone our own way,

but the LORD gave him

the punishment we deserved.

₇He was painfully abused,

but he did not complain.

He was silent like a lamb

being led to the butcher,

as quiet as a sheep

having its wool cut off.

₈He was condemned to death

without a fair trial.

Who could have imagined

what would happen to him?

His life was taken away

because of the sinful things

my people had done.

₉He wasn't dishonest or violent,

but he was buried in a tomb

of cruel and rich people.

₁₀The LORD decided his servant

would suffer as a sacrifice

to take away the sin

and guilt of others.

Now the servant will live

to see his own descendants.

He did everything

the LORD had planned.

₁₁By suffering, the servant

will learn the true meaning

of obeying the LORD.

Although he is innocent,

he will take the punishment

for the sins of others,

so that many of them

will no longer be guilty.

₁₂The LORD will reward him

with honour and power

for sacrificing his life.

Others thought he was a sinner,

but he suffered for our sins

and asked God to forgive us.

₁Sing and shout,

even though you have never

had children!

The LORD has promised that you

will have more children

than someone married

for a long time.

₂Make your tents larger!

Spread out the tent pegs;

fasten them firmly.

₃You and your descendants

will take over the land

of other nations.

You will settle in towns

that are now in ruins.

₄Don't be afraid or ashamed

and don't be discouraged.

You won't be disappointed.

Forget how sinful you were

when you were young;

stop feeling ashamed

for being left a widow.

₅The LORD All-Powerful,

the Holy God of Israel,

rules all the earth.

He is your Creator and husband,

and he will rescue you.

₆You were like a young wife,

brokenhearted and crying

because her husband

had divorced her.

But the LORD your God says,

“I am taking you back!

₇I rejected you for a while,

but with love and tenderness

I will embrace you again.

₈For a while, I turned away

in furious anger.

Now I will have mercy

and love you for ever!

I, your protector and LORD,

make this promise.”

₉I once promised Noah that I

would never again destroy

the earth by a flood.

Now I have promised that I

will never again get angry

and punish you.

₁₀Every mountain and hill

may disappear.

But I will always be kind

and merciful to you;

I won't break my agreement

to give your nation peace.

₁₁Jerusalem, you are sad

and discouraged,

tossed around in a storm.

But I, the LORD,

will rebuild your city

with precious stones;

for your foundation

I will use blue sapphires.

₁₂Your fortresses

will be built of rubies,

your gates of jewels,

and your walls of gems.

₁₃I will teach your children

and make them successful.

₁₄You will be built on fairness

with no fears of injustice;

every one of your worries

will be taken far from you.

₁₅I will never send anyone

to attack your city,

and you will make prisoners

of those who do attack.

₁₆Don't forget that I created

metalworkers who make weapons

over burning coals.

I also created armies

that can bring destruction.

₁₇Weapons made to attack you

won't be successful;

words spoken against you

won't hurt at all.

My servants, Jerusalem is yours!

I, the LORD, promise

to bless you with victory.

₁If you are thirsty,

come and drink water!

If you don't have any money,

come, eat what you want!

Drink wine and milk

without paying a penny.

₂Why waste your money

on what isn't really food?

Why work hard for something

that doesn't satisfy?

Listen carefully to me,

and you will enjoy

the very best foods.

₃Pay close attention!

Come to me and live.

I will promise you

the eternal love and loyalty

that I promised David.

₄I made him the leader and ruler

of the nations;

he was my witness to them.

₅You will call out to nations

you have never known.

And they have never known you,

but they will come running

because I am the LORD,

the holy God of Israel,

and I have honoured you.

₆Turn to the LORD!

He can still be found.

Call out to God! He is near.

₇Give up your crooked ways

and your evil thoughts.

Return to the LORD our God.

He will be merciful

and forgive your sins.

₈The LORD says:

“My thoughts and my ways

are not like yours.

₉Just as the heavens

are higher than the earth,

my thoughts and my ways

are higher than yours.

₁₀“Rain and snow fall from the sky.

But they don't return

without watering the earth

that produces seeds to plant

and grain to eat.

₁₁That's how it is with my words.

They don't return to me

without doing everything

I send them to do.”

₁₂When you are set free,

you will celebrate

and travel home in peace.

Mountains and hills will sing

as you pass by,

and trees will clap.

₁₃Cypress and myrtle trees

will grow in fields

once covered by thorns.

And then those trees will stand

as a lasting witness

to the glory of the LORD.