Bible Reading Plan – Day 176

₁This book contains the messages about Judah and Jerusalem which God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.

₂The LORD said, “Earth and sky, listen to what I am saying! The children I brought up have rebelled against me. ₃Cattle know who owns them, and donkeys know where their master feeds them. But that is more than my people Israel know. They don't understand at all.”

₄You are doomed, you sinful nation, you corrupt and evil people! Your sins drag you down! You have rejected the LORD, the holy God of Israel, and have turned your backs on him. ₅Why do you keep on rebelling? Do you want to be punished even more? Israel, your head is already covered with wounds, and your heart and mind are sick. ₆From head to foot there is not a healthy spot on your body. You are covered with bruises and sores and open wounds. Your wounds have not been cleaned or bandaged. No ointment has been put on them.

₇Your country has been devastated, and your cities have been burnt to the ground. While you look on, foreigners take over your land and bring everything to ruin. ₈Jerusalem alone is left, a city under siege — as defenceless as a guard's hut in a vineyard or a shed in a cucumber field. ₉If the LORD Almighty had not let some of the people survive, Jerusalem would have been totally destroyed, just as Sodom and Gomorrah were.

₁₀Jerusalem, your rulers and your people are like those of Sodom and Gomorrah. Listen to what the LORD is saying to you. Pay attention to what our God is teaching you. ₁₁He says, “Do you think I want all these sacrifices you keep offering to me? I have had more than enough of the sheep you burn as sacrifices and of the fat of your fine animals. I am tired of the blood of bulls and sheep and goats. ₁₂Who asked you to bring me all this when you come to worship me? Who asked you to do all this tramping about in my Temple? ₁₃It's useless to bring your offerings. I am disgusted with the smell of the incense you burn. I cannot stand your New Moon Festivals, your Sabbaths, and your religious gatherings; they are all corrupted by your sins. ₁₄I hate your New Moon Festivals and holy days; they are a burden that I am tired of bearing.

₁₅“When you lift your hands in prayer, I will not look at you. No matter how much you pray, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with blood. ₁₆Wash yourselves clean. Stop all this evil that I see you doing. Yes, stop doing evil ₁₇and learn to do right. See that justice is done — help those who are oppressed, give orphans their rights, and defend widows.”

₁₈The LORD says, “Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be as white as wool. ₁₉If you will only obey me, you will eat the good things the land produces. ₂₀But if you defy me, you are doomed to die. I, the LORD, have spoken.”

₂₁The city that once was faithful is behaving like a whore! At one time it was filled with righteous people, but now only murderers remain. ₂₂Jerusalem, you were once like silver, but now you are worthless; you were like good wine, but now you are only water. ₂₃Your leaders are rebels and friends of thieves; they are always accepting gifts and bribes. They never defend orphans in court or listen when widows present their case.

₂₄So now, listen to what the LORD Almighty, Israel's powerful God, is saying: “I will take revenge on you, my enemies, and you will cause me no more trouble. ₂₅I will take action against you. I will purify you just as metal is refined, and will remove all your impurity. ₂₆I will give you rulers and advisers like those you had long ago. Then Jerusalem will be called the righteous, faithful city.”

₂₇Because the LORD is righteous, he will save Jerusalem and everyone there who repents. ₂₈But he will crush everyone who sins and rebels against him; he will kill everyone who forsakes him.

₂₉You will be sorry that you ever worshipped trees and planted sacred gardens. ₃₀You will wither like a dying oak, like a garden that no one waters. ₃₁Just as straw is set on fire by a spark, so powerful people will be destroyed by their own evil deeds, and no one will be able to stop the destruction.

₁This is the message which God gave to Isaiah son of Amoz about Judah and Jerusalem:

₅Now, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light which the LORD gives us!

₆O God, you have forsaken your people, the descendants of Jacob! The land is full of magic practices from the east and from Philistia. The people follow foreign customs. ₇Their land is full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots. ₈Their land is full of idols, and they worship objects that they have made with their own hands.

₉Everyone will be humiliated and disgraced. Do not forgive them, LORD!

₁₀They will hide in caves in the rocky hills or dig holes in the ground to try to escape from the LORD's anger and to hide from his power and glory! ₁₁A day is coming when human pride will be ended and human arrogance destroyed. Then the LORD alone will be exalted. ₁₂On that day the LORD Almighty will humble everyone who is powerful, everyone who is proud and conceited. ₁₃He will destroy the tall cedars of Lebanon and all the oaks in the land of Bashan. ₁₄He will level the high mountains and hills, ₁₅every high tower, and the walls of every fortress. ₁₆He will sink even the largest and most beautiful ships. _17-18Human pride will be ended, and human arrogance will be destroyed. Idols will completely disappear, and the LORD alone will be exalted on that day.

₁₉People will hide in caves in the rocky hills or dig holes in the ground to try to escape from the LORD's anger and to hide from his power and glory, when he comes to shake the earth. ₂₀When that day comes, they will throw away the gold and silver idols they have made, and abandon them to the moles and the bats. ₂₁When the LORD comes to shake the earth, people will hide in holes and caves in the rocky hills to try to escape from his anger and to hide from his power and glory.

₂₂Put no more confidence in mortals. What are they worth?

₁Now the Lord, the Almighty LORD, is about to take away from Jerusalem and Judah everything and everyone that the people depend on. He is going to take away their food and their water, ₂their heroes and their soldiers, their judges and their prophets, their fortune tellers and their statesmen, ₃their military and civilian leaders, their politicians and everyone who uses magic to control events. ₄The LORD will let the people be governed by immature boys. ₅Everyone will take advantage of everyone else. Young people will not respect their elders, and worthless people will not respect their superiors.

₆A time will come when the members of a clan will choose one of their number and say to him, “You at least have something to wear, so be our leader in this time of trouble.”

₇But he will answer, “Not me! I can't help you. I haven't any food or clothes either. Don't make me your leader!”

₈Yes, Jerusalem is doomed! Judah is collapsing! Everything they say and do is against the LORD; they openly insult God himself. ₉Their prejudices will be held against them. They sin as openly as the people of Sodom did. They are doomed, and they have brought it on themselves.

₁₀The righteous will be happy, and things will go well for them. They will be able to enjoy what they have worked for. ₁₁But evil people are doomed; what they have done to others will now be done to them.

₁₂Moneylenders oppress my people, and their creditors cheat them.

My people, your leaders are misleading you, so that you do not know which way to turn.

₁₃The LORD is ready to state his case; he is ready to judge his people. ₁₄The LORD is bringing the elders and leaders of his people to judgement. He makes this accusation: “You have plundered vineyards, and your houses are full of what you have taken from the poor. ₁₅You have no right to crush my people and take advantage of the poor. I, the Sovereign LORD Almighty, have spoken.”

₁₆The LORD said, “Look how proud the women of Jerusalem are! They walk along with their noses in the air. They are always flirting. They take dainty little steps, and the bracelets on their ankles jingle. ₁₇But I will punish them — I will shave their heads and leave them bald.”

₁₈A day is coming when the Lord will take away from the women of Jerusalem everything they are so proud of — the ornaments they wear on their ankles, on their heads, on their necks, ₁₉and on their wrists. He will take away their veils ₂₀and their hats; the magic charms they wear on their arms and at their waists; ₂₁the rings they wear on their fingers and in their noses; ₂₂all their fine robes, gowns, cloaks, and purses; ₂₃their revealing garments, their linen handkerchiefs, and the scarves and long veils they wear on their heads.

₂₄Instead of using perfumes, they will stink; instead of fine belts, they will wear coarse ropes; instead of having beautiful hair, they will be bald; instead of fine clothes, they will be dressed in rags; their beauty will be turned to shame!

₂₅The men of the city, yes, even the strongest men, will be killed in war. ₂₆The city gates will mourn and cry, and the city itself will be like a woman sitting on the ground, stripped naked.

₁When that time comes, seven women will grab hold of one man and say, “We can feed and clothe ourselves, but please let us say you are our husband, so that we won't have to endure the shame of being unmarried.”