7. Bring to me all the people who are mine,whom I made for my glory,whom I formed and made.”
8. Bring out the people who have eyes but don’t seeand those who have ears but don’t hear.
9. All the nations gather together,and all the people come together.Which of their gods said this would happen?Which of their gods can tell what happened in the beginning?Let them bring their witnesses to prove they were right.Then others will say, “It is true.”
10. The Lord says, “You are my witnessesand the servant I chose.I chose you so you would know and believe me,so you would understand that I am the true God.There was no God before me,and there will be no God after me.
11. I myself am the Lord;I am the only Savior.
12. I myself have spoken to you, saved you, and told you these things.It was not some foreign god among you.You are my witnesses, and I am God,”says the Lord.
13. “I have always been God.No one can save people from my power;when I do something, no one can change it.”
14. This is what the Lord, who saves you,the Holy One of Israel, says:“I will send armies to Babylon for you,and I will knock down all its locked gates.The Babylonians will shout their cries of sorrow.
15. I am the Lord, your Holy One,the Creator of Israel, your King.”
16. This is what the Lord says.He is the one who made a road through the seaand a path through rough waters.
17. He is the one who defeated the chariots and horsesand the mighty armies.They fell together and will never rise again.They were destroyed as a flame is put out.
18. The Lord says, “Forget what happened before,and do not think about the past.
19. Look at the new thing I am going to do.It is already happening. Don’t you see it?I will make a road in the desertand rivers in the dry land.
20. Even the wild animals will be thankful to me—the wild dogs and owls.They will honor me when I put water in the desertand rivers in the dry landto give water to my people, the ones I chose.
21. The people I madewill sing songs to praise me.
22. “People of Jacob, you have not called to me;people of Israel, you have become tired of me.
23. You have not brought me your sacrifices of sheepnor honored me with your sacrifices.I did not weigh you down with sacrifices to offeror make you tired with incense to burn.
24. So you did not buy incense for me;you did not freely bring me fat from your sacrifices.Instead you have weighed me down with your many sins;you have made me tired of your many wrongs.
25. “I, I am the One who erases all your sins, for my sake;I will not remember your sins.
26. But you should remind me.Let’s meet and decide what is right.Tell what you have done and show you are right.
27. Your first father sinned,and your leaders have turned against me.