Do you really value freedom and human rights?

Do you really value freedom and human rights?

^{1st Peter 2:16 “}as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.”

Freedom without boundaries is invasion of privacy.

If anyone is free to invade your privacy then true freedom would have vanished.

I am free to draw a line to protect my own space.

Do not misuse the gift of freedom for personal agenda or for malicious intentions.

If freedom demands that everything to be out in the open and without restraint for any and every reason, then there is there is nothing to stop people from pulling you out of your bed while you are having your beauty sleep. 

By demand of freedom, a man can choose to rear cats or dogs and throw away his own baby for the reason that his dogs are easier to take care or more loyal than his children.

By demand of freedom, men and women want to go in and out of relationships without any ties and for what reason?

Is it to relinquish oneself from any form of responsibility towards a relationship? Or is it unable to part with one’s wealth being afraid of division of assets?

Are material goods or human fears more important than following the commandments of the LORD Most High?  If you truly love the LORD Most High, material goods in this world will mean nothing to you.  It does not mean that you have no material good at all in this world but it means that you do not hold money or the things that you own or personal fears in higher regard than your own family members.

Can a person truly gain anything from serving only the desires of self and of the flesh? 

While you are still a mortal fallen being, you are in bondage either to self or to the LORD. 

Please be reminded that you are NOT an animal or having animalistic/beastly tendencies/behaviours. 

The only thing connecting you to animals is the fact that your flesh are made of the same material as animals – namely air, water, earth, metal and fire.

A) 5 natural elements

B) What is in your body?

C) What is it for?

D) Without these elements…

1A) Air

B) Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon, etc

C) – Breath, etc

D) Lung provides air to keeps blood oxygenated..…. Heart pumps oxygenated blood to entire body, if heart stops beating – you are dead.

2A) Water

B) H2O, makes up about 65 per cent of the body

C) – Hydration, movement/fluidity

D) fully dehydrated, you become a dry stiff corpse, etc

3A) Earth

B) Soil – organic and mineral particles, Sand, clay, etc, Good bacteria, etc

C) – dust, formation, protection, growth, digestion, etc

D) Decompose, return to earth, scattered in the wind, etc

4A) Metal and minerals

B) Iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, etc

C) – solid, strength, etc

D) Prone to disease and illness, etc

5A) Fire

B) Food fuel - protein, carbohydrate, fat, alcohol and etc....

C) – heat, purify, realigns, etc

D) No warmth, No energy…. etc

Combination of the 5 elements creates the 6th element, MAN and animals.

7th element, the Spirit of God makes the 6th element MAN a living Soul/Spirit that separates us from animals and plants. 

The Spirit of God makes man an immortal soul/spirit that goes on forever even after our current physical body expires; although man’s body was originally created compatible with the immortal soul that is able to go on forever without death; however mankind chose to sin and the penalty of death ensued.  Both death of physical body and spiritual soul became apparent after the light of the LORD in man became darkened due to the separation from the LORD.   Your heavenly Father came to be born into this fallen world to help man regain their former glory of the immortal soul/spirit and body.  That is why until today, same as when the Disciples saw the LORD Most High in His physical form, you would be able to see the nail marks on both His hands and feet because He wanted to retain scar to let you see that the SAME human body that died and resurrected unto eternal life is possible for you too; so that we can be as HE is. 

However, not all shall receive this gift of the immortal flesh for many shall be as the angels in Heaven that neither marry nor can be given into marriage (Mark 12:25). 

Mark 12:25

For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

Revelation 2:7

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Matthew 16:28

Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Only one of the 7 Churches that overcame sin received this gift or immortal flesh that was the original state of Adam and Eve.  (We shall discuss about the 7 Churches in the Book of Revelation in another letter.)  

For example, not all the 12 Disciples of the LORD died and went to Heaven. A few Disciples was transformed and lived on earth until today.  You don’t hear of them because men of God are NOT into public relations, popularity or advertising sales selling themselves! 

This is what Paul meant when he wrote to the Corinthians but today’s preachers of false doctrine came up with the idea of the “rapture”.  Those who preach false doctrine are really the ones “left behind”!!!   A lot of Jews hate the Apostle Paul and even my mother do not really like Paul either but this does not mean what he wrote is not true.

1 Corinthians 15:52

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Animals do not have immortal souls/spirits; animals brain activity gives them all the basic motor skills and instincts they require to survive, build and propagate.  

Sometimes, we come across animals behaving more humane than humans themselves. Some animals can even reason and teach us humans about psychology and philosophy! That is why those that are not of the LORD are just as clever and if not, sometimes even more clever and wiser than “born again” Christians; because they used their brains!!!.  Animals are also created by God and thus animals know instinctually who created them.

In the Animal Kingdom, its kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten.  Animals are not held responsible for what they do.   When a leopard kills a deer, the leopard does not go on trial in court for murder.  

Mankind became the beastly kingdoms that were described in the book of Daniel. Man slaughtered man without constraint or responsibility because man had become beast-like; pretending to be an animal does not exempt man from the Judgement of GOD. 

You are a “Human Being” just as your heavenly Father is a “Being” (just as Hebrew word “YHWH” is connected to the word “being” – please check with your local Hebrew expert) Personally, I have not yet learned the Hebrew Language, therefore I am unable to explain more in matters relating to the Hebrew language. 

The LORD Most High aims to set you free from the bondage to yourself and death.  But by yourself, you are ALREADY IN the path towards the second death and are bound by servitude towards self.  Constantly striving to serve your appetites and hunger that cannot be quenched.  Constantly working and striving to put food on the table or pay up unending debts.  What kind of freedom is that?

 

If you value your own privacy, then you will come to respect another person's privacy. 

 

What stops a stranger from withdrawing money from another person's bank account?  It is Bank rules and regulations.

 

What stops a person from stealing? The God-inherited ability (through the Spirit of God), which should be second nature to mankind, to tell right from wrong; the ability to choose good and refuse evil.     

Isaiah 7:15

“Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.”

The LORD plans to give you true freedom from death’s clutches.  The LORD aims to give you His perfection as we can be like Jesus but we are not above HIM.  Just as a man and a woman are spiritually equal; as both learn to submit to one another in the fear of the LORD and NOT practicing superiority and subjugation of one over another.  But in a family unit, having the Husband as head of the house to lead the family is not about exercising superiority of husband over wife and children.  It is about respecting each other and getting things moving along smoothly and not butt heads over small matters.

Luke 6:40

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

Ephesians 5:21

submitting to one another in the fear of God.

So, what is basic "human rights"?

The basic rights of any human being, is to be able to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, eat clean food and a comfortable place to rest; but mankind became beast-like and took away godly responsibilities and equality between each man.

Human rights are about serving mankind in alleviating suffering. Human rights are NOT about serving an individual’s personal agenda.  Today, if a spoilt brat cannot get his own way, he cries “human rights”.   When a person wants to commit a sin or many sins but are not suppose to; he or she cries “human rights” again.   “Human rights” is not a platform for freedom to sin.  Do not abuse the call for human rights.

According to United Nations, their list of human rights issues are stated in the following website:-

http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml

For example:-

Article 1.

·                             All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 3.

·                             Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Grace cannot be misconstrued by misconceptions. The bountiful grace of God is not an excuse for self indulgence nor is it open for self interpretations of every individual person.

Romans 6:1

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?”

1st Peter 2:16

“as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.”

The Self Interpretation and Lies that have been going on for thousands of years continues on until today.

Examples of self interpretations: -

To the Buddhists - Jesus learned from Buddha.

To many Christians - Jesus came and bled only for the Gentiles and rejected the Jews. Which explains why Roman Catholics are taking the holy communion like a vampire being refreshed by the BLOOD.
 
To the Jews - Jesus was a failed Messiah.

To the Muslims - Jesus was a Palestinian Muslim and I dare not even go into what they think who God is - where heaven is a place for people who kill themselves and men are served by beautiful virgins - sound more like somebody's fetish imagination/fantasy.

To many Christian denominations and cults - Jesus is a second or individual person or the “Son of God” walking side by side with another man/God the Father and sometimes with a woman/the Mother of God  -  to these people Jesus was never the Father.

To the Catholics - the Pope is Jesus representative on earth - as good as Jesus Christ himself. No wonder the Catholics have so many statues or idols of Jesus as a baby or a grown man nailed to a cross - because there they want Jesus to remain as a baby or as a dead man - and be continually reminded as such thereof.

To the Atheists - Jesus was a psychopath proclaiming himself to be God.

To the Greeks - Jesus was probably a son of Zeus or Zeus himself.

To Gays - Jesus is a Gay because he was never married, he was described as gentle and having long hair....etc etc....

 
To Apostate Christians - Jesus is a "Prodigal God".

The parable of the prodigal son is not only referring his son as "wastefully extravagant" as some people are portraying GOD to be wastefully extravagant in celebrating his son's return.

THE prodigal son was not only wastefully extravagant, the prodigal son was also riotous, wayward, self-willed, self-indulgent but he came back to his father in repentance.

Is GOD wayward and riotous?

Does GOD need to repent for spending lavishly for celebrating his son's return?

Is this what they meant when some people preach about a "Personal Christ"?

Is Jesus Christ a personal projection of your own imagination?

Mankind was created for God and not the other way around.

Just as a woman was created for man and not the other way around; man was not created for man and woman was not created for woman.

1 Corinthians 11:9

Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

Isaiah 43:24

Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

Did man create or imagined a God that would bow to man’s every whim and fancy? 

Indeed God came down to earth to teach and serve mankind with all humility in the form of Jesus son of Joseph and Mary – He came to serve and save mankind from death. He did not come to cater to your every evil imagination.

Genesis 6:5

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

So, who is Jesus Christ?  

He is the King of the Jews. 

Isaiah 43:15

“I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.”

HE is The Father and God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Isaiah 44:6

“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.”

HE is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. 

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Colossians 1:16

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Matthew 18:16

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

I say this on the basis as a Witness of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, of HIM who sent me here both as a spiritual witness and an eyewitness.  For those who believe in the same GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, will come to know that what I say is true.  He who worships another Jesus or a Jesus of his own imagination will never understand or accept what I am saying.

I myself NEVER claimed to be the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.

NONE of prophets of Israel have ever claimed to have created the Heavens and the Earth – from MOSES TO MALACHI. 

It is the TESTIMONIES of all these prophets (Moses to Malachi) and apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ that testifies to the world in their writings that Jesus is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.  

A father can testify for his son and a son can testify for his father but a husband and wife cannot be witnesses for one another for both are considered as one. 

In Revelation 11:3, actually there are 3 persons involved, not just two, because you need to count in the LORD who sent them. 

Revelation 11:3

“And I will give power unto my two witnesses,…………….”

1)  Israel as a son of God can testify that the LORD exists. 

2)  The Prophets of Israel can testify that the LORD exists. 

The LORD Most High is the only witness for His Son Israel – (in the “office” of the Father);

The Children of Israel is a witness for the LORD Most High – (in the “office” of the Son);

The Prophets of Israel are witnesses for the LORD Most High – (in the “office” of the Holy Spirit).

Isaiah 42:1

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.”

Where would I be and what would I do if not for the past prophets of Israel from Moses to Malachi. 

Whose words do I quote and explain if not for Jesus and the prophets of Israel?

 

What proof do I have? 

When you have all these witnesses, what other kind of proof do you need?

2 or 3 witnesses are required to establish a case in the absence of physical evidence.

All of the Witnesses of the LORD Most High testifies the same. 

All of creation on earth, the plants and animals testifies the same.

If until today you still cannot see HIM for who HE is, then it is most probably that you are seeing and believing in a god that was formed through the imagination of your own mind and heart through believing in the false doctrine of the Nicolaitanes and false prophets & false teachers that teach the masses false angelic revelations that they have conjured up themselves or through fallen angel’s visitations; and that the LORD has never revealed HIMSELF to them or you before. 

In John 14:9 Jesus already said that in seeing Him, you are seeing the Father Himself.  To any other Jew or Israelite, when you see them, you do not see the Father Himself but instead you know that they are the Father’s son and that they have the Father’s Holy Spirit dwelling with them.

  
John 14:9
"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?"

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Ephesians 3:9

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Romans 6

New King James Version (NKJV)

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  

2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?  

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,  

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  

7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.  

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,  

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.  

10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.  

13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.  

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God 

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? . 

17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.  

18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.  

19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.  

21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.  

22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.  

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Peter 2

New King James Version (NKJV)

2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

⁴ Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

⁶ Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

⁷ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”
⁸ and
“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Living Before the World

¹¹ Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, ¹² having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Submission to Government

¹³ Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. ¹⁵ For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— ¹⁶ as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. ¹⁷ Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Submission to Masters

¹⁸ Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. ¹⁹ For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. ²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

²² “Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

²³ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. ²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Ephesians 5

New King James Version (NKJV)

Walk in Love

5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

³ But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

⁴ neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

⁵ For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

⁷ Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Walk in Light

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

⁹ (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

¹⁰ finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. ¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

¹² For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

¹³ But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

¹⁴ Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”

Walk in Wisdom

¹⁵ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

¹⁷ Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

²¹ submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Marriage—Christ and the Church

²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

²³ For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

²⁴ Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

²⁸ So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

³⁰ For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

³¹ “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

³² This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

³³ Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Psalm 14

New King James Version (NKJV)

Folly of the Godless, and God’s Final Triumph

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

14:1 The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.

² The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
³ They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.

⁴ Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call on the Lord?
⁵ There they are in great fear,
For God is with the generation of the righteous.
⁶ You shame the counsel of the poor,
But the Lord is his refuge.

⁷ Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord brings back the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Isaiah 43

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Redeemer of Israel

43:1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
² 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,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
³ For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
⁴ Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
⁵ Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And gather you from the west;
⁶ I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
⁷ Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

⁸ Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the deaf who have ears.
⁹ Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
Who among them can declare this,
And show us former things?
Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”
¹⁰ “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,
Nor shall there be after Me.
¹¹ I, even I, am the Lord,
And besides Me there is no savior.
¹² I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no foreign god among you;
Therefore you are My witnesses,”
Says the Lord, “that I am God.
¹³ Indeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I work, and who will reverse it?”

¹⁴ Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
The Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon,
And bring them all down as fugitives—
The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
¹⁵ I am the Lord, your Holy One,
The Creator of Israel, your King.”

¹⁶ Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
¹⁷ Who brings forth the chariot and horse,
The army and the power
(They shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
¹⁸ “Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
¹⁹ Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
²⁰ The beast of the field will honor Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.
²¹ This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My praise.

Pleading with Unfaithful Israel

²² “But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob;
And you have been weary of Me, O Israel.
²³ You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings,
Nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices.
I have not caused you to serve with grain offerings,
Nor wearied you with incense.
²⁴ You have bought Me no sweet cane with money,
Nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
But you have burdened Me with your sins,
You have wearied Me with your iniquities.

²⁵ “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins.
²⁶ Put Me in remembrance;
Let us contend together;
State your case, that you may be acquitted.
²⁷ Your first father sinned,
And your mediators have transgressed against Me.
²⁸ Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary;
I will give Jacob to the curse,
And Israel to reproaches.

Isaiah 44

New King James Version (NKJV)
God’s Blessing on Israel

44:1 “Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant,
And Israel whom I have chosen.
² Thus says the Lord who made you
And formed you from the womb, who will help you:
‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant;
And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
³ For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,
And floods on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,
And My blessing on your offspring;
⁴ They will spring up among the grass
Like willows by the watercourses.’
⁵ One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;
Another will call himself by the name of Jacob;
Another will write with his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
And name himself by the name of Israel.

There Is No Other God

⁶ “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.
⁷ And who can proclaim as I do?
Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me,
Since I appointed the ancient people.
And the things that are coming and shall come,
Let them show these to them.
⁸ Do not fear, nor be afraid;
Have I not told you from that time, and declared it?
You are My witnesses.
Is there a God besides Me?
Indeed there is no other Rock;
I know not one.’”

Idolatry Is Foolishness

⁹ Those who make an image, all of them are useless,
And their precious things shall not profit;
They are their own witnesses;
They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed.
¹⁰ Who would form a god or mold an image
That profits him nothing?
¹¹ Surely all his companions would be ashamed;
And the workmen, they are mere men.
Let them all be gathered together,
Let them stand up;
Yet they shall fear,
They shall be ashamed together.

¹² The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals,
Fashions it with hammers,
And works it with the strength of his arms.
Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails;
He drinks no water and is faint.

¹³ The craftsman stretches out his rule,
He marks one out with chalk;
He fashions it with a plane,
He marks it out with the compass,
And makes it like the figure of a man,
According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house.
¹⁴ He cuts down cedars for himself,
And takes the cypress and the oak;
He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest.
He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it.

¹⁵ Then it shall be for a man to burn,
For he will take some of it and warm himself;
Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread;
Indeed he makes a god and worships it;
He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
¹⁶ He burns half of it in the fire;
With this half he eats meat;
He roasts a roast, and is satisfied.
He even warms himself and says,
“Ah! I am warm,
I have seen the fire.”
¹⁷ And the rest of it he makes into a god,
His carved image.
He falls down before it and worships it,
Prays to it and says,
“Deliver me, for you are my god!”

¹⁸ They do not know nor understand;
For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see,
And their hearts, so that they cannot understand.
¹⁹ And no one considers in his heart,
Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say,
“I have burned half of it in the fire,
Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals;
I have roasted meat and eaten it;
And shall I make the rest of it an abomination?
Shall I fall down before a block of wood?”
²⁰ He feeds on ashes;
A deceived heart has turned him aside;
And he cannot deliver his soul,
Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

Israel Is Not Forgotten

²¹ “Remember these, O Jacob,
And Israel, for you are My servant;
I have formed you, you are My servant;
O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me!
²² I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,
And like a cloud, your sins.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

²³ Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it!
Shout, you lower parts of the earth;
Break forth into singing, you mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it!
For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
And glorified Himself in Israel.

Judah Will Be Restored

²⁴ Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
And He who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who makes all things,
Who stretches out the heavens all alone,
Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;
²⁵ Who frustrates the signs of the babblers,
And drives diviners mad;
Who turns wise men backward,
And makes their knowledge foolishness;
²⁶ Who confirms the word of His servant,
And performs the counsel of His messengers;
Who says to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be inhabited,’
To the cities of Judah, ‘You shall be built,’
And I will raise up her waste places;
²⁷ Who says to the deep, ‘Be dry!
And I will dry up your rivers’;
²⁸ Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd,
And he shall perform all My pleasure,
Saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,”
And to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”’