“Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north,
‘Give them up!’
and to the south,
‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth”
ISAIAH 43:5-28
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.
All the nations gather together
and the peoples assemble.
…
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
…
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,”
…
“Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”
…
“For your sake I will send to Babylon
and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians
in the ships in which they took pride.
…
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there,
never to rise again,
extinguished,
snuffed out like a wick:
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
the people I formed,
…
But you have burdened me with your sins
and wearied me with your offenses.
“I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.
Review the past for me,
let us argue the matter together;
state the case for your innocence.
Your first father sinned;
those I sent to teach you rebelled against me.
So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;
I consigned Jacob to destruction
and Israel to scorn.