Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Condescension of God » Expostulates with backsliding israel
Bring near your cause, says Jehovah; bring out your strong reasons, says the King of Jacob. Let them bring them out, and tell us what shall happen; let them reveal the former things, what they are, that we may look on them and know the final end of them; or declare to us things to come. Reveal the near things after this, so that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, so that we may be amazed and see together. read more.
Behold, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.
Behold, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.
But now so says Jehovah 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. 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 kindle on you. For I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for you. read more.
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. Fear not; for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not keep back; bring My sons from far and My daughters from the ends of the earth; everyone who is called by My name; for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears. Let all the nations be brought together, and let the people be gathered; who among them can declare this and make us hear former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is true. You are My witnesses, says Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me no God was formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, I am Jehovah; and there is none to save besides Me. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shown, when there was no strange god among you; therefore you are My witnesses, says Jehovah, that I am God. Yea, before the day was, I am He; and no one delivers out of My hand; I will work, and who will reverse it? So says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all of them as fugitives, and the Chaldeans, whose shout is in the ships. I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. So says Jehovah, who makes a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters; who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are put out, they are snuffed out like a wick. Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall sprout; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.
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. Fear not; for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not keep back; bring My sons from far and My daughters from the ends of the earth; everyone who is called by My name; for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears. Let all the nations be brought together, and let the people be gathered; who among them can declare this and make us hear former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is true. You are My witnesses, says Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me no God was formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, I am Jehovah; and there is none to save besides Me. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shown, when there was no strange god among you; therefore you are My witnesses, says Jehovah, that I am God. Yea, before the day was, I am He; and no one delivers out of My hand; I will work, and who will reverse it? So says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all of them as fugitives, and the Chaldeans, whose shout is in the ships. I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. So says Jehovah, who makes a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters; who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are put out, they are snuffed out like a wick. Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall sprout; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.
I am sought by those who asked not for Me; I am found by those who did not seek Me. I said, Behold Me, behold Me, to a nation not calling on My name. I have spread out My hands all the day to a rebellious people who walk in the way not good, after their own thoughts; a people who without ceasing provoke Me to anger to My face; who sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense on the bricks; read more.
a people who remain among the graves, and sleep in the tombs, who eat swine's flesh, and broth from hateful things in their vessels; who say, Keep to yourself, do not come near me; for I am holier than you. These are a smoke in My nose, a fire that burns all the day. Behold, it is written before Me; I will not be silent, except I will repay; yea, I will repay into their bosom your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, says Jehovah, they that burned incense on the mountains, and blasphemed Me on the hills. And I will measure their former work into their bosom. So says Jehovah, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, Do not destroy it, for a blessing is in it; so I will do to My servants, that I may not destroy them all. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah one who inherits My mountains; and My elect will inherit it, and My servants will dwell there. And Sharon will be a fold of flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting-place of herds for My people who have sought Me. But you are those who forsake Jehovah, who forget My holy mountain, who prepare a table for Fortune, and who furnish the drink offering to Fate. Therefore I will number you to the sword; and you will all bow down to the slaughter; because I called and you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not hear and did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I did not delight. So the Lord Jehovah says, Behold, My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Behold, My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, My servants will rejoice, but you will be ashamed. Behold, My servants will sing for joy of heart, but you will cry for sorrow of heart, and will howl because of a breaking of spirit. And you will leave your name for a curse to My elect; for the Lord Jehovah will kill you, and call His servants by another name. He who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth. And he who swears in the earth will swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My eyes.
a people who remain among the graves, and sleep in the tombs, who eat swine's flesh, and broth from hateful things in their vessels; who say, Keep to yourself, do not come near me; for I am holier than you. These are a smoke in My nose, a fire that burns all the day. Behold, it is written before Me; I will not be silent, except I will repay; yea, I will repay into their bosom your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, says Jehovah, they that burned incense on the mountains, and blasphemed Me on the hills. And I will measure their former work into their bosom. So says Jehovah, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, Do not destroy it, for a blessing is in it; so I will do to My servants, that I may not destroy them all. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah one who inherits My mountains; and My elect will inherit it, and My servants will dwell there. And Sharon will be a fold of flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting-place of herds for My people who have sought Me. But you are those who forsake Jehovah, who forget My holy mountain, who prepare a table for Fortune, and who furnish the drink offering to Fate. Therefore I will number you to the sword; and you will all bow down to the slaughter; because I called and you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not hear and did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I did not delight. So the Lord Jehovah says, Behold, My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Behold, My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, My servants will rejoice, but you will be ashamed. Behold, My servants will sing for joy of heart, but you will cry for sorrow of heart, and will howl because of a breaking of spirit. And you will leave your name for a curse to My elect; for the Lord Jehovah will kill you, and call His servants by another name. He who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth. And he who swears in the earth will swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My eyes.
They say, If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him and will be for another man, will he return to her again? Would not that land be greatly defiled? But you play the harlot with many lovers; yet come back to Me, says Jehovah. Lift up your eyes to the high places, and see. Where have you not been lain with? By the highways you have sat for them, like the Arabian in the wilderness; and you have defiled the land with your fornications and with your wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain; and you had a harlot's forehead, you refused to be ashamed. read more.
Will you not from this time cry to Me, My father, You are the guide of my youth? Will He keep His anger forever? Will He keep it to the end? Behold, you have spoken and done all the evil things you could do. Jehovah also said to me in the days of Josiah the king, Have you seen that which backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and has fornicated there. And I said after she had done all these things, Turn to Me! But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw, when for all the causes for which backsliding Israel committed adultery, I sent her away and gave a bill of divorce to her, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she went and whored, she also. And it happened, from the folly of her whoredom, she defiled the land and fornicated with stones and stocks. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but with falsehood, says Jehovah. And Jehovah said to me, The backsliding Israel has justified herself more than treacherous Judah. Go and cry these words toward the north, and say, Return, O backsliding Israel, says Jehovah; and I will not cause My anger to fall on you; for I am merciful, says Jehovah, and I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have sinned against Jehovah your God and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice, says Jehovah. Turn, O backsliding sons, says Jehovah; for I am married to you; and I will take you one from a city, and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Will you not from this time cry to Me, My father, You are the guide of my youth? Will He keep His anger forever? Will He keep it to the end? Behold, you have spoken and done all the evil things you could do. Jehovah also said to me in the days of Josiah the king, Have you seen that which backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and has fornicated there. And I said after she had done all these things, Turn to Me! But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw, when for all the causes for which backsliding Israel committed adultery, I sent her away and gave a bill of divorce to her, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she went and whored, she also. And it happened, from the folly of her whoredom, she defiled the land and fornicated with stones and stocks. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but with falsehood, says Jehovah. And Jehovah said to me, The backsliding Israel has justified herself more than treacherous Judah. Go and cry these words toward the north, and say, Return, O backsliding Israel, says Jehovah; and I will not cause My anger to fall on you; for I am merciful, says Jehovah, and I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have sinned against Jehovah your God and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice, says Jehovah. Turn, O backsliding sons, says Jehovah; for I am married to you; and I will take you one from a city, and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Yet you say, The way of Jehovah is not fair. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not My way fair? Are your ways not unfair? When a righteous one turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and dies in them; for his iniquity that he has done, he shall die. Again, when the wicked turns away from his wickedness that he has committed and does that which is lawful and righteous, he shall save his soul alive. read more.
Because he looks carefully, and turns away from all his sins that he has committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. Yet says the house of Israel: The way of Jehovah is not fair. O house of Israel, are not My ways fair? Are not your ways unfair? So I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one of you according to his ways, says the Lord Jehovah. Turn and be made to turn from all your sins; and iniquity shall not be your stumbling-block. Cast away from you all your sins by which you have sinned; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no delight in the death of him who dies, says the Lord Jehovah. Therefore turn and live.
Because he looks carefully, and turns away from all his sins that he has committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. Yet says the house of Israel: The way of Jehovah is not fair. O house of Israel, are not My ways fair? Are not your ways unfair? So I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one of you according to his ways, says the Lord Jehovah. Turn and be made to turn from all your sins; and iniquity shall not be your stumbling-block. Cast away from you all your sins by which you have sinned; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no delight in the death of him who dies, says the Lord Jehovah. Therefore turn and live.
And you, son of man, speak to the house of Israel. So you have spoken, saying, When our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we are wasting away in them, How then shall we live? Say to them: As I live, says the Lord Jehovah, I have no delight in the death of the wicked, except in the turning of the wicked from his way, and so to live. Turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel? Therefore, son of man, say to the sons of your people: The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression. As for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it in the day he turns from his wickedness. Nor shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sins. read more.
When I shall say to the righteous that he shall surely live; if he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he has committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turns from his sin and does justice and right; if the wicked gives back the pledge, gives again what he had robbed, walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, then he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of his sins that he has committed shall be called to his memory. He has done justice and right; he shall surely live. Yet the sons of your people say, The way of the Lord is not fair. But as for them, their way is not fair. When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall even die by them. But if the wicked turns from his wickedness and does justice and right, he shall live by them. Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not fair. O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways.
When I shall say to the righteous that he shall surely live; if he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he has committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turns from his sin and does justice and right; if the wicked gives back the pledge, gives again what he had robbed, walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, then he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of his sins that he has committed shall be called to his memory. He has done justice and right; he shall surely live. Yet the sons of your people say, The way of the Lord is not fair. But as for them, their way is not fair. When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall even die by them. But if the wicked turns from his wickedness and does justice and right, he shall live by them. Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not fair. O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways.
Hear now what Jehovah says: Arise, contend with the mountains and let the hills hear your voice. Mountains, hear Jehovah's case, and the constant foundations of the earth. For Jehovah has a quarrel with His people, and He will plead His case with Israel. O My people, what have I done to you? And in what have I made you weary? Testify against Me! read more.
For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of slaves; and I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam before you. O My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab planned, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may know the righteous acts of Jehovah. With what shall I come before Jehovah, to bow myself before God the Most High? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does Jehovah require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God? Jehovah's voice cries to the city, and in sound wisdom one will see Your name. Hear the rod and Him who has appointed it.
For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of slaves; and I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam before you. O My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab planned, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may know the righteous acts of Jehovah. With what shall I come before Jehovah, to bow myself before God the Most High? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does Jehovah require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God? Jehovah's voice cries to the city, and in sound wisdom one will see Your name. Hear the rod and Him who has appointed it.
From the days of your fathers, you have turned aside from My statutes, and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says Jehovah of Hosts. But you say. In what way shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, In what have we robbed You? In the tithe and the offering! You are cursed with a curse; for you are robbing Me, the nation, all of it. read more.
Bring all the tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. And test Me now with this, says Jehovah of Hosts, to see if I will not open the windows of Heaven for you, and pour out a blessing for you, until there is not enough room. And I will rebuke your devourer, and he shall not decay the fruit of your ground against you; nor shall your vine miscarry against you in the field, says Jehovah of Hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed; for you shall be a delightful land, says Jehovah of Hosts. Your words have been strong against Me, says Jehovah. Yet you say, What have we spoken against You? You have said, It is vain to serve God; and, What profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked as mourners before Jehovah of Hosts? And now we are calling the arrogant blessed. Not only are the doers of wickedness built up, they also test God, and escape.
Bring all the tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. And test Me now with this, says Jehovah of Hosts, to see if I will not open the windows of Heaven for you, and pour out a blessing for you, until there is not enough room. And I will rebuke your devourer, and he shall not decay the fruit of your ground against you; nor shall your vine miscarry against you in the field, says Jehovah of Hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed; for you shall be a delightful land, says Jehovah of Hosts. Your words have been strong against Me, says Jehovah. Yet you say, What have we spoken against You? You have said, It is vain to serve God; and, What profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked as mourners before Jehovah of Hosts? And now we are calling the arrogant blessed. Not only are the doers of wickedness built up, they also test God, and escape.
Reasoning » God reasons with men
For in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore Jehovah blessed the Sabbath day, and sanctified it.
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Cause Me to remember; let us enter into judgment; declare yourself, that you may be justified.
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Come now, and let us reason together, says Jehovah; though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.
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Hear the Word of Jehovah, sons of Israel. For Jehovah has a quarrel with the people of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
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You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them. For I Jehovah your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me,
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And Jehovah said to him, Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, Jehovah?
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And now, O people of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, please judge between Me and My vineyard. What more could have been done to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Who knows? I looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded rotten grapes.
Mountains, hear Jehovah's case, and the constant foundations of the earth. For Jehovah has a quarrel with His people, and He will plead His case with Israel.
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