The Lord Judges and Saves
1The Lord says, “I made myself known to those who were not asking for me.
I was found by those who were not trying to find me.
I spoke to a nation that did not pray to me.
‘Here I am,’ I said. ‘Here I am.’
2All day long I have held out my hands
to welcome a stubborn nation.
They lead sinful lives.
They go where their evil thoughts take them.
3They are always making me very angry.
They do it right in front of me.
They offer sacrifices in the gardens of other gods.
They burn incense on altars that are made out of bricks.
4They sit among the graves.
They spend their nights talking to the spirits of the dead.
They eat the meat of pigs.
Their cooking pots hold soup that has ‘unclean’ meat in it.
5They say, ‘Keep away! Don’t come near us!
We are too sacred for you!’
Those people are like smoke in my nose.
They are like a fire that keeps burning all day.
6“I will judge them. I have even written it down.
I will not keep silent.
Instead, I will pay them back for all their sins.
7I will punish them for their sins.
I will also punish them for the sins of their people before them.”
This is what the Lord says.
“They burned sacrifices on the mountains.
They disobeyed me by worshiping other gods on the hills.
So I will make sure they are fully punished
for all the sins they have committed.”
8The Lord says,
“Sometimes juice is still left in grapes that have been crushed.
So people say, ‘Don’t destroy them.’
They are still of some benefit.”
That is what I will do for the good of those who serve me.
I will not destroy all my people.
9I will give children
to the families of Jacob and Judah.
They will possess my entire land.
My chosen people will be given all of it.
Those who serve me will live there.
10Their flocks will eat in the rich grasslands of Sharon.
Their herds will rest in the Valley of Achor.
That is what I will do for my people who follow me.
11“But some of you have deserted me.
You no longer worship on my holy mountain of Zion.
You spread a table for the god called Good Fortune.
You offer bowls of mixed wine to the god named Fate.
12So I will make it your fate to be killed by swords.
All of you will die in the battle.
That’s because I called out to you, but you did not answer me.
I spoke to you, but you did not listen.
You did what is evil in my sight.
You chose to do what does not please me.”
13So the Lord and King says,
“Those who serve me will have food to eat.
But you will be hungry.
My servants will have plenty to drink.
But you will be thirsty.
Those who serve me will be full of joy.
But you will be put to shame.
14My servants will sing
with joy in their hearts.
But you will cry out
because of the great pain in your hearts.
You will cry because your spirits are sad.
15My chosen ones will use your names
when they curse others.
I am your Lord and King.
I will put you to death.
But I will give new names to those who serve me.
16They will ask me to bless their land.
They will do it in my name.
I am the one true God.
They will make promises in their land.
They will do it in my name.
I am the one true God.
The troubles of the past will be forgotten.
They will be hidden from my eyes.
The Lord Will Create New Heavens and a New Earth
17“I will create new heavens and a new earth.
The things that have happened before will not be remembered.
They will not even enter your minds.
18So be glad and full of joy forever
because of what I will create.
I will cause others to take delight in Jerusalem.
They will be filled with joy
when they see its people.
19And I will be full of joy because of Jerusalem.
I will take delight in my people.
Weeping and crying
will not be heard there anymore.
20“Babies in Jerusalem will no longer
live only a few days.
Old people will not fail
to live for a very long time.
Those who live to the age of 100
will be thought of as mere children when they die.
Those who die before they are 100
will be considered as having been under God’s curse.
21My people will build houses and live in them.
They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22They will no longer build houses
only to have others live in them.
They will no longer plant crops
only to have others eat them.
My people will live to be as old as trees.
My chosen ones will enjoy for a long time
the things they have worked for.
23Their work will not be worthless anymore.
They will not have children who are sure to face sudden terror.
Instead, I will bless them.
I will also bless their children after them.
24Even before they call out to me, I will answer them.
While they are still speaking, I will hear them.
25Wolves and lambs will eat together.
Lions will eat straw like oxen.
Serpents will eat nothing but dust.
None of those animals will harm or destroy
anything or anyone on my holy mountain of Zion,”
says the Lord.
Guds svar
1Herren siger til sit folk: „Jeg viste mig for dem, der ikke spurgte efter mig. Jeg blev fundet af dem, der ikke søgte mig. Jeg sagde til et folk, som egentlig ikke var mit folk: ‚Se, her er jeg!’
2Dagen lang rakte jeg hænderne ud mod et ulydigt og oprørsk folk, som handlede ondt og fulgte deres egne tanker, 3et folk, som blev ved med at håne mig op i mit åbne ansigt ved at dyrke deres afguder i haverne og brænde offerild på hustagene for fremmede guder. 4Om natten gik de ud til gravhulerne for i al hemmelighed at søge kontakt med de afdøde, og de spiste svinekød og anden uren mad. 5Alligevel sagde de til andre mennesker: ‚Rør ikke ved mig, for du gør mig uren med din synd. Jeg er nemlig hellig og ren.’ De er som en stadig stank i min næse.
6Deres synderegister er langt, og jeg giver ikke op, før de har fået, hvad de fortjener. 7Jeg straffer jer ikke kun for jeres egne synder, men også for jeres forfædres synder. Også de brændte røgelse på bjergene og hånede mig ved at dyrke deres afguder på offerhøjene. I skal få den fulde straf for jeres synd.”
8„Men jeg vil ikke udslette jer alle,” siger Herren. „På en rådden drueklase kan man altid finde enkelte gode druer, der ikke fortjener at blive kasseret. Jeg har da også fundet sande Guds tjenere i Israel, og dem vil jeg ikke lade gå til grunde sammen med de andre. 9Jeg vil frelse en rest af Israels folk og Judas efterkommere. Mine udvalgte, som tjener mig, skal arve landet og bo der. 10Saronsletten bliver græsmarker for deres får, og i Akors dal vil deres kvæg ligge og tygge drøv. Det lover jeg dem af mit folk, som søger mig.
11Men I, som har svigtet mig og mit tempel og i stedet tilbeder lykkeguden og skæbneguden, 12jeres skæbne bliver sværdhug, og jeres lykke bliver at knæle til nedslagtning. For da jeg kaldte, svarede I ikke, og da jeg talte, hørte I ikke efter. I syndede bevidst for øjnene af mig og valgte at handle stik imod min vilje.”
13Derfor siger Gud Herren: „I skal sulte, men de, der tjener mig, skal spise. I skal tørste, men de skal drikke. I skal hænge med hovedet i skam, men de skal glæde sig. 14I skal græde af sorg og jamre i fortvivlelse, men de skal juble af fryd. 15Mine udvalgte vil huske jer som dem, der blev forbandet og dræbt af Herren. Mine tjenere får en bedre fremtid.
16Til den tid vil I igen begynde at bruge mit navn, når I aflægger en ed eller udtaler en velsignelse, for jeg er en trofast Gud. Da vil de gamle problemer være glemt og ikke længere huskes.
17Hør her! Jeg vil skabe en ny himmel og en ny jord, og man vil ikke huske det gamle mere. 18Glæd jer! Fryd jer for evigt over mit nye skaberværk!
Jeg gør Jerusalem til et vidunderligt sted, hvor folk vil juble af glæde. 19Og jeg vil fryde mig over mit folk i Jerusalem. Ingen skal længere græde og jamre af sorg. 20Ingen børn vil dø som spæde, og de gamle vil ikke gå bort før tiden. Hundrede år skal betragtes som en ung alder, og en, der ikke når de hundrede, vil man regne for at være under forbandelse. 21De bygger sig huse og bor der selv, de planter vinmarker og nyder selv dens frugt. 22De bliver ikke jaget fra hus og hjem, og andre røver ikke deres høst. Mit folk vil opnå en høj alder og nyde frugten af deres arbejde. 23De skal ikke arbejde forgæves eller føde børn for bare at miste dem igen. De er Herrens velsignede folk, og velsignelsen skal gå i arv til deres børn. 24Jeg vil gribe ind og hjælpe dem, før de kalder på mig. Ja, før de ved, hvad de skal bede om, vil jeg give dem det, de har brug for. 25Ulven og lammet skal græsse sammen, løven skal æde hø som oksen, men slangen skal spise støv. Til den tid vil der hverken findes ondskab eller ødelæggelse i hele mit hellige bjergland,” siger Herren.
