THE LORD’S LOVE FOR ISRAEL

 Jerusalem, you have been like a childless woman,

But now you can sing and shout for joy.

Now you will have more children

Than a woman whose husband never left her!

Make the tent you live in larger;

Lengthen its ropes and strengthen the pegs!

You will extend your boundaries on all sides;

Your people will get back to the land

that the other nations now occupy.  

Cities now deserted will be filled with people.

Do not be afraid – you will not be disgraced again;

you will not be humiliated.

You will forget your unfaithfulness as a young wife,

And your desperate loneliness as a widow.

Your Creator will be like a husband to you—

The Lord Almighty is His name.

The Holy God of Israel will save you—

He is the ruler of all the world.

Israel, you are like a young wife,

deserted by her husband and deeply distressed.

But the Lord calls you back to Him and says:

“For one brief moment I left you;

with deep love I will take you back.

I turned away angry for only a moment,

but I will show you my love for ever.”

So says the Lord who saves you.

“In the time of Noah I promised

never again to flood the earth.

Now I promise not to be angry with you again;

I will not reprimand or punish you.

The mountains and hills may crumble,

but My love for you will never end;

I will keep forever my promise of peace.”

So says the Lord who loves you.

THE FUTURE JERUSALEM

The Lord says,

“O Jerusalem, you suffering, helpless city,

with no one to comfort you,

I will rebuild your foundations with precious stones.

I will build towers with rubies,

your gates with stones that glow like fire,

and the wall around you with jewels.

“I myself will teach your people,

And give them prosperity and peace.

Justice and right will make you strong.

You will be safe from oppression and terror.

If anyone attacks you,

he does it without my consent;

whoever fights against you will fall.  

“I create the blacksmith,

who builds a fire and forges weapon.

I also create the soldier,

who uses the weapons to kill.

But no weapon will be able to hurt you;

You will have an answer for all who accuse you.

I will defend my servants

And give them victory.”

                                                       The Lord has spoken.

                                                                                                                                (Isaiah 54)