THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES Old Testament Prophecy - Angelfire

gather Jacob and Israel to him (I will be gathered and glorified before the Lord, and my
God will be my strength), says this; 6 he said to me, "It is great for you to be called my
servant, in order to establish the tribes of Jacob and return the dispersion of Israel.
Behold, I have set you up as a testament of the race, as a light of the nations, so that
you may result in salvation to the end of the earth."
7 The Lord who delivered you, the God of Israel, says this: "Sanctify the one who
despises his soul, who is abhorred by the nations who are the slaves of the rulers. Kings
will see him and rulers will arise, and they will worship him because of the Lord. For the
Holy One of Israel is faithful, and I chose you."
8 The Lord says this: "In an acceptable season I heard you, and on a day of salvation
I helped you. I formed you, and A I gave you as a testament of the nations, to establish
the earth and to inherit the inheritance of the desert, 9 while saying, `Come out,´ to
those who are in chains and to those who are in the darkness, in order that they might
be revealed. They will be fed in all their ways, and their pasture will be in all the paths.
10 They will not hunger or thirst, nor will heat or the sun attack them; instead, the one
who has mercy on them will comfort them, and he will lead them through springs of
waters. 11 I will set up every mountain as a way and every path as a pasture for them.
12 Behold, these will come from a distance, and these from the north, and these from
the sea, and others from the land of the Persians." 13 Be cheerful, you heavens. Let the
earth be glad; let the mountains break forth with cheerfulness and the hills with
righteousness, B for the Lord had mercy on his people, and he comforted the humble of
his people.
14 Zion said, "The Lord abandoned me, and the Lord forgot me." 15 "Will a woman
forget her infant, so as not to have mercy on the offspring of her womb? But even if a
woman should forget these, nevertheless I will not forget you," said the Lord.
16 "Behold, I painted your walls on my hands, and you are continually before me. 17 You
will soon be built by those by whom you were demolished, and those who made you
desolate will come out of you. 18 Lift up your eyes round about and see all of them.
Behold, they gathered together and came to you. As I live," says the Lord, "you will
clothe yourself with all of them C and put them on like a bride's ornament. 19 For your
deserted and ruined and sunken places will now be crowded due to those who reside in
them, and those who swallowed you will become distant from you. 20 For your sons
whom you have lost will say in your ears, `The place is crowded for me; make a place
for me so that I may have a residence.´ 21 You will say in your heart, `Who conceived
these for me? I was childless and a widow; who reared these for me? I was left alone;
where did I have these?´"
22 The Lord says this: "Behold, I am lifting up my hand to the nations, and I will lift
up my signal to the islands. They will bring your sons in their lap, and they will lift up
your daughters on their shoulders. 23 Kings will be your foster fathers, and women who
rule will be your nurses. They will worship you on the surface of the earth and will lick
A I formed you, and V ¦ ~ SA
B and the hills with righteousness S* ¦ ~ VScA
C SA ¦ + like an ornament V ¦ + like a robe