WEBVTT - Isaiah 44

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening

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<v Speaker 1>to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge,

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<v Speaker 1>and today we're in Isaiah chapter 44, and we'll be

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<v Speaker 1>reading from the Christian Standard Bible. And now listen, Jacob,

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<v Speaker 1>my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. This is the

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<v Speaker 1>word of the Lord, your Maker, the one who formed

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<v Speaker 1>you from the womb. He will help you. Do not fear, Jacob,

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<v Speaker 1>my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will

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<v Speaker 1>pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the

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<v Speaker 1>dry ground. I will pour out my Spirit on your

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<v Speaker 1>descendants and my blessing on your offspring. They will sprout

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<v Speaker 1>among the grass like poplars by flowing streams. This one

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<v Speaker 1>will say, I am the Lord's. Another will use the

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<v Speaker 1>name of Jacob. Still another will write on his hand,

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<v Speaker 1>the Lord's, and take on the name of Israel. This

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<v Speaker 1>is what the Lord, the King of Israel, and its Redeemer,

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<v Speaker 1>the Lord of armies, says. I am the first, and

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<v Speaker 1>I am the last. There is no God but me. Who,

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<v Speaker 1>like me, can announce the future? Let him say so

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<v Speaker 1>and make a case before me. since I have established

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<v Speaker 1>an ancient people. Let these gods declare the coming things

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<v Speaker 1>and what will take place. Do not be startled or afraid.

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<v Speaker 1>Have I not told you and declared it long ago?

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<v Speaker 1>You are my witnesses. Is there any god but me?

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<v Speaker 1>There is no other rock. I do not know any.

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<v Speaker 1>All who make idols are nothing, and what they treasure

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<v Speaker 1>benefits no one. Their witnesses do not see or know anything,

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<v Speaker 1>so they will be put to shame. Who makes a

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<v Speaker 1>god or casts a metal image that benefits no one? Look,

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<v Speaker 1>all its worshippers will be put to shame, and the

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<v Speaker 1>craftsmen are humans. They all will assemble and stand. They

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<v Speaker 1>all will be startled and put to shame. The iron

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<v Speaker 1>worker labors over the coals, shapes the idol with hammers,

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<v Speaker 1>and works it with his strong arm. Also, he grows

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<v Speaker 1>hungry and his strength fails. He doesn't drink water and

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<v Speaker 1>is faint. The woodworker stretches out a measuring line. He

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<v Speaker 1>outlines it with a stylus. He shapes it with chisels

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<v Speaker 1>and outlines it with a compass. He makes it according

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<v Speaker 1>to a human form, like a beautiful person to dwell

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<v Speaker 1>in a temple. He cuts down cedars for his use.

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<v Speaker 1>Or he takes a cypress or an oak. He lets

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<v Speaker 1>it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He

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<v Speaker 1>plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow. A

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<v Speaker 1>person can use it for fuel. He takes some of

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<v Speaker 1>it and warms himself. Also, he kindles a fire and

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<v Speaker 1>bakes bread. He even makes it into a god and

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<v Speaker 1>worships it. He makes an idol from it and bows

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<v Speaker 1>down to it. He burns half of it in a fire.

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<v Speaker 1>and he roasts meat on that half. He eats the

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<v Speaker 1>roast and is satisfied. He warms himself and says, Ah,

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<v Speaker 1>I am warm, I see the blaze. He makes a

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<v Speaker 1>god or his idol with the rest of it. He

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<v Speaker 1>bows down to it and worships. He prays to it,

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<v Speaker 1>Save me, for you are my God. Such people do

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<v Speaker 1>not comprehend and cannot understand, for he has shut their

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<v Speaker 1>eyes so they cannot see. and their minds so they

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<v Speaker 1>cannot understand. No one comes to his senses. No one

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<v Speaker 1>has the perception or insight to say, I burned half

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<v Speaker 1>of it in the fire. I also baked bread on

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<v Speaker 1>its coals. I roasted meat and ate. Should I make

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<v Speaker 1>something detestable with the rest of it? Should I bow

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<v Speaker 1>down to a block of wood? He feeds on ashes.

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<v Speaker 1>His deceived mind has led him astray, and he cannot

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<v Speaker 1>rescue himself. or say, Isn't there a lie in my

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<v Speaker 1>right hand? Remember these things, Jacob, and Israel, for you

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<v Speaker 1>are my servant. I formed you, you are my servant. Israel,

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<v Speaker 1>you will never be forgotten by me. I have swept

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<v Speaker 1>away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like

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<v Speaker 1>a mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. Rejoice, heavens,

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<v Speaker 1>for the Lord has acted. SHOUT DEPTHS OF THE EARTH,

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<v Speaker 1>BREAK OUT INTO SINGING MOUNTAINS, FOREST, AND EVERY TREE IN IT,

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<v Speaker 1>FOR THE LORD HAS REDEEMED JACOB, AND GLORIFIES HIMSELF THROUGH ISRAEL.

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<v Speaker 1>THIS IS WHAT THE LORD, YOUR REDEEMER, WHO FORMED YOU

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<v Speaker 1>FROM THE WOMB, SAYS, I AM THE LORD WHO MADE EVERYTHING,

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<v Speaker 1>WHO STRETCHED OUT THE HEAVENS BY MYSELF, WHO ALONE SPREAD

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<v Speaker 1>OUT THE EARTH. who destroys the omens of the false

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<v Speaker 1>prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise

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<v Speaker 1>and makes their knowledge foolishness, who confirms the message of

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<v Speaker 1>his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who

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<v Speaker 1>says to Jerusalem, She will be inhabited, and to the

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<v Speaker 1>cities of Judah they will be rebuilt, and I will

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<v Speaker 1>restore her ruins, who says to the depths of the sea,

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<v Speaker 1>Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers. Who

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<v Speaker 1>says to Cyrus, my shepherd, he will fulfill all my pleasure,

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<v Speaker 1>and says to Jerusalem, she will be rebuilt, and of

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<v Speaker 1>the temple, its foundation will be laid. Let's pray. Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for your word, and we thank you

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<v Speaker 1>for the privilege to be able to look at it

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<v Speaker 1>together today. We thank you, Lord, for the illustrations you

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<v Speaker 1>give to us in this passage of how danger it

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<v Speaker 1>is when we rely on our own counsel, when we

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<v Speaker 1>go in our own direction and reject you and act

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<v Speaker 1>as if you don't even exist. But Lord, you're the

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<v Speaker 1>one who created everything. Specifically, we're told in your word

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<v Speaker 1>that all things were created through your son, Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>So we're grateful for these realities and we're grateful for

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<v Speaker 1>the fact that through faith in Jesus Christ, we become

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<v Speaker 1>heirs in your kingdom. recipients of your blessings, men and

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<v Speaker 1>women who are saved from our sin. Lord, we thank

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<v Speaker 1>you for removing our sin from us, as far as

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<v Speaker 1>the east is from the west. And we pray, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>that we would walk with you faithfully today and every day.

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<v Speaker 1>We commit this day to your care, and we thank

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<v Speaker 1>you for all of these things. In Jesus' name, amen.