The Lord Speaks to His People
The Lord says: Have I sent you away? Have I gotten rid of you forever? Where is the paper that says your mother was divorced? Who did I send you away to? Which of my lenders did I sell you to? Who did I sell you to? You sold yourselves because of the bad things you did. Your mother was sent away because you broke my rules. So when I came, there was no one. When I called, there was no one to answer. People of Israel, is my hand too weak to save you? Do I have no power to rescue you? When I warn you, I dry up the sea. I make their rivers turn into deserts. Their fish smell bad because the water is dried up. They die because they have no water. I cover the heavens with darkness. I make them black as cloth.
The Servant’s Message
The Lord God has given me the words of teachers. He has taught me how to speak to you, people of Israel, when you are tired. He wakes me each morning. He wakes my ears to hear like a teacher. The Lord God has opened my ears. I did not fight against him. I did not turn away. I let them hit my back. I let them pull hair from my face. I did not hide my face from their shame and spit. The Lord God will help me. So I will not be ashamed. I have made my face like hard stone. I know I will not be put to shame. The Lord is near. He says I am right. Who wants to argue with me? Let us stand together. Who is against me? Let him come near me. I will defeat him with my words. The Lord God will help me. Everyone who says I am wrong will grow old like clothes. Moths will eat them up.
A Warning About Making Your Own Light
Who among you respects the Lord? Who listens to his servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Look at all of you who light fires. You surround yourselves with sparks. Walk in the light of your fire and the sparks you have lit. This is what you will get from me: You will lie down in sadness.
Influences
- 7:1 — Isaiah 50:1 (KJV)Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
- 7:2 — Isaiah 50:2 (KJV)Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
- 7:4 — Isaiah 50:4 (KJV)The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
- 7:5 — Isaiah 50:5 (KJV)The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
- 7:6 — Isaiah 50:6 (KJV)I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
- 7:7 — Isaiah 50:7 (KJV)For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
- 7:8 — Isaiah 50:8 (KJV)He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
- 7:9 — Isaiah 50:9 (KJV)Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
- 7:10 — Isaiah 50:10 (KJV)Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.
- 7:11 — Isaiah 50:11 (KJV)Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.