Come near, you nations, to hear; and hearken, you people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.
The above is Isaiah 34:1, and is the LORD calling all the earth to hear what He, later in verse 8, calls “the controversy of Zion.” He says it is the day of His vengeance and the year of recompense for it (the controversy), when He stretches a (measuring – assessing) line upon the earth and finds its foundation to be confusion, and the stones built upon it to be emptiness (worthless).
As we’ve many times discussed, “confusion” and “emptiness” are from the Hebrew words tohuw and bohuw. The first and last time each of these words is used, the two other of the three times they appear together, speaking of the condition the earth has become (hayah), they are identically rendered “without form, and void.” The first of these is in Genesis 1:2, there followed by speaking of the darkness (ignorance) that covers the deep understanding of the present word of God, upon which (the word) the Spirit of God moved, and light (understanding) was created.
The creation of understanding is later more precisely defined by John, in John 1, where we’re told in the beginning was the Word, and the was with God and was God. It says in Him, in His initial self-manifestation of His presence as the word, was life that was the light (understanding) of men, and this understanding was in the world, but, because of the darkness (ignorance) covering the earth, men couldn’t comprehend what they were experiencing.
John continues, saying (in the beginning) this was the word of God made flesh, dwelling in the first begotten, and as many as received Him (as such) gave He the power to become the children of God. John tells us the difference between Him and all others is He is begotten “of God” Himself, and all others are begotten by the first-begotten (quickened) from the dead: filled with God’s glory: His grace and truth. “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15:45
1 Corinthians 15
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ [God’s anointed] raised:
17 And if Christ is not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
24 Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule [the corrupt who now have dominion over the earth] and all [the corrupt] authority and power [of the world].
25 For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
As we know, in this same chapter, Paul later speaks of death’s destruction in verse 54, saying it’s “when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
This victory is what he (Paul), earlier in verse 51, calls a “mystery” when all are changed (by the light: understanding that ends the corruption clouding our minds and we, thereby, put on immortality. He says, in verse 52, this happens “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
In describing the time of this change, Paul uses several words that only appear in this one verse (52); the first atomos, rendered “moment;” and rhipe, rendered “twinkling.” The first (atomos) accurately translated means uncut, and refers to the undivided ONE BODY of Christ, and the second (rhipe), more correctly, means to toss out – the eye (ophthalmos). This latter aspect (of the change) modifies the first, speaking of what the LORD tells us about the “eye.”
Matthew 6
22 The light [understanding] of the body [of Christ] is the eye [ophthalmos]: if therefore your eye [ophthalmos] be single [undivided], your whole body [of Christ] shall be full of light [understanding].
23 But if your eye [ophthalmos] is evil [misleading], your whole body [of Christ] shall be full of darkness [ignorant and dead]. If therefore the light [understanding] that is in you be darkness [ignorance], how great is that darkness [ignorance]!
Matthew 5
29 And if your right eye [ophthalmos] offends you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body [of Christ] should be cast into hell [and death].
Matthew 7
5 You hypocrite, first cast out the beam [the ideas that blind] out of your own eye [ophthalmos]; and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye [ophthalmos].
Matthew 9
27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, You son of David, have mercy on us.
28 And when he came into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus says unto them, Believe you that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, LORD.
29 Then touched he their eyes [ophthalmos], saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30 And their eyes [ophthalmos] were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil [the ideas of misleaders].
33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spoke: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen [until the eyes are opened] in Israel.
Matthew 13
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speak you unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever has [faith], to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not [faith, believing it the LORD speaking], from him shall be taken away even that he has.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people’s heart [foundational understanding] is waxed gross [into darkness], and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes [ophthalmos] they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes [ophthalmos] and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted [changed], and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes [ophthalmos], for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For truly I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.
This blindness caused by the corruption of understanding (critical thinking and truthful discourse destroyed) is the darkness upon the deep, in the earth become without form (tohuw – used seventeen other times), and void (bohuw – only used in the three times mentions above), is further explained (cause, effect, and rescue) in the other times tohuw appears.
Before looking at these, Jeremiah, in the final use of both words, tells us precisely, the trumpet is the voice heard from the standard (nec – the pole upon which the son of man must be lifted). He describes it as the light coming into the darkness still not comprehending it as such, and the darkness as His people not having understanding or knowledge and therefore not knowing Him.
(Friends, the world only knows what the unrepentant and incorrigible false prophets and false teachers tell them. It must be understood that these are those chained to their own darkness, bound by their own words misleading them to perish (remain dead) in the hell of their own creation. As long as the world follows them, and rejects this word, it will further descend into fear, insanity, destruction, and mass misery, while they all insanely wait for the same false prophets and false teacher to lead them out.)
2 Thessalonians 2
5 Remember you not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things [about the sons of perdition]?
6 And now you know what withholds [katecho – this corruption of truth, the misleading of false prophets and false teaching, holds you down] that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now lets [katecho – those who now hold you down] will let [will hold down, in the fall], until he is taken out of the way [mesos – out of our midst].
8 And then shall that Wicked [the same “unreasonable and wicked men” Paul tells us, in 2 Thessalonians 3:2, we should pray to be “delivered ” {saved} from] be revealed, whom the LORD shall consume with the Spirit of [the fire of God] his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness [the understanding now given as He manifests His presence] of his coming:
9 Even him [The LORD – coming after the world has been made ignorant of His manner, 1 Timothy 3:16, the mystery revealed, manifested in the flesh], whose coming is after the working of Satan [resisting and opposing God] with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish [by following his false prophets and false teaching]; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved [by Jehovah’s Salvation manifested in our flesh].
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the LORD, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification [by separating you from corruption to His work] of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory [His grace and truth in you] of our LORD Jesus Christ.
Jeremiah 4
16 Make you mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers [evil messengers, angels of darkness, waiting and watching for an opportunity to destroy God’s people with their misleading] come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she has been rebellious against me, says the LORD.
18 Your way and your doings have procured these things unto you; this is your wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reaches unto your heart.
19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound [the voice of the LORD’s presence] of the trumpet, the alarm of war [calling all to muster to Him].
20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
21 How long shall I see the standard [how long shall you see the son of man lifted as a brazen serpent devouring the serpents among us], and hear the sound [qowl – this voice of the archangel, in whom is manifested the LORD’s presence, calling all to gather in ONE BODY to Him] of the trumpet?
22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was [hayah – had become] without form [tohuw], and void [bohuw]; and the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man [with His spirit], and all the birds [those who soar by His understanding in them] of the heavens were fled.
26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
27 For thus has the LORD said, The whole land [earth] shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black [without any understanding or knowledge, and thereby ignorant of Him]; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
29 The whole city shall flee for the noise [the voice of God’s army, His ONE BODY proclaiming His presence] of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.
30 And when you are spoiled, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with crimson, though you deck you with ornaments of gold, though you rent your face with painting, in vain shall you make yourself fair; your lovers [the false prophets and false teachers: the misleaders you follow, who are destroying you] will despise you, they will seek your life [they will lead you into destruction rather than repent and receive the love of the truth].
31 For I have heard a voice [qowl] as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child [the first-begotten of God’s only begotten], the voice [qowl] of the daughter of Zion, that bewail herself, that spreads her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers [those among you misleading into self-destruction and blaming you for the evil they’ve wrought].
So, just to be sure I have this right: God’s people and His better ideas, and our traditional Christian culture, are being systematically destroyed and replaced by evil, aren’t doing anything to combat it because the perpetrators tell you they aren’t doing what you plainly see, and saying if you see it you’re evil? Did I get that right? “My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart makes a noise [hamah – the “hum” of a song, that brings these word to mind] in me; I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound [voice] of the trumpet, the alarm of war.”
The second time the word tohuw (“without form” which is “confusion”) is used, after the first in Genesis 1:2, is in Deuteronomy 32:10, rendered “waste” as the LORD foretells the place He’s now come to raise us once again.
Deuteronomy 32
2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain [God’s word from heaven], my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass [bringing life again to the dry ground of the earth that has been without it]:
3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD [I Am “That” I Am]: ascribe you greatness unto our God.
4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
6 Do you thus requite [speak resistance against] the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he your father that has bought you? has he not made you, and established you? [2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable {apoleia – worthy of perdition} heresies, even denying the LORD that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction {apoleia – perdition}. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious {apoleia} ways {worthy of perdition}; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation {apoleia – perdition} slumbers not.]
7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you.
8 When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated [for His work] the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
9 For the LORD’s portion [inheritance] is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste [tohuw – without form, in confusion] howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
11 As an eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings, taketh them, bears them on her wings:
12 So the LORD alone did lead him [to raise them to soar in full understanding: in heaven], and there was no strange god with him.
13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey [sweetness from His mouth that is His strength] out of the rock [His word flowing from the flesh He chooses], and oil [anointing us] out of the flinty rock [that when struck brings forth fire];
14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and you did drink the pure blood of the grape.
15 But Jeshurun [and when He fed us {His nation, under Him} and filled us with His feast, we prospered by heeding His word: following His good advice] waxed fat, and kicked: you are waxen fat, you are grown thick, you are covered with fatness; then he [we] forsook God which made him [us], and lightly esteemed the Rock [Christ – the Father manifesting His presence in the one He chooses and anoints] of his salvation.
16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations [the creations of men, which they put in God’s place and called by His name] provoked they him to anger.
17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.
18 Of the Rock that begat you you are unmindful, and have forgotten God that formed you.
2 Corinthians 11
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion [to keep you down]; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we [as men possessed by a spirit: us of God and them of Satan resisting Him].
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works [the darkness to which they are chained].
16 I say again, let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the LORD, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
19 For you suffer fools gladly, seeing you yourselves are wise.
20 For you suffer, if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes of you, if a man exalts himself; if a man smites you on the face.
1 Corinthians 4
9 For I think that God has set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are honorable, but we are despised [called evil by the current corrupt and evil culture].
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;
12 And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have you not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be you followers of me.
17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus [I Am “That” Tim of God], who is my beloved son, and faithful in the LORD, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the LORD will, and [you] will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power [of God in Me].
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word [the vain word of men who are puffed up, swelled with pride in their power to deceive], but in power [of God, giving His light, which is the life of the world].
21 What will you? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
1 Samuel 12
19 And all the people said unto Samuel [who heard the LORD speaking], Pray for your servants unto the LORD your God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king [of our choosing].
20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: you have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
21 And turn you not aside: for then should you go after vain [tohuw – confusing] things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain [tohuw – they will bring confusion].
22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it has pleased the LORD to make you his people.
23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he has done for you.
25 But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed [in the fire], both you and your king [you choose to follow into wickedness].
Isaiah 24
10 The city of confusion [tohuw] is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
11 There is a crying for wine [that changes minds away from God’s understanding] in the streets; all joy is darkened [become ignorance], the mirth of the land [earth] is gone.
12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.
13 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
14 They shall lift up their voice [qowl], they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea [among the people at large].
15 Wherefore glorify you the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles [the places that have not heard His word] of the sea.
16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who flees from the noise [qowl – the voices of the treachery] of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that comes up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host [the army of the wicked] of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison [of their own lies], and after many days shall they be visited [paqad – punished].
23 Then the moon [the corrupt civil governments of the world – all] shall be confounded, and the sun [the corrupt churches – all] ashamed, when the LORD of hosts [who is a man of war] shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
Isaiah 29
18 And in that day shall the deaf hear [with understanding] the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and [come] out of darkness [ignorance].
19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
21 That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught [tohuw].
22 Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed [he shall reach the promised land], neither shall his face now wax pale [but shall rise in the LORD’s strength].
23 But when he sees his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
Isaiah 40
17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity [tohuw].
18 To whom then will you liken God? or what likeness will you compare unto him?
19 The workman [makes an idol they call by God’s name] melts a graven image, and the goldsmith spreads it over with gold, and casts silver chains [by which they bind themselves in darkness].
20 He that is so impoverished [without these treasures of heaven] that he has no oblation chooses a tree [a man he thinks is upright] that will not [in his mind] rot; he seeks unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved [from God’s place].
21 Have you not known? have you not heard? has it not been told you from the beginning? have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in:
23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he makes the judges of the earth as vanity [tohuw].
24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind [from where the LORD speaks] shall take them away as stubble.
25 To whom then will you liken me, or shall I be equal? says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who has created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one fails.
27 Why sayest you, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, My way is hidden from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
28 Have you not known? have you not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength [that comes with understanding]; they shall mount up with wings as eagles [into heaven, full understanding, with Him]; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 41
21 Produce your cause, says the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, says the King of Jacob.
22 Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.
23 Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
24 Behold, you are of nothing, and your work of naught: an abomination is he that chooses you.
25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treads clay.
26 Who has declared [nagad – who stood boldly against these misleaders] from the beginning, that we may know? and before-time, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that shows, yea, there is none that declares, yea, there is none that heareth your words.
27 The first [begotten of God] shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them [see these misleaders]: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.
28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion [tohuw].
How do we know when these men are misleading? They’re breathing, and their lips are moving.
Isaiah 44
6 Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts [who is a man of war]; I Am the first, and I Am the last; and beside me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them.
8 Fear you not, neither be afraid: have not I told you from that time, and have declared it? you are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity [tohuw]; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses [when their lip are moving]; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Who has formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen [that make idols they put in God’s place], they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
Isaiah 45
18 For thus says the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he created it not in vain [tohuw – not without form], he formed it to be inhabited: I Am the LORD; and there is none else.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place [not from the places of ignorance] of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek you me in vain [tohuw – not in the places of confusion]: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
21 Tell you, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who has declared this from ancient time? who has told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me.
22 Look unto me, and be you saved, all the ends of the earth: for I Am God, and there is none else.
23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
Isaiah 49
1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, you people, from far; The LORD has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name [I Am Tim of God].
2 And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand has he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he hid me;
3 And said unto me, You are my servant, O Israel [who shall reign on earth as God reigns], in whom I will be glorified.
4 Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught [tohuw], and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
5 And now, says the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
6 And he said, It is a light thing that you shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose you.
8 Thus says the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 That you mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness [in obscurity: by ignorance unknown to themselves], Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
Isaiah 59
1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness.
4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity [tohuw – confusion], and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
5 They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eats of their eggs dies, and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.
6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goes therein shall not know peace.
9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither does justice overtakes us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense.
19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, says the LORD.
21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the LORD; My spirit that is upon you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed’s seed, says the LORD, from henceforth and forever.
Psalms 48
1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
5 They saw it, and so they marveled; they were troubled, and hasted away.
6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
7 You break the ships of Tarshish [those trying to escape their vows] with an east wind.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it forever. Selah.
9 We have thought of your lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of your temple.
10 According to your name, O God, so is your praise unto the ends of the earth: your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
13 Mark you well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that you may tell it to the generation following.
14 For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto [and out of] death.
