The Lord Challenges the Pagan Gods

21 “Present your argument,” says the Lord.

“Produce your evidence,” says Jacob’s king.

22 “Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen!

Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles,

so we may examine them and see how they were fulfilled.

Or decree for us some future events!

23 Predict how future events will turn out,

so we might know you are gods.

Yes, do something good or bad,

so we might be frightened and in awe.

24 Look, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent;

the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting.

25 I have stirred up one out of the north and he advances,

one from the eastern horizon who prays in my name.

He steps on rulers as if they were clay,

like a potter treading the clay.

26 Who decreed this from the beginning, so we could know?

Who announced it ahead of time, so we could say, ‘He’s correct’?

Indeed, none of them decreed it!

Indeed, none of them announced it!

Indeed, no one heard you say anything!

27 I first decreed to Zion, ‘Look, here’s what will happen!’

I sent a herald to Jerusalem.

28 I look, but there is no one,

among them there is no one who serves as an adviser,

that I might ask questions and receive answers.

29 Look, all of them are nothing,

their accomplishments are nonexistent;

their metal images lack any real substance.

42 “Here is my servant whom I support,

my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.

I have placed my spirit on him;

he will make just decrees for the nations.

2 He will not cry out or shout;

he will not publicize himself in the streets.

3 A crushed reed he will not break,

a dim wick he will not extinguish;

he will faithfully make just decrees.

4 He will not grow dim or be crushed

before establishing justice on the earth;

the coastlands will wait in anticipation for his decrees.”

5 This is what the true God, the Lord, says –

the one who created the sky and stretched it out,

the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it,

the one who gives breath to the people on it,

and life to those who live on it:

6 “I, the Lord, officially commission you;

I take hold of your hand.

I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people,

and a light to the nations,

7 to open blind eyes,

to release prisoners from dungeons,

those who live in darkness from prisons.