THE MISSION TO THE NATIONS. 355 One, to him that is despised, to a nation abhorred, to a slave of rulers: Kings shall see and arise; and princes do homage; because of Jehovah that is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, that chose thee. Thus saith Jehovah : In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and make thee a covenant people, to establish the land, to inherit the desolate heritages; saying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights. shall be their pasture. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither heat nor sun shall smite them; for He that hath pitied them leadeth them, by springs of water He guideth them. And I make all My mountains a road, and My high ways shall be exalted. Lo, these come from far; and lo, these from the north and the west; and these from the land of China. Sing, ye heavens, and exult, O earth; Behold, My servant shall prosper; he shall be high and exalted, and lofty exceedingly. As many were amazed at thee, (so marred was his visage from that of man, and his form from that of the sons of men), so shall he dazzle many nations. Kings shall stop their mouths at him; for what was not told them they have seen; and what they heard not, they have understood. Who believed our report? and to whom was the arm of Jehovah revealed? He hath no form nor comeliness, that we should see him, no beauty that we should desire him. Despised, and forsaken of men; a man of sor rows, acquainted with grief; as one from whom men hide their face, despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely our griefs he bore, and our sorrows he carried them; and we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep went astray; each turned his own way; and Jehovah made to light on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and was humbled, not opening his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb. By false judgment was he taken away; and his posterity, who shall recount? for he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of My people was he stricken. And they made his grave with the wicked, and with prisoners his tomb; although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. But it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; to put him to grief. Though he give his life a guilt offering, he shall see his posterity, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be filled; by his knowledge My servant justifieth many; bearing their iniquities. Therefore will I give him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. But he bare the sin of many, and maketh intercession for transgressors. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy without money and without price, wine and milk. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not CALLING THE NATIONS. 357 bread? and your toil for that which satisfieth not? Hearken unto Me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and ye shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a prince and commander of the peoples. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy God, and the Holy One of Israel; for He hath glorified thee. Seek ye Jehovah while He may be found, call on Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the evil man his thoughts; and turn to Jehovah, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways, saith Jehovah. For as heaven is higher than earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as rain cometh down and snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so is My word that goeth forth out of My mouth; it returneth not unto Me void, but accomplisheth that which I please, and prospereth in that whereto I sent it. For ye shall go forth with joy, And in peace shall ye be led out. Mountains and hills shall break into singing before you, An everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. CHAPTER XI. ISAIAH, lviii,-lxi. CONDITIONS OF REDEMPTION. Ritual Fasts Denounced-The Fast of the Soul-To Do for Others -To Put Away Sin-To Observe the Sabbath-Reason of the Captivity-Israel's Wickedness-Sins of Violence-Testimony of Their Sins-Jehovah Interferes-The New Covenant-Israel a Shining Light-Gathering of the Nations-Rebuilding of ZionCity of Jehovah-Jehovah Her Everlasting Light-Anointed of Jehovah-Good Tidings-Comforting Zion-Priests of Jehovah— Hymn of Praise. CRY aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and declare to My people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins. Me they consult day by day, and desire to know My ways; as it were a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the law of their God, they ask of Me righteous judgments, they desire the coming of God. "Wherefore have we fasted, and Thou hast not seen? humbled ourselves, and Thou takest no notice?" Behold, in the day of your fast ye pursue your own concerns, and exact all your tasks. Behold, ye fast for strife and contention, and to smite with wicked fist; ye fast not this day to make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I love, the day for a man to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a rush, and make sackcloth and ashes his couch? Wilt thou call this a fast, an acceptable day to Jehovah ? THE FAST OF THE SOUL. 359 Is not this the fast that I love? to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, letting the oppressed go free, and breaking every yoke? Is it not to break thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring wretched outcasts home? when thou seest the naked, that thou clothe him; and hide not thyself from thy kin? Then shall thy light break forth as the dawn, and thy healing spring forth speedily; thy righteousness shall go before thee and the glory of Jehovah be thy rearward. Then shalt thou call, and Jehovah shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here am I. If thou remove from the midst of thee the yoke, the pointing with the finger, and speaking sin; if thou bestow thy food on the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted. ones; then shall thy light rise in darkness, and thy gloom. be like the noonday; and Jehovah shall guide thee ever, and satisfy thy desire in the drought, and make strong thy bones; and thou shalt be like a well watered garden, like a fountain whose waters fail not. And thy children shall build the ruins of old; thou shalt raise up the foundations of past generations; and thou shalt be called Repairer of the breach, Restorer of habitable ways. If thou refrain thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; if thou call the Sabbath a delight, Jehovah's holy day honorable; if thou honor it, not to do thine own ways, nor pursue thine own concerns, nor speak idle words; then shalt thou have delight in Jehovah, and I will make thee to ride upon the heights of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it. Behold, Jehovah's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear too heavy to hear; but your in |