Isaiah 44:21-28

“Remember these things, O Jacob. Take it seriously, Israel, that you’re my servant. I made you, shaped you: You’re my servant. O Israel, I’ll never forget you. I’ve wiped the slate of all your wrongdoings. There’s nothing left of your sins. Come back to me, come back. I’ve redeemed you.” High heavens, sing! GOD has done it. Deep earth, shout! And you mountains, sing! A forest choir of oaks and pines and cedars! GOD has redeemed Jacob. GOD’s glory is on display in Israel. GOD, your Redeemer, who shaped your life in your mother’s womb, says: “I am GOD. I made all that is. With no help from you I spread out the skies and laid out the earth.” He makes the magicians look ridiculous and turns fortunetellers into jokes. He makes the experts look trivial and their latest knowledge look silly. But he backs the word of his servant and confirms the counsel of his messengers. He says to Jerusalem, “Be inhabited,” and to the cities of Judah, “Be rebuilt,” and to the ruins, “I raise you up.” He says to Ocean, “Dry up. I’m drying up your rivers.” He says to Cyrus, “My shepherd— everything I want, you’ll do it.” He says to Jerusalem, “Be built,” and to the Temple, “Be established.”