Stubborn Israel

       "Listen to this, O house of Jacob,
          you who are called by the name of Israel
          and come from the line of Judah,
       you who take oaths in the name of THE LORD
          and invoke THE GOD OF ISRAEL--
          but not in truth or righteousness--
       you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city
          and rely on THE GOD OF ISRAEL--
          THE LORD ALMIGHTY is HIS name:
       I foretold the former things long ago,
          my mouth announced them and I made them known;
          then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
       For I knew how stubborn you were;
          the sinews of your neck were iron,
          your forehead was bronze.
       Therefore I told you these things long ago;
          before they happened I announced them to you
       so that you could not say,
          'My idols did them;
          my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'
       You have heard these things; look at them all.
          Will you not admit them?

       "From now on I will tell you of new things,
          of hidden things unknown to you.
       They are created now, and not long ago;
          you have not heard of them before today.
       So you cannot say,
          'Yes, I knew of them.'
       You have neither heard nor understood;
          from of old your ear has not been open.
       Well do I know how treacherous you are;
          you were called a rebel from birth.
       For MY own name's sake I delay MY wrath;
          for the sake of MY praise I hold it back from you,
          so as not to cut you off.
       See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
          I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
       For MY own sake, for MY own sake, I do this.
          How can I let MYSELF be defamed?
          I will not yield MY glory to another.


The Book of Isaiah: chapter 48, verses 1 - 11