Isaiah 41:21–29

^21–24“Set out your case for your gods,” says God.

“Bring your evidence,” says the King of Jacob.

“Take the stand on behalf of your idols, offer arguments,

assemble reasons.

Spread out the facts before us

so that we can assess them ourselves.

Ask them, ‘If you are gods, explain what the past means—

or, failing that, tell us what will happen in the future.

Can’t do that?

How about doing something—anything!

Good or bad—whatever.

Can you hurt us or help us? Do we need to be afraid?’

They say nothing, because they are nothing—

sham gods, no-gods, fool-making gods.

^25–29“I, God, started someone out from the north and he’s come.

He was called out of the east by name.

He’ll stomp the rulers into the mud

the way a potter works the clay.

Let me ask you, Did anyone guess that this might happen?

Did anyone tell us earlier so we might confirm it

with ‘Yes, he’s right!’?

No one mentioned it, no one announced it,

no one heard a peep out of you.

But I told Zion all about this beforehand.

I gave Jerusalem a preacher of good news.

But around here there’s no one—

no one who knows what’s going on.

I ask, but no one can tell me the score.

Nothing here. It’s all smoke and hot air—

sham gods, hollow gods, no-gods.”