14 justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. 15 truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no...

 “and as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “my Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says...

for our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities: transgressing, and denying the Lord, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving...

their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. the way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked;...

no one enters suit justly;  no one goes to law honestly;  they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,  they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.  they hatch adders’ eggs;  they weave the spider’s web;  he who eats their eggs dies,  and from one that is crushed...

behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,  or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;  but your iniquities have made a separation  between you and your God,  and your sins have hidden his face from you  so that he does not hear. [isaiah 59:1-2]  ...

he feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” [isaiah 44:20]   our rebellion always ends in spiritual poverty.  imagine, starving for sustenance, and yet the only thing...

no one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “half of it i burned in the fire; i also baked bread on its coals; i roasted meat and have eaten. and shall I make the rest of it an abomination? shall i fall down before a block of wood?” [isaiah 44:19]...

they know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. [isaiah 44:18]   idolatry hardens the heart as a result of judah’s idolatry, the Lord hardens their hearts, similar to what we...

behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. let them all assemble, let them stand forth. they shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. — [isaiah 44:11]   idolatry leads to terror and shame we have nothing to gain...