The Skeptics Annotated Bible (552 page)

13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

(44.14-16) God hates Christmas trees

14
He heweth him down cedars
, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself
among the trees of the forest
: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.

(44.14)
“He heweth him down cedars … among the trees of the forest.

15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself;
yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread
; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it
; he maketh it a graven image
, and falleth down thereto.

(44.15) “Yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread … he maketh it a graven image.

16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh
; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire
:

(44.16) “He roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire.”

17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?

20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb,
I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself
;

(44.24)
“I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.”
2 Who created heaven and earth?

25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:

27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

45
Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

(45.1) “Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus” “Anointed one” means Messiah. So was king Cyrus the Messiah? [David Koresh (born Vernon Howell) chose his name after the two men in the Bible who are called Messiah (or anointed one) in the Bible: David and Cyrus. The name “Koresh” is a transliteration of the Hebrew name Cyrus.]

2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

5
I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me
: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me.
I am the LORD, and there is none else
.

(45.5-6) “I am the LORD, and there is none else. There is none beside me … I am the LORD, and there is none else.”
9 How many gods are there?

7
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

(45.7) “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”
294 Is God the creator of evil?

8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

14 Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.

15
Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself
, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

(45.15)
“Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself.”
176 Does God help in time of need?

16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

17 But
Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation
: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

(45.17) “Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation.” To get saved, become an Israeli citizen.