New International Version
no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD.

New Living Translation
But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!

English Standard Version
no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and the ir vindication from me, declares the LORD.”

Berean Study Bible
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the LORD's servants, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
"No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD.

King James Bible
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
No weapon formed against you will succeed, and you will refute any accusation raised against you in court. This is the heritage of the LORD"s servants, and their vindication is from me." This is the LORD's declaration.

Contemporary English Version
Weapons made to attack you won "t be successful; words spoken against you won" t hurt at all. My servants, Jerusalem is yours! I, the LORD, promise to bless you with victory.

good news translation
But no weapon will be able to hurt you; you will have an answer for all who accuse you. I will defend my servants and give them victory." The LORD has spoken.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
No weapon formed against you will succeed, and you will refute any accusation raised against you in court. This is the heritage of the LORD"s servants, and their righteousness is from Me." This is the LORD"s declaration."

International Standard Version
no weapon that is forged against you will be effective. This is the heritage of the LORD"s servants, and their righteousness from me," says the LORD.

NET Bible
No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed; you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. This is what the LORD will do for his servants--I will vindicate them," says the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness which is of me," says the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
No weapon that has been made to be used against you will succeed. You will have an answer for anyone who accuses you. This is the inheritance of the LORD"s servants. Their victory comes from me," declares the LORD.

JPS Tanakh 1917
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; And every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their due reward from Me, saith the LORD.

New American Standard 1977
“No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.

Jubilee Bible 2000
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the slaves of the LORD, and their justice from me, said the LORD.

King James 2000 Bible
No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD.

American King James Version

american standard version
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness which is of me, saith Jehovah.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I will not suffer any weapon formed against them to prosper; and every voice that shall rise up against thee for judgment, thou shalt vanquish them all; and thine adversaries shall be condemned thereby. There is an inheritance to them that serve the Lord, and ye shall be righteous before me, saith the Lord.

Douay-Rheims Bible
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper: and every tongue that resisteth thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their justice with me, saith the Lord.

Darby Bible Translation
No weapon that is prepared against them shall prosper; and every tongue that rises against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of Jehovah; and their righteousness is of me, saith Jehovah.

English Revised Version
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness which is of me, saith the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from me, saith the LORD.

World English Bible
No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness which is of me," says Yahweh.

Young's Literal Translation
No weapon formed against thee prospereth, And every tongue rising against thee, In judgment thou condemnest. This is the inheritance of the servants of Jehovah, And their righteousness from me, an affirmation of Jehovah!

Study Bible

Future Blessings for Zion
…16 Behold, I have created the craftsman who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its task; and I have created the destroyer to wreak havoc. 17 weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. is the heritage of the LORD's servants, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.

Cross References

1 Samuel 23:17
saying, "Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true."

Isaiah 3:10
Tell the righteous it will be well for them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.

Isaiah 17:12
Alas, the tumult of many peoples--they rage like the roaring seas; the uproar of the nations--they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters.

Isaiah 26:2
Open the gates that a righteous nation may enter--one that remains faithful.

Isaiah 29:8
as when a hungry man dreams he is eating, then wakes and is still hungry. And like a thirsty man dreams he is drinking, then awakens faint and parched, so it will be for all the many nations who go to battle against Mount Zion.

Isaiah 40:2
"Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed, her iniquity has been pardoned; for she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins."

Isaiah 45:24
Surely they will say of Me, "In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength."" All who rage against Him will come to Him and be put to shame.

Isaiah 46:13
I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, My splendor to Israel.

Isaiah 50:8
The One who vindicates Me is near. Who will dare to contend with Me? Let us confront each other! Who has a case against Me? Let him approach Me!

Isaiah 50:9
Surely the Lord GOD helps Me. Who is there to condemn me? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moths will devour them.

Isaiah 51:5
My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm.

Isaiah 54:16
Behold, I have created the craftsman who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its task; and I have created the destroyer to wreak havoc.

Treasury of Scripture

No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, said the LORD.

Isaiah 54:15
Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.

Psalm 2:1-6
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? …

Ezekiel 38:9,10
Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee…

Isaiah 50:8
He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near me.

Job 1:11
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to your face.

Job 2:5
But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to your face.

Isaiah 58:14
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Psalm 61:5
For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear your name.

Daniel 3:26
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

Isaiah 45:24
Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Psalm 71:16,19
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thin only…

no
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's Hebrew 3808: Not, no

weapons
כְּלִ֞י (kə lî)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 3627:Something prepared, any apparatus

formed
יוּצַ֤ר (yū ṣar)
Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 3335:To mold into a, form, as a, potter, to determine

against you
עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ (‘ā la yiḵ)
Strong's Hebrew 5921: Above, over, upon, against

shall prosper,
יִצְלָ֔ח (yiṣ lāḥ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 6743: To push forward

and you will return
תַּרְשִׁ֑יעִי (tar šî ‘‘î)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 7561:To be, wrong, to disturb, violate

every
וְכָל־ (wə ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 3605: The whole, all, any, every

tongue
לָשׁ֛וֹן (lā šō wn)
Noun - common singular
Strong's Hebrew 3956: The tongue

that accuses
תָּֽקוּם־ (tā qūm-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

you.
אִתָּ֥ךְ ('it tāḵ)
position | second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 854:Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

This
זֹ֡את (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 2063:Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

is the heritage
נַחֲלַת֩ (na ḥă laṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 5159:Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion

of the LORD's
יְהוָ֧ה (Yah weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

servants,
עַבְדֵ֨י (‘aḇ ḏê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's Hebrew 5650: Slave, servant

and their vindication
וְצִדְקָתָ֛ם (wə ṣiḏ qā ṯām)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 6666:Rightness, subjectively, objectively

From Me,”
מֵאִתִּ֖י (mê ’it tî)
Preposition-m | Direct object marker | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew 853:Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

declares
נְאֻם־ (nə 'um-)
Noun - masculine singular construct

The Bible is often compared to a treasure chest. Let's expand the analogy and show that this treasury is very ordered and each pearl has its own place. And Bible scribes back in the 13th century made sure that these jewels had their own address. In this article, we will find out what can be found in the Watchtower library and is it worth believing what they write there? Consider what is contained in the biblical passage from and what is the attitude of Jehovah's Witnesses to it? And also what information is contained on the site ISA 54 17.com?

A bold prophecy

Isa. 54:17 is a reference to the Bible. A kind of address, thanks to which you can easily find the passage you are looking for. The Bible itself consists of 66 books. Each of them is divided into chapters, and they, in turn, into verses. Thus, this reference points to the book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 54, verse 17. It says: “No weapon made against you will prosper; and every tongue that will contend with you in judgment, you will accuse. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, their justification is from Me, says the Lord.”

Who is this passage talking about, and what message does it convey? Isa. 54:17 in the online library is explained as follows: God's people can be attacked by very powerful opponents. It can even be the rulers of world powers. But they can never succeed, that is, physically or spiritually destroy the faithful servants of God. Naturally, Jehovah's Witnesses call themselves the chosen people of the Creator. And in support of their teaching they even cite events that happened in different countries ah world. For example, Hitler's Germany.

Totalitarian regime against unpopular religion

Back in 1933, Hitler outlawed the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. At that time, there were approximately 20,000 active followers of this religion in the country. The witnesses frankly ignored the official ban on gathering together and preaching their teachings. They encouraged each other with various excerpts from the Bible, among which the words of Jesus were very often heard. 54:17. However, the pressure intensified. Fines, dismissals, confiscation of property and deprivation of pensions followed. Deprivation of parental rights was massively practiced. Arrests, prisons, death sentences and concentration camps soon began.

According to some estimates, about 10,000 Bible students (this is the former name of Jehovah's Witnesses) suffered. However, this religion has not been eradicated. As of August 2017, there were just over 165,000 followers of Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany. Witnesses use this and similar statistics when they claim that the biblical passage of Jesus. 54:17 applies specifically to them. In this case, losses in courts are not taken into account.

Modern litigation

On April 20, 2017, after a trial that lasted several days, the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia was liquidated. The organization immediately filed an appeal, but the Court of Appeal upheld the decision. The confiscation of religious buildings began and even arrests of individual citizens followed. Nevertheless, an excerpt from Isa. 54:17 Jehovah's Witnesses continue to apply to themselves, claiming that the appointed time for the fulfillment of these words simply has not come. And eventually any language that comes up against them in court will be blamed.

Watchtower Library

Jehovah's Witnesses are known throughout the world for their publishing activities. Their main periodical is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most widely distributed in the world. However, they publish not only magazines. Small brochures on a variety of topics and rather voluminous books appear regularly. The topic revolves around how to correctly use the laws and principles recorded in the Bible in everyday life.

But the good news is that the authors do not disdain the latter scientific discoveries. Rather, on the contrary, they follow them and present their readers to the judgment as soon as possible. The accuracy of these articles is astonishing. All the facts that claim to be included in the journal are checked very carefully so that there is no distortion of information. In addition, literature is replete with biographies of people from different countries, nationalities and occupations and tells not only about their mistakes, but also about all sorts of achievements.

Isa website 54 17.com

With the development of digital technologies, there is a need to conquer new horizons, because an increasing number of people began to prefer reading from electronic devices. In addition, it is much easier and cheaper to convey topics previously published in print media via the Internet. New brochures and books appear on the isa 5417.com website. There you can also download any submitted material for free, be it text, video or audio file. No registration or fees required.

Among the latest additions is the richly illustrated children's book Learning from Bible Examples, which presents events in chronological order from the creation of the world to the last words of the Bible. There are also several biblical passages read in the form theatrical performance with sound effects.

Translation work worthy of respect

The above site contains material in 61 languages. Among them are both the main ones (English, Portuguese, Chinese), and those on which it is rarely possible to find at least something printed (for example, gypsy). Surprisingly pleasant is the fact that in all languages ​​new materials appear simultaneously and with enviable regularity. To make this possible, the titanic work of hundreds of translators is required. The vast majority of them live among the peoples into whose language they are translated. This is done in order to make the final material sound as natural as possible to the readers.

Jehovah's Witnesses may not be loved, may not be understood, may not be recognized. In Russia, their official website is closed, entity liquidated and meetings dissolved. However, only an extremely prejudiced person would not agree that these people were always ready to work hard to spread their ideas. An example of this is the Watchtower Library. And about how correct their idea was, let theologians and lawyers argue.

The prophecy that the "Jerusalem" of the New Testament will give God many more children than the Jerusalem of the Old Testament. Echoes with the owls of the Apostle Paul from Gal.4 ch.

54:1-4 Rejoice, barren, unbearing; exclaim and exclaim, who did not suffer from childbirth; for she who is left behind has many more children than she who has a husband, says the Lord.
2 Expand the place of your tent, expand the covers of your dwellings; do not be shy, let your ropes be longer and strengthen your stakes;
3 For you will spread to the right and to the left, and your offspring will take possession of the nations and populate the devastated cities.
4 Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; do not be dismayed, for you will not be reproached: you will forget the shame of your youth and you will no longer remember the dishonor of your widowhood.
Metaphorically, using the example of a barren wife, God predicts changes in Jerusalem - in the capital city, whose role is to give birth to righteous children to Jehovah (the correct rule of the rulers of Jerusalem would ensure the correct formation of all Jehovah's people).

The prophecy has 2 fulfillments:
1) Literally: for the period of the restoration of Jerusalem after the captivity of Babylon: for 70 years Jerusalem was in desolation and, as it were, could not “bear” children to Jehovah (worshippers, Jer. 25:11,12). However, when the Jews are returned from captivity to their homeland, Jerusalem is rebuilt and worship in the temple is restored, then Jehovah will again have many worshipers.

you will forget the shame of your youth - youth is a symbol of the immaturity of the mind, because of which many foolish things are committed (Pr. 22:15), apostasy from Jehovah and infatuation with idolatry - including (this is the sin God blames his people, see Is. 48 ch.) .

And you will no longer remember the dishonor of your widowhood – when Jehovah rejected his people, the rulers were killed or taken captive, Jerusalem, as it were, became a "widow". But after the restoration of Jerusalem and the temple, this shame of "barrenness" will quickly be forgotten. And indeed, as we remember from the history of Judea, in the 1st century people from everywhere came to worship in Jerusalem, even from Ethiopia (Acts 8:27).

2) Spiritual fulfillment, allegorically:
not suffering from childbirth; because she who is left behind has many more children than she who has a husband, says the Lord
Who is the husband left in this text? In this case, this is the earthly Jerusalem destroyed by Babylon - or the earthly organization of the people of Jehovah with its capital in Jerusalem. At the moment of destruction, this "wife" of Jehovah was abandoned by God.

And who had a husband Jehovah - in this case (who was not abandoned and had many children)? This is the "wife" - the OT organization with its capital in Jerusalem - that Jehovah had BEFORE the destruction: she gave Jehovah children, but is now abandoned by Him.
However, after the restoration of the worship of Jehovah - this earthly organization will have many more children than it was BEFORE Jehovah's rejection.

What is predicted here?
A greater restoration of the worship of Jehovah is predicted here - in the New Testament, which will give many more children to Jehovah - from Gentiles and Jews - than gave Israel according to the flesh in their heyday (before Jehovah left them).

This idea was reflected by the Apostle Paul in Gal. 4:26-27, we combine with what he said:
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free; she is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written: Rejoice, barren, barren; exclaim and exclaim, not tormented by childbirth; because the one who is left has many more children than the one who has a husband.

Free Sa pp and (the loving wife of Abraham, and not a slave) became a symbol of New Testament worship because she gave birth to Isaac by a miracle from ABOVE - not according to the habit of the flesh, but with the help of holy spirit because Isaac was born miraculously from above from Jehovah.
Sa first R but as if abandoned by Jehovah (barrenness is a symbol of rejection by God, Sarah). But after He restored relations with her and she was able to give birth to God's child (Isaac, with the help of God, became Sa pp Ouch).

Sarah, left by God for a while and at first barren - this is Israel, rejected by God and punished by the destruction of Babylon for "barrenness", not giving spiritual children to Jehovah.
In NZ he has there will be more children than he had before being rejected by God and captivated by Babylon.
That is, the abolition of V.Z., the introduction of N.Z. and the birth of Christianity, capable of "giving birth" to Jehovah's spiritual children (anointed ones, Gal. 4:26).

The Christian congregation got its start precisely from the organization of Jehovah's people of antiquity: V.Z. the organization of Jehovah's people smoothly transitioned into the N.Z. through those who were born in it from the holy spirit (through the first 120 disciples of Christ from the descendants of Israel according to the flesh).

54:5 For your Creator is your husband; The Lord of Hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel: He shall be called the God of all the earth.
Jehovah was the Husband of his figurative "wife" - for His spiritual helpers, who brought the light of the truth about Him to those around them.
In this context, the symbol of this "wife" was the capital city of Jerusalem, represented by the anointed of Jehovah - priests and kings, prophets (in other contexts, the "wife" of Jehovah is called the whole people, Jer. 3:1-8).

Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, however, God reports that He, as the Creator of Jerusalem, redeemed it and, therefore, the city will be rebuilt - upon the return of the Jews from captivity.

In the future, Jehovah will be called the God of all the earth, because only the righteous will live on earth forever (Ps. 36:9,10).

54:6-8 For as a woman who is forsaken and grieving in spirit, the Lord calls you, and [as] a woman of youth who was rejected, your God speaks.
7 For a little while I left you, but with great mercy I will receive you.
8 In the heat of my anger I have hidden My face from you for a time, but I will have mercy on you with eternal mercy, says your Redeemer, the Lord.
Several performances.
1) God shows the depth of his love for Jerusalem. In ancient times, God left his servants and allowed the slavery of Babylon to punish them for their apostasy. For 70 years they remained without Jehovah.

However, the prophet predicts the renewal of the former relationship and union with God: the time will come, and God will again accept them into His people because they realize the bitterness of their guilt before Him and will regret their apostasy. This was partly fulfilled when the Jews were released from captivity in Babylon.

2) On a larger scale, this will be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, when, thanks to the atoning sacrifice of Christ, the descendants of Adam (including the Israelites) will be redeemed from the slavery of sin and death (the greater "Babylon") and will gain the freedom of the children of God (Rom. 8:19-22 ).
This was partly fulfilled when N.Z. in 1 c. AD, and the Jews became Christians. This will be fully accomplished in the Millennium, when all Israel accepts Christ and is shown mercy by Jehovah (Rom. 10:26).

3) Allegorically: Adam and Eve were expected to be Jehovah's helpers in carrying out His purpose (Gen. 1:28). But they chose the path of disobedience, because of which all their descendants were under the wrath of Jehovah, were expelled from paradise and released into slavery of sin and death, being under the power of the devil. However, to all those who choose God's way of life, to His helpers on earth who uphold God's system of government (figurative spiritual "Jerusalem") - who are renewed from Jehovah's holy spirit - God promises eternal mercy, that is, eternal life.
Jehovah their Redeemer - found a way to redeem the descendants of Adam from the slavery of sin and death (through the sacrifice of His son).

54:9,10 For this is to me like the waters of Noah: just as I swore that the waters of Noah would not come to the earth again, so I swore not to be angry with you and not to reproach you.
10 The mountains will move and the hills will be shaken, but my mercy will not depart from you, and the covenant of my peace will not be shaken, says the Lord who has mercy on you.
Jehovah swore that the mercy that Jehovah's Jerusalem will eventually gain (heavenly, Rev. 21:2, since He refused earthly things, Matt. 23:37,38; 24:2), no one can take away from him. The inhabitants of heavenly Jerusalem (heavenly rulers and priests from the government of Christ, Rev. 20:6), as well as the inhabitants of the Earth, where the city will descend from heaven, will forever dwell with God in peace and harmony (Rev. 21:1-4).

54:11,12 Poor, storm-tossed, inconsolable! Behold, I will set your stones on a ruby, and I will make your foundation of sapphires;
12 And I will make your windows of rubies, and your gates of pearls, and all your walls of precious stones.
God promises Jerusalem, destroyed by the hands of Babylon and abandoned by God, that in the future He will lay the foundation of his city - Jerusalem on precious stones. Here, first of all, we mean not literal stones, but spiritual stones - living “stones”, from which the spiritual temple of God is built in the New Testament. The first of these were the apostles of Christ (1 Peter 2:5; Rev. 21:2; 21:14,19,20).

The cornerstone is Jesus Christ 1 Peter 2:7), the rest are Christians from 144,000, descendants of Abraham in spirit, who reached perfection in this age and were honored to become the heavenly priest of God and co-ruler with Christ (Rev. 14:1; 20:6).
Ultimately, the entire righteous heavenly Jerusalem - the city of the future (the entire earthly world order, since Jerusalem descends from heaven to Earth) - will consist of spiritual precious stones and pearls - holy inhabitants in heaven and on earth.

54:13,14 And all your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great peace will be with your sons.
14 You will be established in righteousness; you will be far from oppression, for you have nothing to fear, and from terror, for it will not come near you.
All the sons of Jerusalem are all Christians. They will first be taught by Christ in the NT era. and stop fighting, refusing to take up arms (Is. 2:4).
Then, in his millennial reign, all who are brought back to life will be taught. As a result of the teaching activity of Jerusalem, heavenly priests and kings, peace will flourish among all the inhabitants of the Earth (Heb. 11:40).

At the end of the Millennium, the final confrontation will take place between the righteous and those who will again be seduced by Satan (Rev. 20:7-10).

As a result, all the wicked will disappear forever, and the heavenly Jerusalem will be established in truth - that which will be on the side of Jehovah and defend His interests (Rev. 21:22-27).
That is why all Christians should not be afraid of the oppression and horror that they face in this age: the main thing is to remain faithful to God, and all horrors will eventually cease forever (Matt. 10:28).

54:15-17 Behold, they will arm themselves [against you], but not from Me; Whosoever takes arms against you will fall.
16 Behold, I have created a blacksmith who blows coals in the fire and makes tools for his work, and I create a destroyer to destroy.
17 No weapon made against you will succeed; and every tongue that will contend with you in judgment, you will accuse. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, their justification is from Me, says the Lord.
God predicts that His faithful servants will be attacked at all times, oppressing them, and history really testifies to the persecution of the prophets of God in the OT, and later on Christians (2 Chronicles 36:14-16; 2 Tim. 3 :12).
However, God will help all His faithful servants to cope with the oppressors: none of those who will accuse the faithful servants of Jehovah in courts and accusations will be able to resist their wisdom in defense - through the word of God, since the holy spirit will help them in this (Mark 13:11) .

It is this legacy—to stand wisely against accusers with the word of God—that Jehovah leaves to His anointed ones until the end of this age.

And although all Christians are anointed, p those born by the holy spirit of Jehovah (from Jerusalem above, Gal. 4:26) - in the end, they will fall, defending the word of God - however, they will suffer oppression not for sinful offenses: all accusations against them - will be unjust (no one will be able to object with the word of truth - against the veracity of their words).

No weapon formed against you will succeed, and any language that comes against you in judgment you will condemn. This is the inheritance given to the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness is from me,” says Jehovah. — Isaiah 54:17

In just two weeks, thousands of my fellow believers in Russia could be outlawed and subject to criminal prosecution just for peacefully gathering to study the Bible, read Bible literature, and talk about their faith with others. In connection with this threat, a worldwide campaign was initiated to petition Russian officials that could influence the outcome of the case. Along with this, an Internet analogue of this campaign was unofficially launched under the hashtag #StopJWBan. In such a situation, silence becomes a crime, so in addition to participating in the campaign, I decided to write this little word of encouragement for my brothers, and to the rest of the readers to clarify the situation in the light of the Bible.

Despite all efforts to prevent the ban, what is happening is not a surprise for Christians, and they are ready for any development. By and large, we do not count on the prudence of the rulers and the justice of the most humane court in the world, although we hope so. Because Christ warned that we were not only“they will give to judgments” (Matthew 10:19), but also “to give to suffer and kill” (Matthew 24:9). But Jehovah's Witnesses know that with any court verdict, they will emerge victorious. Even more - they have already won! Where does such a conclusion come from? Compare the following verses:

“Trouble awaits you in the world, but take heart! I won peace" (John 16:33).

“You are from God, children, and you won such people (antichrists), because the one who is in unity with you is greater than the one who is in unity with the world ... And now victory that conquered the world our faith” (1 John 4:4; 5:4).

"They won him (the accuser) with the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and did not love their own souls even in the face of death” (Revelation 12:11).

From a technical point of view, Jesus lost in court. Soon the apostles were also found guilty, several times in a row. And Paul, despite being acquitted after his arrest in 61, lost a second trial in 65 and was executed, like many other Christians. But all of them are referred to above as winners in the past perfect tense - they "won" before and regardless of the decisions of the courts and courts. Why can you say so?

Because their righteousness does not come from the decision of the judges, but from Jehovah, as seen in Isaiah 54:17. And also because the decisions of the courts do not achieve their goal - to silence them. Christ and Christians overcame by their faith, manifested in the "word of testimony" both before and after the ban. Moreover, the trials themselves have always contributed to the spread of Christianity: “Because of me, you will be taken to the rulers and kings for a witness to them and to other nations” (Matthew 10:18). Thus, the inhabitants of Samaria, Antioch, Rome, and indeed the entire Greco-Roman world, in the final analysis, became acquainted with the truth.

This victory has become evident even now, a few days after the filing of a lawsuit demanding a ban on the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. There was extensive coverage of the situation in the news media and. The aforementioned information campaigns of the Witnesses themselves make a huge impression on the public. According to my observations, the Internet literally exploded with posts, comments and discussions. In defense of our freedom (and, in the future, our freedom), some far-sighted people, even openly disagreeing with our teachings, come forward. Of course, in comparison with the spiteful critics, quietly gloating and silently agreeing, there are only a few of them, but it should be so, because it is said - "everyone will hate you because of my name." This is true. It can be seen from the content of the comments that ordinary people hate us not because of extremism / terrorism / jihadism, but because of the persistent preaching of the Kingdom led by Christ (Matthew 24:14), because of his teachings on non-violence (Matthew 26: 52), refusal to compromise (Matthew 10:35–37), and willingness to make sacrifices for the will of God (Matthew 10:39).

"He who sits in heaven will laugh,
Jehovah will laugh at them.
At that time he will speak to them in anger,
In his indignation he will confuse them...
Therefore, O kings, act with understanding,
Correct yourself, O judges of the earth...
Recognize the son so that he does not get angry
And so that you do not disappear from the path,
Because his anger will quickly flare up.
(Psalm 2)

In the meantime, we pray “for kings and all those in high positions, that we may continue to lead a quiet and quiet life in full devotion to God and earnestness” (1 Timothy 2:2). Be strong Witnesses!

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Legal details:

Signed in 2003 Russian Federation The “Shanghai Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism” dated June 15, 2001 gives the following definition of the concept of “extremism” (clause 3, part 1, article 1): “Extremism is any act aimed at violent takeover or violent retention of power, and violent change in the constitutional order of the state, as well as violent an attack on public safety."

Please note that extremism in international legal terminology is always associated with violent methods. Since Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their peacefulness and non-violence, for their prosecution it was necessary to artificially blur the concept of "extremism", which was done in the Federal Law of July 25, 2002 N 114-FZ "On countering extremist activity" (as amended on April 29, 2008). It is noteworthy that the condition on violence was removed from the paragraph “inciting racial, national or religious hatred, as well as social hatred associated with violence or calls for violence”, so that any form of “inciting social, racial, national or religious hatred” can be considered extremism. . This is just one of many edits.

This phenomenon of Russian legislation - the vagueness of the definition of extremism - has already become the subject of attention of international human rights organizations. Thus, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has repeatedly recommended: “ [...] to revise the definition of extremism in the federal law on countering extremist activity to ensure that it covers only serious cases of hate and violence [...] to clearly state the criteria that must be met in order to declare any material extremist».

This situation, where the law is tailored to the victim, is strongly reminiscent of the biblical story, in which a state decree was specifically adopted to compromise the prophet Daniel. Like, if you do not break the laws, we will come up with a law that you will be forced to break. After all, in the current laws of Medo-Persia, the enemies could not find "nothing with which to accuse him" (Daniel, 6 chapter). Psalm 95:21–23 says of “those who plot to do evil by the law,” “They . . . declare guilty the blood of the innocent. But Jehovah will be for me a fortified height, and my God a rock on which I can take refuge. Their malice he will turn upon them and cast them into silence by their own wickedness. This happened to Daniel's enemies. “Woe to those who issue ordinances that bring harm” (Isaiah 10:1).

By the way, Jehovah's Witnesses try to comply with even unreasonably strict laws on extremism, so that the law enforcement agencies were forced to act criminally and plant banned literature in order to justify the accusations, which was repeatedly recorded by cameras. But these egregious facts have not prevented some courts from making indictments.

According to the external connection of images and facts, this chapter, apparently, has nothing in common with the content of the previous 53 chapters. This connection can and should be found a little higher, with Is. 51 and the chapters, where in the same way it is said about the restoration of the renewed Jerusalem, as the center of the future spiritual Israel. The thoughts expressed in the chapters just listed in parts and under the cover of images are here the subject of a special special disclosure, giving them greater volume, as well as greater breadth and depth. But if we think about the inner meaning of the prophet's speeches, then it will not be difficult to establish a connection between the present (Chapter 54) chapter and the previous one (Chapter 53). In the concluding verses of the last chapter, in a speech about the fruits of the great atoning sacrifice of the Messiah, it was pointed out, among other things, that the Innocent Sufferer, after glorifying Him by God, would see a large and numerous offspring (10) and that He would save and justify "many". It is about this “long-animal seed,” about these justified many children of a previously barren mother, that the prophet wants to now conduct a logically quite appropriate, special speech.

1–6. A prophecy about the multiplication of the children of the church being recreated and reunited by God. 7–10. The eternity of the union and the steadfastness of the union of God with the New Testament church. 11–17. God's providential care for the new church: its adornment, teaching, establishment in the truth and protection from enemies.

. There is a solemn appeal to the subject of speech, which is usual for the prophet Isaiah in such cases (cf. ; ; ; ; Is.52 and others), although it is not clear enough - to which one? As a result, some say that this is an appeal to the Gentiles, others - to those who believed from the Jews, and others - to spiritual Israel in general, as composed of Gentiles and Jews. The last explanation is more complete and better suited to the main theme of this speech.

. Rejoice, barren, unbearing; exclaim and exclaim, who did not suffer from childbirth; for she who is left behind has many more children than she who has a husband, says the Lord.

“Rejoice, barren, unbearing; exclaim and exclaim, not tormented by childbirth ". Pleonasm and parallelism of thoughts common in Jewish poetic speech. As for the meaning of the conversion itself, the majority of patristic interpreters are inclined to see here an exclusive appeal to the "previously unfruitful pagan church" (St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. John Chrysostom, Blessed Jerome, etc.). But, as can be seen from the testimony of blessed Jerome, such a somewhat one-sided view was established out of opposition to another, more one-sided and much more dangerous one - the Jewish chiliasts, who based their crudely sensual false Messianic desires on this and similar places. But for us such a danger disappears, and we can safely restore the true meaning of this prophetic image. To do this, it is necessary to compare it with other similar images taken from the same prophet.

Such, the closest parallel is the beginning of chapter 35: “The desert and the dry land will rejoice, and the uninhabited land will rejoice”. Unity of the image "infertile, barren" and the image of the dry “uninhabited” desert will open not only from the similarity with, but also from the fact that certain features related to 54 ch. to "barren" are also found in the first part of the book. Wed e.g. Art. 1st with :) (especially "Born as if into the wind"), words: - “the left one has many more children... you will spread right and left”, cf. With ; Art. 2nd with :); verse 11-12 (Jer. Thaddeus, Op. cit., p. 215, note). In the 35th chapter, according to the generally accepted opinion, the “thirsty desert” refers to the country of Israel or Palestine, which during the Babylonian captivity, indeed, fell into severe desolation () and flourished again only after the return of its inhabitants from Babylonian captivity. Hence, we can conclude that in ch. 54, under the image of "a barren and unbearing wife, temporarily abandoned ... by her husband ", of course, first and foremost, the people of Israel. But not all of Israel, for the most part who rejected the Messiah and was rejected by God for that, but the best, although a smaller part of this Israel, but “its holy seed”, which served as leaven for the new spiritual Israel, which flowed mainly from the bowels of paganism.

Some analogy of addressing, namely, to this "remnant" of Israel, can be seen, for example, in the following words of the prophet Isaiah: "Rejoice and rejoice, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst."(). See also the prophet's triumphant speeches about spiritual Zion (51-52).

“Because the one who is left has many more children than the one who has a husband”. Those who in the previous appeal saw an indication of the wilderness of "paganism", and in this comparison they see a comparison of the New Testament (pagan) church with the Old Testament (Jewish). But we, holding on to a different interpretation in the first case, must consistently offer another in this place as well. By a wife who has a husband and yet is rather barren, we mean historical, Old Testament Israel, which, despite all the exclusivity of its union, as a chosen people, with God, in its whole mass, however, turned out to be a "barren fig tree." By “a woman left by her husband” and yet having many children, we mean the “remnant” of faithful Israel, that is, Jewish Christians who, although they have lost the former exclusiveness of their relationship to God (in the Church of Christ "There is neither Jew nor Gentile"()), but on the other hand they acquired very many and faithful children of the New Testament church from former pagans.

The fact that this wife is abandoned by God does not humiliate her in the least, because she was abandoned not because of her worthlessness, but because of the invalidity, uselessness, destruction of this marriage itself, for it is so universal and cosmopolitan that there is no longer any place in it for any exclusive tribal or national unions with God. So, here we have, in fact, the address of the prophet to the faithful Israel, who believed in the Messiah and thereby justified their high destiny. But since this "remnant" of Israel served as leaven or seed for the birth of many children of the New Testament church from among the pagans, by this the converted pagans are not excluded from the speech of the prophet. Finally, it is impossible not to note the important circumstance that our interpretation is in full agreement with the view of the Apostle Paul on the role in the history of Christianity the best representatives Judaism, when, for example, he says that "He called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles"(), or when he calls, a Gentile Christian "wild olive", grafted onto the trunk of Judaism ().

. Expand the place of your tent, expand the covers of your dwellings; do not be shy, let your ropes be longer and strengthen your stakes;

. for you will spread to the right and to the left, and your offspring will take possession of the nations and populate the devastated cities.

"Spread out the place of your tent... let out your long ropes and establish your stakes." With our understanding of the first verse, the interpretation of this becomes very simple and clear. The remnant of faithful Israel is very small and therefore lives in the smallest room (tent). But since he will soon have to greatly multiply and grow, thanks to the influx of new children from the environment of paganism, the prophet convinces him to rebuild his dwelling in order to make it as roomy and spacious as possible. Images - a ruined tent, in case of misfortune, and renewed and expanded, in case of good luck and happiness - are among the favorite and used by the prophets (; Jer. 10 and others).

In a prophetic and figurative sense, under an expanded and renewed tent, spread out to all countries of the world ( "right and left" 3 verse), one can understand the New Testament church, as Blessed Jerome explains: “it must spread to the right and left, it must not imitate the tightness of the Jewish tabernacle, which had a hundred cubits in length, fifty cubits in width, nor be enclosed in the short space of the temple, which had sixty cubits length and twenty cubits wide, but without ceasing to take places to the right and to the left.

Blessed Theodoret adds to this: “It is unlikely that anyone will be mistaken if he calls the holy prophets, apostles and martyrs stakes: for they, hidden in the ground, like stakes, hold the tabernacle of the church, bound by doctrine, as if with some kind of ropes.” It must be recalled that both the very image of the “tent of salvation” and the reference of this image to the “holy remnant of Israel” is not something completely unexpected and new in the prophet Isaiah, but apparently gives a brief repetition of what was the subject special disclosure in one of the early chapters of the first part of his book (see ch. IV, especially verses 2–3 and 6).

“And your offspring will take possession of the nations and populate the devastated cities.” The New Testament Christian Church is treated here as a natural continuation of the Old Testament Jewish Church. And so, when the majority of representatives of the Old Testament theocracy did not recognize Christ as the Messiah, rejected Him and thereby evaded their true calling and, as it were, left their ideal places of dwelling (in the religious sense), then others worthy of occupying them - the former pagans, who became the true descendants, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit, of the renewed Israel (; Gal. 4 and others).

. Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; do not be dismayed, for you will not be reproached: you will forget the shame of your youth and you will no longer remember the dishonor of your widowhood.

From 4-8 there is a special, deliberate encouragement of "holy Israel", to which all the groundlessness of his fears and all the richness of the Divine mercy poured out on him is revealed.

"Do not be afraid, for you will not be ashamed ... you will forget the shame of your youth and you will no longer remember the dishonor of your widowhood." Two, twice repeated, parallel in content, encouraging thoughts: do not be afraid, forget about your short-term shame, blessed Jerome in his translation from Hebrew even puts them in a causal relationship: “do not be afraid ... because you will forget the shame of your youth ... »

The LXX text does the same, along with the Slavonic: "Do not be afraid ... you will forget the eternal shame"(cf.), Some bewilderment excites here only what must be understood by "the shame of youth" And "the infamy of widowhood"? Since, according to our interpretation, here the subject of the prophecy is Jewish Christians, who, perhaps, were somewhat embarrassed by their special, isolated state (the majority of the Jews stood on soil hostile to Christianity), then in the above terms one should see an indication of some specific periods of Israeli history. By "the infamy of youth" it is best to understand the time before the conclusion of the covenant at Sinai, and in particular the period of the Egyptian wandering, when the Jewish people almost completely forgot true God, as the prophet Ezekiel expressively notes: “and they fornicated in Egypt, they fornicated in their youth; there their breasts were crushed, and there their virginal breasts were corrupted.” ().

By “the dishonor of widowhood,” they usually mean the period of the Babylonian captivity, when the Lord, for the sins and wandering of Israel in the wake of alien gods, again left him and deprived him of His grace-filled presence (destruction of the temple and Jerusalem). Direct confirmation of this view can be found in the prophet Jeremiah: "widows will not be left Israel, and Judah by His God"(), and indirectly from Isaiah himself: "You were sold for your sins and your mother was released for your crime" ().

. For your Creator is your husband; The Lord of Hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel: He shall be called the God of all the earth.

"For your Creator is your husband". It would be better, in Russian, to rearrange these definitions: "your spouse is the creator." The faithful remnant of Israel, embarrassed by their small number, could, in a fit of cowardice, consider themselves abandoned by people and forsaken by God. The prophet comforts him, saying that for faithful Israel the time of inglorious widowhood has already passed, and that he again has a husband who is the Creator and not only the Creator, but also the Redeemer.

"He shall be called the God of all the earth". This is one of the significant Old Testament passages where the idea of ​​the universality of God is especially clearly expressed: He is not only the God of Israel and Judah, but the God of the whole earth, the Creator of the universe and the Redeemer of all mankind. The religious consciousness of the Old Testament mankind could rise to such a height only in rare exceptional cases (; ; etc.); but a wider dissemination and a deeper understanding of all this gradually developed only in New Testament times.

. There is a repetition of the same thought - about a new union (covenant) of God with the people - expressed in a more detailed development of the image already mentioned more than once, first, temporarily terminated, and then again restored marital union.

. For as a woman who is forsaken and grieving in spirit, the Lord calls you, and as a woman of youth who was rejected, your God speaks.

"For like a woman forsaken and grieving in spirit". In the last words it is impossible not to see a hint of the immediate occasion of the consolation offered in this speech by the prophecy to the small remnant of faithful Israel.

. For a short time I left you, but with great mercy I will receive you.

. In the heat of anger I hid My face from you for a time, but I will have mercy on you with eternal mercy, says your Redeemer, the Lord.

“For a short time I left you ... but with eternal mercy I will have mercy”. The usual tricks in Jewish poetry are the parallelism of thoughts and their antitheses. Both the content of this image and its very form closely resemble the well-known symbolic image, which was revealed in such detail by the prophet Hosea (in esp. :)). The opposition of Divine anger and love also deserves attention here: anger - on a short time and mercy and love are forever.

. These two verses are a divine oath given in affirming the immutability of the above - about the eternal mercy of God in relation to His true, faithful Israel. The content or sign of this oath is indicated on another similar historical event, in which the eternity of Divine mercy has already been expressed long enough. This is a reference to the final moment in the history of the global flood, when the Lord swore to Noah not to repeat such a devastating punishment for the sins of people (). And just as the Lord faithfully and indestructibly fulfills this promise, despite all the terrible crimes of mankind, He will just as immutably fulfill His new promise of mercy to the New Testament Israel.

. The mountains will move and the hills will be shaken, but My mercy will not depart from you, and the covenant of My peace will not be shaken, says the Lord who has mercy on you.

"Mountains will move and hills will be shaken, but My mercy will not recede". An extremely joyful and comforting thought, expressed moreover in the most definite, solemnly categorical form, which begs to be compared with the well-known words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" ().

“Mountains and hills move more easily than My thought changes, as the Gospel says. Such is My mercy, so that the covenant of peace, by which the world is reunited with Me, is preserved not according to the merit of those to whom it is given, but according to My mercy ”(Blessed Jerome).

. The chapter concludes with a poetic, touchingly beautiful description of the special Divine concerns for His faithful, New Testament Israel.

. Poor, storm-tossed, inconsolable! Behold, I will set your stones on a ruby, and I will make your foundation of sapphires;

"Poor, storm-tossed, inconsolable!" With these words, the prophet addresses the New Testament Jewish church, and through them - to all spiritual Zion. How much poetic tenderness, touching care and sincere warmth of feeling are in them! And how powerfully and well with such a few words all the vicissitudes of the external and internal fate of Israel are covered, starting with the gradual internal norm of its moral and religious life and ending with the loss of its political independence, which forced it to constantly pass from one hand to another.

. And I will make your windows of rubies, and your gates of pearls, and all your walls of precious stones.

"I will set your stones on a ruby...your gates of pearls and all your hedges of precious stones." In contrast to the extreme instability of the Old Testament Jewish Church, the New Testament Christian (led by believing Jews) will be set especially firmly and firmly: rubies and sapphires will form its foundation, pearls will serve as its gates, and the fence will be made entirely of precious stones. All this testifies, on the one hand, to the extreme strength and stability of the church building, and on the other hand, to the wealth and luxury of its external decoration. Apparently, this same image, under the guise of “mountain Zion or heavenly Jerusalem,” is also disclosed in detail in the Apocalypse (), and in a slightly modified form also in the prophet Ezekiel (ch.). The closest, historical meaning of this image is that although the New Testament church will also not do without strong upheavals and storms, they are not afraid of them, just as the fury of the sea waves is powerless against a solid granite rock, or as an external siege is not dangerous for good and strong fortified city. In an allegorical prophetic sense, according to the interpretation of the holy fathers - under the cornerstone lying at the foundation of the building of the Church, one should understand Christ (cf. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ); and under the other precious stones that center around Him are His apostles and disciples, as well as all their worthy successors (; etc.).