"So let us know,let us presson to knowthe LORD.His goingforthis as certainas the dawn;And He will cometo us like the rain,Like the springrainwateringthe earth."
Is as the lightof the morning[when] the sunrises,A morningwithoutclouds,[When] the tendergrass[springs] out of the earth,Throughsunshineafterrain.'
"They waitedfor me as for the rain,And openedtheir mouthas for the springrain.
Their linehas goneout through allthe earth,And their utterancesto the endof the world.In them He has placeda tentfor the sun,
Its risingis from one endof the heavens,And its circuitto the other endof them; And thereis nothinghiddenfrom its heat.
My soulclingsto You; Your righthandupholdsme.
You visitthe earthand cause it to overflow;You greatlyenrichit; The streamof Godis fullof water;You preparetheir grain,for thusYou preparethe earth.
May he comedownlike rainupon the mowngrass, Like showersthat waterthe earth.
But the pathof the righteousis like the lightof dawn,That shinesbrighterand brighteruntilthe fullday.
And manypeopleswill comeand say,"Come,let us goup to the mountainof the LORD,To the houseof the Godof Jacob;That He may teachus concerningHis waysAnd that we may walkin His paths."For the lawwill goforthfrom ZionAnd the wordof the LORDfrom Jerusalem.
Untilthe Spiritis pouredout upon us from on high,And the wildernessbecomesa fertilefield,And the fertilefieldis consideredas a forest.
For I will pourout wateron the thirsty[land] And streamson the dryground;I will pourout My Spiriton your offspringAnd My blessingon your descendants;
"I will layit waste;It will not be prunedor hoed,But briarsand thornswill comeup. I will also chargethe cloudsto rainnorainon it."
"Allyour sonswill be taughtof the LORD;And the well-beingof your sonswill be great.
I will givethem a heartto knowMe, for I am the LORD;and they will be My people,and I will be their God,for they will returnto Me with their wholeheart.
"Then I will sprinklecleanwateron you, and you will be clean;I will cleanseyou from allyour filthinessand from allyour idols.
Sowwith a view to righteousness,Reapin accordancewith kindness;Breakup your fallowground,For it is timeto seekthe LORDUntilHe comesto rainrighteousnesson you.
I will be like the dewto Israel;He will blossomlike the lily,And he will takerootlike [the cedars of] Lebanon.
His shootswill sprout,And his beautywill be like the olivetreeAnd his fragrancelike [the cedars of] Lebanon.
And I will betrothyou to Me in faithfulness.Then you will knowthe LORD.
Manynationswill comeand say,"Comeand let us goup to the mountainof the LORDAnd to the houseof the Godof Jacob,That He may teachus aboutHis waysAnd that we may walkin His paths."For from Zionwill goforththe law,Even the wordof the LORDfrom Jerusalem.
"But as for you, BethlehemEphrathah,[Too] littleto be among the clansof Judah,From you One will goforthfor Me to be rulerin Israel.His goingsforthare from longago,From the daysof eternity."
Then the remnantof JacobWill be amongmanypeoplesLike dewfrom the LORD,Like showerson vegetationWhichdo not waitfor manOr delayfor the sonsof men.
Askrainfrom the LORDat the timeof the springrain--The LORDwho makesthe stormclouds;And He will givethem showersof rain,vegetationin the fieldto [each] man.
"But for you who fearMy name,the sunof righteousnesswill risewith healingin its wings;and you will goforthand skipaboutlike calvesfrom the stall.
Jesus answeredthem, "To you it has been grantedto knowthe mysteriesof the kingdomof heaven,but to them it has not been granted.
Becauseof the tendermercyof our God,With whichthe Sunrisefrom on highwill visitus,
"Thisis eternallife,that they may knowYou, the onlytrue God,and JesusChristwhomYou have sent.
"Ifanyoneis willingto doHis will,he will knowof the teaching,whetherit is of Godor[whether] I speakfrom Myself.
Nowthesewere more noble-mindedthan thosein Thessalonica,for they receivedthe wordwith greateagerness,examiningthe Scripturesdaily[to see] whetherthese thingswere so.
"Let my teachingdropas the rain,My speechdistillas the dew,As the dropletson the freshgrassAnd as the showerson the herb.
For we have becomepartakersof Christ,ifwe hold fastthe beginningof our assurancefirmuntilthe end,
[So] we havethe propheticword[made] more sure,to whichyou dowellto pay attentionas to a lampshiningin a darkplace,untilthe daydawnsand the morning stararisesin your hearts.
"I, Jesus,have sentMy angelto testifyto you these thingsfor the churches.I amthe rootand the descendantof David,the brightmorningstar."
