'Things' in the Bible

Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done excellent and glorious things;Let this be known throughout the earth.

O Lord, You are my God;I will exalt You, I will praise and give thanks to Your name;For You have done miraculous things,Plans formed long, long ago, [fulfilled] with perfect faithfulness.

On this mountain [Zion] the Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples [to welcome His reign on earth],A banquet of aged wines—choice pieces [flavored] with marrow,Of refined, aged wines.

Therefore, listen carefully, I will again do marvelous and amazing things with this people, wonderful and astonishing things;And the wisdom of their wise men will perish,And the understanding of their discerning men will be hidden.”

You turn things upside down [with your perversity]!Shall the potter be considered equal with the clay,That the thing that is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”;Or the thing that is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

Who say to the seers, “You must not see visions from God”;And to the prophets, “You must not prophesy to us what is right!Speak to us pleasant things and smooth words,Prophesy [deceitful] illusions [that we will enjoy].

But the noble man conceives noble and magnificent things;And he stands by what is noble and magnificent.

Come near, you nations, to hear; and listen, O peoples!Let the earth and all that is in it hear, and the world and all that comes forth from it.

“This shall be the sign [of these things] to you [Hezekiah]: you are to eat this year what grows of itself, and in the second year that which springs from the same, and in the third year you are to sow and harvest, and plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

“O Lord, by these things men live,And in all these is the life of my spirit;Restore me to health and let me live!

Hezekiah was pleased and showed them his treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his entire armory and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his area of dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.

Do you [who worship idols] not know? Have you not heard?Has it not been told to you from the beginning?Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth [the omnipotence of God and the stupidity of bowing to idols]?

Let them bring forward [their evidence] and tell us what is going to happen.Regarding the former events, tell what they were,That we may consider them and know their outcome;Or announce to us the things that are going to come.

Tell us the things that are to come afterward,That we may know that you are gods;Indeed, you should do something good or do evil, that we may be afraid and fear [you] together [as we observe the miracle].

“Indeed, the former things have come to pass,Now I declare new things;Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”

“I will lead the blind by a way they do not know;I will guide them in paths that they do not know.I will make darkness into light before themAnd rugged places into plains.These things I will do [for them],And I will not leave them abandoned or undone.”

You have seen many things, but you do not observe them;Your ears are open, but no one hears.

All the nations have gathered togetherSo that the peoples may be assembled.Who among them (the idolaters) can predict this [that Judah would return from captivity]And proclaim to us the former events?Let them provide their witnesses so that they may be justified,Or let them hear and say [in acknowledgement], “It is the truth.”

“Do not remember the former things,Or ponder the things of the past.

‘Who is like Me? Let him proclaim it and declare it;Yes, let him confront Me,Since I established the people of antiquity.And let them [those supposed gods] tell those people [who foolishly follow them] the things to comeAnd the events that are going to take place.

“Remember [the foolishness of] these things, O JacobAnd Israel, for you are My servant!I formed you, you are My servant;O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.

For the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb says this,“I am the Lord, Maker of all things,Who alone stretches out the heavens,Who spreads out the earth by Myself,

The One forming light and creating darkness,Causing peace and creating disaster;I am the Lord who does all these things.

For the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker says this,“Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons,And give Me orders concerning the work of My hands.

“I have not spoken in secret,In a corner of a land of darkness;I did not say to the descendants of Jacob,‘Seek Me in vain [with no benefit for yourselves].’I, the Lord, speak righteousness [the truth—trustworthy, a straightforward correlation between deeds and words],Declaring things that are upright.

Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;Their idols are on the beasts [of burden] and on the cattle.Your burdens [of idols] are loaded [on them],Burdens on the weary animals.

“Remember [carefully] the former things [which I did] from ages past;For I am God, and there is no one else;I am God, and there is no one like Me,

Declaring the end and the result from the beginning,And from ancient times the things which have not [yet] been done,Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,And I will do all that pleases Me and fulfills My purpose,’

“And you said, ‘I shall be a queen forevermore.’You did not consider these things,Nor did you [seriously] remember the [ultimate] outcome of such conduct.

“But these two things shall come to you abruptly, in one day:Loss of children and widowhood.They will come on you in full measureIn spite of your many [claims of power through your] sorceries,In spite of the great power of your enchantments.

“You are wearied by your many counsels.Just let the astrologers,The stargazers,Those who predict by the new moons [each month]Stand up and save you from the things that will come upon you [Babylon].

“I have declared the former things [which happened to Israel] in times past;They went forth from My mouth and I proclaimed them;Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

I have declared them to you long ago;Before they came to pass I announced them to you,So that you could not say, ‘My idol has done them,And my carved image and my cast image have commanded them.’

“You have heard [these things foretold]; look at all this [that has been fulfilled].And you, will you not declare it?I proclaim to you [specific] new things from this time,Even hidden things which you have not known.

“Assemble, all of you, and listen!Who among them [the idols and Chaldean astrologers] has declared these things?The Lord loves him (Cyrus of Persia); he will do His pleasure and purpose against Babylon,And his arm will be against the Chaldeans [who reign in Babylon].

“For the moth will eat them like a garment,And the worm will eat them like wool.But My righteousness and justice [faithfully promised] will exist forever,And My salvation to all generations.”

This is what the Lord says,“To the eunuchs who keep My SabbathsAnd choose what pleases Me,And hold firmly to My covenant,

“Among the smooth stones of the ravineIs your portion, they (the idols) are your lot;Even to them you have poured out a drink offering,You have offered a grain offering.Should I be quiet concerning these things [leaving them unpunished—bearing them with patience]?

When You did awesome and amazing things which we did not expect,You came down [at Sinai]; the mountains quaked at Your presence.

Who sit among the graves [trying to conjure up evil spirits] and spend the night in the secret places [where spirits are thought to dwell];Who eat swine’s flesh,And their pots hold the broth of unclean meat;

“Behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth;And the former things [of life] will not be remembered or come to mind.

“For all these things My hand has made,So all these things came into being [by and for Me],” declares the Lord.“But to this one I will look [graciously],To him who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who [reverently] trembles at My word and honors My commands.

“Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things?Can a land be born in one day?Or can a nation be brought forth in a moment?As soon as Zion was in labor, she also brought forth her sons.

“Those who [vainly attempt to] sanctify and cleanse themselves to go to the gardens [to sacrifice to idols],Following after one in the center,Who eat swine’s flesh, detestable things and mice,Will come to an end together,” says the Lord.