Study Desk

Heaven and earth, listen! This is what the Lord says: "I raised my children and helped them grow up, but they have turned against me.

The Lord says, "Why do you continue giving me all these sacrifices? I have had enough of your sacrifices of rams and the fat from well-fed animals. I don't want the blood of those bulls, sheep, and goats.

Because of this, the Lord God All-Powerful, the Mighty One of Israel, says, "Look, I will get relief from my enemies. You will not cause me any more trouble.

The Lord is ready to present his case against the elders and leaders of his people. He says, "You people have burned the vineyard, and what you stole from the poor is still in your houses.

The Lord says, "The women in Zion have become very proud. They walk around with their heads in the air, acting like they are better than other people. They flirt with their eyes and make tinkling sounds with their ankle bracelets as they take their quick little steps."

But the Lord God says, "Their plan will not succeed. It will not happen

The Lord says, "I will use Assyria like a stick. In my anger I will use Assyria to punish Israel.

The Lord God All-Powerful says, "My people living in Zion, don't be afraid of Assyria! Yes, he will beat you, and it will be just as the time when Egypt beat you with a stick.

The Lord says, "I will cause bad things to happen to the world. I will punish the evil people for their sin. I will make proud people lose their pride. I will stop the bragging of cruel people.

The Lord says, "Look, I will cause the armies of Media to attack Babylon. Nothing will stop them, even if someone offers them gold and silver.

And now the Lord says, "In three years (counting as exactly as a hired helper would) all those people and the things they are proud of will be gone. Only a few of their weakest people will be left."

The fort cities of Ephraim will be destroyed. The government in Damascus will be finished. Those left in Aram will lose everything, just like the people of Israel," says the Lord All-Powerful.

"That time will also be like the olive harvest. People knock olives from the trees, but a few olives are usually left at the top of each tree. Four or five olives are left on some of the top branches. It will be the same for those cities," says the Lord All-Powerful.

The Lord says, "I will cause the Egyptians to fight against themselves. Men will fight their brothers. Neighbors will be against neighbors. Cities will be against cities. Kingdoms will be against kingdoms.

The Lord God All-Powerful says, "I will give Egypt to a hard master. A powerful king will rule over the people."

But the Lord says, "Your people have died, but they will live again. The bodies of my people will rise from death. Dead people in the ground, stand and be happy! The dew covering you is like the dew sparkling in the light of a new day. It shows that a new time is coming, when the earth will give birth to the dead who are in it."

Because of these things, the Lord God says, "I will put a rock—a cornerstone—in the ground in Zion. This will be a very precious stone. Everything will be built on this very important rock. Anyone who trusts in that rock will not be disappointed.

The Lord says, "These people come to honor me with words, but I am not really important to them. The worship they give me is nothing but human rules they have memorized.

So the Lord , who made Abraham free, speaks to Jacob's family. He says, "Now the people of Jacob will not be embarrassed and ashamed.

The Lord God , the Holy One of Israel, says, "If you come back to me you will be saved. Only by remaining calm and trusting in me can you be strong." But you don't want to do that.