Study Desk

"In that day," says the Lord of All, "the nail driven in a hard place will give way. It will break off and fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut off. For the Lord has spoken."

The special word about Tyre: Cry out in sorrow, O ships of Tarshish. For Tyre is destroyed, so that there is no house or safe place for ships. It is made known to them from the land of Cyprus.

and go on many waters. The grain of the Nile, that was gathered beside that River, made money for Tyre who was the trader of the nations.

It was the Babylonians, not the Assyrians, who let the wild animals come upon Tyre. They built towers for their armies. They tore down her beautiful houses. They destroyed her.

Cry out in sorrow, O ships of Tarshish, for your strong-place is destroyed.

In that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the woman who sells the use of her body:

Her riches and her pay for selling the use of her body will be set apart to the Lord. It will not be stored up or saved. But what she receives will give much food and good clothes to those who live for the Lord.

All the earth will be laid waste and destroyed, for the Lord has said this.

So the earth is cursed and those who live in it suffer for their guilt. So the people of the earth are burned, and few men are left.

For this is how it will be on the earth among the nations. It will be like the shaking of an olive tree, and like what is left after the grapes have been gathered.

They raise their voices. They call out for joy. They cry out from the west about the wonderful power of the Lord.

From the ends of the earth we hear songs: "Praise the One Who is right and good." But I say, "I waste away! I waste away! It is bad for me! The false ones are not faithful. Yes, their way is very false."

He who runs from the news of trouble will fall into a deep hole. And he who comes out of the hole will be caught in a trap. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the earth shakes.

Then the moon will be dark and the sun will not shine, for the Lord of All will rule on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. And in front of His leaders, He will let His shining-greatness be seen.

O Lord, You are my God. I will praise You. I will give thanks to Your name. For You have been faithful to do great things, plans that You made long ago.

For You have laid waste a city. You have destroyed a strong city. The beautiful house of strangers is a city no more. And it will never be built again.

For You have been a strong-place for those who could not help themselves and for those in need because of much trouble. You have been a safe place from the storm and a shadow from the heat. For the breath of the one who shows no pity is like a storm against a wall.

On this mountain the Lord of All will make a supper of good things ready for all people. It will be a supper of good wine, of the best foods, and of fine wine.

He will take away death for all time. The Lord God will dry tears from all faces. He will take away the shame of His people from all the earth. For the Lord has spoken.

It will be said in that day, "See, this is our God. We have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the Lord for Whom we have waited. Let us be glad and full of joy because He saves us."