Study Desk

It is bad for those who try to hide their plans from the Lord, and whose works are done in a dark place. They say, "Who sees us?" or, "Who knows us?"

For those who show no pity will come to an end. And those who laugh at the truth will be stopped. All who want to be sinful will be cut off.

"It is bad for the children who will not obey!" says the Lord, "They act on a plan that is not Mine, and make an agreement that is not of My Spirit, and so add sin to sin.

They go down to Egypt without asking Me. They want Pharaoh to keep them safe and they look for a safe place in the shadow of Egypt.

For their rulers are at Zoan, and leaders come to Hanes.

Now go and write it down in front of them. And write it in a book, that it may be seen for all time to come.

For these people will not obey. They are not true sons. They will not listen to the teaching of the Lord.

They say to the men who tell what will happen in the future, "Do not see special dreams." They say to those who speak for God, "You must not tell to us what is right. Speak pleasing things to us, tell us what we like to hear.

So the Holy One of Israel says, "Because you have turned away from this Word, and have put your trust in a power that makes it hard for others and fools them,

So the Lord wants to show you kindness. He waits on high to have loving-pity on you. For the Lord is a God of what is right and fair. And good will come to all those who hope in Him.

O people in Zion who live in Jerusalem, you will cry no more. For sure He will show loving-kindness to you at the sound of your cry. When He hears it, He will answer you.

Then He will give you rain for the seed you will plant in the ground. And He will give you bread from the grain from the ground. It will be good, and more than you need. In that day your cattle will eat in a large field.

For a place of fire has long been ready. Yes, it has been made ready for the king. It has been made deep and wide, with fire and much wood. The breath of the Lord starts the fire and it is like a river of sulphur.

It is bad for those who go down to Egypt for help, and trust in the many horses and war-wagons, and in the much strength of their horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel or ask the Lord for help.

For the Lord has said to me, "As the lion or the young lion makes noise over the food he has killed, and when a group of shepherds go against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, or troubled by their noise. In the same way, the Lord of All will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill."

For in that day every man will throw away his silver and gold objects of worship, which his sinful hands have made.

For a fool speaks foolish things. His mind plans wrong-doing, to sin and to say false things against the Lord, to keep the hungry person hungry, and to keep drink from the thirsty.

The ways of the bad man are sinful. He makes sinful plans to destroy the suffering with lies, even when the one in need asks for what is right.

But the man of honor makes good plans, and he stands for what is good.

Beat your breasts for the good fields, for the vine full of fruit,