Study Desk

because Mount Zion lies lonely and deserted, and wild jackals prowl through its ruins.

The creatures went wherever they wished, and the wheels did exactly what the creatures did, because the creatures controlled them.

"If someone truly good starts doing evil and I put him in a dangerous situation, he will die if you do not warn him. He will die because of his sins—I will not remember the good he did—and I will hold you responsible for his death.

"Then lie down on your left side, and I will place on you the guilt of the nation of Israel. For 390 days you will stay there and suffer because of their guilt. I have sentenced you to one day for each year their punishment will last.

They will run out of bread and water; they will be in despair, and they will waste away because of their sins."

Because of all the things you do that I hate, I will punish Jerusalem as I have never done before and will never do again.

"Therefore, as I am the living God—this is the word of the Sovereign Lord —because you defiled my Temple with all the evil, disgusting things you did, I will cut you down without mercy.

"You will feel all the force of my anger and rage until I am satisfied. When all this happens, you will be convinced that I, the Lord , have spoken to you because I am outraged at your unfaithfulness.

where they will live in exile. There they will remember me and know that I have punished them and disgraced them, because their faithless hearts deserted me and they preferred idols to me. And they will be disgusted with themselves because of the evil and degrading things they have done.

The Sovereign Lord said, "Wring your hands! Stamp your feet! Cry in sorrow because of all the evil, disgusting things the Israelites have done. They are going to die in war or of starvation or disease.

"Israel, the end has come. You will feel my anger, because I am judging you for what you have done. I will pay you back for all your disgusting conduct.

The time is coming. The day is near when buying and selling will have no more meaning, because God's punishment will fall on everyone alike.

No merchants will live long enough to get back what they have lost, because God's anger is on everyone. Those who are evil cannot survive.

They will throw their gold and silver away in the streets like garbage, because neither silver nor gold can save them when the Lord pours out his fury. They cannot use it to satisfy their desires or fill their stomachs. Gold and silver led them into sin.

"Go through the whole city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is distressed and troubled because of all the disgusting things being done in the city."

When the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; and when the creatures flew, the wheels went with them, because the creatures controlled them.

"Mortal man," he said, "you are living among rebellious people. They have eyes, but they see nothing; they have ears, but they hear nothing, because they are rebellious.

Tell the whole nation that this is the message of the Sovereign Lord to the people of Jerusalem who are still living in their land: They will tremble when they eat and shake with fear when they drink. Their land will be stripped bare, because everyone who lives there is lawless.

"If any prophets are deceived into giving a false answer, it is because I, the Lord , have deceived them. I will remove them from the people of Israel.

You became famous in every nation for your perfect beauty, because I was the one who made you so lovely." This is what the Sovereign Lord says.