Study Desk

You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: A huge eagle with powerful wings, long feathers, and full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.

“You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Will it flourish? Will he not tear out its roots and strip off its fruit so that it shrivels? All its fresh leaves will wither! Great strength and many people will not be needed to pull it from its roots.

“‘As I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke.

“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: As I live, I will bring down on his head my oath that he despised and my covenant that he broke.

“‘This is what the Lord God says:

As I live”—this is the declaration of the Lord God—“you will no longer use this proverb in Israel.

He follows my statutes and keeps my ordinances, acting faithfully. Such a person is righteous; he will certainly live.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Instead, don’t I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives?

“Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Repent and turn from all your rebellious acts, so they will not become a sinful stumbling block to you.

For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “So repent and live!

“Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Are you coming to inquire of me? As I live, I will not let you inquire of me. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’

Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath to the descendants of Jacob’s house and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, saying, “I am the Lord your God.”

I also said to them, “Throw away, each of you, the abhorrent things that you prize, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

I am the Lord your God. Follow my statutes, keep my ordinances, and practice them.

Keep my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between me and you, so you may know that I am the Lord your God.”

“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: In this way also your fathers blasphemed me by committing treachery against me:

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Are you defiling yourselves the way your fathers did, and prostituting yourselves with their abhorrent things?

When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your children in the fire, you still continue to defile yourselves with all your idols today. So should I let you inquire of me, house of Israel? As I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I will not let you inquire of me!

As I live—the declaration of the Lord God—I will reign over you with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath.

Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you. This is the declaration of the Lord God.