Study Desk

And the base of the doorways shook at the voice of him who called out, while the house of God was filled with smoke.

But the Lord God says, "This plan will not work. It will not happen.

"Ask for something special to see from the Lord your God. Ask for it to be as deep as the place of the dead or as high as heaven."

Then Isaiah said, "Listen now, O people of David! Is it too small a thing for you to test men, that you will test my God as well?

Then I went to the woman who spoke for God, and she was able to have a child, and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me, "Name him Maher-shalal-hashbaz.

Make a plan, but it will come to nothing. Give your plan, but it will not be done. For God is with us."

When they say to you, "Ask those who speak in secret with the spirits of the dead and who use their secret ways," should not a people ask their God? Should they speak to the dead for the living?

They will pass through the land troubled and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be angry and curse their king and their God as they look up.

But there will be no more heavy hearts for those who were suffering. In the past God allowed the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali to be put to shame. In the future He will honor Galilee where those who are not Jews live and where the road to the sea is. It is on the other side of the Jordan.

For to us a Child will be born. To us a Son will be given. And the rule of the nations will be on His shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Teacher, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.

So the Lord is not pleased with their young men. He does not have pity on their children who have no parents or on their women whose husbands have died. Every one of them is without God and does sinful things. Every mouth speaks foolish words. Even with all this, His anger does not turn away. His hand is still held out.

I sent it against a nation without God, against the people of My anger. I sent it to take away the riches of battle, and to step hard on the people like dirt in the streets.

Some people, those who are left of Jacob, will return to the powerful God.

See, God saves me. I will trust and not be afraid. For the Lord God is my strength and song. And He has become the One Who saves me."

And Babylon, the beauty of nations, the shining-greatness and pride of the Babylonians, will be as when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

You said in your heart, ‘I will go up to heaven. I will raise my throne above the stars of God. And I will sit on the mount of meeting in the far north.

Yet some good will be left in it, as when an olive tree is shaken. There will still be two or three olives on the highest branch, and four or five on the branches of a tree that gives much fruit, says the Lord God of Israel.

For you have forgotten the God Who saves you. You have not remembered the rock where you are safe. So you plant beautiful plants, and put them with the vine-cuttings of a strange god.

The nations move on like the noise of many waters. But God will speak sharp words to them and they will run far away. They will be blown away like the part of grain that is of no worth by the wind in the mountains. They will be like dust blown around in a storm.

Then I will give the Egyptians into the hand of a bad ruler. An angry king will rule over them," says the Lord God of All.