Study Desk

They will spread their arms in it like a person who is swimming. But God will bring down their pride, and all the clever things they have made will mean nothing.

Moab's high walls protect them, but God will destroy these walls. He will throw them down to the ground, even to the dust.

But, Lord , we are waiting for your way of justice. Our souls want to remember you and your name.

Lord , you are ready to punish those people, but they do not see that. Show them your strong love for your people. Then those who are evil will be ashamed. Burn them in the fire you have prepared for your enemies.

Lord , our God, other masters besides you have ruled us, but we honor only you.

In the same way, we had pain. We gave birth, but only to wind. We don't bring salvation to the land or make new people for the world.

Your people have died, but they will live again; their bodies will rise from death. You who lie in the ground, wake up and be happy! The dew covering you is like the dew of a new day; the ground will give birth to the dead.

But if anyone comes to me for safety and wants to make peace with me, he should come and make peace with me."

Many of my people are now lost in Assyria. Some have run away to Egypt. But at that time a great trumpet will be blown, and all those people will come and worship the Lord on that holy mountain in Jerusalem.

But now those leaders are drunk with wine; they stumble from drinking too much beer. The priests and prophets are drunk with beer and are filled with wine. They stumble from too much beer. The prophets are drunk when they see their visions; the judges stumble when they make their decisions.

The Lord is trying to teach the people a lesson; he is trying to make them understand his teachings. But the people are like babies too old for breast milk, like those who no longer nurse at their mother's breast.

God said to them, "Here is a place of rest; let the tired people come and rest. This is the place of peace." But the people would not listen.

The grain is ground to make bread. People do not ruin it by crushing it forever. The farmer separates the wheat from the chaff with his cart, but he does not let his horses grind it.

They will be like a hungry man who dreams he is eating, but when he awakens, he is still hungry. They will be like a thirsty man who dreams he is drinking, but when he awakens, he is still weak and thirsty. It will be the same way with all the nations who fight against Mount Zion.

Be surprised and amazed. Blind yourselves so that you cannot see. Become drunk, but not from wine. Trip and fall, but not from beer.

This vision is like the words of a book that is closed and sealed. You may give the book to someone who can read and tell that person to read it. But he will say, "I can't read the book, because it is sealed."

Or you may give the book to someone who cannot read and tell him to read it. But he will say, "I don't know how to read."

The Lord says: "These people worship me with their mouths, and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is based on nothing but human rules.

The Lord said, "How terrible it will be for these stubborn children. They make plans, but they don't ask me to help them. They make agreements with other nations, without asking my Spirit. They are adding more and more sins to themselves.

But hiding in Egypt will bring you only shame; Egypt's protection will only disappoint you.