Study Desk

"You shall sow but you shall not reap; You shall tread olives, but shall not anoint yourself with oil, And [you will extract juice from] the grapes, but you shall not drink the wine.

But as for me, I will look expectantly for the LORD and with confidence in Him I will keep watch; I will wait [with confident expectation] for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

But with an overwhelming flood [of judgment through invading armies] He will make a complete destruction of its site And will pursue His enemies into darkness.

Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, Now her inhabitants are fleeing; "Stop! Stop!" [a few cry,] But no one turns back.

All your fortresses are [nothing but] fig trees with ripe figs— When shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater.

But there [in the very midst of these preparations] the fire will devour you; The sword will cut you down; It will devour you as the locust does. Multiply yourself like the creeping locusts; Multiply yourself like the swarming locusts.

"Then they will sweep by like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They [and all men] whose own power and strength is their god."

"Look at the proud one, His soul is not right within him, But the righteous will live by his faith [in the true God].

"But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.

"But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth hush and be silent before Him."

"Furthermore, their wealth will become plunder And their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses but not live in them, And plant vineyards but not drink their wine."

She did not listen and heed the voice [of God]; She accepted no correction. She did not trust in the LORD [but trusted her own power]; She did not draw near to her God [but to the pagan gods of Baal or Molech].

The LORD is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust person knows no shame.

"I said, 'Most certainly you will [reverently] fear Me; Accept correction.' So Jerusalem's dwelling will not be cut off In accordance with all that I have appointed concerning her [punishment], But they were eager [even rising early] to make all their deeds corrupt.

"But I will leave among you A humble and lowly people, And they will take refuge and trust confidently in the name of the LORD.

"You have planted much, but you harvest little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you do not have enough to be intoxicated; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns wages earns them just to put them in a bag with holes in it [because God has withheld His blessing]."

"You look for much [harvest], but it comes to little; and even when you bring that home, I blow it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house, which lies in ruins while each of you runs to his own house [eager to enjoy it].

'But now be courageous, Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD, 'be courageous also, Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and be courageous, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' declares the LORD of hosts.

'But now, do consider [what will happen] from this day forward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,

"Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Repent [that is, change your way of thinking] and return now from your evil way [of life] and from your evil deeds."' But they did not listen or pay attention to Me," declares the LORD.