Study Desk

The people had many troubles, but he was not against them. He loved them and felt sorry for them, so he saved them. He sent his special angel to save them. He picked them up and carried them, just as he did long ago.

But they turned against him and made his Holy Spirit very sad. So the Lord became their enemy and fought against them.

But you have done awesome things that we did not expect. You came down, and mountains shook in fear before you.

You welcome people who enjoy doing good and who remember you by living the way you want them to. But we sinned against you, and you became angry with us. But you always saved us!

But, Lord , you are our father. We are like clay, and you are the potter. Your hands made us all.

"All day long I stood ready to accept those who turned against me. But they kept doing whatever they wanted to do, and all they did was wrong.

But they tell others, ‘Don't come near me! Don't touch me because I am holy!' They are like smoke in my eyes, and their fire burns all the time."

The Lord says, "When there is new wine in the grapes, people squeeze out the wine. But they don't completely destroy the grapes because the grapes can still be used. I will do the same thing to my servants. I will not destroy them completely.

"But you people left the Lord , so you will be punished. You forgot about my holy mountain. You began to worship Luck. You held feasts for the false god, Fate.

But I decided what would happen to you: you will be killed with a sword. You will all be killed because I called to you, but you refused to answer me. I spoke to you, but you would not listen. You did what I said is evil and chose to do what I did not like."

So this is what the Lord God says: "My servants will eat, but you evil people will be hungry. My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. My servants will be happy, but you will suffer shame.

My servants will shout for joy, but you will cry out in pain. Your spirits will be broken, and you will be very sad.

The Lord says, "People now ask blessings from the earth. But in the future they will ask blessings from the faithful God. People now trust in the power of the earth when they make a promise. But in the future they will trust in the God who is faithful. That's because the troubles in the past will all be forgotten. They will be hidden from my sight."

Some people kill bulls as a sacrifice, but they also beat people. They kill sheep as a sacrifice, but they also break the necks of dogs. They offer up grain offerings, but they also offer the blood of pigs. They burn incense, but they also love their worthless idols. They choose their own ways, and they love their terrible idols.

So I decided to use their own tricks. I will punish them using what they are most afraid of. I will do this because I called to them, but they did not answer. I spoke to them, but they did not listen. They did what I said is evil. They chose to do what I did not like."

You who obey the Lord 's commands, listen to what he says: "Your brothers hated you. They turned against you because you followed me. Your brothers said, ‘When the Lord shows his glory, then we will rejoice with you.' But they will be punished."

"A woman does not give birth before she feels the pain. A woman must feel the pain of childbirth before she can see the boy she gives birth to. Who ever heard of such a thing? In the same way, no one ever saw a new world begin in one day. No one has ever heard of a new nation that began in one day. But when Zion feels the pain, she will give birth to her children.

When you see these things, you will be happy. You will be free and grow like grass. The Lord 's servants will see his power, but his enemies will see his anger.

The Lord says, "These are the people who wash themselves and make themselves pure so that they can go into their special gardens to worship their idols. They follow each other into the gardens to eat meat from pigs, rats, and other dirty things. But they will all be destroyed together.

Then I said, "But, Lord God , I don't know how to speak. I am only a boy."