Study Desk

Come here and listen to me! I was there when Babylon began as a nation. And from the beginning, I spoke clearly so that people could know what I said." Now, the Lord God sends me and his Spirit to tell you these things.

I said, "I worked hard for nothing. I wore myself out, but I did nothing useful. I used all my power, but I did not really do anything. So the Lord must decide what to do with me. He must decide my reward."

The Lord is the one who made me in my mother's womb, so that I could be his servant. He wanted me to lead Jacob and Israel back to him. The Lord gives me honor. I get my strength from my God.

Then you will say to yourself, ‘Who gave me all these children? I was sad and lonely. My children were taken away. They were gone. So who gave me these children? Look, I was the only one left. Where did all these children come from?'"

The Lord God gave me the ability to teach, so now I teach these sad people. Every morning he wakes me and teaches me like a student.

The Lord God will help me, so the bad things they say will not hurt me. I will be strong. I know I will not be disappointed.

God is with me, and he is the one who shows that I am innocent. So no one can say I am guilty. If anyone wants to try to prove me wrong, they should come here, and we will have a trial.

But look, the Lord God helps me, so no one can prove me guilty. As for them, they will all be like worthless old clothes, eaten by moths.

The Lord says, "Look, you people want to do whatever you want. So light your own fires and torches, but you will be punished. You will fall into your fires and torches and be burned. I will make that happen."

Abraham is your father, so look at him. Look at Sarah, who gave birth to you. Abraham was alone when I called him. Then I blessed him, and he began a great family with many descendants."

The Lord says, "I am the one who comforts you. So why should you be afraid of people? They are only humans who live and die like the grass.

"I, the Lord , am the one who made you. With my power I made the earth and spread the sky over the earth. But you have forgotten me, so you are always afraid that angry men will hurt you. Those men planned to destroy you, but where are they now?

"My servant, I gave you the words I want you to say, and I covered you with my hands to protect you. I did this to make a new heaven and earth and so that you would say to Israel, ‘You are my people.'"

Wake up! Wake up! Jerusalem, get up! The Lord was very angry with you. So you were punished. It was like a cup of poison you had to drink, and you drank it all.

The Lord says, "You were not sold for money. So I will not use money to set you free."

"This happened so that my people will learn about me. My people will know who I am. My people will know my name, and they will know that I Am He is speaking to them."

So leave Babylon! Leave that place! Priests, you carry the things that belong to the Lord . So make yourselves pure. Don't touch anything that is not pure.

It is true that many were shocked when they saw him. He was beaten so badly that he no longer looked like a man.

I was so angry that for a while I did not want to see you. But now I want to comfort you with kindness forever." The Lord your Savior said this.

You will be built on goodness. You will be safe from cruelty and fear. So you will have nothing to fear. Nothing will come to hurt you.