Study Desk

This message is about the city of Damascus: "The towns of Hamath and Arpad are afraid. They are afraid because they heard the bad news. They are discouraged. They are worried and afraid.

The city of Damascus has become weak. The people want to run away. They are ready to panic. They are overcome with fear and pain, like a woman giving birth.

The Lord says, "At that time the people of Israel and the people of Judah will be together. They will cry and cry together, and together, they will go look for the Lord their God.

"My people have been like lost sheep. Their shepherds led them the wrong way and caused them to wander away into the mountains and hills. They forgot where their resting place was.

They were attacked by all who saw them. And their attackers said, ‘We were not wrong to attack them because they sinned against the Lord . They should have stayed close to him, their true resting place. The Lord is the one their fathers trusted in.'

Soldiers around Babylon, shout the cry of victory! Babylon has surrendered! Her walls and towers have been pulled down! The Lord is giving her people the punishment they deserve. You nations should give Babylon the punishment she deserves. Do to her what she has done to other nations.

People are running out of Babylon. They are escaping from that country and coming to Zion. They are telling everyone the good news about what the Lord is doing. The Lord our God is giving Babylon the punishment it deserves. The Lord is destroying Babylon, because it destroyed his Temple!

Sword, kill the horses and chariots of Babylon. Sword, kill all the soldiers hired from other countries. They will be like frightened women. Sword, destroy the treasures of Babylon. Those treasures will be taken away.

Their armies have bows and spears. The soldiers are cruel. They have no mercy. The soldiers come riding on their horses; the sound is as loud as the roaring sea. They stand in their places, ready for battle. They are ready to attack you, city of Babylon.

I will send foreigners to winnow Babylon, and they will take everything from the city. Armies will surround the city, and there will be terrible destruction.

The Babylonian soldiers will not get to use their bows and arrows. They will not even put on their armor. Don't feel sorry for the soldiers of Babylon. Destroy her army completely!

The Lord All-Powerful did not leave Israel and Judah alone, like a widow. No, they are guilty of leaving the Holy One of Israel. Their God did not leave them. They left him!

Run away from Babylon. Run to save your lives! Don't stay and be killed because of Babylon's sins! It is time for the Lord to punish the Babylonians for the bad things they have done. Babylon will get the punishment that she should have.

Those idols are worthless. People made them, and they are nothing but a joke. Their time of judgment will come, and those idols will be destroyed.

But I will repay Babylonia and all the Babylonians for all the evil things they did to Zion. I will pay them back so that you can see it, Judah." This is what the Lord said.

"Lift up the war flag in the land! Blow the trumpet in all the nations! Prepare the nations for war against Babylon. Call these kingdoms to come fight against Babylon: Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Choose a commander to lead the army against her. Send so many horses that they are like a swarm of locusts.

Get the nations ready for battle against her. Get the kings of the Medes ready. Get their governors and all their important officials ready. Get all the countries they rule ready for battle against Babylon.

They are acting like powerful lions. I will give a party for them. I will make them drunk. They will laugh and have a good time, and then they will sleep forever. They will never wake up." This is what the Lord said.

"Sheshach will be defeated. The best and proudest country of the whole earth will be taken captive. People from other nations will look at Babylon, and what they see will make them afraid.

Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout with joy about Babylon. They will shout because an army came from the north and fought against Babylon." This is what the Lord said.