Study Desk

The people there refuse to obey me. I have a story with a message for them. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: "‘Put the pot on the fire. Put on the pot and pour in the water.

"‘So this is what the Lord God says: It will be bad for Jerusalem. It will be bad for that city of murderers. Jerusalem is like a pot with rust on it, and those spots of rust cannot be removed! That pot is not clean, and the rust cannot be removed, so the meat must be thrown out and not divided among the priests.

"‘So this is what the Lord God says: It will be bad for that city of murderers! I will pile up plenty of wood for the fire.

"‘I am the Lord . I said your punishment would come, and I will make it happen. I will not hold back the punishment or feel sorry for you. I will punish you for the evil things you did. This is what the Lord God said.'"

The next morning I told the people what God had said. That evening, my wife died. The next morning I did what God commanded.

to speak to the family of Israel. The Lord God said, ‘Look, I will destroy my holy place. You are proud of that place and sing songs of praise about it. You love to see it. You really love that place. But I will destroy it, and your children that you left behind will be killed in battle.

So Ezekiel is an example for you. You will do all the same things he did. That time of punishment will come, and then you will know that I am the Lord God .'"

Say to them: ‘Listen to the word of the Lord God ! This is what the Lord God says: You were happy when my holy place was destroyed. You were against the land of Israel when it was polluted. You were against the family of Judah when the people were carried away as prisoners.

This is what the Lord God says: You were happy that Jerusalem was destroyed. You clapped your hands and stamped your feet. You had fun insulting the land of Israel,

This is what the Lord God says: "Moab and Seir say, ‘The family of Judah is just like any other nation.'

This is what the Lord God says: "The people of Edom turned against the family of Judah and tried to get even. The people of Edom are guilty."

So the Lord God says: "I will punish Edom. I will destroy the people and the animals in Edom. I will destroy the whole country of Edom, all the way from Teman to Dedan. The Edomites will be killed in battle.

I will use my people Israel and get even against Edom. In this way the people of Israel will show my anger against Edom. Then the people of Edom will know that I punished them." This is what the Lord God said.

This is what the Lord God says: "The Philistines tried to get even. They were very cruel. They let their anger burn inside them too long."

So the Lord God said, "I will punish the Philistines. Yes, I will destroy those people from Crete. I will completely destroy those people who live on the seacoast.

So the Lord God says: "I am against you, Tyre! I will bring many nations to fight against you. They will come again and again, like waves on the beach.

Tyre will become a place by the sea for spreading fishing nets. I have spoken!" The Lord God says, "Tyre will be like the valuable things soldiers take in war.

This is what the Lord God says: "I will bring an enemy from the north against Tyre. That enemy is Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon! He will bring a very large army. There will be horses, chariots, horse soldiers and many other soldiers. They will be from many different nations.

I will make you a bare rock. You will be a place by the sea for spreading fishing nets! You will not be rebuilt, because I, the Lord , have spoken!" This is what the Lord God said.

This is what the Lord God says to Tyre: "The countries along the Mediterranean coast will shake at the sound of your fall. That will happen when your people are hurt and killed.