Study Desk

You will know that I am the Lord when I honor My name by being good to you even though your ways have been sinful and you have done many sinful things, O people of Israel," says the Lord God.'"

Say to the land of trees in the Negev, ‘Hear the Word of the Lord. The Lord God says, "See, I am about to start a fire that will destroy all of your green trees and all of your dry trees. The hot fire will not be put out, and every face from south to north will be burned by it.

Then I said, "O Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling picture-stories?'"

And when they ask you, ‘Why are you crying?' tell them, ‘Because of the news that is coming, every heart will melt and all hands will be weak. Every spirit will lose its strength, and all knees will be as weak as water. It is coming, and it will happen,' says the Lord God."

They will be put to the test. If they do not turn from their sinful ways, these things will happen," says the Lord God.'

So the Lord God says, ‘You have made your guilt to be remembered. Your sins are no longer covered, and everyone has seen the bad things you have done and remembers them. So you will be taken in battle.

The Lord God says, ‘Take off the head-covering. Take off the crown. Things will not stay as they are. Honor that which is low. And bring down that which is honored.

"And you, son of man, speak in My name and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says about the sons of Ammon and about their shame.' Tell them, ‘A sword is pulled out ready to kill! It is made to shine like lightning!

Tell them, ‘The Lord God says, "O city, because you have killed your own people and have made yourselves false gods to add to your sins, your time will come!

In you they have taken pay to kill people. You have made others pay back more than they owe you. You have hurt your neighbors by making it hard for them to pay you. And you have forgotten Me," says the Lord God.

So the Lord God says, ‘Because you have all become waste, I am going to gather you together in Jerusalem.

Her men who speak in My name have covered these sins with whitewash for the people. They see false dreams and lie to them using their secret ways, saying, ‘This is what the Lord God says,' when the Lord has not spoken.

So I have become angry with them. I have destroyed them with the fire of My anger. I am punishing them for what they have done," says the Lord God.

"So, Oholibah, the Lord God says, ‘I will bring your lovers against you, those you turned away from. I will bring them against you from every side:

For the Lord God says, ‘I will give you over to those you hate, to the men you turned away from.

The Lord God says, ‘You will drink your sister's cup, which is deep and wide. You will be laughed at and made fun of, for it holds much.

You will drink it until it is empty. Then you will chew its pieces and tear your breasts, for I have spoken,' says the Lord God.

So the Lord God says, ‘Because you have forgotten Me and put Me behind your back, now suffer the punishment of your sex sins.'"

"The Lord God says, ‘Bring up a group against them to fill them with fear and to rob them.

You will suffer the penalty for your sex sins and for worshiping your false gods. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.'"