Study Desk

So say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will make them stop saying this, and nobody in Israel will use this saying anymore.' But tell them, ‘The time is near when every vision will come true.

but I, the Lord , will speak. What I say will be done, and it will not be delayed. You refuse to obey, but in your time I will say the word and do it, says the Lord God .'"

Israel is like a house in ruins, but you have not gone up into the broken places or repaired the wall. So how can Israel hold back the enemy in the battle on the Lord 's day of judging?

Your prophets see false visions and prophesy lies. They say, "This is the message of the Lord ," when the Lord has not sent them. But they still hope their words will come true.

You said, "This is the message of the Lord ," but that is a false vision. Your prophecies are lies, because I have not spoken.

Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils of every length to trap people! You ruin the lives of my people but try to save your own lives.

"‘But if the prophet is tricked into giving a prophecy, it is because I, the Lord , have tricked that prophet to speak. Then I will use my power against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.

As surely as I live, says the Lord God , even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They could save only themselves, but that country would become empty.

But some people will escape; some sons and daughters will be led out. They will come out to you, and you will see what happens to people who live as they did. Then you will be comforted after the disasters I have brought against Jerusalem, after all the things I have brought against it.

I made you grow like a plant in the field. You grew up and became tall and became like a beautiful jewel. Your breasts formed, and your hair grew, but you were naked and without clothes.

"‘But you trusted in your beauty. You became a prostitute, because you were so famous. You had sexual relations with anyone who passed by.

"‘But your sexual sins were not enough for you. You also took your sons and daughters who were my children, and you sacrificed them to the idols as food.

You did many more sexual sins in Babylonia, the land of traders, but even this did not satisfy you.

You built your place to worship gods at the beginning of every street, and you made places of worship in every city square. But you were not like a prostitute when you refused to accept payment.

Men pay prostitutes, but you pay all your lovers to come to you. And they come from all around for sexual relations.

"‘Because you didn't remember when you were young, but have made me angry in all these ways, I will repay you for what you have done, says the Lord God . Didn't you add sexual sins to all your other acts which I hate?

You not only followed their ways and did the hateful things they did, but you were soon worse than they were in all your ways.

"‘This was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were proud and had plenty of food and lived in great comfort, but she did not help the poor and needy.

"‘But I will give back to Sodom and her daughters the good things they once had. I will give back to Samaria and her daughters the good things they once had. And with them I will also give back the good things you once had

But I will remember my agreement I made with you when you were young, and I will make an agreement that will continue forever with you.