Study Desk

The Lord will again choose Jerusalem to be his special city. Judah will be his share of the holy land.

Everyone, be quiet! The Lord is coming out of his holy house.

Then the angel of the Lord said, "The Lord says that you are wrong, and he will continue to correct you! The Lord has chosen Jerusalem to be his special city. He saved that city—it was like a burning stick pulled from the fire."

Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put the clean turban on him and also put clean clothes on him while the Lord 's angel stood there.

He will build the Lord 's Temple, and he will receive the honor. He will sit on his throne and be the ruler, and a priest will stand by his throne. These two men will work together in peace.'

The people of Bethel sent Sharezer, Regem-Melech, and his men to ask the Lord a question.

They were very stubborn and would not obey the law. The Lord All-Powerful used his Spirit and sent messages to his people through the prophets. But the people would not listen, so the Lord All-Powerful became very angry.

The Lord All-Powerful says, "Be strong! You people are hearing the same message today that the prophets gave when the Lord All-Powerful first laid the foundations to rebuild his Temple.

The Lord All-Powerful says, "At that time many foreigners speaking different languages will come to a Jewish man, take hold of the hem of his robe, and ask, ‘We heard that God is with you. Can we come with you to worship him?'"

The Lord will appear to them, and he will shoot his arrows like lightning. The Lord God will blow the trumpet, and the army will rush forward like a desert dust storm.

At that time the Lord their God will save his people like a shepherd saves his sheep. They will be very precious to him. They will be like sparkling jewels in his land.

The Lord says, "I am very angry with the shepherds. I made them responsible for what happens to my sheep." (The people of Judah are his flock, and the Lord All-Powerful really does take care of his flock. He cares for them as a soldier cares for his beautiful war horse.)

Then I took the stick named Favor, and I broke it. I did this to show that God's agreement with his people was broken.

Too bad for you, you worthless shepherd! You abandoned my sheep. Punish him! Strike his arm and right eye with a sword. His arm will be useless. His right eye will be blind.

You will try to run away as that mountain valley comes closer and closer to you. You will run away like the time you ran from the earthquake during the time of King Uzziah of Judah. But the Lord my God will come, and all his holy ones will be with him.

That terrible disease will be in the enemy camp, and all their horses, mules, camels, and donkeys will catch that terrible disease. At that time they will be afraid of the Lord . Each man will grab his neighbor's hand, and they will fight each other. Even Judah will fight against Jerusalem. This will happen even while armies from all the nations are surrounding the city. There will be much gold, silver, and clothing.

And I did not accept Esau. I destroyed his hill country. His country was destroyed, and now only wild dogs live there."

The Lord All-Powerful says, "I am sending my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then suddenly, the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. Yes, the messenger you are waiting for, the one who will tell about my agreement, is really coming!

Then the Lord 's followers spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to them. There is a book in front of him. In that book are the names of his followers. They are the people who honor the Lord 's name.

Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.