Study Desk

"I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here am I, here am I,' To a nation which did not call on My name.

"Who say, 'Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am holier than you!' These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

Then I said, "Oh, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth."

But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak.

"Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to save you," declares the LORD.

Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it."

"For, behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north," declares the LORD; "and they will come and place, each one of them, his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls around, and against all the cities of Judah.

"And they will fight against you but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to save you," declares the LORD.

"How can you say, 'I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals'? Look at your way in the valley! Know what you have done! You are a swift young camel running about senselessly on her ways,

You said, 'I am innocent; Surely His anger is turned away from me.' Behold, I will enter into judgment with you Because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

"Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD; 'I will not look at you in anger. For I am gracious,' declares the LORD; 'I will not be angry forever.

'Return, you faithless sons,' declares the LORD; 'For I am a master to you, And I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, And bring you to Zion.'

"Raise a flag toward Zion! Take refuge, do not stand still, For I am bringing evil from the north, And great destruction.

My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart! My heart is pounding in me; I cannot keep silent, Because, my soul, you have heard The sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war.

Therefore, this is what the LORD, the God of armies says: "Because you have spoken this word, Behold, I am making My words fire in your mouth, And this people wood, and it will consume them.

"Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from far away, you house of Israel," declares the LORD. "It is an enduring nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.

But I am full of the wrath of the LORD; I am weary of holding it in. "Pour it out on the children in the street And on the gathering of young men together; For both husband and wife shall be taken, The old and the very old.

"Hear, earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, The fruit of their plans, Because they have not listened to My words, And as for My Law, they have rejected it also.

Therefore, this is what the LORD says: "Behold, I am placing stumbling blocks before this people. And they will stumble against them, Fathers and sons together; Neighbor and friend will perish."

"As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not plead with Me; for I am not listening to you.