Study Desk

"Judah, go up to Lebanon and cry out. Let your voice be heard in Bashan. Cry out from Abarim, because all your friends are destroyed!

Like a storm, my punishment will blow all your shepherds away and send your friends into captivity. Then you will really be ashamed and disgraced because of all the wicked things you did.

I will hand you over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Babylonians—those people you fear because they want to kill you.

A message to the prophets: My heart is broken. All my bones shake. I'm like someone who is drunk, like someone who has been overcome with wine. This is because of the Lord and his holy words.

The land of Judah is full of people who are guilty of adultery. Because of this, the Lord cursed the land. It has become a very sad place, and the pastures have dried up. The people are evil and use their power in the wrong way.

So this is what the Lord All-Powerful says about the prophets: "I will make those prophets eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because the prophets of Jerusalem spread wickedness through the whole country."

But you will never again say, ‘The message of the Lord ,' because the only message you speak is your own words. You have changed the words of our God, the living God, the Lord All-Powerful.

But don't say, ‘The message from the Lord .' If you use these words, this is what the Lord says: Because you called it a ‘message from the Lord ,' though I told you not to use those words,

I will make them want to know me, that I am the Lord . They will be my people, and I will be their God, because they will return to me with their whole hearts.

They will drink my anger and stumble about and act like madmen because of the war I am going to send among them."

"Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: Drink this cup of my anger. Get drunk from it and vomit. Fall down and don't get up because of the war I am sending among you!'

The noise will spread all over the earth, because the Lord will accuse all the nations. He will judge and tell what is wrong with all people, and he will kill the evil people with a sword,'" says the Lord .

I hear the sound of the leaders shouting. I hear the leaders of the people crying loudly, because the Lord is destroying their land.

Those peaceful pastures will be like an empty desert, because the Lord is very angry.

Like a lion, he has left his den. Their land has been destroyed because of the terrible war he brought, because of his fierce anger.

Maybe they will listen and stop their evil ways. If they will, I will change my mind about bringing on them the disaster that I am planning because of the evil they have done.

But the false prophets are saying, ‘You will never be slaves to the king of Babylon.' Don't listen to them because they are prophesying lies to you!

So this is what the Lord says: ‘Soon I will remove you from the earth. You will die this year, because you taught the people to turn against the Lord .'"

Also do good things for the city where I sent you as captives. Pray to the Lord for the city where you are living, because if good things happen in the city, good things will happen to you also."

I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord . "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.