Study Desk

Tell those who obey God, "You're very fortunate— you will be rewarded for what you have done."

But the holy Lord God All-Powerful is praised, because he has shown who he is by bringing justice.

And you say, "Let the holy God of Israel hurry up and do what he has promised, so we can see it for ourselves."

You will go up in flames like straw and hay! You have rejected the teaching of the holy Lord God All-Powerful of Israel. Now your roots will rot, and your blossoms will turn to dust.

Once again the Lord God spoke to King Ahaz. This time he said,

Enemy soldiers will cover Judah like a flood reaching up to your neck. But God is with us. He will spread his wings and protect our land.

Get together and make plans, but you will fail because God is with us.

I am the one you should fear and respect. I am the holy God, the Lord All-Powerful!

A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace.

The holy God, who is the light of Israel, will turn into a fire, and in one day you will go up in flames, just like a thornbush.

There were as many people as there are grains of sand along the seashore, but only a few will survive to come back to Israel's mighty God. This is because he has threatened to destroy their nation, just as they deserve.

Now the Lord God All-Powerful says to his people in Jerusalem: The Assyrians will beat you with sticks and abuse you, just as the Egyptians did. But don't be afraid of them.

I trust you to save me, Lord God, and I won't be afraid. My power and my strength come from you, and you have saved me."

Sing, people of Zion! Celebrate the greatness of the holy Lord of Israel. God is here to help you.

I'll be above the clouds, just like God Most High."

or joyful and happy times, while bringing in the crops. Singing and shouting are gone from the vineyards. There are no joyful shouts where grapes were pressed. God has silenced them all.

It will be like an olive tree beaten with a stick, leaving two or three olives or maybe four or five on the highest or most fruitful branches. The Lord God of Israel has promised this.

At that time the people will turn and trust their Creator, the holy God of Israel.

Israel, you have forgotten the God who saves you, the one who is the mighty rock where you find protection. You plant the finest flowers to honor a foreign god.

But even if they roar like a fearsome flood, God will give the command to turn them back. They will be like dust, or like a tumbleweed blowing across the hills in a windstorm.