Through the Bible – Day 359

₂I, the LORD, now promise

to destroy everything

on this earth—

₃people and animals,

birds and fish.

Everyone who is evil

will crash to the ground,

and I will wipe out

the entire human race.

₄I will reach out to punish

Judah and Jerusalem—

nothing will remain

of the god Baal;

nothing will be remembered

of his pagan priests.

₅Not a trace will be found

of those who worship stars

from their rooftops,

or bow down to the god Milcom,

while claiming loyalty

to me, the LORD.

₆Nothing will remain of anyone

who has turned away

and rejected me.

₇Be silent! I am the LORD God,

and the time is near.

I am preparing

to sacrifice my people

and to invite my guests.

₈On that day I will punish

national leaders

and sons of the king,

along with all who follow

foreign customs.

₉I will punish worshippers

of pagan gods

and cruel palace officials

who abuse their power.

₁₀I, the LORD, promise

that on that day

noisy crying will be heard

from Fish Gate, New Town,

and Upper Hills.

₁₁Everyone in Lower Hollow

will mourn loudly,

because merchants

and money changers

will be wiped out.

₁₂I'll search Jerusalem with lamps

and punish those people

who sit there unworried

while thinking,

“The LORD won't do anything,

good or bad.”

₁₃Their possessions will be taken,

their homes left in ruins.

They won't get to live

in the houses they build,

or drink wine from the grapes

in their own vineyards.

₁₄The great day of the LORD

is coming soon, very soon.

On that terrible day,

fearsome shouts of warriors

will be heard everywhere.

₁₅It will be a time of anger—

of trouble and torment,

of disaster and destruction,

of darkness and despair,

of storm clouds and shadows,

₁₆of trumpet calls

and battle cries

against fortified cities

and mighty fortresses.

₁₇The LORD warns everyone

who has sinned against him,

“I'll strike you blind!

Then your blood and your insides

will gush out like vomit.

₁₈Not even your silver or gold

can save you on that day

when I, the LORD, am angry.

My anger will flare up

like a furious fire

scorching the earth

and everyone on it.”

₁You disgraceful nation,

gather around,

₂before it's too late.

The LORD has set a time

when his fierce anger

will strike like a storm

and sweep you away.

₃If you humbly obey the LORD,

then come and worship him.

If you do right and are humble,

perhaps you will be safe

on that day when the LORD

turns loose his anger.

₄Gaza and Ashkelon

will be deserted

and left in ruins.

Ashdod will be emptied

in broad daylight,

and Ekron uprooted.

₅To you people of Philistia

who live along the coast,

the LORD has this to say:

“I am now your enemy,

and I'll wipe you out!”

₆Your coast will be changed

into pasture land

and sheep pens.

₇The LORD God hasn't forgotten

those survivors in Judah,

and he will help them—

his people will take your land

to use for pasture.

And when evening comes,

they will rest

in houses at Ashkelon.

_8-9The LORD All-Powerful,

the God of Israel, said:

I've heard Moab and Ammon

insult my people

and threaten their nation.

And so, I swear by my very life

that Moab and Ammon will end up

like Sodom and Gomorrah—

covered with thorn bushes

and salt pits for ever.

Then my people who survive

will take their land.

₁₀This is how Moab and Ammon

will at last be repaid

for their pride—

and for sneering at the nation

that belongs to me,

the LORD All-Powerful.

₁₁I will fiercely attack.

Then every god on this earth

will shrink to nothing,

and everyone of every nation

will bow down to me,

right where they are.

₁₂People of Ethiopia,

the sword of the LORD

will slaughter you!

₁₃The LORD will reach to the north

to crush Assyria

and overthrow Nineveh.

₁₄Herds of wild animals

will live in its rubble;

all kinds of desert owls

will perch on its stones

and hoot in the windows.

Noisy ravens will be heard

inside its buildings,

stripped bare of cedar.

₁₅This is the glorious city

that felt secure and said,

“I am the only one!”

Now it's merely ruins,

a home for wild animals.

Every passer-by simply sneers

and makes vulgar signs.

₁Too bad for that disgusting,

corrupt, and lawless city!

₂For ever rebellious

and rejecting correction,

Jerusalem refuses to trust

or obey the LORD God.

₃Its officials are roaring lions,

its judges are wolves;

in the evening they attack,

by morning nothing is left.

₄Jerusalem's prophets are proud

and not to be trusted.

The priests have disgraced

the place of worship

and abused God's Law.

₅All who do evil are shameless,

but the LORD does right

and is always fair.

With the dawn of each day,

God brings about justice.

₆The LORD wiped out nations

and left fortresses

crumbling in the dust.

Their streets and towns

were reduced to ruins

and emptied of people.

₇God felt certain that Jerusalem

would learn to respect

and obey him.

Then he would hold back

from punishing the city

and not wipe it out.

But everyone there was eager

to start sinning again.

₈The LORD said:

Just wait for the day

when I accuse you nations.

I have decided on a day,

when I will bring together

every nation and kingdom

and punish them all

in my fiery anger.

I will become furious

and destroy the earth.

₉I will purify each language

and make those languages

acceptable for praising me.

Then, with hearts united,

everyone will serve

only me, the LORD.

₁₀From across the rivers

of Ethiopia,

my scattered people,

my true worshippers,

will bring offerings to me.

₁₁When that time comes,

you won't rebel against me

and be put to shame.

I'll do away with those

who are proud and arrogant.

Never will any of them

strut around

on my holy mountain.

₁₂But I, the LORD, won't destroy

any of your people

who are truly humble

and turn to me for safety.

₁₃The people of Israel who survive

will live right

and refuse to tell lies.

They will eat and rest

with nothing to fear.

₁₄Everyone in Jerusalem and Judah,

celebrate and shout

with all your heart!

₁₅Zion, your punishment is over.

The LORD has forced your enemies

to turn and retreat.

Your LORD is King of Israel

and stands at your side;

you don't have to worry

about any more troubles.

₁₆Jerusalem, the time is coming,

when it will be said to you:

“Don't be discouraged

or grow weak from fear!

₁₇The LORD your God

wins victory after victory

and is always with you.

He celebrates and sings

because of you,

and he will refresh your life

with his love.”

₁₈The LORD has promised:

Your sorrow has ended,

and you can celebrate.

₁₉I will punish those

who ill-treat you.

I will bring together the lame

and the outcasts,

then they will be praised,

instead of despised,

in every country on earth.

₂₀I will lead you home,

and with your own eyes

you will see me bless you

with all you once owned.

Then you will be famous

everywhere on this earth.

I, the LORD, have spoken!

“You have always been,

and you always will be

the holy God.

You had the right

to judge in this way.

₆They poured out the blood

of your people

and your prophets.

So you gave them blood

to drink, as they deserve!”

₇After this, I heard

the altar shout,

“Yes, Lord God All-Powerful,

your judgments are honest

and fair.”