Through the Bible – Day 360

You say this isn't the right time to build a temple for me. But is it right for you to live in expensive houses, while my temple is a pile of ruins? Just look at what's happening. ₆You harvest less than you plant, you never have enough to eat or drink, your clothes don't keep you warm, and your wages are stored in bags full of holes.

₇Think about what I have said! ₈But first, go to the hills and get wood for my temple, so I can take pride in it and be worshipped there. ₉You expected much, but received only a little. And when you brought it home, I made that little disappear. Why have I done this? It's because you hurry off to build your own houses, while my temple is still in ruins. ₁₀That's also why the dew doesn't fall and your harvest fails. ₁₁And so, at my command everything will become barren—your farmland and pastures, your vineyards and olive trees, your animals and you yourselves. All your hard work will be for nothing.

₃Does anyone remember how glorious this temple used to be? Now it looks like nothing. ₄But cheer up! Because I, the LORD All-Powerful, will be here to help you with the work, ₅just as I promised your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt. Don't worry. My Spirit is here with you.

₆Soon I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. ₇I will shake the nations, and their treasures will be brought here. Then the brightness of my glory will fill this temple. ₈All silver and gold belong to me, ₉and I promise that this new temple will be more glorious than the first one. I will also bless this city with peace.

₁₂Suppose meat ready to be sacrificed to God is being carried in the folds of someone's clothing, and the clothing rubs against some bread or stew or wine or olive oil or any other food. Would those foods that were touched then become acceptable for sacrifice?

That's how it is with this entire nation. Everything you do and every sacrifice you offer is unacceptable to me. ₁₅But from now on, things will get better. Before you started laying the foundation for the temple, ₁₆you recalled what life was like in the past. When you wanted two hundred kilogrammes of wheat, there were only a hundred, and when you wanted fifty jars of wine, there were only twenty. ₁₇I made all your hard work useless by sending mildew, mould, and hail—but you still did not return to me, your LORD.

₁₈Today you have completed the foundation for my temple, so listen to what your future will be like. ₁₉Although you have not yet harvested any grain, grapes, figs, pomegranates, or olives, I will richly bless you in the days ahead.

₂₁Tell Governor Zerubbabel of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth ₂₂and wipe out kings and their kingdoms. I will overturn war chariots, and then cavalry troops will start slaughtering each other. ₂₃But tell my servant Zerubbabel that I, the LORD All-Powerful, have chosen him, and he will rule in my name.

Why are you so amazed? I will explain the mystery about this woman and about the beast she is sitting on, with its seven heads and ten horns. ₈The beast you saw is one that used to be and no longer is. It will come back from the deep pit, but only to be destroyed. Everyone on earth whose names were not written in the book of life before the time of creation will be amazed. They will see this beast that used to be and no longer is, but will be once more.

₉Anyone with wisdom can work this out. The seven heads that the woman is sitting on stand for seven hills. These heads are also seven kings. ₁₀Five of the kings are dead. One is ruling now, and the other one has not yet come. But when he does, he will rule for only a little while.

₁₁You also saw a beast that used to be and no longer is. That beast is one of the seven kings who will return as the eighth king, but only to be destroyed.

₁₂The ten horns that you saw are ten more kings, who have not yet come into power, and they will rule with the beast for only a short time. ₁₃They all think alike and will give their power and authority to the beast. ₁₄These kings will go to war against the Lamb. But he will defeat them, because he is Lord over all lords and King over all kings. His followers are chosen and special and faithful.

₁₅The oceans that you saw the prostitute sitting on are crowds of people from all races and languages. ₁₆The ten horns and the beast will start hating the shameless woman. They will strip off her clothes and leave her naked. Then they will eat her flesh and throw the rest of her body into a fire. ₁₇God is the one who made these kings all think alike and decide to give their power to the beast. And they will do this until what God has said comes true.

₁₈The woman you saw is the great city that rules over all kings on earth.