Immerse: Prophets - Flipbook - Page 360
348
IMMERSE
•
PROPHETS
21:17-28
wherever you will,
wherever you want.
I, too, will clap my hands,
and I will satisfy my fury.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Then this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, make a map
and trace two routes on it for the sword of Babylon’s king to follow. Put
a signpost on the road that comes out of Babylon where the road forks
into two—one road going to Ammon and its capital, Rabbah, and the
other to Judah and fortified Jerusalem. The king of Babylon now stands
at the fork, uncertain whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbah. He calls his
magicians to look for omens. They cast lots by shaking arrows from the
quiver. They inspect the livers of animal sacrifices. The omen in his right
hand says, ‘Jerusalem!’ With battering rams his soldiers will go against
the gates, shouting for the kill. They will put up siege towers and build
ramps against the walls. The people of Jerusalem will think it is a false
omen, because of their treaty with the Babylonians. But the king of Bab
ylon will remind the people of their rebellion. Then he will attack and
capture them.
“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Again and again you
remind me of your sin and your guilt. You don’t even try to hide it! In
everything you do, your sins are obvious for all to see. So now the time of
your punishment has come!
“O you corrupt and wicked prince of Israel, your final day of reckoning
is here! This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“Take off your jeweled crown,
for the old order changes.
Now the lowly will be exalted,
and the mighty will be brought down.
Destruction! Destruction!
I will surely destroy the kingdom.
And it will not be restored until the one appears
who has the right to judge it.
Then I will hand it over to him.
“And now, son of man, prophesy concerning the Ammonites and their
mockery. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“A sword, a sword
is drawn for your slaughter.