Immerse: Prophets - Flipbook - Page 92
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IMMERSE
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PROPHETS
13:21–14:11
Desert animals will move into the ruined city,
and the houses will be haunted by howling creatures.
Owls will live among the ruins,
and wild goats will go there to dance.
Hyenas will howl in its fortresses,
and jackals will make dens in its luxurious palaces.
Babylon’s days are numbered;
its time of destruction will soon arrive.
But the Lord will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose
Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle
once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will
come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel. The nations
of the world will help the people of Israel to return, and those who come
to live in the Lord’s land will serve them. Those who captured Israel will
themselves be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies.
In that wonderful day when the Lord gives his people rest from sorrow
and fear, from slavery and chains, you will taunt the king of Babylon. You
will say,
“The mighty man has been destroyed.
Yes, your insolence is ended.
For the Lord has crushed your wicked power
and broken your evil rule.
You struck the people with endless blows of rage
and held the nations in your angry grip
with unrelenting tyranny.
But finally the earth is at rest and quiet.
Now it can sing again!
Even the trees of the forest—
the cypress trees and the cedars of Lebanon—
sing out this joyous song:
‘Since you have been cut down,
no one will come now to cut us down!’
“In the place of the dead there is excitement
over your arrival.
The spirits of world leaders and mighty kings long dead
stand up to see you.
With one voice they all cry out,
‘Now you are as weak as we are!
Your might and power were buried with you.
The sound of the harp in your palace has ceased.
