Isaiah 14; Isaiah 15; Isaiah 16; Ephesians 5:1-16

Isaiah 14

1 The LORD will have compassion for Jacob and again choose Israel. He will resettle them in their own country. Foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob.

2 People will take them and bring them to their own place. The nation of Israel will possess nations as male and female slaves in the LORD's land. They will take their captors captive and rule their oppressors.

3 When that day comes, the LORD will give you relief from your pain and suffering, from the hard slavery you were forced to do.

4 Then you will mock the king of Babylon with this saying, "How the tyrant has come to an end! How his attacks have come to an end!"

5 The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers.

6 They struck the people with fury, with blows that didn't stop. They ruled nations in anger, persecuting them without restraint.

7 The whole earth rests and is peaceful. It breaks out into shouts of joy.

8 Even the cypresses rejoice over you. The cedars of Lebanon say, "Since you have fallen, no lumberjack has come to attack us."

9 Sheol below wakes up to meet you when you come. It wakes up the ghosts of the dead, all who were leaders on earth. It raises all who were kings of the nations from their thrones.

10 All of them will greet you, "You also have become weak like us! You have become like one of us!"

11 Your pride has been brought down to Sheol along with the music of your harps. Maggots are spread out [like a bed] under you, and worms cover you.

12 How you have fallen from heaven, you morning star, son of the dawn! How you have been cut down to the ground, you conqueror of nations!

13 You thought, "I'll go up to heaven and set up my throne above God's stars. I'll sit on the mountain far away in the north where the gods assemble.

14 I'll go above the top of the clouds. I'll be like the Most High."

15 But you've been brought down to Sheol, to the deepest part of the pit.

16 Those who see you stare at you; they look at you closely and say, "Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook the kingdoms,

17 who made the world like a desert and tore down its cities, who didn't let his prisoners go home?"

18 All the kings of the nations, all of them, have been buried with honor, each in his own tomb.

19 But you are thrown out of your tomb like a rejected branch. You are covered with those who were killed in battle. You go down to the stones of the pit like a trampled corpse.

20 You won't be joined by the kings in the tomb, because you have destroyed your land and killed your people. The descendants of the wicked will never be mentioned again.

21 Prepare a place to slaughter their sons because of their ancestors' guilt. They won't be able to rise, possess the earth, and rebuild cities all over it.

22 "I'll rise up against them," declares the LORD of Armies. "I'll cut off the name of the survivors from Babylon, its offspring and descendants," declares the LORD.

23 "It will become the possession of herons. It will become pools of water. I'll sweep it with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD of Armies.

24 The LORD of Armies has taken an oath: "It will happen exactly as I've intended. It will turn out exactly as I've planned.

25 I'll crush Assyria on my land. I'll trample it underfoot on my mountains. Then its yoke will be removed from my people, and its burden will be removed from their shoulders."

26 This is the plan determined for the whole earth. This is how he will use his power against all the nations.

27 The LORD of Armies has planned it. Who can stop it? He is ready to use his power. Who can turn it back?

28 This was the divine revelation in the year King Ahaz died.

29 All you Philistines, don't rejoice that the rod of the one who struck you is broken, because a viper will come from that snake's root, and his descendant will be a flying, fiery serpent.

30 The poorest of the poor will eat, and the needy will lie down in safety. But I will put your root to death with famine and kill off your survivors.

31 Cry loudly in the gate! Cry out in the city! Be frightened, all you Philistines! Smoke comes from the north, and there are no stragglers in its ranks.

32 How should we answer the messengers from the nations? [Tell them that] the LORD has laid Zion's foundation, and his humble people will find refuge in it.

Isaiah 15

1 This is the divine revelation about Moab. In a single night Ar in Moab is laid waste and destroyed! In a single night Kir in Moab is laid waste and destroyed!

2 The people of Dibon go to the temple, to the worship sites, to cry. Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. Every head is shaved bald, and every beard is cut off.

3 In their streets they wear sackcloth. On their roofs and in their city squares everyone wails and cries.

4 Heshbon and Elealeh also cry out. Their voices are heard as far away as Jahaz. Moab's armed men cry out. Their courage is gone.

5 My heart cries out for Moab. Its people flee as far as Zoar at Eglath Shelishiyah. They go up the mountain road to Luhith. They cry loudly over the destruction on the way to Horonaim.

6 The Nimrim Brook has run dry! The grass dries up, the vegetation withers, and nothing green is left.

7 That is why they carry the wealth that they have earned and stored up over Willow Ravine.

8 Cries for help echo throughout the land of Moab. Their wailing echoes as far as Eglaim. Their wailing echoes as far as Beer Elim.

9 The water in Dimon is red with blood, yet I will bring even more on Dimon. A lion will attack the fugitives from Moab and the survivors from Adamah.

Isaiah 16

1 Send lambs to the ruler of the land. Send lambs from Sela through the desert to my people at Mount Zion.

2 Moab's daughters are like fluttering birds, like scattered nestlings, at the shallow crossings of the Arnon River.

3 Give us advice. Make a decision. At high noon make your shadow as dark as night. Hide the fugitives. Don't betray the refugees.

4 Let the fugitives from Moab stay with you a while. Be their refuge from the destroyer. Ruthless people will come to an end. The destruction will end. The one who tramples others will be gone.

5 Then the LORD will set up a trusted king. He will rule faithfully. He is from the tent of David. He judges and searches for justice. He is quick to do what is right.

6 We've heard of the arrogance of Moab's people. They are very arrogant. We've heard of their boasting, arrogance, and conceit, but their boasts aren't true.

7 That is why Moab will wail. Everyone will wail for Moab. Mourn and grieve over the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.

8 The fields of Heshbon and the vineyards of Sibmah wither. Rulers of the nations have cut off their grapes. The grapevines [once] reached as far as Jazer and strayed out into the desert. Their shoots had spread out over the sea.

9 I will cry for the grapevines of Sibmah as Jazer cries for them. I will drench you with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh. The shouts of joy for your ripened fruits and your harvest will be silenced.

10 Joy and delight have vanished from the orchards. No songs are sung. No shouts are raised. No one stomps on grapes in the winepresses, because I have put an end to the shouts of joy.

11 That is why my heart mourns for Moab like a harp. My soul mourns for Kir Hareseth.

12 When the people of Moab appear at the worship site, they will only wear themselves out. They will come into the holy place to pray, but they won't be able to.

13 This is the message that the LORD spoke about Moab in the past.

14 But now the LORD says, "Moab's honor will be despised within three years. I will count them like workers count the years left of their contracts. In spite of their great number, the survivors will be very few and powerless."

Ephesians 5:1-16

1 Imitate God, since you are the children he loves.

2 Live in love as Christ also loved us. He gave his life for us as an offering and sacrifice, a soothing aroma to God.

3 Don't let sexual sin, perversion of any kind, or greed even be mentioned among you. This is not appropriate behavior for God's holy people.

4 It's not right that dirty stories, foolish talk, or obscene jokes should be mentioned among you either. Instead, give thanks [to God].

5 You know very well that no person who is involved in sexual sin, perversion, or greed (which means worshiping wealth) can have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Don't let anyone deceive you with meaningless words. It is because of sins like these that God's anger comes to those who refuse to obey him.

7 Don't be partners with them.

8 Once you lived in the dark, but now the Lord has filled you with light. Live as children who have light.

9 Light produces everything that is good, that has God's approval, and that is true.

10 Determine which things please the Lord.

11 Have nothing to do with the useless works that darkness produces. Instead, expose them for what they are.

12 It is shameful to talk about what some people do in secret.

13 Light exposes the true character of everything

14 because light makes everything easy to see. That's why it says: "Wake up, sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

15 So then, be very careful how you live. Don't live like foolish people but like wise people.

16 Make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days.