Exhortations to God’s suffering people
36 Listen to these things and understand them, you servants of the Lord.
37
Here is the Lord's word. Accept it. Don't disbelieve the things that the Lord speaks about.
38
Look, the disasters are approaching and won't be delayed.
39
A woman in the ninth month of pregnancy, when the hour for giving birth arrives, experiences great pains around her womb for two or three hours beforehand, but when the infant is ready to come forth from the womb she doesn't delay for a moment.
40
In the same way, these disasters won't delay to come forth on the earth, but the world will groan and pangs will envelop it.
41
Hear the word, my people. Prepare yourselves for battle, and in the midst of disasters be like strangers on earth.
42
Let the person who sells be like a person who is about to run away, and let the person who buys be like a person who is about to lose.
43
Let one who does business be as one who makes no profit; one who builds as one who won't get to live in the building;
44
one who sows as one who will not reap; one who prunes as one who will not harvest;
45
those who get married as people who will have no children; and those who don't marry as though they were widowed,
46
because those who toil, toil for no reason.
47
Foreigners will gather their fruits, plunder their wealth, knock down their houses, and take their children captive, for in captivity and hunger they will produce their offspring.
48
Those who transact business do so only to be plundered. The longer they adorn their cities and houses, possessions and persons,
49
the more I will be enraged against them on account of their sins, says the Lord.
50
Just as a proper and good woman is enraged at a woman who is promiscuous,
51
so justice will be enraged against sin when it tries to make itself beautiful, and will accuse it to its face since he who defends will come, hunting up sins on the earth.
52
Therefore, don't be like it or its ways.
53
Look, just a little longer and sin will be removed from the earth and justice will rule over us.
54
Let sinners not deny that they have sinned, for God will burn coals of fire over the head of those who say, "I haven't sinned before God and his glory."
55
Look, the Lord knows all the works of humanity, their devices, their plotting, and their hearts.
56
He said, "Let the earth be made," and it was made; "Let heaven be made" and it was made.
57
At his word the stars were established, and he knows their number.
58
He examines the abyss and its treasuries. He measures the sea and its contents.
59
He shut up the sea in the midst of the waters and suspended the earth over the waters by his word.
60
He stretched out the heaven like a vaulted ceiling and sank its pillars into the waters.
61
He put springs of water in the desert and lakes on the tops of mountains to send forth rivers from on high so that the earth might drink.
62
He formed the human being and put a heart in the middle of his body and gave him spirit, life, and intelligence
63
and the breath of God almighty, who made all things and examines the things that are hidden in dark corners.
64
He certainly knows your designs and what you think in your hearts. How terrible it will be for those who sin and want to hide their sins.
65
The Lord will certainly examine all their works and will put you all on parade.
66
You will be put to shame when your sins are paraded before people; your own sins will stand up as your accusers on that day.
67
What will you do? How will you hide your sins before God and his glory?
68
Look, God is judge. Fear him. Stop sinning and forget your wicked practices, never again to commit them. Then God will lead you out and deliver you from all tribulation.
69
Look, the rage of a large crowd will be stirred up against you. They will take some of you and try to feed you meat that was sacrificed to idols.
70
Those who consent to this will be mocked and disgraced by them and trampled underfoot.
71
There will be great uprisings against those who fear the Lord in many places and in neighboring cities.
72
People will be like maniacs on account of their own distress. They will spare no one, seeking to plunder and destroy those who still fear the Lord.
73
They will destroy and rob their possessions and throw them out of their own homes.
74
In that time, the genuine commitment of my chosen ones will be shown, as gold that is tested by fire.
75
Listen, my chosen ones, says the Lord, the days of distress are at hand, and I will deliver you from these.
76
Don't fear or hesitate, for God is your leader.
77
You who keep my commandments and precepts, says the Lord God, don't let your sins drag you down, and don't let wickedness get the upper hand over you.
78
How terrible it will be for those who are choked by their sins and covered over by their iniquities, as a field is choked by overgrowth and its paths are covered over by thorns so that a human being can't pass through. It is shut off and consigned to destruction by fire.