Day 233 of My 3rd Bible Study Journey - 21 August 2023 reflections
Day 233, 21 August 2023
1) Jeremiah 49,50
Jeremiah 49
Judgment on Ammon
1 (Dt 23:3; 2Ch 20:1) Concerning the Ammonites:
Thus says the Lord:
Does Israel have no sons?
Or has he no heirs?
Why then does their king inherit Gad
and his people dwell in his cities?
2 (Jer 4:19; Dt 3:11) Therefore, surely the days are coming,
says the Lord,
when I will cause an alarm of war
to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites;
and it will be a desolate heap,
and her towns will be burned with fire.
Then Israel will be heir
to those who were his heirs,
says the Lord.
3 (Jer 48:7; Isa 15:2) Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai has been devastated!
Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah,
gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament,
and run to and fro inside the walls;
for their king shall go into captivity,
and his priests and his officials together.
4 (Jer 9:23; 21:13) Why do you glory in the valleys,
your flowing valley,
O backsliding daughter
who trusts in her treasures, saying,
"Who shall come against me?"
5 (Jer 46:5; 49:29) I will bring a fear upon you,
says the Lord God of Hosts,
from all those who are around you;
and each of you will be driven out headlong,
and no one will gather together the fugitives.
6 (Jer 48:47; 49:39) Yet afterward I will restore the fortunes
of the sons of Ammon,
says the Lord.
Judgment on Edom
Ob 1-6
7 (Ge 25:30; 36:11) Concerning Edom.
Thus says the Lord of Hosts:
Is there no more wisdom in Teman?
Has counsel perished from the prudent?
Has their wisdom vanished?
8 (Jer 25:23; 46:21) Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths,
O inhabitants of Dedan.
For I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him,
the time that I punish him.
9 (Ob 1:5-6) If grape gatherers came to you,
would they not leave some gleaning grapes?
If thieves came by night,
they would destroy until they had enough.
10 (Isa 17:14; Mal 1:3-4) But I have made Esau bare,
I have uncovered his secret places
so that he will not be able to hide himself.
His seed is devastated, and his brothers, and his neighbors,
and he is no more.
11 (Ps 68:5; Hos 14:3) Leave your fatherless children behind.
I will preserve them alive;
and let your widows trust in Me.
12 (Jer 25:28-29; Ob 1:16) For thus says the Lord: They whose judgment
was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunk. And are you the one
who shall go unpunished altogether? You will not go unpunished,
but you will surely drink of it.
13 (Ge 22:16; 36:33) For I have sworn by Myself, says the Lord, that Bozrah
will become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. And
all the cities will become perpetual wastes.
14 (Isa 30:4) I have heard a message from the Lord,
and an ambassador has been sent to the nations:
"Gather together, and come against her,
and rise up to the battle!"
15 For I will make you small among the nations,
and despised among men.
16 (Job 39:27; Am 9:2) As for the terror of you,
the pride of your heart has deceived you,
O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
who hold the height of the hill.
Though you make your nest as high as the eagle,
I will bring you down from there,
says the Lord.
17 (Jer 50:13; Eze 35:7) Also Edom will become a desolation;
everyone who goes by it will be astonished,
and will hiss at all its wounds.
18 (Dt 29:23; Jer 49:33) As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah
and the neighboring cities,
says the Lord,
no man will abide there,
nor will a son of man dwell in it.
19 (Jer 12:5; Ex 15:11) He will come up like a lion from the thickets
of the Jordan against the perpetually watered meadow;
but I will suddenly make him run away from her.
And I will appoint over her whomever I choose.
For who is like Me? And who will summon Me into court?
Who is the shepherd who can stand against Me?
20 (Jer 50:45; Mal 1:3-4; Jer 49:7) Therefore hear the counsel
of the Lord that He has planned against Edom,
and His purposes that He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman:
Surely the least of the flock will drag them out;
surely He will make their habitations desolate because of them.
21 (Jer 50:46) The earth has shaken at the noise of their fall;
there is an outcry. Its noise has been heard at the Red Sea.
22 (Jer 48:40-41; Isa 13:8) He will mount up and fly as the eagle
and spread his wings against Bozrah;
and in that day the hearts of the mighty men of Edom
will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
Judgment on Damascus
23 (2Ki 18:34; Isa 10:9) Concerning Damascus:
Hamath and Arpad have been humiliated,
for they have heard bad news.
They are faint-hearted;
there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quieted.
24 Damascus has become helpless;
she has turned away to flee,
and panic has seized her.
Anguish and sorrows have seized her
as a woman in labor.
25 (Jer 33:9; 51:41) How the city of praise has not been deserted,
the city of My joy!
26 (Jer 50:30; 11:22) Therefore her young men will fall in her streets,
and all the men of war will be cut off in that day,
says the Lord of Hosts.
27 (1Ki 15:18-20; Am 1:3-5) I will kindle a fire to the wall of Damascus,
and it will consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad.
Judgment on Kedar and Hazor
28 (Ge 25:13; Jdg 6:3) Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor,
which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated:
Thus says the Lord:
Arise, go up to Kedar,
and destroy the men of the East.
29 (Jer 6:25; 46:5) Their tents and their flocks they will take away.
They will carry away their curtains for themselves,
and all their vessels, and their camels;
and they will call out to one another,
"Terror is on every side!"
30 (Jer 25:9; 27:6) Flee, go far away,
dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Hazor,
says the Lord.
For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you,
and has conceived a purpose against you.
31 (Eze 38:11; Nu 23:9) Arise, go up to the nation at ease,
that dwells securely,
says the Lord.
It has neither gates nor bars;
they dwell alone.
32 (Jer 9:26; 25:23) Their camels will become plunder,
and the multitude of their cattle booty.
And I will scatter into all winds those who cut the corners of their hair,
and I will bring their calamity from all sides,
says the Lord.
33 (Jer 9:11; 10:22) Hazor will become a dwelling for jackals
and a desolation forever.
No man will abide there,
nor any son of man dwell in it.
Jeremiah 49
[1] Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath
he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in
his cities?
[2] Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an
alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a
desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall
Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.
[3] Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird
you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king
shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.
[4] Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O
backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come
unto me?
[5] Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts, from
all those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right
forth; and none shall gather up him that wandereth.
[6] And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon,
saith the LORD.
[7] Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in
Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?
[8] Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring
the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him.
[9] If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning
grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough.
[10] But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he
shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren,
and his neighbours, and he is not.
[11] Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy
widows trust in me.
[12] For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink
of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go
unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.
[13] For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a
desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof
shall be perpetual wastes.
[14] I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the
heathen, saying, Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to
the battle.
[15] For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among
men.
[16] Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O
thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the
hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring
thee down from thence, saith the LORD.
[17] Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be
astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.
[18] As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities
thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of
man dwell in it.
[19] Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan
against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him run away
from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is
like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that
will stand before me?
[20] Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against
Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of
Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall
make their habitations desolate with them.
[21] The earth is moved at the noise of their fall, at the cry the noise
thereof was heard in the Red sea.
[22] Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings
over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as
the heart of a woman in her pangs.
[23] Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have
heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it
cannot be quiet.
[24] Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath
seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
[25] How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
[26] Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of
war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
[27] And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume
the palaces of Ben-hadad.
[28] Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the LORD; Arise ye,
go up to Kedar, and spoil the men of the east.
[29] Their tents and their flocks shall they take away: they shall take to
themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels; and they
shall cry unto them, Fear is on every side.
[30] Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith the
LORD; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you,
and hath conceived a purpose against you.
[31] Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without care,
saith the LORD, which have neither gates nor bars, which dwell alone.
[32] And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a
spoil: and I will scatter into all winds them that are in the utmost
corners; and I will bring their calamity from all sides thereof, saith the
LORD.
[33] And Hazor shall be a dwelling for dragons, and a desolation for ever:
there shall no man abide there, nor any son of man dwell in it.
Judgment on Elam
34 (Ge 10:22; 14:1) The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah
the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah
king of Judah, saying:
35 (Isa 22:6; Ps 46:9) Thus says the Lord of Hosts:
I will break the bow of Elam,
the chief of their might.
36Jer 49:32; Eze 5:10 Upon Elam I will bring the four winds
from the four quarters of heaven,
and will scatter them toward all those winds.
And there will be no nation
where the outcasts of Elam will not go.
37 (Jer 9:16; 48:2) For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies,
and before those who seek their life.
And I will bring disaster upon them,
even My fierce anger,
says the Lord;
and I will send the sword after them
until I have consumed them.
38 And I will set My throne in Elam
and will destroy from there the king and the officials,
says the Lord.
39 (Jer 48:47) But it will come to pass in the latter days
that I will restore the fortunes of Elam,
says the Lord.
[34] The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in
the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
[35] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the
chief of their might.
[36] And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of
heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no
nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.
[37] For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before
them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them even my fierce
anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have
consumed them:
[38] And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king
and the princes, saith the LORD.
[39] But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again
the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 50
Judgment on Babylon
Jer 10:12-16
1 (Isa 13:1-3; 14:4) The word that the Lord spoke against Babylon
and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet:
2 (Isa 46:1; 21:9; Jer 51:44) Declare among the nations and publish,
and set up a standard;
do not conceal it, but say,
Babylon has been captured.
Bel has been humiliated.
Marduk has been broken in pieces;
her idols have been humiliated;
her images have been broken in pieces.
3 (Zep 1:3; Jer 50:9) For out of the north there comes up a nation
against her,
which will make her land desolate,
and no one will dwell in it.
They will wander away;
they will depart,
both man and beast.
4 (Hos 3:5; 1:11) In those days and at that time,
says the Lord,
the sons of Israel will come,
they and the children of Judah together.
They will go along weeping as they go,
and seek the Lord their God.
5 (Jer 32:40; Isa 55:3; Heb 8:6-10) They will ask for the way to Zion
with their faces in its direction.
They will come that they may join themselves to the Lord
in a perpetual covenant
that will not be forgotten.
6 (Isa 53:6; Mt 9:36) My people have been lost sheep.
Their shepherds have caused them to go astray;
they have turned them away on the mountains.
They have gone from mountain to hill
and have forgotten their resting place.
7 (Jer 14:8; 2:3) All who found them have devoured them,
and their adversaries said, "We are not guilty,
because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice,
even the Lord, the hope of their fathers."
8 (Isa 48:20; Jer 51:6) Wander away out of the midst of Babylon,
and go out of the land of the Chaldeans,
and be as the male goats before the flocks.
9 For I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon
an assembly of great nations from the north country.
And they shall set themselves in array against her;
from there she shall be taken captive.
Their arrows will be like those of a skilled warrior;
no one shall return empty-handed.
10 (Jer 25:12) Chaldea will become plunder;
all who destroy her will be satisfied,
says the Lord.
11 (Isa 47:6) Because you were glad, because you rejoiced,
O you destroyers of My heritage,
because you have grown fat as the heifer at the grass,
and bellow as bulls,
12 (Jer 51:43) your mother will be sorely humiliated;
she who bore you will be ashamed.
She will be the least of the nations,
a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
13 (Jer 18:16; 49:17) Because of the wrath of the Lord
she will not be inhabited,
but shall be wholly desolate.
Everyone who goes by Babylon will be astonished
and hiss at all her wounds.
14 (Jer 50:29; 50:7; 50:9) Put yourselves in battle array
against Babylon all around,
all you who bend the bow;
shoot at her, spare no arrows,
for she has sinned against the Lord.
15 (Jer 51:58; 46:10) Shout against her all around;
she has given herself up, her foundations have fallen,
her walls have been thrown down.
For this is the vengeance of the Lord.
Take vengeance on her;
as she has done, do to her.
16 (Isa 13:14; Jer 46:16) Cut off the sower from Babylon,
and him who handles the sickle in the time of harvest.
For fear of the oppressing sword
everyone will turn to his people,
and everyone will flee to his own land.
17 (Jer 2:15; 2Ki 18:9-13) Israel is a scattered flock.
The lions have driven him away.
First the king of Assyria
devoured him;
and this last one who has broken his bones
is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
18 (Isa 10:12) Therefore thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel:
I will punish the king of Babylon and his land,
as I have punished the king of Assyria.
19 (Jer 31:6; Eze 34:13-14) I will bring Israel again to his habitation,
and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan,
and his soul will be satisfied
upon Mount Ephraim and Gilead.
20 (Mic 7:19; Jer 31:34; Isa 1:9) In those days and at that time,
says the Lord,
the iniquity of Israel will be sought for,
and there shall be none.
And the sins of Judah,
but they shall not be found;
for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.
21 (Eze 23:23) Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it,
and against the inhabitants of Pekod.
Slay and utterly destroy them,
says the Lord,
and do according to all that I have commanded you.
22 (Jer 4:19-21; 51:54-56) A noise of battle is in the land,
and great destruction.
23 (Jer 51:20-24) How the hammer of the whole earth
has been cut asunder and broken!
How Babylon has become a desolation
among the nations!
24 (Job 9:4; Da 5:30-31) I have laid a snare for you,
and you were also caught, O Babylon,
and you were not aware.
You have been found, and also caught,
because you have striven against the Lord.
25 (Jer 51:25; 51:55) The Lord has opened His armory
and has brought out the weapons of His indignation,
for this is the work of the Lord God of Hosts
in the land of the Chaldeans.
26 (Isa 14:23; 45:3) Come against her from the utmost border,
open her storehouses;
cast her up as heaps and destroy her utterly;
let nothing of her be left.
27 (Isa 34:7; Jer 46:21) Slay all her bulls,
let them go down to the slaughter.
Woe to them! For their day has come,
the time of their punishment.
28 (Isa 48:20; Jer 50:15) There is the sound of those who flee
and escape out of the land of Babylon,
to declare in Zion
the vengeance of the Lord our God,
the vengeance of His temple.
29 (Isa 47:10; Jer 51:56) Call together the archers against Babylon.
All you who bend the bow,
encamp against it all around;
let no one escape.
Recompense her according to her work;
according to all that she has done, do to her,
for she has been proud against the Lord,
against the Holy One of Israel.
30 (Jer 49:26; 9:21) Therefore her young men shall fall in the streets,
and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day,
says the Lord.
31 (Jer 21:13; 50:29) I am against you, O most proud,
says the Lord God of Hosts,
for your day has come,
the time when I will punish you.
32 (Jer 21:14; 49:27) The most proud will stumble and fall,
and no one will raise him up;
and I will kindle a fire in his cities,
and it will devour all all around him.
33 (Isa 14:17; 58:6) Thus says the Lord of Hosts:
The sons of Israel and the sons of Judah
were oppressed together;
and all who took them captives held them fast;
they refused to let them go.
34 (Jer 51:36; Isa 43:14) Their Redeemer is strong;
the Lord of Hosts is His name.
He will thoroughly plead their case,
that He may give rest to the land,
but disquiet to the inhabitants of Babylon.
35 (Jer 47:6; 51:57) A sword is against the Chaldeans,
says the Lord,
and against the inhabitants of Babylon,
and against her officials, and against her wise men.
36 (Jer 49:22; Isa 44:25) A sword is against the oracle priests,
and they will become fools.
A sword is against her mighty men,
and they shall be dismayed.
37 (Jer 51:30; 25:20) A sword is against their horses,
and against their chariots,
and against all the foreigners who are in her midst;
and they will become as women.
A sword is against her treasures,
and they will be robbed.
38 (Isa 44:27; Jer 50:2) A drought is against her waters,
and they will be dried up.
For it is the land of graven images,
and they are mad over their idols.
39 (Isa 13:20-22; Rev 18:2) Therefore the wild beasts of the desert
with the wild beasts of the islands will dwell there,
and the ostriches will dwell in it.
It will be inhabited no more forever,
nor will it be lived in from generation to generation.
40 (Ge 19:24-25; Jer 49:18) As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah
and the neighboring cities,
says the Lord,
so no man will abide there,
nor will any son of man dwell in it.
41 (Jer 51:27-28; Isa 13:2-5) Look! A people shall come from the north
and a great nation, and many kings
will be raised up from the remote parts of the earth.
42 (Isa 5:30; 13:17-18) They will hold the bow and the lance;
they are cruel and will not show mercy.
Their voice shall roar like the sea;
and they shall ride on horses,
everyone put in array, like a man to the battle,
against you, O daughter of Babylon.
43 (Jer 49:24; 51:31) The king of Babylon has heard the report of them,
and his hands waxed feeble.
Anguish took hold of him,
and pangs as of a woman in labor.
44 (Jer 49:19-21) He will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan
to the perpetually watered meadow.
But I will make them suddenly run away from it,
and whoever is chosen I will appoint over it.
For who is like Me? And who will summon Me into court?
And who is the shepherd that can stand before Me?
45 (Jer 49:20; 51:10-11) Therefore hear the counsel of the Lord
that He has planned against Babylon,
and His purposes that He has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans:
Surely the least of the flock will drag them out.
Surely He will make their habitation desolate because of them.
46 (Jer 49:21; Eze 26:18) At the shout,
"Babylon has been seized!" the earth is shaken,
and the outcry is heard among the nations.
Jeremiah 50
[1] The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the
Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.
[2] Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach
is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in
pieces.
[3] For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall
make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove,
they shall depart, both man and beast.
[4] In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel
shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they
shall go, and seek the LORD their God.
[5] They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying,
Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that
shall not be forgotten.
[6] My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go
astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from
mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.
[7] All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We
offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of
justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.
[8] Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the
Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.
[9] For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly
of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in
array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as
of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
[10] And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied,
saith the LORD.
[11] Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine
heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as
bulls;
[12] Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be
ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry
land, and a desert.
[13] Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it
shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be
astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.
[14] Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend
the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.
[15] Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations
are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD:
take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.
[16] Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the
time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one
to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.
[17] Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the
king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of
Babylon hath broken his bones.
[18] Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I
will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of
Assyria.
[19] And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on
Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and
Gilead.
[20] In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel
shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and
they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
[21] Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the
inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD,
and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
[22] A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
[23] How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is
Babylon become a desolation among the nations!
[24] I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and
thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast
striven against the LORD.
[25] The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of
his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land
of the Chaldeans.
[26] Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her
up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.
[27] Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto
them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.
[28] The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to
declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his
temple.
[29] Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow,
camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her
according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for
she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
[30] Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of
war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.
[31] Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of
hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
[32] And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up:
and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about
him.
[33] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children
of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them
fast; they refused to let them go.
[34] Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall
throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet
the inhabitants of Babylon.
[35] A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants
of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.
[36] A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her
mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.
[37] A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the
mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women:
a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
[38] A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the
land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.
[39] Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the
islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be
no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to
generation.
[40] As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof,
saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man
dwell therein.
[41] Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and
many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
[42] They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not
shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon
horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O
daughter of Babylon.
[43] The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed
feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
[44] Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto
the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from
her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like
me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will
stand before me?
[45] Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against
Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the
Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he
shall make their habitation desolate with them.
[46] At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry
is heard among the nations.
2) Our Daily Bread for 21 August 2023 titled
The Gift of Encouragement
1 Samuel 23:14-23, 1 Thessalonians 5:11
14 (Ps 54:3-4; Jos 15:24) And David remained in the wilderness
in strongholds, and dwelled in mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph.
Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
15 Now David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life.
And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh.
16 (Ne 2:18) Jonathan, the son of Saul, arose and went to David at Horesh.
And he strengthened his hand in God.
17 (1Sa 20:31; 24:20) He said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul
my father will not find you. You will be king over Israel,
and I will be next to you. Saul my father knows this."
18 (1Sa 18:3; 20:42) The two of them made a covenant before the Lord.
And David stayed in Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.
19 (1Sa 26:1; 26:3; Ps 54:1-7) Then the Ziphites went up to Saul to Gibeah
saying, "Is David not hiding himself with us in strongholds in Horesh,
on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon?
20 (1Sa 23:12) Now, O king, come down according to all the desire of
your soul to come down. And our part will be
to deliver him into the king's hand."
21 (1Sa 22:8) Saul said, "Blessed are you of the Lord.
For you have had compassion on me.
22 Please go, make sure again. Investigate and see the place where his foot
rests, and who has seen him there. For it has been said to me
that he is very cunning.
23 So look and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself.
And come to me with certainty, and I will go with you.
And it will be that if he is in the land,
then I will track him throughout all the clans of Judah."
[14] And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a
mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God
delivered him not into his hand.
[15] And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in
the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
[16] And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and
strengthened his hand in God.
[17] And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall
not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto
thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
[18] And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the
wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
[19] Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David
hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah,
which is on the south of Jeshimon?
[20] Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy
soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's
hand.
[21] And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.
[22] Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt
is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very
subtilly.
[23] See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he
hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go
with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will
search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
11 (Eph 4:29; Heb 10:25) So comfort yourselves together,
and edify one another, just as you are doing.
[11] Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as
also ye do.
"Your bees are swarming!" My wife stuck her head inside the door and gave me
news no beekeeper wants to hear. I ran outside to see thousands of bees
flying up from the hive to the top of a tall pine, never to return.
I was a little behind in reading the clues that the hive was about to swarm;
more than a week of storms had hampered my inspections. The morning the
storms ended, the bees left. The colony was new and healthy, and the bees
were actually dividing the colony to start a new one. "Don't be hard on
yourself," an experienced beekeeper told me cheerfully after seeing my
disappointment. "This can happen to anyone!"
Encouragement is a winsome gift. When David was disheartened because Saul was
pursuing him to take his life, Saul's son Jonathan encouraged David. "Don't
be afraid," Jonathan said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You
will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul
knows this" (1 Samuel 23:17).
Those are surprisingly selfless words from someone next in line to the throne.
It's likely Jonathan recognized that God was with David, so he spoke out of a
humble heart of faith.
All around us are people who need encouragement. God will help us help them
as we humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to love them through us.
By: James Banks
Reflect & Pray
Who do you know who needs encouragement?
How might you humbly serve them today?
Dear God, You give me eternal encouragement and good hope.
Help me to show Your love to someone today.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 5 Rejoice in Grace - Day 2 The Wardrobe of Joy Isaiah 61:10
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me
with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself
with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
On her wedding day, the bride dresses carefully for the ceremony
that is about to take place. Never before has she spent so much
time in preparation for one relatively brief event. When she
looks in the mirror and rejoices in her happiness, she responds not
out of vanity, but for sheer joy as she anticipates the coming ceremony.
God wants his people, lie that bride to be joyful, to rejoice in the Lord,
the Bridegroom. And he gives, through his grace,
the garments of joy to his beloved ones.
He clothes us, Isaiah says, with salvation, and covers us with
the robe of righteousness. The wardrobe that God provides is not merely
a utility garment, a coverall that hides our sin from his eyes.
It is his own righteousness in Christ, given to us as a free gift, so that
we might be united with him. And God himself, Isaiah says,
is filled with joy, adorning himself like a bridegroom.
When we truly see God's immeasurable gift in accepting us as him own,
we also will "greatly rejoice" in the Lord. He, the eternal god,
Creator of the universe, desires to be united with us, as a husband
desires his wife! God does not simply accept us grudgingly,
reminding us of our unworthiness to be with him. Rather, he celebrates
with unrestrained joy his oneness in Spirit with those he calls his own.
And we, having been fully forgiven
and set free from sin, can rejoice unashamedly as well.
Application
a) Have I ever felt ashamed to draw close to God? Why?
b) What does this verse tell me about God's attitude towards me?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
3 John 2
2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be
in good health, even as your soul is well.
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health,
even as thy soul prospereth.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Inexhaustible Strength
Is 40:27-31
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and assert, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my justice escapes the notice of my God"?
28 (Ps 147:5; Ge 21:33; Isa 57:15) Have you not known?
Have you not heard,
that the everlasting God, the Lord,
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
does not faint, nor is He weary?
His understanding is inscrutable.
29 (Isa 41:10) He gives power to the faint,
and to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 (Isa 9:17) Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
and the young men shall utterly fall,
31 (2Co 4:16; Ps 103:5; Ex 19:4) but those who wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
and they shall walk and not faint.
27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid
from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God,
the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not,
neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might
he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall
utterly fall:
31 but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
New Brunswick
Total population 753900
Muslim population (est.) 4543
Moncton, followed by Fredericton and Saint John, each have a growing Muslim
population in New Brunswick, In 2007, the building that was formerly a Baptist
church was converted into Moncton's 1st mosque. The University of Moncton
also has a Muslim student association hosting prayer services, fellowship
getherings, and outreaches on campus.
Fredericton also has one mosque and a Muslim student association serving the
campuses of the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University.
Fredericton's Muslim population consists in 2014 of about 50 families,
and between 300 to 400 university students.
Saint John is home to the 1st Muslim Association for the province,
which also helped foster the Islamic associations of Fredericton and Moncton.
a 'musalla', or prayer location that is not officially structured as a mosque,
has been established in the Uptown area with the intention of seeing it grow
into a 2nd official place of Muslim worship. Demand for this new location has
been primarily for university students moving into the area.
Pray for Muslims and New Brunswick
- that the eyes of pastors, believers and entire congregations will be opened
to see this growing body of Muslims, and their hearts will be opened
to sharing God's love in Jesus Christ with them
- that intentional ministries to Muslims will grow and flourish in these
areas of concentration
- that cooperative CNNMM Networks will form to really, encourage,
and equip believers to lovingly reach Muslims in this province.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
And
Thank you for praying through the
5 Days of Prayer for Sikhs.
"My name is Kam. I'm 29 years of age, and I grew up Sikh. As a teenager,
I struggled with depression, brokenness, and addiction to
cannabis. I didn't know how to stop or how to get help.
Then a friend invited me to church. As I spent time with Christians
and heard the message of the Gospel, I experienced the
love of Jesus Christ, and it was like nothing I'd known before.
One night I had a dream where I saw Him - a figure surrounded by
light who I knew was Jesus, the light of the world.
As I began to understand the gospel message, I encountered a reassuring and
confident solution to the problem of sin. I knew that I needed a solution
to my sin problem, and I gave my life to Christ.
Slowly, God began to heal my broken heart and my addiction.
Nine years have passed, and I am a devoted husband and a father
to two beautiful boys. I grow deeper in love with Jesus each day.
I ask you to continue praying with me, and others around the world, for Sikhs.
God is the only one who can draw people to Himself. He works in and through
the prayers of His people. I want Sikhs to know the freedom
and healing that is only available through Jesus Christ."
13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that
ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
ROMANS 15:13
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
17th Day of the Month
a) Pray for the safety of those
who live in your community -
safety from conflict an crimes
( Ps 122:7 - 7 Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
21st Day of the Month
a) Pray for the leaders our educational system, that they would
have wisdom and make God honouring decisions
(
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that you make
supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and thanksgivings for everyone,
2 for kings and for all who are in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life
in all godliness and honesty,
)
b) Pray that those who serve in law enforcement will have the resources
they need and the vigilance their work requires.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray for justice for the world and
a prayer of intervention in your country.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear God, You give me eternal encouragement and good hope.
Help me to show Your love to someone today."
Pray to the Lord and pray to the Lord to know how to draw close to Him.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Him to give you Health.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Him to give you strength.
Pray for Muslims and New Brunswick
- that the eyes of pastors, believers and entire congregations will be opened
to see this growing body of Muslims, and their hearts will be opened
to sharing God's love in Jesus Christ with them
- that intentional ministries to Muslims will grow and flourish in these
areas of concentration
- that cooperative CNNMM Networks will form to really, encourage,
and equip believers to lovingly reach Muslims in this province.
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray for the leaders our educational system, that they would
have wisdom and make God honouring decisions
Pray that those who serve in law enforcement will have the resources
they need and the vigilance their work requires.
Pray that followers of Christ in Mauritania can safely gather for worship,
fellowship and discipleship.
Pray for creative approaches to evangelism in the Maldives.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.
1) Jeremiah 49,50
Jeremiah 49
Judgment on Ammon
1 (Dt 23:3; 2Ch 20:1) Concerning the Ammonites:
Thus says the Lord:
Does Israel have no sons?
Or has he no heirs?
Why then does their king inherit Gad
and his people dwell in his cities?
2 (Jer 4:19; Dt 3:11) Therefore, surely the days are coming,
says the Lord,
when I will cause an alarm of war
to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites;
and it will be a desolate heap,
and her towns will be burned with fire.
Then Israel will be heir
to those who were his heirs,
says the Lord.
3 (Jer 48:7; Isa 15:2) Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai has been devastated!
Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah,
gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament,
and run to and fro inside the walls;
for their king shall go into captivity,
and his priests and his officials together.
4 (Jer 9:23; 21:13) Why do you glory in the valleys,
your flowing valley,
O backsliding daughter
who trusts in her treasures, saying,
"Who shall come against me?"
5 (Jer 46:5; 49:29) I will bring a fear upon you,
says the Lord God of Hosts,
from all those who are around you;
and each of you will be driven out headlong,
and no one will gather together the fugitives.
6 (Jer 48:47; 49:39) Yet afterward I will restore the fortunes
of the sons of Ammon,
says the Lord.
Judgment on Edom
Ob 1-6
7 (Ge 25:30; 36:11) Concerning Edom.
Thus says the Lord of Hosts:
Is there no more wisdom in Teman?
Has counsel perished from the prudent?
Has their wisdom vanished?
8 (Jer 25:23; 46:21) Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths,
O inhabitants of Dedan.
For I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him,
the time that I punish him.
9 (Ob 1:5-6) If grape gatherers came to you,
would they not leave some gleaning grapes?
If thieves came by night,
they would destroy until they had enough.
10 (Isa 17:14; Mal 1:3-4) But I have made Esau bare,
I have uncovered his secret places
so that he will not be able to hide himself.
His seed is devastated, and his brothers, and his neighbors,
and he is no more.
11 (Ps 68:5; Hos 14:3) Leave your fatherless children behind.
I will preserve them alive;
and let your widows trust in Me.
12 (Jer 25:28-29; Ob 1:16) For thus says the Lord: They whose judgment
was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunk. And are you the one
who shall go unpunished altogether? You will not go unpunished,
but you will surely drink of it.
13 (Ge 22:16; 36:33) For I have sworn by Myself, says the Lord, that Bozrah
will become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. And
all the cities will become perpetual wastes.
14 (Isa 30:4) I have heard a message from the Lord,
and an ambassador has been sent to the nations:
"Gather together, and come against her,
and rise up to the battle!"
15 For I will make you small among the nations,
and despised among men.
16 (Job 39:27; Am 9:2) As for the terror of you,
the pride of your heart has deceived you,
O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
who hold the height of the hill.
Though you make your nest as high as the eagle,
I will bring you down from there,
says the Lord.
17 (Jer 50:13; Eze 35:7) Also Edom will become a desolation;
everyone who goes by it will be astonished,
and will hiss at all its wounds.
18 (Dt 29:23; Jer 49:33) As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah
and the neighboring cities,
says the Lord,
no man will abide there,
nor will a son of man dwell in it.
19 (Jer 12:5; Ex 15:11) He will come up like a lion from the thickets
of the Jordan against the perpetually watered meadow;
but I will suddenly make him run away from her.
And I will appoint over her whomever I choose.
For who is like Me? And who will summon Me into court?
Who is the shepherd who can stand against Me?
20 (Jer 50:45; Mal 1:3-4; Jer 49:7) Therefore hear the counsel
of the Lord that He has planned against Edom,
and His purposes that He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman:
Surely the least of the flock will drag them out;
surely He will make their habitations desolate because of them.
21 (Jer 50:46) The earth has shaken at the noise of their fall;
there is an outcry. Its noise has been heard at the Red Sea.
22 (Jer 48:40-41; Isa 13:8) He will mount up and fly as the eagle
and spread his wings against Bozrah;
and in that day the hearts of the mighty men of Edom
will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
Judgment on Damascus
23 (2Ki 18:34; Isa 10:9) Concerning Damascus:
Hamath and Arpad have been humiliated,
for they have heard bad news.
They are faint-hearted;
there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quieted.
24 Damascus has become helpless;
she has turned away to flee,
and panic has seized her.
Anguish and sorrows have seized her
as a woman in labor.
25 (Jer 33:9; 51:41) How the city of praise has not been deserted,
the city of My joy!
26 (Jer 50:30; 11:22) Therefore her young men will fall in her streets,
and all the men of war will be cut off in that day,
says the Lord of Hosts.
27 (1Ki 15:18-20; Am 1:3-5) I will kindle a fire to the wall of Damascus,
and it will consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad.
Judgment on Kedar and Hazor
28 (Ge 25:13; Jdg 6:3) Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor,
which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated:
Thus says the Lord:
Arise, go up to Kedar,
and destroy the men of the East.
29 (Jer 6:25; 46:5) Their tents and their flocks they will take away.
They will carry away their curtains for themselves,
and all their vessels, and their camels;
and they will call out to one another,
"Terror is on every side!"
30 (Jer 25:9; 27:6) Flee, go far away,
dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Hazor,
says the Lord.
For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you,
and has conceived a purpose against you.
31 (Eze 38:11; Nu 23:9) Arise, go up to the nation at ease,
that dwells securely,
says the Lord.
It has neither gates nor bars;
they dwell alone.
32 (Jer 9:26; 25:23) Their camels will become plunder,
and the multitude of their cattle booty.
And I will scatter into all winds those who cut the corners of their hair,
and I will bring their calamity from all sides,
says the Lord.
33 (Jer 9:11; 10:22) Hazor will become a dwelling for jackals
and a desolation forever.
No man will abide there,
nor any son of man dwell in it.
Jeremiah 49
[1] Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath
he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in
his cities?
[2] Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an
alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a
desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall
Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.
[3] Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird
you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king
shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.
[4] Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O
backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come
unto me?
[5] Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts, from
all those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right
forth; and none shall gather up him that wandereth.
[6] And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon,
saith the LORD.
[7] Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in
Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?
[8] Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring
the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him.
[9] If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning
grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough.
[10] But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he
shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren,
and his neighbours, and he is not.
[11] Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy
widows trust in me.
[12] For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink
of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go
unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.
[13] For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a
desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof
shall be perpetual wastes.
[14] I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the
heathen, saying, Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to
the battle.
[15] For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among
men.
[16] Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O
thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the
hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring
thee down from thence, saith the LORD.
[17] Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be
astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.
[18] As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities
thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of
man dwell in it.
[19] Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan
against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him run away
from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is
like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that
will stand before me?
[20] Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against
Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of
Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall
make their habitations desolate with them.
[21] The earth is moved at the noise of their fall, at the cry the noise
thereof was heard in the Red sea.
[22] Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings
over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as
the heart of a woman in her pangs.
[23] Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have
heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it
cannot be quiet.
[24] Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath
seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
[25] How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
[26] Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of
war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
[27] And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume
the palaces of Ben-hadad.
[28] Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the LORD; Arise ye,
go up to Kedar, and spoil the men of the east.
[29] Their tents and their flocks shall they take away: they shall take to
themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels; and they
shall cry unto them, Fear is on every side.
[30] Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith the
LORD; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you,
and hath conceived a purpose against you.
[31] Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without care,
saith the LORD, which have neither gates nor bars, which dwell alone.
[32] And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a
spoil: and I will scatter into all winds them that are in the utmost
corners; and I will bring their calamity from all sides thereof, saith the
LORD.
[33] And Hazor shall be a dwelling for dragons, and a desolation for ever:
there shall no man abide there, nor any son of man dwell in it.
Judgment on Elam
34 (Ge 10:22; 14:1) The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah
the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah
king of Judah, saying:
35 (Isa 22:6; Ps 46:9) Thus says the Lord of Hosts:
I will break the bow of Elam,
the chief of their might.
36Jer 49:32; Eze 5:10 Upon Elam I will bring the four winds
from the four quarters of heaven,
and will scatter them toward all those winds.
And there will be no nation
where the outcasts of Elam will not go.
37 (Jer 9:16; 48:2) For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies,
and before those who seek their life.
And I will bring disaster upon them,
even My fierce anger,
says the Lord;
and I will send the sword after them
until I have consumed them.
38 And I will set My throne in Elam
and will destroy from there the king and the officials,
says the Lord.
39 (Jer 48:47) But it will come to pass in the latter days
that I will restore the fortunes of Elam,
says the Lord.
[34] The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in
the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
[35] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the
chief of their might.
[36] And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of
heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no
nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.
[37] For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before
them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them even my fierce
anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have
consumed them:
[38] And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king
and the princes, saith the LORD.
[39] But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again
the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 50
Judgment on Babylon
Jer 10:12-16
1 (Isa 13:1-3; 14:4) The word that the Lord spoke against Babylon
and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet:
2 (Isa 46:1; 21:9; Jer 51:44) Declare among the nations and publish,
and set up a standard;
do not conceal it, but say,
Babylon has been captured.
Bel has been humiliated.
Marduk has been broken in pieces;
her idols have been humiliated;
her images have been broken in pieces.
3 (Zep 1:3; Jer 50:9) For out of the north there comes up a nation
against her,
which will make her land desolate,
and no one will dwell in it.
They will wander away;
they will depart,
both man and beast.
4 (Hos 3:5; 1:11) In those days and at that time,
says the Lord,
the sons of Israel will come,
they and the children of Judah together.
They will go along weeping as they go,
and seek the Lord their God.
5 (Jer 32:40; Isa 55:3; Heb 8:6-10) They will ask for the way to Zion
with their faces in its direction.
They will come that they may join themselves to the Lord
in a perpetual covenant
that will not be forgotten.
6 (Isa 53:6; Mt 9:36) My people have been lost sheep.
Their shepherds have caused them to go astray;
they have turned them away on the mountains.
They have gone from mountain to hill
and have forgotten their resting place.
7 (Jer 14:8; 2:3) All who found them have devoured them,
and their adversaries said, "We are not guilty,
because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice,
even the Lord, the hope of their fathers."
8 (Isa 48:20; Jer 51:6) Wander away out of the midst of Babylon,
and go out of the land of the Chaldeans,
and be as the male goats before the flocks.
9 For I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon
an assembly of great nations from the north country.
And they shall set themselves in array against her;
from there she shall be taken captive.
Their arrows will be like those of a skilled warrior;
no one shall return empty-handed.
10 (Jer 25:12) Chaldea will become plunder;
all who destroy her will be satisfied,
says the Lord.
11 (Isa 47:6) Because you were glad, because you rejoiced,
O you destroyers of My heritage,
because you have grown fat as the heifer at the grass,
and bellow as bulls,
12 (Jer 51:43) your mother will be sorely humiliated;
she who bore you will be ashamed.
She will be the least of the nations,
a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
13 (Jer 18:16; 49:17) Because of the wrath of the Lord
she will not be inhabited,
but shall be wholly desolate.
Everyone who goes by Babylon will be astonished
and hiss at all her wounds.
14 (Jer 50:29; 50:7; 50:9) Put yourselves in battle array
against Babylon all around,
all you who bend the bow;
shoot at her, spare no arrows,
for she has sinned against the Lord.
15 (Jer 51:58; 46:10) Shout against her all around;
she has given herself up, her foundations have fallen,
her walls have been thrown down.
For this is the vengeance of the Lord.
Take vengeance on her;
as she has done, do to her.
16 (Isa 13:14; Jer 46:16) Cut off the sower from Babylon,
and him who handles the sickle in the time of harvest.
For fear of the oppressing sword
everyone will turn to his people,
and everyone will flee to his own land.
17 (Jer 2:15; 2Ki 18:9-13) Israel is a scattered flock.
The lions have driven him away.
First the king of Assyria
devoured him;
and this last one who has broken his bones
is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
18 (Isa 10:12) Therefore thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel:
I will punish the king of Babylon and his land,
as I have punished the king of Assyria.
19 (Jer 31:6; Eze 34:13-14) I will bring Israel again to his habitation,
and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan,
and his soul will be satisfied
upon Mount Ephraim and Gilead.
20 (Mic 7:19; Jer 31:34; Isa 1:9) In those days and at that time,
says the Lord,
the iniquity of Israel will be sought for,
and there shall be none.
And the sins of Judah,
but they shall not be found;
for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.
21 (Eze 23:23) Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it,
and against the inhabitants of Pekod.
Slay and utterly destroy them,
says the Lord,
and do according to all that I have commanded you.
22 (Jer 4:19-21; 51:54-56) A noise of battle is in the land,
and great destruction.
23 (Jer 51:20-24) How the hammer of the whole earth
has been cut asunder and broken!
How Babylon has become a desolation
among the nations!
24 (Job 9:4; Da 5:30-31) I have laid a snare for you,
and you were also caught, O Babylon,
and you were not aware.
You have been found, and also caught,
because you have striven against the Lord.
25 (Jer 51:25; 51:55) The Lord has opened His armory
and has brought out the weapons of His indignation,
for this is the work of the Lord God of Hosts
in the land of the Chaldeans.
26 (Isa 14:23; 45:3) Come against her from the utmost border,
open her storehouses;
cast her up as heaps and destroy her utterly;
let nothing of her be left.
27 (Isa 34:7; Jer 46:21) Slay all her bulls,
let them go down to the slaughter.
Woe to them! For their day has come,
the time of their punishment.
28 (Isa 48:20; Jer 50:15) There is the sound of those who flee
and escape out of the land of Babylon,
to declare in Zion
the vengeance of the Lord our God,
the vengeance of His temple.
29 (Isa 47:10; Jer 51:56) Call together the archers against Babylon.
All you who bend the bow,
encamp against it all around;
let no one escape.
Recompense her according to her work;
according to all that she has done, do to her,
for she has been proud against the Lord,
against the Holy One of Israel.
30 (Jer 49:26; 9:21) Therefore her young men shall fall in the streets,
and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day,
says the Lord.
31 (Jer 21:13; 50:29) I am against you, O most proud,
says the Lord God of Hosts,
for your day has come,
the time when I will punish you.
32 (Jer 21:14; 49:27) The most proud will stumble and fall,
and no one will raise him up;
and I will kindle a fire in his cities,
and it will devour all all around him.
33 (Isa 14:17; 58:6) Thus says the Lord of Hosts:
The sons of Israel and the sons of Judah
were oppressed together;
and all who took them captives held them fast;
they refused to let them go.
34 (Jer 51:36; Isa 43:14) Their Redeemer is strong;
the Lord of Hosts is His name.
He will thoroughly plead their case,
that He may give rest to the land,
but disquiet to the inhabitants of Babylon.
35 (Jer 47:6; 51:57) A sword is against the Chaldeans,
says the Lord,
and against the inhabitants of Babylon,
and against her officials, and against her wise men.
36 (Jer 49:22; Isa 44:25) A sword is against the oracle priests,
and they will become fools.
A sword is against her mighty men,
and they shall be dismayed.
37 (Jer 51:30; 25:20) A sword is against their horses,
and against their chariots,
and against all the foreigners who are in her midst;
and they will become as women.
A sword is against her treasures,
and they will be robbed.
38 (Isa 44:27; Jer 50:2) A drought is against her waters,
and they will be dried up.
For it is the land of graven images,
and they are mad over their idols.
39 (Isa 13:20-22; Rev 18:2) Therefore the wild beasts of the desert
with the wild beasts of the islands will dwell there,
and the ostriches will dwell in it.
It will be inhabited no more forever,
nor will it be lived in from generation to generation.
40 (Ge 19:24-25; Jer 49:18) As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah
and the neighboring cities,
says the Lord,
so no man will abide there,
nor will any son of man dwell in it.
41 (Jer 51:27-28; Isa 13:2-5) Look! A people shall come from the north
and a great nation, and many kings
will be raised up from the remote parts of the earth.
42 (Isa 5:30; 13:17-18) They will hold the bow and the lance;
they are cruel and will not show mercy.
Their voice shall roar like the sea;
and they shall ride on horses,
everyone put in array, like a man to the battle,
against you, O daughter of Babylon.
43 (Jer 49:24; 51:31) The king of Babylon has heard the report of them,
and his hands waxed feeble.
Anguish took hold of him,
and pangs as of a woman in labor.
44 (Jer 49:19-21) He will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan
to the perpetually watered meadow.
But I will make them suddenly run away from it,
and whoever is chosen I will appoint over it.
For who is like Me? And who will summon Me into court?
And who is the shepherd that can stand before Me?
45 (Jer 49:20; 51:10-11) Therefore hear the counsel of the Lord
that He has planned against Babylon,
and His purposes that He has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans:
Surely the least of the flock will drag them out.
Surely He will make their habitation desolate because of them.
46 (Jer 49:21; Eze 26:18) At the shout,
"Babylon has been seized!" the earth is shaken,
and the outcry is heard among the nations.
Jeremiah 50
[1] The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the
Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.
[2] Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach
is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in
pieces.
[3] For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall
make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove,
they shall depart, both man and beast.
[4] In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel
shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they
shall go, and seek the LORD their God.
[5] They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying,
Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that
shall not be forgotten.
[6] My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go
astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from
mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.
[7] All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We
offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of
justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.
[8] Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the
Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.
[9] For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly
of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in
array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as
of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
[10] And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied,
saith the LORD.
[11] Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine
heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as
bulls;
[12] Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be
ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry
land, and a desert.
[13] Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it
shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be
astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.
[14] Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend
the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.
[15] Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations
are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD:
take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.
[16] Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the
time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one
to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.
[17] Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the
king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of
Babylon hath broken his bones.
[18] Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I
will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of
Assyria.
[19] And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on
Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and
Gilead.
[20] In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel
shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and
they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
[21] Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the
inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD,
and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
[22] A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
[23] How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is
Babylon become a desolation among the nations!
[24] I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and
thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast
striven against the LORD.
[25] The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of
his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land
of the Chaldeans.
[26] Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her
up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.
[27] Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto
them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.
[28] The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to
declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his
temple.
[29] Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow,
camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her
according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for
she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
[30] Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of
war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.
[31] Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of
hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
[32] And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up:
and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about
him.
[33] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children
of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them
fast; they refused to let them go.
[34] Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall
throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet
the inhabitants of Babylon.
[35] A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants
of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.
[36] A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her
mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.
[37] A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the
mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women:
a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
[38] A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the
land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.
[39] Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the
islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be
no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to
generation.
[40] As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof,
saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man
dwell therein.
[41] Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and
many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
[42] They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not
shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon
horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O
daughter of Babylon.
[43] The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed
feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
[44] Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto
the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from
her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like
me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will
stand before me?
[45] Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against
Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the
Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he
shall make their habitation desolate with them.
[46] At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry
is heard among the nations.
2) Our Daily Bread for 21 August 2023 titled
The Gift of Encouragement
1 Samuel 23:14-23, 1 Thessalonians 5:11
14 (Ps 54:3-4; Jos 15:24) And David remained in the wilderness
in strongholds, and dwelled in mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph.
Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
15 Now David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life.
And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh.
16 (Ne 2:18) Jonathan, the son of Saul, arose and went to David at Horesh.
And he strengthened his hand in God.
17 (1Sa 20:31; 24:20) He said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul
my father will not find you. You will be king over Israel,
and I will be next to you. Saul my father knows this."
18 (1Sa 18:3; 20:42) The two of them made a covenant before the Lord.
And David stayed in Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.
19 (1Sa 26:1; 26:3; Ps 54:1-7) Then the Ziphites went up to Saul to Gibeah
saying, "Is David not hiding himself with us in strongholds in Horesh,
on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon?
20 (1Sa 23:12) Now, O king, come down according to all the desire of
your soul to come down. And our part will be
to deliver him into the king's hand."
21 (1Sa 22:8) Saul said, "Blessed are you of the Lord.
For you have had compassion on me.
22 Please go, make sure again. Investigate and see the place where his foot
rests, and who has seen him there. For it has been said to me
that he is very cunning.
23 So look and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself.
And come to me with certainty, and I will go with you.
And it will be that if he is in the land,
then I will track him throughout all the clans of Judah."
[14] And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a
mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God
delivered him not into his hand.
[15] And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in
the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
[16] And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and
strengthened his hand in God.
[17] And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall
not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto
thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
[18] And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the
wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
[19] Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David
hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah,
which is on the south of Jeshimon?
[20] Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy
soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's
hand.
[21] And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.
[22] Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt
is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very
subtilly.
[23] See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he
hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go
with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will
search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
11 (Eph 4:29; Heb 10:25) So comfort yourselves together,
and edify one another, just as you are doing.
[11] Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as
also ye do.
"Your bees are swarming!" My wife stuck her head inside the door and gave me
news no beekeeper wants to hear. I ran outside to see thousands of bees
flying up from the hive to the top of a tall pine, never to return.
I was a little behind in reading the clues that the hive was about to swarm;
more than a week of storms had hampered my inspections. The morning the
storms ended, the bees left. The colony was new and healthy, and the bees
were actually dividing the colony to start a new one. "Don't be hard on
yourself," an experienced beekeeper told me cheerfully after seeing my
disappointment. "This can happen to anyone!"
Encouragement is a winsome gift. When David was disheartened because Saul was
pursuing him to take his life, Saul's son Jonathan encouraged David. "Don't
be afraid," Jonathan said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You
will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul
knows this" (1 Samuel 23:17).
Those are surprisingly selfless words from someone next in line to the throne.
It's likely Jonathan recognized that God was with David, so he spoke out of a
humble heart of faith.
All around us are people who need encouragement. God will help us help them
as we humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to love them through us.
By: James Banks
Reflect & Pray
Who do you know who needs encouragement?
How might you humbly serve them today?
Dear God, You give me eternal encouragement and good hope.
Help me to show Your love to someone today.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 5 Rejoice in Grace - Day 2 The Wardrobe of Joy Isaiah 61:10
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me
with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself
with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
On her wedding day, the bride dresses carefully for the ceremony
that is about to take place. Never before has she spent so much
time in preparation for one relatively brief event. When she
looks in the mirror and rejoices in her happiness, she responds not
out of vanity, but for sheer joy as she anticipates the coming ceremony.
God wants his people, lie that bride to be joyful, to rejoice in the Lord,
the Bridegroom. And he gives, through his grace,
the garments of joy to his beloved ones.
He clothes us, Isaiah says, with salvation, and covers us with
the robe of righteousness. The wardrobe that God provides is not merely
a utility garment, a coverall that hides our sin from his eyes.
It is his own righteousness in Christ, given to us as a free gift, so that
we might be united with him. And God himself, Isaiah says,
is filled with joy, adorning himself like a bridegroom.
When we truly see God's immeasurable gift in accepting us as him own,
we also will "greatly rejoice" in the Lord. He, the eternal god,
Creator of the universe, desires to be united with us, as a husband
desires his wife! God does not simply accept us grudgingly,
reminding us of our unworthiness to be with him. Rather, he celebrates
with unrestrained joy his oneness in Spirit with those he calls his own.
And we, having been fully forgiven
and set free from sin, can rejoice unashamedly as well.
Application
a) Have I ever felt ashamed to draw close to God? Why?
b) What does this verse tell me about God's attitude towards me?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
3 John 2
2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be
in good health, even as your soul is well.
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health,
even as thy soul prospereth.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Inexhaustible Strength
Is 40:27-31
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and assert, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my justice escapes the notice of my God"?
28 (Ps 147:5; Ge 21:33; Isa 57:15) Have you not known?
Have you not heard,
that the everlasting God, the Lord,
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
does not faint, nor is He weary?
His understanding is inscrutable.
29 (Isa 41:10) He gives power to the faint,
and to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 (Isa 9:17) Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
and the young men shall utterly fall,
31 (2Co 4:16; Ps 103:5; Ex 19:4) but those who wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
and they shall walk and not faint.
27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid
from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God,
the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not,
neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might
he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall
utterly fall:
31 but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
New Brunswick
Total population 753900
Muslim population (est.) 4543
Moncton, followed by Fredericton and Saint John, each have a growing Muslim
population in New Brunswick, In 2007, the building that was formerly a Baptist
church was converted into Moncton's 1st mosque. The University of Moncton
also has a Muslim student association hosting prayer services, fellowship
getherings, and outreaches on campus.
Fredericton also has one mosque and a Muslim student association serving the
campuses of the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University.
Fredericton's Muslim population consists in 2014 of about 50 families,
and between 300 to 400 university students.
Saint John is home to the 1st Muslim Association for the province,
which also helped foster the Islamic associations of Fredericton and Moncton.
a 'musalla', or prayer location that is not officially structured as a mosque,
has been established in the Uptown area with the intention of seeing it grow
into a 2nd official place of Muslim worship. Demand for this new location has
been primarily for university students moving into the area.
Pray for Muslims and New Brunswick
- that the eyes of pastors, believers and entire congregations will be opened
to see this growing body of Muslims, and their hearts will be opened
to sharing God's love in Jesus Christ with them
- that intentional ministries to Muslims will grow and flourish in these
areas of concentration
- that cooperative CNNMM Networks will form to really, encourage,
and equip believers to lovingly reach Muslims in this province.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
And
Thank you for praying through the
5 Days of Prayer for Sikhs.
"My name is Kam. I'm 29 years of age, and I grew up Sikh. As a teenager,
I struggled with depression, brokenness, and addiction to
cannabis. I didn't know how to stop or how to get help.
Then a friend invited me to church. As I spent time with Christians
and heard the message of the Gospel, I experienced the
love of Jesus Christ, and it was like nothing I'd known before.
One night I had a dream where I saw Him - a figure surrounded by
light who I knew was Jesus, the light of the world.
As I began to understand the gospel message, I encountered a reassuring and
confident solution to the problem of sin. I knew that I needed a solution
to my sin problem, and I gave my life to Christ.
Slowly, God began to heal my broken heart and my addiction.
Nine years have passed, and I am a devoted husband and a father
to two beautiful boys. I grow deeper in love with Jesus each day.
I ask you to continue praying with me, and others around the world, for Sikhs.
God is the only one who can draw people to Himself. He works in and through
the prayers of His people. I want Sikhs to know the freedom
and healing that is only available through Jesus Christ."
13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that
ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
ROMANS 15:13
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
17th Day of the Month
a) Pray for the safety of those
who live in your community -
safety from conflict an crimes
( Ps 122:7 - 7 Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
21st Day of the Month
a) Pray for the leaders our educational system, that they would
have wisdom and make God honouring decisions
(
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that you make
supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and thanksgivings for everyone,
2 for kings and for all who are in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life
in all godliness and honesty,
)
b) Pray that those who serve in law enforcement will have the resources
they need and the vigilance their work requires.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray for justice for the world and
a prayer of intervention in your country.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear God, You give me eternal encouragement and good hope.
Help me to show Your love to someone today."
Pray to the Lord and pray to the Lord to know how to draw close to Him.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Him to give you Health.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Him to give you strength.
Pray for Muslims and New Brunswick
- that the eyes of pastors, believers and entire congregations will be opened
to see this growing body of Muslims, and their hearts will be opened
to sharing God's love in Jesus Christ with them
- that intentional ministries to Muslims will grow and flourish in these
areas of concentration
- that cooperative CNNMM Networks will form to really, encourage,
and equip believers to lovingly reach Muslims in this province.
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray for the leaders our educational system, that they would
have wisdom and make God honouring decisions
Pray that those who serve in law enforcement will have the resources
they need and the vigilance their work requires.
Pray that followers of Christ in Mauritania can safely gather for worship,
fellowship and discipleship.
Pray for creative approaches to evangelism in the Maldives.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.