135 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
135 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
The LORD's Future Reign
|
|
|
|
# Chapter 4
|
|
1. In the last days, the mountain of the LORD's house
|
|
|
|
will be the highest of all--
|
|
|
|
the most important place on earth.
|
|
|
|
It will be raised above the other hills,
|
|
|
|
and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
|
|
|
|
|
|
2. People from many nations will come and say,
|
|
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
|
|
|
|
to the house of Jacob's God.
|
|
|
|
There he will teach us his ways,
|
|
|
|
and we will walk in his paths."
|
|
For the LORD's teaching will go out from Zion;
|
|
|
|
his word will go out from Jerusalem.
|
|
|
|
|
|
3. The LORD will mediate between peoples
|
|
|
|
and will settle disputes between strong nations far away.
|
|
|
|
They will hammer their swords into plowshares
|
|
|
|
and their spears into pruning hooks.
|
|
|
|
Nation will no longer fight against nation,
|
|
|
|
nor train for war anymore.
|
|
|
|
|
|
4. Everyone will live in peace and prosperity,
|
|
|
|
enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees,
|
|
|
|
for there will be nothing to fear.
|
|
The LORD of Heaven's Armies
|
|
|
|
has made this promise!
|
|
|
|
|
|
5. Though the nations around us follow their idols,
|
|
we will follow the LORD our God forever and ever.
|
|
|
|
Israel's Return from Exile
|
|
|
|
|
|
6. "In that coming day," says the LORD,
|
|
"I will gather together those who are lame,
|
|
|
|
those who have been exiles,
|
|
|
|
and those whom I have filled with grief.
|
|
|
|
|
|
7. Those who are weak will survive as a remnant;
|
|
|
|
those who were exiles will become a strong nation.
|
|
Then I, the LORD, will rule from Jerusalem
|
|
|
|
as their king forever."
|
|
|
|
|
|
8. As for you, Jerusalem,
|
|
the citadel of God's people,
|
|
your royal might and power
|
|
|
|
will come back to you again.
|
|
|
|
The kingship will be restored
|
|
|
|
to my precious Jerusalem.
|
|
|
|
|
|
9. But why are you now screaming in terror?
|
|
|
|
Have you no king to lead you?
|
|
Have your wise people all died?
|
|
|
|
Pain has gripped you like a woman in childbirth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
10. Writhe and groan like a woman in labor,
|
|
you people of Jerusalem,
|
|
for now you must leave this city
|
|
|
|
to live in the open country.
|
|
|
|
You will soon be sent in exile
|
|
|
|
to distant Babylon.
|
|
But the LORD will rescue you there;
|
|
|
|
he will redeem you from the grip of your enemies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
11. Now many nations have gathered against you.
|
|
|
|
"Let her be desecrated," they say.
|
|
"Let us see the destruction of Jerusalem."
|
|
|
|
12. But they do not know the LORD's thoughts
|
|
|
|
or understand his plan.
|
|
|
|
These nations don't know
|
|
|
|
that he is gathering them together
|
|
to be beaten and trampled
|
|
|
|
like sheaves of grain on a threshing floor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
13. "Rise up and crush the nations, O Jerusalem!"
|
|
says the LORD.
|
|
|
|
"For I will give you iron horns and bronze hooves,
|
|
|
|
so you can trample many nations to pieces.
|
|
You will present their stolen riches to the LORD,
|
|
|
|
their wealth to the Lord of all the earth."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|