To those who were lost and go astray, consider Your Shepherd who goes before you.

[SANTOSO]

This is what we have heard:
“Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may GO OUT BEFORE them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.””
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭27:15-17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, have you perceived Jesus Christ as Shepherd who goes out before you?

For we heard:
“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.””
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ, He is the Shepherd who goes before us. He will be with us, He will not leave us nor forsake us.

Beloved ones, perceive His loving kindness.

Beloved one, are you confused how He goes before us, yet He is with us ?
This is what we have heard:

“And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14:19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, perceive that our Shepherd goes before us, and that He is with us. He does not leave nor forsake us when Pharaoh and his army chased after Israel.

Beloved ones, who were lost and go astray, perceive Your Shepherd goes before you. For we heard :
do not fear nor be dismayed.””
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, perceive that our Shepherd goes before us and our Shepherd with us.

We fear not because our Shepherd goes before us and our Shepherd with us.

We don’t be dismayed or we don’t fear because of unexpected situations, because
our Shepherd goes before us and our Shepherd with us.

Remember what our Lord said :
““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.

The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10:11-16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, let the words of our Shepherd comfort us. Let us keep the words of loving kindness and tender mercies close to our hearts.

May God’s steadfast love and peace be with you.
To God be glory through Christ Jesus. Amen

 

[Jeshu]

Indeed brother we only have One good Shepard and His name is Jesus.

John 10:11-18
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

What i find important to understand in our inner battle for righteousness, is that our sheep we recognises the voice of Jesus, and He comes and leads us into green pastures, while in our goats/wilful sinner we perish very day a bit more.

For satan, that ugly accuser, and the devil, that horrible tempter of human hearts, has been exposed by Christ's light shining on us and we don't want to heed those voices inside our hearts and minds no longer, in favour of finding new life in God's loving truth.

Ephesians 4:2-13
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”


(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

 

[SANTOSO]

Beloved ones, perceive the Shepherd who goes before you ! Perceive His loving kindness and tender mercies !

This is what we have heard:
“‘I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭45:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

To those who were lost and go astray, consider what you have not considered before, that our Shepherd goes before us so that He make crooked places straight.

How do we perceive that He make crooked place STRAIGHT ? This is what we have heard:
“So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:11-19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved one, be filled with the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of His words will make your crooked places straight.

Beloved ones, perceive the Lord’s loving kindness and tender mercies to one like Saul of Tarsus who were lost and went astray.

Beloved ones, consider how our Shepherd will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron.

For we heard:
“Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Bound in affliction and irons—
Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And despised the counsel of the Most High, Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He has broken the gates of bronze, And cut the bars of iron in two.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107:10-16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, are the ones
Bound in affliction and irons—
Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And despised the counsel of the Most High.

Beloved ones, perceive
Our Shepherd’s loving kindness and tender mercies who has broken the gates of bronze, cut the bars of iron !

How ? This is what we have heard:
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.

Beloved ones, cry to your Shepherd in your troubles and trust that He will save you out of your distresses.

For also we heard:
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.
Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32:8-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, to be guided with our Shepherd’s eyes — or to be guided with the Spirit of our Shepherd—beloved ones, perceive His words through the Spirit.

How?This is what we have heard:
“For those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature, but those who identify with the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”
‭‭Romans (Rom)‬ ‭8:5‬ ‭CJB‬‬

How to identify with the Spirit? Consider what our Lord Himself have said:

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭6:63‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, perceive the words that Christ have spoken, perceive the Spirit of His words, and you will perceive His loving kindness and tender mercies.

May God’s grace and peace be with you.
To God be glory through Christ. Amen

 

[Jeshu]

Beloved ones, perceive the words that Christ have spoken, perceive the Spirit of His words, and you will perceive His loving kindness and tender mercies.

i have learned to understand that satan divided my heart within me through enticing me to rebel against God's truth but that the love of God through faith in Jesus Christ united my heart back into one unit of praise to God for doing that.

Psalm 86 tells us about the word doing this in believers hearts when they learn to love the truth of God.
Psalms 86
Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you.


You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me.


Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
For you are great and do marvellous deeds;
you alone are God.


Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.


Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
they have no regard for you.
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did.
Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

 

[SANTOSO]

To those who were lost and go astray, perceive the loving kindness of Your Shepherd. before you.For we heard:

““Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:10-12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, perceive the loving kindness of the Lord that He told his disciples to take heed not to despise you.

Though we may be considered as little ones, for we may be little of faith, consider our Shepherd’s loving heart, that He said to His disciples, that also the little ones may perceive, that in heaven our angels always see the face of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is in heaven.

Beloved ones, perceive the loving kindness and tender mercies of the Lord, the Father of all who send Christ to save you who were lost and go astray. Beloved ones, believe that He seek you that is straying.

What will He do when He find you ?

For we heard His compassionate heart:

“And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:13-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Even so, beloved ones, our Lord and Shepherd, Christ Jesus told us : “it is not the will of His Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

Beloved ones, be encouraged by our Shepherd’s loving kindness and tender mercies, that it is not His will that you should perish. Despite your circumstances and voices that you heard in your minds and hearts, stand to believe only what Christ believe.

For whatever things Christ believe, that will stand forever. Believe that He seek to find you and save you.

Beloved ones, let our Shepherd find you, and He will rejoice.

Thank God for His goodness to the children of man. Thank God for His wonderful works in Christ Jesus.
To God be glory and thanksgiving through Christ. Amen.

 

[Jeshu]

Even so, beloved ones, our Lord and Shepherd, Christ Jesus told us : “it is not the will of His Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

Amen brother. Not even one!

 

[SANTOSO]

Beloved ones, let Jesus be your Lord and God. For we heard:

“The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭1:30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, believe that He is the Lord your God who goes before you and He will fight for you. Yes, He is the same Lord and God who goes before our forefathers, He will fight for them, according to all He did for them in Egypt before their eyes.

Beloved ones, perceive Christ’s love that He fought for us.

Beloved ones, come back to your Lord and God.

To God the Father be thanksgiving through Christ. Amen

 

[SANTOSO]

Beloved ones, perceive your Shepherd’s loving kindness and tender mercies. Perceive the Lord’s goodness.

For we heard:
“For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭52:12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, believe that He is the Lord and your Shepherd who goes before you, that you
shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight and that He shall be your rear guard.

If you have gone out with haste or we t by flight, beloved ones, come back to your Lord.

Remember the Lord’s goodness that He goes before you and be your rear guard.
How awesome, that is.

To God the Father be thanksgiving through Christ. Amen.

 

[Jeshu]

Remember the Lord’s goodness that He goes before you and be your rear guard.
How awesome, that is.

Nothing more awesome than serving the Lord on our knees. Jesus saved us from our sins brother. Jesus gave us His flesh to eat and His blood to drink. And now we mourn the Lamb of God.

How long has our Lord been denied this planet? He paid for it thousands of years ago already, yet it is the hands of the godless!

Still it is written;
Ezekiel 31
In the eleventh year, in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

“‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?
Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,
with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
it towered on high,
its top above the thick foliage.
The waters nourished it,
deep springs made it grow tall;
their streams flowed
all around its base
and sent their channels
to all the trees of the field.
So it towered higher
than all the trees of the field;
its boughs increased
and its branches grew long,
spreading because of abundant waters.
All the birds of the sky
nested in its boughs,
all the animals of the wild
gave birth under its branches;
all the great nations
lived in its shade.
It was majestic in beauty,
with its spreading boughs,
for its roots went down
to abundant waters.
The cedars in the garden of God
could not rival it,
nor could the junipers
equal its boughs,
nor could the plane trees
compare with its branches—
no tree in the garden of God
could match its beauty.
I made it beautiful
with abundant branches,
the envy of all the trees of Eden
in the garden of God.


“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height, I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside, and the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys; its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it. All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches. Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined for death, for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.


“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away. I made the nations tremble at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled in the earth below. They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword, along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.


“‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendour and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.

“‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”


This is what we battle now my brother the life of God's Church is in the hands of evildoers. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send many workers out into the fields.

This is the fulfilment we are looking for, or not?
Psalms 22:22-28
I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honour him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.


From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfil my vows.
The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the Lord will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!


All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.

 

[Jeshu]

This is the fulfilment we are looking for, or not?
Psalms 22:22-28
I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honour him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.


From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfil my vows.
The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the Lord will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!


All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.

The king of Egypt and his hordes are attacking the house of God. However The Word told me that is to cleans God's Church, to separate the weed from the chaff, to see who loves our Lord sincerely, or who will follow world's way.

i see very dark clouds on the horizon. So many lies ruling. That simply can not turn out well.

Sadly so many believers who have not laid down their lives of sin. Yet i know what happens when Jesus comes - the thunders will resound then - no one escapes them i learned to understand.

However the great desolation coming up, faithful believers of Jesus, will not need to experience, rather there is an awesome promise for those who love the Lord sincerely, those who lay down their lives of sin, because such people are Jesus lovers and love the Lord more than sinful life. Repentance of sin is more important than ever!

Just see what Jesus showed me this afternoon while i was praying. With regards to the people who bear His Name.

Full of judgement in sin and full of promise in righteousness. He showed me a holy fire consuming all opposition to His loving truth. It was awesome to behold God's Holy Ones! Our Lord is going to purify His Church and we are allowed to participate as well. So humbled how this could be.
i have so longed to go to Church again. i haven't been able to go for years because of sickness, yet now i know our Lord's Bride will arise
Isaiah 65-66
“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;
I was found by those who did not seek me.
To a nation that did not call on my name,
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’
All day long I have held out my hands
to an obstinate people,
who walk in ways not good,
pursuing their own imaginations—
a people who continually provoke me
to my very face,
offering sacrifices in gardens
and burning incense on altars of brick;
who sit among the graves
and spend their nights keeping secret vigil;
who eat the flesh of pigs,
and whose pots hold broth of impure meat;
who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me,
for I am too sacred for you!’
Such people are smoke in my nostrils,
a fire that keeps burning all day.


“See, it stands written before me:
I will not keep silent but will pay back in full;
I will pay it back into their laps—
both your sins and the sins of your ancestors,”
says the Lord.
“Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains
and defied me on the hills,
I will measure into their laps
the full payment for their former deeds.”


This is what the Lord says:

“As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes
and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it,
there is still a blessing in it,’
so will I do in behalf of my servants;
I will not destroy them all.
I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
and from Judah those who will possess my mountains;
my chosen people will inherit them,
and there will my servants live.
Sharon will become a pasture for flocks,
and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds,
for my people who seek me.


“But as for you who forsake the Lord
and forget my holy mountain,
who spread a table for Fortune
and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,
I will destine you for the sword,
and all of you will fall in the slaughter;
for I called but you did not answer,
I spoke but you did not listen.
You did evil in my sight
and chose what displeases me.”


Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“My servants will eat,
but you will go hungry;
my servants will drink,
but you will go thirsty;
my servants will rejoice,
but you will be put to shame.
My servants will sing
out of the joy of their hearts,
but you will cry out
from anguish of heart
and wail in brokenness of spirit.
You will leave your name
for my chosen ones to use in their curses;
the Sovereign Lord will put you to death,
but to his servants he will give another name.
Whoever invokes a blessing in the land
will do so by the one true God;
whoever takes an oath in the land
will swear by the one true God.
For the past troubles will be forgotten
and hidden from my eyes.


“See, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.


“Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;
the one who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.
They will build houses and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
No longer will they build houses and others live in them,
or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,
so will be the days of my people;
my chosen ones will long enjoy
the work of their hands.
They will not labour in vain,
nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,
they and their descendants with them.
Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
and dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.

This is what the Lord says:

“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favour:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word.

But whoever sacrifices a bull
is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
is like one who presents pig’s blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense
is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,
and they delight in their abominations;
so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and will bring on them what they dread.
For when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil in my sight
and chose what displeases me.”


Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word:
“Your own people who hate you,
and exclude you because of my name, have said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
that we may see your joy!’
Yet they will be put to shame.
Hear that uproar from the city,
hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound of the Lord
repaying his enemies all they deserve.


“Before she goes into labour,
she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
she delivers a son.
Who has ever heard of such things?
Who has ever seen things like this?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labour
than she gives birth to her children.
Do I bring to the moment of birth
and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her.
For you will nurse and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance.”


For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”


When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes.
See, the Lord is coming with fire,
and his chariots are like a whirlwind;
he will bring down his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
For with fire and with his sword
the Lord will execute judgement on all people,
and many will be those slain by the Lord.


“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.


“And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.


“I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels. And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the Lord.


“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”