Isaiah 30:3 - Prayer Tents

Isaiah 30

A Useless Treaty with Egypt

30The LORD has spoken: "Those who rule Judah are doomed because they rebel against me. They follow plans that I did not make, and sign treaties against my will, piling one sin on another.H1945H5637H1121H5002H3068H6213H6098H5258H4541H7307H5595H2403H24032They go to Egypt for help without asking for my advice. They want Egypt to protect them, so they put their trust in Egypt's king.H1980H3381H4714H7592H6310H5810H4581H6547H2620H6738H47143But the king will be powerless to help them, and Egypt's protection will end in disaster.H4581H6547H1322H2622H6738H4714H36394Although their ambassadors have already arrived at the Egyptian cities of Zoan and Hanes,H8269H6814H4397H5060H26095the people of Judah will regret that they ever trusted that unreliable nation, a nation that fails them when they expect help."H3001H5971H3276H5828H3276H1322H27816This is God's message about the animals of the southern desert: "The ambassadors travel through dangerous country, where lions live and where there are poisonous snakes and flying dragons. They load their donkeys and camels with expensive gifts for a nation that cannot give them any help.H4853H929H5045H776H6869H6695H3833H3918H660H8314H5774H8314H5375H2428H3802H5895H214H1707H1581H5971H32767The help that Egypt gives is useless. So I have nicknamed Egypt, 'The Harmless Dragon.' "H4714H5826H1892H7385H7121H2063H1992H7293H7674

The Disobedient People

8God told me to write down in a book what the people are like, so that there would be a permanent record of how evil they are.H935H3789H3871H2710H5612H3117H314H5704H5703H57699They are always rebelling against God, always lying, always refusing to listen to the LORD's teachings.H4805H5971H3586H1121H1121H14H8085H8451H306810They tell the prophets to keep quiet. They say, "Don't talk to us about what's right. Tell us what we want to hear. Let us keep our illusions.H559H7200H7200H2374H2372H5229H1696H2513H2372H412311Get out of our way and stop blocking our path. We don't want to hear about your holy God of Israel."H5493H1870H5186H734H6918H3478H7673H644012But this is what the holy God of Israel says: "You ignore what I tell you and rely on violence and deceit.H559H6918H3478H3988H1697H982H6233H3868H817213You are guilty. You are like a high wall with a crack running down it; suddenly you will collapse.H5771H6556H5307H1158H7682H2346H7667H935H6597H662114You will be shattered like a clay pot, so badly broken that there is no piece big enough to pick up hot coals with or to dip water from a cistern."H7665H7667H3335H5035H3807H2550H4672H4386H2789H2846H784H3344H2834H4325H136015The Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says to the people, "Come back and quietly trust in me. Then you will be strong and secure." But you refuse to do it.H559H136H3069H6918H3478H7729H5183H3467H8252H985H1369H1416Instead, you plan to escape from your enemies by riding fast horses. And you are right - escape is what you will have to do! You think your horses are fast enough, but those who pursue you will be faster!H559H5127H5483H5127H7392H7031H7291H704317A thousand of you will run away when you see one enemy soldier, and five soldiers will be enough to make you all run away. Nothing will be left of your army except a lonely flagpole on the top of a hill.H259H505H6440H1606H259H6440H1606H2568H5127H3498H8650H7218H2022H5251H138918And yet the LORD is waiting to be merciful to you. He is ready to take pity on you because he always does what is right. Happy are those who put their trust in the LORD.H3068H2442H2603H7311H7355H3068H430H4941H835H2442

God Will Bless His People

19You people who live in Jerusalem will not weep any more. The LORD is compassionate, and when you cry to him for help, he will answer you.H5971H3427H6726H3389H1058H1058H2603H2603H6963H2199H8085H603020The Lord will make you go through hard times, but he himself will be there to teach you, and you will not have to search for him any more.H136H5414H3899H6862H4325H3906H3384H3670H5869H7200H338421If you wander off the road to the right or the left, you will hear his voice behind you saying, "Here is the road. Follow it."H241H8085H1697H310H559H1870H3212H541H804122You will take your idols plated with silver and your idols covered with gold, and will throw them away like filth, shouting, "Out of my sight!"H2930H6826H6456H3701H642H4541H2091H2219H1739H559H331823Whenever you plant your crops, the Lord will send rain to make them grow and will give you a rich harvest, and your livestock will have plenty of pasture.H5414H4306H2233H2232H127H3899H8393H127H1879H8082H3117H4735H7462H7337H373324The oxen and donkeys that plow your fields will eat the finest and best fodder.H504H5895H5647H127H398H2548H1098H2219H7371H421425On the day when the forts of your enemies are captured and their people are killed, streams of water will flow from every mountain and every hill.H1364H2022H5375H1389H6388H2988H4325H3117H7227H2027H4026H530726The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter than usual, like the light of seven days in one. This will all happen when the LORD bandages and heals the wounds he has given his people.H216H3842H216H2535H216H2535H7659H216H7651H3117H3117H3068H2280H7667H5971H7495H4273H4347

God Will Punish Assyria

27The LORD's power and glory can be seen in the distance. Fire and smoke show his anger. He speaks, and his words burn like fire.H8034H3068H935H4801H1197H639H4858H3514H8193H4390H2195H3956H398H78428He sends the wind in front of him like a flood that carries everything away. It sweeps nations to destruction and puts an end to their evil plans.H7307H7857H5158H2673H6677H5130H1471H5299H7723H7448H3895H5971H858229But you, God's people, will be happy and sing as you do on the night of a sacred festival. You will be as happy as those who walk to the music of flutes on their way to the Temple of the LORD, the defender of Israel.H7892H3915H6942H2282H6942H8057H3824H1980H2485H935H2022H3068H6697H347830The LORD will let everyone hear his majestic voice and feel the force of his anger. There will be flames, cloudbursts, hailstones, and torrents of rain.H3068H1935H6963H8085H7200H5183H2220H2197H639H3851H398H784H5311H2230H68H125931The Assyrians will be terrified when they hear the LORD's voice and feel the force of his punishment.H6963H3068H804H2865H5221H762632As the LORD strikes them again and again, his people will keep time with the music of drums and harps. God himself will fight against the Assyrians.H3605H4145H4294H4569H3068H5117H8596H3658H4421H8573H389833Long ago a place was prepared where a huge fire will burn the emperor of Assyria. It is deep and wide, and piled high with wood. The LORD will breathe out a stream of flame to set it on fire.H8613H6186H865H4428H3559H6009H7337H4071H784H7235H6086H5397H3068H5158H1614H1197