Jeremiah 5
5"Patrol Jerusalem's streets. Look around. Take note. Search the market squares. See if you can find one man, one woman, A single soul who does what is right and tries to live a true life. I want to forgive that person." GOD's Decree.H7751H2351H3389H7200H3045H1245H7339H4672H376H3426H6213H4941H1245H530H55452"But if all they do is say, 'As sure as GOD lives . . . ' they're nothing but a bunch of liars."H559H3068H2416H7650H82673But you, GOD, you have an eye for truth, don't you? You hit them hard, but it didn't faze them. You disciplined them, but they refused correction. Hardheaded, harder than rock, they wouldn't change.H3068H5869H530H5221H2342H3615H3985H3947H4148H6440H2388H5553H3985H77254Then I said to myself, "Well, these are just poor people. They don't know any better. They were never taught anything about GOD. They never went to prayer meetings. I'll find some people from the best families.H559H1800H2973H3045H1870H3068H4941H4305I'll talk to them. They'll know what's going on, the way GOD works. They'll know the score." But they were no better! Rebels all! Off doing their own thing.H3212H1419H1696H3045H1870H3068H4941H430H3162H7665H5923H5423H41476The invaders are ready to pounce and kill, like a mountain lion, a wilderness wolf, Panthers on the prowl. The streets aren't safe anymore. And why? Because the people's sins are piled sky-high; their betrayals are past counting.H738H3293H5221H2061H6160H7703H5246H8245H5892H3318H2007H2963H6588H7231H4878H61057"Why should I even bother with you any longer? Your children wander off, leaving me, Taking up with gods that aren't even gods. I satisfied their deepest needs, and then they went off with the 'sacred' whores, left me for orgies in sex shrines!H335H5545H2063H1121H5800H7650H3808H430H7650H5003H1413H2181H10048A bunch of well-groomed, lusty stallions, each one pawing and snorting for his neighbor's wife.H2109H5483H7904H376H6670H7453H8029Do you think I'm going to stand around and do nothing?" GOD's Decree. "Don't you think I'll take serious measures against a people like this?H6485H5002H3068H5315H5358H147110"Go down the rows of vineyards and rip out the vines, but not all of them. Leave a few. Prune back those vines! That growth didn't come from GOD!H5927H8284H7843H6213H3617H5493H5189H306811They've betrayed me over and over again, Judah and Israel both." GOD's Decree.H1004H3478H1004H3063H898H898H5002H306812"They've spread lies about GOD. They've said, 'There's nothing to him. Nothing bad will happen to us, neither famine nor war will come our way.H3584H3068H559H7451H935H7200H2719H745813The prophets are all windbags. They speak nothing but nonsense.'"H5030H7307H1696H621314Therefore, this is what GOD said to me, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies: "Because they have talked this way, they are going to eat those words. Watch now! I'm putting my words as fire in your mouth. And the people are a pile of kindling ready to go up in flames.H559H3068H430H6635H1696H1697H5414H1697H6310H784H5971H6086H39815"Attention! I'm bringing a far-off nation against you, O house of Israel." GOD's Decree. "A solid nation, an ancient nation, A nation that speaks another language. You won't understand a word they say.H935H1471H4801H1004H3478H5002H3068H386H1471H5769H1471H1471H3956H3045H8085H169616When they aim their arrows, you're as good as dead. They're a nation of real fighters!H827H6605H6913H136817They'll clean you out of house and home, rob you of crops and children alike. They'll feast on your sheep and cattle, strip your vines and fig trees. And the fortresses that made you feel so safe— leveled with a stroke of the sword!H398H7105H3899H1121H1323H398H398H6629H1241H398H1612H8384H7567H4013H5892H2007H982H271918"Even then, as bad as it will be"—GOD's Decree!—"it will not be the end of the world for you.H3117H5002H3068H6213H361719And when people ask, 'Why did our GOD do all this to us?' you must say to them, 'It's tit for tat. Just as you left me and served foreign gods in your own country, so now you must serve foreigners in their own country.'H559H8478H4100H6213H3068H430H559H5800H5647H5236H430H776H5647H2114H77620"Tell the house of Jacob this, put out this bulletin in Judah:H5046H1004H3290H8085H3063H55921Listen to this, you scatterbrains, airheads, With eyes that see but don't really look, and ears that hear but don't really listen.H8085H5530H5971H3820H5869H7200H241H808522Why don't you honor me? Why aren't you in awe before me? Yes, me, who made the shorelines to contain the ocean waters. I drew a line in the sand that cannot be crossed. Waves roll in but cannot get through; breakers crash but that's the end of them.H3372H5002H3068H2342H6440H7760H2344H1366H3220H5769H2706H5674H1530H1607H3201H1993H567423But this people—what a people! Uncontrollable, untameable runaways.H5971H5637H4784H3820H5493H321224It never occurs to them to say, 'How can we honor our GOD with our lives, The God who gives rain in both spring and autumn and maintains the rhythm of the seasons, Who sets aside time each year for harvest and keeps everything running smoothly for us?'H559H3824H3372H3068H430H5414H1653H3138H4456H6256H8104H2708H7620H710525Of course you don't! Your bad behavior blinds you to all this. Your sins keep my blessings at a distance.H5771H5186H2403H4513H289626"My people are infiltrated by wicked men, unscrupulous men on the hunt. They set traps for the unsuspecting. Their victims are innocent men and women.H5971H4672H7563H7789H7918H3353H5324H4889H3920H58227Their houses are stuffed with ill-gotten gain, like a hunter's bag full of birds. Pretentious and powerful and rich,H3619H4392H5775H1004H4392H4820H1431H623828hugely obese, oily with rolls of fat. Worse, they have no conscience. Right and wrong mean nothing to them. They stand for nothing, stand up for no one, throw orphans to the wolves, exploit the poor.H8080H6245H5674H1697H7451H1777H1779H3490H6743H4941H34H819929Do you think I'll stand by and do nothing about this?" GOD's Decree. "Don't you think I'll take serious measures against a people like this?H6485H5002H3068H5315H5358H147130"Unspeakable! Sickening! What's happened in this country?H8047H8186H1961H77631Prophets preach lies and priests hire on as their assistants. And my people love it. They eat it up! But what will you do when it's time to pick up the pieces?H5030H5012H8267H3548H7287H3027H5971H157H6213H319
Columbus, OH
