Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Gentiles/heathen » The lord judging the heathen
"For the day of the Lord is approaching for all the nations! Just as you have done, so it will be done to you. You will get exactly what your deeds deserve. For just as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. They will drink, and they will gulp down; they will be as though they had never been.
"'No longer will Israel suffer from the sharp briers or painful thorns of all who surround and scorn them. Then they will know that I am the sovereign Lord. "'This is what the sovereign Lord says: When I regather the house of Israel from the peoples where they are dispersed, I will reveal my sovereign power over them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their land that I gave to my servant Jacob. They will live securely in it; they will build houses and plant vineyards. They will live securely when I execute my judgments on all those who scorn them and surround them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.'"
O sovereign Lord, at your right hand he strikes down kings in the day he unleashes his anger. He executes judgment against the nations; he fills the valleys with corpses; he shatters their heads over the vast battlefield. From the stream along the road he drinks; then he lifts up his head.
"As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the sovereign Lord says: The enemy has spoken against you, saying "Aha!" and, "The ancient heights have become our property!"' So prophesy and say: 'This is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely because they have made you desolate and crushed you from all directions, so that you have become the property of the rest of the nations, and have become the subject of gossip and slander among the people, read more.
therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the sovereign Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, and to the desolate ruins and the abandoned cities that have become prey and an object of derision to the rest of the nations round about -- therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely I have spoken in the fire of my zeal against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who with great joy and utter contempt have made my land their property and prey, because of its pasture.' "Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, 'This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I have spoken in my zeal and in my anger, because you have endured the insults of the nations. So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I vow that the nations around you will endure insults as well.
therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the sovereign Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, and to the desolate ruins and the abandoned cities that have become prey and an object of derision to the rest of the nations round about -- therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely I have spoken in the fire of my zeal against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who with great joy and utter contempt have made my land their property and prey, because of its pasture.' "Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, 'This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I have spoken in my zeal and in my anger, because you have endured the insults of the nations. So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I vow that the nations around you will endure insults as well.
Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for a holy war! Call out the warriors! Let all these fighting men approach and attack! Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears! Let the weak say, 'I too am a warrior!' Lend your aid and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves to that place." Bring down, O Lord, your warriors! read more.
Let the nations be roused and let them go up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit in judgment on all the surrounding nations. Rush forth with the sickle, for the harvest is ripe! Come, stomp the grapes, for the winepress is full! The vats overflow. Indeed, their evil is great! Crowds, great crowds are in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision! The sun and moon are darkened; the stars withhold their brightness. The Lord roars from Zion; from Jerusalem his voice bellows out. The heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a refuge for his people; he is a stronghold for the citizens of Israel.
Let the nations be roused and let them go up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit in judgment on all the surrounding nations. Rush forth with the sickle, for the harvest is ripe! Come, stomp the grapes, for the winepress is full! The vats overflow. Indeed, their evil is great! Crowds, great crowds are in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision! The sun and moon are darkened; the stars withhold their brightness. The Lord roars from Zion; from Jerusalem his voice bellows out. The heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a refuge for his people; he is a stronghold for the citizens of Israel.
hands » Right hand, illustrative » (standing at,) of protection
I constantly trust in the Lord; because he is at my right hand, I will not be upended.
because he stands at the right hand of the needy, to deliver him from those who threaten his life.
O sovereign Lord, at your right hand he strikes down kings in the day he unleashes his anger.
Nations » The lord destroying nations
Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all the human race. Does not the ear test words, as the tongue tastes food? read more.
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? "With God are wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. If he tears down, it cannot be rebuilt; if he imprisons a person, there is no escape. If he holds back the waters, then they dry up; if he releases them, they destroy the land. With him are strength and prudence; both the one who goes astray and the one who misleads are his. He leads counselors away stripped and makes judges into fools. He loosens the bonds of kings and binds a loincloth around their waist. He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the potentates. He deprives the trusted advisers of speech and takes away the discernment of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen and disarms the powerful. He reveals the deep things of darkness, and brings deep shadows into the light. He makes nations great, and destroys them; he extends the boundaries of nations and disperses them.
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? "With God are wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. If he tears down, it cannot be rebuilt; if he imprisons a person, there is no escape. If he holds back the waters, then they dry up; if he releases them, they destroy the land. With him are strength and prudence; both the one who goes astray and the one who misleads are his. He leads counselors away stripped and makes judges into fools. He loosens the bonds of kings and binds a loincloth around their waist. He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the potentates. He deprives the trusted advisers of speech and takes away the discernment of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen and disarms the powerful. He reveals the deep things of darkness, and brings deep shadows into the light. He makes nations great, and destroys them; he extends the boundaries of nations and disperses them.
O sovereign Lord, at your right hand he strikes down kings in the day he unleashes his anger. He executes judgment against the nations; he fills the valleys with corpses; he shatters their heads over the vast battlefield.