But when the Lord finishes all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, ‘I will punish the king of Assyria for his arrogant acts and the proud look in his eyes.’
Therefore, this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I am about to punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria.
for your iniquities and the iniquities of your ancestors together,’ says the Lord. ‘Because they burned incense on the mountains and reproached me on the hills, I will reward them fully for their former deeds.’
For the time has come for judgement to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens, because all his works are true and his ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
This happened so that no trees planted beside water would become great in height and set their tops among the clouds, and so that no other well-watered trees would reach them in height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the underworld, among the people who descend to the Pit.
‘ “Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Since it towered high in stature and set its top among the clouds, and it grew proud on account of its height,
Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with torches; walk in the light of your fire and of the torches you have lit! This is what you’ll get from my hand: you will lie down in a place of torment.
Therefore Jacob’s iniquity will be atoned for in this way, and the result of the removal of his sin will be this: when he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing.
Therefore, I will again confound these people with wonder after wonder. The wisdom of their wise will vanish, and the perception of their perceptive will be hidden.
Woe, you destroyer never destroyed, you traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, they will betray you.
Because your raging against me and your arrogance have reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth; I will make you go back the way you came.
For I am already bringing disaster on the city that bears my name, so how could you possibly go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth. This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.”
if I had not feared provocation from the enemy, or feared that these foes might misunderstand and say, “Our own hand has prevailed; it wasn’t the Lord who did all this.” ’