People are afraid and confused. Say to those people, “Be strong! Don’t be afraid!” Look, your God will come and punish your enemies. He will come and give you your reward. The Lord will save you.
David also said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and brave and finish this work. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will help you until all the work is finished. He will not leave you. You will build the Lord’s temple. {\cf2\super [311]}
Because of all these things, the Master, the Lord All-Powerful, the Mighty One of Israel, says, “I will punish you, my enemies. You will not cause me any more trouble.
At that time, people will say,\par “Here is our God!\par He is the One we have been waiting for.\par He has come to save us.\par We have been waiting for our Lord.\par So we will rejoice and be happy\par when the Lord saves us.”\par
Because of those things, the Lord my Master says, “I will put a rock—a cornerstone—in the ground in Zion. {\cf2\super [259]} This will be a very precious stone. {\cf2\super [260]} Everything will be built on this very important rock. Any person that trusts \{in that rock\} will not be disappointed.
The Lord All-Powerful will defend {\cf2\super [291]} Jerusalem—like birds flying over their nests. The Lord will save her. The Lord will “pass over” and save Jerusalem.
\{Those things will happen\} because the Lord has chosen a time for punishment. The Lord has chosen a year when people must pay for the wrong things they did to Zion. {\cf2\super [318]}
But you are the Lord our God. So please save us from the king of Assyria. Then all the other nations will know that you are the Lord, and you are the only \{God\}.
Speak kindly to Jerusalem!\par Tell Jerusalem,\par ‘Your time of service is finished.\par You have paid the price for your sins.’”\par The Lord punished Jerusalem—\par twice for every sin she did.\par
I am the Lord, and I made you. I am the One who made you to be what you are. I have helped you since the time you were in your mother’s body. Jacob, my servant, don’t be afraid. Jeshurun, {\cf2\super [391]} I chose you.
Men will see your private parts\par and use you for sex.\par I will make you pay\par for the bad things you did.\par And no man will come to help you.\par
But the Lord says,\par “The prisoners will escape.\par Someone will take those prisoners\par away from the strong soldier.\par \{How will this happen?\}\par I will fight your fights.\par I will save your children.\par
I said,\par “I worked hard for nothing.\par I wore myself out,\par but I did nothing useful.\par I used all my power,\par but I did not really do anything.\par So, the Lord must decide\par what to do with me.\par God must decide my reward.\par
The Lord is angry at his enemies.\par So the Lord will give them\par the punishment they deserve.\par The Lord is angry with his enemies.\par So the Lord will punish the people\par in all the faraway places.\par The Lord will give them\par the punishment they deserve.\par
God sent me to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness. God sent me to announce the time when our God will punish evil people. God sent me to comfort sad people.
Look, the Lord is coming with fire. The Lord’s armies are coming with clouds of dust. The Lord will punish those people with his anger. The Lord will use flames of fire to punish those people while he is angry.
“Tell Ahaz, ‘Be careful, but be calm. Don’t be afraid. Don’t let those two men, Rezin and Remaliah’s son, {\cf2\super [78]} scare you! Those men are like two burnt sticks. In the past they were burning hot. But now they are only smoke. Rezin, Aram, and Remaliah’s son are angry.
But I will show mercy to the nation of Judah. \{I will save the nation of Judah.\} I will not use the bow or the sword to save them. I will not use war horses and soldiers to save them. I will save them by my own power.” {\cf2\super [7]}
This message is about a special time in the future. This message is about the end, and it will come true! \{It may seem like that time will never come.\} But be patient and wait for it. That time will come. It will not be late.
But now, Zerubbabel, the Lord says, ‘Don’t be discouraged!’ High Priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, ‘Don’t be discouraged!’ All you people of this country, the Lord says, ‘Don’t be discouraged! Continue this work, because I am with you!’ The Lord All-Powerful said these things!”
The Lord All-Powerful says, “I am sending my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then suddenly, the Master you are looking for will come to his temple. {\cf2\super [16]} Yes, the messenger of the \{New\} Agreement that you want really is coming!
When these things begin to happen, don’t fear. Look up and be happy! Don’t worry. Be happy, because you know that the time when God will free you is near!”
We ask you, brothers and sisters, to warn those people who don’t work. Encourage the people who are afraid. Help the people who are weak. Be patient with every person.
So Christ was offered as a sacrifice one time to take away the sins of many people. And Christ will come a second time, but not for people’s sin. Christ will come the second time to bring salvation to those people who are waiting for him.
Look, Jesus is coming with the clouds! Every person will see him, even the people who pierced {\cf2\super [4]} him. All people of the earth will cry loudly because of him. Yes, this will happen! Amen. {\cf2\super [5]}
Don’t be afraid of the things that will happen to you. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison. He will do this to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But be faithful, even if you have to die. If you continue faithful, then I will give you the crown of life.
Jonathan told David, “Don’t be afraid. My father Saul won’t hurt you. You will become the king of Israel. And I will be second to you. Even my father knows this.”