I have paid attention and listened, but they weren’t honest. They don’t turn away from their wickedness and ask, “What have we done?” They go their own ways like horses charging into battle.
He sees that there’s no one to help. He’s astounded that there’s no one to intercede. So with his own power he wins a victory. His righteousness supports him.
Walk around the streets of Jerusalem. Look around, and think about these things. Search the city squares. See if you can find anyone who does what is right and seeks the truth. Then I will forgive Jerusalem.
“ ‘I looked for someone among you who could build walls or stand in front of me by the gaps in the walls to defend the land and keep it from being destroyed. But I couldn’t find anyone.
All Israel has ignored your teachings and refused to listen to you. So you brought on us the curses you swore in an oath, the curses written in the Teachings of your servant Moses. We sinned against you.
I said ⌞to my people⌟, ‘You will fear me. You will accept correction!’ Then their homeland would not be wiped out even though I have punished them. Still, they continued to be corrupt in everything they did.”
Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord paid attention and listened. A book was written in his presence to be a reminder to those who feared the Lord and respected his name.
The Lord isn’t slow to do what he promised, as some people think. Rather, he is patient for your sake. He doesn’t want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way they think and act.
The people who survived these plagues still did not turn to me and change the way they were thinking and acting. If they had, they would have stopped worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk.