People will say, “We have peace and we are safe.” At that time destruction will come to them quickly, like the pains of a woman giving birth. And those people will not escape.
So don’t forget what you have received and heard. Obey it. Change your hearts and lives! You must wake up, or I will come to you and surprise you like a thief. You will not know when I will come.
That night the angel of the Lord went out and killed 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up in the morning, they saw all the dead bodies.
I wish death would take my enemies by surprise! I wish the earth would open up and swallow them alive, because they plan such terrible things together.
The Lord’s special day is near. So cry and be sad for yourselves. A time is coming when the enemy will steal your wealth. God All-Powerful will make that happen.
But even in the past you didn’t listen. You didn’t learn anything. You never listen to what I say. I have always known that you would turn against me. You have rebelled against me from the time you were born.
All the good people are gone, and no one even noticed. The loyal followers were gathered up, but no one knows why. The reason they were gathered up is that trouble is coming.
The land shakes and moves as if it is in pain. It will shake when the Lord does to Babylon what he plans— to make the land of Babylon an empty desert, a place where no one will live.
“Listen to me, I am groaning. I have no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble. They are happy that you did this to me. You said there would be a time of punishment. You said you would punish my enemies. Now do what you said. Let my enemies be like I am now.
You will hear one sad story after another. You will hear nothing but bad news. You will look for a prophet and ask him for a vision. The priests will have nothing to teach you, and the elders will not have any good advice to give you.