The Lord said, “So just wait! Wait for me to stand and judge you. I have the right to bring people from many nations and use them to punish you. I will use them to show my anger against you. I will use them to show how upset I am—and the whole country will be destroyed.
Wake up! Wake up! Arm of the Lord, clothe yourself with strength. Show your power the way you did long ago, as you have from ancient times. You are the one who destroyed Rahab. You defeated the Dragon.
A sharp sword came out of the rider’s mouth, a sword that he would use to defeat the nations. And he will rule the nations with a rod of iron. He will crush the grapes in the winepress of the terrible anger of God All-Powerful.
If any of the families in Egypt don’t come to celebrate the Festival of Shelters, they will get that terrible disease that the Lord caused the enemy nations to get.
If you are angry, then punish the other nations. They don’t know or respect you. They don’t worship you. Those nations destroyed Jacob’s family. They destroyed Israel completely. They destroyed Israel’s homeland.
Asa called out to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, only you can help weak people against those who are strong! Help us, Lord our God! We depend on you. We fight against this large army in your name. Lord, you are our God! Don’t let anyone defeat you!”
He protects his holy people. He keeps them from stumbling. But evil people will be destroyed. They will fall in the darkness. Their power won’t help them win.
Then the man said, “Your name will not be Jacob. Your name will now be Israel. I give you this name because you have fought with God and with men, and you have won.”