Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you. But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting.
The wicked need to abandon their ways, and sinful ones need to banish every evil thought. Let them return to Yahweh, and they will experience his compassionate mercy. Yes, let them return to God, for he will lavish forgiveness upon them.
Throughout human history the fingerprints of God were upon them, yet they refused to honor him as God or even be thankful for his kindness. Instead, they entertained corrupt and foolish thoughts about what God was like. This left them with nothing but misguided hearts, steeped in moral darkness.
Woe to you, Jerusalem! I have seen your adulteries, your lustful neighing, your shameless prostitution, your vile acts on the hills and in the fields. How long will you continue being unclean?”
“You must determine if a tree is good or rotten. You can recognize good trees by their delicious fruit. But if you find rotten fruit, you can be certain that the tree is rotten. The fruit defines the tree.
Hear, O earth! I am bringing a catastrophe to these people, the fruit of their own evil schemes. For they refused to listen to my words, and threw all my instructions and warnings to the wind.”
Yahweh says: “People of Judah, your sins are engraved indelibly on the stone tablets of your hearts and on the horns of your altars, engraved with an iron pen and a chisel with a diamond point.
“So now, go say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘Yahweh says: Listen, I am a potter shaping punishment for you and working on a plan against you. Turn back, each person, from the evil way you live and the evil things you do!’