One day, some leaders of Israel came to me to consult about what God was saying. While they were sitting there with me, YAHWEH spoke to me, saying, “Son of man, these men have set up idols deep within their hearts. And they have set idols before their eyes, so why should I let them ask me anything? So tell them this, ‘Lord YAHWEH says: If any Israelite comes to consult with the prophet despite a heart that worships idols and eyes looking on that which leads into wickedness, I, YAHWEH, will answer that person directly. I will give the answer that is deserved because of the great extent of the idolatry. And in this way I hope to capture the hearts of the people of Israel who have all been estranged because of all their idols.’
“Therefore, prophesy to the people of Israel, ‘Lord YAHWEH says to you: Repent! Come back to me and forsake your idols. Once and for all, turn your backs on all your detestable practices. If any Israelite or a foreigner living among you rejects me with idolatry of the heart and has intentionally gazed on that which leads into wickedness, yet goes to consult with a prophet, then, I, YAHWEH, will answer that person myself. I will oppose that person! I will cut the idolator off from my people as an example and a warning to others. And then you will know that I am YAHWEH. And if the prophet is tricked into speaking a prophetic word, it is I, YAHWEH, who allowed this to happen, for I have decided to punish him with death. Both the prophet and the one who consults him will be equally punished for their guilt. I will do this so that they will never stray from me again or defile themselves with their rebellion. Then they will be my faithful people, and I will be their faithful God. For I, Lord YAHWEH, have spoken.’ ”
YAHWEH spoke to me, saying: “Son of man, suppose all the people living in a certain country wander from me in pursuit of their sin, then I decide to come against them. I would punish them by destroying their food supply, inflicting famine on them, and causing people and animals to starve to death. Even if the three godly men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, all lived there, their righteous lives could only save themselves—no one else. I, Lord YAHWEH, have spoken.
“Or suppose I unleash wild animals on that country to roam through the land killing its people, making the land so dangerous that no one would dare pass through it. Even if these three godly men lived there, as surely as I, Lord YAHWEH, am the living God, they would not be able to save even their own children. They alone would be spared, and the country would become a desert.
“Or suppose I were to bring war upon that country, sending enemies with swords to devastate the land and wipe out both people and animals. Even if these three godly men lived there, as surely as I, Lord YAHWEH, am the living God, they would not be able to save either son or daughter; they alone would be saved.
“Or suppose I were to send a pandemic on that country and pour out my wrath upon the people with a bloody death and wipe out both people and animals. Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, as surely as I, Lord YAHWEH, am the living God—their righteousness would only be able to save themselves and not even their own children.”
Lord YAHWEH spoke to me, saying, “How much worse it will be for Jerusalem when I send my four dreadful scourges—sword, famine, wild animals, and pandemic—to destroy both people and animals. Even so, there will be a remnant left, a few who survive. Enemy soldiers will bring your wicked sons and daughters out of the city, and they will be brought here to Babylon. When you see them and realize how sinful are their ways and deeds, then you will not feel so sad when you understand that I, YAHWEH, brought all these disasters upon Jerusalem. You will feel better when you see their evil way of life and actions, for then you will realize that I had a good reason to do what I did. I, Lord YAHWEH, have spoken.”
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