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One-sentence summary: Though the Lord will punish the nations and the wicked, He will destroy death for His people and wipe away every tear from their eye.
The burden against Tyre: "Wail, you ships of Tarshish, for it is laid waste..." Egypt will be in agony at the news of their destruction. The Lord will "bring to dishonor the pride of all glory" and "bring into contempt the honorable of the earth." Tyre will be forgotten 70 years, and at the end, it will happen "as in the song of the harlot." The "harlot's song" says to go about the city singing, hoping to be remembered. But she will commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the earth. However, her pay will be set apart for the Lord, for His people's provision.
Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and scatters its inhabitants abroad. And it will be: "As with the people, so with the priest. As with the servant, so with his master. As with the maid, so with her mistress. As with the buyer, so with the seller. As with the lender, so with the borrower. As with the creditor, so with the debtor." The land will be empty and plundered. The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The haughty people of the earth languish. The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants because they have transgressed the laws," and so "the curse has devoured the earth." Those in it are desolate; few are left. "Joy is darkened," and there is destruction all around. It will be like the shaking of an olive tree. "Therefore, glorify the Lord in the dawning light, the name of the Lord God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea." "From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: Glory to the righteous One!" "The earth will reel to and fro like a drunkard... its transgressions will be heavy upon it, and it will fall and not rise again." The Lord will punish "the host of exalted ones" and the kings of the earth and put them in prison. The moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed. The Lord will reign on Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem, before His elders, gloriously.
"Oh Lord, you are My God, I will exalt You. I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things!" The city of the terrible nations will fear the Lord because He has been a strength for the poor and needy, "a refuge from the storm and shade from the heat." On this mountain, the Lord will make for all people a feast with wine. He will destroy the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, and He will wipe away tears from all places. He will take away the rebuke of His people. In that day it will be said: "Behold, this is our God! We have waited for Him, and He will save us!... We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation!"
In that day, this song will be sung in Judah: "We have a strong city!... Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in!"... "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, because in the Lord is everlasting strength..." "The desire of our soul is for Your name and for the remembrance of You..." "With my soul, I have desired You in the night. By my spirit within me, I will seek You early. For when Your judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness." However, the wicked will still be wicked. Though Israel was with child, they "brought forth wind." They have not accomplished deliverance in the earth, nor have the inhabitants of the earth fallen. "Come My people, enter your chambers and close your doors behind you," because the Lord is coming to punish the inhabitants of the earth. The earth will disclose her blood and cover the slain no more.
In that day, the Lord will punish Leviathon and "slay the reptile that is in the sea." The Lord waters His vine every moment, which is Israel. Israel will blossom and bud and fill the earth with fruit. The children of Israel will be gathered one by one. A great trumpet will be blown, and they will worship the Lord at the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
Our hope must be anchored in heaven, on that day when God makes all things new and rights every wrong. What other hope do we have?