Isaiah 32

1And honest princes will rule under him.

2Each one will be like a shelter from the windand a refuge from the storm,like streams of water in the desertand the shadow of a great rock in a parched land.

3Then everyone who has eyes will be able to see the truth,and everyone who has ears will be able to hear it.

4Even the hotheads will be full of sense and understanding.Those who stammer will speak out plainly.

5In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes.Scoundrels will not be respected.

6For fools speak foolishnessand make evil plans.They practice ungodlinessand spread false teachings about the LORD.They deprive the hungry of foodand give no water to the thirsty.

7The smooth tricks of scoundrels are evil.They plot crooked schemes.They lie to convict the poor,even when the cause of the poor is just.

8But generous people plan to do what is generous,and they stand firm in their generosity.

9Listen, you women who lie around in ease.Listen to me, you who are so smug.

10Ina short time—just a little more than a year—you careless ones will suddenly begin to care.For your fruit crops will fail,and the harvest will never take place.

11Tremble, you women of ease;throw off your complacency.Strip off your pretty clothes,and put on burlap to show your grief.

12Beat your breasts in sorrow for your bountiful farmsand your fruitful grapevines.

13For your land will be overgrown with thorns and briers.Your joyful homes and happy towns will be gone.

14The palace and the city will be deserted,and busy towns will be empty.Wild donkeys will frolic and flocks will grazein the empty forts* and watchtowers15 until at last the Spirit is poured outon us from heaven.Then the wilderness will become a fertile field,and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.

16Justice will rule in the wildernessand righteousness in the fertile field.

17And this righteousness will bring peace.Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.

18My people will live in safety, quietly at home.They will be at rest.

19Even if the forest should be destroyedand the city torn down,20 the LORD will greatly bless his people.Wherever they plant seed, bountiful crops will spring up.Their cattle and donkeys will graze freely.Jerusalem (see 3:16~4:1) but to all who sit back in their thought-less complacency, enjoying craps, clothes, land, and cities whilean enemy approaches. Wealth and luxury bring false security,lulling us into thinking all is well when disaster is around thecorner. By abandoning God’s purpose for our life, we also aban-don his help.32:15-17 God acts from above to change people’s conditionhere on earth. Only when God’s Spirit is among us can weachieve true peace and fruitfulness (Ezekiel 36:22-38; Galatians5:22, 23). This will happen in the end times. We can also have

A Message about Assyria

3 3 1 What sorrow awaits you Assyrians, who have destroyed others*but have never been destroyed yourselves.You betray others,but you have never been betrayed.When you are done destroying,you will be destroyed.When you are done betraying,