Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favour of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from nations of every language shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that…
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant…
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When the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die.. From Ezekiel 18: 25-28, NRSV It is probably safe to…
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Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and animals in it. For I will be a wall of fire all round it, says the Lord, and I will be the glory within it.’ From Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15, NRSV Zechariah’s prophecies are connected with the events surrounding the rebuilding…
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As I watched,thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne; …A thousand thousand served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.… As I watched in the night visions,I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven.And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before…
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Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honoured, says the Lord. From Haggai 1: 1-8, NRSV After their return to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon, the Jewish people met with resistance from…
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For we are slaves; yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to give us new life to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judea and Jerusalem. Ezra…
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Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God: the cost is to be paid to these people, in full and without delay, from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province Beyond the River. May the God who has…
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‘Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of those among you who are of his people—may their God be with them!—are now permitted to go up to Jerusalem…
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For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. From Isaiah 55:6-9 NRSV The prophet Isaiah is speaking to any who will listen, to encourage them to repent of their sins and to seek God’s forgiveness. It is probable that many would…
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