15. So the common people and the great people will be humbled.Those who are proud will be humbled.
16. The Lord of heaven’s armies will receive glory by judging fairly.The holy God will show himself holy by doing what is right.
17. Then the sheep will go anywhere they want.Lambs will feed on the land that rich people once owned.
18. How terrible it will be for those people!They pull their guilt and sins behind themas people pull wagons with ropes.
19. They say, “Let’s see God hurry.Let’s see him do his work soon.We want to see it.Let’s see the plan of the Holy One of Israel happen soon.Then we would know what it really is.”
20. How terrible it will be for people who call good things badand bad things good.They think darkness is lightand light is darkness.They think sour is sweetand sweet is sour.
21. How terrible it will be for people who think they are wise.They think they are clever.
22. How terrible it will be for people who are famous for drinking wine.They are champions at mixing drinks.
23. They take money to set the guilty free.But they don’t allow good people to be judged fairly.
24. They will be destroyedjust as fire burns straw or dry grass.They will be destroyedlike a plant whose roots rotand whose flower dies and blows away like dust.They have refused to obey the teachings of the Lord of heaven’s armies.They hated the message from the Holy God of Israel.
25. So the Lord has become very angry with his people.And he has raised his hand to punish them.Even the mountains are frightened.Dead bodies lie in the streets like garbage.But the Lord is still angry.His hand is still raised to strike down the people.
26. God raises a banner for the nations far away.He is whistling to call those people.The enemy comes quickly!
27. Not one of them becomes tired or falls down.Not one of them gets sleepy and falls asleep.Their weapons are close at hand.Their sandal straps are not broken.
28. Their arrows are sharp.All of their bows are ready to shoot.The horses’ hooves are hard as rock.Their chariot wheels move like a whirlwind.