To convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him

Jude writes to the believers reminding them to contend with their faith. He warns of God's judgment on the unbelievers by using several examples including the Israelites after they came out of Egypt and the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. It is also interesting that Jude reveals a glimpse of the conflict in the heavenly realm by mentioning God will judge the angels who have left heaven to pursue evil. There is also mention of the conflict between the archangel Michael and the Enemy.

Jude mentions prophecies by Enoch, also emphasising that Enoch is the seventh generation from Adam. Enoch had prophecies about judgment of God on the ungodly unbelievers who carry on their business with no regard for God. They typically enjoy their life and success and are interested in their self-interests. They are also the grumblers, complainers and mockers of God. Jude encourages us to build ourselves up in faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, love God, look for the merch of Jesus, have compassion on others and trying to save others.


Jude 1
Greeting to the Called

1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,

To those who are called, sanctified[a] by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:

2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Contend for the Faith

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God[b] and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Old and New Apostates

5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Apostates Depraved and Doomed

12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about[c] by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Apostates Predicted

16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

Maintain Your Life with God

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;[d] 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,[e] hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Glory to God

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you[f] from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior,[g]
Who alone is wise,[h]
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,[i]
Both now and forever.
Amen.

No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation

Peter teaches about growing in faith, from faith to virtue, to knowledge, to self-control, to perseverance, to godliness, to brotherly kindness and finally to love. We should check that these are present because if they are, then we can be useful in spreading the gospel of Christ. If we don't have these, we may forget that we have been cleansed from sin. If we have these virtues, then we will be less likely to stumble.

Peter reminds us that he was an eyewitness to the glory of Yshua, such as during the Transfiguration where God spoke in an audible voice and commended Yshua. This exaltation of Christ had been prophetic and became reality. Other prophecies will also be true and can be assessed by various sources. The reason is that prophecies are from God, the Holy Spirit, and can be confirmed by interpretation from others.

righteousness, faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love, Jesus Christ, blindness, Lord, Majesty, Excellent Glory, Scripture, prophecy, Holy Spirit,



2 Peter 1
Greeting the Faithful

1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Fruitful Growth in the Faith

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Peter’s Approaching Death

12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

The Trustworthy Prophetic Word

16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed,[a] which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,[b] 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God[c] spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people

This chapter starts by summarizing that Jesus is the ultimate High Priest. He is in heaven now to serve as a priest which would be more effective than if He served here. With Jesus, there is also the New Covenant which is better than the Old. The Old Covenant established since Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, had the Levitical priesthood and various rituals of offerings and sacrifices. However, that system was external and cannot cause people to change their hearts. The New Covenant established by Jesus is one that puts God's Laws in the hearts and minds of His people. The believers would not need to instruct each other because all will "Know the Lord" from their hearts.



Hebrews 8
The New Priestly Service

1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. 4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a] 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

A New Covenant

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds[b] I will remember no more.”[c]

13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Let all the angels of God worship Him

The author introduces Jesus as the supreme Son of God who has been now revealed to His people. Before this, God spoke through selected individuals called prophets to forward His message to His people. Now God can speak to every believer through Jesus and vice versa.

This chapter does not mention the name of Y'shua or Jesus but instead refers to Him as the Son. It establishes the special position of the Son. He is a spiritual being and is above all the angels. In fact the angels are supposed to worship the son. Since God shares worship with no one, the logical conclusion is that the Son Himself is God. The supreme and royal authority of the Son is also revealed by references such as scepter and kingdom.

Beyond royalty, the Son is also divine, and the Creator of the Universe. It is revealed that the Son created the earth and the heavens. Even when the physical earth and universe ends, the Son will continue to exist. A reference to Psalm was given about the enemies of the Son being made His footstool. The angels are under His authority to minister to humans who obtain salvation.





Hebrews 1
God’s Supreme Revelation

1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself[a] purged our[b] sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The Son Exalted Above Angels

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say:

“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”?[c]
And again:

“I will be to Him a Father,
And He shall be to Me a Son”?[d]
6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:

“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”[e]
7 And of the angels He says:

“Who makes His angels spirits
And His ministers a flame of fire.”[f]
8 But to the Son He says:

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”[g]
10 And:

“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
11 They will perish, but You remain;
And they will all grow old like a garment;
12 Like a cloak You will fold them up,
And they will be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not fail.”[h]
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said:

“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?[i]
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God

Jesus sends out his disciples with power and authority and they were expected to cast out demons and cure diseases, as they were preaching. Meanwhile Herod heard about Jesus and was interested in seeing whether Jesus was a resurrected John the Baptist or Elijah. The disciples returned to Jesus from their ministry, so we see that Jesus did commission His disciples while He was still on earth. Soon the crowd came to Jesus to listen and get healed. This led to the miraculous feeding of the five thousand men, with five loaves and two fish.

After this Jesus was alone praying and joined with His disciples. He asked them who they thought He was and Peter said Jesus is the Christ. Then Jesus taught them about His death and resurrection and that His followers would also need to suffer - like "taking up the cross".

The transfiguration of Jesus is described here in more detail. The two men seen with Jesus were Moses and Elijah. During this, it seemed Peter woke up and asked Jesus if they should build a tabernacle. Then a cloud also engulfed the disciples as they were seemingly involved in this transfiguration. It is then that a voice from God confirmed that Jesus is the Son and asked them to listen to Him.

Jesus was asked to help a boy who was possessed because they had asked the disciples and they could not cast out the demons. Jesus commented about their lack of faith, then cast out the demon. He also told them again of his death and resurrection but they did not understand. He also explained to them the principle of servant hood after seeing their disciples trying to gain higher positions. Jesus also teach them that anyone who is not against them is with them, so they do not go against other groups preaching the good news.

When Jesus group was rejected by a Samaritan village, some of the disciples wanted to call down judgment on the village like Elijah, but Jesus made it clear that His mission is about salvation, not judgment at that time. Along the way Jesus called a few people to follow Him. They agreed but wanted to settle some of their business first. Then Jesus taught that whoever looks back on their lives, are not fit for the kingdom of God.







Luke 9
Sending Out the Twelve

1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.

4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Herod Seeks to See Jesus

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. 9 Herod said, “John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?” So he sought to see Him.

Feeding the Five Thousand

10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”

13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men.

Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.” 15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.

16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

19 So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”

20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,[a] and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

Jesus Transfigured on the Mount

28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. 30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. 33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.

34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son.[b] Hear Him!” 36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

A Boy Is Healed

37 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him. 38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him. 40 So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”

41 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

43 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.

But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, 44 “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

Who Is the Greatest?

46 Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. 47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”

Jesus Forbids Sectarianism

49 Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”

50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us[c] is on our side.”[d]

A Samaritan Village Rejects the Savior

51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”[e]

55 But He turned and rebuked them,[f] and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”[g] And they went to another village.

The Cost of Discipleship

57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”

58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”

But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”

62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to Heaven, and my Understanding returned to me

In an almost amazing situation, king Nebuchadnezzar, one of the ruthless conquerors in history, wrote this declaration about the Most Holy God of Israel. It showed he realized the God of Israel as the true God of all. He explains how God told Daniel the meaning of his dreams. This letter also explains the second dream which Nebuchadnezzar was asking Daniel about, since none of his magicians and astrologers knew.

The dream had a tall tree which can see all the land around it. It is also a provider of food and protection for all the animals. This represented king Nebuchadnezzar at the peak of his greatness where his empire stretched over many nations. Then for a period of time, the tree was cut down, representing the king being cast out of his kingdom. The tree stump that remains shows God's opportunity for repentance and restoration in future. So at this time, even though Nebuchadnezzar publicly acknowledged the God of Israel, he may not have repented against his past sins, wickedness and brutality, and know in his heart that God is the true Almighty. Daniel explained, with great respect, to the king the need for repentance, as God is clearly prepared to show mercy to the king.

Even after the prophecy, Nebuchadnezzar did not fully comprehend that he need to submit to God. As he saw his empire from his magnificent palace one day, he thought about his own greatness in achievement. Immediately God fulfilled the prophecy and the king was struck with madness. He had to be driven out of the city and lived like a wild animal.

After a certain time, the king looked up and understood that God is control of everything and man is nothing without Him. He began to understand the greatness of God and started blessing and worshipping God. His sanity returned immediately and he was restored to this throne. It is amazing what the king write about this experience - "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down."

,

Daniel 4
Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king,

To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:

Peace be multiplied to you.

2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.

3 How great are His signs,
And how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And His dominion is from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation. 8 But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying: 9 “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.

10 “These were the visions of my head while on my bed:

I was looking, and behold,
A tree in the midst of the earth,
And its height was great.
11 The tree grew and became strong;
Its height reached to the heavens,
And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.
12 Its leaves were lovely,
Its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
The beasts of the field found shade under it,
The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,
And all flesh was fed from it.
13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He cried aloud and said thus:

‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
Let the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from its branches.
15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
Bound with a band of iron and bronze,
In the tender grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
And let him graze with the beasts
On the grass of the earth.
16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven times[a] pass over him.
17 ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the lowest of men.’
18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”

Daniel Explains the Second Dream

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!

20 “The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, 21 whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

23 “And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.

26 “And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”

31 While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”

33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

34 And at the end of the time[b] I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

Behold, the Lord Makes the Earth Empty and Makes it Waste

This is a description of great upheaval on Earth as part of God's Judgment. There will be no discrimination, all will be affected, from master to servants, rich to poor. The reason stated is that people violated God's Laws and broken the Covenant. So the earth will languish, become desolate and cursed. There will be little singing and celebration. The earth will shake and open up - perhaps description of earthquakes. The leaders and kings of the earth will be taken to account. It declares that the Lord will reign gloriously in Zion and Jerusalem. In the midst of these dark warnings, there will be people who will sing and glorify the Lord.



Isaiah 24
Impending Judgment on the Earth

1 Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste,
Distorts its surface
And scatters abroad its inhabitants.
2 And it shall 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.
3 The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered,
For the Lord has spoken this word.
4 The earth mourns and fades away,
The world languishes and fades away;
The haughty people of the earth languish.
5 The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants,
Because they have transgressed the laws,
Changed the ordinance,
Broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth,
And those who dwell in it are desolate.
Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned,
And few men are left.
7 The new wine fails, the vine languishes,
All the merry-hearted sigh.
8 The mirth of the tambourine ceases,
The noise of the jubilant ends,
The joy of the harp ceases.
9 They shall not drink wine with a song;
Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
10 The city of confusion is broken down;
Every house is shut up, so that none may go in.
11 There is a cry for wine in the streets,
All joy is darkened,
The mirth of the land is gone.
12 In the city desolation is left,
And the gate is stricken with destruction.
13 When it shall be thus in the midst of the land among the people,
It shall be like the shaking of an olive tree,
Like the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done.
14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing;
For the majesty of the Lord
They shall cry aloud from the sea.
15 Therefore glorify the Lord in the dawning light,
The name of the Lord God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea.
16 From the ends of the earth we have heard songs:
“Glory to the righteous!”
But I said, “I am ruined, ruined!
Woe to me!
The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously,
Indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.”
17 Fear and the pit and the snare
Are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall be
That he who flees from the noise of the fear
Shall fall into the pit,
And he who comes up from the midst of the pit
Shall be caught in the snare;
For the windows from on high are open,
And the foundations of the earth are shaken.
19 The earth is violently broken,
The earth is split open,
The earth is shaken exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard,
And shall totter like a hut;
Its transgression shall be heavy upon it,
And it will fall, and not rise again.
21 It shall come to pass in that day
That the Lord will punish on high the host of exalted ones,
And on the earth the kings of the earth.
22 They will be gathered together,
As prisoners are gathered in the pit,
And will be shut up in the prison;
After many days they will be punished.
23 Then the moon will be disgraced
And the sun ashamed;
For the Lord of hosts will reign
On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
And before His elders, gloriously.

The Haughtiness of Men shall be Bowed Down

The first part is a prophetic look into the reign of God on Earth. In that time, God's presence will be established again in Jerusalem, and people from all over the world will come and worship. They will learn from the living God, and there will be no more wars between people. This sounds like the time of the 1000 year reign of Messiah on Earth.

The second part brings the reader back to the present time when this was written. Isaiah calls on the people to return to God explaining that they have been following the religion of their neighbours and enticed by their riches and power. He warns of a day in future when God's judgement would humble the proud. That they would be so terrible that nothing can stand, not the mountains nor the fortified walls. In that day, the idolaters would be brought low and God will be exalted and glorified.




Isaiah 2
The Future House of God

1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
3 Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.


The Day of the Lord

5 O house of Jacob, come and let us walk
In the light of the Lord.
6 For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob,
Because they are filled with eastern ways;
They are soothsayers like the Philistines,
And they are pleased with the children of foreigners.
7 Their land is also full of silver and gold,
And there is no end to their treasures;
Their land is also full of horses,
And there is no end to their chariots.
8 Their land is also full of idols;
They worship the work of their own hands,
That which their own fingers have made.
9 People bow down,
And each man humbles himself;
Therefore do not forgive them.
10 Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty.
11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled,
The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,
And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
12 For the day of the Lord of hosts
Shall come upon everything proud and lofty,
Upon everything lifted up—
And it shall be brought low—
13 Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up,
And upon all the oaks of Bashan;
14 Upon all the high mountains,
And upon all the hills that are lifted up;
15 Upon every high tower,
And upon every fortified wall;
16 Upon all the ships of Tarshish,
And upon all the beautiful sloops.
17 The loftiness of man shall be bowed down,
And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low;
The Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
18 But the idols He shall utterly abolish.
19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks,
And into the caves of the earth,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
20 In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver
And his idols of gold,
Which they made, each for himself to worship,
To the moles and bats,
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks,
And into the crags of the rugged rocks,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
22 Sever yourselves from such a man,
Whose breath is in his nostrils;
For of what account is he?

And All Flesh Shall Bless His Holy Name

David the psalmist praise God for His greatness and majesty. Perhaps more than just the works of creation, David was also praising God for His goodness, righteousness, compassion, mercy, patience. David describes God's rule as everlasting from generation to generation all would know His greatness. This is a God who provides, protects and forms a relationship with those who call on him honestly, who feat Him and who love Him.


Psalm 145
A Song of God’s Majesty and Love
A Praise of David.

1 I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.

2 Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.

5 I[a] will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.[b]

6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.

7 They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.

9 The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

10 All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.

11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,

12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.[c]

14 The Lord upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.

16 You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.

18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.

19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.

21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

Psalm of Creation

The LORD is described here with details of His creation. From the mountains to the waters of the deep and the water that cover the earth. He is the God who provides water by directing the springs to the animals and to water the Earth. It is written beautifully that: "The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works. "

God had worked wonderfully in His creation, supplying all that is needed to His creatures, the plants and man. There is also a reference to the Leviathan - which some believe may be some large sea creatures mentioned in various myths.

This is a wonderful testimony of the God's handiwork in His creation. Everything from the celestial objects to the Earth and all the living things are beautifully designed by Him. In verse 29 and 30, a very important point is revealed that "You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;"


Psalm 104
Praise to the Sovereign LORD for His Creation and Providence

 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul!
         O LORD my God, You are very great:
         You are clothed with honor and majesty,
 2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
         Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.
       
 3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,
         Who makes the clouds His chariot,
         Who walks on the wings of the wind,
 4 Who makes His angels spirits,
         His ministers a flame of fire.
       
 5 You who laid the foundations of the earth,
         So that it should not be moved forever,
 6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
         The waters stood above the mountains.
 7 At Your rebuke they fled;
         At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.
 8 They went up over the mountains;
         They went down into the valleys,
         To the place which You founded for them.
 9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,
         That they may not return to cover the earth.
       
 10 He sends the springs into the valleys;
         They flow among the hills.
 11 They give drink to every beast of the field;
         The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
 12 By them the birds of the heavens have their home;
         They sing among the branches.
 13 He waters the hills from His upper chambers;
         The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.
       
 14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
         And vegetation for the service of man,
         That he may bring forth food from the earth,
 15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man,
         Oil to make his face shine,
         And bread which strengthens man’s heart.
 16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap,
         The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
 17 Where the birds make their nests;
         The stork has her home in the fir trees.
 18 The high hills are for the wild goats;
         The cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers.[a]
       
 19 He appointed the moon for seasons;
         The sun knows its going down.
 20 You make darkness, and it is night,
         In which all the beasts of the forest creep about.
 21 The young lions roar after their prey,
         And seek their food from God.
 22 When the sun rises, they gather together
         And lie down in their dens.
 23 Man goes out to his work
         And to his labor until the evening.
       
 24 O LORD, how manifold are Your works!
         In wisdom You have made them all.
         The earth is full of Your possessions—
 25 This great and wide sea,
         In which are innumerable teeming things,
         Living things both small and great.
 26 There the ships sail about;
         There is that Leviathan
         Which You have made to play there.
       
 27 These all wait for You,
         That You may give them their food in due season.
 28 What You give them they gather in;
         You open Your hand, they are filled with good.
 29 You hide Your face, they are troubled;
         You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
 30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
         And You renew the face of the earth.
       
 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
         May the LORD rejoice in His works.
 32 He looks on the earth, and it trembles;
         He touches the hills, and they smoke.
       
 33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
         I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
 34 May my meditation be sweet to Him;
         I will be glad in the LORD.
 35 May sinners be consumed from the earth,
         And the wicked be no more.
       
         Bless the LORD, O my soul!
         Praise the LORD!

He is Coming to Judge the Earth

This psalm continues with to call to worship and praise God. Even at the time of the psalm, the people understood the good news of His salvation. He is praised for His glory, He is above any idols and other gods. He has honor, majesty, strength, beauty.

The psalm is a glorious praise of God for who He is and His majesty. It sets him high and lead people to praise and worship Him. It declares that God is the God of all people, not just the Israelites. And there will be a time when God will come to Earth and judge with righteousness.





Psalm 96


A Song of Praise to God Coming in Judgment

 1 Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!
         Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
 2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name;
         Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
 3 Declare His glory among the nations,
         His wonders among all peoples.
       
 4 For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;
         He is to be feared above all gods.
 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
         But the LORD made the heavens.
 6 Honor and majesty are before Him;
         Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
       
 7 Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
         Give to the LORD glory and strength.
 8 Give to the LORD the glory due His name;
         Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
 9 Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!
         Tremble before Him, all the earth.
       
 10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns;
         The world also is firmly established,
         It shall not be moved;
         He shall judge the peoples righteously.”
       
 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
         Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
         Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice
 13 before the LORD.
         For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
         He shall judge the world with righteousness,
         And the peoples with His truth.

The LORD Reigns, He is Clothed with Majesty

This psalm proclaims God Almighty with his majesty and strength. He has been on his throne forever. The strength of the LORD is also incomparable and is no match for anything on earth, such as floods. This short and simple psalm simply places God up high above all else forever.


Psalm 93
The Eternal Reign of the LORD

 1 The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
         The LORD is clothed,
         He has girded Himself with strength.
         Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved.
 2 Your throne is established from of old;
         You are from everlasting.
       
 3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD,
         The floods have lifted up their voice;
         The floods lift up their waves.
 4 The LORD on high is mightier
         Than the noise of many waters,
         Than the mighty waves of the sea.
       
 5 Your testimonies are very sure;
         Holiness adorns Your house,
         O LORD, forever.

My heart is overflowing with a good theme

This is a song of praising an individual with the imagery of that of a King and royalty. This individual being praised may be the Messiah. For example, Grace is poured on Him, and God has blessed Him forever. He also has glory and majesty like a king but perhaps more. He is also characterise by truth, humility, and righteousness; whereas a human king usually lacks humility.
The next part may be a give away when it says "Your throne, O God". He is anointed by God, love righteousness and hate wickedness. It also says "He is your Lord, worship Him" - the Israelites know quite well that they are only to worship God alone and never worship any mere human kings. So this king in this passage is more than a human king.
So this song or psalm could in fact be a prophetic song about the Messiah Yeshua who is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings.

Psalm 45
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.”[a] A Contemplation[b] of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.

 1 My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
         I recite my composition concerning the King;
         My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
        
 2 You are fairer than the sons of men;
         Grace is poured upon Your lips;
         Therefore God has blessed You forever.
 3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
         With Your glory and Your majesty.
 4 And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness;
         And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.
 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
         The peoples fall under You.
        
 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
         A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
         Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
         With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
 8 All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia,
         Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.
 9 Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women;
         At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.
        
 10 Listen, O daughter,
         Consider and incline your ear;
         Forget your own people also, and your father’s house;
 11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty;
         Because He is your Lord, worship Him.
 12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
         The rich among the people will seek your favor.
        
 13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace;
         Her clothing is woven with gold.
 14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors;
         The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
 15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought;
         They shall enter the King’s palace.
        
 16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons,
         Whom You shall make princes in all the earth.
 17 I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations;
         Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.

Voice of the LORD and Thanksgiving

David describes the majesty and glory of the LORD manifested in His Voice. God's Voice shows his power that can control the nature. His voice can be heard as thunder, and in the wilderness.

In the second Psalm, David reverts back to his personal pray and praise of God. He describes how God protected him against his enemies and he rejoices with singing of thanksgiving to the LORD. David also describes how he cannot stand to be apart from God, and how God turn his difficult times into times of joy, resulting in singing and thanksgiving to God.



Psalm 30

A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the house of David.

 1 I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
         And have not let my foes rejoice over me.
 2 O LORD my God, I cried out to You,
         And You healed me.
 3 O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave;
         You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.[a]
       
 4 Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His,
         And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.[b]
 5 For His anger is but for a moment,
         His favor is for life;
         Weeping may endure for a night,
         But joy comes in the morning.
       
 6 Now in my prosperity I said,
         “I shall never be moved.”
 7 LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
         You hid Your face, and I was troubled.
       
 8 I cried out to You, O LORD;
         And to the LORD I made supplication:
 9 “What profit is there in my blood,
         When I go down to the pit?
         Will the dust praise You?
         Will it declare Your truth?
 10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me;
         LORD, be my helper!”
       
 11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
         You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
         O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.



Psalm 29

A Psalm of David.

 1 Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones,
         Give unto the LORD glory and strength.
 2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;
         Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
       
 3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
         The God of glory thunders;
         The LORD is over many waters.
 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;
         The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
       
 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars,
         Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
 6 He makes them also skip like a calf,
         Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
 7 The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.
       
 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
         The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
 9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth,
         And strips the forests bare;
         And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
       
 10 The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood,
         And the LORD sits as King forever.
 11 The LORD will give strength to His people;
         The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Majesty and Righteousness

In these two chapters, both Bildad and Job describes the Majesty of God. Compared to God's Majesty, Bildad describes how unrighteous we are. He asks in a rhetorical manner, how can a man, which is so impure in nature, can ever be considered righteous by God. We know the answer of course, it is through Christ our Saviour, who paid the price for our sins.

However, as Job describes the Majesty of God, we see Job does not question our worthiness of establishing a relationship with God. This is perhaps Job understands what it is like to walk with God, even though he knows we are all unrighteous in our own self. Perhaps there is an element of understand in Job, about the Grace of God, that we can be with the Father simply because he allows it, not because we earned it.

Also interesting to note that in 25:13, Job refers to the Holy Spirit; as well as God inflicting the serpent - perhaps a reminder of the serpent at the Garden of Eden.


Job 25

Bildad: How Can Man Be Righteous?

 1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
 2 “ Dominion and fear belong to Him;  He makes peace in His high places.
 3 Is there any number to His armies?  Upon whom does His light not rise?
 4 How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?
 5 If even the moon does not shine,  And the stars are not pure in His sight,
 6 How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?”


Job 26
     Job: Man’s Frailty and God’s Majesty
 1 But Job answered and said:
 2 “How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength?
 3 How have you counseled one who has no wisdom?  And how have you declared sound advice to many?
 4 To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you?
 5 “The dead tremble,  Those under the waters and those inhabiting them.
 6 Sheol is naked before Him,  And Destruction has no covering.
 7 He stretches out the north over empty space;  He hangs the earth on nothing.
 8 He binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it.
 9 He covers the face of His throne, And spreads His cloud over it.
 10 He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters,  At the boundary of light and darkness.
 11 The pillars of heaven tremble,  And are astonished at His rebuke.
 12 He stirs up the sea with His power,  And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.
 13 By His Spirit He adorned the heavens;   His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
 14 Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,   And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”