Part 324 (2/2)

The earth quaketh before them; The heavens tremble: The sun and the moon are darkened, And the stars withdraw their s.h.i.+ning.

And the Lord uttereth his voice before his army; For his camp is very great; For he is strong and executeth his word: For the Day of the Lord is great and very terrible; And who can abide it?

III

THE LORD WILL PARDON

(If the people turn from evil and repent, and wors.h.i.+p him in the true spirit, the Lord will not send this terrible army of vengeance upon them.)

Yet even now, saith the Lord, Turn ye unto me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: {378} Rend your heart and not your garments, And turn unto the Lord your G.o.d: For he is gracious and full of compa.s.sion, Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy, And repenteth him of the evil.

IV

A PROPHECY OF PLENTY

(The plea of the prophet was effective. The people repented, and their prophet promised that the Lord would not only forgive his people, but would bless them with abundance.)

Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, And ye shall be satisfied therewith: And I will no more make you a reproach among the nations: But I will remove far off from you the northern army, And will drive him into a land barren and desolate, His vanguard into the eastern sea, And his rearguard into the western sea.

Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice.

For the Lord hath done great things.

Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: For the pastures of the wilderness do spring, For the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your G.o.d: For he giveth you the former rain in just measure, {379} And he causeth to come down for you the rain, The former rain and the latter rain, in the first month.

And the floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, The cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, My great army which I sent among you.

And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And ye shall praise the name of the Lord your G.o.d, That hath dealt wondrously with you: And my people shall never be ashamed.

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am the Lord your G.o.d, and there is none else: And my people shall never be ashamed.

And it shall come to pa.s.s afterward, That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; And your sons and daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days Will I pour out my spirit.

{380}

ZEPHANIAH

(Zephaniah is another of the prophets who tell of the destruction which will come upon the people in the terrible ”day of the Lord.”

Then his prophecy, like the others, breaks into joyous strains at the close, as he tells of the blessings which will be showered upon the nation when it repents.)

I

THE DAY OF WRATH

The Day of the Lord is near: It is near and hasteth greatly.

Even the voice of the Day of the Lord; The mighty man crieth there bitterly.

That Day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of waste and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities, And against the high battlements.

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame; Before the decree bring forth, Before the day pa.s.s as the chaff, Before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you.

Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth,

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