Jeremiah 25:30–38

^30–31“Preach it all, Jeremiah. Preach the entire Message to them. Say:

“ ‘God roars like a lion from high heaven;

thunder rolls out from his holy dwelling—

Ear-splitting bellows against his people,

shouting hurrahs like workers in harvest.

The noise reverberates all over the earth;

everyone everywhere hears it.

God makes his case against the godless nations.

He’s about to put the human race on trial.

For the wicked the verdict is clear-cut:

death by the sword.’ ” God’s Decree.

³²A Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies:

“Prepare for the worst! Doomsday!

Disaster is spreading from nation to nation.

A huge storm is about to rage

all across planet Earth.”

³³Laid end to end, those killed in God’s judgment that day will stretch from one end of the earth to the other. No tears will be shed and no burials conducted. The bodies will be left where they fall, like so much horse dung fertilizing the fields.

^34–38Wail, shepherds! Cry out for help!

Grovel in the dirt, you masters of flocks!

Time’s up—you’re slated for the slaughterhouse,

like a choice ram with its throat cut.

There’s no way out for the rulers,

no escape for those shepherds.

Hear that? Rulers crying for help,

shepherds of the flock wailing!

God is about to ravage their fine pastures.

The peaceful sheepfolds will be silent with death,

silenced by God’s deadly anger.

God will come out into the open

like a lion leaping from its cover,

And the country will be torn to pieces,

ripped and ravaged by his anger.