A covenant will be put into effect with many people for one‘ week.’ In the middle of the‘ week’ sacrifices and offerings will come to an end. And at the temple a hated thing that destroys will be set up. It will remain until that ruler who will come is destroyed. Then he will experience what the Lord has ordered.”

一七之内，他必与许多人坚定盟约；一七之半，他必使祭祀与供献止息。那行毁坏可憎的如飞而来，并且有忿怒倾在那行毁坏的身上，直到所定的结局。”

在一七之期，他必与许多人坚立盟约；一七之半，他必使献祭与供献止息。那施行毁灭的可憎之物必立在圣殿里，直到所定的结局倾倒在那行毁灭者的身上。”

在一七之期，他必与许多人坚立盟约；一七之半，他必使献祭与供献止息。那施行毁灭的可憎之物必立在圣殿里，直到所定的结局倾倒在那行毁灭者的身上。”

那王必与许多人缔结一七之久的盟约。一七之半，他必终止祭牲和供物，并且设立带来毁灭的可憎之物，直到所定的结局临到这恶者。”

一七之内，他必和许多人坚立盟约；一七之半，他必使献祭和供物终止；他必在殿里（“殿里”原文作“翼上”）；设立那使地荒凉的可憎的像（“可憎的像”原文是复数），直到指定的结局倾倒在那造成荒凉的人身上。”

他将与许多人订立一个‘七’之久的坚固盟约；而在半个‘七’的时候，他将使祭物和供物止息。在那些可憎者的羽翼上，必出现一个带来荒凉的人，直到那被注定的灭绝倾泻在这带来荒凉的人身上。”

一七之內，他必與許多人堅定盟約；一七之半，他必使祭祀與供獻止息。那行毀壞可憎的如飛而來，並且有忿怒傾在那行毀壞的身上，直到所定的結局。」

在一七之期，他必與許多人堅立盟約；一七之半，他必使獻祭與供獻止息。那施行毀滅的可憎之物必立在聖殿裏，直到所定的結局傾倒在那行毀滅者的身上。」

在一七之期，他必與許多人堅立盟約；一七之半，他必使獻祭與供獻止息。那施行毀滅的可憎之物必立在聖殿裏，直到所定的結局傾倒在那行毀滅者的身上。」

那王必與許多人締結一七之久的盟約。一七之半，他必終止祭牲和供物，並且設立帶來毀滅的可憎之物，直到所定的結局臨到這惡者。」

一七之內，他必和許多人堅立盟約；一七之半，他必使獻祭和供物終止；他必在殿裡（“殿裡”原文作“翼上”）；設立那使地荒涼的可憎的像（“可憎的像”原文是複數），直到指定的結局傾倒在那造成荒涼的人身上。”

一個七之內、他必跟許多人堅定盟約；一個七之一半、他必使宰祭和素祭止息；代替這祭獻的必是個可憎者、使聖地荒涼者，直到毁滅之事、鐵定之事、傾倒在那使聖地荒涼者身上為止。』

他將與許多人訂立一個『七』之久的堅固盟約；而在半個『七』的時候，他將使祭物和供物止息。在那些可憎者的羽翼上，必出現一個帶來荒涼的人，直到那被註定的滅絕傾瀉在這帶來荒涼的人身上。」

彼與多人將立堅約、歷至七日、一七之間、使祭祀與祭品俱息、殘賊者藉可憎之翼而來、且有忿怒、傾於行毀滅者、至於所定之末期、

最後七日、主必與眾民立約、七日之間、祭祀將不復行、殘賊可惡之物、立於聖地、所定之災、必有應驗、終至荒蕪。

一七之間、彼與多人定約、一七之半間、將使祭祀與獻禮咸息、殘賊可惡之物、必立於聖所、必立於聖所或作必立於聖所之墻待所定之災、盡降於行毀滅者、行毀滅者或作受毀滅者

He will confirm a covenant with many for one‘ seven.’ In the middle of the‘ seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”

He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come the one who makes desolate, until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate.”

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.

He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make[ it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

He will confirm a covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of that week he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt. On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”

He will make a firm covenant with many for one week. In the middle of the week he will cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. On the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate; and even to the full end, and that determined, wrath will be poured out on the desolate.”

“ The prophet Daniel spoke about‘ the hated thing that destroys.’( Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) Someday you will see it standing in the holy place. The reader should understand this.

“ A time is coming when you will see armies surround Jerusalem. Then you will know that it will soon be destroyed.

“ The daily sacrifices will be stopped. And the hated thing that destroys will be set up. After that, there will be 1,290 days.

Israel, your people might be as many as the grains of sand by the sea. But only a few of them will return. The Lord has handed down a death sentence. He will destroy his people. What he does is right.The Lord who rules over all will carry out his sentence. The Lord will destroy the whole land.

“ You will see‘ the hated thing that destroys.’( Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) It will stand where it does not belong. The reader should understand this. Then those who are in Judea should escape to the mountains.

“ A certain king will do as he pleases. He will honor himself. He will put himself above every god. He will say things against the greatest God of all. Those things have never been heard before. He will have success until God is not angry anymore. What God has decided to do must take place.

I will make a covenant with them that will last forever. I promise that I will never stop doing good to them. I will cause them to respect me. Then they will never turn away from me again.I will take pleasure in doing good things for them. I will certainly plant them in this land. I will do these things with all my heart and soul.”The Lord says,“ I have brought all this horrible trouble on these people. But now I will give them all the good things I have promised them.

Then I heard a holy angel speaking. Another holy angel spoke to him. He asked,“ How long will it take for the vision to come true? When will the daily sacrifices be stopped? When will those who refuse to obey God be destroyed? When will the temple be handed over to an enemy? And when will some of the Lord’ s people be stomped on?”

Listen and come to me. Pay attention to me. Then you will live. I will make a covenant with you that will last forever. I will give you my faithful love. I promised it to David.

Now stop making fun of me. If you don’t, your chains will become heavier. The Lord who rules over all has spoken to me. The Lord has told me he has ordered that the whole land be destroyed.

Christ set us free from the curse of the law. He did it by becoming a curse for us. It is written,“ Everyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse.”( Deuteronomy 21:23)Christ Jesus set us free so that the blessing given to Abraham would come to the Gentiles through Christ. He did it so that we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. The promised Spirit comes by believing in Christ.Brothers and sisters, let me give you an example from everyday life. No one can get rid of an official agreement between people. No one can add to it. It can’t be changed after it has been made. It is the same with God’s covenant agreement.The promises were given to Abraham. They were also given to his seed. Scripture does not say,“ and to seeds.” That means many people. It says,“ and to your seed.”( Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 24:7) That means one person. And that one person is Christ.Here is what I mean. The law came 430 years after the promise. But the law does not get rid of God’s covenant and promise. The covenant had already been made by God. So the law does not do away with the promise.

Our Lord Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep. The God who gives peace brought him back from the dead. He did it because of the blood of the eternal covenant. Now may Godsupply you with everything good. Then you can do what he wants. May he do in us what is pleasing to him. We can do it only with the help of Jesus Christ. Give him glory for ever and ever. Amen.

That’s why Christ is the go- between of a new covenant. Now those God calls to himself will receive the eternal gift he promised. They will receive it now that Christ has died to save them. He died to set them free from the sins they committed under the first covenant.What happens when someone leaves a will? It is necessary to prove that the person who made the will has died.A will is in effect only when somebody has died. It never takes effect while the one who made it is still living.That’s why even the first covenant was not put into effect without the spilling of blood.Moses first announced every command of the law to all the people. Then he took the blood of calves. He also took water, bright red wool and branches of a hyssop plant. He sprinkled the Book of the Covenant. He also sprinkled all the people.He said,“ This is the blood of the covenant God has commanded you to keep.”( Exodus 24:8)

But I will remember my covenant with you. I made it with you when you were young. Now I will make a new covenant with you. It will last forever.Then you will remember how you have lived. You will be ashamed when I give you Samaria and Sodom. Samaria is your older sister. Sodom is your younger one. I will give them and their daughters to you as daughters. That can’t happen based on my old covenant with you.So I will make my new covenant with you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.I will pay for all the sins you have committed. Then you will remember what you have done. You will be ashamed of it. Because of your shame, you will never speak against me again,” announces the Lord and King.

Let their feast be a trap and a snare. Let my enemies get what’s coming to them.Let their eyes grow weak so they can’t see. Let their backs be bent forever.Pour out your anger on them. Let them feel what it is like.May their homes be deserted. May no one live in their tents.They attack those you have wounded. They talk about the pain of those you have hurt.Charge them with one crime after another. Don’t save them.May their names be erased from the book of life. Don’t include them in the list of those who do right.

I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews. He teaches us that God is true. He shows us that God will keep the promises he made to the founders of our nation.Jesus became a servant of the Jews. He did this so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercy. It is written,“ I will praise you among the Gentiles. I will sing the praises of your name.”( 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49)

Make sure there isn’t a man or woman among your families or tribes who turns away from the Lord our God. No one must worship the gods of those nations. Make sure that kind of worship doesn’t spread like bitter poison through your whole community.Some people who worship those gods will hear the promise that seals the covenant I’m making. They think they can escape trouble by what they’re saying. They say,“ We’ll be safe, even though we’re stubborn and go our own way.” But they will bring trouble on the whole land.The Lord will never be willing to forgive those people. His great anger will blaze out against them. All the curses I’ve written down in this book will fall on them. And the Lord will erase any mention of them from the earth.He will find those people in all the tribes of Israel and give them nothing but trouble. That will agree with all the curses of the covenant. They are written down in this Book of the Law.Even your children’s children will see the troubles that have fallen on the land. They’ll see the sicknesses the Lord has brought on it. People who come from countries far away will also see those things.The whole land will be burned up. Nothing but salt and sulfur will be left. Nothing will be planted there. Nothing will grow there. In fact, nothing will even start to grow there. The land will be like Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim after they were destroyed. The Lord wiped out those cities because he was very angry.All the nations will ask,“ Why has the Lord done this to the land? What could have made him so very angry?”And they will hear the answer,“ It’s because the people living there have broken the covenant of the Lord. He’s the God of their people of long ago. He made that covenant with them when he brought them out of Egypt.They went off and worshiped other gods. They bowed down to them. They hadn’t known anything about those gods before. The Lord hadn’t given those gods to them.So the Lord became very angry with this land. He brought on it all the curses written down in this book.The Lord’ s anger blazed out against his people. So he pulled them up out of their land. He threw them into another land. And that’s where they are now.”The Lord our God keeps certain things hidden. But he makes other things known to us and to our children forever. He does it so we can obey all the words of this law.

God’s gift can’t be compared with Adam’s sin. Many people died because of the sin of that one man. But it was even more sure that God’s grace would also come through one man. That man is Jesus Christ. God’s gift of grace was more than enough for the whole world.

Gather together all the elders of your tribes and all your officials. Bring them to me. Then I can speak these words to them. I can call for the heavens and the earth to be witnesses against them.I know that after I’m dead you will certainly become very sinful. You will turn away from the path I’ve commanded you to take. In days to come, trouble will fall on you. That’s because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. You will make him very angry because of the statues of gods your hands have made.”

Today I’m calling out to the heavens and the earth to be witnesses against you. Suppose you do these things. Then you will quickly die in the land you are going across the Jordan River to take over. You won’t live there very long. You will certainly be destroyed.The Lord will drive you out of your land. He will scatter you among the nations. Only a few of you will remain alive there.There you will worship gods that men have made out of wood and stone. Those gods can’t see, hear, eat or smell.

Many people were made sinners because one man did not obey. But one man did obey. That is why many people will be made right with God.

But God found fault with the people. He said,“ The days are coming, announces the Lord. I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel. I will also make it with the people of Judah.It will not be like the covenant I made with their people of long ago. That was when I took them by the hand. I led them out of Egypt. My new covenant will be different because they didn’t remain faithful to my old covenant. So I turned away from them, announces the Lord.This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds. I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God. And they will be my people.People will not teach their neighbor anymore. They will not say to one another,‘ Know the Lord.’ That’s because everyone will know me. From the least important to the most important, all of them will know me.I will forgive their evil ways. I will not remember their sins anymore.”( Jeremiah 31:31–34)God called this covenant“ new.” So he has done away with the first one. And what is out of date and has been done away with will soon disappear.

This is my blood of the covenant. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many people.

The Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets also forced us to leave. They do not please God. They are enemies of everyone.They try to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles. These Jews don’t want the Gentiles to be saved. In this way, these Jews always increase their sins to the limit. God’s anger has come on them at last.

When God made his promise to Abraham, God gave his word. There was no one greater than himself to promise by. So he promised by making an appeal to himself.He said,“ I will certainly bless you. I will give you many children.”( Genesis 22:17)Abraham was patient while he waited. Then he received what God promised him.People promise things by someone greater than themselves. Giving your word makes a promise certain. It puts an end to all arguing.So God gave his word when he made his promise. He wanted to make it very clear that his purpose does not change. He wanted those who would receive what was promised to know this.When God made his promise, he gave his word. He did this so we would have good reason not to give up. Instead, we have run to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope is set before us in God’s promise. So God made his promise and gave his word. These two things can’t change. He couldn’t lie about them.

“ The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel. I will also make it with the people of Judah.It will not be like the covenant I made with their people of long ago. That was when I took them by the hand. I led them out of Egypt. But they broke my covenant. They did it even though I was like a husband to them,” announces the Lord.“ This is the covenant I will make with Israel after that time,” announces the Lord.“ I will put my law in their minds. I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God. And they will be my people.They will not need to teach their neighbor anymore. And they will not need to teach one another anymore. They will not need to say,‘ Know the Lord.’ That’s because everyone will know me. From the least important of them to the most important, all of them will know me,” announces the Lord.“ I will forgive their evil ways. I will not remember their sins anymore.”

In this way all Israel will be saved. It is written,“ The God who saves will come from Mount Zion. He will remove sin from Jacob’s family.

But suppose you don’t obey the Lord your God. And you aren’t careful to obey all his commands and rules I’m giving you today. Then he will send curses on you. They’ll catch up with you. Here are those curses.You will be cursed in the cities. You will be cursed out in the country.Your baskets and bread pans will be cursed.Your children will be cursed. Your crops will be cursed. Your calves and lambs will be cursed.You will be cursed no matter where you go.The Lord will send curses on you. You won’t know what’s going on. In everything you do, he will be angry with you. You will be destroyed suddenly and completely. This will happen because you did an evil thing when you deserted the Lord.He will send all kinds of sicknesses on you. He’ll send them until he has destroyed you. He’ll remove you from the land you are entering to take as your own.The Lord will make you sick and very weak. He will strike you with fever and swelling. He’ll send burning heat. There won’t be any rain. The hot winds will completely dry up your crops. All those things will happen until you die.The sky above you will be like bronze. The ground beneath you will be like iron.The Lord will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder. It will come down from the skies until you are destroyed.The Lord will help your enemies win the battle over you. You will come at them from one direction. But you will run away from them in every direction. All the kingdoms on earth will be completely shocked when they see you.Birds and wild animals will eat up your dead bodies. There won’t be anyone left to scare them away.The Lord will send boils on you, just like the ones he sent on the Egyptians. You will have growths in your bodies and boils on your skin. You will itch all over. No one will be able to heal you.The Lord will make you lose your mind. He will make you blind. You won’t know what’s going on.Even at noon you will have to feel your way around like a blind person in the dark. You won’t have success in anything you do. Day after day you will be robbed and treated badly. No one will be able to save you.You and a woman will promise to marry each other. But another man will take her and rape her. You will build a house. But you won’t live in it. You will plant a vineyard. But you won’t eat a single grape from it.Your ox will be killed right in front of your eyes. But you won’t eat any of it. Your donkey will be taken away from you by force. And you will never get it back. Your sheep will be given to your enemies. No one will be able to save them.Your children will be given to another nation. Day after day you will watch for them to come back. But you will only wear out your eyes. You won’t be able to help your children.A nation you don’t know anything about will eat what you work to produce on your land. You will only be treated badly as long as you live.The things you see will make you lose your mind.The Lord will send painful boils on your knees and legs. No one will be able to heal them. They will cover you from head to toe.The Lord will drive you out of the land. And he will drive out the king you place over yourselves. All of you will go to another nation. You and your people of long ago didn’t know anything about them. There you will worship other gods. They will be made out of wood and stone.You will look very bad to all the nations where the Lord sends you. They will be completely shocked when they see you. They will mock you and make fun of you.You will plant many seeds in your field. But you will gather very little food. Locusts will eat it up.You will plant vineyards and take care of them. But you won’t drink the wine. You won’t gather the grapes. Worms will eat them up.You will have olive trees through your whole country. But you won’t use the oil. The olives will drop off the trees.You will have children. But you won’t be able to keep them. They’ll be taken away as prisoners.Large numbers of locusts will eat up the leaves on all your trees. They will also eat up the crops on your land.Outsiders who live among you will become your leaders. They will rise higher and higher. But you will sink lower and lower.They will lend money to you. But you won’t be able to lend money to them. They will be the leaders. But you will be the followers.The Lord your God will send all these curses on you. They will follow you everywhere. They’ll catch up with you. You will be under the Lord’ s curse until you are destroyed. That’s because you didn’t obey him. You didn’t keep the commands and rules he gave you.These curses will remain as signs and awful judgments against you and your children after you forever.You didn’t serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness when times were good.So he will send enemies against you. You will have to serve them. You will be hungry and thirsty. You will be naked and poor. The Lord will put the iron chains of slavery around your necks until he has destroyed you.The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away. It will come from the ends of the earth. It will dive down on you like an eagle. You won’t understand that nation’s language.Its people will look mean. They won’t have any respect for old people. They won’t show any kindness to young people.They will eat up the young animals among your livestock. They’ll eat up the crops on your land. They’ll destroy you. They won’t leave you any grain, olive oil or fresh wine. They won’t leave you any calves or lambs. They’ll destroy you.They’ll surround all the cities throughout your whole land. They’ll attack those cities until the high, strong walls you trust in fall down. That’s what will happen to the cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you.Your enemies will surround you and attack you. They will make you suffer greatly. So you will eat your own children. You will eat the dead bodies of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you.There may be a gentle and caring man among you. But he will treat his own brother badly. He’ll be just as mean to the wife he loves and to any of his children who are still alive.He won’t give to a single one of them any part of the dead bodies of his children that he’s eating. It will be all he has left to eat. That’s how much your enemies will make you suffer when they surround all your cities and attack them.There may be a gentle and caring woman among you. She wouldn’t even touch the ground with her feet without first putting her sandals on. But she will not share anything with the husband she loves. She won’t share with her own children either.She will eat what comes out of her body after she has a baby. Then she’ll even eat her baby. She won’t share it with anyone in her family. In her great hunger she’ll plan to eat it in secret. There won’t be anything else for her to eat because the city she lives in will be surrounded. That’s an example of how much your enemies will make you suffer when they are attacking your cities.Be careful to follow all the words of this law. They are written in this scroll. Have respect for the glorious and wonderful name of the Lord your God. If you don’t,he will send terrible plagues on you and your children after you. He’ll send horrible and lasting troubles. He’ll make you very sick for a long time.He’ll bring on you all the sicknesses you were afraid of getting when you were in Egypt. You won’t be able to get rid of them.The Lord will also bring on you all other kinds of sickness and trouble. I haven’t even written those down in this Book of the Law. You will be destroyed.At one time you were as many as the stars in the sky. But there will only be a few of you left. That’s because you didn’t obey the Lord your God.It pleased the Lord to give you success and to cause there to be many of you. But it will please him just as much to wipe you out and destroy you. You will be removed from the land you are entering to take as your own.Then the Lord will scatter you among all the nations. He’ll spread you around from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship statues of gods made out of wood and stone. You and your people of long ago hadn’t known anything about those gods.Among those nations you won’t find any peace. There won’t be any place where you can make your home and rest your feet. The Lord will give you minds filled with worry. He’ll give you eyes worn out from looking for help. You won’t have any hope in your hearts.Your lives will always be in danger. You will be filled with fear night and day. You will never be sure you are safe.In the morning you will say,“ We wish it were evening!” In the evening you will say,“ We wish it were morning!” Your hearts will be filled with fear. The things you see will terrify you.The Lord will send you back to Egypt in ships. He’ll send you on a journey I said you should never have to make again. You will offer to sell yourselves to your enemies as slaves in Egypt. But no one will buy you.

When the Lord saw this, he turned away from them. His sons and daughters made him angry.“ I will turn my face away from them,” he said.“ I will see what will happen to them in the end. They are sinful people. They are unfaithful children.They made me jealous by serving what is not even a god. They made me angry by worshiping worthless statues of gods. I will use people who are not a nation to make them jealous. A nation that has no understanding will make them angry.My anger will start a fire. It will burn all the way down to the kingdom of the dead. It will eat up the earth and its crops. It will set the base of the mountains on fire.“ I will pile troubles on my people. I will shoot all my arrows at them.I will send them hunger. It will make them weak. I will send terrible sickness. I will send deadly plagues. I will send wild animals that will tear them apart. Snakes that glide through the dust will bite them.In the streets their children will be killed by swords. Their homes will be filled with terror. The young men and women will die. The babies and old people will die.I said I would scatter them. I said I would erase their name from human memory.But I was afraid their enemies would make fun of that. I was afraid their attackers would not understand. I was sure they would say,‘ We’re the ones who’ve beaten them! The Lord isn’t the one who did it.’ ”Israel is a nation that doesn’t have any sense. They can’t understand anything.I wish they were wise. Then they would understand what’s coming. They’d realize what would happen to them in the end.How could one person chase a thousand? How could two make ten thousand run away? It couldn’t happen unless their Rock had deserted them. It couldn’t take place unless the Lord had given them up.Their rock is not like our Rock. Even our enemies know that.Their vine comes from the vines of Sodom. It comes from the vineyards of Gomorrah. Their grapes are filled with poison. Their bunches of grapes taste bitter.Their wine is like the poison of snakes. It’s like the deadly poison of cobras.The Lord says,“ I have kept all those terrible things stored away. I have kept them sealed up in my strongbox.I punish people. I will pay them back. The time will come when their feet will slip. Their day of trouble is near. Very soon they will be destroyed.”The Lord will come to the aid of his people. He’ll show tender love to those who serve him. He will know when their strength is gone. He’ll see that no one at all is left.He’ll say,“ Where are their gods now? Where is the rock they went to for safety?Where are the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices? Where are the gods who drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let those gods rise up to help you! Let them keep you safe!“ Look! I am the One! There is no other God except me. I put some people to death. I bring others to life. I have wounded, and I will heal. No one can save you from my power.I raise my hand to heaven. Here is the promise I make. You can be sure that I live forever.And you can be just as sure that I will sharpen my flashing sword. My hand will hold it when I judge. I will get even with my enemies. I will pay back those who hate me.I will make my arrows drip with blood. My sword will destroy people. It will kill some. It will even kill prisoners. It will cut off the heads of enemy leaders.”You nations, be full of joy. Be joyful together with God’s people. The Lord will get even with his enemies. He will pay them back for killing those who serve him. He will wipe away the sin of his land and people.Moses spoke all the words of this song to the people. Joshua, the son of Nun, was with him.

Some will be killed by the sword. Others will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be taken over by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles come to an end.

Don’t let your hearts turn away from the Lord. Instead, obey him. Don’t let yourselves be drawn away to other gods. And don’t bow down to them and worship them.If you do, I announce to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You are about to go across the Jordan River and take over the land. But you won’t live there very long.

It isn’t possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.So when Christ came into the world, he said,“ You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. Instead, you prepared a body for me.You weren’t pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings.Then I said,‘ Here I am. It is written about me in the book. I have come to do what you want, my God.’ ”( Psalm 40:6–8)First Christ said,“ You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. You didn’t want burnt offerings and sin offerings. You weren’t pleased with them.” He said this even though they were offered in keeping with the law.Then he said,“ Here I am. I have come to do what you want.” He did away with the shadow of the good things that were coming. He did it to put in place the good things themselves.We have been made holy by what God wanted. We have been made holy because Jesus Christ offered his body once and for all time.Day after day every priest stands and does his special duties. He offers the same sacrifices again and again. But they can never take away sins.Jesus our priest offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. Then he sat down at the right hand of God.And since that time, he waits for his enemies to be put under his control.By that one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.The Holy Spirit also speaks to us about this. First he says,“ This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts. I will write my laws on their minds.”( Jeremiah 31:33)Then he adds,“ I will not remember their sins anymore. I will not remember the evil things they have done.”( Jeremiah 31:34)Where these sins have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer necessary.Brothers and sisters, we are not afraid to enter the Most Holy Room. We enter boldly because of the blood of Jesus.His way is new because he lives. It has been opened for us through the curtain. I’m talking about his body.We also have a great priest over the house of God.So let us come near to God with a sincere heart. Let us come near boldly because of our faith. Our hearts have been sprinkled. Our minds have been cleansed from a sense of guilt. Our bodies have been washed with pure water.

“‘ On the other hand, suppose you do not listen to me. Suppose you do not carry out all my commands.Suppose you say no to my rules and turn away from my laws. And suppose you break my covenant by failing to carry out all my commands.Then here is what I will do to you. All at once I will bring terror on you. I will send sicknesses that will make you weak. I will send fever that will destroy your sight. It will slowly take your strength away. When you plant seeds, it will not do you any good. Instead, your enemies will eat what you have planted.I will turn against you. Then your enemies will win the battle over you. Those who hate you will rule over you. You will run away even when no one is chasing you.“‘ After all that, suppose you still will not listen to me. Then I will punish you for your sins seven times.I will break down your stubborn pride. I will make the sky above you like iron, and it will not rain. I will make the ground under you like bronze, and you will not be able to farm it.You will work with all your strength, but it will not do you any good. That is because your soil will not produce any crops. The trees of your land will not bear any fruit.“‘ Suppose you continue to be my enemy. And suppose you still refuse to listen to me. Then I will multiply your troubles many times because of your sins.I will send wild animals against you. They will kill your children. They will destroy your cattle. There will be so few of you left that your roads will be deserted.“‘ After all those things, suppose you still do not accept my warnings. And suppose you continue to be my enemy.Then I myself will be your enemy. I will make you suffer again and again for your sins.I will send war against you to punish you for breaking my covenant. When you go back into your cities, I will send a plague among you. You will be handed over to your enemies.I will cut off your supply of bread. Ten women will need only one oven to bake your bread. They will weigh out the bread piece by piece. Even when you eat all of it, it will not be enough to satisfy you.“‘ After all that, suppose you still do not listen to me. And suppose you continue to be my enemy.Then I will be angry with you. I will be your enemy. I myself will again punish you for your sins over and over.You will eat the dead bodies of your sons. You will also eat the dead bodies of your daughters.I will destroy the high places where you worship other gods. I will pull down your incense altars. I will pile up your dead bodies on the lifeless statues of your gods. And I will turn away from you.I will completely destroy your cities. I will destroy your places of worship. The pleasant smell of your offerings will not give me any delight.I myself will destroy your land so completely that your enemies who live there will be shocked.I will scatter you among the nations. I will pull out my sword and hunt you down. Your land and your cities will be completely destroyed.Then the deserted land will enjoy its sabbath years. It will rest. It will not be farmed. It will enjoy its sabbaths. But you will become prisoners in the country of your enemies.The land will rest the whole time it is deserted. It was not able to rest during the sabbaths you lived in it.“‘ Some of you will be left in the lands of your enemies. I will fill your hearts with fear. The sound of a leaf blown by the wind will scare you away. You will run as if you were escaping from swords. You will fall down, even though no one is chasing you.You will trip over one another as if you were running away from the battle. You will run away, even though no one is chasing you. You will not be able to stand and fight against your enemies.While you are still scattered among the nations, you will die. The lands of your enemies will destroy you.You who are left in those lands will become weaker and weaker. You will die because of your sins and the sins of your people who lived before you.“‘ But suppose you admit that both you and your people who lived before you have sinned. You admit the evil and dishonest things you have done against me. And you admit you have become my enemy.What you did made me become your enemy. I let your enemies take you into their land. But suppose you stop being stubborn. You stop being proud. And you pay for your sin.Then I will remember my covenant with Jacob. I will remember my covenant with Isaac. I will remember my covenant with Abraham. I will remember what I said to them about the land.You will leave the land. It will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies deserted because you are not there. You will pay for your sins because you said no to my laws. You turned away from my rules.But even after all that, I will not say no to you or turn away from you. I will not destroy you completely in the land of your enemies. I will not break my covenant with you. I am the Lord your God.Because of you, I will remember the covenant I made with the people of Israel who lived before you. I brought them out of Egypt to be their God. The nations saw me do it. I am the Lord.’ ”These are the orders, the laws and the rules of the covenant the Lord made on Mount Sinai. He made it between himself and the Israelites through Moses.

At that moment the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook. The rocks split.

After he has suffered, he will see the light of life. And he will be satisfied. My godly servant will make many people godly because of what he will accomplish. He will be punished for their sins.

“ I, the Lord, have chosen you to do what is right. I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you safe. You will put into effect my covenant with the people of Israel. And you will be a light for the Gentiles.

In the same way, Christ was offered up once. He took away the sins of many people. He will also come a second time. At that time he will not suffer for sin. Instead, he will come to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.