There he went into a cave to spend the night. Suddenly the LORD spoke to him, "Elijah, what are you doing here?"

He answered, " LORD God Almighty, I have always served you---you alone. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed all your prophets. I am the only one left---and they are trying to kill me!"

I will speak out to encourage Jerusalem; I will not be silent until she is saved, And her victory shines like a torch in the night.

On your walls, Jerusalem, I have placed sentries; They must never be silent day or night. They must remind the LORD of his promises And never let him forget them.

They must give him no rest until he restores Jerusalem And makes it a city the whole world praises.

And the answer will be, 'It is because the LORD's people broke the covenant they had made with him, the God of their ancestors, when he brought them out of Egypt.

I will take them into this rich and fertile land, as I promised their ancestors. There they will have all the food they want, and they will live comfortably. But they will turn away and worship other gods. They will reject me and break my covenant,

They were not loyal to him; they were not faithful to their covenant with him.

You are doomed, you sinful nation, you corrupt and evil people! Your sins drag you down! You have rejected the LORD, the holy God of Israel, and have turned your backs on him.

Then they will answer that it is because you have abandoned your covenant with me, your God, and have worshiped and served other gods."

The Romans will come in ships and oppose him, and he will be frightened. "Then he will turn back in a rage and try to destroy the religion of God's people. He will follow the advice of those who have abandoned that religion.

"But as soon as they entered the land at Adam, they broke the covenant I had made with them.

It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. They were not faithful to the covenant I made with them, and so I paid no attention to them.