Then the whole world will ask, 'Why did the LORD do this to their land? What was the reason for his fierce anger?'

They served other gods that they had never worshiped before, gods that the LORD had forbidden them to worship.

The LORD became furiously angry, and in his great anger he uprooted them from their land and threw them into a foreign land, and there they are today.'

then I will remove my people Israel from the land that I have given them. I will also abandon this Temple which I have consecrated as the place where I am to be worshiped. People everywhere will ridicule Israel and treat her with contempt.

The surrounding nations insult us; they laugh at us and mock us.

At night I long for you with all my heart; when you judge the earth and its people, they will all learn what justice is.

"Afterward many foreigners will pass by and ask one another why I, the LORD, have done such a thing to this great city.

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

All these things happened to them as examples for others, and they were written down as a warning for us. For we live at a time when the end is about to come.

I will punish them severely and take full revenge on them. They will feel my anger. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

The LORD will come with fire. He will ride on the wings of a storm to punish those he is angry with.

By fire and sword he will punish all the people of the world whom he finds guilty---and many will be put to death.

The LORD God tolerates no rivals; he punishes those who oppose him. In his anger he pays them back.