"How great are the wonders God shows us! How powerful are the miracles he performs! God is king forever; he will rule for all time.

"When the seven years had passed," said the king, "I looked up at the sky, and my sanity returned. I praised the Supreme God and gave honor and glory to the one who lives forever. "He will rule forever, and his kingdom will last for all time.

and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

You acted against the Lord of heaven and brought in the cups and bowls taken from his Temple. You, your noblemen, your wives, and your concubines drank wine out of them and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone---gods that cannot see or hear and that do not know anything. But you did not honor the God who determines whether you live or die and who controls everything you do.

But you are the chosen race, the King's priests, the holy nation, God's own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvelous light.

At one time you were not God's people, but now you are his people; at one time you did not know God's mercy, but now you have received his mercy.

You acted against the Lord of heaven and brought in the cups and bowls taken from his Temple. You, your noblemen, your wives, and your concubines drank wine out of them and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone---gods that cannot see or hear and that do not know anything. But you did not honor the God who determines whether you live or die and who controls everything you do.

At that time Jesus said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned.

God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.

"The LORD is your mighty defender, perfect and just in all his ways; Your God is faithful and true; he does what is right and fair.

Stop your loud boasting; silence your proud words. For the LORD is a God who knows, and he judges all that people do.

The words of the LORD are true, and all his works are dependable.

The LORD loves what is righteous and just; his constant love fills the earth.

Mighty king, you love what is right; you have established justice in Israel; you have brought righteousness and fairness.

I know that your judgments are righteous, LORD, and that you punished me because you are faithful.

The LORD is righteous in all he does, merciful in all his acts.

He is near to those who call to him, who call to him with sincerity.

But the LORD Almighty shows his greatness by doing what is right, and he reveals his holiness by judging his people.

and singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Lord God Almighty, how great and wonderful are your deeds! King of the nations, how right and true are your ways!

Then I heard a voice from the altar saying, "Lord God Almighty! True and just indeed are your judgments!"

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a large crowd of people in heaven, saying, "Praise God! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God!

True and just are his judgments! He has condemned the prostitute who was corrupting the earth with her immorality. God has punished her because she killed his servants."

he said, "Look how great Babylon is! I built it as my capital city to display my power and might, my glory and majesty."

Before the words were out of his mouth, a voice spoke from heaven, "King Nebuchadnezzar, listen to what I say! Your royal power is now taken away from you.

But because he became proud, stubborn, and cruel, he was removed from his royal throne and lost his place of honor.

"But you, his son, have not humbled yourself, even though you knew all this.

That is why God has sent the hand to write these words.

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods, because he did this when the Egyptians treated the Israelites with such contempt."

So the LORD let the commanders of the Assyrian army invade Judah. They captured Manasseh, stuck hooks in him, put him in chains, and took him to Babylon.

In his suffering he became humble, turned to the LORD his God, and begged him for help.

The king's prayer and God's answer to it, and an account of the sins he committed before he repented---the evil he did, the pagan places of worship and the symbols of the goddess Asherah that he made and the idols that he worshiped---are all recorded in The History of the Prophets.

Look at those who are proud; pour out your anger and humble them.

Yes, look at them and bring them down; crush the wicked where they stand.

Didn't you joke about Sodom in those days when you were proud

I will forgive all the wrongs you have done, but you will remember them and be too ashamed to open your mouth." The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

But the grace that God gives is even stronger. As the scripture says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

So then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you.

In the same way you younger people must submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says, "God resists the proud, but shows favor to the humble."

Humble yourselves, then, under God's mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time.