Mourning over the Locust Plague

Hear this, you leaders of the people. Listen, all who live in the land. In all your history, has anything like this happened before?

Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you wine-drinkers! All the grapes are ruined, and all your sweet wine is gone.

Despair, all you farmers! Wail, all you vine growers! Weep, because the wheat and barley— all the crops of the field—are ruined.

The grapevines have dried up, and the fig trees have withered. The pomegranate trees, palm trees, and apple trees— all the fruit trees—have dried up. And the people’s joy has dried up with them.

Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people of the land into the Temple of the Lord your God, and cry out to him there.

Lord, help us! The fire has consumed the wilderness pastures, and flames have burned up all the trees.

Fear grips all the people; every face grows pale with terror.

They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows.

Gather all the people— the elders, the children, and even the babies. Call the bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from her private room.

Once again you will have all the food you want, and you will praise the Lord your God, who does these miracles for you. Never again will my people be disgraced.

The Lord’s Promise of His Spirit

“Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.

You have taken my silver and gold and all my precious treasures, and have carried them off to your pagan temples.

“But I will bring them back from all the places to which you sold them, and I will pay you back for everything you have done.

Say to the nations far and wide: “Get ready for war! Call out your best warriors. Let all your fighting men advance for the attack.

Come quickly, all you nations everywhere. Gather together in the valley.” And now, O Lord, call out your warriors!

“Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I, the Lord, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all.

“But Judah will be filled with people forever, and Jerusalem will endure through all generations.