The Word of the LORD to Markita Smith on November 21, 2005.
Hear the Word of the LORD
His people
“My people
“O Jerusalem, my dove, I turned away from you for a moment. I abandoned you, and took my presence from your children. But you are mine and mine alone. Once again I will call you to myself and restore what I have captured. When I showed my love to you, you rejected me. So I turned you over to all you desired. But that time is now at its end. Your lover has come to set you free.
“From the beginning, I make known the end. Have I not told you? Did I not proclaim it long ago? Through you the world has been blessed. A star shot out from Jacob, David on his throne, to rule the nations with an iron scepter and lead his people into peace. You have seen, yet have not understood. You have heard, yet have not listened. Through you He was born. How then can I reject the mother of my Only Son? I have not cast you off; I have not given you a certificate of divorce, for then the Son would be unholy. I am with you, and He will save you. I am sending Him for you. Your foes He will strike with a mighty blow.
“My beloved Son, the fruit of your labor, is the sign of my covenant with you. Though you have writhed in pain and felt anguish in your heart, I will yet restore. When you look upon the countenance of Him you have borne, your heart will leap for joy and in Him you too will be pleased. He will cleanse away every transgression and kiss you on your face, you who are highly favored and honored in the sight of God.
“Then you will stand against the nations for the Lord will be your strength. You will separate yourselves from them. Come out from her my people! Do not fall as the harlot will fall. Run to your Maker, to the place of His shelter that you may be saved from her punishment. For every idol and wicked thing will be purged from the earth, but you will find rest for your souls in me.
“Raise the banner in
“Because you rejected your King, the enemy scattered you to the far ends of the earth. But the Lord is your Shepherd; He will feed you, protect you and lead you in the way everlasting. He will cover you in your own land that no one will ever again oppress you. The Shepherd will heal your every wound and carry the injured on His shoulders. But those among my people who oppress you will not be counted with you. They will fall as the unjust fall, for I am going to purge them from among my chosen, because they bar men from the presence of God and eat the food of death.
“The Son of Man will rule over you as steward of my
Kingdom. All power and glory are in His
hands and the nations will bow before Him.
As His dominion is an everlasting dominion, so your salvation will last
forever.
“To you I gave this sign: the virgin was with child that your salvation would be unblemished. He has come to perfect your faith. This perfection will exist in your hearts, your minds, your bodies and your souls. You will feel me within and reveal me without. As the glory of the LORD shines upon you, your light will shine before others. Therefore, wait for your God to testify. I will call the nations to myself for judgment and purify them in the fire of my wrath. The peoples will look to you as my priests, my set apart people, my example of consecration; prepare yourselves, for the day of the LORD is near.
“In that day I will judge the oppressors, the mockers and
tormentors. All who laid a heavy yoke
upon you will watch as I restore my people
“Though the nations conspire against my people and the
rulers gather against the LORD’s Anointed,
He mocks their attempts to thwart His plan.
Your God will rebuke them in His anger and install His King in
“Why then O Jacob, my son Jeshurun, do you cry, ‘Lord, will you be angry forever?’ I have not forgotten you. Just as I never forget the does of the field or the birds of the air, I will not forget you, my precious one. Your cries have not been in vain. I have heard every groan. Your God does answer you, today one way, tomorrow another. My replies are as present as the lilies in the field. Look for me, listen for my reply. When your fathers trusted in me, I delivered them. From your conception, I have cared for you. Before you were a nation, and mighty in number, I raised you up. Though the nations despise you, your God will yet rescue you.
“Peoples rise against you on every side so that they may gloat over you. They divide your possessions and distribute your land. But the LORD your God has seen. I am not a God who is far away. I am near to you in your suffering. I will rescue you from the lions that come to devour your flesh. Just declare my Name throughout the world. Stand and praise me among my people. All who fear me shall praise me together, as Jacob comes to honor me. You shall fulfill your vow to take my Name to the ends of the earth. Then the great assembly will gather in praise of me. All who seek me shall live; all who hunger and thirst shall be satisfied.
“I have one requirement of you, one command for my people
“Hear, O Israel, and rejoice. Your King comes to deliver you and judge the earth. He will thresh the nations, and the wicked of the earth will be blown away like chaff. The LORD’s Anointed will save you. Bands of wicked men He will crush. This time will surely come. Wait upon the Lord. Wait in hope that I will deliver. All the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. He will take His place in His holy temple, and every man shall exalt His Name.
“My judgment fires shall purge the earth. Every foul thing will be swept away in that great and dreadful day of the LORD. For the wicked, that day will be a day of distress and terror. It will be a day of blackness and weeping because of the many sins against God and defilement of my Name. Blood will be spilled in the streets and all the world will be consumed. Then my Holy One will come in all His glory to rule the earth. You, my people, will be saved. Though I will punish you, it will only be in justice. I will heal the wounds that I inflict.
“The Anointed King from the house of David will reign in
strength and power. His Kingdom will be
established in righteousness. He will
winnow out all evil with His eyes. By
Him,
“
“Cry no longer my people;
“
“Jealous peoples besiege her. Their hardened hearts pour arrogance from their lips. But I know the one I have chosen. I have made it known to the world. Their hatred is unfounded, their hearts bent on destruction. They come to steal what was not given to them because they have not known Him who created it. Their father is the accuser, who himself harbors envy. Their eyes well up with lust for the gifts given by God to His children. These traitors I have not borne, nor have I spoken to them. They have listened to him who sent them; his example have they followed. Eternal life they will never see, for the face of God is hidden from them. When their time has run its course, the evil one will come to reclaim them for every guilty act. He will remind them of their prayers to him and condemn them for their malice.
“
“For the sake of my Name, I will guide you and protect you. Your salvation is in my hands, and from my hands no one can snatch you. Every promise I have made I will fulfill that all the earth will fear my Name. No longer will you suffer shame or reproach. All who fear me will befriend you. Only the arrogant will stand against you, for their leader was first in rebellion. Lies drip from their mouths, but you will find the truth in my law. Your time of affliction has made this possible. Now you can learn my decrees and understand my precepts. All who believe in me will rejoice when you put your hope in my Word.
“The day is coming when you will rebuild your walls. Your territory will be extended and your children will be free. You will live in a fertile land with one Shepherd over you. He will free you from your bondage, and you will see my wonders. Nations will tremble and quake at this sight, my people serving their Lord. They will bring their crowns and throw them at His feet, and they will learn the fear of the LORD. Your sins have I forgiven, and their sins you will forgive. In compassion I will lead you, and you will display my mercy in the world.
“Because your sins have been atoned and I have cleansed you
with the blood of the Lamb, prepare the way for His return. Make straight every crooked road, reveal
every hidden sin, and teach my people to worship me. I will uphold your cause and make known to
you the way. Your watchman will come and
bring you good news. Your benefactor
will come and rain blessings upon you. Gentiles
will go out before you and serve as your rear guards. They will carry you on their shoulders for I
have ordained it to be so. The wealth of
the nations shall be brought to you and the gifts I have given men shall be
used for your good. Though they have
spoken against you, they will now lift you up.
Do not fear
“The Anointed King comes and my Word is in His mouth. He will gather
“I shall instruct you and open your ears that you may be taught. Forget the work of the enemy against your flesh. Protect not your bodies and possessions, but allow your souls to be transformed and your God to be your shield. Then you will not be put to shame. The LORD is your vindicator. I will fight your battles! I will be your help and no man will be able to put you to shame. You cannot create understanding for yourselves or direct your own paths. Instead, submit yourselves to me morning by morning. Obey my commands and let them dwell within your hearts. Trust in the LORD and rely only on my strength.
“The Spirit of the LORD
consecrates my people, those who have made a covenant with me through
blood. The blood of bulls and goats does
not please me. I would never give an
animal in exchange for you. Offer me
thanksgiving and give me sacrifices of praise.
Fulfill your vows to have no one before me. Call upon me when you are in despair, and I
will come quickly to deliver you. Only
then will you see that salvation comes from the LORD. The foundations of
“I recall the covenant of your youth, O Israel. I found you in a desert land and raised you to be a mighty priest. I blessed you with every blessing, for then you were true to me. But you became proud and your heart turned to things that were not gods. You forgot the LORD, your Father. I swore to you with uplifted hand that I would provoke you to jealousy by a people who were not a people, as you provoked me to wrath by gods that were not gods. I heaped calamities upon you, and scattered you throughout the nations. But your cries reached my ears, and I turned my heart back to you.
“When you began to feel secure, you grew proud again and relied on your temple rather than the LORD your God. I will not have any other god before me, not even a house of cedar. So I cast it to the ground, and exalted my Name in its place. For centuries, you lived in lands not your own, and the enemy has dealt with you unmercifully. However, the LORD has always been your protector; I provided for you wherever you were sent. Return now to the One you have pierced. Accept this atonement, for I am eager to forgive. Take my words to heart for they will bring you life in a world headed for death. My Word will take you back to the land I gave you as an inheritance, but if you reject it, you will only see the promise from a distance; it will not be yours to possess.
“I made a covenant with Abraham to be his God and the God of
his descendants, to give them the
“My memory is long and never fails. All of my words shall come to pass, if not
today then tomorrow, but my people will be delivered from the nations and live
at peace in
“Judgment is coming to the ends of the earth. The LORD will strike with a mighty blow. Violence and destruction will fill the land when I turn the wicked over to the one they have worshipped. He is merciless and cruel. He cares nothing for my dwelling place or my people. All of the earth shall experience his anger and be scorched by his pride. When he has punished the ungodly and marked them for eternal destruction, he will turn his sights to my people and my house. Then the King will arrive in all of his glory. His mighty army shall accompany him, hosts of warriors at his side to lay siege to the oppressor, to destroy the destroyer.
“The earth shall be purged of all idolaters. I will turn them over to their idols, demons that cannot give life, only drain it away. All who worship their shrines and graven images shall be drawn together to worship the evil one that incited it all. Pagan worship will unite with witchcraft and witchcraft will unite with self-worship to create an abomination in the eyes of God. The mockers of the LORD, those committed to their own way, will be gathered together to one form of idolatry so that my saints will recognize them all.
“Yet the evil one has set apart one group for himself. They bow down to the sun in the east and call upon the name of their god. The deceiver calls them his chosen and sets himself up before them as if he were the Almighty. But their backs are to the LORD and their eyes are fixed upon God’s people. He fills their hearts with hate, for so I have ordained it. Long ago I said of him that he would be a wild donkey living in enmity toward his brothers. His eyes are sealed shut and his heart is made of stone. He is obedient to his master and unwavering in his devotion. He is a mighty nation full of fierce warriors, continually filling the land with violence and provoking the LORD God Almighty. But I know where he sleeps, when he gets up and when he lies down. The LORD hears his every word. The Anointed King will make Himself known to the world through him when he extinguishes his cause forever.
“I shall wipe them from the face of the earth: all of the rebellious, deceivers, mockers, idolaters, thieves, murders, and enemies of God. Yet before my judgment fires spread throughout the land, I will seal for myself all who mourn for the sins of the world. The faithful shall be marked with my sign that you will not suffer the fires of my wrath. However, all pretenders and imitators among my people shall be the first to receive my judgment. Every wolf among my sheep, all tares within the wheat, shall be burned up in my unquenchable fire. I will begin with my house and start in my sanctuary. These believe that I have not seen what is done in my Name, but they will be the first to feel the mighty hand of God.
“To the liars among my faithful Gentile believers: You have gone into the house of the Lord day by day and lifted up your hands to your idols. You worship lust and feed your flesh with greed and all manner of sexual impurity. You have purposed in your hearts that you would lie to my people and devour their souls. All this you have done in the house that bears my Name believing that I have not seen it. But this sin will come crashing down upon you, and I will bring down on your own heads what you have done. Then all the world will know that you did not belong to me, and my children, whom you have scarred, will be vindicated.
“And among my chosen, I will certainly not spare you who distract my people with pious language and religious acts. You make offerings for a show and place a heavy burden on my people. In secret, you live a lie and tread upon the heart of the law. The Word of God means nothing to you, yet you follow every letter. You refuse to offer yourselves as servants; instead you lift up your heads as masters. Therefore I will cast you to the ground, and the evil one will tread upon you. I will leave you in his hands since you have served him from your youth. The sins of your fathers will fall upon you because like them you devour the flesh of my poor and needy, you lie about the LORD God, and you prevent men from receiving me in their hearts. Continue with your plans; fulfill the vows you have made, for I will certainly fulfill mine. Your time is short, for I will surely deliver my people from your hands, then they will know the truth and the truth shall set them free.
“The watchman will announce the coming of this dreadful day of the LORD. You will hear and you will prepare by building up your walls and strengthening your defenses, but you will not return to the LORD your God who makes it so. You will not surrender to your Maker who has all power within His hands. I am calling you to weep and wail, to repent of your wickedness and submit your hearts to me. But you will not do it; you will commit yourselves to the lie and surrender your souls to the devourer. Therefore I will cast you so-called leaders out of my presence. I will hurl you into the deep with your master. David will rule over all of my people, and they will have peace.
“The righteous will all draw near to me. You will cling to me as did Abraham. My children will be blessed at my hand, and
“I will consecrate my called out ones. I will refine you in the fire, but you will
not be burned. I will prepare you for
the day of wrath that no impurity will be found in you. From all others you will be distinguished as you
will shine forth as gold. You will be
cleansed of your iniquity, and I will hide my face from your sins. Then you will teach the world the ways of the
LORD and bring sinners back to me.
“The LORD will uphold
the remnant of His people. Though your
leaders stumble in wickedness and teach like those filled with wine, I will
send foreigners to raise you up, Gentiles to teach you the ways of God. Those who rule over my people will be brought
down in their lies and death will remove them from their places. Yet I will set my people on a firm
foundation. You will build
“Enemies will besiege
“Cry out to me and I will hear; call to your God and I will
answer.
“A righteous branch will sprout from David, from the root of
Jesse. He will flourish like a tree
planted by streams of water.
“This is my promise to the faithful; this is my Word to the
oppressed. But to you who lord it over
my people, I will bring down upon your own heads what you have done. I have proclaimed compassion and mercy for my
weakened lambs. But for the rams among
my sheep who cast off those who are injured, take from them what little they
have, prohibit them from grazing in the pasture I have provided, and abuse them
just because you can, I say now to you that I will grab you by your horns and
toss you into a land of hardship and distress where you will become food for
the beast who roams there. Because you
have not obeyed the LORD your God and
taken care of the poor and needy, I will spend my anger against you leaders of
“Listen you leaders, give ear you elders of my people. You strive in vain to govern and rule as
other nations do. Yet I will never let
“Those among you leaders who rebel against me will not inhabit my land. I will bring down upon you even the sins of your fathers who rebelled against me in Egypt though I was a protector to them, in the desert though I was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide them, in the land of promise though I delivered them from all of their enemies, and even after the return though I had restored their fortunes. And now, though I have been a gracious and merciful God, the shepherds of my people teach my people lies about the LORD, burden my people with rules made by men, stand in judgment of my people and exalt yourselves rather than serving the flock. I will release you to your rebellion and idolatry, for I will have a purified people who worship me on my holy mountain and make offerings that are pleasing and acceptable in my sight.
“To the remnant of my people who will be spared the
judgment: Do not think that you have
shown yourselves pure before me. You
will be a testimony that the LORD God of
“Seek the LORD while there is yet time. Seek me and live. Seek my face not acts of worship. Uphold the truth and break your covenant with lies. Serve the poor; stop filling your storehouses with ill-gotten grain. Do not run to build house upon house and amass treasures for this life. Heed my words or you will not eat the fruit that you have planted, you will not taste the wine from your vineyards. Stand for justice and be examples of righteousness in these evil days. Let all that is right pour out from your hearts and shun evil, then the LORD God will cover you with my presence and the words you boast will find their fulfillment. You pray that the LORD’s judgment will come, that the day of vengeance for my people will not delay. Yet you do not take to mind your own conduct, you do not consider your relationship with me. For all who rebel against me in their hearts, speak ill of me and my children, and take my grace for granted are counted among my enemies. And I will avenge myself against all of my enemies.
“Stop your religious festivals that are not offered to me in truth. I hate the clatter of your instruments, I abhor the sound of your cries, and the prayers of the unfaithful ail me. Everything that does not come from a heart that is bent toward me is a stench in my nostrils; I will no longer put up with them. Those of you who are religious for show and pious for man’s sake feel secure in your positions, yet I will toss you from my presence for your sloth in deeds and counterfeit faith. You will no longer be allowed to minister before me, and I will replace you with young worshippers and those who are new to faith. They have not yet been sullied by false teachings nor have they debased themselves in idolatry.
“Listen and the LORD will tell you about your idolatry. My wisdom has been offered to you as gold, knowledge of the LORD has been given to you like choice silver. Yet you pervert it and twist it; you mutilate it in your unclean hearts. You would rather practice religion than form a relationship with the one true God. My commands were given to you that a man might live if he follows them. But you did not treasure my commands in your hearts. You did not inquire of me in your spirits. Instead, you added letter upon letter to my law. There is no end to your books. Call upon me for I am near. Ask of me and I will answer. It is my desire that you would be pure before the Holy God. Yet you choose pretension, falsehood and laws. I am the Creator of the universe and will not be contained to rules made by men. I create purpose and placed meaning in everything. Partake of my Words, swallow them in your hearts and you will taste the goodness of the LORD.
“You hold in high esteem the sanctuary of the LORD and you mourn over the temple of your God. The vessels used in my service are regarded with highest honor and the priests who minister before me are highly favored among you. All this you do, yet you do not revere me. You remember every festival and celebrate every feast; you fast at the appointed time and recall my relationship with your fathers. Yet I decreed it all, it was done by my command that you might remember me, that you might draw near to the only One who can save you. You have no knowledge of me, though I make myself known daily. Is this not idolatry? Should I not avenge myself for such disregard?
“But there are a few among you who mourn because my law is being broken. You wail because the hearts of men have hardened toward the LORD, even among my chosen. You lament because my people are taught by demons. In your hearts is a grief that can only be comforted by the coming of your Lord, by the vindication of your Savior. I will keep you in the times of trouble, and I will hear and answer your prayers.
“To all who are foreign to me yet living in the land the LORD God promised His people
“I have heard you taunting my beloved; your insults have reached my ears. Every threat you have made against Jacob concerning the land of his promise will be turned back on your own heads. The remnant of my people will displace you. They will cast you from these lands. You may celebrate as I refine them, but when I turn my wrath upon you, the angels in heaven will praise me. The idols to which you have lifted up your hands and the demons that have ruled over you will take you to your final resting place and my people will live in peace. The world will watch as I bring you to your end and every nation will worship me because of the judgment I pour upon you.
“To you leaders in
“When my judgment comes upon you, I will not hear your
prayers nor respond to your fasts.
Though you make offerings to me, I will not accept them. There will be peace for my people
“There will be a time of tumult for
“I mourn for the one I love.
Why have you so revolted against me?
I gave you leaders charge over my vineyard that I might receive a great
harvest among my people
“Day after day you come before me. Day after day I endure your tears. You ask me for guidance, you pray that I would relent. Yet all the while you do as you please, carrying out plans that did not come from me neither did I ordain. Stop wasting your tears; you wear yourselves out for nothing. I have called you to establish justice, to be models of righteousness, but you would have none of it! Proclaim freedom for the captives and defend those who are oppressed. Purify your lips and purge your hearts of malice. Stop going your own way and submit to the will of the LORD. Then I will use you to set the world ablaze. You will be a light unto all of my people, both Jews and Gentiles. I will meet your every need and cause you to flourish. The ancient land will be rebuilt, and I will once again have my dwelling place among you. In me you will find joy, and you will retain your inheritance forever.
“When I look among you, I see blind men feeling your way and stumbling as if you have no light. But I am your light, and I have made the way of peace known to you. I reach my hand from on high to rescue you from the murk and mire in which you have placed yourselves, but you reject my hand. You choose sin over righteousness, rebellion over submission. You speak all manner of evil from your mouths and death drips from your tongues. Your own words convict you; they go out before you creating a path of destruction that you seem eager to follow. Let truth reign among you; let justice ring out from every high mountain for your God is mighty and willing to redeem. But those among you who continue in this way will receive torment at my hand. Then all the world will fear me, every man will know my Name. Yet my Spirit will cover the repentant, my presence will comfort the contrite. You will speak my words to the world and will never depart from them.
“If you would return to me, then return. Come together in my presence as one people with one voice. Read the Word of the LORD aloud that all of my people may hear it and take it to heart. You leaders among my people, those who have taken vows, instruct my people in the way of the LORD and be sure they clearly understand it. Give meaning to my Word that my people may apply it to their lives and have life for their souls. Wail and mourn as you confess your sins before me; recount your departure from the LORD and that of your fathers. Bring to mind all of my great promises to you, and praise me for I am worthy of your praise. Renew your covenant with the LORD your God for you to be my people and me to be your God. Then you will have great joy and a time of celebration. I will strengthen your innermost parts as you fellowship one with another with great feasting and joy. You will bless the poor with the abundance I provide for you, and your children will live in peace. I swore with uplifted hand to scatter you if you rebelled against me and despised me in your hearts. But to your fathers I also promised to gather you from the lands to which I sent you and bring you back to the land that bears my Name.
“O Jerusalem, city lashed by storms. How I have longed to comfort you in your
pain. Come near to me for your sin has
been atoned. The day of the LORD’s favor rises upon you, and you shall
prepare for the coming of your Lord. Every
crooked road shall be made straight.
Every unclean heart shall be purged of sin. I will use you as my winnowing fork. My children will be raised up out of the
valley as the stumbling block becomes a stepping stone. He will shepherd my lambs in truth and cover
you with love. I foretold this from the
beginning and ordained it from the foundations of the earth. Oh no, the LORD
has not forgotten
“
“Jacob will no longer be ashamed, and he will keep my Name holy. The eyes of my people will be opened and your hearts will turn to me. You who lack understanding will gain instruction. You who are filled with despair will find hope. The distressed will receive compassion and all who turn and repent will be forgiven. But every mocker will be silenced and the rebellious will be removed. The words of the LORD have no meaning to them; they are like blind men reading a scroll. They exalt me with their lips and despise me in their hearts. They refuse instruction and commit themselves to go their own way. Therefore, they will see the LORD God coming in His wrath. They will feel the arm of the LORD as they are swept away. Then the land will observe a time of peace, and the remnant will be built up in the way.
“Through the remnant of
“Your Savior comes with life in His hands to ransom you from
the power of death. The enemy shall have
no victories over my people. When I
cleanse your hearts and renew your minds, you will cry out to me, ‘Forgive us
Lord for we have greatly sinned against you.’
Then I will hear your prayers and freely pardon; in my compassion I will
heal broken spirits and lift up bowed down heads. To you who thirst, I will give everlasting
water, and fruit shall spring up from the barren land. My Spirit will rest upon you, and you will no
longer fear. Therefore, return to me,
you my people; I have redeemed you. At
the return of my people, angels sing and the earth cries out its praise, for
the glory of the LORD rises upon
“Come to me with fragrant offerings of praise, sweet incense prayers for my pleasure. Let your tears stream down the sides of my altar. Break your covenants with your flesh and sacrifice it as a burnt offering; that aroma is pleasing to me. Offer your children to be refined in my fire. Rip open your hearts that I may scoop out your desires and refill you with my will. These are the offerings that are pleasing in my sight; they are the fulfillment of my law.
“The world will be amazed at the restoration of my
people. The enemy will be confused when
your Savior comes in power. Those who
gloated over you will lie among the fallen.
They will all look and be covered with shame.
“Blessed are you who hear the words of this scroll and allow them to transform your hearts and minds. But cursed are you who turn a deaf ear to the Word of the LORD. My words will be a fire bursting forth to consume you. You will run to the east and perish by the sword. You will flee to the north and be ravaged by beasts. You will journey to the south and get caught in a snare, only to have your skin torn from your bones. And those who dare to travel west will be swallowed up by the sea. What a terrible fate awaits you!
“Therefore, forsake not the way of the LORD for I am eager and swift to forgive. At the confession of your mouths and repentance of your hearts, your sins will be no more. I will supply your every need and lead you into all righteousness. But you must return to me. Demonstrate love and maintain justice; submit to your God and rest in my salvation. Do not provoke me to anger with what your hands have made. Receive my care, and harm not my prophets. I am the LORD. I give life and take it away. With my hand I pour blessings upon men; with the same I multiply their trouble and bring their days to an end. You are my children. Bring honor to me. Walk in wisdom and surrender to the truth. For all men’s days are numbered; in the end you become like grass. Yet if your Father takes pleasure in you, your souls will not perish, but live with me forever. Consider and decide: will you choose life or death?”