This morning The Boss said, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations!”

But I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak. I am afraid and insecure.”

And The Boss said, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”

But I said, “What You’re telling me to tell people is gonna be VERY UNPOPULAR!”

And The Boss said, “Yup.”

:::

And then The Boss said, “I fondly remember the devotion of My people when they were content with their smallness, and they loved Me like a faithful bride loves her husband, and they followed Me in the wilderness!”

And then The Boss said, “But My people have decided to change their glory (i.e. being content with their smallness, and living with Me as My wife in the wilderness) for that which does not profit. They have forsaken Me, and My wilderness agenda (which is like the fountain of living waters), and they have hewn for themselves cisterns, which are broken and nugatory.”

And then The Boss said, “I have confronted My people, but My people said, ‘It is hopeless, for we have loved other gods, and after them we shall go.’ And My people refused correction; and they tried to forget Me. And My people said to themselves, ‘We are innocent!’ But they are NOT innocent! They are like an Arab in the desert. They live lives of vile whoredom, and they have the forehead of a whore; and they refuse to be ashamed. They do not return to Me with a whole heart, but only in pretense. If only they would acknowledge their guilt, and return to Me – for I am their Master, and I would surely bring them to Zion! And I would delight to give them shepherds after My own heart, who would feed them with true knowledge and understanding (e.g. the knowledge of the vagabond King, Jesus of Nazareth, who wielded a true understanding of Sabbath laws; for which He was chastised by the educated and esteemed theologians of His day). But surely as a treacherous wife leaves her husband, so have you been treacherous to Me. But if you return, O faithless wife, I will HEAL YOUR FAITHLESSNESS! Truly you are delusional, and your orgies are bête noire. Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns! Wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved! How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you? For my people are foolish; they know Me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not. In vain they ‘beautify themselves, for they have refused to repent. They are like well-fed lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbors wife. They have been utterly treacherous to Me. They have spoken falsely of the LORD. O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not. Their prophets prophesy falsely, and their priests rule at their discretion; and My people love to have it so. Everyone deals falsely. And they heal the wound of My people lightly saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is not peace. I told My people to look for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ They hold fast to deceit. They say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us!’ But they have rejected My Word. So I lament.”