Jeremiah's message to Israel was that unless they returned to God they would become nothing more than a valley of dry bones. "At that time, says the Lord, they will take the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his rulers, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem out of their resting-places: And they will put them out before the sun and the moon and all the stars of heaven, whose lovers and servants they have been, after whom they have gone, to whom they have made prayers, and to whom they have given worship: they will not be put together or placed in the earth; they will be waste on the face of the earth. And death will be desired more than life by the rest of this evil family who are still living in all the places where I have sent them away, says the Lord of armies. Further, you are to say to them, This is what the Lord has said: Will those who are falling not be lifted up again? will he who has gone away not come back? Why do these people of Jerusalem go back, for ever turning away? they will not give up their deceit, they will not come back. I took note and gave ear, but no one said what is right: no man had regret for his evil-doing, saying, What have I done? everyone goes off on his way like a horse rushing to the fight. (Jeremiah 8:1-6 BBE)