2. Post-Exile: The Blessing & Judgment Cycles ( 40:1 - 66:24 ) - 701-681 B.C., Israel

(These 8 groups of prophecies alternate between blessings on Israel and judgment on God's enemies.)

A. Cycle 1 (40:1 - 48:22)

Judgment (46:1 - 48:22)

a. Judgment on God's Enemy Babylon -- Destruction (46:1 - 47:15)

¹ Bel boweth down,
Nebo stoopeth,
their idols were upon the beasts,
and upon the cattle:
your carriages were heavy loaden;
they are a burden to the weary beast.
² They stoop,
they bow down together;
they could not deliver the burden,
but themselves are gone into captiviy.

³ Hearken unto me,
O house of Jacob,
and all the remnant of the house of Israel,
which are borne by me from the belly,
which are carried from the womb:
⁴ And even to your old age
I am he;
and even to hoar hairs will I carry you:
I have made,
and I will bear;
even I will carry,
and will deliver you.
⁵ To whom will ye liken me,
and make me equal,
and compare me,
that we may be like?
⁶ They lavish gold out of the bag,
and weigh silver in the balance,
and hire a goldsmith;
and he maketh it a god:
they fall down,
yea,
they worship.
⁷ They bear him upon the shoulder,
they carry him,
and set him in his place,
and he standeth;
from his place shall he not remove:
yea,
one shall cry unto him,
yet can he not answer,
nor save him out of his trouble.

⁸ Remember this,
and shew yourselves men:
bring it again to mind,
O ye transgressors.
⁹ Remember the former things of old:
for I am God,
and there is none else;
I am God,
and there is none like me,
¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning,
and from ancient times the things that are not yet done,
saying,
My counsel shall stand,
and I will do all my pleasure:
¹¹ Calling a ravenous bird from the east,
the man that executeth my counsel
from a far country:
yea,
I have spoken it,
I will also bring it to pass;
I have purposed it,
I will also do it.

¹² Hearken unto me,
ye stouthearted [sturdy of heart],
that are far from righteousness:
¹³ I bring near my righteousness;
it shall not be far off,
and my salvation shall not tarry:
and I will place salvation in Zion
for Israel my glory.