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.)

H. Cycle 8 (63:7 - 66:24)

1. Blessing On Israel (63:7 - 66:14)

b. The Lord's Answer (Continued) (65:1 - 66:14)

3). The Nation Will be Reborn (66:1-14)

¹ Thus saith the LORD,
The heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool [stool of my feet]:
where is the house that ye build unto me?
and where is the place of my rest?
² For all those things hath mine hand made,
and all those things have been,
saith the LORD:
but to this man will I look,
even to him that is poor
and of a contrite spirit,
and trembleth at my word.

³ He that killeth an ox
is as if he slew a man;
he that sacrificeth a lamb,
as if he cut off a dog's neck [he beheaded a dog];
he that offereth an oblation,
as if he offered swine's blood;
he that burneth incense,
as if he blessed an idol.
Yea,
they have chosen their own ways,
and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
⁴ I also will choose their delusions,
and will bring their fears upon them;
because when I called,
none did answer;
when I spake,
they did not hear
but they did evil before mine eyes,
and chose that in which I delighted not.

⁵ Hear the word of the LORD,
ye that tremble at his word;
Your brethren that hated you,
that cast you out for my name's sake,
said,
Let the LORD be glorified:
but he shall appear to your joy,
and they shall be ashamed.

⁶ A voice of noise from the city,
a voice from the temple,
a voice of the LORD
that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

⁷ Before she travailed,
she bought forth;
before her pain came,
she was delivered of a man child.
⁸ Who hath heard such a thing?
who hath seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day?
or shall a nation be born at once [one stroke]?
for as soon as Zion travailed,
she bought forth [this] her children.
⁹ Shall I bring to the birth,
and not cause to bring forth?
saith the LORD:
shall I cause to bring forth,
and shut the womb?
saith thy God.

¹⁰ Rejoice ye with Jerusalem,
and be glad with her,
all ye that love her:
rejoice for joy with her,
all ye that mourn for her:
¹¹ That ye may suck,
and be satisfied
with the breasts of her consolations;
that ye may milk out,
and be delighted
with the abundance of her glory.

¹² For thus saith the LORD,
Behold,
I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream:
then shall ye suck,
ye shall be borne upon her sides,
and be dandled upon her knees.
¹³ As one whom his mother comforteth,
so will I comfort you;
and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
¹⁴ And when ye see this,
your heart shall rejoice,
and your bones shall flourish like an herb:
and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants,
and his indignation toward his enemies.

2. Judgment On the Nations by Everlasting Destruction (66:15-24)

¹⁵ For, behold,
the LORD will come with fire,
and with his chariots like a whirlwind,
to render his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
¹⁶ For by fire and by his sword
will the LORD plead with all flesh:
and the slain of the LORD shall be many.