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| 1 Bel is bowed down, Nebo bendeth; their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: the things ye carried are laid on, a burden to the weary beast2. |
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| 2 They bend, they are bowed down together; they could not deliver the burden, and themselves are gone into captivity. |
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| 3 Hearken unto me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, ye who have been borne from the belly, who have been carried from the womb:
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| 4 Even to old age, I am HE, and unto hoary hairs I will carry you: It is I that have made, and I will bear, and I will carry, and will deliver. |
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| 5 To whom will ye liken me and make me equal, or compare me, that we may be like? |
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| 6 --They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; they hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a *god: they fall down, yea, they worship. |
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| 7 They bear him on the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place; there he standeth, he doth not remove from his place: yea, one crieth unto him, and he answereth not; he saveth him not out of his trouble. |
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| 8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men; call it to mind, ye transgressors. |
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| 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; |
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| 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; |
End from the beginning – God permitted men to do wrong, which he foreknew. R5211:1
Counsel shall stand – The Lord and his apostles had abiding peace because they believed that what God had promised he was able to perform, that his righteous and benevolent plan could know no failure. R1834:6
And I will – "God will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. 2:4) R630:5*
Do all my pleasure – God's original plan is still in progress. A66; HG537:3
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| 11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. |
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| 12 Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness: |
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| 13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not delay; and I will give salvation in Zion, and unto Israel my glory. |
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