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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,'1-');">Isa 54</a> - The Restoration of Israel, the Wife of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></h2>
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<p><span>“Try and suck all the sweetness that you can out of this chapter while we read it. The personal application of a promise to the heart by the Holy Spirit is that which is wanted. The honey in Jonathan’s wood never enlightened his eyes until he dipped the point of his rod into it and tasted it. Try and do the same. This chapter is the wood wherein every bough doth drip with virgin honey. Sip: taste, and be satisfied.”</span> (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p>A. The <span class="c6">Lord</span> speaks to Israel as His wife.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,'1-3');">1-3</a>) Israel will be restored like a barren woman who bears many children.</p>
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<p class="c2">“Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,” says the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.”</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Sing, O barren, you who have not borne</span></b>: In ancient Israel, the <b><span class="c3">barren</span></b> woman carried an enormous load of shame and disgrace. Here, the <span class="c6">Lord</span> likens captive Israel to a <b><span class="c3">barren</span></b> woman who can now <b><span class="c3">sing</span></b> - because now <b><span class="c3">more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The Babylonian exile and captivity meant more than oppression for Israel; it meant shame, disgrace, and humiliation. God promises a glorious release from not only the exile and captivity, but also from the shame, disgrace, and humiliation.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. This passage is quoted by the Apostle Paul in <a onclick="return mV('Gal',4,27);">Gal 4:27</a>, in reference to the miraculous “birth” of those under the New Covenant. Paul also probably intended the phrase <b><span class="c3">more are the children</span></b> to also indicate that the children of the New Covenant would outnumber the children of the Old Covenant.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Enlarge the place of your tent</span></b>: The curse and shame of barrenness would be so completely broken, and Israel would be so fruitful, that they would have to expand their living space. This would be of particular comfort to the returning Babylonian exiles, who felt themselves small in number and weak. This promise would strengthen them.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,'4-6');">4-6</a>) Israel will be restored like a widow who is rescued from her reproach.</p>
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<p class="c2">“Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. For your Maker is your husband, the <span class="c6">Lord</span> of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. For the <span class="c6">Lord</span> has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused,” says your God.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore</span></b>: Just as God compared the disgrace of Israel to the shame of barrenness, now He compares their humiliation to the <b><span class="c3">reproach</span></b> of <b><span class="c3">widowhood</span></b>. Here, the <span class="c6">Lord</span> promises rescue from Israel’s shame.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. “<i>Shame . . . disgrace . . . humiliated</i> represent three synonymous Hebrew verbs sharing the fundamental idea of disappointed hopes, the embarrassment of expecting - even publicly announcing - one thing and then reaping another.” (Motyer)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">For your Maker is your husband</span></b>: Though Israel might have been regarded as forsaken as a widow, the <span class="c6">Lord</span> promises to stand in the place of her <b><span class="c3">husband</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Through the centuries, many a hurting woman has taken this promise for herself. Forsaken by a husband, or forsaken of a husband, they have found beautiful comfort in the promise that God would be a <b><span class="c3">husband</span></b> to them, when all others forsook them. The principle is true; God will supply and meet our emotional needs, and rescue us from our disgrace and shame, when others forsaken us.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">The <span class="c6">Lord</span> of hosts is His name</span></b>: To comfort and strengthen His people, God reminds them of how glorious of a Savior He is. He is their <b><span class="c3">Maker</span></b>, He is the <b><span class="mscap">Lord</span><span class="c3"> of hosts</span></b>, He is their <b><span class="c3">Redeemer</span></b>, He is the <b><span class="c3">Holy One of Israel</span></b>, and <b><span class="c3">He is called the God of the whole earth</span></b>. Not only does God supply a husband, but a great one - Himself!</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The promise that the <span class="c6">Lord</span> will meet our needs when others forsake us does not leave us to a place of “second best.” The <span class="c6">Lord</span> God can be a <i>greater</i> husband than any man can be. This is something for every <i>single</i> woman to remember; and something no <i>married</i> woman should forget. An earthly husband can never fulfill every need that the great Heavenly Husband can.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,'7-8');">7-8</a>) God explains His restoration of Israel.</p>
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<p class="c2">“For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, your Redeemer.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">For a mere moment I have forsaken you</span></b>: God never really forsook Israel; yet He recognizes that they <i>felt</i> <b><span class="c3">forsaken</span></b>. God says, “<b><span class="c3">for a mere moment I</span></b> allowed you to feel that I <b><span class="c3">have forsaken you</span></b>.”</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">But with great mercies I will gather you</span></b>: The <b><span class="c3">forsaken</span></b> is in the <i>present</i> tense; the <b><span class="c3">great mercies</span></b> are in the <i>future</i> tense. But they are real, and give Israel cause to set their hope and trust in the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, though they feel forsaken at the moment.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you</span></b>: The contrast is between the <b><span class="c3">moment</span></b> of feeling forsaken and the <b><span class="c3">everlasting</span></b> nature of the kindness that will come. When we feel tried and forsaken, we should recognize that it is just for a <b><span class="c3">moment</span></b>, and the <b><span class="c3">everlasting</span></b> blessing will certainly come.</p>
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<p>B. Comfort and assurance to restored Israel.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,'9-10');">9-10</a>) A promise to never forsake Israel.</p>
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<p class="c2">“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” says the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, who has mercy on you.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">For this is like the waters of Noah to Me</span></b>: Just as God promised that the flood waters of Noah’s day would not cover the earth forever, so will His anger recede from Israel.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">For the mountains shall depart . . . but My kindness shall not depart from you</span></b>: Flood waters recede, and mountains do not. But even if <b><span class="c3">the mountains shall depart</span></b>, even if <b><span class="c3">the hills be removed</span></b>, the <b><span class="c3">kindness</span></b> of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> to His people will never <b><span class="c3">depart</span></b>. The <b><span class="c3">kindness</span></b> of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> is more certain than the <b><span class="c3">mountains</span></b> and the <b><span class="c3">hills</span></b>, and His <b><span class="c3">covenant of peace</span></b> is more sure.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,'11-17');">11-17</a>) Promises of prosperity, peace, and protection.</p>
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<p class="c2">“O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of crystal, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake. Behold, I have created the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire, who brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the spoiler to destroy. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the <span class="c6">Lord</span>.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">To you afflicted one, tossed with tempest and not comforted</span></b>: God cares about the <b><span class="c3">afflicted one</span></b>. He cares about the one <b><span class="c3">tossed with tempest</span></b>. He cares about the one who is <b><span class="c3">not comforted</span></b>. When someone is in this place - <b><span class="c3">afflicted</span></b>, <b><span class="c3">tossed</span></b>, and <b><span class="c3">not comforted</span></b> - it is easy for them to believe God doesn’t care. But He does, and He gives precious promises to give strength.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems . . . sapphires . . . rubies . . . crystal</span></b>: God will lavish riches upon the hurting and afflicted. When someone feels afflicted, tossed, and not comforted, they feel <i>poor</i>, no matter how much money they have in the bank. God promises to make the afflicted truly <i>rich</i>.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">All your children shall be taught by the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, and great shall be the peace of your children</span></b>: When we are afflicted, tossed, and not comforted, we feel bad not just for ourselves, but also for our <b><span class="c3">children</span></b>. God gives precious assurance not only for us, but also quiets our fears for our <b><span class="c3">children</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">In righteousness you shall be established . . . you shall not fear . . . whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake</span></b>: God promises those who are afflicted, tossed, and not comforted will find protection and security in Him.</p>
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<p class="c4">e. The sovereign God - who <b><span class="c3">created the blacksmith</span></b>, who <b><span class="c3">created the spoiler to destroy</span></b> - also has the power to protect. He can promise that <b><span class="c3">no weapon formed against you shall prosper</span></b>. Whatever weapon is raised against God’s people is destined to be destroyed itself. God will ultimately even protect His people from criticism; indeed, <b><span class="c3">every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The <span class="c6">Lord</span> will not allow the <b><span class="c3">weapon formed against</span></b> His servants to <b><span class="c3">prosper</span></b>. Sometimes this means the <span class="c6">Lord</span> takes the <b><span class="c3">weapon</span></b> out of the hand of the enemy of His servants. Sometimes it means that God allows the <b><span class="c3">weapon</span></b> to strike, but brings a greater good out of it than the pain of the immediate blow. In allowing this, God will not allow the <b><span class="c3">weapon</span></b> to <b><span class="c3">prosper</span></b>, but transforms the violent sword into a trowel for building His kingdom.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. The <b><span class="c3">tongue which rises against you</span></b> can really hurt. “<span>Satan leaves no stone unturned against the Church of God. He uses not simply the hand; but, what is oftener a sharper weapon, the tongue. We can bear a blow, sometimes, but we cannot endure an insult. There is a great power in the tongue. We can rise from a blow which smote us to the ground; but we cannot so easily recover from slander, that lays the character low.” (Spurgeon) Yet, we can trust in the <span class="c6">Lord</span>’s triumph. “The more accusers, the more acquittals; the more slander, the more honor; so the enemy may slander us as much as he pleases.” (Spurgeon)</span></p>
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<p class="c5">ii. This is not a blanket promise for any churchgoer. The <span class="c6">Lord</span> specifically says, <b><span class="c3">this is the heritage of the servants of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>. Are you a <b><span class="c3">servant of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>? Then you can rest easy in His promised protection. The <span class="c6">Lord</span> also says that this is a promise for those whose <b><span class="c3">righteousness is from Me</span></b> - from the <span class="c6">Lord</span> Himself - and not from themselves. When a person understands that their righteousness is really from the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, they are much more comfortable in letting the <span class="c6">Lord</span> protect their righteousness.</p>
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