It’s time to rejoice. The Lord is going to restore Israel and deliver them out of captivity.
Their time in Babylon has been hard. The Lord says its like the rejection a woman faces when she can’t have children, or “like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit, a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected” (v. 6).
This is the pain that Israel experienced when in captivity in Babylon. They had sinned for hundreds of years and God kept warning them that if they didn’t repent, he would have to bring judgment. They didn’t really believe him so they continued. And then when God actually brought judgment they were shocked. Hurt. And feeling betrayed.
But it wasn’t that God didn’t warn them. He did. Over and over and over. But they presumed upon his love for so long, doing as they wished. They were as an adulteress wife who didn’t believe her husband would do anything.
They were exiled to Babylon. And for 70 years they had stayed there under their heavy hand. But now it was time to return.
“In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but I will have compassion on you with everlasting love” (v. 6).
And then he swore again that he would not rebuke them like this. His love would not be removed from them nor his covenant of peace (v. 10). Their children would prosper and the Lord’s protection would be upon them.
“If anyone attacks you, it is not from Me; whoever attacks you will fall before you” (v. 15).
“No weapon formed against you will succeed, and you will refute any accusation raised against you in court” (v. 17).
It’s a beautiful promise of God’s faithfulness to Israel. He will not leave them. He is like a husband to them. Whoever harms them will fail in what they do. And we certainly see that today. Surrounded by so many enemies, and yet they stand.
Although it does beg the question of how do we understand AD 70-1948? The fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 to Titus to the establishment of a Jewish state in 1948)? Where were the promises then?
- We do not have any indication that this sacking of Jerusalem was for their sin or disobedience like we see with Babylon. The fall of Jerusalem was predicted in Daniel 9:26.
- The weapons intended to wipe them off the face of the earth did not succeed. Every nation that had been scattered to the world assimilated. For the first time in human history the Jewish people maintained their customs and did not assimilate. And because of that after the Holocaust the need for a Jewish State became real and Israel began Aliyah, returning home in 1948. This is the year the Jewish State was formed again.
There is truth here for the Christian as well.
“This is the heritage of the LORD’s servants, and their righteousness is from Me.” This is the LORD’s declaration” (v. 17).
As Christians our heritage is an eternal protection. They can kill us all they want, but we are His forever. Their plans will not succeed. And the church will not stop growing.
Also we know in a more clear way even that the readers of Isaiah, that our righteousness is from Him. He has always been our righteousness from the beginning of days until now.
