Chapter 54

It is very difficult to know where to stop and start with Isaiah 54 but one thing is absolutely necessary if you are ever going to interpret such passages: you must understand a word, a very simple one, without which nothing holds together in the Word of God — Premillennialism. Premillennialism says that Christ comes before the Millennium begins.

God promised Israel four things by way of unconditional covenants. Either God keeps His word or He doesn’t. But if Israel does have a future, and she does, then God keeps His word both to the Jews and to the Church. God is immutable, He always keeps His word, it is impossible at any time for God to go back on His word. But that isn’t all; God is absolute righteousness. Absolute righteousness cannot make a promise unconditionally and not keep it. God is justice and therefore it is impossible for God to be unfair. And if God cannot be unfair then He must keep His promises. So no matter how you slice it God keeps His word.

Premillennialism is simply this: the Jews have a future. The future of the Jews depends upon one thing: the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. Jesus Christ is the Son of David. The virgin Mary was descended from David through Nathan; Joseph, who is the legal though not the real father of Jesus, was also descended from David through Solomon. Jesus Christ isn’t ruling the world today; far from it. Satan is ruling the world today. And Jesus Christ will fulfil these covenants to Israel in the future when He returns. But these covenants can only be fulfilled to those members of the Jewish race who are born again.

One other point

a. Israel’s future is not hindered by Israel’s failure and discipline. Israel’s failure in the Egyptian bondage did not hinder the Exodus and the return to the land.

b. Israel was judged during the period of the judges but this failure during the period of the judges did not destroy Israel and remove them permanently from the scene.

c. Israel was judged during the 70 years of the Babylonian captivity but God brought back the remnant and Israel was established again.

d. For 1900 years Israel has been under the discipline of dispersion and the fact that Israel is under divine discipline today does not hinder Israel from being established in the future. Zionism today is evil; it is Satan’s attempt to regather the Jews apart from the work of Jesus Christ.

The future restoration of Israel — verses 1-10

Verse 1 — “Sing, O barren.” “Sing” is not sing at all, it means to shout for joy, to express joy. It means to express inner happiness. Who has inner happiness here? Answer: “O barren.” Israel is compared to a barren woman, but what does that mean? Israel is a barren woman because Israel has Israel has generally failed. As far as their overall missionary responsibility was concerned Israel failed, and therefore as far as the dispensation of Israel is added up for the whole nation it comes out this way: barren. To emphasise the barrenness of Israel, during the Church Age Israel is scattered and has no production. All production today belongs to the Church which is made up of those who are born again from every nation. Who is responsible for missionary activity today? The Church, not Israel. So consequently Israel is a barren woman.

In the ancient world it was a terrible disgrace for a woman to be barren. So the vocative, O barren one, means great disgrace. Israel was non-productive but suddenly now non-productive Israel can shout for joy. Why? Because Israel, the failing one, is now going to be regathered —second advent. Barrenness also meant something else beside failure to fulfil the responsibility of Israel in missionary activity. It meant also failure to personally receive Christ as saviour. The barrenness led to Israel’s present dispersion and Israel will not have any missionary activity until the Tribulation. Then they will enter into intensive evangelism as indicated by Revelation chapters seven and fourteen.

“break forth into singing” —there is great excitement inside and it expresses itself in singing; “cry aloud” — shout; “thou that didst not travail with child” — to travail means to be twisted or distorted by pain, to writhe, to distort in excruciating pain. And Israel as a nation from the time of Pentecost to the present time is in excruciating pain, the pain of dispersion and not being used.

Notice that Israel is also called “the children of the desolate", indicating their present dispersion. “For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.” The children of the desolate are the unsaved in Israel; children of the married wife are those who are born again. And there were many Jews who were not born again in the dispensation of Israel, they tried to be saved by the works of the law.

Verse 1 — Israel’s reaction at their regathering. Only Christ can regather Israel; Zionism is false and Satanic.

Verse 2 — the fulfilment of the Palestinian covenant. There are two scriptures which should be read concerning the Palestinian covenant: Genesis 15:18 — “I have given this land”; Joshua 1:3,4 — “I have given (the land).” This refers to a piece of territory which the Jews have never occupied and yet it is theirs; it has been promised to them and this promise will be fulfilled at the regathering of Israel. The promise has been made; the promise will be fulfilled at the second advent of Christ. Now when this happens we see immediately a command going out in verse two.

Verse 2 — the fulfilment of the Palestinian covenant. “Enlarge the place of thy tent” — the hiphil imperative “enlarge” means cause to enlarge it; “the place of thy tent” means your own home.

“and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation [the cloth on the tent frame]; spare not” — do not hold back on building a larger home — “lengthen the cords [tent cords], and strengthen thy stakes” — the stakes that hold down the tent. In other words, enlarge your own homestead.

Verse 3 — the population explosion in the Millennium. When Israel is regathered there is a tremendous population explosion in the land; “for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left” — great prosperity in the field of population — “thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles [land which is now occupied by the Gentiles], and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.” Much of this land today is desolate but in the future it will become very wonderfully inhabited.

Verse 4 — Israel’s failure will be completely blotted out. Remember, not all Jews come under these unconditional covenants, only those Jews in the Old Testament who were born again and those Jews during the Tribulation who are born again. The Jews who are members of the body of Christ are no longer Jews, they are Church and they share the destiny of Church, they are not involved at all. This passage deals with two categories of born again Jews: those of the Old Testament and those of the Tribulation. And when that day arrives all of their past, all of their failures, will be completely blotted out.

“Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed [confused or disappointed]” — the word “ashamed” means to be emotionally upset or to have a guilt complex. And in that day there will be no excuse for a guilt complex, just as in our day there is no excuse for any believer having a guilt complex; “neither be thou confounded” — this is a niphel stem (passive) and it means “You shall not be disgraced.” Whatever they have done which is disgraceful, it is blotted out forever; “thou shalt not be disgraced; for thou shalt not be put to shame” — that is, God will never bring up any of their sins. “Forgetting those things which are behind” is the application as far as the Church Age is concerned, “stretching forth to those things which are before.” In other words, you never look back. A guilt complex is one of the greatest hindrances to the operation of the Christian way of life today.

“for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth” — any failures they had when they were living in phase two — “and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood” — reference to their failure as believers to win souls for Christ and function in the usual manner of believers.

Verse 5 — Israel enters into marriage. The Church is called the Bride of Christ; Israel is called the Wife of Christ. Here in verse 5 we see the fulfilment of the unconditional covenants. “For thy Maker [the Lord Jesus Christ] is thine husband; the Lord of hosts” — a reference to Christ at the second advent as the One who slays with the sword of His mouth all of those who seek to destroy Israel — “is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is thy redeemer” — He is the One who has purchased them with His own precious blood. Notice: First of all Christ, the Groom, is described as the Creator (Maker), the Lord of hosts, the Redeemer, and now He is called the Holy One of Israel because Jesus Christ is personally the Founder of Israel. As David’s greater Son he is the Ruler of Israel. This means that He is both the Root and the Branch.

“the God of the whole earth” — this is the title of the Lord Jesus Christ during the Millennial reign — “shall he be called.”

Verse 6 — Israel’s restoration is based on grace. “For the Lord [Jesus Christ] hath called [salvation] thee [Israel] as [as an illustration] a woman forsaken.” This verse has probably never been understood by commentators. The “woman forsaken” is a qal, passive participle, always has linear aktionsart. “Forsaken” is qal passive participle and that means a woman who is always forsaken, avoided. In other words, an obnoxious woman, a woman that no one wants to have any contact with. Remember, the woman is an illustration of the Jew specifically, the human race by application. When Christ called them they were like obnoxious women.

“grieved in spirit” — this does not mean grieved in spirit. It is another qal passive participle and it means to be afflicted in the mind, but it doesn’t mean to be insane. It refers to a woman who is constantly filled with envy, jealousy, pettiness, hostility, frustration, and so on. Therefore, it refers to a woman who expresses her pettiness, jealousy, etc. in the usual ways, and eventually everyone catches on and they shun her. Why is such a woman used as an illustration? Because such a woman could never deserve the affection of anyone in the human race. This is Israel. Israel does not deserve God’s affection or God’s call.

“wife of youth who has been refused when young,” literally. A young woman is generally attractive simply because she is young, if for no other reason. Under such conditions her youth often compensates for many vicious tendencies she may have. But God can see through these things. He can see all of these obnoxious qualities in Israel. Such a woman, when she grows older, the things which were excused in her youth eventually are the basis of her rejection.

Notice the three characteristics of this particular illustration. This woman is undeserving for three reasons: Because of her vicious tendencies she is a woman forsaken; because she is mentally afflicted — no inner beauty; even while she is young she is refused she is so rotten, and she makes everyone around her miserable. This is a perfect illustration of Israel and it is a perfect illustration of all of us. We of the human race are just as obnoxious as the evil woman mentioned as the illustration. We are totally unattractive to God. We cannot be accepted by God on the basis of who and what we are, we are totally unattractive. The only basis of our acceptability is who and what Christ is and what He did for us. Therefore, Israel’s reaction at the second advent is based entirely upon the principle of grace; that is why they are there. Jesus Christ called these Jews when they were totally depraved, totally unattractive. That’s grace. Principle: In grace God calls the worst of us because of what Christ did on the cross.

Verses 7,8 — discipline does not hinder the regathering of Israel

Verse 7 — “For a small moment have I forsaken thee” — the small moment has now run over 1900 years but that is a small moment to God. When you compare 1900 years with eternity it is just a small moment. “but with great mercies [expressions of grace] will I gather thee” — the gathering of Israel is simply a matter of grace. They haven’t earned it or deserved it.

Verse 8 — “In an overflowing wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting loving-kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer.” Principle: Discipline in time does not remove eternal salvation.

Verses 9,10 — the principle of regathering Israel

Verse 9 — the illustration. Taken from the days of Noah when God promised that never again would He destroy the earth by water. The next time the earth is destroyed it will be destroyed by fire. “For this is as the waters of Noah” — the regathering of Israel has this principle behind it: God keeps His word. He has promised that Israel will have a future.

“for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should go no more over the earth, so I have sworn that I would not be angered with thee, nor rebuke thee.”

Verse 10 — the principle. “For mountains shall depart’ — terrible , natural catastrophes — “hills shall be removed; but my loving-kindness shall not depart from thee” — in spite of all the judgments that will occur around the second advent they will in no way affect God keeping His word to the born again Jew.

“neither shall the covenant of my peace [the four unconditional covenants] be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” The word “removed” means abrogated. He will not abrogate His covenants; He will not go back on His word.

Verses 11-17, the glorious future of Israel

Verse 11a, the storm in the Tribulation.

“O thou afflicted, tossed with the tempest, and not comforted” — picture of Israel during the time of the Tribulation. “O thou afflicted” is a vocative addressed to the Jews during the Tribulation.

“tossed with the tempest” — qal active participle which means to be subjected to giant waves and to be in a ship that is out of control in the midst of these waves, to be battered by the waves. This refers to anti-Semitism as it will exist in the Tribulation.

“not comforted” means not receiving comfort. During the entire course of the Tribulation there will be no comfort for Israel. It will be a time of terrible and intense anti-Semitism.

Verses 11b-12, the after the storm, or the Millennium. The second advent and Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

“behold, I will lay [set a foundation], thy stones with fair colours [ancient cement], and lay thy foundations with sapphires.” Sapphire is the translucent blue stone. Blue in the scripture represents the doctrine of divine essence and so the foundation of Israel does not stand upon any actual concrete foundation, it stands upon who and what God is.

Verse 12 — “And I will make thy pinnacles [battlements] of rubies” — the red of rubies represents the means of entering into the covenants, and the means of entering into the covenants is the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses from all sin — “and thy gates of carbuncles” — the Hebrew here simply means a bright sparkling stone and it usually refers to diamonds. So the gates will be made of diamonds. “and all thy borders of pleasant [lit. precious] stones.”

Verse 13 — Israel’s progeny in the Millennium. “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace [prosperity] of thy children.”

Verse 14 — Israel’s protection in the Millennium. “In righteousness shalt thou be established [stabilised]: thou shalt be far from oppression” — oppression will be removed. No anti-Semitism; “for thou shalt not fear; and thou shalt be far from terror, for it shall not come near thee.” During the 1000 years there will be no anti-Semitism, the father of anti-Semitism will be destroyed.

Verse 15 — the last great occurrence of anti-Semitism which occurs. This is described in Revelation chapter 20:7-9 and refers to the great revolt at the end of the Millennium as soon as Satan is loosened. For 1000 years, verse 14, there is no anti-Semitism but as soon as Satan is loosened he gathers a great army

“and compassed the camp of the saints and the beloved city [Jerusalem].” This is the last great movement of anti-Semitism in history.

Is.54:15 — “Behold they shall surely gather together [Rev.20:7-10], but not by me [God is not sponsoring anti-Semitism]”; “whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall because of thee.”

Verse 16-17, Israel is under God’s protective custody in the Millennium and in the eternal future. Verse 16 — “Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the fire of coals.” The smith who blows the coals is the one who manufactures weapons; “that bringeth forth a weapon by his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.” The waster is the one who wields the weapon to destroy. The world is filled with weapons and people who use them. There will never be an end of war until Christ returns. Down through the ages man is going to make weapons; man is going to use weapons. But …

Verse 17 — for the Jews, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper” — God will protect Israel in dispersion. That means that God can spank His own without human help. The decisions of human volition cannot harm the believer unless God permits it. Principle: Keep your nose out of other believers’ affairs.

“and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.” The most vicious weapon in the world is the tongue. It can be a source of great blessing, giving the gospel; it can be a source of great cursing — maligning, gossiping, and so on.

“thou shalt condemn” — hiphil, thou shalt cause it to be proved guilty.

“This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness has its source in me, saith the Lord.” Again the principle of Romans 14:4 — To his own master he stands or falls.