ISAIAH - CHAPTER 54- The Wife of God.
ISAIAH – CHAPTER 54---“Your Maker is Your Husband”
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
February 3, 2015, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
“The soul-travail of chapter 53 is followed by the birth of this spiritual offspring.”
“UP DESPONDING ONES! Trust the unfailing Jehovah. If the covenant rested with us, there could be nothing but insecurity. But its promises depend on the word of Him who cannot lie. Go ever forward living a life of faith in loving confidence, pitching, wherever He calls you, your pilgrim-tent; not downcast though your tent pegs be moved and the ropes strained by sudden storms.”
In chapter 52, redemption and deliverance is promised to the people of God addressed as Zion and Jerusalem. In chapter 53, the work of redemption is described as spiritual. In the present chapter, the prophet turns to the redeemed ones who are His church and speaks of its glorious exaltation.
These are figurative words of comfort, in a chapter full of consolation.
From this point through chapter 57, Isaiah speaks of the spiritual glory that belongs to the people of God. This glory which Christ procured for His Church has been lost in apostasy and dumbed down teachings throughout Christendom. The Word of God does not say we should water down the Word of God to make it more palatable, but teach the babies to chew on the meat. In John 17, the greatest desire that Christ expressed in his prayer was that his people may behold his Glory.
In chapter 54, we see the true value and efficacy of the work of the Suffering Servant of chapter 53. The foundation of all comfort is laid in the unfolding of Messiah’s Person and sufferings, His death, resurrection, and exaltation.
In general 54: 1-17 deals with the restoration of the church (the Spiritual Israel of God – Rom 2:28-29; 9:6-8; Ga. 3:6, 15, 27-29.) God’s people are here presented as the wife of God in her beauty and security. We are here assured of the Lord’s unchangeable faithfulness. Beauty is to follow affliction, and peace is to follow tempest. The prophet sees the day when men shall be taught of God. The holy nation shall enjoy stability when she practices righteousness. All the circumstances of God’s people are under the control of Divine Providence to work out His purpose, not the purpose of those who afflict them.
By a natural sequence, the Prophet proceeds to erect a divine structure. On ‘the Rock Christ’ he builds the Church, detailing the history of its rise, growth, and ultimate glory; from a small and unpromising beginning, widening and expanding until it becomes co-extensive throughout the world.
The soul-travail of chapter 53 is followed by the birth of this spiritual offspring.
All that is brought forth from the realm of the Spirit will be supernatural. The birth of that which is spiritual will only come through soul-travail in agreement with the Divine purposes and timing of the Lord.
The figures Isaiah employs are varied and expressive. The first figure is the solitary, childless mother represented as bursting forth into singing over her countless offspring. The old tenting-place is insufficient to contain the teeming multitudes.
54:1-3 “Sing, O barren, you that did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you that did not travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says the Lord. Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations; spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes; For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.”
The figure of a “tent” or “tabernacle” recalls the Church’s moveable condition in the wilderness of Sinai of old, or in the times of the Judges and the earlier monarchs, when “the Ark abode within curtains,”---an emblem of its apparently insecure, unprotected, unsettled state in a wilderness world.
Despite the figurative Amalekites, Hittites, Canaanites, Jebusites and Philistines---the hordes of spiritual foes who have led the assault, ---not only has it been protected, but it has “mightily grown and prevailed.”
The tent-pegs are wrenched from the ground, the ropes are lengthened, the canvas is stretched; for “the God of the whole earth” Jehovah, Elohim, Tsebaoth, now proclaims, “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations….for you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall inherit the Gentiles”.
The woman shall have a man-child from the seed of the Son of God. We see the increase of all aspects of the Kingdom. His people (His word and His seed) shall inherit the nations of the cosmos. The waste areas of men’s bodies, minds, and spirits shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord.
54: 4-5: “Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed." Neither will you be confounded. You shall not be put to shame. You shall forget the shame of your youth and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more. For your Maker is your husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called.”
This song can be compared with the Song of Hannah and the Magnificent of Mary. This is the song of the redeemed as they return from the captivity of Babylon, pointing to the restoration of the church through its tempest tossed days to the present.
This is the ascent of the soul in union with the Spirit, and the restoration of the creation to its God.
54:6-8: “The Lord has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you were refused, says your God. For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies I will gather you. In a little anger I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, says the Lord your Redeemer.”
Mark the contrasts between the “small forsakings” and the “great gatherings”, the “little wrath” and the “enduring kindness.” “UP THEN DESPONDING ONES! Trust the unfailing Jehovah. If the covenant rested with us, there could be nothing but insecurity. But its promises depend on the word of Him who cannot lie. Go ever forward living a life of faith in loving confidence, pitching, wherever He calls you, your pilgrim-tent; not downcast though your tent pegs be moved and the ropes strained by sudden storms.”
54: 9-12: “For this is as the waters of Noah to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over 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, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, says the Lord that has mercy on you. O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors; and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your windows of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones.”
The Ark in the waters, ---the ark of Noah, “tossed with tempest, and not comforted” in which eight souls represented the feeble remnant of believers. In the dawn of the New Covenant, “the number of the disciples, together,” gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem “was a 120.” Vain seemed the thought that this handful of unskilled mariners could ride out the storm. “The mountains,” as at the time of the deluge, seemed to have “departed,” and “the hills” to be “removed”. The cry of the frightened crew was “Lord, save us---we perish!” But that cry was heard.
The name “Noah” signifies “comfort”, so did the true Noah, the Redeeming Comforter, as he caused the bow of heaven to span the lowering sky, utter the reassuring words, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people;” giving at His own departure, “another Comforter,” who would abide with us forever. The Comfort prophesied by Isaiah became the third person of the trinity manifest to us as “The Comforter”.
The Ark of God was migratory and must have a permanent dwelling. The shifting tabernacle must have an enduring temple, crowning Mount Moriah; ---a temple composed of costliest workmanship; of cedar and pomegranate, marble, gold and silver; windows of agate, and gates of polished brass.
This is a type and symbol of a grander unity of the Body of Christ. The Church on earth in its present condition with its temporary ropes, its curtains and stakes all subject to the elements, persecution and hate--- has its perfected anti-type in the glories of the of the Heavenly temple, New Jerusalem. This is an equally beautiful picture of the growth and development of every true believer, from infancy to full spiritual maturity. The New Jerusalem is a picture of the glorified community of the Church of Christ.
As in the world’s early days, so it is in the morning of the new life. We may be like an ark tossed on the waves of sin and sorrow, “deep calling unto deep” but God sets His bow in the cloud, spans His early sky with the arc of covenant promise.
The true Noah comforts the tempest-tossed. The words sound like a lullaby of love, and of the Lord’s love relationship with us.
This chapter is a shifting, movable scene; the tent, pitched today, is struck tomorrow. Jeremiah 4:20: “Suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment”. The unstable tent-life is to have its nobler, grander counterpart in the palace of the Great King, the enduring New Jerusalem, the glory of which is here symbolized by all that is precious and gorgeous in stones and colors. The saints of God make up the beauty of those stones and colors.
The God who promises is a Covenant-God. He reverts to His covenant to Noah as a pledge of the fulfillment of his covenant of grace. “for this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you nor rebuke you.
For six thousand years, summer and winter, seed-time and harvest, day and night have not ceased. There has been no gap in the unvarying succession, no pause in the magnificent march of the seasons. This faithful God in creation will be equally true and faithful in fulfilling all the provisions of the new and better covenant. “My kindness shall not depart from you; neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed.”
It is a glorious truth of this unchangeableness of Jehovah in His purposes of love. No wonder the Prophet delights to proclaim the Glory of love.
54: 13-17: “Your children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness shall you be established; you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not feat; and from terror; for it shall not come near you. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me; whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake. Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, says the Lord.”
Oh what a glorious chapter!
Oh how the church through the millenniums has need of this inspiring, invigorating assurance! How often has the church been “driven by the wind and tossed,” seeking comfort and rest and subjected to fierce persecution. Paganism, Mohammedanism, Infidelity, Apostasy, each with its separate wave breaking against Christianity.
Though persecuted, she has never been forsaken; though cast down, she has never been destroyed. “No weapon formed against thee shall prosper”. The struggles which befall her are permitted as needed to discipline, chastise and strengthen. I can say with the Apostle Paul, “I count it all Joy”.
Isa. 54:16: “I have created the waster to destroy”
The church is subjected to great fights of afflictions; the allurements of the world, corruption of our hearts, trials and sorrows, tempted to misinterpret God’s dealings, imaginings of dejection and despondency. O ye of little faith! Why do you doubt? God has, in this chapter of wondrous comforts, a message for us. He assures us, he is ready to pity, forgive, love, pardon, welcome and save.
God is set forth in this chapter as our Maker, Master, Teacher, Comforter, Redeemer, Husband, our Covenant-God.
How wondrous are the provisions made in this chapter of spiritual blessings!
Verse 6: “calling you”
Verse 8: “showing mercy”
Verse 7: “gathering you”
Verse 14:“guarding you”
Verse 13:“teaching you”
Verse 9: “comforting you”
Verse 10:“giving peace
His everlasting kindness leads us within the City which has foundations, all whose borders are of pleasant stones. We are citizens of this City, whose builder and maker is God.
The Prophet writes with a feeling of proud elation at privileges so vast and glorious:
“THIS IS THE HERITAGE OF THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD.”
“The everlasting beauty,
The endless melody,
City of the pearl-bright portal;
City of the jasper wall;
City of the golden pavement;
We shall be within your walls!
There beside the crystal river,
There, beneath life’s wondrous tree,
There, with neither to cloud or sever,
Ever with the Lamb to be!
Heir of glory,
That shall be for thee and me!”
(John Ross MacDuff)
Jesus prayed that we might “behold His Glory”. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
I entered into the labors of John Ross MacDuff, Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye; and Kelly Varner, Principles of Present Truth. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those from whom I gleaned.