1 Sing, O barren, thou that did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says the Lord.
This is very similar to the song Hannah, mother of the prophet Samuel, sang after his birth.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
Those who appear to the world to not be successful are often very successful to God. He enlarges those who follow Him.
3 For thou shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Judah looked like she was desolate, on her way out. But the truth was this time was just an adjustment from God. He would again bless them.
4 Fear not; for thou shall not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shall not be put to shame: for thou shall forget the shame of thy youth, and shall not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.
The time will come when Judah will again be the most blessed people around.
5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.
God formed a covenant with Israel like a marriage covenant. God is the husband and Israel the wife. Israel/Judah has been unfaithful by engaging in idolatry, which is the equivalent of adultery spiritually. God is punishing her for this, but the time will come when He will forgive them and restore them to their place as His “wife.”
6 For the Lord has called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou was refused, says thy God.
All will be forgiven.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
God is merciful and eager to forgive.
8 In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, says the Lord thy Redeemer.
9 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 wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
Just like God promised He will never flood the earth again after the time of Noah, He will never bring captivity to Judah again after they return from Babylon.
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, says the Lord that has mercy on thee.
God promised His wife that there would be no more punishment when they return. Had the Jews served Him, they would still be a people.
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
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| A sapphire |
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
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| Agate |
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| Crystal (carbuncles) |
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| Modern translations say ruby instead of agate. |
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
God promises His people that He will care for their children.
14 In righteousness shall thou be established: thou shall be far from oppression; for thou shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
16 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.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, says the Lord.
The natural Jews rejected God and His covenant, expecting His continued protection though they didn’t serve Him.
The truth is that God cut off all who did not choose to serve Him at Calvary. They are no longer Jews.
All who do choose to serve Him, no matter their bloodlines, are grafted/adopted into the nation of Israel. All servants of God are Jews and can claim this scripture.