Page 114 - Isaiah Student Worktext

V. 5 The comparison goes from a barren woman to a widow, and she is told that her Maker is her
husband. He is the God of the whole earth.

V. 6-8 In V. 7, God tells us that ‘for a mere moment I have forsaken you’. We know that we are told
elsewhere that He will never leave us, never forsake us. This ‘mere moment’ is a result of the actions of
Israel, not God. They left Him, He didn’t leave them. But it comes with a promise: with great mercies I
will gather you.

V. 9-10 Like God’s promise to Noah and the other flood survivors…God will never
flood the whole earth again. His kindness will never depart from us.

V. 11-12 Again, the promise here had a contemporary meaning…the city of
Jerusalem had been destroyed, but it would be rebuilt more beautiful than before. The beautiful gems
and stones described in these verses are echoed in Revelation 21: 18-21, where the New Jerusalem is
described.

V. 13-15 All the children promised to the barren woman in V. 1-2 will be taught by the Lord. There shall
be peace, righteousness will be established, freedom from oppression. Of course the lives of those
returning to Jerusalem would be comparatively peaceful, righteous and free after being in the captivity.
But the greater picture again is the picture of the New Jerusalem when all these things will be finally
realized.

V. 16-17 The reminder here is a difficult one. God created the ‘spoiler to destroy’. He gave the
blacksmith who makes the weapons of war his talent.

But then, He says that there is no weapon or tongue that can rise against God’s people. Obviously,
there have been weapons raised and tongues that have risen up against God’s people, but the truth
here is that the ultimate victory belongs to God. Our righteousness doesn’t come from any victory that
we might win, it comes from the Lord.

The commentators took the approach that this passage is about missions. Enlarge our tents, stretch the
dwelling places, lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes to include more and more as we reach
out to them.

Chapter 55 - Main Idea: God calls on poor, thirsty, hungry souls to a
rich, free banquet—salvation in Christ!

There is an old children’s story called ‘The Little Match Girl’, about a child
whose was given the task of selling matches to supplement her family’s
income. It was very cold, and she was not having any luck. She was afraid to go home because her
father would beat her if she didn’t bring home any money.

As she walked around, she went past a house and saw a family sitting down to a feast. She stood
outside the window watching them enjoying all the bounty. They found her frozen to death outside the
window the next morning.

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