GOD'S HOPE FOR HIS PEOPLE

Passage: Isaiah 54:1-8

Key verse: 2

NIV

The Future Glory of Zion

54 “Sing, barren woman,(A)
    you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,(B)
    you who were never in labor;(C)
because more are the children(D) of the desolate(E) woman
    than of her who has a husband,(F)”
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,(G)
    stretch your tent curtains wide,
    do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
    strengthen your stakes.(H)
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
    your descendants(I) will dispossess nations(J)
    and settle in their desolate(K) cities.

4 “Do not be afraid;(L) you will not be put to shame.(M)
    Do not fear disgrace;(N) you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth(O)
    and remember no more the reproach(P) of your widowhood.(Q)
5 For your Maker(R) is your husband(S)—
    the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One(T) of Israel is your Redeemer;(U)
    he is called the God of all the earth.(V)
6 The Lord will call you back(W)
    as if you were a wife deserted(X) and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,(Y)
    only to be rejected,” says your God.
7 “For a brief moment(Z) I abandoned(AA) you,
    but with deep compassion(AB) I will bring you back.(AC)
8 In a surge of anger(AD)
    I hid(AE) my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness(AF)
    I will have compassion(AG) on you,”
    says the Lord your Redeemer.(AH)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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ESV

The Eternal Covenant of Peace

54 (A)“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear;
    break forth into singing and cry aloud,
    you who have not been in labor!
For the children of (B)the desolate one (C)will be more
    than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
2 (D)“Enlarge the place of your tent,
    and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
    and strengthen your stakes.
3 (E)For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left,
    and your offspring will possess the nations
    and will people the desolate cities.

4 “Fear not, (F)for you will not be ashamed;
    be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
    and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 (G)For your Maker is your husband,
    the Lord of hosts is his name;
(H)and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
    (I)the God of the whole earth he is called.
6 (J)For the Lord has called you
    like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
    says your God.
7 (K)For a brief moment I deserted you,
    but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 (L)In overflowing anger for a moment
    I hid my face from you,
(M)but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
    says the Lord, your Redeemer.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Prepare for a glorious future (1-4) In Isaiah's time, childlessness brought shame. It symbolized hopelessness. That is how the people felt during the Babylonian captivity. But God encouraged the hopeless and brokenhearted to sing and shout for joy. God promised his people that they will spread out. One day their shame and disgrace will be forgotten. God urged his people to prepare for this glorious future by enlarging their tent and strengthening their stakes. They had to surrender their fear and despair to God, grow their faith and anchor their hearts in God. 2. The Holy One is your Redeemer (5-8) In anger, God briefly abandoned his people and allowed them to suffer. But his underlying purpose was always redemptive. God is the LORD Almighty, the God of all the earth, who can and will redeem his people. God is like a husband to his people. He loves them. He has committed himself to them and has deep compassion for them. Our God shows everlasting kindness to his people.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being kind and compassionate and giving us a glorious hope in Christ. Enlarge my heart and strengthen my faith in you.

One Word: Sing and shout for joy in the Lord