Two verses today, Isaiah 66:7 and 8, numerically marked for clarity here … ” (7) Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. (8) Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”
The discerning eye can easily see that each of these verses uses the noun “travail.” In Hebrew this word is spelled “chul,” in both instances (verses), I mean. Suggesting this: “to be in pain, to travail (in giving birth), having something formed (a baby in one’s womb), to tremble and bring forth.” These definitions are all represented in the King James Version of Scripture, anyway.
But note this difference, an important one too. In verse 7 … “before she travails,” she gave birth to a Man-Child! I believe this “Man-Child” is a direct reference to Jesus! Yes, Israel gave us Jesus! Via the Virgin Birth! (Israel was not being unduly persecuted when Jesus was born. The Romans allowed her to live in relative peace, in fact. So, just like Isaiah prophesied in 700 BC … no travail here!)
Revelation 12 provides my Bible Background for making such statement. “(1) And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman (Israel) clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: (2) And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. (5) And she brought forth a MAN CHILD (Jesus), who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.”
Wow! No wonder we Christians appreciate the Jews so much. Our Saviour was a Jew, from the ruling Tribe of Judah nonetheless!
Then as our text segues from verse 7 to verse 8 … another “travailing” episode occurs. “Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.” AS “AS SOON AS SHE TRAVAILED, BUT TRAVAIL SHE DID THIS TIME!
See?
This “travail” occurs two thousand (and still counting) years after the Virgin Birth of Jesus! (After the Rapture as well!) During the Tribulation, the great Tribulation. When Israel so suffers under the reign of the devilish anti-Christ. Who will seek (an oft attempted, though still unsuccessful, genocide) to destroy the nation of Israel, all the Jewish people.
And this time, with much pain and agony (a hard time giving birth indeed) Israel will produce a whole (albeit little) miraculous Nation of born-again children of God, believers in Jesus Christ the Son of God!
Hallelujah!
A Blood Washed Remnant of (saved) Jews, when Jesus returns!
Zechariah 12:10 tells us more of that coming day … “And I (the Lord) will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the (Holy) Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me (Jesus) Whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son (God’s Only Begotten in fact), and shall be in bitterness (under conviction) for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”
Thrilling!
And when this glorious, unique birth occurs … the Millennium begins!
Zechariah 13:1 depicts it this way: “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.”
“There is a Fountain, filled with Blood. Drawn from Immanuel’s Veins. And sinners plunged beneath that Blood, lose all their guilty stains!”
Amen!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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