God, in our Text today, pictures Himself as a “Mother!” Unless I have misunderstood the whole Paragraph. Let me at least attempt to show you what I mean …
“As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:13, with the Lord speaking through the Prophet.
Jesus did this too, at least once. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Matthew 23:37, where a “hen” is a mother chicken.
Paul did it as well, particularly when writing to his beloved Thessalonians: “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children, being affectionately desirous of you.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8-9, where the Greek noun “nurse” is feminine gender.
Wow!
But in our Jerusalem Text above (Isaiah 66) … there’s even more such imagery! Jerusalem herself (note the gender again) is discussed by the Holy Spirit of God. In a feminine sense, I believe. See if you agree …
“Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her. That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.” Isaiah 66:10-12 now, the three verses immediately prior to verse 13, where God is specifically seen as a comforting and loving mother!
Look at the feminine terms (used of the world’s “Capital City” during the Millennium) describing Jerusalem …
Nine times (I just counted) the feminine pronoun “her“ is used in our King James Text! That’s a persuasive number!
Also … Jerusalem is presented as nourishing (under the figure of a mother’s breasts) her neighbors, her fellow citizens of planet earth! (They being others who love the Jews, all anti-Semites having been earlier banished. At Armageddon!)
Then our Text presents people being “borne upon her sides,” teaching us that this grand City during those days will “carry” many a people to and fro. Will uplift them and aid them and support them! (Jerusalem as the new “United States,” back when there was a United States … back in her glory days!)
But what about the clause “dandled upon her knees?” Like a Mom lovingly bounces that little child on her leg, on her knees, in her lap! Except here the Hebrew verb also means “delighted in” or even “played with!” A pretty scene!
Jerusalem, the “Power House” Entity of the world … under the Reign or Administration of King Jesus! But gently so!
Yes, back to the Lesson’s title … “what an interesting analogy!”
Isaiah could really paint some gorgeous “word pictures,” for sure. Of course, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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