The Lord Vindicates Zion
You who tremble at His word:
“Your brethren who ahated you,
Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said,
b‘Let the Lord be glorified,
That cwe may see your joy.’
But they shall be ashamed.”
A voice from the temple!
The voice of the Lord,
Who fully repays His enemies!
Who has seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?
Or shall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion was in labor,
She gave birth to her children.
“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.
| << Isaiah 66:6 | Isaiah 66:8 >> |
What Does Isaiah 66:7 Mean?
Isaiah 66:7-8
The New Testament shows that God has not broken His pattern. A new Israel is being formed—a people from all ethnic backgrounds. The Kingdom of God is expanding through the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16)! This ties directly into Revelation 19 and the Marriage of the Lamb, because it is this Israel—the Israel of God—the spiritual organism consisting of people of all nations, that will marry Christ, the Lamb.
We can see a progression. First, there is one man—Jacob—whose name was changed to Israel. He was chosen by God, even though his brother was firstborn. Next, the descendants of Israel were chosen from the nations of the world, even though other nations were larger, greater, and stronger. Then, as God's plan takes off with the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the giving of the Holy Spirit, God first chooses from among the Israelites and then from all ethnic groups, choosing and putting them into the Body of Christ, though He says the members of His church are foolish, weak, and base.
So the Israel of God is formed to marry Jesus Christ. This is why Gentiles have to become Israelites. In fact, all of us have to become real Israelites—spiritual Israelites—even though we may be genetically "of Israel."
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Eleven)
Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Isaiah 66:7:
| << Isaiah 66:6 | Isaiah 66:8 >> |
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