For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”
Summary: The passage from Isaiah describes the miracle of a woman who has no children finding herself blessed with an abundance of children.
In the years before the exile of Judah, there was a prophet named Isaiah. God spoke amazing things through this prophet, and one of the most amazing is found in Isaiah, chapter fifty-three. This chapter describes Jesus, the Son of God, in great detail. The suffering and sacrifice of our Lord is spread out before the people of Judah and ends with these words:
“For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53: 12)
Immediately after these words are the words Paul quotes in Galatians 4:27:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”
Paul has been painting a picture with words. It is a portrait of two women. One is a slave woman, while the other is free.
The slave woman is used to describe “the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children” (Galatians 4:25). The “Jerusalem that is above” (Gal 4:26) is the mother of all who lives by faith.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul describes God’s ability to graft a wild olive shoot into a cultivated olive tree. He explains how Gentiles become part of God’s family. The Isaiah passage is similar. A woman who has never had children and doesn’t even have a husband is blessed with more children than the woman who has a husband.
If God could not redeem his creation, he would have no children at all. By corrupting Adam and Eve, Satan would have denied God the joy of the family he desired. But God was determined to overcome this obstacle. Even though it cost him the life of his only Son, Jesus Christ, God paid the price so that he could redeem not only Jesus but all who believe in him.
Despite Satan’s best efforts, God can have children. Lots of them! He wants all of us to come home, if only we will believe in his Son, Jesus.
Application: Believe in Jesus!
Food for Thought: What is the significance of the fact that the desolate woman never suffered labor pains and yet has children?
I have to admit, this question has me a bit stumped.
At face value I think the significance may be that even though the Jewish nation failed to uphold the old covenant, which was to bring them into the presence of God, from that lineage came Jesus, and through Christ came the Church, so many are able to come into the presence of God. So, in a sense, the Gentiles are “children” of that lineage that the Jewish nation did not suffer birth pangs for.
Thanks Chris!
I like where you went with this question. No right answers on this one. 🙂
This is an interesting question. In fact, it appears that she did not only avoid pain, but labor altogether. She was not in labor, rather she was barren and not able to have children. I think Isaiah (whom Paul quotes – Isaiah 54: 1 as you mention in your devotion) was prophesying about Israel’s future after the Babylonian captivity. Israel would once again have children and grow. She would go from being barren to having children once again. From a final fulfillment point of view, living by faith in Christ and God’s promises produces fruit and life while living by works produces no life. This is my take on what is admittedly a complicated passage.
Thanks Rich!
I agree! As God’s family grows through faith in Christ, we avoid the birth pains associated with Israel’s history up to the point of Jesus’ time on earth.
Another connection I made was with Genesis 3:16 —
“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.”
Apparently God’s original intent for childbearing was that it would have been less painful than is now experienced mothers. As God’s family grows by faith, the “desolate woman” is blessed with children without the pain of labor.