54:1 “Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth! Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one are more numerous than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
To properly understand chapter 54, it is important to study the husband-wife relationship of Jehovah and Israel.
1. Jehovah bought Israel out of the slave market of Egypt.
2. Jehovah courted Israel in the wilderness.
3. Jehovah married Israel. The Book of Deuteronomy was the marriage contract.
4. Jehovah brought Israel into the promised land and promised her blessings and cursings.
5. Israel committed fornication with other foreign gods.
6. In Isaiah 50, Israel complained that Jehovah had divorced Israel, because Jehovah was no longer providing Israel the promises of the marriage contract of Deuteronomy.
7. Jehovah asked Israel to bring forth the bill of divorce.
8. Israel could not bring forth a bill of divorce, because Jehovah had not yet divorced Israel.
9. Jehovah would divorce Israel. The bill of divorce would be the Book of Jeremiah. The reason would be Israel's adultery.
10. In an attempt to win Israel back to Jehovah, then He issues punishment upon Israel. Jeremiah, Hosea, and Ezekiel would deliver the terms of this punishment.
11. The dispersion of Israel from her land would be the punishment.
12. Israel the wife will be rejoined to Jehovah the husband during the last three days of the Great Tribulation. Chapter 54 is a prophecy of this future reunion.
In verse 1, Israel is commanded to sing. It is the end of the Great Tribulation. She is about to be remarried to Jehovah.
During the last 2,500 years, ever since the days of Jeremiah, Israel has been divorced from Jehovah. She has produced more illegitimate children of disobedience than children of obedience. She has produced more children in her days of divorce than she has in her previous days of marriage.
54:2 Make your tent larger, stretch your tent curtains farther out! Spare no effort, lengthen your ropes, and pound your stakes deep.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will be able to increase her land. Israel has never received all of the land which was promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. She will receive all of this promised land in the Millennial Kingdom.
54:3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your children will conquer nations and will resettle desolate cities.
During the Millennial Kingdom, all of the children of Israel will be believers. Israel will experience a population explosion. Her population will be as numerous as the sands on the seashore and the stars in the sky. The population of Israel will stretch out all over the land. Israel will be the head and not the tail of the nations. Israel will rebuild and resettle desolate cities.
54:4 Don’t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame! Don’t be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated! You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth; you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel never has to fear about being put to shame, intimidated, or humiliated. There will be no anti-Semitism in the Millennial Kingdom. There will not be any satanic Gentile nations who will attempt to exterminate Israel.
54:5 For your husband is the one who made you— the Lord who commands armies is his name. He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called “God of the entire earth.”
Israel’s husband is the one who made Israel His beautiful wife of the Millennial Kingdom. He is the Commander of the angelic army. He is the protector of Israel. He is the Holy One of Israel. He is the God of the entire earth, including both Jews and Gentiles. Israel was married to a divine husband who loved her very much.
54:6 “Indeed, the Lord will call you back like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression, like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God.
Jehovah will remarry Israel, even though she was a harlot and an adulterer.
54:7 “For a short time I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
A short time is so far 2,000 years and running, but this is just a drop of water in the bucket of eternity.
54:8 In a burst of anger I rejected you momentarily, but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,” says your protector, the Lord.
Jehovah was angry at Israel’s adultery and prostitution, so He divorced her. During the Millennial Kingdom, He will no longer be angry at His wife. He will show compassion to her. He will once again become her husband and protector.
54:9 “As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time, when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood would never again cover the earth. In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.
Just as God promised in the Noahic Covenant to never bring a flood upon the earth, He promised Israel in the New Covenant that He would never be angry at her again.
54:10 Even if the mountains are removed and the hills displaced, my devotion will not be removed from you, nor will my covenant of friendship be displaced,” says the Lord, the one who has compassion on you.
Even if the mountains and hills could be removed, Jehovah will always show devotion, friendship, and compassion to Israel.
54:11 “O afflicted one, driven away, and unconsoled! Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony and I lay your foundation with lapis-lazuli. 54:2 I will make your pinnacles out of gems, your gates out of beryl, and your outer wall out of beautiful stones.
Israel was the afflicted wife. She was driven away from Jehovah because of her spiritual adultery and prostitution. She was unconsoled. During the Millennial Kingdom, Jehovah will restore His wife and decorate her with fine jewelry.
54:13 All your children will be followers of the Lord, and your children will enjoy great prosperity.
During the Millennial Kingdom, all of Israel will be saved. Israel will live in great prosperity. No one can out-give God. God is a cheerful Giver. He will give generously to His children during the Millennial Kingdom.
54:14 You will be reestablished when I vindicate you. You will not experience oppression; indeed, you will not be afraid. You will not be terrified, for nothing frightening will come near you.
During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will be reestablished as a great nation. She will become priests to all of the nations. She will no longer be oppressed by satanic Gentile nations who want to exterminate her. She will no longer fear her enemies. God will not allow any enemies of Israel to exist during this time period. He will purge all of them out of the world and throw them into Hell to await the Great White Throne judgment.
54:15 If anyone dares to challenge you, it will not be my doing! Whoever tries to challenge you will be defeated.
Jehovah will not allow anyone to challenge Israel. According to Zechariah 14, all Gentile nations (including the United States) will conspire, join, and attack Israel. The Messiah will return to defend Israel. No attack on Israel will be successful. This Gentile combined attack will cause the national regeneration of Israel.
54:16 Look, I create the craftsman, who fans the coals into a fire and forges a weapon. I create the destroyer so he might devastate.
God is the one who creates the weapon and the one who wields it. He controls both of them for His own glory and purposes.
54:17 No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed; you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. This is what the Lord will do for his servants— I will vindicate them,” says the Lord.
During the Millennial Kingdom, there will be no weapons of war which will be effective against Israel. Gentile nations are currently creating weapons of mass destruction to use against Israel, but God will render them ineffective. Jehovah will restore Israel as His bride. He will once again become her husband and protector.