The Parable of the Barren Woman

[bbyrd009]

It doesn't mean unbelieving Israel is destroyed though.

"unbelieving Israel?"

 

[101G]

Galatians 4:27
[27] For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

How did she become desolate?

don't mean to butt in on your conversatation. this is an allegory, of being born naturally, and being born of the the spirit.
natural women have children of the Flesh with husbands, now all the children are born of the Spirit. hence the saying, " for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband". spiritual children are born daily without the 9 months of wait. scripture,
Galatians 4:23 "But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. by promise is "Spirit", born from above.
Galatians 4:24 "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

Galatians 4:25 "For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Galatians 4:26 "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

 

[Davy]

Once again, the parable is straightforward, if one actually reads the flow of the Isaiah 54 chapter.

Isa 54
54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

God is addressing the "barren" woman, telling her to "break forth into singing". She "didst not travail with child", meaning her womb remained barren 'without' child.

When He says, "for more are the children of the desolate...", that is why we then are to know He is speaking this as a parable, for a barren woman that is desolate and forsaken has no children. Further in the flow of the chapter we come to understand He is speaking about Jerusalem in bondage during this present world especially, and also about His faithful servants.

The barren is told to enlarge her tent, for her seed will inherit the Gentiles, and her desolate cities will be inhabited. Again, further into the chapter this is shown to be about the servants of God in final. It definitely is about Christ joining both believing Jew and Gentile together as one body under Him. But it's also literally about the inheritance to Abraham of God's promises, which includes the promised lands as mentioned as the "desolate cities" being inhabited above (see Galatians 3 and Genesis about Abraham).


Isaiah 54:4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.
5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.
6 For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

Anyone who doesn't understand our Heavenly Father's love for earthly Jerusalem should read the Ezekiel 16 chapter where He cleansed her originally and married her. Because she played the harlot spiritually with idols, God forsook her. Lamentations called earthly Jerusalem a spiritual widow after God brought the king of Babylon upon her. He then refused her. Thus the ideas given in Ezekiel 16 about Jerusalem are very important to understand regarding this parable of the barren woman.

The barren woman as "thy seed" in the Isaiah 54:3 verse is being compared to the faithful seed of God's servants. Since Messiah (Jesus Christ) has come, this seed here now represents those saved of Israel in Christ Jesus.


Isaiah 54:7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

Jerusalem is not gathered, but it's the seed that is gathered, so this parable is not just only about Jerusalem, but also about the future saved seed of Israel when Jesus comes. (Don't make the mistake of thinking this is about the return of orthodox Jews to today's nation state of Israel, because they as a majority still reject Jesus today. So that is definitely not this gathering of the saved of Israel inheriting the Gentiles into their "desolate cities".)


Isaiah 54:8 In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the LORD That hath mercy on thee.

Though she would be spiritually barren for a while, and God hides His face from her for a short while (to include the future great tribulation when false Messiah comes to Jerusalem), God has promised to eventually have mercy on her, even when "the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed...", which is put for the end of this present world.


Isaiah 54:11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Those in Christ should immediately recall the Revelation 21 mention of the new Jerusalem and its foundation stones and gates. Thus God is here applying the desolate barren woman idea spiritually to Jerusalem. The time for this application for this verse though is when He brings the new Jerusalem of Rev.21 down to this earth.

The phrase "And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD" should immediately tell you this section of verses in the Isaiah 54 chapter is about Jerusalem.


14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.
KJV

Who is to gather against earthly Jerusalem in final at the end of this present world? The nations of Ezekiel 38. God has said He will gather them against Jerusalem to pour out His indignation upon them (Zeph.3:8; Rev.16 with Armageddon).

Thus also, what I showed from Revelation 18 about what the Babylon Harlot says she sits a queen, and is no widow, is about Jerusalem for the end in a fallen worship state by the coming Antichrist. That shows earthly Jerusalem is forsaken all the way up to the time of Christ's 2nd coming.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

don't mean to butt in on your conversatation. this is an allegory, of being born naturally, and being born of the the spirit.
natural women have children of the Flesh with husbands, now all the children are born of the Spirit. hence the saying, " for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband". spiritual children are born daily without the 9 months of wait. scripture,
Galatians 4:23 "But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. by promise is "Spirit", born from above.
Galatians 4:24 "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

Galatians 4:25 "For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Galatians 4:26 "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

All flesh is in the bondage of sin...but there is a promise seed. It is Spiritual. Maybe my words are getting twisted and not coming out right. I was in the bondage of sin...enslaved. Enslaved to the world and death and unfruitfulness. I’m not Jewish (physically) but through the mercy of God this enslaved woman could be brought into the freewoman’s heritage with the saints of old (Sarah) whom believed in the promise. My womb is now physically dead. And so is my (earthly) mothers. The miracle is from above, in that which is desolate and wasted carries a child of God. Not the flesh...but in submission of this earthly vessel to God’s Law which is magnified by Christ. I hope that makes sense

We are called the ‘children of God’ in earthern vessels. It is through desolation. It is through weakness that, that which is impossible with the flesh now barren and desolate...God declares with Him all things are possible.

 

[Davy]

don't mean to butt in on your conversatation. this is an allegory, of being born naturally, and being born of the the spirit.
natural women have children of the Flesh with husbands, now all the children are born of the Spirit. hence the saying, " for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband". spiritual children are born daily without the 9 months of wait. scripture,
Galatians 4:23 "But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. by promise is "Spirit", born from above.
Galatians 4:24 "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

Galatians 4:25 "For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Galatians 4:26 "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

The barren womb idea is about remaining faithful. It is given as a spiritual metaphor. In the sense of God being her Husband, it's about earthly Jerusalem remaining barren waiting on Him. Involving the seed, which is how Jesus applied it in Luke 23 speaking to the "daughters of Jerusalem", the barren woman who's womb is desolate represents the faithful seed, waiting on Jesus to return. This also is how Apostle Paul applied the idea in 2 Corinthians 11 about our Maker being our Husband, which is a quote from Isaiah 54.

In the Isaiah 54 parable, God is actually including the idea of the new Jerusalem in final:

Isa 54:11-13
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
KJV

Has earthly Jerusalem been "afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted" during this present world? Yes, definitely. The king of Babylon once destroyed her, as also did the pagan Romans. The pagans sieged her 27 times already in history. And there's to be one final siege of earthly Jerusalem by her enemies at the very end of this world just prior to Jesus' 2nd coming.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

The barren womb idea is about remaining faithful. It is given as a spiritual metaphor. In the sense of God being her Husband, it's about earthly Jerusalem remaining barren waiting on Him. Involving the seed, which is how Jesus applied it in Luke 23 speaking to the "daughters of Jerusalem", the barren woman who's womb is desolate represents the faithful seed, waiting on Jesus to return. This also is how Apostle Paul applied the idea in 2 Corinthians 11 about our Maker being our Husband, which is a quote from Isaiah 54.

In the Isaiah 54 parable, God is actually including the idea of the new Jerusalem in final:

Isa 54:11-13
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
KJV

Has earthly Jerusalem been "afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted" during this present world? Yes, definitely. The king of Babylon once destroyed her, as also did the pagan Romans. The pagans sieged her 27 times already in history. And there's to be one final siege of earthly Jerusalem by her enemies at the very end of this world just prior to Jesus' 2nd coming.

Has earthly Jerusalem been 'afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted' … the whole world has. But 'the comforter' has come already. Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time and season for everything. "A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together." A time to cast away earthly stones... temples... and a time to gather spiritual stones that build up God's spiritual house made without hands.

"Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." …

"And saying, Thou that destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross."

Daniel 2:34-35
[34] Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. [35] Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

(Isaiah 10:21-22) tells us "for though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness." And also in (Isaiah 28: 22) the word tells us this consumption is determined upon the whole earth. Consumption: the using up of resource. expenditure. depletion. exhaustion. a wasting disease. to waste. = which overflows with righteousness. That which is dead and passes away, must pass away to be resurrected into life. glorified. First it is wasted. Who made the waster to destroy and waste and to make desolate? Israel inherits it all. Don't you see...rejoice for the increase of those taken in by the Spirit of God and His kingdom though it appears by sight decreases … but we are told to not judge by our eyes and to have faith for that which is unseen.

Psalm 118:21-23
[21] I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. [22] The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. [23] This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Isaiah 10:17-20
[17] And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day; [18] And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth. [19] And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them. [20] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord , the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

Get off the flesh man and stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. (1 John 5:6) It is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. --the comforter sent to us (Israel) is Spirit. His Spirit is within us. Why watch that which passes away? It all passes away except the foundation we are told will remain which is the resurrected Son of God...returned to He who sent Him and the comforter sent.
Isaiah 27:1-6
[1] In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. [2] In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. [3] I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. [4] Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. [5] Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me. [6] He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel (Spirit)shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith (goodness, and righteousness, and truth) … (Psalm 37:11) "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."

 

[Davy]

Has earthly Jerusalem been 'afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted' … the whole world has. But 'the comforter' has come already. Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time and season for everything. "A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together." A time to cast away earthly stones... temples... and a time to gather spiritual stones that build up God's spiritual house made without hands.

"Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." …

"And saying, Thou that destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross."

Daniel 2:34-35
[34] Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. [35] Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

(Isaiah 10:21-22) tells us "for though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness." And also in (Isaiah 28: 22) the word tells us this consumption is determined upon the whole earth. Consumption: the using up of resource. expenditure. depletion. exhaustion. a wasting disease. to waste. = which overflows with righteousness. That which is dead and passes away, must pass away to be resurrected into life. glorified. First it is wasted. Who made the waster to destroy and waste and to make desolate? Israel inherits it all. Don't you see...rejoice for the increase of those taken in by the Spirit of God and His kingdom though it appears by sight decreases … but we are told to not judge by our eyes and to have faith for that which is unseen.

Psalm 118:21-23
[21] I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. [22] The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. [23] This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Isaiah 10:17-20
[17] And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day; [18] And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth. [19] And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them. [20] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord , the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

Get off the flesh man and stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. (1 John 5:6) It is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. --the comforter sent to us (Israel) is Spirit. His Spirit is within us. Why watch that which passes away? It all passes away except the foundation we are told will remain which is the resurrected Son of God...returned to He who sent Him and the comforter sent.
Isaiah 27:1-6
[1] In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. [2] In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. [3] I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. [4] Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. [5] Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me. [6] He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel (Spirit)shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith (goodness, and righteousness, and truth) … (Psalm 37:11) "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."

Not sure what all you're trying to drive at; I'm well familiar with spiritual things. But that doesn't change the literal meanings God has said He will do in His Word, and His coming earthly Kingdom under His Son Jesus Christ reigning in Jerusalem is one of them. And when Jesus returns and gathers His Church, that is when the gathering the OT prophets spoke of will happen. The Jews trekking back to today's nation state of Israel is not the putting back together the two sticks of the house of Judah and the house of Israel (ten tribes). The ten tribes of Israel are still scattered today, and God has caused them to not know who they are, which is why the majority of Israelites are not among those today who are returning to the land of Israel.