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The Lord's Promise to Relieve Zion's Barrenness
v. 1. Sing, O barren, in joyful shouting, thou that didst not bear, the Jewish Church being for a while forsaken of God and therefore destitute of spiritual children; break forth into singing and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child, while the affliction of the dispersion was upon her; for more are the children of the desolate, of her who had for a time been forsaken by the Lord, her Husband, than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. During the exile the house of David was rejected by God, the worship of Jehovah in Jerusalem had ceased, and prophecy had been reduced in amount. Therefore the message of salvation was heard by a few only, and no new believers were gained. With the restoration of Israel, however, and especially in the Messianic era, this condition would once more be changed in such a manner that Zion would have a greater number of spiritual children than ever.
v. 2. Enlarge the place of thy tent, to make room for the increased number of spiritual children, and let them, the servants, stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations, the various sections which made up the large tent of the wealthy; spare not, do not hold back; lengthen thy cords, to accommodate the increased area of the tent, and strengthen thy stakes, substituting stronger pins for those used till now;
v. 3. for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left, on account of the rapid increase in children of the Gospel; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited, the picture being taken from the former warfare against the heathen and signifying the spiritual conquest of the Gentile world through the preaching of the Gospel.
v. 4. Fear not, in doubt as to the truth and certainty of the promise given, for thou shalt not be ashamed, not experience another rejection at the hand of the Lord; neither be thou confounded, made the object of ridicule and contempt, for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, the time of the bondage in Egypt, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more, the time of the Babylonian captivity.
v. 5. For thy Maker is thine Husband, or "Thy Husband is He who made thee," the almighty Lord of the universe; the Lord of hosts is His name, the great God of the covenant; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel, who in the zeal of His love for His people over-throws the power of the enemies. The God of the whole earth shall He be called, whose absolute power and authority are a guarantee to the Church of its future greatness and glory. God is ever and in all places the Redeemer and Vindicator of His people, a strong Rock of refuge to those that trust in Him.