When we study the Bible, it is always important to not take scripture out of context. We must always examine the surrounding texts, in order to avoid misinterpretations. One glaring example of how ignoring context can result in error is found in Isaiah’s chapter sixty-six, verse eight. –
A Nation in One Day
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth (land) be made to bring forth in one day? (Crops usually take some time to produce) Or shall a nation (people) be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
This verse is conveniently yanked out of context and interpreted to be a prophecy of Israel’s becoming a nation in “one day.” When we examine the facts, Israel did not become a nation in one day, it was a long arduous, and sometimes bloody process, but that’s subject matter for another time. Now we need to recognize what this scripture is actually all about.
The chapter headings that were inserted by man, sometimes break the continuity of the texts. The last two chapters of Israel’s prophecy are unified in theme. Chapter 65 begins a new portion that follows Isaiah’s prayer in chapter 64. Chapters 65 and 66 are meant to be viewed as one.
God speaks in the first verse of chapter 65. –
I am sought of them that asked not for Me; I am found of them that sought Me not: I said, ‘Behold Me, behold Me,’ to a nation that was not called by my name (Isaiah 65:1).
This is just one of the many scriptures concerning evangelism to the Gentiles through the Messiah who would be to them “light” and “rest” (Isaiah 9:2, 11:10).
The Gentiles prophetic reply to God’s call is found in Isaiah’s chapter 63. –
Doubtless You are our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: You, O Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer; Your name is from everlasting (Isaiah 63:16).
After God establishes the fact that it is His desire to call the Gentiles into His embrace, He immediately begins to rebuke the Hebrews.
I have spread out My hands all the day to a rebellious people, which walks in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
A people that provokes Me to anger continually to My face; that sacrifices in gardens, and burns incense upon altars of brick;
Which remains among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things in their vessels (Isaiah 65:2-4).
God’s people, who had been given His word, were emulating the practices of the pagan nations around them. Even though the Gentiles He was calling were doing the same things, they did not have the knowledge of God that had been revealed to the Jews. Therefore, the Jews had no excuse for their rebellion against God. To those to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48).
Aside from these things, their worst sin in God’s eyes, was their pride, which to God is a “smoke in His nose.” –
Which say, ‘Stand by yourself, come not near to me; for I am holier than you.’ These are a smoke in My nose, a fire that burns all the day (Isaiah 65:5).
God hates pride and bigotry. His people had forgotten that God had separated these “Sons of Adam” (Deuteronomy 32:8) from the nations so that they could ultimately be a blessing to them as was promised to Abraham, who would be a father of many nations, Gentiles included (Genesis 17:5). This would be accomplished through the lineage of the Hebrews who would eventually birth the Messiah Jesus, who in turn would gather the Gentiles to God fulfilling the prophecies concerning their coming to God through one who is a Jew (Zechariah 8:23).
God continues to show them that He would preserve a righteous remnant, “a seed out of Jacob” (Isaiah 65:9). And He contrasts this remnant that has sought Him, with the punishments that He has reserved for those who have rebelled against Him in verses 11 through 15. -
11 But you are they that forsake the LORD, that forget My holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering to that number.
12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not hear; but did evil before My eyes, and did choose that in which I did not delight.
13 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry: behold, My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty: behold, My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be be ashamed:
14 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
15 And you shall leave your name for a curse to My chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay you, and call His servants by another name:
We see in verse 15, He tells them that His servants, this remnant, will be called by another name. He would be designating this group as a separate tribe, so to speak, from the Hebrew nation.
The Lord continues through the remainder of the chapter, to show the restoration of Jerusalem and His people which obviously have sprung forth from the remnant seed that God has preserved for that purpose. Their offspring would be the ones who would eventually inherit the warless world when the Messiah Jesus returns as prophesied by Zechariah (Zechariah 14).
This remnant seed would be rejected by their own Hebrew nation. –
Hear the word of the Lord, you that tremble at His word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My name’s sake, said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified:’ but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed (Isaiah 66:5).
In the following verse, the Lord shows us that those who are not among this remnant camp are as His enemies. –
A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that renders recompense to His enemies (Isaiah 66:6, 65:6).
We have now been brought to the threshold of the verse in question that cradles the phrase – “a nation be born at once.”
The door to that verse is blatantly ignored, because it is a prophecy of the Messiah, and relates His birth as the instigator of the nation born in one day prophecy.
Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, (a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD) she was delivered of a man child (Isaiah 66:7).
The birth of this special man child, instigates the birth of a “nation.”
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once?...
The word "nation" in Hebrew is gow, (go-ee) which means a “people.” This word transliterated is, “Goy,” the word that the Hebrews use to designate a Gentile.
...For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children (Isaiah 66:8).
This verse in question has nothing to do with the birth of a country, it has everything to do with the birth of the remnant out of Zion which would ultimately be called by “a new name,” as prophesied in Isaiah 65:15.
This entire prophecy was fulfilled in the second chapter of Acts when God poured out His Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28). This mighty anointing that inspired and enabled the Apostle Peter to boldly proclaim the gospel to the Jews, caused three thousand Hebrews to repent and receive Jesus as the Messiah in one day. –
Then they that gladly received His word were baptized and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls (Acts 2:41).
That Jewish remnant then caused the word of God, the Gospel, to flow out from Jerusalem to all the nations. The Gentiles came to Jesus as prophesied (Isaiah 66:12,19), and this new tribe/people consisting of Jews and eventually Gentiles that God birthed from the womb of Israel was called by a new name – Christians, which means Christ/Messiah in me.
This is the joy and glory of Jerusalem, the city that saw the birth of redemption for the entire world through the Messiah Jesus and a people, a church, that was birthed in one day.
Copyright 2020 by H. D. Shively