Isaiah 54:
A Perpetual Covenant of Peace
1 “Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman,” says the LORD.
2 ” Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the
curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes.
3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited.
4 ” Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
Sing O barren
Sing O you land that mourn.
Sing , you that has been taunted:
“The Lord has forsaken him”
“The Lord has abandoned her.”
“There is no help for him in God.” they say.
Like Hannah you’re lost for words in your prayer.
‘When will this reproach go from me?’ you cry day in and day out.
As we will discover soon when ever there is an unusual deprivation, there is a hidden mammoth blessing on the horizon. In other words those who are barren are potential bread baskets. Those who are experiencing unusual failure are in line for great good success if they handle their circumstance with the right attitude.
Who is barren in this place and saying enough is enough?
Sing, O barren. Your time has come to be called a new name.
Isaiah 54: A Perpetual Covenant of Peace
1 “Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman,” says the LORD.
2 ” Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes.
3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited.
4 ” Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
5 For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
6 For the LORD has called you Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Like a youthful wife when you were refused,” Says your God.
7 ” For a mere moment I have forsaken you, But with great mercies I will gather you.
8 With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the LORD, your Redeemer
Sing in the valley
Isa49 God Will RememberZion
14 ButZion said, “The LORD has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.”
15 ” Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.
Isa66 9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the LORD. ” Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.
Isa40:28-31
Genesis 8
1 Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.
Abraham was worried he would remain barren forever. God encouraged him and he believed.
Genesis 15: God’s Covenant with Abram
1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
2 But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”
4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”
5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness
Later God comes again, this time change their names.
Abram became Abraham and Sarai became Sarah.
What was God doing? On the surface he was making
matters worse. Abraham, who had no child, would
now be going about bearing a name that sounded
ridiculous: Father of many nation, when there no
single child. Sarah was to be the mother of many
nations.
God was calling the things which be not as though they
were- giving an example to Abraham. He was also
speaking a covenant language, where the partners in a
covenant exchanges names. God was adding part of
name: Jehovah -part the name of God. From then on
God was declaring that His strength was Abraham’s.
Whoever touches Abraham touches Him. He was to be
called the God of Abraham.
In that ancient covenant ceremony the partners would
exchange their belt, signifying that the strength of your
covenant brother was now yours and your strength
became his. If he is in trouble you cannot feel sorry for
him. You must come to his aid.
During the ceremony they would have an animal that
would split in two in form a figure 8. They would also
cut their wrist and mingle their blood as they walked
past the piece of split animal, pronouncing the
covenant blessing and curses for unfaithfulness. They
also had a covenant meal.
David’s Covenant with Jonathan
At the end of the ceremony they became friends- a
covenant expression where they were closer than
brothers. This was the motivation for David blessing
Mephiboseth.
1 Samuel 18: Saul Resents David
1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore.
Exchange of strength ( Belt as David and Jonathan did)
Genesis 15: God’s Covenant with Abram
1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward Gen15:1
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
1Sam18:1-4
8 Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”
9 But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?”
1Sam20
16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the LORD require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
17 Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
1Sam20:16-17
Saul lamented that he was kept in the dark about Jonathan’s covenant with David.
8 All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.” 1sam22:8
.”
Genesis 15
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.
Genesis 19
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in whichLot had dwelt.
Rebekah was Barren
Isaac’s wife Rebekah was also barren It was as if barrenness ran in the family. they were beautiful but barren. Sarah was, Rebekah was and Rachel was too. Externally they were dazzling but they were agonising on the inside.
It was as if everything was going for them but they had nothing to show for it. Is that your story?
This was because there was a great promise in the horizon.
21 Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
You too can plead with the Lord and He will hear you.
She had twins – a double portion. You too will have
double for your trouble.
Hang in there. Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Job said.
Job 13
15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. …’
16 He also shall be my salvation,…’
I will wait, Till my change comes.Job14:14
10 But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job23:10
10But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night,Job35:10
4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength; Ps84:4-7
Rachel was barren
Rivalry between Leah and Rachel
Genesis 30:
1 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!”
2 And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”
Genesis 29
31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
Genesis 30
22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
23 And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
24 So she called his name Joseph, and said, “The LORD shall add to me another son.”
Rachel’s prize for the price of barrenness is the fruitful bough.
22 ” Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.
23 The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him.
24 But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25 By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers. Gen 49:
Abraham and Sarah were barren and they got
laughter (Isaac). He laughed last but laughed best. Are
you barren? This will be your portion- laugh that will
endure; laughter that will take you places; laughter
that enable you to leave a legacy.
Rachel’s barrenness and brokenness brought a fruitful
bough (Joseph).
Your barrenness and brokenness will bring bounty,
beauty and a bread basket. You will not be bitter but
you will be better, grow stronger, wiser, higher and
higher to the glory of God.
Exodus 2
24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
Hannah was Barren
Elkanah had two wives: the name of one was
Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah.
Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
4 And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the LORD had closed her womb.
6 And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb.
1Sam1
Hannah’ vow
0 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish.
11 Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”
18 And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Samuel Is Born and Dedicated
He remembered Hannah
19 Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.
20 So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”
21 Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.
Hannah’s prayer and Song
1 Samuel 2: Hannah’s Prayer
1 And Hannah prayed and said: ” My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 ” No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
3 ” Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.
4 ” The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength.
1 Samuel 2
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble.
Even the barren has borne seven (1sam2:5) this will be your testimony.
6 ” The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.
7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.
8 He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. ” For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, And He has set the world upon them.
9 He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. ” For by strength no man shall prevail.
10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. ” He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.”
This will be your song in your night.
Joseph- the fruitful bough was himself barren for
along time, going from the pit into slavery, being
exchanged like you would exchange goods; ending up
as a servant in Potiphar’s house and though wise in his
stewardship, making his master prosperous, he was
still maligned and thrown into prison. But there in
prison Joseph remained positive and trusting in the
faithfulness of God. He kept interpreting other
people’s dream and God remembered Him at the
appointed time.
As you look unto Jesus in your prison, pit and valley,
serving others, God will remember you and bring you
out to be a governor in your own right.
Jabez was was barren
Jabez was not only fruitless, he caused mayhem where
ever he went. He was not only barren but a bottleneck,
a time-bomb- walking trouble. If he comes visiting,
your house could catch fire. If your give him a lift, you
got nabbed for one problem or the other on your car.
If you lent him your car, he brought it back wrecked.
Finally, he could not take it any longer and cried out to
God: “O that you will bless me indeed. Enlarge my
coast. O that I will stop causing pain.” And God
granted him his desire.
1 Chronicles 4
10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested: Provision, protection, purposeful life. enlargement of coast, tangible generational blessing- not pie in the sky.
–
David- the sweet psalmist of Israel, who mauled man
mountain Goliath, became a fugitive, running from
pillar to post, King Saul on his heels. David was
constantly holding his life in his hands, hiding amongst
Philistines whose champion he had killed.
What a humiliation!
Yes, the much anointed was also much afflicted. Even
his son, Absolom whom he loved so much, dethroned
him. But God remembered him and he eventually
came back to his throne.
You may have lost everything like David; you will come
back like David.
This same David whilst hiding amongst the Philistines
with his mighty men- disgruntled men whom he had
trained and transformed into a fighting machine- was
raided by the Amalekites, who took all their wives and
children. The men were so dispirited and depressed
that they wanted to stone David. David had to
encourage himself in the Lord.
He later pursued them, overtook them and recovered
all. This is what awaits you as you wait on God to give
the strategy against your enemies who want to snuff
out the life of God in you, dispossess you and kill your
ministry with misery. Through God you will do
valiantly.
Sing O barren one. You who did not bear fruit for
more will be the children..
God remembered Noah. God remembered Sarah,
Hannah…Abraham… Rachel… Joseph… God will
remember … Put your name there.
Ps92:12-14
The Lord who remembered Elizabeth, who was considered barren and past her sell-by date, but God visited her and in her old age she gave birth to John the Baptist- a fiery prophet- the forerunner of Christ, the voice that cried in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord.’
Luke 1
7 But they had no child, becauseElizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
Luke136 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
Jesus said of him… Matthew 11
11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;
I am telling you the truth. John the *Baptist is more important than everyone else who has ever lived in the world.
That was the fruit of a woman who was written off,
considered past her sell-by date.
If He can do it for Elizabeth, He can do it for you.
Samson’s mother was barren
In Judges 13, Manoah wife was barren too and the
Lord appeared to her and told her: “Indeed now, you
are barren and have borne no children, but you shall
conceive and bear a son.v3
I prophesy to you indeed, now, you that love the Lord
and are barren,fruitless, poverty stricken.
Your land has been fallow, like a land that is weary of
water, caked, so dry that many people are fleeing the
land, no one wants to have anything to do with you.
They fear your ‘plague’ will alight on them.
But your time for singing is at hand. Your table is
about to turn for the better.
You shall conceive and bear a son. You shall have a
divine visitation and be made fertile and bear fruit
even in your old age. You remain fresh and flourish.
God will renew your youth like the eagle’s.
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar inLebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Judges 13
2 Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children.
3 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.
2Kings21 Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ “
Isaiah 54
1 “Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman,” says the LORD.
Paul echoed this scripture in Galatians
Galatians 4
27 For it is written: ” Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband.”
17But Israel shall be saved by the LORD With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever. Isa45
‘… For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”Isa49:23
4 ” Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
You may have lost your husband
5 For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
6 For the LORD has called you Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Like a youthful wife when you were refused,” Says your God.
7 ” For a mere moment I have forsaken you, But with great mercies I will gather you.Isa54
You may have lost your wife and you’re like a bird
alone on the roof. God will fill the void, the emptiness,
the vacuum. He will give you a companion after His
own heart. Keep your eyes on Him.
You will make yourvalleyofBaccaa place of spring. You
will bring forth fruit in your old age. He will renew
your youth like the eagle’s. Your barrenness will be
turned into fruitfulness. Your desert will be turned
into an evergreen forest. He will give you beauty for
ashes, the oil of joy in place of mourning; the garment
of praise in place of the spirit of heaviness. You will be
the planting of the Lord, like a cedar of Lebanon,
bringing glory and honour and adoration to your God.
Sing O barren
Sing even in your night
Sing in yourvalleyofBacca
It shall be a place of spring.
You will go
from strength to strength
from glory to glory
from faith to faith.
Isaiah 35: The Future Glory ofZion
1 The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing. The glory ofLebanon shall be given to it, The excellence ofCarmel andSharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, The excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ” Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.
7 The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water; In the habitation of jackals, where each lay, There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.Isa35
0 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, And come toZion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 54
1 “Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman,” says the LORD.
Now, sing O barren
