Numerous Sons for the Barren Woman

After Jesus' death and subsequent resurrection, God's heavenly  "woman" rejoiced to receive this favored Son back as "the firstborn from the dead."  (Colossians 1:18)  Then she began to produce more spiritual sons.  At Pentecost 33 C.E., about 120 of Jesus' followers were anointed with holy spirit, thereby being adopted as Christ's joint heirs.  Later that day a further 3,000 were added.  (John 1:12; Acts 1:13-15; 2:1-4, 41; Romans 8:14-16)  This body of sons continues to grow.  During the early centuries of Christendom's apostasy, the growth slowed to a trickle.  However, that was to change in the 20th century.

 Isaiah goes on to prophecy about a period of remarkable growth:  "Make the place of your tent more spacious. And let them stretch out the tent cloths of your grand tabernacle.  Do not hold back.  Lengthen out your tent cords, and make those tent pins of yours strong.  For to the right and to the left you will break forth, and your own offspring will take possession even of nations, and they will inhabit even the desolated cities.  Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame; and do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disappointed. For you will forget  even the shame of your time of youth, and the reproach of your continuous widowhood you will remember no more."-Isaiah 54-2-4.

Here Jerusalem is addressed as of she were a wife and mother dwelling in tents, just like Sarah.  When blessed with a growing family, it is time for such a mother to see to the expansion of her home.  She needs to put up longer tent cloths and cords and secure the ten pins in her new positions.  This is happy work for her, and at such a busy time, she may easily forget the years she spent wondering anxiously whether she would ever bear children to carry on the family line.

Earthly Jerusalem was blessed with such a time of renewal after the Babylonian exile.  "Jerusalem above" has been even  more blessed.  Particularly since 1919, her anointed "offspring" have flourished  in their newly restored spiritual condition.  (Isaiah 61:4; 66:8)  They 'took possession of nations' in that they spread abroad into many lands to seek out all those who would join their spiritual family. As a result, explosive growth occurred in the gathering of the anointed sons.  Their final number of 144,000 appeared to be filled sometime in the mid 1930's.  (Revelation14:3)  At that time the focus of the preaching work ceased to be the gathering of the anointed . Still, expansion did not stop with the anointed.

 Jesus himself foretold that besides his "little flock" of anointed brothers, he would have "other sheep" that must be brought into the sheepfold of true Christians.  (Luke 12:32; John 10:16)  Though not among the anointed sons of "Jerusalem above," these faithful companions of the anointed fill an important and long-prophesied role. (Zechariah 8:23) From the 1930's until today, a "great crowd" of them have been gathered, resulting in unprecedented expansion of the Christian congregation.  (Revelation 7:9, 10)  Today that great crowd  number well into the millions. All this expansion has created an urgent need for more Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, and branch complexes. Isaiah's words seem ever more apt. What a privilege to be part of that foretold expansion!

Next time: A Mother Who Cares for Her Offspring

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, Volume II, 2001