Jehovah's Tender Care

The next four verses paint a touching picture of Jehovah's tender care.  First, Isaiah says: "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be joyful with her, all you lovers of her. Exult greatly with her all you keeping yourselves in mourning over her; for the reason that you will such and certainly get satisfaction from the breast of full consolation by her;  for the reason that  you will sip and experience exquisite delight from the teat of her glory." (Isaiah 66:10, 11) Jehovah here uses the illustration of a woman nursing her infant.  When a baby feels the pangs of hunger, it wails insistently. But when it is drawn close to its mother's  breast for feeding, its grief  turns to happy contentment and satisfaction.  In a similar way, the remnant of faithful Jews in Babylon will rapidly  be brought  from a state of mourning to one of happiness and satisfaction when the time of release   and restoration comes.  They will be joyful.  Jerusalem's glory will be renewed as it is rebuilt and re-inhabited .  In turn, the city's glory will embrace its faithful inhabitants. Once again, they will be nourished spiritually by means of an active priesthood. -Ezekiel 44:15, 23.

Spiritual Israel too was blessed with abundant nourishment after the restoration  in 1919.  Since then the flow of spiritual food dispensed through "the faithful and discreet slave" has been steady.  (Matthew 24:45-47)  This has indeed been a time of consolation and joy for the anointed remnant.  But there have been further blessings.

The prophecy continues:  "This is what Jehovah has said:  'Here I am extending to her peace just like a river and the glory of nations just like a flooding torrent, and you will certainly  suck.  Upon the flank you will be carried, and upon the knees you will be fondled.'  " (Isaiah 66:12) Here the image of nursing is combined with the picture of an abundant flow of blessings-"a river" and "a flooding torrent." Jerusalem will be blessed not only with abundant peace from Jehovah but also with "the glory of nations," which flows to and blesses God's people.  This means that people of the nations will flood to Jehovah's people.  (Haggai 2:7)  In the ancient fulfillment, a number of people from various nations did indeed attach themselves to Israel, becoming Jewish proselytes.  However, a far greater fulfillment has occurred in our won time when "a great crowd . . . out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues"-truly a flooding torrent of humanity-has attached itself to the remnant of spiritual Jews.-Revelation 7:9; Zechariah 8:23.  

Isaiah 66:12 also speaks of expression of maternal love-fondling a child upon the knees and carrying him upon the flank.  In the next verse, a similar thought  is expressed with an interesting shift in perspective.  "Like a man whom his own mother keeps comforting, so I myself shall keep comforting you people,   and in the case of Jerusalem you will be comforted."  (Isaiah 66:13) The child is now "a man," an  adult.  But his mother has not lost her desire to comfort him in a time of distress.

Next time: Conclusion of Jehovah's Tender Care

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