Bible Discussion Thread

Isaiah 54 is speaking of the barren women, we need to understand who this barren woman is.

In Ezekiel 23 and Jeremiah 31:31-32 God said he was married to two sisters, Aholah, [Samaria] the house of Israel and Abolibah, [Jerusalem] the house of Judah. The child that was born to the married woman would be the Messiah. The Messiah was to come through the house of Judah, so Aholah, the house of Israel, Samaria, would be the barren one, the one who did not travail with child. This chapter is written to this barren one.

Jeremiah 3:8 tells us God divorced the house of Israel, but remained married to her sister Judah. The house of Israel, Aholah, would be the wife of youth who was refused, [divorced].

If you read Hosea 1:4-11 carefully it seems he is talking about the house of Israel and the house of Judah as different people. The word "house" is left out in some Bibles. Verses 4-6, and 8-10 are to the house of Israel, verse 7, the house of Judah, verse 11, to both. Verse 10 says, in spite of God having the house of Israel taken away and having no mercy on them, the number of their children shall be as the sand of the sea.

Once the house of Israel was carried away by the Assyrians, the house of Judah would be the only visible portion of God's people left, for a while.

Jeremiah 3:6-8 is telling us how Judah was following Israel's bad example. Now in verses 12-20 he will proclaim, prophesize, to the north, where the house of Israel was before the Assyrians carried them away. As in Hosea, Judah and Israel are not the same country. Here they are also referred to as sisters. Verse 12 has, Will not be angry forever. Verse 14, I am married to you. Verse 15, I will give you pastors to feed you with knowledge and understanding. "Will give" is in the future.Because God sent the house of Israel away with a writ of divorce and her continued idolatry, she would always be an adulteress in Gods eyes. That was until God, her first husband, died. After Isaiah 53 she was now free.