What Paul finds in Septuagint Isaiah 54:1, as he expresses it in Galatians 4:21-31, is what God intends us all to see. The content of Paul’s understanding of Isaiah 54:1, as he presents it in Galatians, lies within the text from the beginning, even in Isaiah’s day. Readers can verify this by following the context throughout the chapters of Isaiah which occur previous to 54:1. …
Isaiah Labels Faithful Israel: Devotional 2.58
In Septuagint Volume 2 of Isaiah, God speaks directly to his people. One difficulty in understanding this speech is that God often alternates rapidly between words of chastisement and warning and words of comfort and blessing. As asked in previous posts (Isaiah Devotional 60, Isaiah Devotional 2.14), is God schizophrenic? Does he have multiple personalities? Do the frequent changes of tone in God’s speech and intention indicate a supreme being who waffles? Someone who cannot make up his mind? Do these frequent changes indicate uncertainty on God’s part? The thesis of this devotional blog on the Septuagint text of Isaiah is that God addresses differing groups of Israel’s people. Some people displayed hearts which in the long run sought to obey God, while others remained steadfastly rebellious and hard of heart in their behaviors concerning God. God addresses each of these sorts of people separately. …
The “Barren”–Faithful Israel: Devotional 2.57
Paul’s thought, which he apparently garnered at least in part from Isaiah, is that the people of national Israel of the Old Testament will not all be saved. Only a remnant of ethnic Israelites, those who try in the long run to follow God, rather than rebel against him, receive God’s promise of salvation. The idea is that a necessary aspect of salvation includes belief in God (which means a faithful following of his way). God excludes the persistently disobedient from his promises of blessing, comfort, and salvation. …
Identity of the Barren Woman: Devotional 2.55
The reader is on her own to determine who is the “barren that bear[s] not.” Isaiah also refers to this person as “the desolate.” We do know that the addressee is a woman. The noun inflections signify female. Also, women bear children, not men. But is the metaphorical woman a nation, a people group, an individual? These are questions the reader must ask… Therefore, it seems safe to conclude that the “barren,” or “barren one,” or “barren woman” whom God addresses in Isaiah 54:1 is not apostate (unfaithful) Israel. …