A nation in a day: Is 66:7-9

“Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons. ‘Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?’ says the Lord. ‘Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?’ says your God.” (Isaiah 66:7-9)

On November 29, 1947, the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine established the nation of Israel on the land once promised to her by God. In a single day, a new nation in Palestine was created. Nothing like this had ever occurred before and it is unlikely to ever happen again. The creation of the nation state of Israel in 1947 was a direct fulfillment of this prophecy from Isaiah.

Who could have imagined that a nation could be born in a day? Sometimes it is easier to believe God to bring about His promises gradually over time. For example, it is easier for us to believe that God will heal us over time instead of believing for an instantaneous miraculous healing. Sometimes, the work of God take time, sometimes we are required to mix patience with our faith, but other times God brings forth His promises all at once, in a single moment. God, at times, acts in a way that is sudden and unpredictable and that changes our lives forever. It reminds me of the story of Joseph in Egypt. One day he is in prison and the next day he is standing before Pharaoh. One day he is in charge of a few prisoners and the next day he is made second in command of all of Egypt. We must never stop believing God for the miraculous. We must never stop believing God to intervene in our lives, to change us in a moment and to change us forever.

Just as God determined to give birth to a new nation, so there are things in our lives that God desires to give birth to. God had brought us to the place of new birth in our lives. We stand at the precipice of new beginnings and new experiences with God. All God is waiting for is for us to step forth in faith. “The pains of childbirth come upon him; he is not a wise son, for it is not the time that he should delay at the opening of the womb.” (Hosea 13:13) God has brought His promises to a time of birth in our lives; all we must do is step forth into them. Now is not the time to delay. Now is the time to step forward in faith into all that God has for us.

David Robison