“But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.’ ‘Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraven you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.’” Isaiah 49:14–16
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Matthew 23:37
Thus says Adonai, who gives the sun as a light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars as a light by night, who stirs up the sea so its waves roar, Adonai-Tzva’ot is His Name: “Only if this fixed order departs from before Me”—it is a declaration of Adonai— “then also might Israel’s offspring cease from being a nation before Me—for all time.” Thus says Adonai: “Only if heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then also I will cast off the offspring of Israel —for all they have done.” (Jeremiah 31:34-36)
When God speaks of Himself as a woman not forgetting a child or a hen gathering her brood, we see this connected compassion of a mother and a child. The instincts of a mother are strong and protective, not forgetting her child. The word for compassion in Hebrew is the same word for “womb” ( racham, רַחַם)
What does a womb do? It protects by encircling, cushioning, absorbing impact. It nourishes the baby (who is completely dependent). It provides food in manageable daily doses. It filters everything coming into the baby—everything goes through the mother. And speaking of a mother, the mother would give her life for her baby. She also has a tender love for her unborn baby. In the same way the compassion of the Lord protects Israel. Because of His grace, He nourishes Zion. He provides and even gave His life for His people to know the tender love and affection He has for them.
What will God’s compassion for Israel (and others) look like in our lives? We encircle/cushion them in prayer. We lay down our lives for them (1 John 3:16, John 15:12). We cushion every offense with love (1 Peter 4:7-11, 1 Cor. 13:7). We nourish one another w/ teaching, sending, serving
(Acts 2:42; Ez. 34:1-6, John 21, Acts 6:1-7). We travail/cry in birth pains (Galatians 4:19, Is. 54:1-3, Is. 53:4, Col. 1:9-13) We remember Zion because HE remembers Zion.
We have all been the enemies of God, and we have all received His grace in the person of Yeshua Messiah. He still weeps over this land, over Jerusalem and its people, for them to receive Him as their Messiah. But even as He weeps we sense a change coming. We see tears like seed going into softened soil. Softened by the tears of the Father and of His children. We see a restoration coming!
“Weeping with Yeshua.” Watercolor By Beloved. The double rainbow representing the two covenants and the steadfastness of God’s favor and compassion for Israel. The gold rain are tears from heaven, watering the earth and softening it to receive the Word, Yeshua. We see the scroll which represents the scroll of remembrance, the faithful from Malachi 2-3, the prophets, the martyrs. We remember that Yeshua was Jewish and reading from these scrolls in the temple, remembering the prophecies and promises. We sit with Him in reading the scriptures, in weeping, in the joy of remembering the promises. We sit next to Him as the Word made flesh who dwelt among us and we comfort His heart for the hope deferred. We commune with Him. The gold around our heads is the oil of His presence, which keeps our lamps lit. The almond branch is a symbol from Zechariah representing watching to see His word fulfilled, so we keep watch with Him over Jerusalem.
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. Psalm 126:1-6
God birthed this nation. Israel was birthed and rebirthed miraculously, multiple times (and when it was wiped out, it was wiped out only under God’s directive). This people was birthed once in the womb of an elderly couple Abraham and Sarah, reborn through the Red Sea, through the exile return, and in the person of Yeshua, whose mother conceived by the Holy Spirit. Even their rebirth as a nation-state in 1948 was miraculous. But Jesus said, you must be born again, once of water and Spirit. There is a new time of birth He is inviting Israel into en mass, a new birth in Messiah. We know that one day, on His holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve Him, and there He will accept them. Ezekiel 20:40
He will not forget His children.
Let’s Pray
Lord, as you remember Zion, we also purpose in our hearts to remember Zion. We keep her gates before us always. We stand in watch over all you are birthing here. You are stirring things up and tearing things down. It’s scary to watch, but our hope is in you. We are excited to see you. Come quickly Lord.
O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy… (Hab. 3:2)
Father we know that you remember Zion and your people here! Thank you that you revive your work in the midst of the years. Your tears have been good seed and you will see a harvest of fruitfulness in the harvest here because you never stopped weeping for Zion. Like a mother who felt the birth pains and nursed a baby from her own body, you never forgot them. They never ceased being a nation before you. Even when it looked like they would be wiped out by murder and demonic exploits of the Holocaust, you saved many. You made a place for them to go. You never gave up on them. We lament for those who told them they were no longer a nation. Thank you that even as we know the day of the Lord will be terrible in wrath, that you will remember your people the way a woman could never forget her child. Thank you for bringing all of your people into this family. We stand for Zion together and serve her as your servants.
Lord, How is your love for Israel like a “womb-ing” of compassion?
- You encircle Israel. (Psalm 139:5, Psalm 37:7&10, Psalm 125:2, Deut. 32:9-10; Zech 2:5, 2 Kings 6:15-17)
- You nourish Israel (Ex. 16:4 (Daily Word), Psalm 23, Matt 6: 24-34)
- You guard us and filter what comes into Israel’s path (Job 1:12, 1 Cor. 10:13)
- You gave your life for Israel and the nations (Eph. 5:2, Heb.7:25 )
- You birth new things here in prayer by your Spirit (Romans 8:26-27)
What are you birthing here? How are you protecting the people of Israel? Why is it important to know that you REMEMBER them like a mother?
It was prophecied, ‘Jerusalem will someday be so full of people and livestock that there won’t be room enough for everyone! Many will live outside the city walls. 5 Then I, myself, will be a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem, says the Lord. And I will be the glory inside the city!’…The Lord says, “Shout and rejoice, O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to live among you. 11 Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day, and they, too, will be my people. I will live among you, and you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me to you. 12 The land of Judah will be the Lord’s special possession in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem to be his own city. 13 Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling.” Zechariah 2:4-5, 10-13
Yes! Lord we thank you that one day Jerusalem will be so full that there will not be ROOM enough and thank you that you are the protective wall around Jerusalem. We ask according to your purpose and timing that you show your power here. You are holy and you are God. You are strong. You are the only glory we want to see in this city. The light that shines here, your people, let us be YOUR GLORY as a foreshadowing of your reign. Once again you will choose Jerusalem as your city. Help us discern the times and your Word.
But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever. Your fame will endure to every generation. You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem—and now is the time to pity her, now is the time you promised to help. For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets. Then the nations will tremble before the Lord. The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory. For the Lord will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory. He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas. Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord. Tell them the Lord looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down to earth from heaven to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die. And so the Lord’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem, when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the Lord. Psalm 102:12-22
Even now, you still cover Israel and like a mother, sleep is not the priority. You keep her. Thank you for your love.
Psalm 121
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains—from where does my help come? My help comes from Adonai, Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip. Your Keeper will not slumber. Behold, the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. Adonai is your Keeper. Adonai is your shade at your right hand. The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. Adonai will protect you from all evil. He will guard your life. Adonai will watch over your coming and your going from this time forth and forevermore.
We are silent before you in awe. You are springing into action. We remember Jerusalem with you.
