Israel, a Widow? – Part 3

The Original Meaning of the Word Widow

The original meaning of “widow” in the Old Testament had a far wider scope than the one we attribute to it nowadays. A widow was someone whose husband died, but it also referred to a neglected or abandoned city or land, who had no one to manage it, who had no one to lean on, and specifically to Zion, and to Jerusalem. God calls Israel a widow:

“How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow is she, who was great among the nations!” (Lam. 1:1).

“Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore” (Isa. 54:4).

Israel is a widow, not because her husband is dead, God forbid! But because He turned His Face from her. Only for a brief moment, but He did. Israel is a widow because she doesn’t even acknowledge the existence of a loving Husband, capable of providing for all of her needs.

Thank God the amazing promise of restoration of this widow unto her Husband, “ ‘For your Maker is your Husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused,’ says your God. ‘For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My Face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,’ Says the Lord, your Redeemer” (Isa. 54:4-8).

This is where you come into the picture. You can reveal to Israel, the bitter and ancient widow, the Face of her Redeemer, the One she still does not recognize.