Shall I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it?” says the LORD.This phrase uses the metaphor of childbirth to illustrate God's faithfulness in completing His purposes. In the context of Isaiah, God is addressing the restoration of Israel and the fulfillment of His promises. The imagery of childbirth is significant in the Bible, often symbolizing new beginnings and the fulfillment of God's plans (e.g.,
Genesis 21:1-2 with the birth of Isaac). The rhetorical question emphasizes God's commitment to bring His plans to fruition, just as a birth process is completed with delivery. Historically, childbirth was a critical and often dangerous time, making the assurance of delivery a powerful promise of God's reliability and care.
“Or will I who deliver close the womb?” says your God.
This phrase reinforces the certainty of God's actions. The idea of God "closing the womb" is reminiscent of other biblical narratives where God controls fertility, such as in the stories of Sarah (Genesis 16:2) and Hannah (1 Samuel 1:5-6). Here, it underscores God's sovereignty over life and His ability to bring about His will. The rhetorical question implies that just as God has the power to open the womb, He will not prevent the completion of what He has started. This assurance is a comfort to believers, affirming that God's promises are trustworthy and that He will not abandon His people or His plans. The use of "your God" personalizes the promise, reminding the audience of their covenant relationship with Him.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who speaks through the prophet Isaiah, assuring His people of His faithfulness and power to fulfill His promises.
2.
IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, who conveyed God's messages to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, often focusing on themes of judgment and redemption.
3.
Jerusalem/ZionThe city of God, often symbolizing the people of Israel and the center of God's redemptive work, both in the immediate context and eschatologically.
4.
The People of IsraelThe original audience of Isaiah's prophecy, who were experiencing or anticipating hardship and needed reassurance of God's ultimate plan for their restoration.
5.
The Event of BirthUsed metaphorically to describe God's process of bringing about His purposes, emphasizing the certainty and completeness of His actions.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness in FulfillmentJust as God promises to bring a child to birth, He assures us that He will complete what He has started in our lives. Trust in His timing and process.
The Certainty of God's PromisesThe rhetorical questions in
Isaiah 66:9 emphasize that God's promises are not only possible but certain. We can have confidence in His word and His ability to deliver.
The Process of Spiritual BirthSpiritual growth and transformation can be likened to the birthing process. It may involve labor and waiting, but God is faithful to bring it to completion.
Hope in Times of WaitingWhen we face delays or challenges, we can find hope in knowing that God is at work, and His purposes will be fulfilled in due time.
God's Sovereignty Over LifeThe imagery of birth highlights God's sovereignty over life and His intimate involvement in the details of our existence. We can rest in His control and care.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Isaiah 66:9?
2.How does Isaiah 66:9 illustrate God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises?
3.What does "bring to the point of birth" reveal about God's plans?
4.How can Isaiah 66:9 encourage trust in God's timing for personal challenges?
5.Connect Isaiah 66:9 with another scripture about God's faithfulness in completing His work.
6.How can we apply the assurance of God's promises in Isaiah 66:9 today?
7.How does Isaiah 66:9 reflect God's role in creation and fulfillment of promises?
8.What does Isaiah 66:9 reveal about God's nature in terms of deliverance and completion?
9.How does Isaiah 66:9 relate to the theme of hope and restoration in the Bible?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 66?
11.What does the Bible say about abortion healing?
12.What are the Bible's teachings on pregnancy?
13.Isaiah 66:8: The sudden birth of a nation in one day--how can this be historically or politically plausible?
14.What is St. Jean Baptiste Day?What Does Isaiah 66:9 Mean
Shall I bring a baby to the point of birth• God pictures Himself as the One who has carried Israel—His covenant people—through the long “pregnancy” of promises, prophecies, and preparations.
• Just as He formed the nation in Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) and nurtured it through exile and return (Jeremiah 29:10-14), He now stands ready to bring forth the final blessing.
• The image underlines His sovereign initiative; He began the good work (Philippians 1:6) and oversees every contraction of history until the moment is ripe.
• For the believer, this reassures us that every divine promise—personal or corporate—has already been carried to full term in God’s timetable (2 Peter 3:9).
and not deliver it?” says the LORD.• The rhetorical question expects an emphatic “Never!” God never stalls at the finish line.
• He delivered Israel from Egypt (Exodus 14:30-31), preserved them through the wilderness (Deuteronomy 1:31), and restored them from Babylon (Ezra 1:1). Each completed act is evidence that He finishes what He starts.
• In Christ, the ultimate “delivery” has already taken place: “It is finished” (John 19:30). Therefore, every remaining promise—resurrection, new heaven and earth—is as certain as a baby’s first cry once labor begins (1 Corinthians 15:51-57).
• Personal application: when God initiates a calling, ministry, or season of growth, He will not abandon you mid-process (Psalm 138:8).
“Or will I who deliver close the womb?”• God is not only the Initiator but also the Obstetrician; He alone “opens and closes” (Revelation 3:7).
• To “close the womb” after labor has started would be both unnatural and unthinkable. Likewise, it is impossible for God to revoke His redemptive agenda (Romans 11:29).
• The verse assures the exiles that the future glory of Zion—including Gentile inclusion (Isaiah 66:18-20)—is inevitable.
• For Christians awaiting the Lord’s return, this line echoes Jesus’ promise that the “gates of Hades will not overcome” His church (Matthew 16:18).
says your God.• The possessive “your” highlights relationship. He is not a distant deity but the covenant LORD who binds Himself to His people (Exodus 6:7).
• The same intimacy is offered to every believer who can now cry, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15-17).
• Because He is “your God,” His promises are personally secured; His character, not our performance, guarantees fulfillment (Hebrews 10:23).
summaryIsaiah 66:9 reassures God’s people that the Lord who begins a redemptive work will certainly bring it to completion. Like a mother who would never halt labor after full term, God will not abandon His promises midway. He initiates, sustains, and finishes, and His covenant relationship guarantees success. Therefore, we rest in confident expectation: every promise carried in God’s womb will, at the appointed time, be delivered.
(9)
Shall I bring to the birth . . .--The implied thought is that God will not leave His work of national restoration unfinished. There shall not be that frustration of hopes when they seem just on the point of being fulfilled which the history of the world so often records. (Comp.
Isaiah 37:3.)
Verse 9. -
Shall I bring to the birth, etc.?
i.e. "Should I arrange all the preliminary circumstances for the restoration of my people, and stop there?" (Cheyne). Nay, should I, having done so much, interpose at the last moment, to shut the womb? Without such interposition, matters have progressed so far, that the result must come.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Shall Iהַאֲנִ֥י(ha·’ă·nî)Article | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589:Ibring a baby to the point of birthאַשְׁבִּ֛יר(’aš·bîr)Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7665:To break, break in piecesand notוְלֹ֥א(wə·lō)Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nodeliver it?”אוֹלִ֖יד(’ō·w·lîḏ)Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3205:To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineagesaysיֹאמַ֣ר(yō·mar)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559:To utter, saythe LORD.יְהוָ֑ה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel“Orאִם־(’im-)Conjunction
Strong's 518:Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, notwill Iאֲנִ֧י(’ă·nî)Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589:Iwho deliverהַמּוֹלִ֛יד(ham·mō·w·lîḏ)Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3205:To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineageclose the womb?”וְעָצַ֖רְתִּי(wə·‘ā·ṣar·tî)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6113:To inclose, to hold back, to maintain, rule, assemblesaysאָמַ֥ר(’ā·mar)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559:To utter, sayyour God.אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃(’ĕ·lō·hā·yiḵ)Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative
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OT Prophets: Isaiah 66:9 Shall I bring to the birth (Isa Isi Is) 
