God, once silent, will powerfully act to bring about His purposes just as surely as a laboring mother cannot hold back the birth of a child.
“I have kept silent for a long time, I have kept still and restrained Myself. Now like a woman in labor I will groan, I will both gasp and pant.” (v.14) In this verse, the prophet Isaiah—who ministered in the southern kingdom of Judah during the 8th century BC (around 740-681 BC)—speaks of the LORD’s patience and His eventual action. Over the course of many years, God had been silent, allowing various events to unfold according to His plan. But this passage uses a vivid picture—“like a woman in labor”—to convey that His time to act has come. Much like labor pains which suddenly intensify, God’s intervention on behalf of His people will be undeniable once it begins.
The notion of God restraining Himself can be understood as His willingness to wait until the proper time. This theme of divine patience is echoed in other scriptures that speak of the LORD’s long-suffering character. In Isaiah’s context, Israel had faced repeated warnings and challenges due to disobedience, but God continued to hold back the full extent of His judgment and restoration until the appointed moment. Here, the dramatic simile of childbirth highlights how unstoppable and intense God’s intervention will be when it finally occurs.
In the broader story of redemption, this promise connects with the ultimate demonstration of God’s decisive action in Jesus Christ. Just as Israel would experience the LORD’s redemptive power after a season of seeming silence, humanity encountered the fullness of God’s saving plan when Christ appeared (Luke 2:10-11). The groaning described in this verse anticipates a new beginning, similar to how Christ’s birth heralded a new covenant and a hopeful future for those who believe.
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Isaiah 42:14 meaning
“I have kept silent for a long time, I have kept still and restrained Myself. Now like a woman in labor I will groan, I will both gasp and pant.” (v.14) In this verse, the prophet Isaiah—who ministered in the southern kingdom of Judah during the 8th century BC (around 740-681 BC)—speaks of the LORD’s patience and His eventual action. Over the course of many years, God had been silent, allowing various events to unfold according to His plan. But this passage uses a vivid picture—“like a woman in labor”—to convey that His time to act has come. Much like labor pains which suddenly intensify, God’s intervention on behalf of His people will be undeniable once it begins.
The notion of God restraining Himself can be understood as His willingness to wait until the proper time. This theme of divine patience is echoed in other scriptures that speak of the LORD’s long-suffering character. In Isaiah’s context, Israel had faced repeated warnings and challenges due to disobedience, but God continued to hold back the full extent of His judgment and restoration until the appointed moment. Here, the dramatic simile of childbirth highlights how unstoppable and intense God’s intervention will be when it finally occurs.
In the broader story of redemption, this promise connects with the ultimate demonstration of God’s decisive action in Jesus Christ. Just as Israel would experience the LORD’s redemptive power after a season of seeming silence, humanity encountered the fullness of God’s saving plan when Christ appeared (Luke 2:10-11). The groaning described in this verse anticipates a new beginning, similar to how Christ’s birth heralded a new covenant and a hopeful future for those who believe.