Why Does Isaiah 66:13 Say 'As a Mother Comforts Her Child, So Will I Comfort You'?

Share

Mary Oelerich-Meyer
Contributing Writer
Why Does Isaiah 66:13 Say 'As a Mother Comforts Her Child, So Will I Comfort You'?

Is there anything more wonderful to read, whether or not we are going through hard times, than God's words throughout the Bible to comfort His people? So when God speaks through the prophet Isaiah and says, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you," it gives us a deeper look into the heart of God—and what God's comforting heart means for us, His children.

In Isaiah's day, the gods of pagan nations were to be served by the people; there was no emotion exchanged between the two. Yet Isaiah shows us that the true Creator of the Universe says He designed humanity to be in a loving covenantal relationship with them. Though we see the ultimate show of His love through Christ's death on the cross, He attempts to help Old Testament and New Testament believers sometimes understand in human terms what He is like–so He references the relationship between mother and child.

Where Does the Book of Isaiah Say 'As a Mother Comforts Her Child, So Will I Comfort You'?

Isaiah 66:13 is where we find the verse, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you." If we understand the context in which the verse was written, we can understand why hearing this was such a blessing to God's people.

Isaiah, whose name means "the Lord saves," began his prophetic ministry around 740 BC, a period when God's people were divided into Israel to the north and Judah to the south. Isaiah prophesied during the reign of four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. According to Crosswalk contributor Candice Lucey, "Isaiah's words were written more than 700 years before the birth of Christ. Israel had fallen away from the Lord, and God called Isaiah to tell the people of God's wrath and His promise of hope. The final section of the Book of Isaiah, chapters 55-66, tells of 'the new Heavens and Earth' which is that great reward for all those who trust and obey God."

In 66:10-11, Isaiah writes, "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance." Knowing that God had to keep forgiving His rebellious children but always cared for them when they repented and came back to them with their whole hearts is an encouragement to us all.

Is 'As a Mother Comforts Her Child, So Will I Comfort You' the Only Place God Is Called a Mother?

First, we need to see that this statement is a metaphor; it is not calling God a mother. The Trinity consists of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and Jesus refers to God each time He speaks of Him as Father. But God is love (or more accurately, love is God), and love between mother and child is a special relationship that God instituted, aware of how it would be unique and nurturing.

Other biblical passages may not use the same wording as we see in the "as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you" passage, but they speak about similar ideas:

  • The Song of Moses includes this verse about God carrying for the Israelites (referred to as "him"): "In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. The LORD alone led him; no foreign god was with him." (Deut. 32:10-12)
  • "You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you; you forgot the God who gave you birth." (Deut. 32:18)
  • "It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them." (Hosea 11:3-4)
  • "Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and tear them asunder…" (Hosea 13:8)
  • "Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you." (Isaiah 49:15)
  • "But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me." (Psalms 131:2)
  • Jesus said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" (Matthew 23:37)

How Does 'As a Mother Comforts Her Child, So Will I Comfort You' Help Us Today?

While this is beautiful to read in the Bible, I find I must think about God's singular ability to comfort me. My earthly mother may care with all of her emotion, but Father/Son/Holy Spirit are unlimited in their ability to love, comfort, and carry us throughout our lives. Whether we merely struggle or significantly suffer, knowing that God cares even more than our God-given moms gives us the strength to endure.

I find incredible comfort in learning about the names of God (how He is referred to in different places in the Bible). I remind myself that not only is my Father the greatest power in the universe. He also wants to use that power to lavish His love on me—love unlike anyone else.

I'm grateful to Allyson Holland for her Crosswalk article, "10 Names of God and What They Mean," which observes that God is:

  • Your Creator (El Elohim)
  • The Living God (Elohim Chayim)
  • Father (Abba)
  • The Lord Will Provide (Jehovah Jireh)
  • The Lord is Peace (Jehovah Shalom)
  • Most High God (El Elyon)
  • The Jealous God (El Kanna)
  • The God Who Sees (El Roi)
  • God the Shepherd (Jehovah Ro'i)
  • The Lord Our Banner/Deliverer (Jehovah Nissi)

I can meditate on one name (like El Roi, for instance) and celebrate that God sees everything I'm going through, like He saw everything Hagar went through in the desert.

Prayers to Remember 'As a Mother Comforts Her Child, So Will I Comfort You' Today

Most merciful heavenly Father, we thank you that your heart is always to lavish your children with love. We are nothing without Your love because it creates and sustains all things–including your children. But we know, Abba, that we often sin against You in thoughts, words, or deeds. We are truly sorry and are so grateful that we can run back into your open arms and that you will welcome us back. Even if we go through consequences for sin, Lord, we know You are with us and will never leave or forsake us. Thank you that as a mother comforts her child, so will You always comfort us when we keep our eyes fixed on You. Amen.

Photo Credit: Zach Lucero/Unsplash

Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).  

This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy-to-read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. We hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in your life today.