Isaiah 42:14
I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
After a long time of holding peace, being still, and refraining Himself, the Lord ends His silence and restraint to act suddenly and forcefully, crying like a travailing woman and destroying and devouring at once. His sudden action is judgment that prevails against His enemies in destruction. The ending of restraint is going forth as a mighty man of war, stirring up jealousy, crying and roaring. The same working wastes mountains and hills and dries up rivers and pools. This is God working for those of His people who will be worked, pledging His glory for the success of His Messiah and His kingdom.
It is the work before His people now to give the testing message for this time through anyone He selects and appoints as His servant, even if ignorant of His will. Such servants bear most startling warning messages that arouse those dead in trespasses and sins, find standing room for truth in unworked places, open blind eyes, and bring prisoners out of the prison house of spiritual bondage and unbelief. The verse is among the words of warning that must be brought to the people's attention. The chapter foretells the great and solemn work of presenting the warning message to the world, giving people the reason for this faith and the information they desire through camp meetings. That effort is supported by means to establish sanitariums that educate, reform the people, and restore the moral image of God through conversion by the Word, and by arousing slumbering senses to see how far they have departed from the Lord's ordinances by worldly policy and conformity to worldly principles into transgression against the law of God.
The verse belongs with Isaiah 40 and the book of Second Peter to be studied together as a call for a reformatory work to be carried forward in deeply spiritual lines. The verse means that God is speaking and calling for reformation, but all hearts are not prepared to receive His messages. It applies to a mixed company where some do not understand the nature of the work, and it shows the need for prepared hearts, men of clear understanding, and men worked by the Holy Spirit to lead out in a work of thorough reformation with no haphazard work. The verse belongs to a chapter of assurance and promises for true believers facing affliction amid coming judgments, giving reason to take encouragement because the Lord's word will be fulfilled. The chapter shows that God will accomplish His appointed work and will not leave His people in shame, with His covenant joining a king's power to a shepherd's gentleness and care.