“Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned land
    will soon be crowded with your people.
Your enemies who enslaved you
    will be far away.
20 The generations born in exile will return and say,
    ‘We need more room! It’s crowded here!’
21 Then you will think to yourself,
    ‘Who has given me all these descendants?
For most of my children were killed,
    and the rest were carried away into exile.
I was left here all alone.
    Where did all these people come from?
Who bore these children?
    Who raised them for me?’” (NLT).

The deepest truth about church growth is that God gives it!

After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. (1 Cor.3:5-9 NLT).

This, obviously, speaks of the future repopulation of Jerusalem following the years in exile. The growth will be miraculous. There will be no natural explanation for it. This is a picture of what we see in the church in seasons of revival. May the Lord graciously bless us with such a supernatural work.

Barry Webb writes: ”Zion’s children will return to her, and more besides; she will overflow with them. She herself will not be able to comprehend the full extent of the blessing to break over her. The images are mixed and do not always cohere logically, but they all affirm God’s love for his people and his tireles commitment to their welfare.” (Isaiah, p.196).