Verse
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time – Isaiah 60:22
Meaning of Isaiah 60:22
The meaning of the verse, “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time” is that God will bless every child at the right time. The verse was spoken by Isaiah for the people of Israel as a blessing and reminder. He wanted God’s children to know that God will bless them abundantly, but he will do so at the right time. God will hurry it along but is not promising the time to come immediately. However, this verse is a reminder for every Christian to wait for God’s blessing and not worry about their status, situation, or background.
Interpretations of Isaiah 60:22
The verse of Isaiah 60:22 is a promise from God to the people of Israel and is not a very commonly quoted verse. However, the verse is interpreted in different ways. Here are some examples.
Interpretation #1 Faith can multiply finances
The interpretation of the verse, “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time” is that faith in God can multiply finances, wealth, property, etc. The reader believes that this verse is a promise to all believers and Christians that if they place their trust and confidence in God, He will increase their earnings, even with little effort. Hence, the reader believes that this verse is a promise of financial blessing. Additionally, prosperity preachers encourage the idea that when a Christian sows his or her money, it will multiply a thousand folds. The sowing could be in the form of a tithe or additional offering towards the Church.
Interpretation #2 The verse is about mental maturity
The meaning of the verse, “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time” is that the verse talks about mental wisdom. The reader believes that the verse is meant to be applied psychologically. A weak person can become strong, and a sad person can become a happier one, etc. A Christian can be young, but he or she can accomplish a lot if they are mature, even at a young age. Hence in this interpretation, a person will learn to take responsibility and be able to handle things that are complicated in nature, as God will bless them with good knowledge and wisdom.
Interpretation #3 God only loves people belonging to the minority group
Another interpretation of the verse, “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time” is that God has affection for only those who belong to the minority community. The reader believes as the verse only mentions “little” and “small” which means that God cares about people who are not cared for or noticed by elites. He only blesses and provides for the people who are less in number. The reader understands that God loves the minority because they are often ignored and trodden upon. Hence, God promises to help them prosper and multiply. This can be understood with respect to the nation of Israel as geographically, the nation is very small, but it is one of the most advanced nations in terms of science and technology, and finance. It has also contributed to the world in the same areas.
Interpretation #4 Faith can speed things up
In this interpretation, the reader believes that faith can allow them to quicken the things he or she is working on. The reader believes that if Christians depend on God regarding their decisions, such as career, studies, relationships, jobs, etc., God will honor their faith. He will also hasten things in their favor by supernaturally bringing people to them as a reward and blessing for his or her faith.
Interpretation #5 God will bless His children at the right time
The final interpretation of the verse, “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time” is that God blesses his children at the right time. The reader believes that God is asking His children of Israel and the readers to wait and count on him to bless them patiently. He wants his children to develop faith through waiting so that they will eventually prosper and become leaders. The verse at that time also specifically applied to Israel as it was a small nation, but God eventually blessed it and made it strong and victorious.
Historical background of Isaiah 60:22
The Book of Isaiah is among the first of the last Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and the first of the main Prophets in the Christian Old Testament. It has always been believed that the 8th-century BCE prophet Isaiah wrote the book, but there is wide-ranging evidence that much of it was written during the Babylonian captivity and later. The sixtieth chapter is a testimony of God’s greatness and deliverance. The chapter is called ‘The Glory of Zion’. The twenty-second verse is a promise from God to make Israel a great nation but in his own time.
Literary Devices of Isaiah 60:22
Isaiah 60:22 consists of some noteworthy literary devices. Here are some examples.
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time – Isaiah 60:22
Theme – The major themes of the verse are assurance and blessing. The minor themes include timings and waiting.
Consonance – There are a few consonant sounds repeated in quick succession. For example, the sound of /l/ in ‘A little one shall become a thousand’, the sound of /n/ in ‘and a small one a strong nation’, and the sound of /s/ in ‘I the LORD will hasten it in his time’.
Assonance – The verse also has a few vowel sounds in repetitions without immediate successions. For example, the sound of /uh/ in ‘A little one shall become a thousand’, the sound of /aw/ ‘and a small one a strong nation’.
Hyperbole – The verse is also a good example of hyperbole as the speaker is exaggerating the words said by God that he will speed up their blessings which is not possible by human standards.
Metaphor – Here, the ‘small nation’ and a little one is a metaphor for spiritual growth and refers to the country of Israel. The phrase ‘A little one shall become a thousand’ is also a metaphor for increase.