Christ's work on the cross and his work in the elect through the Holy Spirit multiplies God's holy nation.

As the LORD purged the nation of Israel-declaring a foretaste of his righteous judgment of all who reject Christ-it appeared that the LORD was decreasing his holy nation. That could never be because every name of God's elect was written in the Lamb's book of life before the world was founded. None are added to this book and no name is taken from it.

Instead, the casting off of the rebellious in Israel was the time when the LORD opened the door to his elect Gentiles. It was actually the increase of his holy nation (Is 26: 15; Zec 2: 10, 11.)

Isaiah 9: 3: Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy...

When God first begins a work of grace in the sinner's heart the Lord does not increase joy.

In the affliction pronounced here, in the righteous judgment of God, he revealed to his elect that their physical nation Israel was completely turned over to spiritual blindness and hardness of heart. It was time of much sorrow for God's elect. Yet, it was the time when God bestowed his greatest blessing of grace upon his elect. It was the time when Christ first appeared. It was the beginning of the gospel age that we live in today. This was the dawning of Christ the Light and the introduction of them to a host of brethren from other nations that they never knew they had.

Spiritually, that is what the Lord does whenever he works his power and grace in a sinner. He does not increase our joy, at first, but causes great sorrow. He makes those things in which we placed great confidence to appear to us what they are--great darkness. Before he covers us in his spotless robe of righteousness, he strips us of our self-made fig leaves. Paul said, :I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died." Yet, it had to be so for Christ to turn him to himself that he might be married to another. The self-attained wisdom we walked in has to be made utter darkness to us-like Paul on the road to Damascus-he had to be blinded to the natural works of his flesh before he could be made to see Christ who is! He does not increase the joy. But what a sorrow never to be repented of.

Likewise, when Christ works a work of power and truth in the heart of one of his elect, he multiplies his holy nation. All God's elect were blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. BUT having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, when he calls one of his elect in power then his holy nation increases in the sense that his nation becomes "one believing saint" closer to having every last name which was written in the Lamb's book of life brought into the kingdom (Ephesisans 1: 4, 5; 1 Pet 2: 9; Col 1: 12, 13;