Comfort (Isaiah 40:1-11)
Isaiah has reached to point of pronouncing Judah’s exile into Babylon. The crisis for faith here is, has God failed? Was the covenant irreparably broken? Would God’s people be lost? Beginning in chapter 40, Isaiah’s message is one of hope in the certainty of God and His promises. After Cyrus and after Christ, it can feel like the prophetic message is specifically for us today. However, the message has always been for God’s people… before exile, after the return to the promise land, after the coming of the Messiah, and into eternity. The message is that we can hope in God’s unfailing plans!
Isaiah is again commissioned with a message: “Comfort my people!” Isaiah and God’s messengers are to declare hope to God’s people. We can trust in Him. We can wait upon Him. Three particular reasons are given:
Our warfare (struggle) is ended.
Our sins have been forgiven.
We receive double back of what was lost in our rebellion.
(Edward J. Young, in his commentary on Isaiah sees this three-fold declaration as the outline for the rest of Isaiah’s message. The end of our struggle is the theme of 40-48. The forgiveness of sin the theme of 49-57. Our restoration the theme of 58-66.)
Isaiah is also given here a three-fold picture as the foundation of our hope: God’s glory. God’s word. God’s mighty arm.
Creation is prepared and has been made ready for the revelation of God’s glory.
God’s glory is His presence among us. It is overwhelming and overcomes any obstacle. Mountains are made flat and valleys are filled in to make way for His arrival. As God entered His creation in the incarnation, time and space were altered forever in both directions. It is the pivot point of reality. We are comforted in knowing we are not alone.
God’s word is His revelation. The truth of God is only knowable when He shows it to us. We cannot understand what He does not reveal, and ultimately, we only partially understand that! The truth of God is unlike the rest of creation that is subject to time and fades. God’s truth is eternal. It can be trusted.
God’s mighty arm is His power. Isaiah uses this picture beginning here. It is the idea of God rolling up His sleeves in preparation to act. God’s power is irresistible and He does not fail. Pity the fool that stands in His way. We need merely wait upon His plan.
Isaiah is again commissioned with a message: “Comfort my people!” Isaiah and God’s messengers are to declare hope to God’s people. We can trust in Him. We can wait upon Him. Three particular reasons are given:
Our warfare (struggle) is ended.
Our sins have been forgiven.
We receive double back of what was lost in our rebellion.
(Edward J. Young, in his commentary on Isaiah sees this three-fold declaration as the outline for the rest of Isaiah’s message. The end of our struggle is the theme of 40-48. The forgiveness of sin the theme of 49-57. Our restoration the theme of 58-66.)
Isaiah is also given here a three-fold picture as the foundation of our hope: God’s glory. God’s word. God’s mighty arm.
Creation is prepared and has been made ready for the revelation of God’s glory.
God’s glory is His presence among us. It is overwhelming and overcomes any obstacle. Mountains are made flat and valleys are filled in to make way for His arrival. As God entered His creation in the incarnation, time and space were altered forever in both directions. It is the pivot point of reality. We are comforted in knowing we are not alone.
God’s word is His revelation. The truth of God is only knowable when He shows it to us. We cannot understand what He does not reveal, and ultimately, we only partially understand that! The truth of God is unlike the rest of creation that is subject to time and fades. God’s truth is eternal. It can be trusted.
God’s mighty arm is His power. Isaiah uses this picture beginning here. It is the idea of God rolling up His sleeves in preparation to act. God’s power is irresistible and He does not fail. Pity the fool that stands in His way. We need merely wait upon His plan.
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