Good morning,
Wait on the Lord. That is a process. It doesn’t just happen. As we will see, David and Isaiah both knew their God. Subsequently, they were able to completely wait for God to act.
2) COMFORT FOR JERUSALEM (ISAIAH 40:1-31)
A. CONTEXT: PROPHECY AFTER BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY
B. COMFORT FOR JERUSALEM (40:1-2)
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
C. JOHN THE BAPTIST PROPHESIED (40:3-5)
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
D. THE WORD OF GOD SHALL STAND FOREVER (40:6-8)
The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
E. BEHOLD YOUR GOD (40:9-11)
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!10 Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Israel is in midst of the Babylonian captivity.
God tells Isaiah to comfort His people. He says to speak comfortably to her. Tell her “…that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned:”
Then Isaiah tells Israel of the one who will prepare the way for the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Then God tells him to cry. He cries that the people are grass and like flowers in the field. He ends with, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” We should never forget that God’s word is eternal. When we need answers, God’s word has the answers we need.
Then Isaiah tells Israel to “…behold your God!” Why? The Lord will come with a strong hand, His arm shall rule for them, His reward is with Him, He shall feed his flock, He shall gather His lambs, He shall carry them, and shall gently lead them.
Isaiah knew his God and was told by God to tell Israel what God was about to do for them. He comforts Israel with these words.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com