Good morning,
This week we will look at God ministering to His people with comfort. Endless times in our walk with the Lord, we need to be comforted. It may be in a time of illness, or loss of home, treasure, or even a job. God is there and ready to comfort.
We will be studying Isaiah 51. Today we will look at how Christ defends his people (9-16), and Friday, Their afflictions and deliverances (17-23) and the Conclusion.
CHRIST DEFENDS HIS PEOPLE (9-16)
9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? 10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? 11 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. 12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; 13 And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? 14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. 15 But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name. 16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
Verses 9-10 bring to Israel’s remembrance what God had already done for them. He was faithful to rescue them from the Egyptian bondage, drying up the Red Sea so they could walk over on dry ground. Knowing this, verses 11-12, tell of God’s plan and comfort for His people. He would bring them out of Babylon back to Zion (Israel), give them everlasting joy, gladness, and take away their mourning, and comfort them. Verses 13-14 remind them God is the maker of all things. Verses 15-17 tells them who God is and the relationship He has with Israel. He states that He is the Lord, the Lord of hosts, who came to put His words in their mouths, cover them with the shadow of His hand, and finishes by telling them they are His people.
When was the last time you rehearsed what God has done for you. Go back to the beginning and focus in on how great God has been to you. We never want to forget God’s blessings toward us. There is comfort in remembrance.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
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