Need Encouraging? Want Hope? Behold Our God!
“Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from
the Lord's hand
double for all her sins….
Have you not known? Have you
not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting
God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow
weary;
his
understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases
strength.
Even youths shall faint and
be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the
Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be
weary;
they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah
40:1, 2, 28-31 - ESV)
Thankful
the LORD restores and renews rebels, like us,
Kerry
Be Comforted by our Great God
Behold, Our God Renews and
Restores Rebels - Isaiah 40
How
does God treat those whom He has chastened? Does He give us any hope of getting
out of His doghouse; even serial idolaters, spiritual adulterers? Isaiah 40 more than answers that. This first
chapter of Isaiah’s third section is a peak among peaks; Everest! Written to restored-rebels, it is a hurricane
blast of hope, comfort, and encouragement. The Lord – who has every right to be
done with His erring people – gloriously keeps His word; He forgives and renews
them. Unlike idols, Our mighty Creator, judge of all the earth, revives those
who trust in Him. Take comfort in and from Him.
Be Encouraged by our Gracious
God! (40:1, 2 & 28-31)
- God calls: be tenderly comforted (cf. Matt. 11:28; 23:27)
- Receive His peace, pardon, restoration (Rom. 5:1-11; 8:1)
- Hear the Calls, the Voices of His Comfort (vs. 3, 6, 9)
Ø
His Glory Will be Revealed;
again (vs. 3-5; cf. John ---6)
- Get ready, The King is coming – back - in glory! (Ezk. 43)
- Jesus! His birth and return (Matt. 3:1-8; John 1:23; Rev. 20-22)
Ø
His Good Word Will be
Accomplished (vs. 6-8)
- Our lives, glory is fading, temporal, in His hands (1 Pet. 1:24, 25)
- His Word, His will is eternal, will be accomplished (cf. Is. 55)
Ø
His Greatness is Unequaled (vs. 9-31; cf. 43)
- Here is our God! The powerful, sovereign LORD (vs. 9, 10)
- He is a tender Shepherd; sensitive (cf. Ps. 23; Jer. 31; Ezk. 34)
- Who has…? He is unequalled in: (vs. 12-20; Job 38-41)
“Size”,
power, ability
Wisdom,
knowledge (cf. Rom. 11:34; 1 Cor. 2:16)
Rule,
weightiness, glory (Is. 43)
- Don’t you know…? He is incomparable! (21-26)
- “He doesn’t care?” He gives strength and hope (vs. 27-31)
Be encouraged by,
comforted in Him! Who is like Him? (Ex.
20:1-7)
Receive His
chastening AND restoring; out of the doghouse!
(Heb. 12:4-11)
Does Isaiah 40 sound
like your view of God; His grace, greatness...?
Wait on Him; have
eager, confidence in Him (29-31; Ps.
37:1-9)
Trust in Him
& trade your tiredness for His empowering (vs. 31; Ps. 9:10)
Jesus makes the same
offer! See Matthew 11:28; 23:27; John 15:1-7
