Need Encouraging? Want Hope? Behold Our God!

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