Eternity Daily Bible Study No. 214 Treasures From The Prophets - 12 To subscribe just send a blank email to: eternity-dbs-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org [NB: Training In Cybermissions - 12 week course in Internet Evangelism and Cybermissions, starts October 6th - http://www.cybermissions.org/training/ ] COMFORT, O COMFORT MY PEOPLE Isa 40:1 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Isa 40:2 Speak lovingly to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is done, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins. Isa 40:3 The voice of him who cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of Jehovah, make straight a highway in the desert for our God. Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked places shall be made level, and the rough places smooth; Isa 40:5 and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken. Isa 40:6 The voice said, Cry! And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the beauty of it is as the flower of the field. Isa 40:7 The grass withers, the flower fades, because the Spirit of Jehovah blows on it; surely the people is grass. Isa 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the Word of our God shall stand forever. Isa 40:9 Go up for yourself on the high mountain, bringer of good tidings to Zion. Lift up your voice with strength, O you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem; lift up, do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Isa 40:10 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. Isa 40:11 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 with young. This prophecy opens Isaiah's second section, and introduces his oracles of comfort and hope and restoration. "The voice" is central and is alternatively the voice of the prophet "The voice of him who cries in the wilderness" and the voice of God "The voice said, Cry! And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the beauty of it is as the flower of the field." The whole thing is a proclamation of good news to a soon-to-be-devastated nation. God is restoring His city and His community of saints. The time of turmoil is over and her sins are forgiven. Peace shall now reign. "Speak lovingly to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is done, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins." But the reign of God's peace takes preparation and God sends a messenger to prepare His people for the day of redemption. This is "the voice crying in the wilderness" that Matthew says is John the Baptist. Matthew 3:1-3 MKJV In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, (2) and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. (3) For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." John was an extraordinary prophet who dwelt in the inter-regnum between Old and New Covenants. Jesus calls him "more excellent than a prophet" and "the greatest of those born of women" and also identifies him with the messenger in Malachi and Isaiah and "Elijah who is to come". Matthew 11:7-15 MKJV And as they departed, Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John, What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? (8) But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, they who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. (9) But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and one more excellent than a prophet. (10) For this is the one of whom it is written, "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You." (11) Truly I say to you, Among those who have been born of women there has not risen a greater one than John the Baptist. But the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. (12) And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence, and the violent take it by force. (13) For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. (14) And if you will receive it, this is Elijah who is to come. (15) He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Israel was to be comforted by her Messiah who would be announced by the voice in the wilderness (John the Baptist). This Messiah would be the revealed glory of the Lord that all flesh would see together - both Jew and Gentiles, slave and free. The Messiah would bring in justice and rearrange the entire social order, removing crookedness and bringing down the proud from their thrones: Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked places shall be made level, and the rough places smooth; The voice in the wilderness would announce a Kingdom of God that would last and would replace the temporal kingdoms of mere men who were as "grass", here today and gone tomorrow. The beauty of this world would certainly fade but the glory of the Messiah and His Word would last forever. Isaiah 40:6-8 The voice said, Cry! And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the beauty of it is as the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the Spirit of Jehovah blows on it; surely the people is grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the Word of our God shall stand forever. The gospel voice is told to proclaim the word boldly and powerfully because it is a certain and powerful word. There messenger is "not to be afraid" and to "lift up your voice with strength". The restoration is declared and one day the Jews would behold their God in the face of Christ. Isa 40:9 Go up for yourself on the high mountain, bringer of good tidings to Zion. Lift up your voice with strength, O you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem; lift up, do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God! God would restore Judah by the might of his arm but would tend those He loves with perfect gentleness. God's power would be against their enemies but His mercy would be toward His people. Isa 40:10,11 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. 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 with young. What does this say to us now? Firstly, that God is careful with His people and tender towards them and desires their restoration, happiness and glory. God does not remain angry forever. Yes, there is rebuke and judgment, but at the end of it there is always restoration and hope. The prophets are not all gloom and doom. Secondly this prophecy tells us that God's plans are worked out in fine detail hundreds of years in advance. This prophecy was made in the 8th century BC and fulfilled 700 plus years later in the time of Christ. Sometimes God speaks well in advance so that we might know how far ahead He sees and how completely in control of history He is. God will bring His purposes to pass. The world shall be made right, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. Blessings, John Edmiston Were you blessed by Eternity Daily Bible Study? 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