Rsbc
Sunday Night
Sept 16, 2001
The Book of Isaiah
Subject- “ The Comfort of Gods People”
Text- Isaiah 40-1-8
Intro- Last Sunday evening I told you that we enter into a new phase of the Book of Isaiah. The persons whom the prophet addresses, the people amongst whom he lives and moves, whose feelings he portrays, whose doubts he tries to dispel, whose faith he confirms, these are not people under Ahaz, or Hezekiah, or Manasseh, but these are the Jewish exiles in Babylon.
Jerusalem and the Temple are in ruins, which is called the old waste places..Isaiah 58:12 And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
After many years in exile they begin to think that GOD had forgotten them, they begin to think that they will never be released from the captivity they are in. The last 27 books of Isaiah is to arouse and revive a faith in these people of the Lord that they will be restored, that they will rebuild the Temple, that their way of life under this old covenant will return.
I... “ THAT GOD IS THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT”...VS 1 “SAITH YOUR GOD”
Paul when writing to the church at Corinth declares that GOD is the GOD of all comfort...2 Corinthians 1:3‑4 Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
1st. That the comfort that GOD gives out is tied to his relationship with his people..vs 1 “MY PEOPLE”
Page # 2
In the book of Exdous over 20 times the term is mention and GOD is identifying his people..
Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
II... “ WHY GOD COMFORTS HIS PEOPLE”...VS 2
The punishment that she had been inflicted for her sins had now been paid and she was going to enjoy he rightful place once again with the Lord. The word of the Lord was the instrument of her comfort...
This shows a number of things...
1st. Gods people needs comfort when they have been rebuked by GOD...
Hebrews 12:11‑13 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
2nd. Gods people need comfort when they loose something dear to them.
Jesus Christ our Lord comforted many who were hurting at the lose of a love one, like Mary and Martha, if you would have been here my brother would not have died.
To comfort means to console, to bring a word of courage, to console someone, and certainly this is what GOD does to us and this is what we need to do to one another.
All of Gods people need comfort at one time or another including preachers and workers in the Lords church and his kingdom.
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III... “ THE MESSAGE OF COMFORT”...VS 3-8
What we have is a prophetic message of comfort and hope. This was not to occur for many years, many thing would happen before this would happen, the people of God would come back to Jerusalem the temple would be rebuilt the old covenant would be brought back into force.
All of the people that heard this prophecy by Isaiah would never live to see it, not even Isaiah. But it would come as the text declares it would.
1st. It is a message of John the Baptist...vs 3-4
When John the Baptist showed upon the seen Matthew records this very verse referencing this man of God...
Matthew 3:1‑3 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
John’s message was simple but profound....John Gill says: Ver. 4. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, &c.] Which is not to be understood literally, but, as Kimchi says, parabolically and mystically: the meaning is, that in consequence of John’s ministry, and our Lord’s coming, such who were depressed and bowed down with the guilt of sin, and were low and humble in their own eyes, should be raised up and comforted; and that such who were elated with themselves, and their own righteousness, should be humbled; their pride and haughtiness should be brought down, and they treated with neglect and contempt, while great notice was taken of lowly minded ones; see #Lu 14:11 and #Lu 18:14: and the crooked shall be straight and the rough places plain; what before was dark and intricate in prophecy should now become clear; and such doctrines as were not so well understood should now become plain and easy.
2nd. It is a message of the Lord Jesus Christ ...vs 5
a. Christ is the manifested glory... John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Page # 4
b. Christ is the brightness of his glory: Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
c. Christ manifested the glory of the Lord: John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
3rd. It was a message of his word: vs 6-7
a. The insignificance of people compared to the word of the Lord.
b. The permanence of the word of the LORD...