Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

I found myself looking back in retrospect this week and my mind landed me back in some of those good old days when I was a child and was blessed to sit down and watch some television with my parents and siblings.

My dad was a ole country boy at heart, so, one of the shows he used to like to watch on the television was “Hee Haw” (does anybody remember that show?).

Well, on that show there was a skit where about 4 fellas sat around drinking moonshine and singing the hillbilly blues.

I never shall forget the lyrics to their song:

Gloom, despair, and agony on me; deep dark depression, excessive misery.

If it weren’t for bad luck, i’d have no luck at all! Gloom, despair, and agony on me.

While I laughed then, I cry now when I think about the countless number of people who are in that very condition at this present hour.

And the truth of the matter is that it has nothing to do with luck at all.

We all are prone to suffer from this gloom, despair, and agony simply because we all are a part of this human experience.

However, it is quite possible, that some of that gloom, despair, and agony; that deep dark depression and excessive misery may actually be the result of our own making.

SCRIPTURE READING

See

CONTEXT OF THE TEXT

The authorship of the later chapters of Isaiah is debated; the geographical and historical perspective of these chapters shifts from Jerusalem at the turn of the seventh century BC to Babylon in the mid-sixth century BC.

As a prophet, Isaiah could have been shown circumstances and events 150 years in the future.

But the tone of the speeches in this later section suggests they were written by a contemporary of the events, who pleads with the people to trust God for restoration.

Regardless of the setting and identity of the human author, these chapters have much in common with chs.

1–39.

They show a well-planned development of Isaiah’s concerns for Yahweh’s holiness, sovereignty, and plans for restoration of Judah.

Second Isaiah AYBD

40:1 comfort my people The consolation and comfort of Israel is a key theme of chs.

40–55.

While oracles of restoration and salvation are interspersed with oracles of judgment throughout chs.

1–39, this part of the books is characterized by a reduced focus on judgment; the prophet’s words of comfort are directed at those who have already been punished (see v. 2).

God is commanding someone to speak to Jerusalem, not speaking directly to Jerusalem.

The commands here (“comfort”; “speak tenderly”) are plural, indicating that God is speaking to a group, possibly the members of His divine council (see ; ).

God is commanding someone to speak to Jerusalem, not speaking directly to Jerusalem.

The commands here (“comfort”; “speak tenderly”) are plural, indicating that God is speaking to a group, possibly the members of His divine council (see ; ).

He says Comfort My People by giving them hope.

Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016).

Faithlife Study Bible ().

Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

CENTRAL IDEA

The text is tailored to teach us that We, like exiled Judah, can experience comfort at this season of Advent because of our hope in Christ.

POINT 1

Our hope in Christ tells us that He is Our God.

The text says Comfort, O comfort My people, says your God. in the text, God’s people had come to experience distress, affliction, discouragement, and hopelessness because they did not behave as God’s people.

God sets certain criteria for His people and He has very real expectations that they conduct themselves as such.

According to , Israel was “Ammi” - God’s people.

see also and

Israel and Judah had failed miserably; to the extent that the Lord had to teach an object lesson about their unfaithfulness through the prophet Hosea.

Hosea fell in love with an unfaithful woman.

(are you praying with me?)

To this union three children were born: Jezreel (seed sown), Lo-ruhamah (Not pitied), and Lo-Ammi (Not My people).

That name represented ultimate tragedy for Israel: dissolution of God’s covenant relationship with them.

God was saying to Israel, “Name him Lo-ammi—‘Not my people’—for Israel is not my people, and I am not their God” ().

Although all seemed lost, Hosea’s prophecy did not end on a note of doom.

Rather, he foresaw that Israel would repent.

In response, God would restore his covenant relationship with them: “And to those I called ‘Not my people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’

Then they will reply, ‘You are our God!’ ” ().

Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001).

In Tyndale Bible dictionary (p.

36).

Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Somebody in this room today can experience comfort because your Hope in Christ tells you that He is your God.

POINT 2

POINT 2

Our hope in Christ tells us that He has Corrected us.

The tone of the text is not harmful; it is threaded through and through with tenderness.

The Lord’s decree was to “Comfort My people, by speaking tenderly”.

God said tell m people that I said “they’ve paid more than enough”.

The Faithlife Study Bible informs us that “her warfare has ended” can be understood as her compulsory labor is fulfilled The Hebrew term tsava’ can indicate armed service or servitude.

The following assertion that she has paid “double” for her sins suggests the context is a prison sentence or penal servitude.

her compulsory labor is fulfilled The Hebrew term tsava’ can indicate armed service or servitude.

The following assertion that she has paid “double” for her sins suggests the context is a prison sentence or penal servitude.

Some of you all in here today, remember the famous quote from the original TV series Hawaii Five-0: “You do the crime, you do the time”.

When it gets right down to it, Sin is a crime; and in every case and sense, it is a crime against God.

is paid for The Hebrew here can mean “pardoned” or “paid for.”

In the proper sense, the department of Corrections is suppose to just that: Correct.

However, it continues to institutionalize because it too has and continues to commit the crime of sin against God.

But, Oh bless His name today, The Lord says to speak tenderly to His people who had sinned against Him that their sentence has ended, that her iniquity has been pardoned (paid for), and that she has received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

The Hebrew term used here (meaning “double” or “two”) only occurs here and in .

This context suggests a meaning of “more than enough” rather than specifically “double.”

Compare , where Zophar suggests that Job suffers less than he deserves.

The Lord says to speak tenderly to His people who had sinned against Him that their sentence has ended, that her iniquity has been pardoned (paid for), and that she has received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

The Hebrew term used here (meaning “double” or “two”) only occurs here and in .

This context suggests a meaning of “more than enough” rather than specifically “double.”

Compare , where Zophar suggests that Job suffers less than he deserves.

double for all her sins The Hebrew term used here (meaning “double” or “two”) only occurs here and in .

This context suggests a meaning of “more than enough” rather than specifically “double.”

Compare , where Zophar suggests that Job suffers less than he deserves.

Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016).

Faithlife Study Bible ().

Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Is there anybody here today who is being comforted because your hope in Christ tells you that you been corrected.

and

POINT 3

Our hope in Christ tells us that He is Calling us

The text says “A voice is calling”.

This verse is quoted in all four Gospels in connection with John the Baptist, who prepares the way for Jesus.

A different understanding of syntax (how the phrases were related) has led to the NT (and Septuagint) understanding of “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” versus “in the wilderness prepare.”

The Hebrew parallelism connects the phrase with “make straight in the desert.”

This voice is calling out “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

Yes, He is calling us to the highway.

The highway through the desert was also described in .

Did I say He’s calling?

.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, Calling for you and for me; See, on the portals he's waiting and watching, Watching for you and for me.

‎Chorus.

Come home, come home, Ye who are weary, come home; Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling, Calling, O sinner, come home.

‎2.

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, Pleading for you and for me?