Comfort Is Coming!

I. Speak Comfort (Verses 1-2)

A. The prophet writes what God is speaking to him. The Lord (Elohim) says “Comfort, O comfort my people. Console, comfort my people.

B. Speak kindly to Jerusalem. He wants Isaiah, he wants the priests, the prophets to speak tenderly to Jerusalem, he wants them to speak to the heart of Jerusalem. When God speaks, when he reaches for us he reaches for the heart. He does it with tender care, He does it out of concern, and He does it because He loves you.

C. God says “cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned:” God in the previous chapters had pronounced judgement upon Jerusalem and upon the Jews because of their idol worship, their unfaithfulness to God, their sin. Babylon was coming for them, they were coming to destroy the city, to kill those who would resist, and to take the Jews into captivity. In this 40th chapter, God is speaking to the prophet Isaiah and is foretelling about a time in which Israel will be comforted.

I feel like I need to break for a moment to tell someone today that COMFORT IS COMING! I need to speak to your heart....matter of fact God said speak comfort comfort ye my people and to speak to the heart.....let’s do that right now. Speak comfort to your neighbor and tell them “God is going to send comfort!” I don’t know what you’re going through, don’t know what you’ve been battling against.....but God told me to tell.....help is on the way.....He’s going to send comfort your way!

God foretold to Isaiah that Jerusalem’s humiliation, her warfare (because of her sins) is accomplished, her iniquity is pardoned, her sins are forgiven her, for she has received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. There is no such thing as free sin......the wages of sin is death....Paul records in Romans 6:23 but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. The Israelites refused to repent, they kept doing the thing that was displeasing to God. God (who is longsuffering) gave them ample amount of time to repent (hundreds of years) but they waxed worse and worse. Even after they saw the Northern tribes go into captivity with the Assyrians they thought in their mind....that they would be alright. They thought in their mind that nothing bad could happen to us. They thought in their mind.....oh I’ll keep doing what I do and just tell God I’m sorry and to forgive me every time I do it. They never changed their ways.....never turned from Idolatry and the other sins that were displeasing to God and judgement came. I need to tell someone this morning “the only reason you’re still hear is because God is allowing you space to repent......the only reason your captivity hasn’t happened is because God wants you to repent and turn away from sin.

Yes God sent judgement and for 70 years the Jews were held captive in Babylon/Persia. David records these words “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning!” Your sins are forgiven you....David says best when he records “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Are there any grateful people here this morning that know that they are blessed, is there anybody in here that is happy because your transgression has been forgiven and your sins our covered.

My God I need to speak comfort to someone this morning to let you know that you may be in a hard place right now because of wrong choices, because of the wrong people you been hanging around.....you might be suffering because of sin in your life.....you might be bound because of sin.......but the good news is that Jesus died to forgive you......and you can be forgiven today if you believe and accept the fact that Jesus died to forgive you of your sins and to set you free from the bondage of sin!

II. The voice of the one in the wilderness (Verses 3-5)

A. Isaiah’s writing pivots as God is giving him revelation. God says “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord,” The Lord signifies to Isaiah....that before this comfort truly comes.....there will be a voice in the wilderness that will “prepare the way of the Lord”. God is foretelling of John the Baptist who would come and would prepare the hearts of the people to receive the ministry of Jesus Christ. Make straight God says in the desert a highway for our God......and that highway is a highway called “holiness” John the Baptized preached repentance of sin and water baptism.

When Jesus comes; Every mountain and hill shall be made low (anything that is high is going to be brought down) and the crooked shall be made straight (anything not right will be made right), and the rough places plain (God is going to smooth us out).

All flesh shall see it together: For the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Tell someone else.....comfort is coming!

III. Subject matter of the voice in the wilderness (Verses 6-11)

A. The voice said, Cry. And he said, “What shall I cry?” Cry that all flesh is grass. You’re life is fragile....you are not destined to stay here always and you don’t know what you’re time to leave shall be. All the goodliness (glory of man) is as the flower of the field. Life is short, we are here today and gone tomorrow. Since I have became Pastor....I have had to eulogize a number of saints from our church. Ones that I thought would be with me a while longer.....those that I thought would continue to work in this church and promote the kingdom of God......but life is short! You don’t know when your number will be called! “The grass withereth....we as human beings we fade away, the flower (the glory of man) fadeth.....but one thing that will never pass away is the word of God! We depend on our family members but they leave us, we depend on friends but they leave us.....but one thing that will never diminish or fade is God and God’s word.....His word shall stand forever! That means.....you can depend on God.....we might fail....but God’s word will never fail!

B. Oh Zion (O thou that bringest glad tidings to Zion) get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; Lift it up, be not afraid; Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!” Come on church (Zion) let’s lift up our voices and encourage three people and say “Look Up”......come on and shout it.....I need to hear hear you.....this part of the scripture has an exclamation mark. Tell them Behold your God! Look to God.....Look to Jesus! The one you can depend on.....Look to Jesus.....the one that can deliver you.....Look to Jesus....the one who forgives....Look to Jesus the one that saves......Look to Jesus.....the one that opens the eyes of the blind! Look to Jesus....

C. Behold....Look the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him.....Look.....his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with is arm, and carry them in his bosom......do you hear the word....The Lord is going to feed, He’s going to take you up in his arms.....wrap his love around you and shall gently lead those that are with young......COMFORT IS COMING!

IV. Who can be compared to Jehovah? (verses 12-27)

A. GOD lays down a convince argument to remind the people just how powerful He is. He asked the question (NLT):

Who else has held the oceans in his hand?

Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?

Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?

Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD?

Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?

Has the LORD ever needed anyone’s advice?

Does he need instruction about what is good?

Did someone teach Him what is right or show him the path of justice?

B. Verse 15 says “No”.....the answer to all those questions is no.....no one can equal God. Behold, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand. All the wood in Lebanon’s forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worth of our God. The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing- mere emptiness and froth.

C. Then Isaish writes; To whom can you compare God? I gotta bring this to a close right now! Let’s skip down to verse 21.

D. Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Turn to someone and say “Don’t you understand? Don’t say this next part because they might get offended: Are you deaf to the words of God- the words he gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant?

GOD SITS ABOVE THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH! The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heaves like a curtain and makes his tent from them. (KJV) That bringeth the princes to nothing; He maketh judges of the earth as vanity.

Skip to verse 25: To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and behold who hath created these things (God has great power.....and no one compares to Him.” Verse 27: “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Isreal, my way is hid from the LORD, and my judgement is passed over from my God?” God sees everything.....he knows your heart and he knows your intents....you can try to fool others.....but all things are exposed before him. He sees in the light as well as in the dark!

V. The strength of the Lord/Waiting on the Lord (Verses 28-31)

A. Then Isaiah pens “Hast though not known? Hast thou not heard? That the everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary......encourage your neighbor and tell them “God is not asleep......He’s not asleep at the wheel. Tell someone else.....I serve a strong God......He’s not weak.....He’s not impotent.....He’s not just potent......He is omnipotent! No one can measure the depths of his understanding......when we don’t understand......put your trust in God.....HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING!

B. All of this word should be comforting to you.....that God is going to send comfort....that Jesus is coming to take you up in his arms and take care of you.....that you have a strong God and there is no thing or no one that can match the strength and ability of God......it should bring you comfort to know that God’s word will NEVER Fail! But before I take my seat......there is one more thing Isaiah wrote that should bring you comfort!

C. The LORD......gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. So when you feel weak.....when you feel you can’t make it.....when you feel you can’t take anymore.....Look to the comforter.....look to God who gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless! Even young men shall utterly fail: I can hear Isaiah ramping up his preaching voice and say “But they.....that wait upon the LORD......those who put their trust in the LORD......those who serve the LORD......those who wait upon the LORD shall renew (find new) strengthen. When God gives them/you comfort.....You will mount up with wings as eagles; sorrow won’t bring you down, trials won’t bring you down, pain won’t bring you down, sickness won’t bring you down, you’ll be able to fly above your problems, fly above the criticism, fly above the negativity. You’ll be able to run, and not be weary, you’ll be able to walk and not faint (give up). WAIT I SAY ON THE LORD......LOOK TO THE LORD......TRUST IN THE LORD.....BELIEVE IN THE LORD......TURN TO THE LORD.......ONE MORE TIME TELL YOU’RE NEIGHBOR......NEIGHBOR.....BE ENCOURAGED.....HELP IS COMING.....STRENGTH IS COMING......JOY IS COMING....COMFORT IS COMING!