Waiting to Be Comforted

Be Comforted (Chapter Nine: How Great Thou Art! (Isaiah 40–48))

When, like Israel of old, you face a difficult task and an impossible tomorrow, do what they did and remind yourself of the greatness of God.

What are we waiting for? This is what we have been going through this advent season. We are all waiting for something, or in want of something it seems like. Especially it seems to come up during the Christmas season. Whatever the case may be, whether the loss of family, whether it is isolation due to Covid, there are many reasons but depression, anxiety worries, troubles all these things tend to be amplified at a time that is supposed to be filled with joy and peace and family.

we face difficult tasks and what seems like impossible tomorrows what are we reminded of? The passage we are going to get into deals with comfort and strength. You see, Israel was dealing with impending punishment and judgement and chapter 40 goes into a transition into comfort and strength. This is the reminder we need when going into what seems like an impossible tomorrow.

our attention turns to the servant songs and the promise of blessing. So the first call is for comfort. The people are facing exile in Babylon. Now is the time to give hope, and hope is seen in the promise that Judah’s hard service (exile) is completed, and her sin has been paid for. The time is coming when the Lord will show up. In this sermon we talked about comfort in the Heidelberg Catechism’s sense of “strength.” The comfort that God gives is not just an encouraging pat on the back or kind words, but strength to move forward. We need to get ready, in a way.

The picture of every valley exalted and every hill made low reflects a coming king and a people preparing the way by leveling things so the king’s glory could be seen as he arrived. The other part of comfort in Isaiah is that their enemies, the Babylonians, are going to be destroyed just as grass withers and flowers fade. Then God will come to his people and give strength. We jumped to the end of the chapter to focus on the idea of “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” The overall idea of waiting for comfort means we’re waiting for strength to make a difference, to become part of God’s new reality.

comfort through strength provided by the Lord God what we are going to look at today is When, like Israel of old, you face a difficult task and an impossible tomorrow, do what they did and take comfort and strength from the greatness of God.

40:1-2 - Comfort

Tomorrow is looking bleak, just watch the depressing news and all that is going on. But what we as followers of Jesus know is that The story has been written, the end is ordained all that we have to do is wait. Jesus is coming back but we know not when that is going to happen. But in the meantime it seems sometimes that we are facing what seems like an impossible tomorrow. How do we go through the days knowing what is coming? How do e share the gospel knowing what is coming? How is it that we can take comfort and strength when tomorrow is impossible to deal with?

Israel was being faced with an impossible tomorrow, a future it seemed like that was going to be filled with punishment for their sin but there was comfort and hope given to them. This is what we look at today, a voice of pardon is being spoken into their lives, for those that would turn to God. Isaiah 40:1

Isaiah 40:1 (CSB)

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.

When something is repeated in the bible it usually means that this is something the people really need to hear, understand and take to heart. This is vital that you understand what I am going to say, God tells them. For this is God speaking to them about the coming hope they have.

Babylon was going to take the people into exile and they would have looked back on this and wondered what exactly it meant. As we face the record of the crimes that we have committed against the Lord God, for we are all sinners in need of the saving Grace of God, all sinners that deserve punishment we get a glimpse into the lovingkindness of the Lord God.

comfort is a word spoken to a grieving family member, compassion given moved to pity by the plight of someone or in God’s case relenting as the time of punishment will soon be over and a great hope is given instead. however grave the sins of the people of Israel, the Lord God will not forget His covenant to them and does still love them, He will never forget His promises to them.

Isaiah 40:2 (CSB)

“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and announce to her that her time of hard service is over, her iniquity has been pardoned, and she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”

In our difficult tomorrows, in our times of testing whatever we may be going through the message is true for us today. Though God is withholding His judgement against sin for a time to give people a chance to turn to Him, He is still there, and he speaks comfort into our lives by giving us the strength to endure.

to speak tenderly means to speak to the heart. God speaks directly to our hearts and tells us that there is comfort and strength in Him, that our times of trials and hardships are not forever but that they will one day come to an end, if we trust in Him that is. It was not the power of Assyria or Babylon that brought their exhibit was Israel’s punishment for breaking God’s law.

The message we receive, the message of comfort God speaks directly to our hearts, unmerited forgiveness is given to us, in spite of our sin. God is forever faithful, our times of trial will come to an end if we put our faith in Him.

40:3-8 -God is in Control

We should be waiting on the Lord for comfort in our times of need, Though this comfort is often given in the strength we need to get through our trials. Our comfort comes from God giving us strength to withstand the onslaught of the evil one. but more then that we learn that God speaks comfort directly to our hearts, that forgiveness is given all who call on Him. the next thing we learn about the comfort we wait for this Christmas season is that it is due to the Sovereignty of the Lord God, our God is in control. we look into how God revealed to Isaiah that He is in control.

Isaiah 40:3–4 (CSB)

A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and the rough places, a plain.

How is it that our God can comfort a sinful and ruined people like this? Like us? Is God like a judge who after the convict has served their punishment the case is closed, they can go on their life somewhat as normal. No God is not like that Judge who coolly offers pardon to the once condemned upon the serving of the sentience but rather we read of God coming to Human form to offer comfort to His people.

Does this verse sound familiar to you though? who can tell me who was the voice crying this in the wilderness that cried this in the NT? John the Baptist cried out this message as was foretold someone would. But God also cries out to us take comfort, prepare yourselves and prepare the way for there is something great that is going to come. why is it that all things need to be prepared. There is a great change coming when all things will be leveled and pale in comparison to the coming of the Lord God. Isa 40:5

Isaiah 40:5 (CSB)

And the glory of the Lord will appear, and all humanity together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

The way must be prepared because the glory of the Lord is coming, this is where our comfort is coming. It is nothing to do with us but the sovereignty of God. All things will pale in comparison to the coming of the glory of the Lord. We must prepare the way, prepare for the coming of the Glory of the Lord. Jesus has come once and died for our sins but has promised that He is coming again. There are people living in despair but we have a message of comfort. We cry out to them, look the Lord is coming again in all His glory, and you can become one of His children. Nothing in the world can deter the coming of the Lord, nothing will stop Him, so we must be prepared.

Gos is all powerful and nothing will stop His return, and the other end of that is that we are powerless. Isa 40:6

Isaiah 40:6 (CSB)

A voice was saying, “Cry out!” Another said, “What should I cry out?” “All humanity is grass, and all its goodness is like the flower of the field.

At this message the rest of our pride should fall away. Any idea that we can live this life on our own without the God should fall away. We are but grass, we wither and die. God alone is in control, is permanent is glorified. I become nothing and the Glory of the Lord shine through me to bring other people to God. Isa 40:8

Isaiah 40:8 (CSB)

The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.”

Our Comfort comes knowing our God is in control His word is forever enduring. Any pride we have must fall away knowing that the Glory of the Lord and His gospel must be presented to the world for there will come a day when we will meet Him face to face.

40:9-11 - Comfort through Peace

This message of comfort though is also one of peace. we are told that we are not to be afraid. This message of forgiveness, of God’s sovereignty of His peace and grace and the comfort it brings we are to shout form the mountaintops. We are not to be afraid to spread this message that we have been given. Even back then we can see that the message was not just for the Israelites, even though they are God’s chosen people. They where always to spread the message of God’s salvation as well.

we are to call attention to the presence of the Lord for all to hear. He is coming and rewarding those who where faithful to His calling. The Lord is going to come and establish His rule. but this last verse is the one I want to bring to your attention as we close, a picture of peace and contentment. Isa 40:11

Isaiah 40:11 (CSB)

He protects his flock like a shepherd; he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them in the fold of his garment. He gently leads those that are nursing.

Our God is coming to bring judgement on those who have refused to follow Him, but wait, there is comfort in the peace that passes all understanding that He offers. A sovereign shepherd that cares faithfully for His sheep. Holding them and caring for them. this is the picture of peace that we are given.

So What?

waiting for comfort. When, like Israel of old, you face a difficult task and an impossible tomorrow, do what they did and take comfort and strength from the greatness of God. I Want to take some words out of Heidelberg Catechism on God’s comfort.

Q. What is your only comfort in life and death? A. That I am not my own, 1 but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, 2 to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. 3 He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, 4 and has set me free from all the power of the devil. 5 He also preserves me in such a way 6 that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; 7 indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. 8 Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life 9 and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.

From <http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/lords-days/1.html>

There are a few things we focus on here as we leave today. What does this matter to us and how should it affect our lives?

Take comfort knowing God speaks to our hearts and lets us know unmerited forgiveness is offered to all who call on Him.

did you hear that? unmerited forgiveness. Are you lsot and need comfort through life? Unmerited forgiveness is offered to all.

Take Comfort knowing our God is in control and is forever faithful

the glory of our Lord is eternal, all things will fall away and He will become ruler of all one day. This is the comfort we have. All things will be stripped away but the glory of the Lord. We are know longer in control and we know this to be true because our God is forever faithful

We all must cry out this message of comfort to all people.

what a wonderful message we have to tell people. This message of truth. We are told to cry out this message of hope and peace and love. What comforts us? knowing that no matter what happens our God has saved us, gives us strength and we will reign with Him one day.

so let us cry out with all creation how great a God we serve and how comfort can only be found in Him.