Read Isaiah
40 & Philippians
4
To discover:
As you read consider what
exactly it is that should be a comfort to Jerusalem .
To ponder:
With chapter 40v1 we jump a hundred and fifty years. Many
have been shipped away from Jerusalem
as captives to Babylon . Isaiah’s
prophecy is therefore one that was to be kept for that time. And in it God
urges Isaiah to proclaim comfort to both people and city, that Jerusalem ’s
sin has been more than paid for by her trials (40v1-2). Moreover he is to urge
her to prepare for God’s speedy coming, in which nature would be levelled as is
fitting for such a king (40v3-5), and by which all humanity would see God’s
glory (excellence) in saving his people. Although God did come to their rescue
in Babylon , this is ultimately
fulfilled as John the Baptist promises God coming to rescue them through faith in
Christ, who displays the glory of God (Mk 1v1-3).
Isaiah is
called to cry out that people are like grass, which whither under God’s breath,
whereas his words of promise stand forever. God’s people can therefore be sure
that he can deal with the Babylonians as easily as grass in order to fulfil his
purposes (40v6-8). And so Isaiah is told to proclaim God’s arrival to Jerusalem
from a high mountain, calling people to see God come in power bringing the
exiles with him like a shepherd carrying and leading lambs (40v9-11). It is
with this same tenderness that the Good Shepherd carries and leads us to his
heavenly Zion .
With
Job-like language, God asks who has measured and weighed aspects of creation as
a way of showing that just as none have such wisdom, none can expect to fathom
or instruct God in what he does. This is important to grasp as we ponder why we
or the church might suffer, just as Judah
would have in being conquered. God continues by stressing how seemingly
insignificant the mighty nations of the world are to him. Indeed, the whole of Lebanon ’s
resources are insufficient to properly please him through the giving of
offerings (40v12-17). In the light of this, he asks who can he can be compared
to, implying the foolishness of crafting an idol to present offerings to.
Instead, he asks whether people have grasped that he is enthroned in heaven
above earth, so that its people are like mere grasshoppers to him; that he
stretches the heavens out like a tent and brings mighty rulers to nothing with
a breath (40v18-24). In short, he declares he is incomparable, and in his
mighty power in particular, by which he brings out the stars at night as if
calling them by name (40v25-26). In the light of this, he then asks why Israel
complain that he doesn’t see their afflictions or has disregarded them, affirming
that he is the everlasting creator of all, who doesn’t tire or grow weary in
his attentiveness. But he affirms too, that none can grasp his understanding of
things. His encouragement, however, is that even young people struggle, but
anyone who hopes in him will find their strength renewed so they become
tireless (40v27-31). Although there is literal fulfilment in the new creation,
this, no doubt, applies also to God’s strengthening those feeling despondent as
they would have at Israel ’s
predicament.
Praying it home:
Praise God that he
is a caring shepherd to his people, in carrying them to glory. Pray that you trust
him in times of trial, knowing that his ways cannot be fathomed.
Thinking
further:
None
today.
If you receive
this post by email, visit bible2014.blogspot.co.uk
and make a comment.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment