Comfort in God’s Work for Salvation

Isaiah 40:1-11

(cf. Luke 3:4–6)

1 "Comfort, yes, comfort My people!"
Says your God.

2 "Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
For she has received from the LORD's hand
Double for all her sins."

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

"Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough places smooth;

5 The glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

6 The voice said, "Cry out!"
And he said, "What shall I cry?"

"All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever."

9 O Zion,
You who bring good tidings,
Get up into the high mountain;
O Jerusalem,
You who bring good tidings,
Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift it up, be not afraid;
Say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"

10 Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand,
And His arm shall rule for Him;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.

11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.

Ah, Lord God, You have done such wonderful things according to Your word!  How Your salvation from sin’s iniquity embedded in our fallen hearts has been covered by Your work of deliverance and not our own feeble efforts of righteousness which is only found in You!  You spoke comfort to Your chosen people through Isaiah and those same words speak it to the redeemed min You now.  You have pardoned our prison sentence of judgment on us for our sin by Your mighty hand of grace, letting us know through John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-3, John 1:23) of Your work in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1) to see the way of repentance and faith laid out for us as spoken here by being tempted as we are yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15) to be able to redeem us.  You humble the mighty who rely on themselves and exalt the humble who trust in You alone for deliverance, making our way bent by sin straight by Your straight and true righteousness.  We have seen Your glory in Your work through Your Son as it was spoken and written.  Yes, all we are as dried grass waiting to be burned away or cut down when our flower of greatness and beauty fade due to our tainting of sin, but Your word of grace and truth for salvation remains forever (1 Peter 1:23-25)!  What then?  We hear and heed this word to shout out Your word of deliverance which is the gospel (Romans 10:14-15) from the highest hill as we worship You, not fearing rejection or fading in strength.   The message is to see You as our God, King of kings and Lord of lords.  You will return with a strong hand to rule forever on earth from the Celestial City brought down to us (Revelation 21:2) to be in Your presence forever, and we anticipate the rewards of Your work done in and through us in the resurrection of life to come.  You already feed Your flock as our Shepherd and gather to Yourself we who have been lost, in tender mercies of lovinkindness as Your children, and You will continue that work in Christ forevermore.  How we are humbled in awe and comforted in Your salvation!  Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" Says your God.