Tag: Isaiah 40

Do You Know?

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 41-43

POETRY: Psalm 107 (the rest of this week)

NEW TESTAMENT: James 2:1-13

I want to jump back to Isaiah today.  Chapter 40 was actually the scheduled reading from yesterday, but it ends with some of my favorite verses – Isaiah 40:28-31

28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

I don’t have much of a devotion for you, but here is my suggestion.

Read these verses again.  Let the amazingness, goodness, incredibleness of God wash over you.  Be in awe of Him.  And lean into the reminder that those who hope in Him will have their strength renewed.

Sometimes, we read large chunks of chapters or verses, and for me at least, I fall into a traditionally schooled trained pattern of just trying to absorb information to be able to answer questions.  But the wonder can pass me by when I do this. 

So stop.  Read this small section, and be amazed by the Creator.

~Stephanie Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you know that the Lord your God is the Creator of the world? What does that mean to you? What does it mean to you that He is everlasting?
  2. What can you not fathom about the Lord God’s understanding? When has He given you strength when you were weary? How would you use His strength today? Pray for it. Thank God for it.
  3. Where do you put your hope?
  4. How many times can you read this passage today? Whatever number you said, can you read it 5-10 additional times beyond what you thought you could.
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God’s Comfort for Us

Isaiah 40

Wednesday, October 25, 2022

There are many times in life when we feel alone, and without comfort. Times like grieving over death, or a spot in life that just isn’t going our way. In this chapter however, God’s comfort and hope are clear towards God’s people, just as it is today.

Throughout all of Isaiah, there were themes. Isaiah 1-35 deal with condemnation, Isaiah 36-39 are the historic chapters, the chapters with confiscation, and Isaiah 40-66 consolation. Consolation is the comfort people feel after a loss or disappointment.

Every story in the Bible has its sad parts, its broken pieces, but in the end, God provides comfort and peace.

            Isaiah 40:1-2

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and announce to her that her time of forced labor is over, her iniquity has been pardoned, and she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”

The Lord is saying to Isaiah. Tell my people the battle is over; they don’t need to worry. Isaiah knew all about warning and instructing God’s people, but God also wanted His people to receive His comfort.

In any group of people waiting to hear from God, there are always a number of hurting hearts. It is important for us to hear words of comfort for God is comfort. Our purpose is to bring God’s comfort to other’s pain, just as others bring us the same comfort. God’s purpose for us is to love him and love others in our pain.

Our battle may not always be over, it was the same way for God’s people. The battle wasn’t over for Jerusalem when this was written, but God told them it would be over. That is where the comfort comes from.  Knowing the battle may not be over yet, but also knowing we have a mighty God who will bring us through it.

Our purpose is bringing others the Lord’s comfort in their battles too. Share in God’s hope and love.

-Hannah Eldred

Reflection Questions

  1. What characteristics of God do you find in Isaiah 40? Which one do you sometimes forget about? Which one means the most to you today?
  2. Who do you know who you can bring God’s comfort to this week? How will you do so?
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John the Baptizer, a baptism for the repentance of sin

Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3

We mentioned on Wednesday (John 1 and Luke 1) why and how John the Baptizer played such a key role in announcing the coming of Jesus the Messiah. John the Baptizer was such an influential figure in 1st century Israel that many people thought he may be the Messiah. But the Baptizer and the authors of the New Testament made it clear: this prophet of God was not the Messiah, but came to bear witness that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah and the Lamb and Son of God.

Mark 1:2 and Luke 1:17 tie the coming of John the Baptizer to a declaration of the last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi (Mal. 4:46; cf. Matt.17:12, Mark 9:12). But all four of the Gospels quote a passage from Isaiah 40 in connection to the ministry of John the Baptizer (John 1:23 is the Baptizer’s own testimony).

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness;

Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”

Did the Prophets Isaiah or John the Baptizer think and proclaim that the LORD, Yahweh was literally to come to earth as a human being? This is the way much of traditional Christianity interprets this verse. However, it is clear that both prophets understood that the LORD Yahweh would come, and His glory be revealed, through the circumstances of events that were about to unfold. In Isaiah’s case the restoration of Israel from Babylon would be a second Exodus in which Yahweh the LORD is understood to come and lead Israel, displaying His glory.

For the prophet John the Baptizer, Yahweh, the LORD, would break into human history and reveal his glory by sending the Messiah, the one who “comes in the name of the LORD Yahweh” (Psa. 118:26, John 12:13). The Messiah is Yahweh the LORD’s messenger, Yahweh’s agent. To receive Yahweh’s messenger was to receive Yahweh.

And how were the people to prepare for the one who was to come after John the Baptizer, to whom John testified “I’m not worthy to carry his sandal”?

Repentance. Both John the Baptizer and Jesus preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. “The time is fulfilled, and the king of God is at hand; repent, and believe the good news of the kingdom” (Mark 1:4, 14-15, Matt. 4:17, 23).

-Bill Schlegel

Bill Schlegel is the author of the Satellite Bible Atlas and general editor of the One God Report podcast.

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3

Tomorrow we will read John 2-4 on our way through our Bible reading plan.

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