Sermon Snippet – Intense Comfort
INTRODUCTION – We return today to the theme of comfort. In an increasingly uncomfortable world, we need God’s comfort, and He provides it to us in many ways. Isaiah 40:1-11 is a familiar passage (a good portion of it is found in Handel’s famous oratorio Messiah). The dramatic repetition of verse 1 – “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people” – intensifies the message: our God really wants us to know His genuine concern, and He deeply desires that we enter into His mighty comfort.
1. WE ARE COMFORTED BY FULFILLED PROPHECY
Isaiah predicts that the entire nation of Israel would return from a future exile in Babylon (verses 2-5). The people were taken into captivity, and they were later restored to their homeland. We should note that the word “double” does not mean that God punished these people more than they deserved; just the opposite is true, for He returned them to the Promised Land and blessed them. “Double” means that their punishment was paid in full and that they did not have to fear further chastisement. Verse 3 is directly applied to the ministry of John the Baptist, the prophesied forerunner of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:3). In ancient days, the roads were smoothed out (verse 4) before the arrival of royalty. The King of Kings, Jesus Christ, also came and fulfilled the foretelling of verse 5 by revealing “the glory of the LORD” (John 1:14, 18). Because very specific prophecies such as these have been fulfilled, we can be confident that our God is trustworthy, and we can be calm in the midst of the world’s whirlwind.
2. WE ARE COMFORTED BY GOD’S WORD
Verses 6-8 contrast our uncertainties with the absoluteness of the Bible: “The word of our God shall stand for ever.” This comfort includes fulfilled prophecy but also involves specific verses that grab hold of us and help us in times of distress. We frequently recite Psalm 23, which begins, “The LORD is my shepherd.” I can attach the adjective “my” to the self-existent YAHWEH, to the One Who reveals Himself as “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14)? Who could have imagined that relationship? Think of Zephaniah 3:17: “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest [comfort you] in His love; He will joy over thee with singing.” Really? God is singing a joyful song about me? Yes! What about Romans 8:17, where all believers in Jesus are called “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ”? What astonishing encouragement! Throughout God’s Word, we find such precise and often surprising comfort. The Bible reveals our Savior’s character to us and is thus a sustaining book of real comfort.
3. WE ARE COMFORTED BY THE RETURN OF JESUS
Verses 9-11 await a final fulfillment. The poignant word picture of verse 11 is especially comforting, a perfect joining of omnipotence and gentleness. Jesus revealed this core compassion throughout His earthly ministry, including in Luke 13:24-25. He offered His comfort in His first advent, provides comfort right now, and will return to gather His people to Himself and hold us tight in His eternal comfort, for He never changes.
CONCLUSION – May each one of us be certain of the everlasting comfort that salvation through faith in Jesus Christ gives, and may we continue to find peace in His intense comfort.