"God of Glory - Our Comfort and Assurance"

Will He keep His promise?

Will He forgive me?

How long will His discipline or correction last?

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Heb. 13:5 b NIV

God loves us with a covenant keeping and commitment type of love!
Last week we looked at Isaiah 6 and observed Isaiah coming face to face with God Who is not just Holy but is: Holy, Holy, Holy!

The “I AM, that I AM!”

Understanding the Holiness of God helped Isaiah to proclaim God’s judgment was looming on the horizon. That ,however, is not the end of the story.

Our Great God because of His love for HIS people seeks to comfort and assure HIS people. His mercies are new every morning – Great is His Faithfulness!

Isaiah Chapter 40 marks a pivotal place in the Book of Isaiah. LORD we ask you to help us glean some precious truths from this magnificent chapter in Isaiah.

Outline:

1) GOD CARES TO COMFORT HIS PEOPLE – Isaiah 40:1-9

2) GOD ASSURES HIS PEOPLE HE IS ABLE TO CARE FOR THEM – Isaiah 40:10-26

3) GOD PROMISES STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY – Isaiah 40:27-31


GOD CARES TO COMFORT HIS PEOPLE
Isaiah 40:1-9

God had promised Abraham his descendants would become a Great Nation

God delivered the Jews out of Egypt and gave them their own Promised Land

God promised David his: Household, Kingdom and throne would have no end (2 Sam 7:16)

It all started to disintegrate!

The Glorious Kingdom has been divided

The Prophets preached to God’s people the need to repent and turn back to Him

The 10 Northern Kingdom Tribes were carried away to Assyria

The 2 South Kingdom Tribes (Judah) will be carried away to Babylon

If there was ever a time hope was needed, it was now!

The people’s need and failure did not go unnoticed by God! His commitment love was about to do something for His people! He sent a message of encouragement through His prophet Isaiah.
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Isaiah 40:1 NIV

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD’S hand
double for all her sins.
Isaiah 40:2 NIV


Pop Quiz – Five Questions (True or False)

Do we fail? YES

Do we disobey? YES

Do we sin? YES

Do we suffer consequences for it? YES

But is that where God leaves us? NO!

Seed thought for questions – Dr. Ray Ortland, Jr. - Commentary on Isaiah

“If God’s focus was on our sin, our future would be obliterated. But God’s focus is not on our sin, but rather God’s focus is HIS Grace!”

Freddy Fritz in his sermon, The Glory of God is our Comfort, SermonCentral.com

Telescoping vision of Isaiah – revealed by God

* Isaiah saw the LORD – Holy, Holy, Holy
* Isaiah proclaimed impending judgment (saw Northern Kingdom fall to Assyria)
* Isaiah saw Judah captive by Babylon a century in the future (released after 70 years)
* Isaiah’s prophecies foresaw the Messiah (over 700 years in the future)
* Isaiah’s prophecies foresee God’s ultimate Kingdom prepared for all who love Him


God wants to replace His people’s sense of:

Defeat
Bitterness
Disillusionment

With HIS HOPE!

A voice of one calling:

“In the desert prepare