Sabbath: “Comfort My People”
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Isaiah 40.1-2; Isaiah 40.3-8; Isaiah 40.9-11; Isa: 40:12-31.
Memory Text: “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!’ ” (Isaiah 40:9).
World War II ended in 1945 while a Japanese soldier named Shoichi Yokoi was hiding out in the jungle on the island of Guam. Leaflets dropped from U.S. planes proclaimed peace, but Yokoi thought it a trick. A loyal, patriotic soldier of the emperor, he had vowed never to surrender. Because he had no contact with civilization, he lived on what he could find in the jungle, a sparse, hard existence indeed.
In 1972, 27 years after the end of World War II, hunters came across Yokoi while he was fishing, and he only then learned that the message of peace had been true. While the rest of his people had been enjoying peace for decades, Yokoi had been enduring decades of privation and stress.—Roy Gane, Altar Call (Berrien Springs, Mich.: Diadem, 1999), p. 304, adapted.
Many centuries earlier, through the prophet Isaiah, God announced that the time of His people’s stress and suffering was really over: “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins” ( Isaiah 40.1-2, NRSV).
Let’s take a look at what this means.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 20.</
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We live in a world where conflict seems to be the norm. Most of the news is about conflict in politics, sport, social activity and so on. Of course the media knows that we have a fascination for conflict and feed us an endless diet of it. I don't watch all that much TV, but not only do we get conflict in the news, a fair bit of our entertainment is conflict based. Work places are often competitive and conflict oriented.
Even in our religion we tend to focus on the conflict. Our religion is better than your religion. We have the better world view than you do. ...and so on.
In a world, fed on a diet of conflict, aggression, litigation and completion, what does the poem of Isaiah 40 mean? Does the gospel message speak to those who are living in the partisan 21st century?
What a beautiful prayer. It could be mine each morning. I appreciate you sharing it.
Thank you Easter for this beautiful prayer. It shall be my prayer every morning.
Esther, what a heartfelt prayer, may I share it with others. Oh how it spoke to me this morning. Thank you
This reminds me of this text that comforts me.
Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me.......John 14:1-3.
“Comfort My People”
Why would the Lord tell Isaiah to comfort the people? What was the state of those people lives in that time? As we see in Isa 39:6-8 the days were coming for them to be definitely taken away although false prophets probably told them otherwise. But although taken away, they will return after they have accomplished their time. God promises is sure whether for good or bad. Are we resting on his promises?
This week I lost a dear friend of mine through sickness. I am deeply hurting. My spirit is sore with sorrow. A time like this who does not need to be comforted? Words of hope and acts of kindness soothe the soul.
Without question, we live in a strife-ridden world, one torn by wars, by famine, by disease and sickness, by natural disasters of gigantic proportion, by injustices and corrupt governments run by self-seeking politicians who are highly unreliable. Fear, anxiety and uncertainty run wild in the hearts of men/women.
In no uncertain terms, we need to hear and know that all will be well regardless of our current circumstances. "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God”(Rev.21:3). Human governments may wish to provide the best life for their populace but without success. Good intentions are not good enough!
The Chief Comforter (Jesus Christ) will ultimately make all things well (1 Thess.4:13-18). Paul admonishes us not to be comforted only in this life, but also when Jesus comes again(1 Cor.15:19). True comfort is beyond the grave.
I feel your pain, brother Omwenga, and am praying that God pour out an extra measure of His comfort upon you during this difficult time. 🙏
Thanks, sister Esther. May the grace and love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be with you.
I was thinking, may be the message of peace seemed too good to be true to Yokoi.
Likewise we do not believe the good tidings, promises of the eternal future, the conforting message. Does the promise of eternal everything seem too good to be true?
Rev. 21:5......And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
To help anyone who wants to know and has an 'ear to hear', I suggest to use Isaiah's Chapter 40 to answer many, if not all, questions about who God is, what He has done and what He is planning to do. The record of the world and its Maker has been written down as a warning that there will be an end to the earth as we know it and our place in it – 1Cor.10:11KJV.
Isa.40:2-5KJV: ”….. and cry unto her, that her warfare(appointed time) is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins. v.3: The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. v.4: Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked (place) shall be made a straight place, and the rough place a plain place. v.5: And the Glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Isaiah could be read just like another history book, but it is sooo much more! This quarter’s study has helped me see and understand much better the events in their spiritual context – the people of Jacob, Israel, Jerusalem, and all believers’ spiritual calling has been revealed: “v.3 –“…… …..Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
The desert of our heart is offered to undergo complete and final reconstruction. v.5: “The Glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”
The Glory of the LORD has been revealed in God’s Son, our Savior Christ Jesus; in Him we become the re-creation to be made new in the Father’s Image.
I am looking forward to studying all about it!
Should we as a people who believe in Biblical prophecies of the Lord expect peace in these troublesome times or should we look beyond the smokescreens of today and prepare to meet our God?
May our faith move us to believe that He is coming soon. We can see the door knob twisting. He is at the door.
Isaiah 26:3 tells us we can find perfect peace anywhere, anytime, though not in the world, just as Jesus said(John 16:33).
What a beautiful prayer Sister Esther. After a long and trying week! I will forever hide this prayer in my heart, with the intent of sharing it with other weary souls! Amen, amen.