*
Isaiah 40:1-11
“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.
“Speak kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her warfare has ended,
That her iniquity has been removed,
That she has received of the Lord’s hand
Double for all her sins.”
A voice is calling,
“Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
“Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And all flesh will see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
A voice says,
“Call out.”
Then he answered,
“What shall I call out?”
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness
is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
When the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.
Get yourself up on a high mountain,
O Zion, bearer of good news,
Lift up your voice mightily,
O Jerusalem,
bearer of good news;
Lift it up, do not fear.
Say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
Behold, the Lord God will come with might,
With His arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His reward is with Him
And His recompense before Him.
Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in His bosom;"...
*
SJ Commentary:
"[This section] was pointing us to God's great faithful love.
Only God would make a highway, not a little track in the dry lifeless desert.
Only God can lift up the deep valleys and lower the mountains and hills, plus, smooth the rough broken places.
God does these things that the glory of Himself may be revealed!
The command is to speak the truth! Beauty of grass and flowers fade and wither when God blows on them.
We are that which is created and finite.
Compare this truth to the Word of the LORD!
Living eternal Powerful--He never fades nor any of His attributes!
What comfort we receive when we believe that "the Word of our God will stand forever!" [v.8b]
*
Posts
