Comfort from God (Isaiah 40:1-11)

• 40:1-2 – Assurance of pardon
  • “Comfort, yes, comfort My people”
  • Comfort in the New Testament (Matthew 5:4; Romans 15:4-5; 1 Corinthians 14:3; 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:18)
  • Comfort through companionship with God (1 John 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
  • Outline for remainder of Isaiah
    • Isaiah 40-48 – “her warfare is ended”
    • Isaiah 49-57 – “her iniquity is pardoned”
    • Isaiah 58-66 – “she hath received…double for all her sins”
• 40:3-5 – Preparation for the Lord
  • Common practice for ancient Near East rulers
  • Prophecy of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23)
  • Preparation through repentance (Luke 3:3, 10-14; Matthew 25:31-45; James 2:14-17; Luke 19:8; Colossians 3:23-24; Ephesians 6:5-9)
• 40:6-8 – The endurance of God’s Word
  • Brevity of life (James 1:9-11; cf. Matthew 6:19-21)
  • Man’s inability to save himself (1 Peter 1:22-25)
• 40:9-11 – Shout the good news
  • The message goes forth out of Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3; Acts 1:8; Acts 8:1,4)
  • The Messiah is God’s “arm” (Isaiah 51:4-5; 52:7-10; 53:1; Luke 1:51)
  • The Good Shepherd (John 10:14)
  • Characterized by strength and tenderness (Matthew 11:29)

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to proclaim comfort to the people of God?

2. What is meant by the phrase, “Make straight in the desert a highway for our God”? What obstacles are hindering your heart from fully living for God?

3. How frail is human life? Why is it important to note this when discussing spiritual matters?

4. What are the good tidings brought by Zion and Jerusalem?

5. How is the symbol of a shepherd appropriate for Christ as it relates to God’s children?