Understanding the Heart |
Isaiah 40:1-2, The True Comfort, is the first of three points to view the journey of discipleship that our LORD takes His people on in Isaiah 40:1-5.
The covenant with God's people stands behind all His works with and in His people including judgment. Once God's purpose through discipline is accomplished, it is ceased. Here, then, they will find comfort and encouragement.
No matter how difficult the process, we are never to undermine God's work by asking, "Doesn't He love me?" His love is everlasting. God disciplines His children because of His love.
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 LORDS hand Double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:1-2, NASB).
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True forgiveness can be found only in true the true salvation of a person.
True comfort comes from the Lord when His people know that God's judgment has been effectively turned from them. Once His judgment is removed, we then need to learn and remember the great teachings of assurance of salvation, perseverance of the saints, God's everlasting love, election, holiness and adoption into His family.
God declares us righteous through Christ's work on the cross. God has prepared the work necessary for reconciliation. Our faith in Christ and His work effectively applies it.
This is what justification by faith means. When we have become God's children, we see that the judgment has been fully placed on Christ thus setting us free to thrive within a wonderful relationship with the Lord.
Isaiah 40:1-2 refers to God's judgment upon His people for their wrong doing. This is a form of His discipline in which He uses difficult circumstances to bring His people back to Himself. This is true with God's covenant in the New Testament too.
Without being part of His covenant, there is not discipline. There is no comfort. People just listlessly go along in the world until a final judgment.
Application: A clear understanding of salvation is important or we will waver back and forth under the subjectivity of our feelings our whole lives. When we can interpret our lives from the perspective of God's Word, we then can rightly understand the work of sanctification and glorification in our lives.
Isaiah 40:1-2 well describes the first level of discipleship where God brings His people into covenenant with Him through the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and assures Him of His love and care for them. Check out our who library of free resources for this first level of discipleship or go to our store! |
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Scriptures typically quoted from the New American Standard Bible unless noted:
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