With all the rockets being fired at Israel and the thousands of Israelis living in bomb shelters, and the escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezb'allah (supported by Syria and Iran), and the hourly discussions by military and political leaders about this present conflict, the question is - what sort of comfort and encouragement can we bring?
In reading over the last 27 chapters of Isaiah’s prophecy, one is struck immediately with how much the LORD GOD of ISRAEL loves His people no matter what their response to Him! Consider just one of these passages to His people in Isaiah 40:
ISAIAH
40:1 - “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people”
40:2 - “Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem”
40:9 - “O Jerusalem…be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah: Behold your God!”
40:10 - “Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him”
40:11 - “He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”
AND HOW ABOUT THIS - CONCERNING LEBANON - 40:16-17
“And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity.”
In Isaiah 40:27, Israel feels forsaken and that God does not notice what is going on - THINK AGAIN! “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?”
Do we think that God does not know and does not care?
Rejoice in the beauty and wisdom of these words from Isaiah 40:28-31:
“Hast thou not known? hast hou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might, He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: BUT THEY THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH; THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES; THEY SHALL RUN, AND NOT BE WEARY; AND THEY SHALL WALK, AND NOT FAINT.”
He Who is the STRENGTH of Israel watches over them day and night, and cares about their God-given covenant land. The world calls them “occupiers” and “usurpers” and the Islamic world insists that the land belongs to them! But the GOD of the Bible has spoken clearly - the land belongs to Him (Leviticus 25:23) and He has given that land to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Nation of Israel will continue to exist forever (Genesis 17:7-8; Psalm 105:8-11; Jeremiah 31:35-37)!
MAY ALL THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD (ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WHOM GOD HAS CHOSEN - Deuteronomy 7:6-9) CRY OUT TO THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN BRING GENUINE PEACE TO THIS WORLD - OUR TRUST MUST BE IN THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL AND HIS COMING MESSIAH, THE PRINCE OF PEACE!
Dr. David Hocking - Hope For Today Ministries
