“Comfort, comfort my people . . . Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and announce to her that her time of hard service is over.” —Isaiah 40:1–2
Isaiah 40 marks a turning point in the prophet’s message—from one of coming judgment to one of comfort, hope, and deliverance.
Seeing this shift in hindsight, the pieces all line up. Roughly a century later, the Babylonians would take the people of Judah captive, where they would remain for seventy years before being allowed to return home.
But to those who originally heard Isaiah’s message, no prediction could have seemed more outlandish. The northern kingdom of Israel was the one in trouble. Judah, the southern kingdom, was fine. Yet here was God promising comfort to people who hadn’t even been through affliction yet.
What a stunning picture this gives us of God’s providence—His ability to look ahead, know what’s coming, and make provision for us before we even get there. He’s not only a God who can help us handle our current issues but One who has already prepared comfort, help, and blessing for problems that aren’t even on our horizon.
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The Quiet Place: Daily Devotional Readings ©2012 Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible ®. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible ® and CSB ® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Make it Personal
How does knowing that God has already made provision for your comfort, pardon, and ultimate deliverance help in your current struggles?