Every year during the month of December one can find concerts and choruses playing Handel’s Messiah. Larger churches often have performances, along with universities, community orchestras, and choruses. You are also likely to hear it played on your classical music radio station, possibly several times during the month. Our Old Testament Scripture for this second Sunday in Advent comes from the Prophet Isaiah, and the first five verses are also the opening Scripture words that Handel used in his beloved oratorio. Let’s take a quick look at these familiar verses.
Though the prophet Isaiah preached many years before the Babylonian captivity, some of his messages looked into the future to give comfort and encouragement to those yet to come, those who would live in those dark days. Judah was facing years of adversity to come, but God wanted His servant Isaiah to speak comfort to them (vs. 1-2). Even though the exile was yet in the future, God promised that He would not forget or lose sight of His people when they were in adversity. The seeds of comfort may take root in the soil of adversity. We may not escape adversity, but we may find God’s comfort as we face it.
The Hebrew word for comfort in verse one is “naham”, and has both the meaning of comfort or compassion, and also to repent or be sorry. True repentance must precede divine comfort and consolation. When God speaks that He will comfort “My people”, He is speaking of those who are in a covenant relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. God is the Creator of all and loves everyone, desiring they be saved, but only those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior are His children, His people, as the Apostle John clearly states in His Gospel (John 1:12).
As our Scripture continues, Isaiah prophesies of one whose voice is crying in the wilderness for mankind to prepare the way of the Lord (vs. 3-5). John the Baptist was the fulfillment of this prophecy. Each of the four Gospels states this (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23). In ancient times, monarchs and other important people would often send heralds before their arrival in other cities, in order for them to get things prepared, and the roadways to be smooth and free of obstacles. We sometimes see this even today. If a city knows a foreign head of state is coming, they are quick to fill in the potholes, and clean up the trash and graffiti! Both Isaiah and John the Baptist preached that we need to do that with our hearts and lives to prepare for the Lord’s coming.
Isaiah proceeds to warn us that our life is transitory (vs. 6-8). We are here today, but gone tomorrow, just like the grass and flowers in the fields. We never know when our last moment will be. Are we prepared to part this life and meet God? Also, throughout our life, who are we depending on? Are you sure they will be there tomorrow? Even material things are not guaranteed to be there. Ask anyone who was depending upon the stock market, and then their stocks came crashing down in value!
However, there is one thing that we can always be sure of, and that is God’s Word (vs. 8). God’s Word is eternal, unfailing, and constant. It is Truth, and it never changes. When the Bible says something, we can be certain that it will happen. The Bible enables us in all circumstances, so we have a sure foundation on which to base our lives and decisions. If we are anchored in God’s Word, we will not drift. The Bible will stand forever!
Our Scripture continues as Isaiah tells those who bring God’s good news to go up to the high mountains and proclaim it with a loud voice (vs. 9). If a messenger is on a mountain, and shouts out his message with a loud voice, it will echo out and many can hear him. We have the good news of Jesus, and salvation through Him. That is the best news that people can hear, so we need to tell it out, just like someone on the mountain with his voice echoing all throughout the valley. Like Isaiah said, lift up your voice with strength and don’t be afraid.
Jesus’ first coming was in peace, to bring salvation. However, at His second coming, He will come in judgment and in power to defeat His enemies (vs. 10). However, God is as gentle and loving to His children, to His flock, as a shepherd is (vs. 11). Are you a part of His flock? If not, do not hesitate to turn to Jesus today and call upon Him as your Savior. Then you can receive His comfort, and be gathered in His arms like a beloved lamb.
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