Five Weeks Before...
Mark your trip Bible with your trip highlighter at Isaiah 40:1-31
A Personal Bible Study for you - just five weeks before our trip to Israel...
After we arrive at Ben Gurion airport, we will travel through the Judean wilderness for our first overnight - at the Dead Sea! The setting for this study below is that very region!
“It Is Well With My Soul - Really?”
Please look up, and mark in your Trip Bible, Isaiah 40:1-31
The question in many minds is - how can all be "well" - especially when
things just don’t seem “well” at all? Well... it helps to remember that God is
on His throne, His care is constant and His promises are "Yes!"
That's the timeless message of Isaiah - from the Judean wilderness...
The Announcement of Comfort (40:1-5)
The announcement from God in heaven (40:1-2)
Three promises of God highlight the three major themes of Isaiah 40-66.
1. "Her warfare is accomplished" - Israel's deliverance from Babylon (Isaiah 40-48)
2. "Her iniquity is pardoned" - Israel's redemption from sin (Isaiah 49-57)
3. "She has received . . . double" - This is Israel's double portion of blessing in the future (Isaiah 58-66)
[Also used in Isaiah 61:7.]
The announcement from a voice in the wilderness (40:3-5)
This "wilderness" is the rugged Judean wilderness that lies between Jerusalem and Jericho and all along
the western edge of the Dead Sea. v. 4 is a picture of this land, offering hope by showing that God can
"change the unchangeable."
1. The call to preparation (v. 3)
2. The removal of all obstacles (v. 4)
3. The appearance of God's glory (v. 5)
The Causes for Comfort (40:6-26)
1. The certainty of God's Word (40:6-8)
People are temporal (vv. 6-8a)
Prophet Isaiah describes the grass and flowers that grow in the Judean wilderness during the
winter rainy season. Once the rains end and the hot east wind blows in the from the Arabian desert,
the grass and flowers wither and die.
God's Word stands forever (v. 8b)
People, problems, and circumstances come and go just like wildflowers in the wilderness.
But we can find hope in God's Word of promise that will never fail.
2. The security of God's character (40:9-26)
God's power and love are constant (vv. 9-11)
Isaiah challenges us to look closely at the character God who offers comfort & deliverance.
God is stronger than the greatest conquering hero (vv. 9-10)
God is more compassionate than the most tender, caring shepherd (v. 11)
God's strength is mightier than any enemy or opposition (vv. 12-26)
Isaiah asks, then answers a series of questions to show God is superior to any enemy we may face.
Wow! Our God is bigger than any of our problems! Let’s see…
God is superior to nations (vv. 12-17)
(1) The questions (vv. 12-14)
(2) The application to God (vv. 15-17)
God is superior to idols (vv. 18-20)
(1) The questions (v. 18)
(2) The application to God (vv. 19-20)
God is superior to human leaders (vv. 21-24)
(1) The questions (v. 21)
(2) The application to God (vv. 22-24)
God is superior to all cosmic forces (vv. 25-26)
(1) The questions (v. 25)
(2) The application to God (v. 26)
The Requirements to Receive His Comfort (40:27-31)
1. Remember God's goodness (40:27-28)
The complaint: "I don't think God even knows, let alone cares, for me" (v. 27)
The solution: Just realize and remember God's awesome character and power (v. 28)
God made us all, God sustains us all, God understands us all
2. Wait upon God to solve your problems (40:29-31)
- Human strength will fail (vv. 29-30)
- Those who depend on God's strength will succeed (v. 31)
The Bottom Line today as it relates to our tour AND our life:
We’ll be driving through the Judean wilderness on our drive from the airport to the Dead Sea. We'll get to float in the Dead Sea, and enjoy our evening meal at the resort hotel.
. This rugged terrain we will see on the way, was a powerful object lesson to the people of Israel.
. Standing as an obstacle between Jerusalem and Jericho - the strikingly beautiful but harsh and stark
wilderness symbolized their problems that seemed simply unsolvable and downright discouraging.
God's reminder in troublesome times is to focus on Him not ourselves, on His power not our problems.
Everywhere we go on our pilgrimage and if we look carefully here at home too, we will see reminders of God's power, provision, promises and faithfulness. He IS more powerful than our problems, much stronger than our struggles, and He wants to bear us up on wings as eagles!
The almighty, omnipotent God who can change the craggy wilderness into a smooth plain is the very One who can cause us to say, no matter what...
"When peace, like a river, attends my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, you have taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul!" Really? Really! R
