Comfort Together

Do you picture G-d as being compassionate? Many, particularly in the Christian world, seem to see G-d as a tyrant. Others like to give long and lengthy sermons on the wrath of G-d and the damnation that awaits your soul if you don't follow their particular brand of religion. I remember hearing a Christian band one time, back when I was still a Christian, spending their half time show, speaking of nothing but the “wrath of G-d” and essentially scaring people into “salvation.”

Truly I don't blame them for their message, after all that's what most Christians are taught, that G-d is a vengeful, wrathful G-d, who will utterly annihilate you for your sin ,without mercy, unless you believe in Jesus. Now I have stated in earlier posts that Jesus is not the messiah, and that the messiah is not coming to forgive anyone's sin, G-d Himself will do that, and he says so. Lets look at Isa. 40:1-2

Isaiah 40:1-2 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.”

As someone once explained to me Hebrew is very sparse on words. The words as they are translated really convey a series of ideas and over the years some blanks have been filled in with words to give it a more modern understanding.

Just as an example verse one reads something like this: comfort you comfort you people of me he is saying Elohim of you.

What is interesting here is that the word “comfort you” is used twice in a row. Generally if it is repeated in Hebrew is has significance and is sincerely meant. So here you have a compassionate G-d wanting Isaiah to speak the following words as a way to bring them comfort and what is it that he says?

“That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned.”

Israel and Judah sinned greatly against G-d by following other so called “gods” of the nations around them. They were, at that time , in the midst of being scattered and punished, “ she has received from the Lords hand double for all her sins” yet even in the midst of this He has compassion on His people and tells them that they have been forgiven. They had turned their backs on Him and yet He forgives them before they even turn back to Him. No sacrifices, not even a repentance on their collective parts, Yet He forgives them.

Now look at verses 3-5

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Typically, in the Christian world, these verses are used to reference John the Baptist as being the coming of Elijah before the messiah, this is far from the truth. Read it carefully and in context and you just might find something in it that you hadn't read before.

First though, in those days it was quite common for someone of royal blood that was traveling, to have a crew going out ahead of them to smooth out the roads, filling in pot holes and scaring away bandits, so that said individual could travel in safety and relative comfort.

In this context though it is speaking of a much larger and grander event. We are looking at the removal of mountains and the up raising of valleys before G-d Himself arrives, and His glory is going to be seen by everyone TOGETHER. Not individually, not just one nation or religion, but to all of us. Just as He revealed Himself to the entire nation of Israel at MT. Sinai, He will, in the end , reveal Himself to all the world.

So not only is G-d a compassionate G-d, but He promises to show Himself to us all.

Shalom.