Today’s readings… Judges 17), (Judges 18), (Isaiah 40), (1 John 1), (1 John 2)

     Today we read the fascinating 40th chapter of Isaiah which was largely taken and put to music in the Oratorio ‘The Messiah’ about 250 years ago.   It begins “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem … that her warfare is ended and her iniquity is pardoned.” Jerusalem has been the centre of warfare for much of the time since God gave these words to Isaiah.  This city, with its magnificent Temple to God has been twice destroyed.

But then in 1967 its ancient walls were again under the control of the people of Israel.  How long will it be before verse 5 is fulfilled? “And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” But the passing centuries have seen that “the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand for ever.” [v.8] Those who know their Bibles will also “stand for ever” and, for this reason they are reading v.9-11 with anticipation – “… O Jerusalem, herald of good news … say to the cities of Judah ‘Behold your God. Behold the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd …”

Then verse 17 tells us, “All nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.” This is more true than ever of the godless world of the 21st Century!  But then the final verses ask and answer the most important question in life!  “Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator … they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” [v.28-31] 

This reminds us of the words of Jesus, “those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection of the dead … they cannot die anymore because they are equal unto the angels …” [Luke 20 v.35,36]

Each year we more eagerly and earnestly “wait for the LORD” – or should be – are you?  Our regular reading and meditation on God’s word is our source of strength until it is renewed in ways beyond our comprehension when as Paul puts it, “we await a Saviour; the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body …” [Philp’ns 3 v.20,21]