A voice says, "Cry out."
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah40:6-8
"What shall I cry out?" "What _is_ the message?"
This question is critical.
Last week I mentioned that the "reason-for-being" for this chapter is in v.27: Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God"?
In response to their complaint, Isaiah has a message. Isaiah has an answer. He has a truth that he is ready to cry out. He is getting ready to yell it from the rooftops.
What is that message? What is it that he will cry out?
Quite simply it is this:
"Humanity is temporary. God is sovereign and His Word endures."
The rest of the chapter is a "tour de force" of the nature, character and purpose of God.
It is not so much about circumstances and that things will get better.
It is not so much about making sense of the trouble.
It is not so much about what we have to do.
It is about God. The message _is_ about Him.
We can become obsessed by people and problems.
We can dwell on those who have hurt us and lie awake about the challenges we face. But Isaiah makes it clear: People and Problems are temporary. We have to square up with God and the Truth about Him.
For the next few days we're going to be treated to Isaiah's intimate and powerful insights about this God.... Brace yourselves!!
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
