The Only True Comfort in the Only True Shepherd

HC LD 1, Isaiah 40:1-11

The pursuit of happiness is natural. It’s not wrong. We see this pursuit in Singapore’s national pledge; citizens pledge to be one people, building a just and equal society in order to achieve happiness. Even the American Declaration of Independence, the drafters believed that all men are created equal by God with certain rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Now, a great number of the signers were evangelical Reformed Christians. And they knew their Scriptures. Happiness, joy, and comfort are the themes of Scripture. And the Reformed catechisms reflect that. The Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechisms say that the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. Our Heidelberg asserts that our only comfort in life and death is that we do not belong to ourselves, but to our faithful savior Jesus Christ. Everyone is in search of happiness. But they try to find it in the wrong places. Blaise Pascal said “All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different ways they use, that’s their goal. Why some people go to war, why other people avoid war - it’s the same desire in both, just done differently. No one takes a step forward except to pursue happiness. This is the motive of every action of every man, even those who hang themselves.”

Israel had tried to find happiness and comfort in the wrong places. They sought it in sin and idolatry. They cheated and hurt one another. They served idols they thought would bring them happiness. Their search for comfort was selfish and made others unhappy. And this angered God. He’d given them greatest joy, yet they sought wells that held no water - sources of joy that had no joy. And so God through Isaiah taught his people that true comfort only comes from the True Shepherd who’d save them and rule over them. And he taught this progressively with 4 truths - firstly, the promise of comfort for those facing judgment; secondly, the realization of comfort with the appearing of God’s glory; thirdly, the assurance of comfort from the Word of God; and fourthly, the ultimate comfort by the Rule of God.

Firstly, the promise of comfort for those facing judgment. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah are filled with threats of judgment. Why? Well, God had rescued his people, blessed them with land, with rulers and kings, with his laws, and called them to be grateful and obey him; but they disobeyed. They even worshiped other gods. And so God warned about disaster so they’d repent. But they didn’t. Isaiah warned what would happen. So did other prophets. Habakkuk wrote that the Babylonians would come - they’d burn the farmlands, chop down the fig and olive trees, slaughter the animals, slaughter the people like animals, and then exile them to Babylon. This would be severe. Ezekiel’s illustration was even more severe. A third of them would be hacked to bits. A third of them would be burned. A third of them would be scattered into the wind. But wouldn’t their judgment mean that God had forsaken them? No - they forsook God. Wouldn’t the Babylonian attack mean that God was unable to protect them? No - God was behind the attack. And wouldn’t their great sin mean that God was overcome by their sin? No - God would deal with their sin - by punishing them. But he promised to forgive some.

That’s why, even though all sinned and deserved to be cast off forever, God in chapters 40-48 promised to deliver some of them. Despite the judgment, there was a message of comfort. Verse 1 - “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.” Notice that these words of comfort came after the threat was comprehensively described - 39 chapters of judgment. Why? Because unless there’s knowledge of our sin and misery, the knowledge of deliverance means nothing. Our catechism, in question 2 asks what we must know in order to have the joy of this comfort. And it says, we must firstly know how great our sins and miseries are. Unless people know the judgment that would befall them, they can’t appreciate the comfort that comes from deliverance. Furthermore, these words came to God’s people. Comfort ye my people. Only God’s elect, as they hear these words, will appropriate them for themselves. These were the people that God will not abandon. Among God’s covenant people are believers and unbelievers. The unbelievers - the fake believers - will not receive these words; but the true believers will receive them and be comforted. But God will never forsake his own. Children, you have grown up hearing these words of comfort - of forgiveness - do you truly believe? These words of comfort were also kind words. Verse 2 - “Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.” Speak kindly to Jerusalem. Assure her that whatever hardship she’d go through, it’ll be over. Her sins would be forgiven. Since the covenant people of God would go through chastisement, these elect would also go through the chastisement. It’d be a great judgment - but they would receive double from God’s hand. He would pay them back double. Now, what does the double mean? Double judgment or double pardon? It has to be double pardon. We see this from the context. Comfort ye, comfort ye. And we see - hardship is finished, iniquity is pardoned. God’s heart was opened wide here - he called out to his covenant people. Not only was there comfort spoken, it was spoken twice. Not only only was it spoken twice, it was spoken kindly to his people Jerusalem.

How does this apply to us? We don’t live in those times of impending judgment. We’re in the New Covenant. How do those words of comfort to God’s people then, apply to us? Rather than a hope to us, it is a reality to us. You see, the majority of the people were destroyed - only a remnant remained, God’s true people - and they were brought back and restored. This was the comfort. They wouldn’t be completely destroyed, even though they had great sin. Our assurance is this - Christ was doubly punished. He received double from God’s hand for the sins of his people. All of us who are in Christ, will therefore be doubly pardoned. We will never be forsaken. We are forgiven. But we can only have this comfort if we acknowledge our sins. And this is how we shall escape the judgment which is to come.

Secondly, the realization of comfort with the appearing of God’s glory. Isaiah told the people that this comfort would be revealed when God’s glory appears. Verse 3 - “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” There’d be a prophetic voice that calls out. We now know this was John the Baptizer. He’d cry out. And this shows us how important the Word is. Throughout this passage, there are 11 words relating to speaking. 3 times God speaking is mentioned. Then along that, other voices are mentioned - the voice of others, a prophet, and Jerusalem herself. So this voice that calls out in the wilderness is calling people to make straight in the desert a highway for God. A highway is a road that has been straightened out and leveled to make it easy for people to travel. Every valley and mountain will be leveled. Every crooked road straightened, and every bumpy place shall be cleared of debris. This speaks about the plainness of the message. It’s not complicated. The glory of God will be revealed. In the Old Testament, the glory was always hidden. The burning bush, the back of God’s glory from the cleft of the rock, behind the veil at the Holiest, behind the types and shadows of the Temple. But verse 5 - “And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

And we see this in the gospel of John. John 1 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” The glory was hidden. But “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.” John was sent to reveal that light. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” That glory will be revealed - all flesh shall see it. “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Those who believe will receive double grace - grace for grace. And it would be clear and plain - grace and truth.

What does this mean for us? Those who are in Christ have this comfort. It’s not freedom from problems in this world, it is freedom from the judgment of God! It’s not prosperity in this life and a good career, it’s everlasting glory in heaven above. It’s not freedom from loneliness today, it’s everlasting fellowship forever. It’s not a temporary relief - it’s eternal salvation in Christ. This is the glory and the true comfort that we have. The Jews in Isaiah’s day would’ve looked forward to their release and return from Babylon, just as there was great rejoicing by the Israelites who came out of Egypt - but the greater deliverance, the greater glory, that had been shrouded, explained in such dim metaphors - would be the deliverance of God’s people from God’s judgment itself. That’s double glory from the hand of God. That’s the only true comfort. And it’s found in Christ - the one about whom that voice in the wilderness spoke. And it will come to pass, because the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.

That’s why thirdly, we find the assurance of comfort from the Word of God. This good news of comfort is contrasted with temporal goodness. Verses 6-8 say, “The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” There’s the temporal goodness of agriculture. Grass is good - it produces food for animals. Flower is good because from it produces fruit. But these things are temporary. They fade and die. Isaiah uses the illustration of a wind that blows upon them. In May, before rainy season, the hot Sirocco winds from the Arabian desert would blow over Judea. These winds blow without stopping, and the region of Judea becomes hot and oppressive - filled with dust. The grass and the flowers are destroyed by such a wind. But Isaiah’s purpose was to demonstrate how temporary man is. Surely, the people are like grass - all flesh is grass. His message was simply this - man will perish - the grass withers, the flower fades. And even his accomplishments - the goodliness of the flower - his success, will also be temporary. People seek comfort from their achievements. But the will pass.

But the thing that is not temporary - the thing that lasts forever - is the Word of God. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. This gospel of double comfort is in the Christ. That in life and death, we belong to our faithful savior. Not even war, not even death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. But there is also a word of judgment. If you receive not that Word of God, judgment is sure. But comfort is also sure to those who submit to the rule of God.

That’s why fourthly, the ultimate comfort by the Rule of God. The problem with Israel was this - they had been rescued by God from Egypt and brought into a land. They were given the laws of God. If they had been truly grateful for what God had done, they would acknowledge his rule and followed him joyfully. But they didn’t. They went after other gods. But we are reminded in our catechism that we have comfort when we belong to our faithful savior Jesus Christ. He owns us. And this the good news. Verse 9 says that this good tidings should be shouted from every mountain - that God is coming. How will he come? Verse 10 - with a powerful hand, and his arm shall rule. This means that there are two things God will do. Firstly, he will destroy and judge his enemies. The illustration given previously of a strong wind that comes and blows on the grass and flower - who are people - shows that God will come to judge his enemies. And those of his enemies are also those who refuse to submit to him as king. This is why those Israelites, those Jews, although belonging to the outward covenant people of God - they will be scattered, burned, chopped up when the Babylonians came. But those who submitted to the rule of Christ will be comforted.

But secondly, he will come with his reward, verse 10. He has come to reward his people with eternal life. And he will rule over them as a Shepherd. Verse 11 - “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” We see that as tough as he will be on the unbelieving - as a harsh wind that blows, with a strong hand and arm, he will be a gentle shepherd to his flock. And as we know, this refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. He comes as a shepherd to his flock who hear his voice. He will come to separate the sheep from the goats. As a good shepherd, he preserves me in such a way that no one is able to pluck us out of our father’s hand; not a hair can fall from our head with his will.

And this is where the rubber meets the road. Context - God gave this word of comfort to the Jews that we about to head into exile. It would be terrible judgment. Most of God’s outward people didn’t care. And they would be scattered. But the word of comfort to the believing ones would be eternal life. Even if they perished, even if they didn’t return - they could trust in a coming shepherd. That comfort became a reality when Jesus was born. The glory that was hidden was made plain for all to see. He received double of God’s hand in judgment so we would receive double in blessings. All who receive him as king will be blessed eternally. Temporal blessings? Never promised without qualification. That’s why the return from exile, return from financial ruin, restoration from severe illness, restoration from poverty, restoration of relationship problems - these are not guaranteed. But what is guaranteed is this - that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. And we will go to the eternal Promised Land, where the streets are paved with gold, and there will be no more illness or tears, where all of God’s people will be one, worshiping the Lamb that was slain, but sitting on the throne, who is worthy to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.

1. The Promise of Comfort for Those Going Through Judgment

2. The Realization of Comfort when God's Glory Appears

3. The Assurance of Comfort from the Word of God

4. The Ultimate Comfort by the Rule of God