THE FAITHFUL COMFORTED.
Isaiah 66:10-14.
This short passage was originally addressed to the faithful remnant within Israel, a nation within a nation if you will, a nation as it were ‘born in a day’ (cf. Isaiah 66:8).
ISAIAH 66:10. These were the faithful who kept hope alive, even through all the trials and travails of Mother Zion, aka Jerusalem. They loved her, and mourned for her distresses, but were now called upon to “rejoice” with her, and “be glad,” and “rejoice for joy with her.”
ISAIAH 66:11. It is hard to imagine what it must have been like for the faithful who returned to Jerusalem from the exile in BABYLON.
As prophesied, they came ‘with singing’ (Isaiah 51:11), but what they were returning to was a city in ruins.
Even as they rebuilt, even as they laid the foundation of the second Temple, the ancient men WEPT, who remembered the glory of the former house (Ezra 3:12). Isaiah’s prophecies must have been a constant consolation to them, as they fed upon the word of God.
Zion was going to bring forth once more (cf. Isaiah 54:1). This time it would be the birth of the church, born some forty years before the ROMAN destruction of Jerusalem.
As Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, ‘salvation is of the Jews’ (John 4:22).
The church, made up of both Jews and Gentiles, must never forget her common roots with Israel (cf. Romans 11:18).
ISAIAH 66:12. The prophecy goes on to speak of “peace” flowing to Jerusalem “like a river.”
Peace (shalom) is not just the absence of war, but includes completeness, contentment, dignity, harmony, health, prosperity, security, and well-being.
It is the overflowing blessings of God for the faithful remnant (John 14:27).
Yet our ULTIMATE comfort does not come from Jerusalem, nor even from the church, but from God Himself (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
ISAIAH 66:13. “AS one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
This corresponds to ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem’ (Isaiah 40:1-2).
ISAIAH 66:14. Our short passage began with a call to rejoice (Isaiah 66:10). Now we are told that, when we see the promises of God being fulfilled, “your heart SHALL rejoice.”
Jesus told His disciples, ‘I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you’ (John 16:22).
When we ‘rejoice in the LORD’ (Philippians 4:4), our “BONES shall flourish like the herb.” Sometimes our sorrows and troubles seem to reach down into the very marrow of our being. However, we SEE our reason to rejoice in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Not only do we see Him, but we KNOW Him. It is He who has been with us all along, even in the dark valleys of our distress, and He who will perfect the good work which He has begun within us (Philippians 1:6).
Though His ENEMIES surround us, HE will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
