Isaiah 29-40

The Lord continues to destroy obstinate nations...

The Lord says:  "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."  Isaiah 29: 13

and

"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have non of it."  Isaiah 30:15  (How often is this us....too busy for quietness and rest?)

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;  he rises to show you compassion.  For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for him!  Isaiah 30:  18  (Waiting is so hard.  I need to memorize this verse.  I am not good on waiting on the Lord.)

O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.  How gracious he will be when you cry for help!  As soon as he hears, he will answer you.  Isaiah 30:19  (I believe this with my whole heart!  Although, we don't always get the answer WE WANT.  I heard the song Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks the other day.  I think it fits in with this verse perfectly!)

For the first 39 chapters Isaiah focused on the sinful nations and the judgement against them.  We now start the 40th chapter which is also called, "The Book of Comfort".  I believe it will focus on restoring God's Kingdom.

One of old my favorites:

"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the God stands forever."
Isaiah 40:6-8

One of my new favorites:
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:11

Do you know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary 
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will sour on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31


Amen!  -nic