God Comforts His People

ISAIAH 40:27-31—God’s people need comfort because during the preparatory ages of his plan, in the divine economy and in keeping with divine wisdom, their faith in God and their loyalty to him are tested by means of the trials and difficulties they encounter in their efforts to please him and to do his will. From this standpoint it could be said that they are a people of trouble. God comforts them, not by promising to remove the trouble, but by the assurance that he will give them the necessary strength to endure whatever degree of hardship he deems needful and best for the outworking of his purposes in and through them. During the Millennium, however, righteousness will be rewarded by the actual removal of hardships.

A strong faith in the Lord, and in his wisdom and love, is essential in order for one to benefit from the comforting assurances of his Word. Without faith it is easy to doubt that God is actually watching over our every interest. Under such circumstances, fear supplants assurance and, as the prophet declared concerning ancient Israel, we may be inclined to say, “My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God.” In other words, we begin to wonder whether or not God is actually dealing with us.

It is at such times that we need to be reminded, not only that our God never becomes weary of watching over us, but also that there is no “searching of his understanding”—that is, that we are unable always to understand why he permits certain experiences to come into our lives, or why at times it may seem that he has withdrawn the sunshine of his favor from us.

The spirit of fear and doubt does not come from the Lord. Instead he gives us the “spirit … of power”; or, as stated in our lesson, “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” (II Tim. 1:7) The strength by which the Lord’s people are able faithfully to continue doing his will is given to them largely by means of his reassuring promises to supply all their need; and, of course, in the fulfillment of these promises actual strength of purpose and determination is imparted when and where it is needed. It is thus that we become “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”—Eph. 6:10

Even those of the Lord’s people who are the strongest are in need of his strength. This is the thought of verse 30—“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.” On the other hand, all who trust in the Lord “shall renew their strength,” for he will daily and hourly sustain them. “They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Thus does the Lord comfort us by the use of these three illustrations of enduring strength.

ISAIAH 41:10-13—Here we have another wonderful assurance from God that he will be with his people to sustain them in their every time of need. In this promise the enemies of the Lord’s people are mentioned, and the assurance given of victory over them. Briefly stated the enemies of the Christian are the world, the flesh, and the devil. Each of these is a powerful foe, and in alliance we would be helpless before them but for the Lord’s help.

But we need not fear for the Lord will help, and because of this victory is assured, a victory so complete that those who war against us “shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.” How true this is, for the present evil world with its selfishness and sin will utterly perish in the time of trouble, Satan will be bound for a thousand years and then be destroyed; and if faithful our flesh will be consumed on the altar of sacrifice while as new creatures we will be clothed upon with our new house from heaven.

ISAIAH 61:1-3—This passage of Scripture is much more than a message of comfort to God’s people. It is more particularly a commission to them to comfort others. Jesus quoted part of it and applied it to himself, explaining that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him and that thereby he had been anointed to preach good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, to preach liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.—Luke 4:18,19

The message which Jesus proclaimed with his lips and illustrated by his miracles contained all these elements. It was good tidings indeed to those who were teachable and searching after righteousness. It also contained comfort for the brokenhearted; that is, those whose experiences had humbled them and caused them to long for a close fellowship with God through a better understanding of his plans and purposes for them and for all mankind.

The Scriptures depict the whole world as being captives of sin and in bondage to death, but the Gospel of Christ assures liberty from this captivity to all who, through faith, accept and obey it. And even more than this, the Gospel gives assurance that all who have actually gone down into the great prison-house of death are to be restored, that the gates of hell are to be opened and the prisoners of death set free. These who are comforted by this glorious message now are chiefly those who, when hearing and accepting it, manifest their appreciation by obeying the divine commission to tell it to others, for the Holy Spirit also commissions the followers of the Master to proclaim this message.

Jesus also proclaimed the “acceptable year of the Lord.” This statement refers to the Gospel age as that period or “year” in the divine plan when the Lord accepts the sacrifices of those who follow in the footsteps of the Master and, through the merit of the ransom, considers them to be joint-sacrificers with his beloved Son. They are invited to suffer and die with him and are promised that if faithful in doing this, they shall live and reign with him.

This acceptable “year” of the Lord is referred to by the Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 6:2 as the “time accepted,” and he declares, “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” This has been misinterpreted to mean that the opportunity for salvation through Christ is limited to the present span of imperfect life. But this is not the apostle’s thought. Rather, the term “now” refers to the entire Gospel age. His statement is in keeping with the commission of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the “acceptable year of the Lord.”

Jesus did not apply to himself that part of the commission which speaks of the “day of vengeance of our God.” The reason for this was that the prophetic “day of vengeance” was not upon the world in his day, but is rather the great “time of trouble” at the close of the age which results in the destruction of this “present evil world.” This part of the divine commission does, however, apply to the Lord’s people now, for we are living in the “day of vengeance”—the foretold fire of God’s jealousy is already devouring the symbolic earth.

It is well to remember, though, that proclaiming the “day of vengeance” does not mean pronouncing vengeance upon the world. It means, rather, to explain to the people the significance of the trouble which is causing such widespread distress of nations. And it is this explanation, together with the assurance of the glorious outcome, that brings comfort to “all that mourn”—that is, all who have ears to hear and hearts to appreciate the message.

How great the joy that results to God’s own people as they proclaim this message of comfort to a sorrowing world! And it is our privilege to proclaim it in any and every way we can—by our personal testimonies, by the printed page, by public meetings, by pictures and over the radio. What a blessed opportunity!

QUESTIONS

Why do the Lord’s people need comfort?

How does the Lord illustrate the need of his help even on the part of the strongest of his people?

What are the three illustrations of enduring strength given in the lesson?

What are the principal enemies of the Christian, and how do we gain the victory over them?

What are some of the elements of truth contained in the message we are commissioned to proclaim?

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