Liberal scholars attack Isaiah and suggest that there are two actual writers - one who wrote the 1st 39 chapters and another who wrote the rest. Chapter 40 begins so called "Deutero-Isaiah," second-Isaiah. The main reason is that the 1st 39 chapters peak heavily of judgment, while those that follow speak of comfort. The truth is that both "sections" contain both judgment and comfort and Isaiah's ministry covered a very long time. So, there is no reason to doubt that Isaiah was the author of both.
Nonetheless, the remainder of Isaiah will have some great words of comfort for the believer about their future. I am glad to know that God tends us like a shepherd, while having unlimited power. I love the way Isaiah describes the absolute immensity of God's power by examining the immensity of the earth. He also reminds us that God's wisdom is well beyond our understanding. How great a mistake we make when we try to fully pretend to understand the ways of God beyond what we are explicitly told. How great is God's power over the rulers of the world.
Chapter 40 ends with an encouragement to hope in the LORD - for renewed strength! I have just gone through a tough week and half. The week began exhorting my mom to eat and walk to strengthen herself from surgery, followed by her being rushed to the Intensive Care Unit sustained by a breathing tube, to hospice and comfort care, death on July 4th, to her memorial service, to trying to get her affairs in order before leaving Rochester, NY. God knew I needed Isaiah 40 today - it was part of His care for me. Praise God always.
The vacation I had talked about on July 1 was a family reunion in our hometown - Rochester, NY. It was the only week my oldest daughter, Christi, had off from school, so we chose this week months ago for our family to gather for vacation. But God planned it to bless my mother. We did little vacationing, but we were all gathered to gather around my mom in her last days - to comfort her. Then, we were all gathered to minister to each other and to have a nice Celebration of Life Service for her. God was lifted up high as we shared how she prayed to receive Christ as savior just months ago at age 83, after 16 years of prayer and witnessing. During most of those years, my mom was antagonistic to the gospel, but God broke her down, especially in her later years. To God be the glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment