Isaiah 40 (Part 02) - Isa 40:2a - Israel's Sin is Pardoned

Watch the video of this Bible study on YouTube: Isaiah 40 (Part 02) - Isa 40:2a - Israel's Sin is Pardoned For a master copy of the outline and the other sermons in the series, click here: Isaiah 40. To listen to the previous sermon in the series, click here: Part 1 To listen to the next sermon in the series, click here: Part 3 IV. Isa 40:2 1. The LORD tells them to: A. "Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem..." (Isa 40:2) i. Comfortably adv. - In a comfortable manner. 1. So as to convey strength or support; encouragingly, reassuringly. ii. God's people were to speak to Jerusalem in a way that would convey strength and support, that would encourage and reassure them. iii. This admonition from God is applicable to us as Christians. a. New Testament ministers are sent to churches to establish and comfort them concerning their faith (1Th 3:1-4). b. Christians should be comforting and edifying each other (1Th 5:11). c. We should pray that God will give us the tongue of the learned that we may speak a word in season to him that is weary (Isa 50:4). d. A good word makes the heart glad (Pro 12:25). e. There is nothing like a word spoken in due season (Pro 15:23). f. A word fitly spoken is beautiful (Pro 25:11). g. Oftentimes when someone is experiencing a horrible hardship, the best thing you can say is nothing, but rather just sit with them and listen (Job 2:1-13; Ecc 3:7). iv. The reason for speaking comfortably to them was because their warfare was accomplished. B. "...cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned:..." (Isa 40:2) i. They were to speak to them in a loud and excited voice that her warfare is accomplished. a. Cry v. - 1. trans. To entreat, beg, beseech, implore, in a loud and emoved or excited voice. b. Accomplished ppl. - 1. Fulfilled, completed, finished, perfected. ii. Striving against sin is our warfare (Heb 12:4; 2Co 10:4-5). a. This is the war that ministers fight (2Ti 2:3-5). b. They must keep themselves and their brethren from sin (1Co 9:27; 2Co 11:2). iii. This was a prophecy of a time coming when Israel would no longer be warring against sin because her iniquity would be pardoned. a. Even though Israel were a stiff-necked and rebellious people, God was still gracious to them and was ready to pardon their sin (Neh 9:17). b. God will pardon our sin temporally when we forsake our wickedness (Isa 55:7). c. As a near term fulfillment of this prophecy, God would pardon Israel's sin in time and return them to their land after the Babylonian captivity (Jer 33:5-8). d. But Isa 40:2 not simply referring to a temporal pardoning of their sin, but is a prophecy of a complete pardon of their sins which God would accomplish by the new covenant that He would make with them when He would send Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the elect among them (Jer 31:31-34). (i) At that time, God would pardon the iniquity and pass over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage and cast their sins into the depths of the sea (Mic 7:18-19). (ii) Jesus Christ, the Messiah that was prophesied of in Isa 40:3-5, would accomplish this when He would be born to save His people from their sins (Mat 1:21; Luk 1:68,77). (iii) He would bear their sins on the cross and make reconciliation for iniquity (1Pe 2:24; Isa 53:5,10-12; Dan 9:24). iv. Israel would finally have eternal peace with God because their iniquity would be pardoned and their warfare would be accomplished (Col 1:20; Rom 5:8-11; 2Co 5:18-21). v. This indeed would be a good reason to cry and speak comfortably unto her.