“They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, And ate the sacrifices of the dead. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: And the plague brake in upon them. Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: And so the plague was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness Unto all generations for evermore. They angered him also at the waters of strife, So that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: Because they provoked his spirit, So that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.”
Psalm 106:28-33 KJV,https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.106.28-33.KJV
Unshakeable
Isaiah 40 is a chapter of comfort and hope. It was written for a people living in the shadow of exile, weighed down by the consequences of sin and the fear of what lay ahead. But right from the beginning, in verse 1, God speaks words of reassurance: “Comfort, comfort my people.”
As the chapter unfolds, we see a beautiful tension. On one hand, we are reminded of the frailty of human life: “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field” (verse 6). Life is fragile. Our efforts fade. Seasons change. The things we build, rely on, or admire can crumble in an instant.
But then we read Isaiah 40:8: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” This is the turning point. While everything around us is temporary, God’s Word is unshakable and eternal. His promises never expire. His truth never becomes outdated. His voice still speaks comfort and strength today, just as it did then.
The chapter goes on...