Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, He brings His reward with Him as He comes. He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. Isaiah 40:10-11
We are talking this week about the fact that we are like sheep. For many of us, this is not great news at first. Sheep do not have the best reputation for being the smartest, flashiest, most well-liked animals. Instead, they are known for being not very smart, dirty, and quite slow. While being like a sheep may not be the highest compliment you may receive, there is good news. We have a Good Shepherd, Jesus, who leads us through every twist and turn in this life and always takes care of us.
Even before Jesus described Himself as “the Good Shepherd” in John 10, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the coming of Jesus, explaining that He would be like a shepherd to His people in Isaiah 40. Isaiah 40 is written to comfort God’s people. As Isaiah wrote in this chapter, he proclaimed, “Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, He brings His reward with Him as He comes. He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young (verses 10-11). Throughout these verses, Isaiah was comforting his people that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, was coming. Because they were like sheep, He was coming to be the shepherd that they needed, if only they would look to Him.
Because we are like sheep, we, too, need a Shepherd. Christ came to be that Shepherd that we need. If we look to Him, we will find life, provision, hope, and direction. This is the best news we could ever receive. We have a shepherd ready and willing to lead us and guide us. We are not left wandering as sheep alone.
Write down on a notecard or piece of paper, Isaiah 40:10-11. Place that notecard or piece of paper somewhere you will see it often: on your mirror, in the kitchen, in your care. Let these verses be a reminder to you every time you see them that you are not alone. No, you have a Good Shepherd who will always be with you.
Read Isaiah 41:1-11 (NLT)
God’s Help for Israel“Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea. Bring your strongest arguments.Come now and speak. The court is ready for your case.
“Who has stirred up this king from the east, rightly calling him to God’s service?Who gives this man victory over many nations and permits him to trample their kings underfoot?With his sword, he reduces armies to dust. With his bow, he scatters them like chaff before the wind.He chases them away and goes on safely, though he is walking over unfamiliar ground.Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time?It is I, the Lord, the First and the Last. I alone am he.”
The lands beyond the sea watch in fear. Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war.The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, “Be strong!”The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil. “Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.”Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.
“But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend,I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
“See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and humiliated.Anyone who opposes you will die and come to nothing."
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