預備主的道路
以賽亞書四十章1至8節
1你們的神說：你們要安慰，安慰我的百姓。
2要對耶路撒冷說安慰的話，又向他宣告說，他爭戰的日子已滿了；他的罪孽赦免了；他為自己的一切罪，從耶和華手中加倍受罰。
3有人聲喊著說：在曠野預備耶和華的路（或譯：在曠野，有人聲喊著說：當預備耶和華的路），在沙漠地修平我們神的道。
4一切山窪都要填滿，大小山岡都要削平；高高低低的要改為平坦，崎崎嶇嶇的必成為平原。
5耶和華的榮耀必然顯現；凡有血氣的必一同看見；因為這是耶和華親口說的。
6有人聲說：你喊叫罷！有一個說：我喊叫甚麼呢？說：凡有血氣的盡都如草；他的美容都像野地的花。
7草必枯乾，花必凋殘，因為耶和華的氣吹在其上；百姓誠然是草。
8草必枯乾，花必凋殘，惟有我們神的話必永遠立定。
信息分享
在第四十章，先知向以色列民發出了一篇安慰的信息，預言被擄到巴比倫的以色列民，必有重回故國的機會──雖然這事差不多要在二百年後才發生。這是一篇預言的信息，因為當時百姓還未曾經歷被擄，但先知卻已預言他們必得歸回。而且，先知還預言到，作為耶穌基督先驅的施洗約翰，以及耶穌基督本人的出生及事奉。
安慰的信息最能夠幫助人。聖經記載了許多神安慰祂兒女的話。神是滿有憐憫和恩典的父，當祂的兒女面對憂傷的時候，祂終必安慰。
人若要得安慰，首先必要解決罪的問題。先知在第1節說神要安慰百姓，第2節便說神已赦免他們的罪。聖經一再強調，當罪惡、罪疚和恐懼在我們與神中間阻隔，我們就不能與神相交，也不能得著神的安慰。
早在以色列民要面對被擄之苦的很久之前，先知以賽亞便預告了神的赦免和安慰。亨利(Matthew Henry)在他的注釋中指出：「神在百姓經歷被擄之前，便已經賜給他們寶貴的應許，讓它成為他們痛苦中的力量和安慰。我們試想像一下，當他們置身在黑暗歲月的時候，這預言將會在他們的心中發出何等榮耀的光輝；當他們在巴比倫的河邊痛哭的時候，這應許如何能抹乾他們的眼淚。」
神在今天，豈不是以同樣方式來幫助我們嗎？遠在苦難發生之前，恩慈的主便提醒我們人生充滿苦難，但與此同時，祂又賜下各種應許來安慰和加力給我們。因此，我們無論落入任何境況，都應緊握祂的應許、信靠祂的話語；祂必帶領我們經過。
牢記：
神守信承諾，凡遵從祂的，必得祂的賜福。
PREPARING THE WAY OF THE LORD
Isaiah 40:1-8
1“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”Says your God.
2 “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
For she has received from the Lord’s hand
Double for all her sins.”
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough places smooth;
5 The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 The voice said, “Cry out!”
And he said, “What shall I cry?”
“All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”
Message
This amazing 40th chapter looks forward to the return of the Children of Israel from Babylon-a return that was still almost 200 years ahead. Isaiah projects himself to the end of a captivity that had not yet begun. He speaks also of the coming and ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, and of Christ himself.
One of the most helpful messages anyone can give is a message of comfort when it is needed. God is often spoken of in the Bible as the one who comforts his children. He is the God of all-comfort and the God of all-grace. In other words he offers grace to meet every need.
The first condition for receiving comfort is that sin must be dealt with and put away. Verse 1 speaks of comfort and verse 2 tells Israel her sin has been pardoned. God's Word teaches constantly that there can be no fellowship and therefore no comfort while sin, guilt and fear hang between us and God.
Isaiah prophesied these words long before the time they speak of. Can you see how that is just like God? Matthew Henry comments: 'Before God sent his people into captivity he furnished them with precious promises for their support and comfort in their trouble. We may well imagine of what great use the glorious light of this prophecy was to them in that dark and cloudy day and how much it helped to dry up their tears by the waters of Babylon.
Isn't that just what God does for us today? Before an event happens, the Lord graciously prepares us for it and often gives us a promise that will see us through whatever may come. So whatever your circumstances claim his promises, believe his Word. He will see you through.
REMEMBER: God keeps all his promises to those who obey him.