What does "The LORD has comforted His people" reveal about God's character? Setting the Scene Isaiah 52:9: “Break forth together into joyful singing, O ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem.” The Heart Behind the Word “Comforted” • The Hebrew verb nāḥam carries the idea of deeply felt compassion that moves God to decisive action. • Past-tense language—“has comforted”—highlights a completed act from God’s standpoint, even if His people are still waiting to experience the full outcome. What This Phrase Shows About God’s Character • Compassionate Father – Psalm 103:13: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” – God’s comfort is not distant sympathy; it is parental, tender, and personal. • Faithful Promise-Keeper – Isaiah 40:1: “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God.” – He does what He says; His promises are never empty, even after long seasons of waiting. • Active Redeemer – The same verse links comfort with redemption: “He has redeemed Jerusalem.” – Comfort is more than soothing words; it is God stepping in to rescue and restore (Isaiah 44:22). • Covenant Protector – Deuteronomy 7:9: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God, keeping His covenant of loving devotion…” – His comfort flows from His covenant love (ḥesed); He keeps His people secure because He has bound Himself to them. • Sovereign Over History – Isaiah 46:10: “My purpose will stand, and I will accomplish all that I please.” – Because He rules time and events, He can declare comfort as accomplished before His people perceive it. • Near to the Brokenhearted – Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the crushed in spirit.” – God’s character includes intimate nearness; He meets His people right in their ruins (“O ruins of Jerusalem”). Supporting Snapshots from Scripture • Isaiah 49:13: “For the LORD has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.” • 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: He is “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.” • Revelation 21:4: Ultimate fulfillment—He will wipe away every tear. Living in the Light of His Comfort • Rest—His comfort is already secured; we need not strive for it. • Hope—Past-tense certainty guarantees future experience; what He declares, He delivers. • Mission—Those comforted by God become channels of comfort to others (2 Corinthians 1:4). |
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