Comfort for Israel

Jehovah continues to comfort his people:  "Look! I have met you a threshing sledge, a new threshing instrument having double-edged teeth.  You will tread down the mountains and crush them; and the hills you will make just like the chaff.  You will winnow them, and a wind itself will carry them away, and a windstorm  itself will drive them different ways.  And you yourself will be joyful in Jehovah.  In the Holy One of Israel you will boast about yourself." -Isaiah 41:15, 16. 

Strength will be given to Israel to take the different and, in a spiritual sense, to subdue her mountain like enemies.  When  Israel  returns from exile, she will triumph over enemies who try to prevent the rebuilding of the temple and of Jerusalem's walls.  (Ezra 6:12; Nehemiah 6:16)  However,  Jehovah's words will be fulfilled on a grand scale with "the Israel of God."  (Galatians 6:16) Jesus promises anointed Christians:  "To him that conquers and observes my deeds down to the end I will give authority over the nations, and he shall shepherd  the people with  an iron rod so that they will broken to pieces like clay vessels, the same as I have received  from my Father."  (Revelation 2:26, 27)  The time will certainly come when Christ's brothers resurrected to heavenly glory will have a part in the destruction of Jehovah God's enemies. -2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8; Revelation 20:4, 6.

In figurative language, Jehovah now reinforces his promise to bring succor to his people. Isaiah writes:  "The afflicted ones and the poor ones are seeking for water, but there is none.  Because of their thirst their very tongue has become dry.  I myself, Jehovah, shall answer them.  I, the God of Israel shall not leave them.  Upon bare hills I shall open up rivers, and in the midst of the valley plains, springs.  I shall make the wilderness into a reedy pool  of water, and the waterless land into sources of water.  In the wilderness I shall set the cedar tree, the acacia and the myrtle  and oil tree.  In the desert plain I shall place the juniper tree, the ash and the cypress at the same time; in order that my people  may see and know and pay heed and have insight at the same time, that the very hand of Jehovah has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has himself created it." -Isaiah 41:17-20.

 Though the exiled Israelites reside in the capital city of a wealthy world power, it is to them like a waterless desert.  They feel like David when he was hiding from King Saul.  In 537 B.C.E., Jehovah opens the way for them to return to Judah and rebuild his temple in Jerusalem, thus restoring pure worship. Jehovah, in turn, blesses them.  In a later prophecy, Isaiah foretells:   "Jehovah will certainly comfort Zion.  He will for certain comfort all her devastated places, and he will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert plain like the garden of Jehovah."  (Isaiah 51:3)  This really does occur after the Jews return to their homeland.

Something similar occurred in modern times when the Greater Cyrus, Christ Jesus, liberated his anointed followers from spiritual captivity so that they could work to restore pure worship.  Those faithful ones were blessed with a rich spiritual  paradise, a figurative garden of Eden.  (Isaiah 11:6-9; 35:1-7)  Soon, when God destroys his enemies, the entire earth will be transformed into a physical paradise, just as Jesus promised the evildoer on the stake. -Luke 23:43.

Next time: A Challenge to Israel's Enemies

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, Volume II, 2001