Comfort Ye My People

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

One of the oratorical hymns of Messiah by George Frideric Handel is titled Comfort Ye My People from the 40th chapter of Isaiah. It is well used as a command to God's ministers to give comfort to all those troubled souls in this age of spiritual warfare. One of the great comforting verses is given in Deuteronomy with the promise that our Lord God will not leave or forsake us.

Us? Is not this verse directed specifically to Israel? Yes, it does seem to be that way. Are we then grabbing comfort that does not belong to us?

Throughout the ministry of Jesus our Lord, Gentiles came in faith to the Lord to get the great hope He brought first to Israel. Those Gentiles were our spiritual ancestors and we continue to reach for Messiah who came first to His nation of Israel. There came a time though when Jesus was rejected by Israel and went instead to the Gentiles. Paul came to that same point and his ministry among the Gentiles brought forth much fruit for the kingdom of God. You and I were born Gentiles and like those of us who reached out for Jesus and were healed, saved, and restored to life in His time, we too reach out in faith for those things first promised to Israel. This too was promised in the prophecies.

Be glad that we are that nation who recognized our Lord Jesus and joined in His salvation. Be comforted by Jesus our Lord on this new day.

Bucky