THE LORD WILL COMFORT ZION

Isa.51:3. Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion;
He will comfort all her ruins.
And He will make her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the LORD.
Joy and gladness will be found in her,
Thanksgiving and the sound of a melody.

God’s prophetic words are alive and can minister specifically in unlimited situations. This word was given by Isaiah the prophet to the nation of Israel as a word of comfort after warning them of being taken into exile and their land being overrun and taken over by the Babylonians. This word came alive to me recently in a personal way when I was reflecting on the spiritual condition of the body of Christ. He comforted me by saying your wilderness will be turned into Eden and your desert will be changed into a garden. I believe the Lord is doing that right now under our very noses. The Lord is pouring out His Spirit causing us to seek His face and to call out to Him for our world. It is impossible that He would not respond. Today I have definitions from three word books on this word comfort – naham. Here is how the TWOT defines it.

“The origin of the root seems to reflect the idea of “breathing deeply,” hence the physical display of one’s feelings, usually sorrow, compassion, or comfort.”

This speaks to us about the very breath of God. The breath of God is the Holy Spirit. This breath from heaven is the Comforter. His very breath is our comfort. Next, check out the definition from the CWSB.

“A verb meaning to be sorry, to pity, to comfort, to avenge.”

That is an interesting twist in the various flavors of this beautiful Hebrew word naham. We are comforted as we see our enemies defeated and God’s blessing put firmly in place. He will avenge the destruction on His people. Finally, there is another twist on the flavor of this word found in the CWSD.

“It is often indicating comfort, compassion. It indicates a cessation of discomfort, distress, or sorrow. It has the sense of emotions and speaks of comfort, feelings of compassion that arise. It indicates words that bring comfort, refreshment, or a feeling of being comforted.”

This is a very descriptive word showing us the affect of the compassion of the Lord. When Jesus was moved with compassion He would bring healing or deliverance to someone’s life. It is the same in this passage, you may feel like your life has become a desert or a wilderness and the Lord turns everything around and causes your world to break out in favor and growth.