The hope-filled words above come from Isaiah 40.1 with the immediate context being Isaiah 40.1-11 and the larger backdrop, the first 39 chapters of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter one speaks of the spiritual degradation into which Judah (the Southern Kingdom of the former Kingdom United under Saul, David and Solomon) has fallen (e.g., Isa 1.2-9).
It is now a rebellious people (Isa 1.2), contaminated by gross iniquity (Isa 1.10-31) ripe for judgement which was about to break upon it in the Babylonian Captivity (Isa 39.6). It was first attacked in 606BC, then again in 597 and finally 586BC saw its final demise (see here).
Isa 40.1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Isa 40:2 Speak ye comfortably [or 'tenderly'] to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. These words from the Lord address the prophets of this broken people to lift up their voices and pronounce good tidings (gospel) to a people whose 'time' for deliverance 'has come' whose spiritual debt incurred by their acts of wickedness is now pardoned. These people have been reconciled to God in anticipation of the Christ's crucifixion and resurrection (2Cor 5.19).
This phrase appears to be out of kilter with the joyful message of forgiveness but to receive 'double for all her sins' is an integral part of this good news message. Stedman (2010) says that the idea of getting 'double' is a 'reference to an Eastern custom' surrounding the situation where a debtor could not pay his debt. If this occurred then the creditor would write the amount owed on the front door of the debtor's house on a piece of paper in full view of the public. A shameful position for any debtor!
But if the debt was paid by some benefactor then the creditor would 'double' (or fold) the debt notice from bottom to top and nail it again on the door as proof that the shameful debt was now fully paid.
So Israel didn't receive double the amount of punishment for all her sins as we might imagine is being said; rather she received a full pardon for them because the record of her sinful idolatry 'on the door' (so to speak) was doubled over and then renailed up to show publicly that she had been forgiven for the sin-debt she owed.
We too as Gentile believers in Israel's God through Jesus Messiah, the Son of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit have also been made part of this same redemption. And as Jesus taught His disciples to pray, 'Forgive us [Father] our debts as we forgive our debtors' (Matt 6.12).
Isaiah 40.1-2
Isa 40.1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Isa 40:2 Speak ye comfortably [or 'tenderly'] to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. These words from the Lord address the prophets of this broken people to lift up their voices and pronounce good tidings (gospel) to a people whose 'time' for deliverance 'has come' whose spiritual debt incurred by their acts of wickedness is now pardoned. These people have been reconciled to God in anticipation of the Christ's crucifixion and resurrection (2Cor 5.19).
'Double' for her sins
This phrase appears to be out of kilter with the joyful message of forgiveness but to receive 'double for all her sins' is an integral part of this good news message. Stedman (2010) says that the idea of getting 'double' is a 'reference to an Eastern custom' surrounding the situation where a debtor could not pay his debt. If this occurred then the creditor would write the amount owed on the front door of the debtor's house on a piece of paper in full view of the public. A shameful position for any debtor!
But if the debt was paid by some benefactor then the creditor would 'double' (or fold) the debt notice from bottom to top and nail it again on the door as proof that the shameful debt was now fully paid.
So Israel didn't receive double the amount of punishment for all her sins as we might imagine is being said; rather she received a full pardon for them because the record of her sinful idolatry 'on the door' (so to speak) was doubled over and then renailed up to show publicly that she had been forgiven for the sin-debt she owed.
We too as Gentile believers in Israel's God through Jesus Messiah, the Son of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit have also been made part of this same redemption. And as Jesus taught His disciples to pray, 'Forgive us [Father] our debts as we forgive our debtors' (Matt 6.12).
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