Another mass shooting. A headline repeated too often. And it doesn’t stop there. There is not much good in the news. Racial tension, political tension, and international tension. We live in a world filled with turmoil, conflict, and violence. It’s enough to leave you depressed.
What is the answer? What is the solution? Where do we find peace? How do we end the conflict and the violence?
It has been a longing of every generation. But still we wait. As long as there is sin in this world there will be evil in this world. Visions of a utopian society have come and gone. Solutions to our ills only create new ills. Some think legislation is the answer. Some think education is the answer. But the only real answer is God.
The prophet Isaiah writes:
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1–2, ESV)
Comfort! He says it not once. He says it twice. Comfort, comfort! It is something Isaiah wants us to take notice of and listen.
Realize that it was as tumultuous of a time for Isaiah as it is for us today. The days in which Isaiah lived were far from comforting. They were continually threatened with invasion by foreign armies and siege of their city. It was a time of desperation. If they were not threatened by death from starvation, the other option was slaughter by their enemies. Still Isaiah says, “Comfort!”
The reason is that God’s Good News is greater than any bad news in this world. Isaiah says, “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is ended.” The fact of the matter was that the warfare was not ended. There would be difficult days ahead. But Isaiah is speaking prophetically. He speaks of a future that is not yet fully realized. But he speaks of this future hope as a present reality because of his complete confidence in God. It is to say that the battle is not over, but the war has already been won.
Jesus came into this world to defeat death. He conquered and won the victory. That victory is ours. We will all one-day face death, but for those of us who trust in Jesus death has no power over us (see Romans 6:8–11). He has already given you victory over the greatest enemy, which is death. And if death cannot defeat you, then what other power in this world can overcome you?
Today we walk in victory over violence and those who would do us harm. The gunmen in these mass shootings have been defeated. ISIS has been defeated. Your depression has been defeated. Your financial crisis has been defeated. Your cancer has been defeated. Your addiction has been defeated. They can do to you what they will do, but they cannot win the victory because Jesus has won the victory.
One day everyone will stand before the Righteous Judge. If there were anything to truly fear, that would be it. But again, Isaiah speaks: “her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” If you trust in Jesus as your Savior, your sin has been forgiven. And that is the greatest news of all.
Questions for Reflection
- Why is there so much evil in this world?
- What is the answer to all the tension and violence?
- How do we find hope?
- Share your comments.
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