Good News to Shout About
You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and He rules with a mighty arm. See, His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him.
– ISAIAH 40:9-10 NIV –
Today we receive the second of our three prophecies from Isaiah 40 and it doesn’t take long to grasp the theme: GOOD NEWS!
Standing on a mountaintop – high above the surrounding terrain and all its obstructions – gives us a spectacular vantage point we would not have otherwise. This is not only true physically, but also spiritually.
The Lord is calling Jerusalem (and us) to journey with Him up to a higher vantage point spiritually and see beyond the circumstances and emotions of the present to a day when the Sovereign Lord will come in power and might and blessing.
And once we clearly see what’s over God’s horizon, we are told to not be afraid to lift our voices and shout it – herald it – be a messenger of the GOOD NEWS: “Here is your God!”
Our prophecy today sounds very much like what the angel of the Lord proclaimed to the shepherds that first Christmas night:
“And the angel said unto them, FEAR NOT: for, behold, I bring you GOOD TIDINGS of GREAT JOY, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11 KJV).
Go tell it on the mountain!
