Comfort: Isaiah 40:1-11

Welcome back, thanks for joining us for the second Podcast for Narrative Lectionary. This week we are looking at Isaiah 40:1-11 (we also read Isaiah 39:4-8). This week I am trying for a hybrid, there is the podcast as well as some of the blog elements. Thank you for your interaction as I am exploring what I can do for this resource. Your feedback is most appreciated (and yes, I know it would be nice to get these resources with more time before Sunday, I am trying). Sorry about the mismatched audio, still working on the levels. Last Time on Tales of FaithIt is a time of Exile. The people of Israel have been living in BABYLON for almost seventy years. Jerusalem and the temple have been destroyed. They have had to depend on their faith, each other, and the GOD who has accompanied them. However, their is a new Empire on the horizon, the PERSIAN EMPIRE, and their Emperor CYRUS THE GREAT, who is a threat even to Babylon. Could this new Emperor be God’s instrument of peace?…TextIsaiah 40:1-11Overview of Isaiah Bible Project- Isaiah (Read the Bible Series)* Ch 1-12: Isaiah’s Vision of Judgement and Hope for Jerusalem* Ch 13-27: Judgment and Hope for the Nations* 13-23 Fall of Babylon & Israel’s neighbors* 24-27 A Tale of Two Cities* Ch 28-39: the Rise and Fall of Jerusalem* 28-35 Accusation against Jerusalem’s Leaders* 36-38 Hezekiah’s Rise * 39 Hezekiah’s Fall, Exile* EXILE* Ch 40-66: Hope* 40-48 Announcement of Hope* 40:1-31 God’s people are comforted* 41:1-29 God’s Help for Israel* 42:1-9 The Servant™ is introduced* 42:10-20 A Hymn of Praise* 42:21-25 Israel’s past disobedience and their consequences* 43:1-44:8 God’s promise of blessing * 44:9-20 A quick TED Talk on the futility of idol worship* 44:21-28 Israel is not forgotten* 45:1-19 Cyrus, God-Emperor of Persia, God’s instrument of God’s peace* 45:20-46:13 Idols will be unable to save Babylon* 47:1-15 Babylon will be humiliated* 48:1-22 God is the creator and redeemer* 49-55 The Servant™  fulfills YHWH’s mission* 56-66 The Servant™ inherits YHWH’s kingdomNotes: * The Babylonian Exile officially lasted from 597-538 BCE, so 59 years. Links: Bible Project- Isaiah (Read the Bible Series)Bible Worm Podcast Episode 514- (2023), Episode 114: (2019)Pop Culture Connections:The vision of the future presented by Star Trek Soilent Green- feed the people with the peopleLord of the Rings, Galadriel does not take the ringHomebrewed Christianity: “Have Yourself a Lord of the Rings Christmas Movie Marathon”Boring Stuff:New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.orgMusic: “Flying” by Track Tribe, edited by Revochart, YouTube Audio Library License Get full access to Tales of Faith at talesoffaith.substack.com/subscribe