Isaiah 40:1 "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God."
The previous 39 chapters of Isaiah certainly had passages of comfort and hope, but there was a strong tone of judgment and warning throughout the section. Now, beginning with Isaiah 40, the tone shifts to being predominantly full of comfort and blessing, full of the glory of God.
Remember where Isaiah 39 just ended: announcing the coming Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem, and the exile of the nation. “The announcement that the Babylonians would someday capture Jerusalem and take the people into exile was a bitter blow. How could Judah celebrate the downfall of Assyria when everyone knew that a more powerful invader was on the way?” (Wolf)
Jerusalem needed a word of comfort. This means that God had comfort to give them. God always gives His people reasons for comfort.
- Our warfare has ended
Isaiah 40:2 Seak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her, that her hard sercie has been completed,..."
NASB puts it this way: "And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, ..."
At the moment Isaiah spoke this, the battle may have still loomed. This may very well have been a prophetic word; even though there was still an army against them, as far as God was concerned, her warfare is ended. This was reason for comfort.
It is in this same sense that God speaks to us and tells us we can be more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37). The battle still looms, but as far as it concerns the believer in Jesus Christ, her warfare is ended, because You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). [We may have consequences from choices that we make in life but God can redeem and restore our past....are eternal future is bright if we put our hope in Him.] - Our sins are forgiven
"...that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins."
At the moment Isaiah spoke this, Jerusalem was well aware of her sin – Isaiah had made them aware of it! Yet, the prophet speaks of a day when comfort can be offered because her iniquity is pardoned. This is real comfort; to be recognized as a sinner – as one having iniquity – yet knowing just as much that our iniquity is pardoned. This was reason for comfort.
Not only has our sin been pardoned but our sin has been completely paid for. What does it mean that she has received double for all her sins? “Double means ‘to fold over, fold in half’ (Exodus 26:9)… When something is folded over, each half corresponds exactly with the other half, and this would yield the thought of exact correspondence between sin and payment.” (Motyer) A payment has been made, and it was exactly the payment that was needed!
Our iniquity is never pardoned because God has simply decided to “let us off the hook.” A just God would not be able to do that. Jesus Christ paid the double portion completely covering the iniquity of our sins. This is reason for comfort. - God prepares the way. His glory will be revealed.
Isaiah 40:3, 5 A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God....And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
The idea is that the LORD is coming to His people as a triumphant King, who has the road prepared before Him. Building a road is very much like the preparation God must do in our hearts.
His glory is revealed to the prepared hearts described in the previous verses. And it is revealed without regard to nationality; all flesh shall see it together. This glory of the LORD is not revealed only to Jerusalem or Judah, but to every prepared heart. The certainty of this word is assured because the mouth of the LORD has spoken. This promise is reason to receive comfort.
This passage of Isaiah 40:3-5 has a direct fulfillment in the New Testament, in the person and ministry of John the Baptist. John the Baptist quoted Isaiah 40:3 in John 1:23. Jesus was the coming Messiah and King, and John the Baptist’s ministry was to be one crying in the wilderness, and through his message of repentance, to prepare the way of the LORD.
John 1:30-31 This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ 31I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
We often fail to appreciate how important the preparing work of the LORD is. Any great work of God begins with great preparation.
God revealed His glory in Jesus Christ. This is not only comforting this is reason to celebrate!
Isaiah 40: 28-29 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Psalm 100 A psalm. For giving grateful praise. 1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his[a]; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. |
See the following blog post on HOPE:
Psalm 31:24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.