Isaiah 40:1-11

Isa 40:1

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

 

Chapters 40 to 66 has been referred to as the Book of Comfort because they speak about deliverance, redemption, glory and the Messiah.  I repeat from the opening statement that there is no such thing as I & II Isaiah as the entire book was written by Isaiah.

 

In the previous chapter we read the Hezekiah had shown the Babylonian representatives everything that was in his house and as a result, the prophecy was pronounced that Judah would be taken into captivity and would be completely plundered.  Now with that behind them, Isaiah now turns to the more spiritual aspect of his prophecy and does a spiritually surgical strike aimed at the true believers within national Israel at the time while also prophesying and bringing many spiritual truths which the true believer in Christ are privy to.  Those who will face the Babylonian onslaught as believers will have a measure of comfort from the hand of God while simultaneously giving principles of Godly living for the true believer applying them to the believers back then and the believers till the end of time. 

 

In verse 1, Isaiah is giving much comfort to the people in Jerusalem but is aiming his message at the true believers.  We can know this because of two phrases within that verse:  “my people” are considered to be the true people of God because God is calling them his people and that only applies to true believers in Christ.  The second phrase is “your God” which is the term Jesus used concerning his ascension.  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17)  Notice he used the term “your God” when speaking with Mary Magdalene.  Not everyone who was part of ancient Israel were children of God which is obvious by their actions concerning false gods and idols.

 

Isa 40:2

Speak ye comfortably 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.

 

Then Isaiah is commanded to speak to the very heart of those in Jerusalem.  He is not to withhold the message or to deliver it quietly but he is to cry out or proclaim it loudly.  Now Isaiah states that her warfare is accomplished.  This would not be speaking of the physical Jerusalem because that city has been ravished by many enemies and more to come such as Rome.  The Jerusalem which is in view is the warfare by Christ on behalf of all the believers.  Keep in mind that not everyone in ancient Israel were true believers

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: (Romans 9:6) The warfare which was accomplished was on behalf of the body of Christ.  Not that all the struggles of the believer have ended but the obstacles which would prevent a person from going to Heaven have been overcome by Christ such as sin which is removed from soul of the believer, the keeping of the law which no person can do except Christ who fulfilled the demands of God’s righteous law and imputed that righteousness to the true believer, and the defeat of Satan in the life of a true believer who now holds no power over the believer.

 

Since the Lord Jesus Christ was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, all the benefits of his sacrifice on Calvary are applied to every believer throughout history no matter where they were born or when they were born.  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8)  This is why her iniquity has been pardoned based upon the work of Christ.  The body of believers have received double from the LORD: First, they received forgiveness of all their sins, and secondly, they received grace unto eternal life.  The body of believers received a double blessing from the LORD and because their sins were pardoned and put away, their sins will never come before the LORD because they were paid for by Christ on Calvary and in principle before the foundation of the world which is also a double blessing.

 

Isa 40:3

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

 

Here we have a prophecy of the ministry of John the Baptist who would be the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ and would be introduced by him.  This would have taken place about 700 years before the Lord Jesus Christ would come on the scene. 

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (Matthew 3:3)  John was physically in the wilderness as he declared the imminent coming of the LORD.  Here the call goes out to the entire world which is called a wilderness.  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (Revelation 12:6)  John had prepared the way by teaching the doctrine of repentance which drew many people to him as he baptized near Bethabara in the Jordan river.  It is believed Israel crossed the Jordan in the very place that John would someday baptize in.  The desert of this world is loaded with false religions which only confuse and cover the truth but Christ will make the way to the Father open as he dies for his elect who will then have access to the Father without any confusing religions to hinder.  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Ephesians 2:18) 

 

Isa 40:4

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

 

The folly of religion will be removed and exposed as bring a great hindrance to the truth of God.  The valley being exalted means that the valley will be raised and the mountain and hills will be made low which means that there will be level path without any hindrances.  The true gospel will not be one that is filled with many works requiring adherents to keep them for salvation which would never be accomplished.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)  The yoke of Christ is easy and light in contrast to the yoke of works or even attempting to keep the law.  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)  Then in addition to the road of salvation being level, the crooked roads shall be made straight and the rough places plain.  Many of us have seen roads which were strewn with rocks and had to be cleared before a person could drive or pass through on foot.  The way would be made easy for the Elect as Christ died for the Elect and the Father would give them to Christ as their day of salvation approaches.  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)

 

Isa 40:5

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

 

Then the Lord Jesus Christ who is the glory and image of the Father will be revealed to the entire world, not just ancient Israel.  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? (John 14:9) There will be many who will physically see the Lord Jesus Christ at his first coming and will be witnesses to his miracles and ministry.  Then there will be those after the ascension of Christ who will not see him physically but will see him in a spiritual sense as he works in the lives of his believers.  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:29)  Then there will be those on the last day who will see him at his second coming which will be the entire world.  Then the last phrase in this verse tells us that the mouth of the LORD has spoken it which means what was being told here was not from Isaiah but from the LORD himself even though it was recorded by Isaiah.

 

Isa 40:6

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

 

Then the LORD said to Isaiah to cry or proclaim.  Then Isaiah asks what should he cry out?  Then the LORD gives him a lesson between the temporal and the permanent.  Then he is to proclaim that man’s flesh is equal to the grass of the field and all the godliness that is contained within that flesh plus all that is valuable and esteemed by man is equal to the flower of the field.

 

Isa 40:7

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

 

Then he continues his lesson that the grass will wither as it appears for only a season and likewise the flower will fade because it only appears for a season.  They wither and fade because the LORD blows upon it by means of a harsh wind or it could mean that the LORD decrees that the grass and flowers only appears for a season.  Then God makes the comparison to man and the grass.  Just as the grass appears only for a while, man appears only for a while.  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:14)  Man has only a limited amount of time upon this earth and we go the way of all the earth, that is, we have an expiration date just as does all the physical creation.

 

Isa 40:8

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

 

Then God makes another comparison, this one is between the grass withering and the flower fading.  Then he states in contrast to the temporal life of man and the creation, the word of God shall stand forever which means until the end of time, the word of God will continue to edify the body of believers and continue to guide our lives.  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89)  The word of God is already settled or established in Heaven, therefore it can never be moved.  Isaiah 40:6-8 was the scripture verses used at the gravesite of my Uncle Mickey who died from pneumonia in February 1962.

 

Isa 40:9

O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

 

Zion is the one who receives the great blessings which is another term for the body of believers.  The high mountain represents the kingdom of God.  I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (Psalm 121:1)  The hills or the high mountains represents kingdoms and there is none higher in this world than the Kingdom of God.  Then Jerusalem is to lift up its voice with strength to proclaim to the cities of Judah that they are to behold their God!  When Pentecost came, the preaching of the true gospel went out from Jerusalem proclaiming Christ as God who came in the flesh.  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)  Immanuel means “God with us.”  Now the Jerusalem that proclaims the truth is the New Jerusalem which is the body of believers. 

 

Isa 40:10

Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

 

The Lord GOD is speaking about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ who will come with a strong hand, that is, he will come with great power which will have the ability to conquer all the enemies.  The arm of the Lord is a synonym for the power of the Lord.  Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? (Job 40:9) God had asked Job if he had an arm like God, in other words, did he have power equal to God and of course the answer would be no. The arm of the Lord was revealed to Israel by the great miracles which Jesus performed. In raising the dead He showed power over death. In feeding the five thousand he showed power to multiply small amounts of food which gave us the teaching that even small amounts in the hand of God can be widely used. In turning water into wine, He showed the Creator’s ability to make wine from water in an instant.  His reward will be the salvation of all the Elect around the world and the work he has to do was to go to Calvary and die for the Elect thus fulfilling the demands of the righteous law.

 

Isa 40:11

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

 

Just alike a shepherd feeds his flock by finding good pasture and watering holes, the Lord Jesus Christ will feed his flock with the water of the word and will give good pasture in the word of God to feed the sheep.  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (John 10:14)  The true sheep will follow the true shepherd.  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)  Here Jesus reiterates the fact that He is the door to salvation. The law is not the door to salvation but Jesus Himself is. Salvation is by grace alone. Once a person becomes saved, they enter the sheepfold which is a metaphor for the body of believers. The believer is now in the Kingdom of God as a child of God represented here as a sheep in the sheepfold of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus says that once they go through the door and enter the sheepfold, they must also go out for pasture because sheep cannot find pasture within an enclosed area. It is like many Christians who limit their ministries to their local church. They need to go beyond the walls of the sheepfold and find pasture, just as regular sheep do. What does it mean to go out? It does not mean that a person can lose their salvation and leave if they want. That is not what is in view. To go out means that the believers will be taken to green pastures outside the pen under the watchful eye of the Shepherd.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (Psalm 23:2) No longer does the believer live in fear but they are now at peace with God and that is why we can lay down in green pastures and leads us to calm waters which is the Gospel that feeds our soul. The world and its teachings fill a person with the anxiety of the world but the Gospel brings peace to the true believer even in the midst of a world of anxiety. Wherever the believer is sent to minister, they will find pasture in the word of God and from the Good Shepherd Himself and they give us boldness to bring that word because it gives strengthening peace.  Then he will gather the lambs in his arm and carries them in his bosom which teaches that not only will he come with power but also compassion and a caring mindset to help all the weak believers.  That care would extend to all believers who have young believers under their care as a mother sheep who has a ewe under her keeping.  The young believers are very feeble and need much nurturing.

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