Isaiah Chapter 40
From here until the end of the book quite a few of the prophecies contain words of comfort concerning both Judah and Joseph.
[Isaiah 40:1] COMFORT YE, COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE, SAITH YOUR GOD.
[Isaiah 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.
“Jerusalem” strictly speaking applies to Judah but it has some applicability also to the rest of Israel.
The sins are paid up for and now comfort is coming.
[Isaiah 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.
[Isaiah 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:
There will be no impediments.
[Isaiah 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.
[Isaiah 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:
[Isaiah 40:7] THE GRASS WITHERETH, THE FLOWER FADETH: BECAUSE THE SPIRIT
OF THE LORD BLOWETH UPON IT: SURELY THE PEOPLE IS GRASS.
[Isaiah 40:8] THE GRASS WITHERETH, THE FLOWER FADETH: BUT THE WORD OF OUR GOD SHALL STAND FOR EVER.
[Isaiah 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” and “Jerusalem” are synonymous though there are sources (e.g. Midrash Tanchuma) that suggest “Zion” is a hint to Joseph.
[Isaiah 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.
[Isaiah 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.
[Isaiah 40:12] WHO HATH MEASURED THE WATERS IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND,
AND METED OUT HEAVEN WITH THE SPAN, AND COMPREHENDED THE DUST OF THE EARTH
IN A MEASURE, AND WEIGHED THE MOUNTAINS IN SCALES, AND THE HILLS IN A BALANCE?
[Isaiah 40:13] WHO HATH DIRECTED THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD, OR BEING HIS COUNSELLOR HATH TAUGHT HIM?
[Isaiah 40:14] WITH WHOM TOOK HE COUNSEL, AND WHO INSTRUCTED HIM, AND
TAUGHT HIM IN THE PATH OF JUDGMENT, AND TAUGHT HIM KNOWLEDGE, AND SHEWED
TO HIM THE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING?
[Isaiah 40:15] BEHOLD, THE NATIONS ARE AS A DROP OF A BUCKET, AND ARE
COUNTED AS THE SMALL DUST OF THE BALANCE: BEHOLD, HE TAKETH UP THE ISLES
AS A VERY LITTLE THING.
[Isaiah 40:16] AND LEBANON IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO BURN, NOR THE BEASTS THEREOF SUFFICIENT FOR A BURNT OFFERING.
Nowadays there are not that many trees left in Lebanon but in ancient times
it was covered with trees and with much wildlife. The Prophet says that all
the trees of Lebanon (in his day) and all the beasts around them would not
be sufficient to make a fire and offering on his altar.
[Isaiah 40:17] ALL NATIONS BEFORE HIM ARE AS NOTHING; AND THEY ARE COUNTED TO HIM LESS THAN NOTHING, AND VANITY.
[Isaiah 40:18] TO WHOM THEN WILL YE LIKEN GOD? OR WHAT LIKENESS WILL YE COMPARE UNTO HIM?
[Isaiah 40:19] THE WORKMAN MELTETH A GRAVEN IMAGE, AND THE GOLDSMITH
SPREADETH IT OVER WITH GOLD, AND CASTETH SILVER CHAINS.
[Isaiah 40:20] HE THAT IS SO IMPOVERISHED THAT HE HATH NO OBLATION
CHOOSETH A TREE THAT WILL NOT ROT; HE SEEKETH UNTO HIM A CUNNING WORKMAN
TO PREPARE A GRAVEN IMAGE, THAT SHALL NOT BE MOVED.
[Isaiah 40:21] HAVE YE NOT KNOWN? HAVE YE NOT HEARD? HATH IT NOT BEEN
TOLD YOU FROM THE BEGINNING? HAVE YE NOT UNDERSTOOD FROM THE FOUNDATIONS
OF THE EARTH?
[Isaiah 40:22] IT IS HE THAT SITTETH UPON THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH,
AND THE INHABITANTS THEREOF ARE AS GRASSHOPPERS; THAT STRETCHETH OUT THE
HEAVENS AS A CURTAIN, AND SPREADETH THEM OUT AS A TENT TO DWELL IN:
“UPON THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH” The ancients knew almost as much as we do
concerning the geography of the earth and the basic elements of astronomy.
Only later was this knowledge lost.
[Isaiah 40:23] THAT BRINGETH THE PRINCES TO NOTHING; HE MAKETH THE JUDGES OF THE EARTH AS VANITY.
[Isaiah 40:24] YEA, THEY SHALL NOT BE PLANTED; YEA, THEY SHALL NOT
BE SOWN: YEA, THEIR STOCK SHALL NOT TAKE ROOT IN THE EARTH: AND HE SHALL
ALSO BLOW UPON THEM, AND THEY SHALL WITHER, AND THE WHIRLWIND SHALL
TAKE THEM AWAY AS STUBBLE.
[Isaiah 40:25] TO WHOM THEN WILL YE LIKEN ME, OR SHALL I BE EQUAL? SAITH THE HOLY ONE.
[Isaiah 40:26] LIFT UP YOUR EYES ON HIGH, AND BEHOLD WHO HATH CREATED
THESE THINGS, THAT BRINGETH OUT THEIR HOST BY NUMBER: HE CALLETH THEM ALL
BY NAMES BY THE GREATNESS OF HIS MIGHT, FOR THAT HE IS STRONG IN POWER;
NOT ONE FAILETH.
[Isaiah 40:27] WHY SAYEST THOU, O JACOB, AND SPEAKEST, O ISRAEL, MY
WAY IS HID FROM THE LORD, AND MY JUDGMENT IS PASSED OVER FROM MY GOD?
There will be a time of trouble. Judah and Israel will think that god has abandoned them. It is not so.
In our private lives also we should bear through times of trouble and know that God watches and will help us.
[Isaiah 40:28] HAST THOU NOT KNOWN? HAST THOU NOT HEARD, THAT THE EVERLASTING
GOD, THE LORD, THE CREATOR OF THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, FAINTETH NOT, NEITHER
IS WEARY? THERE IS NO SEARCHING OF HIS UNDERSTANDING.
[Isaiah 40:29] HE GIVETH POWER TO THE FAINT; AND TO THEM THAT HAVE NO MIGHT HE INCREASETH STRENGTH.
[Isaiah 40:30] EVEN THE YOUTHS SHALL FAINT AND BE WEARY, AND THE YOUNG
MEN SHALL UTTERLY FALL:
[Isaiah 40:31] BUT THEY THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH;
THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES; THEY SHALL RUN, AND NOT BE WEARY;
AND THEY SHALL WALK, AND NOT FAINT.
Chapter Forty-One
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