Isaiah 40

CHAPTER 40THEME: Comfort, a message from God; creation, a revelation of God; consideration, a call from GodChapter 40 brings us to the final major division of the Book of Isaiah. There is a sharp contrast between the first and last sections of this book. The first section was a revelation of the Sovereign upon the throne, while this final section is a revelation of the Savior in the place of suffering. In chapter 6 we saw the crown; in chapter 53 we shall see the cross. The theme in the first section was the government of God; in this section it is the grace of God. The opening words, “Comfort ye,” set the mood and tempo for this final section. The message from God is comfort rather than the judgment which we saw in the first section. The change of subject matter has led the liberal critic to postulate the Deutero-Isaiah hypothesis. Because the subjects are entirely different, they suppose that they were written by different writerstwo Isaiahs. Well, a change of message certainly does not necessitate a change of authorship. The message has changed but not the messenger. Many authors write on subjects that are entirely different. For example, I have a booklet on Psalms 2, which is God’s judgment, and one on Psalms 22, which is God’s salvationtwo entirely different subjects, but written by the same individual. In this section of Isaiah the thunder and lightning of Sinai are subdued, smothered by the wonderful message of grace which comes from God.

Isaiah 40:1

COMFORT, A MESSAGE FROM GODAll of the “woes” and the “burdens” of the first section have been lifted because there is now a burden-bearer, One who later on will fulfill everything that Isaiah said about Him. He will be the One to give the invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mat_11:28). The Lord Jesus Christ lifts burdens. “Comfort ye, comfort ye” is a sign of yearning from the pulsating heart of God. Our God is the God of “all comfort.” That is the way Paul speaks of Him in 2Co_1:3-4: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” The Holy Spirit is called “the Comforter.” The Lord Jesus said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (Joh_14:16). He is today our Comforter.

Isaiah 40:2

It has been suggested that when there was an indebtedness or mortgage on a house in Israel, the fact was written on a paper, a legal document, and put on the doorpost so that all their neighbors and friends would know that they had a mortgage on their place. Another copy was kept by the one who held the mortgage. When the debt was paid, the second copy, the carbon copy, was nailed over the other doorpost so that all might see that the debt was paid. This is the meaning of “she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.” The sins of Jerusalem were paid for by the One who suffered outside her gates. This is the difference between the dealings of God with His people in the Old Testament and with us in our day. It actually separates Christianity from all pagan religions and from the Mosaic Law.

The difference is all wrapped up in that little word propitiation. In the heathen religions the people bring an offering to their gods to appease them, and that is what propitiation means. Many people think that that is what it means in the Bible, that they have to “do” somethingbecause God is angryto win Him over. The people in heathen religions are always doing that because their gods are always angry and difficult to get along with. Their feelings are easily hurt, and they are not very friendly. The fact is that sin, man’s sin, has alienated him from God, but it is God who did something.

And today God is propitious. You don’t have to do anything to win Him over. Propitiation is toward God, and reconciliation is toward us. God has done everything that needs to be done. Today we are asked to be reconciled to God, not to do something to win Him over. God is already won over; that is what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

We need only accept what Christ has done. This is the word of comfort for a lost world today.

Isaiah 40:3

All four writers of the Gospel recordsMatthew, Mark, Luke, and Johnquote this verse as applying to John the Baptist. Since it appears four times in the New Testament, I’m not going to argue about it. I say that it refers to John the Baptist.

Isaiah 40:4

Luke quotes this as applying to John the Baptist.

Isaiah 40:7

Man is compared to the grass of the field. The question is, How can there be comfort in being reminded that we are like grass? Hence in California grass is beautiful after the spring rain; but not many weeks later, after the sun has beat upon it for awhile, it begins to wither and die. Man is just like that. You say, “Well there is no comfort in that!” Yes, there is. Man is faint, frail, and feeble, but the Word of God is strong, sure, and secure. God’s Word is our hiding place, a foundation upon which we can rest; it is our sword and buckler, high tower, protection, security, and salvation. In 1Pe_1:23-25 we read, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the LORD endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” It is only the gospel that gives eternal life to man who naturally is just a transitory creature on this earth. Now note the wonderful message

Isaiah 40:9

“Good tidings” is the gospel, and the “good tidings” of John the Baptist was “Behold your God!” Until you have seen Jesus Christ as God manifest in the flesh, you haven’t really seen Him. You must come to Him as He isnot just as a Man, but as God, Immanuel, God with us. If He is just a human, He cannot be my Savior; but He is Immanuel, and He is my Savior. How wonderful this is!

Isaiah 40:10

Now Isaiah, as he generally does, draws together the first and second comings of Christ. This verse looks forward to His second coming. Actually, the gospel includes both the first and second comings of Christ. We are apt to get sidetracked and put all the emphasis on Jesus’ first coming or on His second coming. Well, let’s put our emphasis on both comings, which is the totality of the gospel.

Isaiah 40:11

The Lord Jesus took the title of Shepherd when He came the first time. “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (Joh_10:11). He also said, “…I lay down my life for the sheep” (Joh_10:15).

Isaiah 40:12

CREATION, A REVELATION OF GODThe next verse introduces the section that speaks of the greatness of God as Creator. Who has done that? To begin with, when you get out into space, you don’t weigh anything; so who is doing the weighing today, and where is it going to be weighed? This verse makes me feel like singing “How Great Thou Art”!

Isaiah 40:13

God knows no equal nor is there anyone to whom He can go for advice. Someone has asked the rather facetious question, “What is it that you have seen that God has never seen?” The answer is very simple. God has never seen His equal. I see mine every day.

Isaiah 40:18

You and I know very little. All we know is what He has revealed in the Word of God, and I don’t think He has told us everything. To begin with, we can’t even comprehend what He has told us. Isaiah is contrasting God to idols. “To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?” Look around you at the pictures of Him. Personally, I don’t care for any pictures of Jesus because they are not pictures of Jesus. I don’t become very popular when I say this. Stores that sell such pictures and people who are rather sentimental think I am terrible. But, my friend, we don’t need pictures of Him. I agree with the old Scottish philosopher who said years ago, “Men never thought of painting a picture of Jesus until they had lost His presence in their hearts.” Now here is the first rather ironical attack that Isaiah will make against idolatry

Isaiah 40:19

The rich make a very ornate idol. They have a rich god.

Isaiah 40:20

The poor can have only a crude idol; he whittles out a god from a piece of wood. How preposterous idolatry is!

Isaiah 40:21

It is utterly ridiculous to compare God to some dumb idol.

Isaiah 40:22

The Old Testament does not teach that the earth is flat; but scientists in the days of Columbus taught this theory. Those so-called scientists did not pay attention to the Word of God in that day, and they missed something. And I think scientists are missing something today. It is clearly stated in this verse that the earth is a sphere, a circle positioned in an even greater universe, and that God’s throne is far beyond the penetration of the most powerful telescopes as they search out the limitless vault of space.

Isaiah 40:27

CONSIDERATION, A CALL FROM GODIn the light of all of this, God calls us to consider. God knows about the difficulties and problems of His people. If you belong to Him, He is able to quiet the storms of life, but sometimes there are lessons for His own to learn in the storm. When you find yourself in the midst of a storm, instead of sitting and weeping and criticizing God, why don’t you look around and find out what lesson He wants you to learn? God will not let you go through trials unless He has something for you to learn. The lesson may be this:

Isaiah 40:28

We have a great God. He never gets tired. He is not like man.

Isaiah 40:30

There are three degrees of power here, and several expositors have likened them to the three stages of Christian growth that you have in 1Jn_2:12-14. These three stages of growth are: (1) the young Christian shall mount up as an eagle; (2) the adult Christian shall run; and (3) the mature Christian shall walk. This reminds me of the black preacher down in my southland who preached a very wonderful sermon, in which he said, “Brethren, this church, it needs to walk.” And one of the deacons said, “Amen.” He continued, “Brethren, this church needs to run.” And the deacon said, “Hallelujah.” Then he said, “Brethren, this church needs to fly.” And this deacon said, “Amen and hallelujah.” Then the minister said, “Well, it’s going to cost money to make this church fly.” To this the deacon replied, “Let her walk, brother, let her walk.” My friend, regardless of who you are, if you are going to move with God through this earth, it will cost you something. But God will furnish you strength whatever your condition. If you need strength to walk, He will give it to you. If you need strength to fly, He has that for you also. This is a wonderful chapter revealing the comfort of God as our Creator, as our Savior, and as our Sustainer.