The Prophet of Comfort
The book of Isaiah is one of the most significant prophetic books in the Bible, spanning a critical period in Israel's history. Written primarily by the prophet Isaiah in the 8th century BC, the book addresses Judah's unfaithfulness, warns of coming judgment through exile, and offers remarkable hope for eventual restoration.
Chapter 40 marks a pivotal shift in the book's tone, moving from messages of judgment to promises of comfort and hope. This chapter, likely addressing the later period of Babylonian exile, offers powerful assurance to a people who had lost everything—their land, temple, and national identity—that God had not forgotten them and would act to restore them.
Isaiah 40:1-5 (NIV):
"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: 'In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'"
This opening proclamation announces the end of judgment and the beginning of restoration. The command to "comfort" is emphatically repeated, underscoring God's compassion for His suffering people. The imagery of a highway being prepared suggests both the return from exile and the coming of the Lord Himself to His people.
The chapter continues by contrasting human frailty with divine permanence:
Isaiah 40:6-8 (NIV):
"A voice says, 'Cry out.' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' 'All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.'"
This stark contrast between transient humanity and God's eternal word provides the foundation for hope: though everything human fails, God's promises stand secure.
The chapter reaches its crescendo with a magnificent portrayal of God's incomparable greatness and tender care:
Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV):
"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.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Lesson:
Isaiah 40 teaches us that God's judgment is severe but not the final word. The opening words of comfort come to people who had experienced devastating loss as a consequence of sin.
Yet God declares their "hard service" complete and their penalty paid. This reminds us that even the harshest discipline serves God's redemptive purposes and will give way to restoration.
The chapter also illustrates that human frailty highlights the reliability of God's word. The poetic contrast between withering grass and God's enduring word reveals why we can trust divine promises even when circumstances seem hopeless.
Our hope rests not on changeable human capabilities but on the unchanging character and word of God.
Furthermore, Isaiah 40 demonstrates that God's transcendent greatness does not diminish His intimate care. The chapter portrays God measuring the universe with the span of His hand (verse 12) yet tenderly gathering lambs in His arms (verse 11).
This paradoxical combination of cosmic power and personal compassion assures us that God is both able and willing to help us in our need.
Finally, the famous closing verses reveal that renewed strength comes through patient hope. The Hebrew word for "hope" (qavah) suggests active waiting and expectation.
The promise is not immediate escape from difficulty but supernatural endurance and strength that comes from trusting God's timing and purposes.
Prayer:
Everlasting God, Creator of the ends of the earth, we marvel at Your power and wisdom displayed throughout the universe.
Thank You for the comforting assurance that You have not forgotten us in our times of exile and loss. When we feel the weight of consequences for wrong choices, remind us that Your discipline is always measured and redemptive, never the final word in our story.
In a world where human promises and powers constantly fail, anchor our hope in Your eternal word that stands forever. We acknowledge our frailty—like grass that withers and flowers that fall—and we turn to You, the source of unfailing strength.
When we grow weary or discouraged in difficult seasons, teach us the patient, expectant hope that renews strength. Help us to soar on wings like eagles above our circumstances, to run the race You've set before us without growing weary, and to walk faithfully through each day without fainting.
Speak tenderness to our hearts as You did to Jerusalem, assuring us of Your compassionate presence and restoration.
In Your holy name we pray, Amen.