The Message of God in Isaiah
The people of Isaiah’s time also needed to hear from God and God used Isaiah to be the channel by which those messages were sent. Isaiah recorded them in the book that bears his name.
The prophesies of Isaiah collected in the book of Isaiah can be divided into to sections, chapters 1-39 are God’s judgments upon Israel and Judah, the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel. Chapters 40-66 all contain God’s comfort for his people. The chapters of judgment told Israel they would be punished for their idolatry and forsaken of God, but that punishment was not permanent, and chapters 40-66 tell them that they are not forgotten and one day will return to the promised land.
Irving Jensen in his Old Testament Survey categorizes the first half of the book as God’s Government and the second half as God’s Grace. The first half foretells the coming of the pagan kings who God would use to judge His people, but the second half foretells the coming of the Righteous King who would save his people.
The Hope of Comfort – Isaiah 40:1
The 40th chapter of Isaiah begins with this command from God, Isaiah 40:1-2 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 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.
The word comfort is the Hebrew word naham and it’s literal meaning is to cause to breathe again. The first half of Isaiah’s prophecies have the remnant of God’s people holding their breath wondering what terrible punishment will happen next then God commands, “Comfort them, yes, their sins will be punished but there is hope and a future under my protection and power.”
The Way Prepared – Isaiah 40:3-5
God’s comfort, His hope for Israel, was that He make a way for reconciliation, for redemption and bring them back to Himself and to the Promised Land.
Isaiah 40:3-5 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. 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: 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.
We know that prophecy was partially fulfilled in John the Baptist and would be ultimately fulfilled by the Messiah John came to prepare the way for.
