Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 40

Verses 1-25

XVIII

THE BOOK OF ISAIAH PART 10

Isaiah 40-42

This great section (Isaiah 40-66) of Isaiah is called "The Old Testament Book of Comfort." The New Testament correspondence to this book of comfort is John 14-17.

This section is addressed chiefly to the Israelitish exiles in Babylon. The conservative critics regard this as one of the greatest marvels of predictive prophecy. As Isaiah had already announced the Babylonian exile in Isaiah 39:6-7 he was further commissioned to provide comfort for those who should be tempted to despair by reason of their distress in captivity.

In 2 Chronicles 32:25-33 we have an account of the condition at the close of the first part of the book, which does ample justice to the great and excellent Hezekiah as a ruler and a servant of Jehovah, yet it points out the sin of his heart in not rendering again according to the benefit done unto him. His heart was lifted up, which was no trivial sin, but he repented of this sin and thereby averted the immediate judgment from Judah. All this made Isaiah feel more and more distinctly the meaning of the Remnant, of which he bad had much to say. True, Assyria was never to destroy Jerusalem, but Isaiah saw behind Assyria a dark cloud arising which was to cover the whole face of heaven and burst upon the guilty city and people. This Isaiah saw clearly and distinctly. It was this very Babylon who at that time opposed Assyria, so that it was easy for Hezekiah and his people to take them as an ally. In view of this rising cloud Isaiah’s responsibility was increased. So now he directs his latest ministry to the future glory of Israel. The ten tribes were already in captivity and Judah was ripe for it. No time now to call to repentance until the Remnant should be purified by the judgment which was already decreed.

These last twenty-seven chapters are divided into three consecutive portions of nine chapters each which are externally marked off by a sad refrain: "There is no peace, saith Jehovah, to the wicked." In like manner each of these divisions is subdivided into three equal parts of three chapters each. The central verses of the central chapter of the central division of this section contains the very essence of the gospel (see Isaiah 53:5-8). The progress of revelation is also indicated by the subject, or general theme, of each division of nine chapters. The first is "Theology," or the doctrine of God; the second is "Soteriology," or the doctrine of salvation; the third is "Eschatology," or the doctrine of the last things. Who could imagine that such an arrangement could have come to be by mere chance in the hands of a number of Isaiah’s?

In Isaiah 40:1-2 we have an introduction to the rest of the book. This contains (1) the theme of this entire section, (2) the announcement that the warfare of Jerusalem was accomplished, (3) that her iniquity was pardoned, and (4) that she had received of Jehovah’s hand double for all her sins.

The theme of this last part of the book, as herein contained, has been fully explained already. But what is the meaning of Jerusalem’s "warfare" being accomplished? This means that her service was fulfilled, the long period of hardship and drudgery during which she has borne the brunt of the enemies’ attacks; that the time was fulfilled and the kingdom of God was at hand. A new day had dawned for Jerusalem. Her "iniquity pardoned" means God’s reconciliation to her and that he would not impute sin to her or punish her any longer for it. "Her receiving double of Jehovah’s hand" means, not twice as much as her sins deserved, but that she had received "abundantly" for her iniquity and therefore she might be assured that, having been amply punished, she need not fear further vengeance. All this is spoken from the standpoint of the captivity from which they are to return.

The theme of Isaiah 40-42 is the conflict with idolatry inside of Israel.

The prophecy of Isaiah 40:3-5 is a distinct prediction of the work of John the Baptist and is so declared to be in Matthew 3:3: "For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight."

This is confirmed by Mark (Isaiah 1:3), Luke (Isaiah 3:4-6), and John (Isaiah 1:23). But Luke’s quotation of Isaiah 40:3-5 throws more light on the interpretation than that of the other evangelists. He says that all flesh shall see the salvation of God, which indicates that this prophecy reaches over into the gospel dispensation and takes in the Gentiles.

The main work of John the Baptist is here set forth. His work, according to this prophecy, was preparatory and is set forth in figures of speech showing the levelling and adjusting work of repentance. Every valley shall be filled, all the hills shall be leveled and all rough places shall be made plain. The import of all these figures can be expressed in the one word, "grading"; so the work of John the Baptist was compared to the grading of a highway over which Christ was to come to his people. Then the prophet turns from the figure of grading to one of agriculture, expressing thereby the same preparatory nature of John’s work. The image employed is that of burning the grass of a field. (Isaiah 40:6-8). John’s preaching subsequently fulfilled this figure, of withering the grass of the flesh, in a most striking manner, by destroying all hope of fitness for the kingdom of God based on fleshly descent from Abraham. In Isaiah 40:9-11, the verses following the description of John’s preparatory work, we have the thought carried on by a call to the messenger to get up on a high mountain and proclaim to the cities of Judah, with a lifted voice, the coming of their God, who would come as a mighty one to rule and to feed the sheep. This was all fulfilled in the coming of our Lord, who, heralded by John the Baptist, stretched forth his hand with authority, fed the sheep and tenderly cared for the lambs.

The picture of Isaiah 40:12-17 is that of the incomparably lofty One, the Jehovah of Israel, who is here exalted above all creation, showing God’s eternal wisdom and power versus man’s finiteness and insignificance. This passage is quoted by Paul in his great exclamation over the supreme wisdom and knowledge of God (Romans 11:33-35).

The picture presented in Isaiah 40:18-24 is a contrast between Jehovah and the senselessness of idolatry, as the preceding passage is a contrast between Jehovah and man. In the light of this truth the prophet shows how monstrous appeared the folly of those who made an image to represent or symbolize Deity. This passage is a complement of Isaiah 40:12-17 showing that if God be all that is there said of him, how strange that man should produce the poor, mean likeness of God which he has in his folly, set up in various times and places. The prophet here sarcastically contrasts these idols with Deity in their power, again magnifying Jehovah’s wisdom and power above every other being in the whole scope of the universe. Doubtless this argument, together with the many others made by Isaiah, against idolatry", helped greatly to bring about the freedom from Polytheism, which has marked the Jewish people ever since the restoration from the Babylonian captivity.

The brief paragraph, Isaiah 40:27-31, sets forth the comfort to God’s people of knowing the foregoing things concerning their God: that their way was open to Jehovah and he had not forgotten the justice due to them; that Jehovah is an everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth and does not grow weary, and that they that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, shall mount up with wings as eagles, shall run and not be weary, shall walk and not faint. But what does the last verse mean? This passage seems, at first thought, to be an anticlimax, but it is a real climax. The first part of a journey is accomplished under the impulse of ardent feeling, as the eagle mounting upon wings for a long flight. The second stage of the journey is made by robust and energetic effort; as the traveler, not so fresh and buoyant, runs and by such effort presses on the way. The last stage of the journey is made by a steady, but tranquil and almost unconscious, advance, as when almost exhausted the traveler walks steadily onward. This verse taken in connection with the preceding one means this: Though the journey be such that the strongest, humanly speaking, may be weary and fall, the Lord giveth such power to those that wait upon him, though they be faint and have no might, that, in the first part of the journey, they shall be fresh and buoyant; in the second stage of the journey they shall run, as other men would, but unlike them they shall not be weary; and in the third stage of the journey where there is falling and fainting, with these it shall not be so, but they shall all have strength to complete the journey. How beautifully this applies to Christian service in this life. "They that wait upon Jehovah shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint."

The special theme of Isaiah 41 is Jehovah’s contest with idols, the outcome of which is that Jehovah proves his Deity in two ways: (1) by stirring up Cyrus as a scourge to the heathen nations, and (2) by predicting the future which the false gods of the heathen could not do.

The prophetic picture in Isaiah 41:1-7 is a challenge to the isles and nations to match Jehovah’s strength with the power of their idols. Jehovah invites them to consider well the evidence. Then he marches out Cyrus at his word. He passes swiftly to chastise the heathen nations who tremble at his approach. They assemble, combine their efforts and encourage one another to make the very best god possible, so as to meet the power of Cyrus.

The thought is carried on in Isaiah 41:8-16. In the midst of the consternation produced by Cyrus, Israel is encouraged not to fear; that Jacob is the chosen seed and he will be gathered from the ends of the earth; that Jehovah will be his God, singing in his ear, How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word; that he would infuse weakness into their enemies and that he would give Israel an aggressive vigor that would enable them to scatter their foes, which was fulfilled, perhaps, in the Maccabean period.

The crowning promise in Isaiah 41:17-20 is that of spiritual support and refreshment through the dull and dreary time of the captivity, which would find its full fruitage in the gospel days. The picture here is one that cheers the lonely traveler in a desert land. The anticipation of the blessings of the oasis stimulates and encourages. Here we have a desert converted into a garden, such as the gospel alone could do.

A contest between Jehovah and idols is described in Isaiah 41:21-29. Here Jehovah challenges them to try their hand on revealing the past, predicting the future, or to demonstrate their claim by performing the supernatural, to which he himself replies that they are nothing and render people who choose them abominable. Then the prophet gives a sample of Jehovah’s prediction, which these idols were not able to match, because they were confusion. The prediction here is respecting Cyrus who should come from the north and should make the rulers as potter’s clay under his feet.

Who was the "Servant of the Lord," occurring so often in Isaiah? Israel was God’s national son and it was the vocation of Israel to be God’s servant. So long as they served him loyally, they had true freedom, but when they ceased to do so they were chastised and had to learn the service of other kingdoms (2 Chronicles 12:8). Yet their vocation was not annulled. The promise to Abraham’s seed stood firm. The "holy seed" was the germ of life which continued intact throughout their history. The title, "Servant of the Lord," is applied to Israel, or Jacob, in Isaiah 41; 44; 45; 48. In other places where the title occurs, as Isaiah 42; 43; Isaiah 44:26; Isaiah 49; 52; 53, it is evident that a person is addressed who, while he is so closely related to Israel that he can be its representative, has at the same time a transcendent personality which enables him to stand outside of Israel and to act independently of it or in antagonism to it, as in Isaiah 49:5-6; Isaiah 53.

It is to be noted in this connection that the title "Servant of the Lord," occurring nineteen times in Isaiah 41-53 disappears after Isaiah 53:11. The reason is obvious. His work as a servant is thenceforth finished. The everlasting covenant has been established (Isaiah 55:3). On the other hand after Isaiah 53 we have "Servants of the Lord," which does not occur at all before Isaiah 44, but occurs ten times in Isaiah 44-66. The relation between the two complementary series is fully explained by Isaiah 53:10: "He shall see his seed," and Isaiah 53:11: "He shall see of the travail of his soul." Through the obedience of one righteous servant many are made righteous (Romans 5:12-19).

The special theme of Isaiah 42 is "The Servant of Jehovah and His Work."

In Isaiah 42:1-4 we have set forth the character, anointing, gentleness, and work of the Messiah. The New Testament (Matthew 12:18-21) applies this expressly to Christ. In this we see that he was chosen with special delight and anointed in the Holy Spirit for his mission by Jehovah himself. His mission to the Gentiles, his quietness in his work, and his gentleness in dealing with backsliders are all noted with marked distinction. He will establish justice in truth and his administration shall include all the nations. The "bruised reed" refers to a musical instrument in need of repair, and the "smoking flax" refers to the wick of an old-fashioned lamp, nearly gone out. Both of these refer spiritually to the backslider and illustrate the tenderness with which Christ deals with the backslider. He will not break the bruised flute, but will fix it up again. Nor will he snuff the candle, but will trim it so that it will give forth its light. Brother Truett had a great sermon on this text in which he magnified the tenderness of Christ to backsliders.

The thought of Isaiah 42:1-4 is carried on in Isaiah 42:5-9. This is a solemn reaffirmation that the mission of the "Servant of Jehovah" was from the Almighty and that the success of it was assured by him. This mission of the "Servant" is here declared to be twofold: (1) for a light of the Gentiles; (2) to open the eyes of the blind, to liberate the captives from the dungeon and from the prison house.

The "former things" here (Isaiah 42:9) are the former prophecies concerning Israel’s captivity which had been fulfilled, and the "new things" are the predictions respecting the restoration of the captive people to their own land.

The thought expressed in Isaiah 42:10-17 is a new song to Jehovah for his triumph over idolatry and for the deliverance of his people. The surrounding nations are called upon to join in this song, i.e., the nations about Palestine. This is a song of praise for the gospel and has its fullest realization in the antitype’s victory over superstition and idolatry. Isaiah 42:16 is a striking statement: "I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; in paths that they know not will I lead them." This is an appeal to trust Jehovah in the darkest hours. The poet has expressed this great need thus: When we in darkness walk, Nor feel the heavenly flame, Then is the time to trust our God, And rest upon His name.

In Isaiah 42:18-25 Israel is represented as blind and deaf, grinding in prison houses because of disobedience, very much like national Israel in the days of our Lord, who had eyes but saw not and ears but heard not. They are also represented as a plundered people, but this is the judgment of Jehovah upon Jacob, because he was not obedient to his law. Again he is represented as not laying the matter of Jehovah’s dealings with him to heart. Is it not true that Jacob is in this condition today? He has never yet laid the folly of his sin of rejecting the Saviour to heart. But he will one day be made to consider his rebellious way of unbelief, the veil will fall from his blind eyes and he will receive our Lord and go with us after a lost world with a zeal that the world has never yet seen.

QUESTIONS

1. What is this section (Isaiah 40-66) of Isaiah called and what the New Testament correspondence to it?

2. To whom is it addressed and how is it regarded by the conservative critics?

3. Give a brief statement of the general condition in the kingdom at the close of the first part of the book (Isaiah 39:8).

4. Restate here the artistic features of this last section of the book.

5. What is contained in. Isaiah 40:1-2 and what the explanation of each of the items?

6. What is the general theme of the subdivision, Isaiah 40-42?

7. What is the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3-5 and where do we find the distinct fulfilment?

8. How is the main work of John the Baptist here set forth?

9. How is this thought of the preparatory work of John the Baptist for the coming king carried forward?

10. What is the picture of Isaiah 40:12-17?

11. What is the picture presented in Isaiah 40:18-26 and how does it seem to have impressed the Jewish people?

12. What is the thought in Isaiah 40:27-31 and what the interpretation of verse 31?

13. What is the special theme of Isaiah 41 and what the outcome?

14. What is the prophetic picture in Isaiah 41:1-7?

15. How is the thought carried on in Isaiah 41:8-16?

16. What is the crowning promise here (Isaiah 41:17-20)?

17. Describe the contest between Jehovah and idols in Isaiah 41:21-29.

18. Who was the "Servant of Jehovah," occurring so often in Isaiah and what of the usage of the term by this prophet?

19. What is the special theme of Isaiah 42?

20. What are the contents of Isaiah 42:1-4?

21. How is the thought of Isaiah 42:1-4 carried on in Isaiah 42:5-9?

22. What are the "former things" and the "new things" in Isaiah 42:9?

23. What is the thought expressed in Isaiah 42:10-17?

24. What is Israel’s condition as described in Isaiah 42:18-25?