Isaiah 40
I. (1-39) Condemnation
A. Chapters 1-12 - Prophecies against Israel and Judah
B. Chapters 13-23 - Prophecies against the Nations
C. Chapters 24-27 - Prophecies of the Day of the Lord
D. Chapters 28-35 - Prophecies of Judgment and Blessing
E. Chapters 36-39 - Historical accounts
II. (40-66) Consolation - We move into a new section of Isaiah. Like the
New Testament, in the last 27 chapters God consoles Israel.
A. Chapters 40-48 - Israel’s God - Much of this section will reintroduce
Israel to their God.
1. \\#40:1-31\\ Be Comforted by Meeting Your God - Israel had
forgotten their God and so had to be re-introduced to Him.
While God is re-introducing Himself to the people of Isaiah’s
day, it is obvious that this chapter is intended for the future
as so much of it is prophetic, having been fulfilled in part
when Jesus came the first time and awaiting complete
fulfillment when He returns to establish His kingdom.
I. \\#40:1-31\\ Be Comforted by Meeting Your God
A. \\#1-2\\ A Coming Message - COMFORT
1. \\#1\\ "comfort ye my people" - Isaiah had preached a message of
judgment and destruction but those days are limited. Once
complete, God has a glorious plan for His people.
2. \\#2\\ "her iniquity is pardoned" - In that time, Israel’s sins
will be removed, both because God executed His wrath "for she
hath received of the Lord’s hand double" and because she asked
Him to forgive her. This is obviously endtime.
B. \\#3-8\\ A Coming Announcer - This is a prophecy to announce
the coming of the Lord to Israel. It was fulfilled in John the
Baptist \\#Matt 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23\\ and will be
fulfilled again when Jesus comes to establish His kingdom.
1. \\#3\\ "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness" - The
announcer will be one who preaches in the country as opposed to
the city.
2. \\#3\\ As a forerunner, the message of the announcer is "Prepare
the way of the Lord." That is a message of repentance.
3. \\#4\\ The descriptions are of the land are symbolic of the
work that needs to be done in the hearts of the Jewish people.
Their hearts are crooked, rough, and filled with ups and downs.
4. \\#5\\ When the Lord comes, all the world shall see His glory.
5. \\#5-8\\ A contrast is made between the eternal Word of God and
the short-lived flesh. Both in \\#5, 8\\, God emphasizes that
His Word in general and the promise of His coming to the Jews
is certain.
C. \\#9-11\\ A Coming Reign
1. \\#9\\ This part of the message is directed to Zion (the
political capital of Israel) and Jerusalem (the religious
capital of Israel). These two arms of Israel’s capital may
proclaim with confidence that their God and King has arrived!
2. \\#10\\ When He comes, this King will do a work and give reward
to those who follow Him. This aspect of the prophecy implies a
permanence to the Lord’s return. He will not just be passing
through as on His first pilgrimage to this planet.
3. \\#11\\ "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd" - The work the
King will do is to take care of His flock, which is of course
a representation of His people, Israel.
D. \\#12-26\\ A Coming Ruler
1. \\#12\\ This earthly King will be the same God "who hath
measured the waters in the hollow of His hand." He holds the
seas and is the Creator of all that is. No mortal man is like
Him.
2. \\#13\\ Likewise, no mortal man has directed the Holy Spirit or
given God counsel.
3. \\#14\\ This King is the omniscient God. He needed no one to
instruct, teach, or show Him anything at all.
4. \\#15\\ The nations and all that they possess is as dust before
Him.
5. \\#16\\ "Lebanon is not sufficient to burn" - Most believe this
is not a reference to the people but to the trees and animals
that abundantly abode in that place. If the whole country was
made into a burnt offering, it would be insufficient to
demonstrate the worthiness of this coming King.
6. \\#17\\ In comparison, the whole world is nothing before Him.
God has been blasphemed and counted as non-existent for so long
that people have forgotten who the great God is. He will be no
less great as the incarnated, glorified King who will rule and
reign from Israel.
7. \\#18-26\\ To whom will we compare this God?
a. \\#19-20\\ To a graven image which is carved from a tree
(hopefully a tree that will not rot) and overlaid with gold
and silver?
b. \\#21-22\\ NO!
(1) \\#21\\ Have you not heard the message from the oldest
days of the earth?
(2) \\#22\\ This God sits above the world and the earth are
like grasshoppers in His sight. (This statement implies
that God is watching and controlling the affairs of
mankind.
(3) \\#23-24\\ He sets up and brings down kingdoms.
(4) \\#25-26\\ Open your eyes and look and see the might
of this God. There is none like Him.
E. \\#27-31\\ A Present Power
1. \\#27\\ "O Jacob" - God speaks to Israel in the present tense.
2. \\#27\\ Do you think your ways are hid from this God?
3. \\#28\\ Do you not know that this God does not grow weary or
faint? He sees everything and knows.
4. \\#29-31\\ Indeed, He gives of this power to those of us who are
about to faint!
a. \\#30\\ When children and young men become weak and fall.
b. \\#31\\ If they will "wait" (that is, look for, wait on,
bind with) on the Lord, they shall be able to ride the
currents of adversity like eagles soar on the winds with
their strong wings.
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