Isaiah Chapter 40 — Comfort for God’s People
God commands comfort for His people, announcing their sins are pardoned and revealing His immense power as the Creator who sustains the weary.
1“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.
2“Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”
3The voice of one who calls out,
4Every valley shall be exalted,
5The LORD’s glory shall be revealed,
6The voice of one saying, “Cry out!”
7The grass withers,
8The grass withers,
9You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain.
10Behold, the Lord GOD will come as a mighty one,
11He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
13Who has directed the LORD’s Spirit,
14Who did he take counsel with,
15Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket,
16Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,
17All the nations are like nothing before him.
18To whom then will you liken God?
19A workman has cast an image,
20He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot.
21Haven’t you known?
22It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
23who brings princes to nothing,
24They are planted scarcely.
25“To whom then will you liken me?
26Lift up your eyes on high,
27Why do you say, Jacob,
28Haven’t you known?
29He gives power to the weak.
30Even the youths faint and get weary,
31but those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Isaiah 40:3
“The voice of one who calls out, 'Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.'”
This verse introduces the theme of preparation for the manifestation of God's presence among His people.
Isaiah 40:8
“The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”
It highlights the absolute reliability and eternal nature of God's promises in contrast to the physical world.
Isaiah 40:31
“but those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.”
This is a key promise regarding the spiritual endurance provided to those who place their trust in God.
Chapter Summary
Isaiah 40 marks a significant shift toward a message of hope and restoration. It begins with a divine command to comfort Jerusalem, declaring that her time of hard service is over and her iniquity has been pardoned. The text describes a voice calling in the wilderness to prepare a highway for the Lord, whose glory will be revealed to all humanity. The chapter emphasizes the contrast between the fleeting nature of human life—compared to grass that withers—and the eternal endurance of God's word. God is portrayed both as a gentle shepherd who carries His lambs and as the omnipotent Creator who sits above the circle of the earth and measures the heavens with His hand. The passage asserts that no idol or earthly nation can compare to Him. Finally, it addresses those who feel overlooked by God, reminding them that the Creator does not grow weary and provides supernatural strength to those who wait for Him.
Frequently Asked Questions
The chapter focuses on comfort and restoration for Jerusalem after a period of trial. It emphasizes God's supreme power as the Creator and His willingness to share that strength with His people.
The text describes a voice calling out in the wilderness to prepare a highway for the Lord. This represents a call for spiritual and physical readiness for the manifestation of God's glory.
God is depicted as the all-powerful Creator who sits above the circle of the earth and knows the stars by name. Despite His immense power, He is also described as a gentle shepherd who carries His lambs close to His heart.
Waiting for the Lord implies a patient trust and reliance on His timing and power rather than human effort. The text promises that those who do this will have their strength renewed and gain new perspective.
Study Note
The Hebrew word 'chug' in verse 22, translated as 'circle', is used to describe the horizon or the vault of the heavens.
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