A Cry of ComfortWho is Isaiah?

Isaiah 1:1; 6:1. He is a prophet who ministered during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. (These years were approximately 740-686 BC.) Two of those kings were two of the best that Judah ever had: Uzziah and Hezekiah. One of them was average (Jotham) and one was evil, Ahaz. Some say Isaiah was a cousin to Uzziah and that he was martyred by King Manasseh by being cut in two by a saw. He was born somewhere around 760 B.C. and he died somewhere around 680. This means that Isaiah lived during the Assyrian dynasty when Israel, the Northern Kingdom was defeated and taken into captivity. Isaiah predicted captivity also for Judah. Isaiah was called definitely and dramatically to be a prophet during the year that King Uzziah died. Isaiah realized that God was the King who would never die, Isaiah 6. Isaiah was a prophet to the Kingdom of Judah and he preached so that the people of God would not suffer the same fate as the Northern Kingdom of Israel which was taken into captivity by Assyria in 722 B.C. Isaiah saw the fall of the Northern Kingdom and it looked as if Judah too would collapse and fall to Assyria.
Many have called Isaiah a Bible in miniature. Wiersbe says it this way:
“The Book of Isaiah can be called ‘a Bible in miniature.’ There are sixty-six chapters in Isaiah and sixty-six books in the Bible. The thirty-nine chapters of the first part of Isaiah may be compared to the Old Testament with its thirty-nine books, and both focus primarily on God’s judgment of sin. The twenty-seven chapters of the second part may be seen to parallel the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, and both emphasize the grace of God.”
Isaiah is a book of majesty that moves our soul to worship our great Creator God (Isaiah 40:28; 43:1; 44:24; 45:11). Isaiah knew his God personally and deeply as he writes this beloved prophetic book. This book of Isaiah that bears his name is a well-known book and an unknown book at the same time. We know well some phrases, verses, and even chapters from Isaiah. Other parts of Isaiah are entirely unknown by most Christians.
Isaiah 1-39 speak of the JUDGMENT of God. Key word is WOE!
Isaiah 40-66 speaks of the COMFORT of God. (Is.49:13, 51:3, 52:9, 54:11, 61:2, 66:13) This passage of Scripture is prophetical for it was all future at the time of Isaiah writing it. None of it had occurred.
The SCENE: The people of God are in Babylon and Jerusalem is in ruins, Isaiah 51:3, Isaiah 64:10,11. The TIME: Captivity is about to end.
Isaiah tells his nation what is going to happen 170 years after he is dead and gone. If you went forward 170 years, you too, would be in a different world. This is what Isaiah does. Isaiah predicts the future from chapter 40 onward. Isaiah 40 brings us into a new world that Isaiah did not live in. He addresses a future generation of Jews. Isaiah 39 ends with Isaiah speaking to Hezekiah. This was somewhere around 700 B.C. Isaiah 40 begins with Jerusalem in captivity and the promise is for their return. This was somewhere around 540 B.C. Therefore, between Isaiah 39 and 40 is a gap of about 170 years. Isaiah 40 deals with the future: captivity and restoration, even from Isaiah’s standpoint. Before God sent his people into captivity he supplied them with precious promises for their support and strength. Isaiah predicts their return from Babylonian captivity, but it does even more than that.
God knows the future! Isaiah looks 170 years into the future and sees Jerusalem rebuilt. But He sees further than that. He looks 700 years into the future and sees the Messiah is born and is crucified. But He still sees further than that. He looks to the end of time and sees the new heaven and the new earth built for the glory of God! This is a comfort for all those who are HIS PEOPLE. Isaiah sees a redemption; the redemption of Judah out of Babylonian captivity. He sees a more glorious redemption; that of Jesus Christ. Isaiah sees a city rebuilt; the city of Jerusalem. He sees a more glorious city rebuilt; the eternal city of God in the new heaven and new earth!
This passage of Scripture looks to the coming of John the Baptist who was a forerunner to Jesus Christ. This passage begins where the Gospels begin with “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” and it ends where the book of Revelation ends with the new heavens and the new earth.
There are three trilogies of messages. Isaiah 40:2 has three promises of comfort. Isaiah 40:3-11 has three voices (v.3,6,9), then Isaiah 40:12-66 has three clear sections of 9 messages in each section.
This passage is like the New Testament. It begins where the New Testament begins: with a voice crying in the wilderness. It ends where the New Testament ends: with a new heaven and a new earth. It is made up of 27 different chapters and even in the Hebrew there are three sections with nine messages in each section. The chapter divisions are not inspired, but even in the Hebrew there are 27 different and unmistakable messages that remind us of the 27 books in the New Testament! The middle message of these 27, that is the fourteenth message, is Isaiah 53, for that is the heart of all preaching: the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah! At the heart of all comfort is the fact of Jesus’ death on the cross for the sins of the world.
This passage was meant for Israel to provide them comfort in their return from captivity from Babylon and their resettling and rebuilding in the city of Jerusalem and the land of promise. The Prophet Isaiah has in his mind a more glorious redemption and deliverance than from Babylon. He has in his mind a more glorious city than the earthly city of Jerusalem.
This cry of comfort has an earthly sense to it, with an immediate and earthly fulfillment for it relates to the people of Israel for their return out of Babylonian captivity. This cry of comfort has an eternal sense to it as well, with its ultimate and eternal fulfillment being the eternal city of God.
The first two verses of Isaiah 40 are a well of infinite comfort that state the theme of the final 27 chapters in Isaiah. They are written to those who are in desperate need of comfort. Their soul refused to be comforted (Psalm 77:2). Jerusalem is in ruins and the people of God feel that God has forgotten and forsaken them. This is why the command is repeated twice, Comfort ye, comfort ye MY people, saith your God. This is the purpose of the entire passage to follow, from Isaiah 40-66.
This passage provides comfort for those in captivity. The God of creation commands the prophet to comfort His people!
To comfort means to call someone to your side (parakaleo means to call to one’s side) and speak words from your heart that speak to the heart in order to build them up and give them hope. Comforting words relieve the guilty and strengthen the one full of grief. See Isaiah 49:13,14: God comforts His people by not forgetting them or forsaking them. Now see Isaiah 61:1-3: God comforts His people by reminding them that He will send the Messiah who knows the end from the beginning. The coming of the Messiah is a comfort! Christ is coming again and we are to comfort one another with these words.
The world is made up of weak people who need to be comforted: forgiven, saved, and redeemed. That is you and me.
1. Your TIME is Come: Isaiah 40:3-5, Isaiah 40:12-Is. 48:22
The idea of this first promise of comfort is that the time has come for Israel to return from their captivity. Her period of severe trial and travail is come to an end. Her time of peace had arrived. The time of burden is complete and the time of blessing has begun. Our God of all comfort says to find comfort in the fact that the battle is accomplished. The warfare against Jerusalem is finished and God will redeem Israel out of captivity to restore them to their promised land. The appointed time has come for God to deliver them and redeem them.
Isaiah 40:3-5 refer to this first promise. Notice the obstacles that those returning from captivity will have to face: deserts, valleys, mountains, crooked and rough ways. There would be darkness (Is.42:16). In Is. 43:2 God says there will be deep waters, rivers, and fire of affliction. Through it all, God says there will be highway back to the land of promise. God knows what we have to face before we face it and He makes a way when it looks like there is no way to be made! God predicts and tailor makes our obstacles! We can still go forward in dry times (deserts), discouraging times (valleys), difficult times (mountains), depraved times (crooked and rough), dangerous times, times of darkness, overwhelming deluges (waters and floods) and devastating times (fires)!
Hold on to the promise in the midst of all the obstacles: The warfare is accomplished, Our time is come!
God’s message to Israel throughout this passage is “FEAR NOT, I am your Majestic Maker. God is greater than our obstacles and bad circumstances. I am more powerful than all the nations of the earth, for they are like a drop in the bucket to me. I am more powerful than those idols of wood and stone. I know the future, saith the LORD! FEAR NOT, I am with thee and I will help thee!” This promise is repeated three times in Isaiah 41:10-14. God says in Isaiah 43:1, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee! God our CREATOR, promises His HELP, His Redemption, His presence. See also Is.44:2,8.
The Message to us today is that the appointed time has come for God has sent His Son. Isaiah 42:1 says, “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth.” This passage is quoted in Matthew 12:18-20 and refers to Jesus the Messiah.
Your time has come to behold the servant, the Lord Jesus Christ. The time has come for us to have salvation and peace!
Your time has come to have your sins forgiven and blotted out, Isaiah 43:25,44:22.
Your time has come to Look unto the Lord and be saved. Look at Isaiah 45:22,23.
2. Your INIQUITY is Cleansed: Isaiah 40:6-8, Isaiah 49-57:21
Iniquity speaks of all the sin that brings guilt and grief; sadness and madness; death and destruction; both now and for eternity. The word “iniquity” speaks of crooked, twisted, or distorted behavior. The word pardon speaks of the satisfaction of a debt. Our sins are like a heavy debt that we cannot pay, but God in mercy atones our sin. One of the most comforting truths in all of Scripture is that God forgives our sins and pardons our iniquities. Oh what comfort! There is hope for the greatest of sinners because God is a forgiving God who pardons! That God forgives our sins does not mean that He forgives by ignoring our sin nor does He pardon by overlooking sin. God does not mollify (soothe or comfort) the unrepentant sinner. He says there is no peace to the wicked! No, God gives comfort to the one who repents of sin and He forgives sin on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Because Israel had sinned God brought them into captivity. He forgave them on the basis of the blood shed by Jesus Christ on the cross.
Isaiah 40:6-8 relates to this promise. This is surely a promise of amazing grace, for God pardons the iniquity of us who are like grass. God has grace on guilty, grief-filled GRASS! This is the word of God that stands forever.
This second promise of comfort given to Israel coming out of Babylonian captivity is dealt with more thoroughly in Is. 49-57.
As God reveals the great work of His Messiah dying in Isaiah 53, He leads up to this by saying three times, Listen up and then Wake up!
Listen up!: HEARKEN TO ME! Isaiah 51:1,4,7
Wake up!: Then He says three times, AWAKE, AWAKE! Isaiah 51:9, 17, 52:1 Isaiah 51:12,13: God reminds them that He is the One who comforts them. Do not be afraid of a mere man that will die and forget the LORD our Maker!
Then comes one of the most amazing chapters in all of Scripture, Isaiah 53, which is the basis of our forgiveness from sin and pardon. What comfort!
Is. 53:5, He was wounded for our transgressions and he was bruised for our iniquities… Isaiah 53:6, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Is.53:11, He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many: for he shall bear their iniquities.
He was bruised for our iniquity, our iniquity was laid on him, and he bore all our iniquity. Carrying the cross, wearing the crown of thorns, being nailed into the cross, enduring the mocks, suffering the darkness of separation, HE WAS BEARING OUR INIQUITY on His body on the tree.
The only way to have pardon is to have a sufficient sacrifice is made to atone for the iniquity. Jesus alone is that sufficient sacrifice.
After this chapter we are told to “break forth into singing” because surely God has done great things for us.
Yes, in this promise for pardon that is of great comfort, remember that God mercifully confronts his people with their sin and challenges them to repent. God’s promise for pardon does not mean that he forgives those who do not repent.
Isaiah 55:6,7
Also, in this comforting promise for pardon, God does not mollify or go easy on sin. God’s comfort begins when he confronts sin. In Isaiah 57, God confronts the idolatry of the land. The idolatrous religions played right into the hands of the adulterous hearts of the people. They could commit adultery and satisfy their carnal and lustful appetites and still sooth their conscience! Yes, the false religions surrounding Israel pandered to the sexual appetites of the worshipers and allowed them to make their children a sacrifice. In our country it is called adultery, prostitution, and abortion. It is all religious paganism at its root. At the end of Isaiah 57, however, is another offer for the people to repent and find the healing comfort of God. See Isaiah 57:15-19.
3. Your JOY is Complete, Isaiah 40:9-11, Isaiah 58-66:24
“For she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”
Jerusalem had received the cup of wrath from the Lord and now receives double blessing. Is. 40:10, “Behold the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.” There is some question as to whether to make this double the punishment for her sins or double the blessing. I believe it means abundant the mercy for all her sins. It is not exactly comforting to know that we got a double punishment for all our sins! It is comforting to consider that God gives us double the blessing because our sins have been pardoned.
Do you think God punishes you double what you deserve or LESS than you deserve? Job 11:7, “God exacteth of thee less than thine inquity deserveth.” See also Ezra 9:13 In the end God gave Job double the blessing for the suffering that he endured.
Does God not punish His people less than they deserve and then give double the blessing of which we could ever be worthy? Yes!
God’s hand does not speak of punishment in Scripture but of power, salvation, and reward. God delivers with His mighty hand, Isaiah 59:1.
As we look at the closing chapters of Isaiah, from chapters 58-66, we can easily say that God has a double blessing in store for his people. This speaks of His abundant, infinite grace. He comes with double the reward. His reward will be a double blessing of joy. Where sin did abound, grace does much more abound. As sinful as I am, His grace is double all my sins!
In Isaiah 61 we see this blessing in the coming of our Messiah “to comfort all that mourn.” Isaiah 61:7, “For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.”
The challenge: This everlasting joy will be double and more than double any suffering we have endured in this life. God gives everlasting light, surely this is more than double what we could ever deserve (Is.60:20). Will everlasting joy and light be yours?
This means that our joy will be complete in heaven. This is comfort for me. To know that :
We have everlasting joy when we believe in his everlasting covenant, Is.57:8.
1. Your TIME is COME
2. Your INIQUITY is CLEANSED
3. Your JOY is COMPLETE