Isaiah 40 Isaiah has been called a miniature Bible. First 39 chapters are filled with judgment on a wicked nation. 39 books of O.T. filled with judgment and wrath of God. Judah has sinned, the nations, all the earth have sinned. Judgment must come. God cannot allow such rebellion to go unpunished. Last 27 chapters filled with message of hope. Like 27 books of N.T. The Messiah is coming as a Savior and sovereign. Great joy ahead for the people of God. "Salvation" in Isaiah 27x. Only 8x in all the other prophets combined. 1-39 - give man's need for salvation because of his great failure. 40-66 - show how God will provide salvation. It is all from God's grace. Isaiah prophesies for 40 years during the reigns of four kings. First section deals with problems during Assyria's rise in power. Ends with prophecy of coming judgment by Babylonians. Chp 39 - Hezekiah shows Babylonians all of his treasures. Isaiah prophecies that Babylon will carry them all away. At that time, Assyria was still the major power. 1-39 - Isaiah has been speaking from the perspective of the present. 40-66 - was written from the viewpoint of the destruction of Jerusalem as already taken place. 44:26-28, 51:3, 52:9, 58:12, 64:10-11 40:1-2 Three Words of Comfort 1. Warfare is ended. 2. They have been forgiven. 3. Received double from the Lord. (Indication that punishment has been completed). 40:3-5 Prepare the way for the Lord to be revealed. God is going to be revealed in His work through Cyrus and bring the Jews back to their home as Isaiah prophesied of over 100 years before it happened. Greater work is going to be done when John comes to prepare the people for the com ing of the Lord. Mat 3:1-3, John 1:23 Glory of the Lord is returning. Ezekiel saw vision of the glory of the Lord departing from the Temple. Destruction soon followed. Now God is returning to be with His people. 40:6-8 Call Out! Call what out? This is not done by human strength, All the world kingdoms, leaders, great ones all quickly perish. The Word of God endures forever. (1 Peter 1:24-25) Nations come and go, philosophy of the world is constantly changing. One thing never changes, Word of God. We can depend on His promises. He will come 2Pe 3:10 40:9 Good News! He has returned to Zion, Promises are fulfilled. Still future when Isaiah writes, but they are so certain that Isaiah can write as if they are fulfilled. Isaiah 40:9 ...say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! KJV, NKJV, ASV We must continually behold our God and remember to remain strong. He will come with might with power. In His strength, He will care for his sheep and lambs. Great comfort to have such a strong but loving and gentle shepherd. 40:12-31 In the American Standard, the translators gave the theme for this section as: "THE INCOMPARABLE GREATNESS OF JEHOVAH" - 40:25 Isaiah makes no argument for the existence of God. He writing to a people that already believe He exists. He is trying to get them to understand who God is and His nature and power. After having Jerusalem and Temple destroyed, suffering as prisoners of war by the Babylonians, Jews had their faith in God tested. Easy for them to begin worshipping false gods for help as Ahaz or remain with Jehovah but not understand His true power. They will find strength to remain faithful and not give up hope if they will remember the words of Isaiah written down many years in the past. It will help us also to understand how great our God is. 40:12-14 - Jehovah and Creation This is not to emphasize how great the physical creation is but to show how great God is. 1. Imagine one who could measure all the waters of the oceans in the palm of His hand. Psalms 104:5-6 You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever, You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood above the moun tains. 2. Span = distance between the end of the thumb and tip of the little finger. 40:22, 44:24, 48:13 Psalms 102:25-26 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, all of them will grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed. 3. Measure - measuring cup. 4. Weigh mountains in balance like weighing produce. 5. Hill in scales. Place greatest mountain in scale as easy as chemist measuring small amounts of chemicals. 6. Wisdom of God. Who could have taught God? When He created everything so vastly complex, how did He know how to do it? Amazing at what scientists are discovering. All they can do is find out what God has already done. True science is thinking God's thoughts after Him. God had no instructor, no one to give plans. Surely such a one can watch over His people. Romans 11:34-35 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him? Colossians 2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Jehovah and the Nations 40:15-17 What about the great military powers (Baby, Assy) who carry away God's people cap tive? What should Christians today think about the nations today in their efforts to disregard God's laws? 40:15 Drop in a bucket. As insignificant as drop dripping halfway down bucket or that remains in bucket after contents poured out. Accounted as small dust not even considered when weighing something more important. Daniel 4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, `What have You done?' 40:17 LESS than nothing. When you have nothing, how can you have less? Psalm 62:9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: In the balances they will go up; They are together lighter than vanity. (ASV) Jehovah and the Idols - 40:18-21 How will you compare anything man can make to God? God is the one who made the wood, silver, gold to begin with. Has to nail it down so it will not fall like Dagon Isaiah 41:7 44:9-20, Jer 10:3-7 40:22 Vault = Circle Proverbs 8:27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set circle upon the face of the deep, Job 26:7 He stretches out the north over empty space, And hangs the earth upon nothing. Psalms 102:25-26 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, all of them will grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. Jehovah and the Great Men of Earth - 40:23-24 Think of all the great men of the past, how they strive for greatness and only fall and all their works are destroyed. Men in our own time strive for greatness, only to quickly fall from power. Someone does them in, fall to physical weakness. The rich and powerful can be removed by God at anytime. Just merely blow on them. Like blowing seeds off a dandelion. Psalms 62:9 Men of low degree are only vanity, and men of rank are a lie; In the balances they go up; They are together lighter than breath. 40:25 - Who is like Me? - 46:5, 9 40:26-31 - Assurance that comes only from Jehovah At times we need to just look up and see the stars. Not as astrologers did or worship them but to think on the one who created them all. God knows them all, none are missing. Modern astronomy helps us appreciate this passage even greater. Used to be common belief that there was about 3,000 stars. Counted them. Now every time a bigger telescope is made, we only see more. If God, who loves His children as a devoted Father, looks after each star that has no life, will He not care for each of His children? Matthew 10:29, 31 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 40:28-31 - Summary of God's Greatness What we can rely on. 1. He is the everlasting God. The eternal one. 2. The Creator of all 3. He does not get tired. (Elijah at Mt. Carmel) 4. He has all knowledge. (All powerful and all knowing) 5. He give power to the weak. This should encourage every child of God who has been discouraged because of the circumstances of life they find themselves in,. this would encourage those in captivity, should be able to encourage us They young, strong will grow tired. Those who seek for Jehovah have their strength renewed. Wings of eagle, symbol of strength, power. Whatever trials come our way, those who trust in God will receive strength to overcome each one and keep on going. Ephesians 1:15-19 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power Ephesians 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man... 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. What service can we provide for such a great God? - 40:16 Micah 6:6-8 With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Nothing we can do to provide God anything He needs. He got along fine throughout eternity before Creation. What He desires can be found in Micah 6:8 1 Samuel 2:1-2 And Hannah prayed and said: My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation. 2 There is none holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God. Wayne Wells wayneliz@twave.net http://users.twave.net/ncc