Comfort for God's People
Study note
The opening words, 'Comfort, comfort my people,' mark a new section of Isaiah focused on hope and restoration. God speaks tenderly to Jerusalem, announcing that her time of hard service is over and her sins have been paid for. A voice calls out to prepare a highway in the wilderness for the Lord. Every obstacle will be removed. The New Testament identifies this voice as John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus.
1 'Bring comfort, bring comfort to my people,' says your God. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 'Speak gently to Jerusalem and tell her that her time of hard service is over. Her sin has been paid for in full. She has received double from the Lord's hand for everything she did wrong.' Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
3 A voice cries out: 'Cut a path through the wilderness for the Lord! Build a straight highway across the desert for our God!' The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley will be filled in, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The twisting roads will be straightened out, and the bumpy ground will be made smooth. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 Then the Lord's glory will be unveiled for everyone to see. All people everywhere will witness it together. The Lord has given his word. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
The Word of God Stands Forever
Study note
A voice commands Isaiah to cry out a message. When he asks what to say, the answer contrasts the temporary nature of human life with the eternal nature of God's word. People are like grass that withers and flowers that fade when God's breath blows on them. But the word of God stands forever, unchanging and reliable.
6 A voice says, 'Shout it out!' And I ask, 'What should I shout?' All people are as temporary as grass, and all their beauty fades like a wildflower. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
7 Grass dries up and flowers wilt when the Lord's breath blows across them. People truly are just like grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand forever. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
God the Gentle Shepherd
Study note
Zion and Jerusalem are called to climb a high mountain and shout the good news to the cities of Judah: Your God is here! He comes with power and authority, bringing his reward with him. Yet this powerful God is also gentle. He is like a shepherd who gathers the lambs in his arms, carries them close to his heart, and gently leads the mother sheep.
9 Zion, you carrier of wonderful news, climb to the top of a high mountain! Jerusalem, you messenger of good things, shout at the top of your lungs! Shout it out fearlessly! Tell the cities of Judah, 'Here is your God!' O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
10 Look! The Lord God arrives with power, and his strong arm rules for him. He brings his reward with him, and what he has earned goes out ahead of him. 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.
11 He takes care of his flock like a shepherd. He scoops up the lambs in his arms and holds them close to his chest. He walks gently beside the mother sheep. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
The Incomparable Creator
Study note
Isaiah asks a series of rhetorical questions to show that no one can compare to God. Who has measured the oceans in the palm of his hand? Who has taught God or given him advice? Entire nations are like a drop in a bucket compared to him. He sits above the circle of the earth, and its people look like tiny grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain. He brings rulers to nothing. He calls every star by name and not one is missing.
12 Who has scooped up the ocean in the cup of his hand? Who has measured the sky with the span of his fingers? Who has held the dirt of the whole earth in a basket? Who has placed the mountains on a scale and weighed the hills on a balance? Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has figured out what the Lord is thinking, or served as his advisor to teach him anything? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
14 Did the Lord consult anyone for advice? Who showed him how to do things right? Who gave him lessons in knowledge or revealed the path of understanding to him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
15 The nations are nothing more than a drop of water left in a bucket. On his scales, they count as a tiny speck of dust. He picks up the islands as though they weigh nothing at all. Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
16 All the trees in Lebanon would not be enough firewood. All its animals would not be enough for a proper offering to God. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All the nations amount to nothing in his eyes. To him, they are less than nothing — totally worthless. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
18 So who could you possibly compare God to? What kind of image could you create that looks like him? To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
19 A craftsman pours a metal idol, then a goldsmith coats it with gold and attaches silver chains to it. The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
20 Someone too poor for that picks out a piece of wood that will not rot. They find a talented craftsman to set up an idol sturdy enough that it will not topple over. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
21 Do you not know this already? Have you not heard? Has no one told you from the very start? Have you not understood this since the world was made? Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 God sits enthroned above the curve of the earth, and the people below look as small as grasshoppers. He stretches out the sky like a curtain and spreads it out like a tent to live in. It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
23 He brings mighty rulers down to nothing. He turns the judges of the earth into nobodies. That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
24 They are barely planted, barely sprouted, barely taking root, when he blows on them and they shrivel up. A whirlwind carries them off like straw. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
25 'So who will you compare me to? Who is on my level?' asks the Holy One. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
26 Look up at the night sky. Who made all those stars? He lines them up one by one and calls each one by name. Because of his incredible power and tremendous strength, not a single star goes missing. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Those Who Wait on the Lord
Study note
The chapter closes by addressing those who feel forgotten by God. Isaiah asks why Israel would say that God does not see their problems. He reminds them that the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, never gets tired or weary. His understanding is beyond measure. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even young people grow tired and stumble, but those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, run without getting weary, and walk without fainting.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, 'God does not notice what is happening to me. My situation does not matter to him'? Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
28 Do you not know by now? Have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, the one who created the whole earth from end to end. He never gets tired and never runs out of energy. His understanding is deeper than anyone can fathom. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 When people are exhausted, he fills them with new energy. When people are completely drained, he gives them new vigor. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even young people get worn out and stumble. Even the strongest teenagers collapse from exhaustion. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.