Isaiah 40–48 primarily does two things:
- God makes it clear that He is fully in control, not the nations and their gods. He was the one who sent Israel into captivity.
- God lays down a challenge: Can any man, nation, or god be compared to Him? None can tell the future like Him; only He can save. Isaiah 40–66 is a testimony that these things are so.
What is the theme of Isaiah 40 to 66?
Introduction to Isaiah 40-66 Announced are the following: the LORD's sovereignty over all the world, the chosen status and redemption of Jacob/Israel, the renewal of Zion/Jerusalem, the dispute with and warfare against the gods of the nations and their idolatrous images, and the revelation of the Divine word.
What is the theme of Isaiah?
Isaiah predicted that Judah would eventually be defeated because of their sin, but he also saw an ultimate redemption and restoration at the end of the story. Major themes of Isaiah: The judgment of God's people, followed by their ultimate salvation.
What is the theme of Isaiah 40 31?
The path of the righteous (verse 31) entails patience and waiting on the future glory of Christ to be revealed, but also the promise of strength to meet out trials and temptations here and now, and to do righteous acts to honor the Lord who bought us. The waiting does not mean empty time or space.
Who is speaking in Isaiah chapter 40?
But knowing how the context of Isaiah changes in chapter 40 helps us understand what it meant when it was written, and what it means for us today. In this moment, the Israelites were plagued with uncertainty and filled with questions only God—or his prophet—could answer. So Yahweh spoke through Isaiah.
What is the main theme of the Bible?
The great biblical themes are about God, his revealed works of creation, provision, judgment, deliverance, his covenant, and his promises. The Bible sees what happens to mankind in the light of God's nature, righteousness, faithfulness, mercy, and love.
What is Isaiah written about?
Writing from Babylon, the author begins with a message of comfort and hope and faith in Yahweh. The people are to leave Babylon and return to Jerusalem, which has paid “double for all her sins.” As creator and Lord of history, God will redeem Israel, his chosen servant.
What does Isaiah 40 say about God?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow faint or grow weary” (Isa. 40:28). This is a good word for the weary: You may grow faint, but God doesn't.
What does wait on the Lord mean in Isaiah 40?
So what kind of waiting was Isaiah describing? The Hebrew word translated as wait also means “hope for” and “anticipate” (Isaiah 40:31, footnote a). To add my own interpretation, I like to think of waiting in terms of a waiter at a restaurant. In this sense, to wait on someone is to serve that person.
Why did Isaiah write Isaiah 40 31?
The context of Isaiah Chapter 40 is about gospel and the coming of Christ, comfort for God's people and the sovereign power of God. Life is warfare and not fun fare, but the warfare will not last. Our sins are pardoned in love through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God's mercy was exercised.
What the Bible verse 40 is about?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
When did Isaiah write Isaiah 40?
Deutero-Isaiah (40–55), consisting of a collection of oracles, songs, and discourses, dates from the Babylonian Exile (6th century bc).
Who wrote the book of Isaiah 40?
Isaiah (the son of Amoz) is the author of the book of Isaiah. His name means “the Lord is salvation,” and this idea is reflected in his writings.
What does it mean Isaiah 40 28 31?
By REV. CHRIS SHELTON. The Lord gives us remedies to doubts that creep in about his ability to help or his care to help when we are in a great crisis. These words are addressed to his people; those who have been redeemed by his grace. He points us away from the crisis (and doubts about him) to facts about him.
What does this mean to guard your heart for everything you do flows from it?
“For everything you do flows from it” Meaning: If your heart is impure, you will do things with the wrong motives. When you guard your heart, it is possible to keep away from the perverse talk, focus on walking the right path, and allow God to direct your steps and keep your feet from evil 🤜🏻😈.
What does this mean Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest?
This is an invitation by the one and only Jesus. If you're tired and struggling, He can give you rest. This also describes the path to God the Father, but it is not one of labor and hard work. Following Jesus frees us from carrying the burden of our own sin because He has already done that work.
What does it mean for God to renew your strength?
To renew your strength, literally means, exchange your strength. The word in a technical way can mean to “exchange for something better.”
What does the Bible say about comforting people?
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” #N#Says your God.#N#“Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,#N#That her warfare is ended,#N#That her iniquity is pardoned;#N#For she has received from the LORD’s hand#N#Double for all her sins.”
What does Isaiah say about pardoning iniquity?
f. For she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins: This declares the basis for the pardon of iniquity – the sin has been completely paid for. Isaiah, speaking in Old Covenant terminology, speaks of Jerusalem bearing the curse for disobedience described in passages like Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. But the same principle applies to the believer under the New Covenant; our iniquity is pardoned because our sin has been paid for. This is a reason for comfort.
What is the theme of Isaiah chapter 1?
ii. Isaiah is a book in three sections. Chapters 1-35 are prophetic, with the theme of condemnation. Chapters 36-39 are historic, and the theme is confiscation. Chapters 40-66 are messianic, and the theme is consolation.
What does Isaiah say about the voice of one crying in the wilderness?
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Here, Isaiah speaks for the LORD’s messenger, who cries out to the barren places. b. Prepare the way of the LORD: The idea is that the LORD is coming to His people as a triumphant King, who has the road prepared before Him so He can travel in glory and ease.
What does "speak comfort" mean?
Speak comfort is literally, “‘speak to the heart’ , like a young man wooing his girl ( Genesis 34:3 ).” (Motyer) It is important for God’s messengers today to speak to the heart. d. That her warfare is ended: At the moment Isaiah spoke this, the battle may have still loomed.
What does the Bible say about strength?
He gives power to the weak,#N#And to those who have no might He increases strength.#N#Even the youths shall faint and be weary,#N#And the young men shall utterly fall,#N#But those who wait on the LORD#N#Shall renew their strength;#N#They shall mount up with wings like eagles,#N#They shall run and not be weary,#N#They shall walk and not faint.
What does the Bible say about the voice in the wilderness?
2. (3-5) A voice in the wilderness prepares the way of the LORD. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert. A highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted. And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight.
What does Isaiah 40:12-31 mean?
Isaiah 40:12-31 accentuate the bigness of God. Isaiah wanted for the people to understand that God is bigger, greater, and more powerful than any nation, idol, or ruler among men. That was a reassuring message of comfort. Practical Consideration: God is an awesome God.
What is the significance of Isaiah's message?
Isaiah preached a powerful message regarding the bigness of God. This was a message of encouragement and comfort to a people whose problems seemed bigger than God. This was a message of hope to a people who felt forgotten by God.
Why were the prophets called to afflict the afflicted?
In Isaiah 40:1-2, God called His prophets to comfort His afflicted people. The prophets were called to reassure (“speak kindly” – 40:2) God’s people that their term of bondage was over and their iniquity (the cause for their captivity) ...
Why did the conquered nations adopt their conqueror's religion?
The peoples of conquered nations often adopted their conqueror’s religion because they believed their conqueror’s deity was superior to their own. Isaiah addressed this issue by proclaiming a powerful message regarding the incomparable bigness of God to those who had lost perspective.
What does verse 31 mean?
The idea presented in verse 31 is of the Lord being a life-line to people in distress. Those who wait for the Lord will not be disappointed. They will receive the strength necessary to overcome their adversity and make the journey home. Isaiah 40:12-31 accentuate the bigness of God.
How long is Isaiah 40?
Isaiah 40. There is a span of about 150 years between chapter 39 and chapter 40 of Isaiah. The historical background for the material in chapters 40-66 is the Babylonian Exile and the post-exilic period. These chapters have been referred to as “the Book of Consolation” and “the heart of the Old Testament.”. In chapters 1-39 Isaiah spoke ...
What is the book of consolation in the Old Testament?
In chapters 1-39 Isaiah spoke to his own generation regarding the ability of God to defend them against the Assyrians.
What are the seven attitudes of the spiritual life?
Seven » Seven attitudes of the spiritual life » Mounting up, for exaltation. Spiritual » Renewal » Man, strengthened and renewed by the holy spirit. Spiritual » Power » Source of spiritual power. Strength » Moral and spiritual promised. Waiting » Those that wait on the lord.
What are God's promises?
God's Promises » Of spiritual gifts » Of strength. Isaiah 40:31. Yet those who wait for the Lord. Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. Verse Concepts.
What does eagle mean in Isaiah 40?
Eagles » Eagles, a type of swiftness. Isaiah 40:31. Yet those who wait for the Lord. Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. Verse Concepts.
Where will you receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you?
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
What does the second half of Isaiah mean?
The second half of Isaiah speaks to a people despairing at the “loss” of their God, since their relationship with the deity had always presumed an intimate relationship with the land. These chapters, a lifeline to the exiles, are crucial in the development of Jewish theology, and most of the haftarot (synagogue prophetic readings) ...
What is Isaiah 40 66?
Isaiah 40‑66 is an ensemble of several units that have been variously subdivided over the centuries.A broad consensus of scholarly opinion distinguishes three parts: Part I, chapters 40‑48, is a collection of prophecies of comfort emphasizing an imminent redemption; these oracles arc addressed to the Babylonian exiles (called Jacob or Israel) ...
What is the book of Isaiah?
The Book of Isaiah as a whole (chapters 1‑66) constitutes the first of the three large collections of prophetic books in the received Hebrew Scriptures: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
What is the theme of Isaiah 40?
Comforting the Exiles. The dominant concern of the collection is clear from the start. Isaiah 40 begins with a proclamation of hope and reconciliation. “Comfort, oh comfort My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and declare to her that her term of service is over, that her iniquity is expiated” ( Isaiah 40:1‑2 ).
What condition elicited the polemical tone of the discourses?
It was presumably the exilic condition of the nation that elicited the polemical tone of the discourses–a tone that variously proclaims the good tidings of God’s advent and exhorts the people from their exilic ennui and despair.
What is the purpose of Part 3 chapters 56-66?
Part 3, chapters 56‑66, is a diverse group of prophecies of social and religious rebuke and of hope; these are apparently directed to the Judean community restored to its homeland.
When did the prophecies of exile begin?
The abrupt shift in the Isaianic corpus from oracles of doom to themes of consolation (beginning with Isaiah 40) has long drawn the attention of commentators –particularly since the prophecies of exile announced to King Hezekiah (in the first part) refer to the eighth century B.C.E., while the prophecies of return from exile (in the second part) refer to a historical reality two centuries later.
What does Isaiah 40 mean?
Isaiah 40, for example, announced the “coming” of the LORD to intervene and deliver the people from bondage; so that the people were to prepare for this and to comfort others and to wait on the LORD.
What does the prophet Isaiah think about his greatness?
After all, the hope of His coming and the promise of deliverance from bondage will only be as great as the God in whom we believe. So the prophet Isaiah begins to think about His greatness by thinking about His work of creation. Through a series of questions the prophet portrays God as the Mighty Creator.
What does "comfort" mean in verse 1?
These imperatives, “comfort, comfort” are in the plural— nahamu, nahamu (pronounced na-kha-moo )—meaning that the prophet and the school of the prophets, or perhaps even the whole faithful remnant, are to announce comfort to the people in general.
What is the message of comfort?
The message of comfort is based on the omnipotence of God (12-17) and the incomparable nature of God (18-26). Consequently, the people who know Him are instructed not to mistrust Him but to renew their faith as they wait for the promises (27-31).
What did Simeon see at the end of the age?
This is why at the Temple in Jerusalem Simeon rejoiced to see the baby Jesus —the “consolation” of Israel, a direct allusion to Isaiah 40.
Where do the heralds bring the good tidings?
The heralds bring the good tidings not to Babylon, but to Zion where the glory of the LORD will reappear when He leads His people like a Shepherd. The second part of the chapter is an encouragement that God is able to do all this (12-26). The message of comfort is based on the omnipotence of God (12-17) and the incomparable nature of God (18-26).
What is the theme of the Book of Isaiah?
A theme is now introduced that will run through this whole section of the Book of Isaiah. There is no one like God. He is the true and only God. To compare Him to idols is blasphemous. Even the materials for idols comes from God (see Isa. 44 ). Humans who are weak and frail have made the idols; they look for ways to make idols that will last. No one made God; rather, God created humans. The nature of the question in verse 18 then is rhetorical ( erotesis) to express that there is no one to whom we may compare God.
What does Isaiah mean in the Bible?
The theme to Isaiah is salvation, Isaiah’s name actually means ‘Jehovah saves.’. Isaiah portrays Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Isaiah is full of prophecies concerning the Messiah – Jesus tells us that the whole scriptures testify about Him. Only God can tell the future and the prophetic implications reveal to us the supernatural origin of the bible.
How many prophecies does Christ fulfill?
Christ Himself fulfills over 300 specific prophecies. Isaiah portrays how the Messiah will bring in ultimate victory through suffering and death. His suffering is revealed powerfully in chapter 53 and His glorious coming is shown in chapter 34. Isaiah tells us that Jerusalem will be the capital of the coming kingdom.
