Isa 40:1-3 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Isa 40:1-2: 40:1–66:24 The rest of Isaiah provides a message of comfort and a revelation of God’s character and his purposes for Israel. As 39:6-7 predicted, Judah would experience judgment and exile after the time of Isaiah. Throughout chs 40–66 , Isaiah prophesied from the vantage point of the Exile having already become a reality. Therefore, the Babylonian exile provides the background for understanding these chapters. Summary for Isa 40:1-11: 40:1–55:13 This section announces the good news of God’s coming salvation. The Lord is coming to vindicate his own and to judge his enemies. Salvation would be accomplished through the arrival, suffering, and exaltation of the Lord’s servant—the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Summary for Isa 40:1-31: 40:1-31 This chapter introduces chs 40–66 . In this section, comfort refers to the result of God’s merciful way of dealing with people in the age to come. It includes encouragement, strength, and acceptance. God wants to rescue his people (40:1-11 ) and is more than able to do so (40:12-26 ). The exiles needed to believe God’s promises and wait on him for their rescue (40:27-31 ; see also 30:15-18 ).

Summary for Isa 40:1-2: 40:1–66:24 ^a The rest of Isaiah provides a message of comfort and a revelation of God’s character and his purposes for Israel. As 39:6-7 ^b predicted, Judah would experience judgment and exile after the time of Isaiah. Throughout chs 40–66 ^c, Isaiah prophesied from the vantage point of the Exile having already become a reality. Therefore, the Babylonian exile provides the background for understanding these chapters.
Summary for Isa 40:1-11: 40:1–55:13 ^d This section announces the good news of God’s coming salvation. The Lord is coming to vindicate his own and to judge his enemies. Salvation would be accomplished through the arrival, suffering, and exaltation of the Lord’s servant—the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Summary for Isa 40:1-31: 40:1-31 ^e This chapter introduces chs 40–66 ^f. In this section, comfort refers to the result of God’s merciful way of dealing with people in the age to come. It includes encouragement, strength, and acceptance. God wants to rescue his people (40:1-11 ^g) and is more than able to do so (40:12-26 ^h). The exiles needed to believe God’s promises and wait on him for their rescue (40:27-31 ⁱ; see also 30:15-18 ^j).
40:2 ^k Speak tenderly: The prophet’s message was to encourage Jerusalem with the good news of God’s forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration.

• From the prophetic perspective, Israel’s sad days are gone because the Exile is over.

• punished her twice over for all her sins: Israel experienced the full brunt of God’s wrath (51:19-23 ^l; cp. 61:7 ^m).
Summary for Isa 40:3-5: 40:3-5 ⁿ There is now a shift from the general announcement of the good news to the specific expectation of God’s coming. The good news (40:1-2 ^o) is grounded in God himself. Isaiah portrayed the Lord as coming on a highway through the desert (see ch 35 ^p), although the imagery is here reversed: In ch 35 ^q, the people were traveling to Zion, toward the Lord. Here, the Lord is coming toward his people (see also 52:8 ^r, where the two images are brought together). 40:3 ^s the voice of someone shouting: In Mal 3:1 ^t this person (possibly the Elijah of Mal 4:5 ^u) was God’s messenger who prepared the way for God’s coming. In the Gospels, this announcer was identified with John the Baptist (Matt 3:3 ^v; Mark 1:3 ^w; Luke 3:4 ^x; John 1:23 ^y).

• Clear the way ... Make a straight highway: The announcer’s message would expedite God’s coming (see Isa 35:8 ^z). As God made a way for Israel through the Red Sea (43:16 ^aa), so a way would be opened up for the Lord (see 52:11-12 ^ab).