Isa 40:3 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Isa 40:3-5: 40:3-5 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 ) is grounded in God himself. Isaiah portrayed the Lord as coming on a highway through the desert (see ch 35 ), although the imagery is here reversed: In ch 35 , the people were traveling to Zion, toward the Lord. Here, the Lord is coming toward his people (see also 52:8 , where the two images are brought together). 40:3 the voice of someone shouting: In Mal 3:1 this person (possibly the Elijah of Mal 4:5 ) 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 ; Mark 1:3 ; Luke 3:4 ; John 1:23 ). • Clear the way ... Make a straight highway: The announcer’s message would expedite God’s coming (see Isa 35:8 ). As God made a way for Israel through the Red Sea (43:16 ), so a way would be opened up for the Lord (see 52:11-12 ).

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‏ Isaiah 40:3

Summary for Isa 40:3-5: 40:3-5 ^a 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 ^b) is grounded in God himself. Isaiah portrayed the Lord as coming on a highway through the desert (see ch 35 ^c), although the imagery is here reversed: In ch 35 ^d, the people were traveling to Zion, toward the Lord. Here, the Lord is coming toward his people (see also 52:8 ^e, where the two images are brought together). 40:3 ^f the voice of someone shouting: In Mal 3:1 ^g this person (possibly the Elijah of Mal 4:5 ^h) 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 ⁱ; Mark 1:3 ^j; Luke 3:4 ^k; John 1:23 ^l).

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