Isaiah 40 Study Notes: Comfort for God's People
God announces pardon and comfort for Jerusalem, and a voice calls for a road to be readied for the LORD's coming. Human life fades but God's word endures; the coming God rules in power and tends His flock. No idol or nation compares with the tireless Creator, who gives fresh strength to all who hope in Him.
General
In 40:6-8, what is contrasted with the fading of human beings like grass?
Answer: The unfailing endurance of what God says
A voice tells the prophet to cry out, and the message is that all people are like grass and their glory like wildflowers, which wither when the LORD's breath blows on them; yet God's word stands forever (40:6-8). Human strength and splendor do not last, but what God has said never fails. The apostle Peter quotes these verses and then adds that this enduring word is the very message his readers had heard preached (1 Peter 1:24-25). Jesus said the same of His own words: they will outlast the sky and the earth (Matthew 24:35). A psalm also compares human life to grass and a flower, while the LORD's loving devotion lasts without end (Psalm 103:15-17).
- Isaiah 40:6-8 (BSB)“A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.””All people are like withering grass, but God's word stands forever.
- 1 Peter 1:24-25 (BSB)“For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.”Peter quotes the passage and identifies the enduring word with the message proclaimed to his readers.
- Matthew 24:35 (BSB)“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”Jesus says His words will never pass away, the same permanence Isaiah claims for God's word.
- Psalm 103:15-17 (BSB)“As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind passes over, it vanishes, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD extends to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children’s children—”The psalm also likens human life to grass and flowers in contrast to the LORD's everlasting loving devotion.
Theological
In 40:6-8, what stands in contrast to the transience of all humanity?
Answer: The unfailing endurance of what God says
The second voice commands a proclamation of human frailty: all flesh is grass and its glory like field flowers, withering when the LORD breathes on them, while God's word endures for all time (40:6-8). Peter cites the passage and identifies that abiding word with the message proclaimed to his readers (1 Peter 1:24-25), so the good news they received shares the permanence of God's word. Jesus claims the same permanence for His own words (Matthew 24:35), and Psalm 103:15-17 sets the same grass-like brevity of man against the LORD's everlasting loving devotion.
- Isaiah 40:6-8 (BSB)“A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.””All people are like withering grass, but God's word stands forever.
- 1 Peter 1:24-25 (BSB)“For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.”Peter quotes the passage and identifies the enduring word with the message proclaimed to his readers.
- Matthew 24:35 (BSB)“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”Jesus says His words will never pass away, the same permanence Isaiah claims for God's word.
- Psalm 103:15-17 (BSB)“As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind passes over, it vanishes, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD extends to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children’s children—”The psalm also likens human life to grass and flowers in contrast to the LORD's everlasting loving devotion.
General
True or False: According to 40:5, the LORD will show His glory to Israel alone and keep it hidden from other peoples.
Answer: False
This is false. After describing valleys raised and mountains lowered so that rough ground becomes level, which pictures every obstacle being removed for the LORD's coming (40:4), the passage says the LORD's glory will be made known and every person alike will behold it, because the LORD Himself has promised it (40:5). Luke, quoting this passage about John the Baptist, ends with all humanity seeing God's salvation (Luke 3:5-6). Isaiah later says the whole world, to its farthest edges, will behold God's saving work (52:10), and John's Gospel says that in Jesus, the Word who became flesh, His glory was seen (John 1:14).
- Isaiah 40:4-5 (BSB)“Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”The landscape is leveled for the LORD's coming, and His glory is revealed for all humanity to see.
- Luke 3:5-6 (BSB)“Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’””Luke's quotation of the passage ends with all humanity seeing God's salvation.
- Isaiah 52:10 (BSB)“The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.”Isaiah later says all the ends of the earth will see God's salvation, the same worldwide scope.
- John 1:14 (BSB)“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”John testifies that the glory of God was seen in Jesus, the Word who became flesh.
Theological
True or False: In 40:5, the revelation of the LORD's glory is limited to Israel and withheld from the rest of mankind.
Answer: False
This is false. The leveling of valleys and mountains clears the route for the LORD's coming (40:4), and its outcome is universal: the LORD's glory is unveiled and every person sees it together, guaranteed because the LORD's own mouth has spoken (40:5). Luke's citation in connection with John the Baptist concludes with all humanity seeing God's salvation (Luke 3:5-6); Isaiah 52:10 likewise extends the sight of salvation to the farthest edges of the world, and John 1:14 locates the beheld glory in the incarnate Word.
- Isaiah 40:4-5 (BSB)“Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”The landscape is leveled for the LORD's coming, and His glory is revealed for all humanity to see.
- Luke 3:5-6 (BSB)“Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’””Luke's quotation of the passage ends with all humanity seeing God's salvation.
- Isaiah 52:10 (BSB)“The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.”Isaiah later says all the ends of the earth will see God's salvation, the same worldwide scope.
- John 1:14 (BSB)“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”John testifies that the glory of God was seen in Jesus, the Word who became flesh.
General
In 40:9, what announcement is Zion, the messenger with good news, told to make to Judah's towns?
Answer: That their God had come and was among them
Zion, another name for Jerusalem, is pictured as a messenger with good news who must climb a high mountain and shout without fear. The message for the towns of Judah is simple: their God is here (40:9). The next verses describe Him arriving with power and tenderness (40:10-11). Isaiah later describes the beauty of messengers who carry glad news and tell Zion that her God reigns (52:7), and Paul quotes that verse about those sent to preach the gospel (Romans 10:15). In chapter 41 the LORD also says He sent Jerusalem a messenger with good news (41:27).
- Isaiah 40:9 (BSB)“Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!””Zion as herald is told to announce to Judah's cities that their God is here.
- Isaiah 52:7 (BSB)“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!””Isaiah again pictures messengers bringing Zion the good news that her God reigns.
- Romans 10:15 (BSB)“And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!””Paul applies the picture of beautiful feet bringing good news to those sent to preach the gospel.
- Isaiah 41:27 (BSB)“I was the first to tell Zion: ‘Look, here they are!’ And I gave to Jerusalem a herald of good news.”The LORD says He gave Jerusalem a herald of good news, the same messenger role.
Theological
What is the content of the herald's proclamation to Judah's towns in 40:9?
Answer: That their God had come and was among them
Zion-Jerusalem is personified as a messenger of glad tidings, sent up a high mountain to lift her voice without fear and announce to Judah's towns the presence of their God (40:9), whose coming in might and tenderness the following verses describe (40:10-11). The motif recurs in 52:7, where the messengers announce to Zion that her God reigns, a verse Paul applies to the preachers of the gospel (Romans 10:15), and in 41:27, where the LORD says He sent Jerusalem such a messenger.
- Isaiah 40:9 (BSB)“Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!””Zion as herald is told to announce to Judah's cities that their God is here.
- Isaiah 52:7 (BSB)“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!””Isaiah again pictures messengers bringing Zion the good news that her God reigns.
- Romans 10:15 (BSB)“And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!””Paul applies the picture of beautiful feet bringing good news to those sent to preach the gospel.
- Isaiah 41:27 (BSB)“I was the first to tell Zion: ‘Look, here they are!’ And I gave to Jerusalem a herald of good news.”The LORD says He gave Jerusalem a herald of good news, the same messenger role.
General
In the idol scene of 40:18-20, what detail shows how helpless an idol is?
Answer: Its maker must make sure it will not fall over
Isaiah asks to whom God could be compared, and then mocks the idea of an idol. A craftsman casts it and another worker plates it with gold and adds silver chains; someone too poor for that picks lasting timber and hires a skilled worker to set it up so it will not topple over (40:18-20). A god that has to be propped up so it does not fall cannot hold up anyone else. Jeremiah mocks idols that must be fastened so they will not totter (Jeremiah 10:3-5), a psalm says idols cannot talk, see, or walk (Psalm 115:4-8), and Paul says God is not like a statue shaped by human skill (Acts 17:29).
- Isaiah 40:18-20 (BSB)“To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him? To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains? One lacking such an offering chooses wood that will not rot. He seeks a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.”Isaiah describes idols made by craftsmen and set up so they will not topple.
- Jeremiah 10:3-5 (BSB)“For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.””Jeremiah likewise mocks idols that must be fastened so they will not totter.
- Psalm 115:4-8 (BSB)“Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel; they have feet, but cannot walk; they cannot even clear their throats. Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.”The psalm describes idols made by human hands that cannot speak, see, or walk.
- Acts 17:29 (BSB)“Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.”Paul teaches that God is not like a statue shaped by human skill and imagination.
Theological
Which detail in 40:18-20 exposes the impotence of the idol over against the incomparable God?
Answer: Its maker must make sure it will not fall over
The question of 40:18, asking what God could be compared to, is answered with satire: the idol is cast by a craftsman and plated with gold and fitted with silver chains, or, for the poor worshiper, carved from durable wood and set up by a skilled artisan so it stays upright (40:19-20). A deity that must be secured against falling cannot sustain its worshipers. Jeremiah 10:3-5 makes the same point about idols fastened with nails, Psalm 115:4-8 lists their senseless members, and Acts 17:29 denies that God resembles an image shaped by human skill.
- Isaiah 40:18-20 (BSB)“To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him? To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains? One lacking such an offering chooses wood that will not rot. He seeks a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.”Isaiah describes idols made by craftsmen and set up so they will not topple.
- Jeremiah 10:3-5 (BSB)“For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.””Jeremiah likewise mocks idols that must be fastened so they will not totter.
- Psalm 115:4-8 (BSB)“Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel; they have feet, but cannot walk; they cannot even clear their throats. Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.”The psalm describes idols made by human hands that cannot speak, see, or walk.
- Acts 17:29 (BSB)“Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.”Paul teaches that God is not like a statue shaped by human skill and imagination.
General
What complaint by Jacob and Israel does 40:27 answer?
Answer: That the LORD had stopped seeing their plight and cause
Israel was saying that the LORD could not see its path and that God was ignoring its cause (40:27). The answer reminds them of who God is: the eternal God, maker of the whole world to its farthest edges, who never grows tired or weary and whose understanding cannot be searched out (40:28). The One who calls every star by name has not lost track of His people. Zion makes a similar complaint later, and God answers that He will never forget her (49:14-15). A psalm says the one who protects Israel never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:3-4), and Paul praises God's judgments as beyond searching out (Romans 11:33).
- Isaiah 40:27-28 (BSB)“Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my claim is ignored by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.”Israel complains God has ignored them, and is reminded that the everlasting Creator never tires.
- Isaiah 49:14-15 (BSB)“But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; the Lord has forgotten me!” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!”Zion's similar complaint is answered by God's promise never to forget her.
- Psalm 121:3-4 (BSB)“He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”The psalm says Israel's Protector never slumbers or sleeps.
- Romans 11:33 (BSB)“O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!”Paul praises God's judgments and ways as beyond searching out.
Theological
What grievance of Jacob-Israel is addressed in 40:27-28?
Answer: That the LORD had stopped seeing their plight and cause
Jacob-Israel complains that its path is hidden from God's sight and its cause is disregarded by God (40:27). The reply grounds comfort in God's attributes: He is the eternal God and Maker of the whole earth to its farthest bounds, untiring and of unsearchable understanding (40:28). The argument runs from the greater to the lesser: the God who names every star does not overlook His covenant people. Isaiah 49:14-15 answers Zion's similar complaint with God's promise never to forget her; Psalm 121:3-4 affirms Israel's unsleeping Protector; and Romans 11:33 celebrates the unsearchable judgments of God.
- Isaiah 40:27-28 (BSB)“Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my claim is ignored by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.”Israel complains God has ignored them, and is reminded that the everlasting Creator never tires.
- Isaiah 49:14-15 (BSB)“But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; the Lord has forgotten me!” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!”Zion's similar complaint is answered by God's promise never to forget her.
- Psalm 121:3-4 (BSB)“He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”The psalm says Israel's Protector never slumbers or sleeps.
- Romans 11:33 (BSB)“O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!”Paul praises God's judgments and ways as beyond searching out.
General
Which two pictures of the Lord GOD stand side by side in 40:10-11?
Answer: A strong ruler and a tender shepherd
The Lord GOD arrives in power, His arm ruling for Him, bringing His reward and recompense with Him (40:10). Yet the very next verse shows Him caring for His sheep as a shepherd does, holding the lambs against His chest and gently leading the ewes that are nursing their young (40:11). His strength is used to protect and carry the weak. Ezekiel also records God promising to seek out His scattered flock Himself (Ezekiel 34:11-12). The New Testament gives the same shepherd picture to Jesus, who calls Himself the good shepherd who gives up His life for His sheep (John 10:11), and Hebrews calls the risen Jesus the great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20).
- Isaiah 40:10-11 (BSB)“Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him. He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.”The Lord GOD comes with might and rules, yet tends His flock and carries the lambs.
- Ezekiel 34:11-12 (BSB)“For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out. As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.”God promises to seek and rescue His scattered flock Himself, the same shepherd care.
- John 10:11 (BSB)“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”Jesus calls Himself the good shepherd who gives His life for the sheep.
- Hebrews 13:20 (BSB)“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,”Hebrews names the risen Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep.
Theological
Which pair of images does 40:10-11 combine to describe the coming Lord GOD?
Answer: A strong ruler and a tender shepherd
The coming Lord GOD is portrayed first as a sovereign warrior-king whose arm secures His reign and who brings His reward with Him (40:10), and then as a shepherd who gathers the lambs, carries them close, and leads with gentleness the ewes that have young (40:11). His almighty power is exercised in tender care for the weak of His flock. Ezekiel 34:11-12 has God Himself seeking His scattered sheep, and the New Testament applies the shepherd role to Christ, who gives His life for His sheep (John 10:11) and is the great Shepherd raised from the dead (Hebrews 13:20).
- Isaiah 40:10-11 (BSB)“Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him. He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.”The Lord GOD comes with might and rules, yet tends His flock and carries the lambs.
- Ezekiel 34:11-12 (BSB)“For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out. As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.”God promises to seek and rescue His scattered flock Himself, the same shepherd care.
- John 10:11 (BSB)“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”Jesus calls Himself the good shepherd who gives His life for the sheep.
- Hebrews 13:20 (BSB)“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,”Hebrews names the risen Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep.
General
How do 40:15-17 and 40:22-24 describe the nations and their rulers compared with God?
Answer: They are a tiny drop and speck that He brings to nothing
Compared with God, every nation is like one drop from a pail or a bit of dust on a balance; before Him they count as nothing (40:15, 17). Even the forests and animals of Lebanon would not be enough for an offering worthy of Him (40:16). God is enthroned high above the round earth, whose people look as small as grasshoppers to Him, and He spreads out the sky like a curtain (40:22). Earthly rulers fare no better: God reduces princes to nothingness, and as soon as they take root His breath dries them up and a storm sweeps them off like stubble (40:23-24). Daniel likewise says God removes kings and sets them up (Daniel 2:21), and a psalm warns not to trust princes, whose plans perish when they die (Psalm 146:3-4).
- Isaiah 40:15-17 (BSB)“Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.”The nations are like a drop and a speck before God, and Lebanon could not supply a fit offering.
- Isaiah 40:22-24 (BSB)“He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble.”God sits enthroned above the earth, stretches out the heavens, and brings rulers to nothing as soon as they take root.
- Daniel 2:21 (BSB)“He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”Daniel says God removes and establishes kings, the same rule over rulers.
- Psalm 146:3-4 (BSB)“Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save. When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish.”The psalm warns against trusting princes, whose plans perish with them.
Theological
How do 40:15-17 and 40:22-24 portray the nations and their princes in relation to God?
Answer: They are a tiny drop and speck that He brings to nothing
Measured against God, the nations are a drop from a pail and dust on a balance, reckoned as nothing and emptiness (40:15, 17); even Lebanon's timber and beasts could not supply an adequate burnt offering (40:16). From His throne above the earth its inhabitants look like grasshoppers, and He stretches the sky out as a tent (40:22). Their rulers are equally transient: God reduces princes to nothingness; no sooner do they take root than His breath withers them and the whirlwind carries them off (40:23-24). Daniel 2:21 affirms God's sovereign removal and establishment of kings, and Psalm 146:3-4 warns against trusting mortal princes whose plans die with them.
- Isaiah 40:15-17 (BSB)“Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.”The nations are like a drop and a speck before God, and Lebanon could not supply a fit offering.
- Isaiah 40:22-24 (BSB)“He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble.”God sits enthroned above the earth, stretches out the heavens, and brings rulers to nothing as soon as they take root.
- Daniel 2:21 (BSB)“He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”Daniel says God removes and establishes kings, the same rule over rulers.
- Psalm 146:3-4 (BSB)“Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save. When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish.”The psalm warns against trusting princes, whose plans perish with them.
General
In Romans 11:34, Paul quotes the question of 40:13 as part of praising what?
Answer: The unsearchable depth of God's wisdom
Isaiah asks who has ever guided the LORD's Spirit or acted as His adviser (40:13). Paul quotes the words in Romans 11 after explaining how God works out His saving plan for Jews and Gentiles. He bursts into praise for the depth of God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge, whose judgments cannot be searched out, because everything comes from Him, exists through Him, and leads back to Him (Romans 11:33-36). No one has ever advised God. Paul also quotes the same verse in 1 Corinthians, adding that believers share Christ's mind (1 Corinthians 2:16), since God has made His wisdom known to them.
- Isaiah 40:13 (BSB)“Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?”Isaiah asks who has directed the Spirit of the LORD or advised Him.
- Romans 11:33-36 (BSB)“O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?” For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.”Paul quotes the question while praising the unsearchable wisdom and judgments of God.
- 1 Corinthians 2:16 (BSB)““For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”Paul quotes the same question and says believers have the mind of Christ.
Theological
In the closing praise of Romans 11:33-36, Paul cites 40:13 to celebrate what?
Answer: The unsearchable depth of God's wisdom
Paul cites 40:13 at the climax of Romans 9-11, after tracing God's sovereign purpose in election and mercy toward Jew and Gentile. This closing burst of praise exalts the unsearchable depth of God's wisdom and knowledge: no one has known His mind, counseled Him, or put Him in debt, for everything is from, through, and for Him (Romans 11:33-36). God's saving plan answers to no outside counselor. In 1 Corinthians 2:16 Paul quotes the same verse and adds that believers share Christ's mind through the Spirit's revelation.
- Isaiah 40:13 (BSB)“Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?”Isaiah asks who has directed the Spirit of the LORD or advised Him.
- Romans 11:33-36 (BSB)“O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?” For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.”Paul quotes the question while praising the unsearchable wisdom and judgments of God.
- 1 Corinthians 2:16 (BSB)““For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”Paul quotes the same question and says believers have the mind of Christ.
General
True or False: In 40:25-26, Israel is told to look at the stars so they can read guidance about the future from them.
Answer: False
This is false. The Holy One asks to whom He could be compared, and tells His people to look up and consider who created the stars (40:25-26). He brings out the starry host one by one, knows their number, and calls each by name, and His immense might ensures that not one is missing (40:26). The stars are pointed to as evidence of their Creator's power and care, not as a source of guidance. A psalm says the same: He sets how many stars there are and names each one (Psalm 147:4). Isaiah later has God say that His own hands spread out the skies and He appointed all the starry host (45:12).
- Isaiah 40:25-26 (BSB)““To whom will you liken Me, or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”The Holy One points to the stars He created, numbers, and names, so that none is missing.
- Psalm 147:4 (BSB)“He determines the number of the stars; He calls them each by name.”The psalm likewise says God determines the number of the stars and names each one.
- Isaiah 45:12 (BSB)“It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, and I ordained all their host.”God says His hands stretched out the heavens and He ordained all their host.
Theological
True or False: The appeal to the stars in 40:25-26 directs Israel to seek knowledge of the future from the heavens.
Answer: False
This is false. The Holy One's question of comparison (40:25) is answered by directing Israel's gaze upward to the Maker of the stars, who marshals the host by number, names each one, and by His might loses none of them (40:26). The heavens are adduced as testimony to God's incomparable power and meticulous providence, not as a medium of divination. Psalm 147:4 echoes the numbering and naming of the stars, and Isaiah 45:12 attributes the heavens and all their host to God's own hands.
- Isaiah 40:25-26 (BSB)““To whom will you liken Me, or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”The Holy One points to the stars He created, numbers, and names, so that none is missing.
- Psalm 147:4 (BSB)“He determines the number of the stars; He calls them each by name.”The psalm likewise says God determines the number of the stars and names each one.
- Isaiah 45:12 (BSB)“It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, and I ordained all their host.”God says His hands stretched out the heavens and He ordained all their host.
General
According to 40:29-31, who will have their strength renewed?
Answer: Those who hope in the LORD and look to Him
God gives strength to the worn out and power to the feeble (40:29). Even young men, who seem strongest, grow tired and stumble (40:30). But those who hope in the LORD, trusting and looking to Him, will have their strength renewed, rising like eagles and running and walking without wearing out (40:31). The strength comes from God, not from youth or training. A psalm calls God's people to keep waiting on the LORD and take courage (Psalm 27:14), and the Lord told Paul that His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
- Isaiah 40:29-31 (BSB)“He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”God strengthens the weak, and those who wait on Him renew their strength while even youths tire.
- Psalm 27:14 (BSB)“Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!”The psalm calls God's people to wait patiently for the LORD and take courage.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 (BSB)“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.”The Lord tells Paul that His power is perfected in weakness, the same pattern of strength given to the weak.
Theological
In 40:29-31, to whom is renewed strength promised?
Answer: Those who hope in the LORD and look to Him
The untiring Creator supplies might to the exhausted and power to the feeble (40:29). Natural vigor fails, since even youths tire and stumble (40:30), but whoever waits on the LORD in dependent trust receives renewed strength, soaring like eagles, running and walking without exhaustion (40:31). The strength is God's gift to the dependent, not human capacity. Psalm 27:14 exhorts patient waiting on the LORD, and 2 Corinthians 12:9 states the principle that divine power is made complete in human weakness.
- Isaiah 40:29-31 (BSB)“He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”God strengthens the weak, and those who wait on Him renew their strength while even youths tire.
- Psalm 27:14 (BSB)“Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!”The psalm calls God's people to wait patiently for the LORD and take courage.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 (BSB)“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.”The Lord tells Paul that His power is perfected in weakness, the same pattern of strength given to the weak.
General
What message is to be proclaimed to Jerusalem in 40:1-2?
Answer: Her hard service was over and her guilt was forgiven
Chapter 40 opens with God Himself commanding that His people be comforted and that Jerusalem be spoken to gently. The message is that her time of hard service has ended and her guilt is forgiven, since the LORD has already dealt her a double portion for every sin (40:1-2). After the warning of exile to Babylon in chapter 39, the next word is pardon and an end to suffering. The same God later says that He is the one who comforts His people (51:12) and that He blots out their transgressions for His own sake (43:25; 44:22). Pardon here rests on God's mercy, not on Jerusalem having earned it.
- Isaiah 40:1-2 (BSB)““Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed; her iniquity has been pardoned. For she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.””God commands that His people be comforted and that Jerusalem hear her service is ended and her iniquity pardoned.
- Isaiah 43:25 (BSB)“I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.”God declares that He blots out His people's transgressions for His own sake, the ground of the pardon announced in 40:2.
- Isaiah 44:22 (BSB)“I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”God says He has blotted out Israel's sins and redeemed them, the same pardon proclaimed to Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 51:12 (BSB)““I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?”God names Himself as the one who comforts His people, as He commands comfort in 40:1.
Theological
What is the content of the consoling announcement Jerusalem is to hear in 40:1-2?
Answer: Her hard service was over and her guilt was forgiven
Directly after the oracle of Babylonian exile (39:6-7), chapter 40 opens with God commanding comfort for His people and tender speech to Jerusalem: her term of hard service is finished, her guilt is forgiven, and the LORD's hand has already measured out to her a double portion for every sin (40:1-2). The ground of the pardon is God's own initiative, as later oracles make explicit: He blots out transgressions for His own sake (43:25; 44:22) and declares Himself the one who comforts His people (51:12).
- Isaiah 40:1-2 (BSB)““Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed; her iniquity has been pardoned. For she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.””God commands that His people be comforted and that Jerusalem hear her service is ended and her iniquity pardoned.
- Isaiah 43:25 (BSB)“I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.”God declares that He blots out His people's transgressions for His own sake, the ground of the pardon announced in 40:2.
- Isaiah 44:22 (BSB)“I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”God says He has blotted out Israel's sins and redeemed them, the same pardon proclaimed to Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 51:12 (BSB)““I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?”God names Himself as the one who comforts His people, as He commands comfort in 40:1.
General
Whom do the Gospels identify as the calling voice of 40:3?
Answer: John the Baptist
In 40:3 a voice calls for a road to be readied in the wilderness for the LORD's coming, with a level highway through the desert for God. All four Gospels apply this verse to John the Baptist, who came preaching in the wilderness before Jesus began His ministry (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2-3; Luke 3:4-6). John himself, when asked who he was, answered by taking these words of Isaiah for himself (John 1:23). Since the voice readies the road for the LORD, God Himself, and John readied the road for Jesus, the Gospels show that Jesus' coming is the coming of the LORD to His people.
- Isaiah 40:3 (BSB)“A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.”A voice calls for a way to be prepared for the LORD in the wilderness.
- Matthew 3:3 (BSB)“This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’””Matthew says John the Baptist is the one Isaiah spoke of as the voice calling in the wilderness.
- Mark 1:2-3 (BSB)“As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.” “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’””Mark opens his Gospel by applying the voice of Isaiah to John's ministry before Jesus.
- Luke 3:4-6 (BSB)“as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’””Luke quotes the passage at length when introducing John's preaching.
- John 1:23 (BSB)“John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’””John the Baptist himself answers his questioners in the words of Isaiah, claiming to be the voice.
Theological
To whom do all four Gospels apply the voice of 40:3 that prepares the LORD's way?
Answer: John the Baptist
The voice of 40:3 calls for a highway to be prepared in the wilderness for the LORD, Israel's covenant God. Matthew, Mark, and Luke identify this herald as John the Baptist (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2-3; Luke 3:4-6), and in the fourth Gospel the Baptist applies the words to himself when questioned (John 1:23), so all four Gospels make the same identification. Because the one whose way is prepared is the LORD, and John prepares the way for Jesus, the Gospel writers present Jesus' arrival as the arrival of the LORD Himself, a clear testimony to His deity.
- Isaiah 40:3 (BSB)“A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.”A voice calls for a way to be prepared for the LORD in the wilderness.
- Matthew 3:3 (BSB)“This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’””Matthew says John the Baptist is the one Isaiah spoke of as the voice calling in the wilderness.
- Mark 1:2-3 (BSB)“As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.” “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’””Mark opens his Gospel by applying the voice of Isaiah to John's ministry before Jesus.
- Luke 3:4-6 (BSB)“as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’””Luke quotes the passage at length when introducing John's preaching.
- John 1:23 (BSB)“John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’””John the Baptist himself answers his questioners in the words of Isaiah, claiming to be the voice.
General
What answer do the questions of 40:12-14 expect about who measured creation or taught God?
Answer: No one at all, since God alone made and knows all
Isaiah asks who ever measured the oceans in the palm of a hand, marked off the sky, weighed the mountains, or ever advised the LORD's Spirit and taught Him (40:12-14). The questions expect the answer no one. Only God created the world, and He needs no counselor because His knowledge has no gaps. God asked Job similar questions about who set the earth in place and determined its size (Job 38:4-5). A psalm says the LORD made the skies simply by speaking (Psalm 33:6-9), and Paul says God, who gives life to all, lacks nothing that people could supply (Acts 17:24-25).
- Isaiah 40:12-14 (BSB)“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor? Whom did He consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the paths of justice? Who imparted knowledge to Him and showed Him the way of understanding?”Isaiah asks who measured creation or ever advised and taught the LORD.
- Job 38:4-5 (BSB)“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it?”God's questions to Job likewise expect that no human laid out or measured the earth.
- Psalm 33:6-9 (BSB)“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth. He piles up the waters of the sea; He puts the depths into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.”The psalm attributes the making of the heavens to the LORD's word alone.
- Acts 17:24-25 (BSB)“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”Paul says God, the maker of all, needs nothing from human hands, matching the God who needs no counselor.
Theological
What answer is implied by the rhetorical questions of 40:12-14?
Answer: No one at all, since God alone made and knows all
The series of rhetorical questions in 40:12-14 sets God's creative power (measuring the waters, the heavens, the dust, the mountains) beside His self-sufficient wisdom (no one directed His Spirit, counseled Him, or taught Him justice and understanding). The implied answer is no one: God alone is Creator and needs no instruction. Job 38:4-5 presses the same questions on Job; Psalm 33:6-9 grounds creation in the LORD's word alone; and Acts 17:24-25 affirms that God, the Giver of all, needs nothing from human hands.
- Isaiah 40:12-14 (BSB)“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor? Whom did He consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the paths of justice? Who imparted knowledge to Him and showed Him the way of understanding?”Isaiah asks who measured creation or ever advised and taught the LORD.
- Job 38:4-5 (BSB)“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it?”God's questions to Job likewise expect that no human laid out or measured the earth.
- Psalm 33:6-9 (BSB)“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth. He piles up the waters of the sea; He puts the depths into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.”The psalm attributes the making of the heavens to the LORD's word alone.
- Acts 17:24-25 (BSB)“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”Paul says God, the maker of all, needs nothing from human hands, matching the God who needs no counselor.