Who Is God?

Text: Isaiah 40-41

Comfort After Punishment - Isaiah 40:1-2

Isaiah 40:1-2 lays out the theme for the remainder of the book. God has punished (Isaiah 39:6-7), but now He emphatically offers comfort to His people, just as Moses predicted (Deuteronomy 30:2-3, 8-10).

Her warfare has ended (Isaiah 41-48)
Her iniquity has been removed (Isaiah 49-56)
She has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins (Isaiah 57-64)

The punishment was given; it was difficult, but it was sufficient. What comes after is a time of comfort. This theme of comfort is bookended in Isaiah 66:13, where God affirms that He will comfort His people as a mother comforts her child.

The Coming of God to Israel - Isaiah 40:3-11

Preparation is being made for the coming of God. His way will be made easier through a difficult terrain, and then the glory of the Lord will be seen by all flesh (not just the Jews). Isaiah 40:3-5 is applied to John the Baptist in the New Testament (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2-3; Luke 3:4-6; John 1:23). He is the one who prepared Israel for the coming of the Son of God.

Echoing Isaiah's commission in Isaiah 6:8-13, a voice commands, "Call out." An unnamed person volunteers, asking what the message should be. The message is that men come and go like the grass and flowers, but God's word stands (I Peter 1:24-25). This prophecy will take place, and it did when Christ came. Just as God told of the destruction of Israel and Judah, so also is the certainty of the message of coming comfort.

Good news is announced. God is here! He comes in might to rule and repay His people (Luke 1:46-56). However, He also comes as a shepherd for His people (John 10:11-16). His mighty arm also holds His people in a tender embrace.

God Is the Wise Creator - Isaiah 40:12-14

Is God able to accomplish what He has promised? God has precisely designed this world and created it on His own. He did not need anyone's advice or teaching (Romans 11:25-36). Given the greatness of God, He can accomplish whatever He wishes.

The Nations Are Nothing in Comparison to God - Isaiah 40:15-17

The mighty nations of the world cannot stand in God's way. They are insignificant in comparison to God. There is nothing in this world that could even provide an adequate sacrifice to God. The nations have no impact on God and His plans.

Idols Cannot Be Compared to God - Isaiah 40:18-20

The various gods of the people cannot hinder God. Idols are made by men -- men who cannot give God an adequate offering. Even with the best materials, these works of men cannot compare to God. Notice that each man contributes the best of what he is skilled in to create an idol. Compare that to God, who created the universe by Himself. The craftsmen are limited. They can't afford the materials. They have to search for wood that will last, and it must be anchored so that it won't fall over (a reminder of what happened to Dagon in I Samuel 5:1-4).

For Discussion:

How do the qualities of making an idol contrast with what God is actually like?

God Controls the Earth - Isaiah 40:21-26

In all this time, have people not learned the truth? It has been declared from the beginning of creation (Romans 1:18-20). God rules over the world He made.

The rulers and judges in this world are nothing compared to God. They do not last, as the eternal God exists. There is no equal to God in the universe. God created the stars from nothing and gave each one a name. He sustains the universe by His power.

God Does Not Tire, and He Is a Source of Strength - Isaiah 40:27-31

Both the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles are addressed. They think that God has forgotten them and the justice due them because of their captivity.

Again, the challenge: "Do you not know? Have you not heard?" God doesn't get tired. He fully understands what is going on. He hid His face because of their sins (Isaiah 8:17), but the punishment is over, and His face is no longer hidden. He has so much strength that He gives power to those who need it. Others may stumble, but those who patiently trust in God will find the energy to continue on.

God Controls the Nations - Isaiah 41:1-4

The message now addresses the Gentiles. Let them listen quietly to God's evidence and come to a proper conclusion.

God is able to raise up a powerful leader from the east to conquer (Ezra 1:1). God aided their conquest. It was God who not only made this happen, but He planned it and announced it from the beginning. God is eternal. God exists. And He has proven His existence.

The Nations Turn to Idols - Isaiah 41:5-7

Instead of acknowledging the true God, the Gentiles, in their fear, turned to their neighboring nations and to creating more idols. Yet, none of these can deliver them from God. God has already shown Himself to be greater than all.

Israel Has No Reason to Fear - Isaiah 41:8-20

For the same reasons that the Gentiles will not succeed, Israel has no reason to fear. God is with them and will help them. Israel is called God's servant. They have a task to accomplish for God. The service doesn't necessarily mean they are righteous and good; it just means they are in God's favor. Since God has a purpose for them, they can take comfort in knowing that God will be with them to aid them in doing His will.

God has called them back from the remote regions where they had been scattered. God promises to strengthen them and uphold them in His righteousness. Though Israel is insignificant, God will help them. Their redeemer will be the Holy One of Israel (God and allusion to Christ).

The nations that had troubled and conquered Israel will cease to exist. Israel has been insignificant, but God has reformed them into something powerful. They will rejoice in their God. The people thirst, but God is with them and will give them water. Then they will recognize God's work and rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

For Discussion:

In Isaiah 41:14, why does God refer to Israel as a worm?
How does Isaiah 41:13-20 answer Isaiah 6:9-10 in the change wrought on the Israelites?

The Case Against Idols - Isaiah 41:21-29

God challenges those who believe in idols to present evidence of their gods. He asks them to predict the future or to tell what truly happened in the past. Can they foretell a series of events? If so, then others will know they are actually gods.

Can their gods actually do something, either good or evil? But they cannot, and so they prove themselves to be worthless. This is why following idolatry is disgusting.

God then shows that He can foretell the future (Jeremiah 50:3, 9, 41; 51:48). A ruler will come from the north who will acknowledge God and conquer nations. No one else has predicted his coming before (Isaiah 41:4 compared to Isaiah 41:26). God looks among the defendants (the idols) and receives no answer.