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Isaiah 40 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
The theme of chapters 7-39 focuses directly on the punishment of God. It’s easy to read this chapter and become discouraged. We must remember that God’s heart was not to needlessly punish his people but to instruct them on His character. God reached out to Judah and created a case for why He is trustworthy. There is no other nation or idol worthy of our trust. Because of this, the people could choose to repent and believe or learn the hard way through captivity and struggle.
So, even with the somber and bitter punishment predicted throughout these initial chapters, God did not leave His people in suffering. Think about this, and let it sink in. This is especially relevant for our promise under the New Covenant. Although we are enemies of God, our disobedience did not alter His trustworthiness!
Chapters 7-39 are critical to set the stage for the rest of Isaiah. We cannot understand our need for a Savior until we face the truth of our spiritual condition. We must be honest about our constant wandering away from trusting Him. God delivers those who disobey but repent and turn to Him in faith. He promised this even when He knew His people would turn against Him and crucify His only Son. Again, let this sink in for a moment.
So, the question becomes personal; is God worthy of your trust? In every situation you will deal with today, will you jump to trust idols or rest in His power? Please don’t misunderstand my thoughts. His truth does not prescribe a laissez-faire attitude. In fact, it is quite the opposite! In Him, there is power and strength available! Keeping our eyes fixed on Him, we persist knowing He is in control. When we believe this, and act upon it, we are exercising our faith in His promises.
Finally, we know that none of this is possible without the Spirit of God working in our life. So, we plead for more of the Spirit! We come to the throne room of God and ask Him to rid us of our destructive behavior. Though we have trampled your Name, give us supernatural trust and faith and remember your promises, oh God.