Comfort After Judgment Has Come
Isaiah 40 “Y’all are to comfort and comfort my people,” says y’all’s God. “Y’all are to speak kindly to Jerusalem and announce to her that her time of warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, and that she has received from YHWH’s hand double for all her sins.” The voice of one who calls out, “Y’all prepare the way of YHWH in the wilderness! Y’all make a straight highway in the desert for our God. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be made low. The uneven will be made level, and the rugged places, a plain. The glory of YHWH will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of YHWH has spoken it.”A voice says, “Call out!” Another said, “What should I call out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its goodness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, and the flower fades, because breath of YHWH blows on them. Surely the people are like grass. The grass withers, and the flower fades, but the word of our God rises forever.”
Zion, bringer of good news, go up on a high mountain. Jerusalem, bringer of good news, lift up your voice with strength! Lift it up and do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Look! Y’all’s God!” Look, the Lord YHWH will come with strength, and ʜɪꜱ arm will establish ʜɪꜱ reign. Look, ʜɪꜱ wages are with ʜɪᴍ, and ʜɪꜱ reward is before ʜɪꜱ face. Hᴇ tends ʜɪꜱ flock like a shepherd. Hᴇ gather the lambs in ʜɪꜱ arm, and carries them against ʜɪꜱ chest. Hᴇ gently leads those who are nursing.
Who has measured the waters in the palm of ʜɪꜱ hand, or marked off the sky with spread of ʜɪꜱ fingers, or quantified the dust of the earth with a measuring basket, or weighed the mountains on a balance, or the hills on a pair of scales? Who has directed the Spirit of YHWH, or has informed ʜɪᴍ as ʜɪꜱ counselor? With whom did ʜᴇ consult, and who gave ʜɪᴍ understanding, and taught ʜɪᴍ in the path of justice, and taught ʜɪᴍ knowledge, and informed ʜɪᴍ in the way of understanding? Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as dust on the scales. Look, ʜᴇ lifts up the islands like a tiny speck. Lebanon’s cedars are as sufficient for burning as nothing, and its animals are as sufficient for a burnt offering as nothing. All the nations are like nothing before ʜɪᴍ. They are regarded by ʜɪᴍ as absolute emptiness.
With whom will y’all compare God? Or what likeness will y’all set next to ʜɪᴍ? An idol? That an artisan casts, and a metalworker overlays with gold and fashions silver chains? A person too poor for such an contribution selects wood that not rot, Seeking a skillful artisan to set up a idol that will not fall over.
Don’t y’all know? Haven’t y’all heard? Hasn’t it been declared to y’all from the beginning? Haven’t y’all understood since the foundations of the earth? It is ʜᴇ who dwells above the circle of the earth, and those who dwell there are like grasshoppers. Hᴇ stretches the heavens out like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. Hᴇ is the one who brings rulers to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth into emptiness. They are barely planted, and have been barely sown, and their stem has barely taken root in the earth, When ʜᴇ merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away like stubble.
“To whom will y’all compare me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up y’all’s eyes on high! Y’all must see who has created all these, who leads out the army of stars by number. Hᴇ calls them all by name. because of the abundance of ʜɪꜱ power, and the strength of because of the ʜɪꜱ mightiness, not one thing is lacking.
Jacob, why do you say, and Israel, what do you speak, “My way is hidden from YHWH, and the justice due me is disregarded by my God?” Don’t you known? Haven’t you heard? YHWH is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. Hᴇ does not grow tired or weary. Nothing can examine ʜɪꜱ understanding. He gives strength to those who are tired. He increases the power the one show might has come to nothing. The youths grow tired and weary, the young men stumble-stumble, but those who wait for YHWH will renew their strength. They will rise up on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not get tired.