Isaiah 40
In old times, before there were the quick ways to send messages to people, if a person of importance planned to visit a city, some man was sent ahead to tell the people, so they would be ready to give suitable welcome. That man would walk or ride up and down the streets calling out for all to hear who was to come and where to see him; such a man was called a street crier.
God told Isaiah that such a one would come to tell the people of a mighty person to be welcomed. The name of the crier was not told, but what he would say was written, and where he would call, —not in the cities, but in the wilderness. This was what he would call:
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Is. 40:3.
So the great One to come for them to prepare for, and welcome, was One Who was their Lord. This seemed too wonderful for the people to believe, but years after there was a man in the desert lands east of Judah calling out those words:
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” When asked who he was he said,
“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness; make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.” John 1:2323He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. (John 1:23). (Esaias is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Isaiah), Those who bieved Isaiah’s words believed the words of the man calling.
Perhaps he called in the wild places that people should come away from the busess and noise of the cities to better listen to God’s words. It was not to have a palace or room prepared for this One, but to have their hearts ready to believe Him, and to be sorry for their sins. The crier was to tell them that their lives were as grass, which soon dries and is gone. When young, we think our lives will be very long, but soon we learn they may not be long, but like what the crier said,
“All flesh (people) is as grass, the grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the Word of our God shall stand forever.” Is. 40:8.
God’s words will not “die”, but last always. The One Who was to come, would be great as God, and told of the same as God in these words to Isaiah. He would be gentle as a shepherd to lambs, yet His great power as Creator is told:
“He ... . stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who has created these ... . He is strong in power, not one faileth.”
“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?” Is. 40:22, 26, 28. Later, when the Son of God came to earth, as a man, it was said of Him,
The words of Isaiah are too wonderful for us to understand, but teach us how worthy the Lord is to be trusted.
How small are the nations to the Lord? (Is. 40:15).
What was the name of the man who called in the wilderness, as this Voice? (Matt. 3:1-61In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. (Matthew 3:1‑6)). Another prophet also wrote of this messenger (Malachi 3:11Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)).
ML 12/21/1941