40:1-11. The Voice From the Wildrness. The Gathering.

(Introversion [Chiasmo]).

B  H  1,2. Comfort for Jerusalem. Iniquity gone.
    J  3-5. The voice. Yehovah's work. Glorious.
    J  6-8. The voice. Yehovah's word. Eternal.
   H  9-11. Comfort for Zion. Adonai Yehovah come.

40)

 1 “Comfort you all, comfort you all My People,” says your Elohim. (see 1:11)
 2 “Speak you all to the heart of Jerusalem (i.e. affectionately. Cp. Gen.34:3; 50:21. Judg.19:3. Hos.2:14), and proclaim to her, that her hard service (or, forced service) is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she has received of Yehovah's hand in full for all her sins.” (fig., put for that which is complete, thorough, ample. See 61:7. Gen.43:22. Jb 11:6; 41:13. Jer.16:18; 17:18. Zech.9:12. 1 Tim.5:17. Cp. Job 42:10. Gal.6:7-9)

 3 The voice (&c. Quoted in Matt.3:3. Mark 1:3. Luke 3:4-6. John 1:23. 1 Pet.1:24. Cp. the voice from the temple in Chater 6, concerning the scattering, and this voice outside the land concerning the gathering. The voice was not Isaiah's, but heard by him in vision. John Babtist claims it; but this People would not hear; and He Whom he heralded was crucified and His kingdom was rejected [John 1:11]. The King and the kingdom are herefore alike in abeyane, and the prophecy yet awaits its further fulfilment. Cp. Heb.2:8. Rev.3:21,22, &c.) of him that proclaims in the wilderness (these words are ascribed to Isaiah by the Holy Spirit in Matt.3:3, &c. Chapter 42:1-4 is so ascribed in Matt.12:17-21; Ch.53:1 in John 12:38. Rom.10:16; Ch.53:7,8 in Acts 8:32,33; and 61: in Luke 4:18,19. Not to a "second Isaiah"), “Prepare you all the way of Yehovah, make straight in the desert a highway for our Elohim. (see 7:3)
 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low (these physical marvels are supernatural, and can never be produced by the spiritual and holy living of individal Christians. This is God's doing when new earth age [not new earth] comes into being): and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
 5 And the glory of Yehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together (fig., put for ALL people): for the mouth of Yehovah has spoken it.”

 6 A Voice said (this is a second "voice": the voice of Yehovah), “Cry.” (i.e. "Shout") And he said, “What shall I shout?” “All flesh is grass (Metaphor, by which the assertion is boldly made that one thing is another [i.e. represents it]. It differs from Simile in the next clause, which asserts tat one thing only resembles another. Remember to not look at the outside; it's the inside that counts), and all the grace (or, lovingkindness) thereof is as the flower of the field: (Simile)
 7 The grass withers, the flower fades: because the spirit (ruach) of Yehovah blows upon it: surely the people is grass. (i.e. fragile if not in God's camp)
 8 The grass withers, the flower fades: but the Word of our Elohim shall stand for ever.” (cp. 46:10,11; 55:10,11. Ps.119:89-91. Zech.1:5. Matt.5:18; 24:35. Mark 13:51. John 10:35; 12:34. 1 Pet.1:25. The "flesh" body is temporal)

 9 O Zion, that brings joyful tidings (or, O you that tells good tidings to Zion. Cp. 41:27. "That brings" is in the fem., personifying the "herald-band"), get you up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that brings joyful tidings, lift up your voice with power (strength to endure); lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your Elohim! (see note on the Structure of the 4 Gospels, which shows this sentence as being applicable to the Gospel by John)
 10 Behold, Adonai Yehovah (this Title is used because of His connection here with the earth) will come with a mighty strong hand (to hold fast), and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before him.
 11 He shall feed His flock like a shepherd (as in the wilderness. See 63:11. Pss.77:20; 78:52,53; 80:1): He shall take up the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

A  K  40:12-31. God's Controversy with the Nations.                   Vanity of Idols.
    L  M  41:1 - 42:16. Messiah's Anointing and Mission.
        N  42:17 - 45:15. Yehovah's Controversy with Israe.
   K  45:16 - 47:15. God's Controversy with the Nations.                        Vanity of Idols.
    L   N  48:1-22. Yehovah's Controversy with Israel.
       M  49:1 - 66:24. Messiah's Mission and Triumph.

K  O¹  P¹  12. Challenge by Yehovah. Omnipotence.
        Q¹  13,14. Question as to knowledge.
         R¹  15-17. Nations insignificant.
   O²  P²  18-20. Challenge by Yehovah. Comparison.
        Q²  21. Question as to knowledge.
         R²  22-24. Peoples of the earth insignificant.
   O³  P³  25-27. Challenge by Yehovah. Equality.
        Q³  28. Question as to knowledge.
         R³  29-31. His People. Weakness revived.

 12 Who (in vv.12-14 are introductory: while the Fig. Erotesis emphasises the importance of Him Who speaks) has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure (= 1/3 of an ephah = 1 peck), and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

 13 Who has directed the Spirit of Yehovah, or who being His counseller has made Him know? (Nobody!)
 14 With whom took He counsel, and who made Him understand, and taught Him in the path of judgment (see 2:3), and trained Him knowledge, and showed to Him the way of understanding?

 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop on a bucket (i.e. hanging from), and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, He takes up the maritime countries as a very little thing. (to cange the nations, for Him, is no big deal!)
 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn (i.e. for the wood-ofering.Cp.Neh.10:39), nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
 17 All the nations before Him are as nothing (see 5:8. Not the same word as in the following verse); and they are counted to him less than nothing, and a desolation. (Heb. tohu. Same as "without form" Gen.1:2. See 24:10. Cp. v.23)

 18 To whom then will you all liken El? (Eng. God) or what likeness will you all compare to him?
 19 The workman casts a graven image, and the goldsmith spreads it over with gold, and casts silver chains.
 20 He that is so impoverished that he has no oblation chooses a tree that will not rot (see 1:29); he seeks to himself a cunning workman to constuct a carved image (see "the smith", &ct., 44:12), that shall not be moved.

 21 Have you all not known? have you all not heard? has it not been told you from the beginning? have you all not understood from the foundations of the earth?

 22 It is He that sitts above the circuit of the earth (or vault: i.e. as far as one can see, around or above. See Job 22:14. Prov.8:27), and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in:
 23 That brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth as vanity.
 24 Yes, they shall not be planted; yes, they shall not be sown: yes, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and He shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as straw.

 25 “To whom then will you all liken Me, or shall I be equal?” says the Set Apart One. (seeEx.3:5)
 26 “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who has created these things, That brings out their host by number: He calls for (or, summons) them all by names by the greatness of His might (see Ps.147:4), for that He is strong in power (for activity in working); not one is missing [when called]. (Cp. 1 Sam.30:19. 2 Sam.17:22. See 34:16)
 27 Why say you (to emphasise the conclusion drawn in v.26), “O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, ‘My way is hid from Yehovah, and my judgment is passed over from my Elohim?’

 28 Have you not known? have you not heard, that the everlasting Elohm, Yehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? and so there is no searching of His understanding.

 29 He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength. (for defence)
 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
 31 But they that wait upon Yehovah shall change (for the better. See Lev.27:10) their strength (to endure); they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Fig., to call attention [by Application] to the progress of experience in grace. At first we fly [cp. Paul, 2 Cor.11:5; 12:11]; then we run [cp. Paul, Eph.3:8]; then we walk [cp. Paul, 1 Tim.1:15])

M  S¹  41:1-29. Types.
   S²  42:1-17. Antitype.

S¹  T¹  1-20. Abraham. From the East. Past.
    T²  21-29. Cyrus. From the North. Future.

T¹  U  1. Islands. Yehovah's call.
     V  2,3. Type. Abraham.
      W  4. Yehovah the Doer.
    U  5-7. Islands. Answer to Yehovah's call.
     V  8-19. Type. Israel.
      W  20. Yehovah the Doer.

41)

 2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east (i.e. Abraham. Cp. Cyrus raised up from the north, v.25), called him to His foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? (i.e. those mentioned in Gen.14:1,8,9) He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven straw to his bow.
 3 He pursued them (i.e. Abraham pursued them to Dan. See Gen.14:14,15), and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. (see "path" 2:3)

 4 Who has wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I Yehovah, the first, and with the last; I Am. (see also 44:6; 48:12. Thus 3 times in Isaiah and 3 times in Revelation [Rev.1:17; 2:8; 22:13]. "With the last" i.e. He Who called Abraham, the first, will be the last [Messiah], Who is the subject of this prophecy)

 5 The coast-lands saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.
 6 They helped every man his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, “Be of good courage.”
 7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smooths with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, “It is ready for the sodering:” and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.

V  e  8-10. Encouragement. "Fear not".
    f  11,12. Ascendency.
   e  13,14. Encouragement. "Fear not".
    f  15-19. Victory.

 8 But you, Israel, are My servant (see 37:35 for the 3 "servants" in Isaiah. This was Israel, as the seed of Abraham, not Cyrus [yet]. Cp. vv.21-29), Jacob whom I have chosen (see 1:29), the seed of Abraham My friend. (see 2 Chron.20:7)
 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called you from the remote parts thereof, and said to you, “Thou are My servant; I have chosen you (Gen.12:1. Josh.24:2-4. Neh.9:7. Acts 7:2-7. See Deut.7:6; 10:15; 14:2), and not cast you away.
 10 Fear you not (see Deut.31:6,8); for I Am with you: look not around (it i this that dismays [see Pss.73 and 77]); for I Am your Elohim: I will strengthen you (inherent, for activity); yes, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.

 11 Behold, all they that were incensed against you (see Ex.23:22) shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and the men of your strife (i.e. your accusers) shall perish.
 12 You shall seek them, and shall not find them, even the men of your contention: they that war against you shall be as nothing (see 5:8), and as a thing of nought.

 13 For I Yehovah your Elohim will hold thy right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not;’ I will help you.
 14 Fear not, you worm Jacob (fig., to emphasise the weakness of Israel), and all men of Israel; I will help you, says Yehovah, and your Redeemer (see Gen.48:16. Ex.6:6; 15:13), the Set Apart One of Israel.

 15 Behold, I will set you for a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth (see 28:27): you shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shall make the hills as chaff.
 16 You shall fan them, and the wind (ruach) shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and you shall rejoice in Yehovah, and shall glory in the Holy One of Israel. (see 13:10)
 17 When the wretched and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst (see 19:5), I Yehovah will answer them, I the Elohim of Israel will not forsake them. (see "forsake" on 1:4)
 18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. (Note that all these physical marvels must be accomplished by the miraculous power of God, not by the spirituality of His People. See 35:1)
 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:

 20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of Yehovah has done this, and the Set Apart One of Israel has created it.

T²  X  g  21-23. Challenge as to Prediction.
        h  24. Nothingness.
         Y  25-. Cyrus. Raised up. The act.
         Y  -25. Cyrus. Raised up. The purpose.
    X  g  26-28. Challenge as to Prediction.
        h  29. Nothingness.

 21 Produce your cause”, says Yehovah; “bring forth your strong (for weight or importance) reasons,” says the King of Jacob. (this Title occurs only here. Heathen kings were the gods of the people. So Yehovah, the King of Jacob, is the God of Israel)
 22 “Let them bring them forth, and show Us what shall happen: let them show the former things, what they be, that We may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare Us things for to come.
 23 Show the things that are to come hereafter, that We may know that you all are gods: yes, do good, or do evil, that We may be dismayed, and behold it together.

 24 Behold, you all are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooses you.

 25 I have raised up one from the north (i.e. Cyrus. Cp Abraham [the other type was "from the east", v2.]. his prophecy was made 137 years before its fufilment. Cp. 44:28; 45:1), and he shall speed: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon Me: (this is the counterpart of 45:3,4. Cp. Ezra 1:2 and 2 Chron.36:22,23)

and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treads clay. (the title of the Babylonian governors and prefects of provinces. Heb. seganim. Cyrus [the Medo-Persian] dd fulfil this on the Babylonian "princes")

 26 Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, ‘He is righteous?’ yes, there is none that shows, yes, there is none that declares, yes, there is none that hears your words.
 27 From the first I have said to Zion,‘Behold, behold them:’ and I will give to Jerusalem one that brings good tidings.
 28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

 29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images (see 30:22) are vanity (see 57:6) and confusion. (see 24:10)

S²  Z  B  i  1-4. Messiah. Presented.
           k  5-7. Messiah. Addressed.
            C  8. Images.
             A  9. Predictions.
             A  10-12. Praise.
    Z  B  i  13. Messiah. Presented.
           k  14-16. Messiah. Adressing.
            C  17. Images.

42)

 5 Thus says El Yehovah, He that created the heavens, they that stretched them out (cp. "us", "our" Gen.1:26. Cp. "image" [singular]); He that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it; He That gives breath to the people upon it (see 2:22), and spirit (ruach) to them that walk therein:
 6 I Yehovah have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and give you for a covenant of the People, for a light of the Gentiles (quoted in Luke 2:32. Cp. 49:6);
 7 To open the blind eyes (renewing the prophecy of 35:5), to bring out the prisoners from the prison (see 49:9; 61:1), and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. (fig., put for being in a permanent condition)

 8 I Am Yehovah (see Ex.3:15): that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another (i.e. to a strange god. See Ex.20:5), neither My praise to graven images. (see 13:10; 38:18)

 9 Behold, the former things are come to pass (referring to His prophecies, among others, concerning Sennacherib, Chapter 10 and 37), and new things do I declare (thus uniting thee predictions of the earlier chapters with the so-called "second" part. See Introduction): before they spring forth I tell you of them.

 10 Sing to Yehovah a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth, all you that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the maritime-countries, and the inhabitants thereof.
 11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar does inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
 12 Let them give glory to Yehvah, and declare His praise in the maritime-countries.

 13 Yehovah shall go forth as a mighty man (this is an enlargement of 41:15,16. Still more so in Rev.6:2; 19:11), He shall awaken (or, incite. See Song of Solomon 2:7) jealousy like a man of war (see Ex.20:5): He shall cry, yes, roar; He shall prevail against His enemies.

 14 I have long time held My peace; I have been still, and refrained Myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
 15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
 16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; and I have led them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things have I done to them, and have not forsaken them (see Deut.31:6).

 17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that confide in graven images, that say to the molten images, “You all are our gods.” (see Ex.32:4)

()
N  D  42:18-25. Remonstrance. Morals.      Israel.
    E  43:1-7. Encouragement. "Fear not".    "
     F  43:8-13. Witnesses.                  "
      G  l  43:14-17. Babylon. Destruction.
          m  43:18-21. Rememberanc. Negative.
   D  43:22-28. Remonstrance. Ceremonials. Israel.
    E  44:1-5. Encouragement. "Fear not".    "
     F  44:6-20. Witnesses.                  "
      G   m  44:21-23. Remembrance. Positive.
         l  44:24 - 45:15. Jerusalem. Restoration.

D  n  18. Call to hear.
    o  19,20. Israel. "Blind and def".
     p  21. The Law magnified by Yehovah.
      q  22. Judgments.
   n  23. Call to hear.
    o  24-. Jacob. "Spoiled and robbed".
     p  -24. The Law disregarded by Israel.
      q  25. Judgments.

 18 Hear, all you deaf; and look, all you blind, that you all may see.

 19 Who is blind, but My servant? (this is Israel. See 37:35. Not the same"servant" as v.1) or deaf, as My messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is an intamate friend (or, trusted one. Heb. meshullam [plural of shalam], to be at peace with. Cp. 2 Sam.20:19. Job 22:21. Ps.7:4. It is from this word that we have Mussulman or Moslem. Israel, in the presence of the foe, was, in Yehovah's sight, thus perfect. See Num.23:21), and blind as Yehovah's servant?
 20 Seeing many things, but you all observest not; opening the ears, but you all hears not. (as Israel had done. See Deut.29:1,2. But Israel was blind and deaf,v.19. Cp. Jer. 5:21; 6:10. Ezek.12:2. Matt.13:14. John 12:40)

 21 Yehovah is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will magnify the Law (see 1:10), and make it honourable.

 22 But this is a People robbed and spoiled (showing most clearly Israel is the subject); they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivers; for a spoil, and none say, “Restore.”

 23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will listen and hear for the time to come?

 24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? (see Gen.32:28; 43:6; 45:26,28) did not Yehovah, He against Whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in His ways,

neither were they obedient to His Law.

 25 Therefore He has poured upon him the fury of His anger, and the strength of battle (for prevailing. i.e. battle that prevailed against Israel): and it has set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart (or mind).