Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 39-42.

I have a Youtube video of me reading the Scripture passage and my comments. Please check it out and let me know your thoughts.

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I loved reading this aloud for my video this morning.  As Christians, we are very familiar with Isaiah 40:3-5 because John the Baptist refers to it in John 1:23 when the religious leaders of the time asked him who he was.  We see these three verses as being fulfilled in John the Baptists as he introduces Jesus.  However, we typically stop reading at verse five and miss the way in which verse six through eight continue that theme.  Verse six says “A voice says, ‘Cry!’  harkening back to verse three which said “A voice cries:”  Verses three through five tell us that we should make a path for God in the wilderness of our hearts because all flesh will see the glory of the Lord.  Then verse five ends by saying “the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  Verses six through eight tell us that flesh quickly fades, but that the word of God will stand forever.

Actually, now that I have seen the connection between verses six through eight with John the Baptist announcing Jesus’ coming I see how the rest of today’s passage is a continuation of the prophecy which John the Baptist quoted.  In fact I think John the Baptist intended for his listeners to remember the whole prophecy.  Especially verse nine which says, “Go on up to a high mountain,
    O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
    O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
    lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
    ‘Behold your God!’”
John was the herald of good news telling the people of Israel to behold their God, who was, and is, Jesus.  Jesus is our God who came with might and who tends His flock like a shepherd.  Isaiah goes on to show how God is different from the idols which people worship.  He shows how all too often we worship things we have made rather than worshiping God.  Then he reminds us that if we put our trust in Jesus we need not fear, nor need we be dismayed because God will be with us and will strengthen and help us.  God will uphold us.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.