Isaiah 40 - 44

Her Sad Days Are Gone

The tone of Isaiah changes beginning in chapter 40.  Whereas the first part of Isaiah primarily dealt with prophecies concerning the destruction of Israel and the exile of the people as well as prophecies about the nations that attack Israel, the second part of Isaiah is about comfort and restoration and the glory and greatness of Almighty God.

The first words of Isaiah, employing epizeuxis for emphasis, set the tone with  "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." (1:1).  Then the second verse expresses the mercy of God. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins."  Because of the sin in Israel, she was punished twice over, i.e. Israel and Jerusalem were destroyed and the people were exiled. John the Baptist is prophesied in 1:3-6 and the remainder of the chapter is a glorious description of the Lord.  He has no equal, needs no advice, and there is no one or no thing that can be compared to Him.

In chapter 41:18-20, Isaiah talks about planting seven different types of trees in the desert.  Each of these are representative of a quality of the Lord.  This is a subject I will pursue later.