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ISAIAH CHAPTER 40
OBSERVATION STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
which limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Isaiah.
This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more
importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective
comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
(Isa 40:1 Holman) " 'Comfort, comfort My people,' says your God."
(Isa 40:2 NKJV) 'Speak [to the heart of] Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare [has been] ended, that her iniquity [is to have been pardoned], For she has received from the LORD's hand Double for all her sins.'
(Isa 40:3 HOLMAN) A voice of one crying out: ["In the wilderness, prepare the way of the LORD]; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
(Isa 40:4 HOLMAN) Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rough places a plain.
(Isa 40:5 NKJV) [And] the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken [it].' "
The previous chapter declared that Judah was to undergo Babylonian conquest causing her destruction and captivity under the rule of Babylon as a result of her unfaithfulness:
****** EXCERPT FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 39 ******
...............................[OR GO TO ISA 40:1-2]
(Isa 39:1 NKJV) '''At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard [lit., was hearing] that he had been sick and had recovered [lit., was recovering]. (Isa 39:2 NKJV) And Hezekiah was pleased [lit., was being pleased] with them, and showed them [lit., was showing them] the house of his treasures - the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory - all that was found [lit., had been found] among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. (Isa 39:3 NKJV) Then Isaiah the prophet went [lit., was coming] to King Hezekiah, and said [lit., was saying] to him, "What did these men say [lit., have these men said], and from where did they come [lit., were coming] to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came [lit., had come] to me from a far country, from Babylon." (Isa 39:4 NKJV) And he said, [lit., was saying], "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, [lit., was answering], "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them." (Isa 39:5 NKJV) Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: (Isa 39:6 NKJV) 'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried [lit., have been carried] to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD. (Isa 39:7 NKJV) And they shall take away [lit., be taking away] some of your sons who will descend [lit., shall be descendants] from you, whom you will beget [lit., be begetting]; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.' (Isa 39:8 NKJV) So Hezekiah said [lit., was saying] to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "At least there will be peace and truth in my days." ''' =
The phrase rendered, "At that time" refers to the timeframe of when king Hezekiah was restored to health by the LORD from a terminal illness and given 15 more years to live, whereupon Hezekiah received some letters and a present presented to him by a delegation from Merodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon.
King Hezekiah was pleased with the Babylonian delegation visiting him - the letters and the present. Hence he showed them all of his treasures and armory and defences. Hezekiah was evidently motivated by the possibility of forming an alliance with Babylon to provide protection against Assyria. He was evidently not considering that the LORD had just delivered Jerusalem from the Assyrian army which proved that he needed no alliance, (Isa 39:2).
When Isaiah the prophet inquired about Hezekiah's visitors - what they said and where they came from; Hezekiah evaded answering the first question. He only told Isaiah that they came to him from the far away country of Babylon, (Isa 39:3). Isaiah then asked what they had seen in Hezekiah's "house." This time, the king answered completely and truthfully: 'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried [lit., have been carried] to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD. And they shall take away [lit., be taking away] some of your sons who will descend [lit., shall be descendants] from you, whom you will beget [lit., be begetting]; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon,' (Isa 39:3-7).
The LORD's announcement through Isaiah was a prophecy of judgment upon Hezekiah, the people of Judah and their leaders of the past for being unfaithful. All of the wealth stored in the palace would be taken by Babylon, (Isa 39:6). This implied a military conquest by Babylon resulting in the destruction and captivity of Judah under the rule of Babylon. This was an astounding prediction because at the time Assyria was the ruling empire.
Despite being delivered from the Assyrians, (Isa 37:36-38); being granted fifteen more years to live, (Isa 38:1-2); being given the knowledge that Judah would have a number of difficult years followed by Babylonian conquest and captivity - all of which was to be after his lifetime, (Isa 39:6-7); Hezekiah responded to God's pronouncement of judgment upon himself, his descendants and the kingdom of Judah with astounding self-centeredness and lack of remorse. Even when Isaiah announced that his own flesh and blood would be castrated and carried off to serve as eunuchs in the palace of Babylon, (Isa 39:7); Hezekiah showed no concern. Instead of remorse and repentance at the pronouncement of this catastrophic judgment, Hezekiah said, " 'The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!' For he said, 'At least there will be peace and truth in my days,' " (Isa 39:8).
****** END OF EXCERPT FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 39 *****
(Isa 39:1 NKJV) '''At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard [lit., was hearing] that he had been sick and had recovered [lit., was recovering]. (Isa 39:2 NKJV) And Hezekiah was pleased [lit., was being pleased] with them, and showed them [lit., was showing them] the house of his treasures - the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory - all that was found [lit., had been found] among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. (Isa 39:3 NKJV) Then Isaiah the prophet went [lit., was coming] to King Hezekiah, and said [lit., was saying] to him, "What did these men say [lit., have these men said], and from where did they come [lit., were coming] to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came [lit., had come] to me from a far country, from Babylon." (Isa 39:4 NKJV) And he said, [lit., was saying], "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, [lit., was answering], "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them." (Isa 39:5 NKJV) Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: (Isa 39:6 NKJV) 'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried [lit., have been carried] to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD. (Isa 39:7 NKJV) And they shall take away [lit., be taking away] some of your sons who will descend [lit., shall be descendants] from you, whom you will beget [lit., be begetting]; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.' (Isa 39:8 NKJV) So Hezekiah said [lit., was saying] to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "At least there will be peace and truth in my days." (Isa 40:1 Holman) "Comfort, comfort My people," says your God. (Isa 40:2 NKJV) "Speak [to the heart of] Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare [has been] ended, that her iniquity [is to have been pardoned], For she has received from the LORD's hand Double for all her sins." ''' =
Chapter 40 begins with the imperative verb rendered "comfort," in the plural. It is repeated for emphasis, (cf. Isa 52:7). So in verse one, the LORD, through the prophet Isaiah, commanded the prophets emphatically to comfort, i.e., to give double assurance to the people of Israel that their warfare, i.e., their punishment by the LORD was at an end. The time of Israel's misery - her 70 year captivity in Babylon - would shortly come to an end, (Isa 39:6-7). The prophets were to speak these words of comfort to the heart, i.e., to the emotional well being of the people of Jerusalem. At that time, the people were still in captivity in Babylon and the city of Jerusalem was still in ruins; yet the future of God's people who would occupy a rebuilt Jerusalem was in view. National Israel's past iniquity was declared pardoned. She had received from the LORD's hand double punishment for all of her sins, in then sense that due to her persistent and great unfaithfulness the LORD had meted out a severe yet just punishment to her, (Isa 40:1-2).
(Isa 7:14 YLT) '''Therefore the Lord Himself [is giving] to you [plural, i.e., Judah] a sign, [behold], the Virgin [the pregnant one] [the one giving birth to] a son, And she [has called] his name Immanuel. (Isa 7:15 NKJV) Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. (Isa 7:16 NKJV) For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings... (Isa 9:6 NKJV) For unto us [Israel, Isa 1:1, 8:18] a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:7 NKJV) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this... (Isa 39:1 NKJV) At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard [lit., was hearing] that he had been sick and had recovered [lit., was recovering]. (Isa 39:2 NKJV) And Hezekiah was pleased [lit., was being pleased] with them, and showed them [lit., was showing them] the house of his treasures - the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory - all that was found [lit., had been found] among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. (Isa 39:3 NKJV) Then Isaiah the prophet went [lit., was coming] to King Hezekiah, and said [lit., was saying] to him, "What did these men say [lit., have these men said], and from where did they come [lit., were coming] to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came [lit., had come] to me from a far country, from Babylon." (Isa 39:4 NKJV) And he said, [lit., was saying], "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, [lit., was answering], "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them." (Isa 39:5 NKJV) Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: (Isa 39:6 NKJV) 'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried [lit., have been carried] to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD. (Isa 39:7 NKJV) And they shall take away [lit., be taking away] some of your sons who will descend [lit., shall be descendants] from you, whom you will beget [lit., be begetting]; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.' (Isa 39:8 NKJV) So Hezekiah said [lit., was saying] to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "At least there will be peace and truth in my days." (Isa 40:1 Holman) "Comfort, comfort My people," says your God. (Isa 40:2 NKJV) "Speak [to the heart of] Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare [has been] ended, that her iniquity [is to have been pardoned], For she has received from the LORD's hand Double for all her sins." (Isa 40:3 HOLMAN) A voice of one crying out: ["In the wilderness, prepare the way of the LORD]; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. (Isa 40:4 HOLMAN) Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rough places a plain. (Isa 40:5 NKJV) [And] the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken [it].' " ''' =
In view in this passage in Isaiah chapter 40 is the imminent return in ancient times of the Israelites from Babylonian captivity to a Jerusalem which was to be rebuilt by them. Israel's past iniquity had been pardoned through having received double punishment for all her sins, (Isa 40:1-2). Whereupon the next verse portrays the voice of a prophet announcing the imminent coming of the LORD in His glory to establish on earth the Eternal Kingdom of God conditional upon all Israelites making the necessary preparation: "A voice of one crying out, 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; Make a straight highway for our God in the desert, Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rough places a plain," [And] the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken [it].' (Isa 40:3-5).
The phrases such as "In the wilderness, prepare the way of the LORD; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rough places a plain," (Isa 40:3-5), cannot be literal because such a fulfillment of these phrases which portray the world completely without hill or valley, or uneven or rough ground is not literally possible with finite, flawed man; nor useful in enabling the coming of the LORD, Who is Creator and Master of the physical world, and would not be hindered by any physical obstruction. And from whence does it begin and to where does the highway go which is to be built for our God in the desert? One can only conclude that the prophet crying out is speaking figuratively of the way of God's Perfect Righteousness which can only be via every one of a generation of Israelites removing the spiritual hindrances from within oneself to receive the coming of the LORD through trusting alone in the LORD alone to deliver one from one's sins to provide the gift of God's perfect Righteousness within oneself unto eternal life; whereupon the LORD would come to establish His everlasting Kingdom of Heaven on the earth through His people Israel - having prepared His way of Perfect Righteousness within man by providing it for and within each individual by faith as a free gift. In the past, Israel's lack of faith had blocked her fellowship with the LORD and caused punishment and captivity to befall her, (cf. Isa 39:1-8). Nevertheless the ancient Israelites returning from Babylon had their opportunity to see the salvation of their God come into the world but failed to prepare for the LORD to bring in His Kingdom via repentance unto faith. Notice that this repentance cannot mean doing godly works in order to receive remission (forgiveness) of sins in order to enter the Kingdom of God, as some contend; because doing godly works cannot erase sinful deeds. Nor can repentance mean to turn from sin in the sense of not committing sins any more; for that is a task which is not possible given the sinful nature of every individual. Hence the LORD postponed the completion of His mission for when a future generation of Israelites would prepare itself properly for His coming.
According to the context of the Book of Isaiah chapters 1 through 40, the coming of the LORD and His Righteousness into the world would begin as a Child: born of a maiden / virgin Whom she called His name Immanuel, (Isa 7:14-16).
(Isa 7:14 YLT) '''Therefore the Lord Himself [is giving] to you [plural, i.e., Judah] a sign, [behold], the Virgin [the pregnant one] [the one giving birth to] a son, And she [has called] his name Immanuel.
(Isa 7:15 NKJV) Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.
(Isa 7:16 NKJV) For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings'''
So a Child
shall be born of a maiden / virgin. His name shall be called "Immanuel"
meaning "God is with us," (Isa 7:14-16
).
(Isa 9:6 NKJV) "For unto us [Israel, Isa 1:1, 7:14-16; 8:18] a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isa 9:7 NKJV) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
So He will be
born of Israel, hence a Son of Israel; and be declared, "Wonderful,
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." He will
come to establish His Everlasting Kingdom rule over the world on the
throne of David from Jerusalem through His people, Israel, (Isa 9:6-7
).
The time of His everlasting rule would begin when national Israel
responded to Him by faith in order to be delivered each one of his sins,
(Isa 40:3). When that becomes the case in history, every obstacle to God's
rule of righteousness will be removed; which Isaiah 40:4 expresses
figuratively in order to convey a spiritual meaning of God's provision of
the gift of His Righteousness to man: "Every valley will be lifted
up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will
become smooth, and the rough places a plain." Hence all mankind will
see the glory of the LORD - His Perfect Righteousness - when He comes to
rule over His everlasting kingdom on the earth, (Isa 40:5).
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"
All of this was declared by the prophet to be true, for the mouth of the LORD had spoken it to him, (Isa 5:16; 6:3; 7:14-16; 9:6-7; 39:5; 40:1-5).
Since the preparing of the way of the LORD in the wilderness and making a straight highway for our God in the desert, the building of roads, flattening out of mountains and hills, lifting up of valleys, making all crooked places straight, and making every rough place smooth would not be required in a literal sense, in order to enable the coming of the LORD to rule the world and enable all mankind to see Him in His glory when He comes; and since there are no passages in Scripture which corroborate any of this in a literal sense, nor would it be feasible for man to remove every physical obstruction to His coming on the planet; then the language of Isa 40:3b-40:4 must be figurative for a spiritual meaning. So the peaks and valleys, crooked highways and places, and rough places symbolically represent hindrances to God's Righteousness - caused in the context of Isaiah by Israel's (and the world's) lack of faith and consequent acts of unrighteousness. In the past, Israel's lack of faith had blocked her fellowship with the LORD and caused punishment and captivity to befall her, (cf. Isa 39:1-8).
So the time of the LORD's rule would begin when each one of national Israel, to whom the message of the prophet crying out was exclusively directed, responded to it evidently via a moment of faith alone in the coming LORD alone to deliver one from ones sins such that each one would be provided with the gift of God's perfect righteousness within oneself unto eternal life and by that prepare the way of the LORD to come to rule over His everlasting Kingdom of Heaven on the earth.
****** EXCERPTS FROM CHAPTERS 7 & 9 ******
(Isa 7:10 NKJV) ''''Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, (Isa 7:11 NKJV) '''Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.''' (Isa 7:12 NKJV) But Ahaz said, '''I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!''' (Isa 7:13 NKJV) Then he said, '''Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? (Isa 7:14 YLT) "Therefore the Lord Himself [is giving] to you [plural, i.e., Judah] a sign, [behold], the Virgin [the pregnant one] [the one giving birth to] a son, And she [has called] his name Immanuel. (Isa 7:15 NKJV) Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. (Isa 7:16 NKJV) For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.''' '''' =
In order to authenticate His promise to protect Judah from Aram and Ephraim, and test the faith of Ahaz, the LORD asked Ahaz (through Isaiah) to request a sign from "The depth or in the height above" - a figure of speech which has in view any sign that Ahaz might choose for the LORD to perform from the realm of the greatest depths of Sheol to the greatest height of the heavens or from anything in between. With a miracle performed simply for the asking, Ahaz would have had visible confirmation that Isaiah's words were truly from the LORD and then Ahaz could count on the fact that the northern alliance would not defeat Judah. But Ahaz, twisting the words of Scripture, arrogantly declined in unbelief saying, "Nor will I test the LORD!" Ahaz, by rejecting the legitimate offer of a sign from God's messenger, was in effect rejecting the One Who sent the prophet. Furthermore, Ahaz's response questioned the integrity of God's prophet Isaiah for suggesting that Ahaz should test the LORD. Note that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, had already established himself as a prophet of God during the reigns of Uzziah, and his son Jotham, the father of Ahaz; and he would continue to be a prophet of God during the reign of Hezekiah, Ahaz's son, (Isa 1:1). Ahaz refused to accept Isaiah's offer to choose a sign inspite of the fact that if his prophecy were not fulfilled, the king could have had Isaiah put to death. Since the king did not believe in Isaiah's declaration that the LORD would deliver Judah from Aram and Ephraim; and since he was resolved not to do God's will but was determined to negotiate with Assyria, favoring Assyria's power, paganism and idolatry over the LORD, (Isa 10:10, 11 36:18-20); then there would be no sign from the LORD for Judah in Ahaz's time, (Isa 7:10-12).
Isaiah responded to King Ahaz's rejection of the LORD and His prophet: "Hear now, O house of David! [referring to king Ahaz - a descendant from David] Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?" This conveys Isaiah's exasperation with Ahaz in the sense of asking him 'Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men, but must you try the patience of my God also?' Notice that Isaiah referred to "my God" as if to say that his God was not Ahaz's God. Up to this time, although he had gotten access to king Ahaz which implied that his reputation as a prophet had preceded him, Isaiah had not prophesied a sign personally to Ahaz which would have authenticated the LORD's promise to deliver Judah from Aram and Ephraim; and it would have authenticated that Isaiah was a true prophet of the LORD. Since Ahaz had refused to let this proof be presented, Isaiah was exasperated, (Isa 7:13).
Hence Isaiah announced that the LORD Himself would give a sign of His own choosing. Notice that the word rendered "Himself" in the NKJV is in an emphatic mode in Isa 7:14 emphasizing the LORD's singularly emphatic response to Ahaz's rejection of a sign to provide one Himself without any imput from the arrogant faithless king. The word rendered "Behold" in verse 14 brings attention to an astounding sign of the maiden / virgin's birth of a Son Whom she would call His name Immanuel, meaning God is with us:
(Isa 7:14 YLT) "Therefore the Lord Himself [is giving] to you [plural, i.e., Judah] a sign, [behold], the Virgin [the pregnant one] [the one giving birth to] a son, And she [has called] his name Immanuel.
(Isa 7:14 Hebrew) "lkn ..........ithn ................adni ............eua .l-km ..........auth .ene
..............................."therefore he-shall-give ..my-LORD he ...to-you ......sign .behold
e-olme.................... ere ..................u-ildth .........................bn ..u-grath ................shm-u
the-maiden/virgin .pregnant-one and-one-giving-birth .son and-she-has called .name-of-him
omnu~al
Immanu~El
(Isa 7:15 NKJV) Curds and honey [infant food signifying that He was growing up] He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. (Isa 7:16 NKJV) For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings."
Note that the Child in the prophecy of Isa 7:14-16 is stipulated as having been given birth to by "the Virgin" with the definite article - the pregnant one, (noun), the one giving birth (participle for noun) to a Son. And she [has called] His name Immanuel, [lit., Immanu~El or God is with us]." The LXX, (Septuagint = Greek version of the Hebrew Text] translators used the unambiguous word 'parthenos' ('virgin') to translate 'almAh' rendered "virgin" in the NKJV. This Hebrew word transliterated "almAh" refers to a young woman of marriagable age implying virginity. It evidently comes from the concept of a young maiden / woman being closely guarded and kept from men's gaze in their parents' custody in the East - which implies virginity. So the verse points to the unique, one of a kind maiden / virgin the pregnant one who gives birth to the Child Whom she would call Immanuel meaning God is with us which excludes sexual intercourse, otherwise she could not be stipulated as the maiden / virgin. There is no clear OT example of the use of 'almAh' for a married woman. In the next two verses, it is stipulated that the Child will grow up on "curds and honey" the normal diet of a weaned child; and reach the point of knowing to refuse evil and do good - from conception to accountability -. after but not necessarily immediately after the kingdoms of Syria and Ephraim have been destroyed by Assyria.
(Isa 8:16 NKJV) '''[Isaiah said to] Bind up the testimony, Seal up the law among my disciples. (Isa 8:17 YLT) And I have waited for [the LORD], Who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, And I have looked for Him. (Isa 8:18 NKJV) Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me! [We] are for signs and wonders in Israel From the Lord of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion. (Isa 8:19 NKJV) And when they say to you, 'Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,' should not a people seek their God? [Should they seek] the dead on behalf of the living? (Isa 8:20 NKJV) To the law and to the testimony! If they [are not speaking] according to this word, it is because [there is] no light in them. (Isa 8:21 NKJV) They will pass through it hard-pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look upward. (Isa 8:22 NKJV) Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and [they will be] driven into darkness. (Isa 9:1 NKJV) Nevertheless the [darkness] will not be upon her who is distressed As when at first He [the LORD] [treated with contempt] The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. (Isa 9:2 NKJV) The people who [who are walking] in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt [are dwelling] in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. (Isa 9:3 KJV) [You have] multiplied the nation, [have you] not increased the joy? They [rejoice] before [You] according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice [to divide] the spoil. (Isa 9:4 NKJV) For You have broken the yoke of his burden And the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, As in the day of Midian. (Isa 9:5 HOLMAN) [For the warrior's trampling sandle] and the garments [rolled in the blood of battle] will be burned as fuel for the fire. (Isa 9:6 NKJV) "For unto us [Israel, Isa 1:1, 8:18] a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:7 NKJV) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." =
In the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible, Isaiah chapter 8 ends with the verse which most translated versions have indicated as Isa 9:1. In that verse, the ancient Israelite tribal allotments of Zebulun and Naphtali - the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali - which refer to the northern portion of Israel which were caused by the LORD to be oppressed and then invaded by Assyria and annexed by Tiglath-pileser III in 733-732 B.C. This included Galilee. The phrase rendered ''The way of the sea" refers to Sharon or Philistia. It describes a major international highway running through this region. This is the only time this phrase appears in Scripture, but it appears often in Assyrian and Egyptian records. The invading Assyrian soldiers took that route when they invaded the Northern Kingdom. The phrase rendered "Galilee of the Gentiles" refers to the area of Gilead and southeast Syria, when it was under Gentile domination. The Assyrians carved out three provinces for themselves from these areas in three campaigns. These lands were the first to feel the distress caused by Assyrian invasion. But there will be a time when darkness of oppression will not be upon Israel, (Isa 9:1).
Past tenses in Isa 9:2 continue to speak of future events, such that the future was described by the prophet as having already occurred. Light stands for God's blessings, presence, and revelation - all characterized by His absolute Righteousness, (cf. Isa 2:5). The phrase rendered "shadow of death," means the darkness of separation from the fellowship of God and His Righteousness. Past generations of the people of Israel had been walking in darkness for centuries; but a future generation of them would see a great light, which the passage will indicate is embodied in His incarnate Son, (Isa 9:2).
In the future the LORD will multiply the number of His people. Their joy will be increased as those who rejoiced at harvest time or as men of battle who rejoiced in dividing the spoils of war. In view of the context, Isa 9:3b is best rendered, "[You have] multiplied the nation, [have you] not increased the joy? They [rejoice] before [You] according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice [to divide] the spoil," (Isa 9:3).
And the reason for joy being brought upon the Israelites is that the LORD will finally break the yoke of oppression upon His people. For generations, God's chosen people, the Israelites had been dwelling in the land of the shadow of death, (Isa 9:2), experiencing invasions by such as Egypt, Assyria and Babylon. The phrases rendered "the yoke of his burden," "the staff of his shoulder" and "the rod of his oppressor" in Isa 9:4 refer to the oppression of the people of Israel. The word rendered "yoke" referred to that which controlled and caused a burden upon Israel, "the staff" to that which struck the shoulder in punishment, "the rod" to that which oppressed them; and the word rendered "his" to the agent of the LORD used to discipline His people, such as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, etc.
(Isa 10:24 NKJV) "Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts: 'O My people, who dwell in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrian. He shall strike you with a rod and lift up his staff against you, in the manner of Egypt.
(Isa 10:25 NKJV) For yet a very little while and the indignation will cease, as will My anger in their destruction.'
(Isa 10:26 NKJV) And the LORD of hosts will stir up a scourge for him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; as His rod was on the sea, so will He lift it up in the manner of Egypt.
(Isa 10:27 NKJV) It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your [Israel's] shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil"
The breaking of oppression which the LORD imposed upon Israel to discipline her was paralleled to "The day of Midian" which referred to the miraculous defeat of the Midianites by Gideon brought about supernaturally by the LORD, (Isa 9:4).
The passage in Isaiah chapter 9 goes on to explain that the sandles of the soldier and the garments rolled in blood, (a tactic of war to frighten enemies in an impending battle), would be burned, i.e., the implements of warfare would be destroyed. So the darkness of war would be no more, (Isa 9:5).
Isaiah 9:6-7 explained why the people of Israel would be delivered from its generations of darkness: It would be accomplished through the birth of a Child - a Son unto Israel: (Isa 9:6 NKJV) "For unto us [Israel, Isa 1:1, 8:18] a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:7 NKJV) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
Since it is the LORD Who gives children to man; and since a child was born to Israel, a Son given; then this implied that the LORD had given His Son to Israel. Whereupon, the passage declared that His name would be called Mighty God, Everlasting Father, implying Diety as well as Perfect Humanity.
The phrase rendered "the Government will be on His shoulder" referred to the ensign of office worn upon the shoulder to signify the One Who had the position of ruling the nation, (cf. Isa 22:22-23). Then verse 6 declared, "And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace;" "Wonderful" in the sense of being a marvelous, wondrous being; "Counselor," in the sense of having the godly wisdom to convey to others; "Mighty God," in the sense of being Almighty God; "Everlasting Father," in the sense of being Everlasting God; "Prince of Peace," in the sense of being the One Who will bring to Israel and the world, everlasting peace. The Hebrew text of Isaiah 9:6 rendered "Mighty God" cannot be describing a mighty god as opposed to Almighty God, for Isaiah later indicates that besides Almighty God, there is no other [God] , (cf. Isa 43:10; 45:5). All of the terms in Isa 9:6c are unequivocally descriptive only of the human Israelite child, and not anyone else or the nation Israel as some contend.
(Isa 7:14 NKJV) "Therefore the LORD Himself will give you [plural] a sign: 'Behold, [a] virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel,' [which means God is with us]."
So just as Gideon defeated Midian through the supernatural work of the LORD, (Isa 9:4); so the LORD will lead His people from spiritual darkness into light supernaturally - this time through His Son, the Child born unto the nation Israel. Through Him, there will be everlasting peace, (Isa 9:6).
For Isaiah 9:7 says that the increase of His government and peace will be without end. He will sit upon the throne of David and rule over His kingdom and through that kindgom, the world. He will keep order and establish His judgment forever. The phrase rendered "Upon the throne of David" indicates that the God Man will be a Jew and Ruler of Israel. He will rule with an eternal rule of peace and absolute justice. And the zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this, in the sense that it is God Himself alone Who will accomplish this.
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