Isaiah 40:1

Isaiah 40:1 says, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.  The rest of the book of Isaiah is different than the first thirty-nine chapters.  One way is that Isaiah is not named once in these chapters, but I will refer to him.  Also, the focus moves from many woes to many blessings for the people of Israel.  Though this message was to Israel at that time, it also is the message of the coming of Jesus Christ that will end with His return after He died for the sins of mankind on the cross. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we should then live celebrating the many blessings that God has given us and let go of the woes of the past.  Isaiah said God called on His people to comfort others who were His people and in need.  This is still our calling today as Christians.

Verse two adds, Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.  The people were told to speak well of Jerusalem, because her warfare was accomplished and she had received double punishment from God for all her sins.  Just as the people of God in that day were called on to comfort others of His people, we as Christians need to comfort other Christians who may be suffering today.  We can do this because Jesus Christ paid for the price all our sins.

Verse three continues, The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  As stated earlier, this verse may refer to people in that day, but it also is a reference to John the Baptist when He made this call to the people in Jesus’s day.  We are to still proclaim this same message today as we witness for Jesus Christ. 

Verse four states, Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:  This will happen forever when Jesus Christ returns in victory.  Even if the people of Israel did this for a time, then we know that it didn’t last and never will until Jesus Christ returns in victory. 

Verse five adds, And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.  Though the people of Israel may have been restored for a time with all obstacles removed from their serving God, once more, this will happen for the final time when Jesus Christ returns.  We simply need to live by faith in Him until He returns.