The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV, page 340
40:8 the word of our God stands forever. The permanence of God’s word guarantees against any deviation from the divine plan (55:11). He has promised Jerusalem’s deliverance (v. 2) through His coming (vv. 3–5), so it must happen that way (cf. Matt. 5:18; Luke 16:17).
40:9 Zion…good tidings…Jerusalem…good tidings. Like a messenger on a mountain, to be seen and heard by all, the prophet called on the city to proclaim loudly to the rest of Judah’s cities the good news of God’s presence there (cf. 2:3). “Behold, your God!” The restoration of Israel to the Land is to include the resumption of God’s presence in Jerusalem after many centuries (Ezek. 43:1–7; Rev. 21:22, 23; cf. Ezek. 11:22, 23).
40:10 the Lord God shall come with a strong hand. At His second coming, Christ returns with power to defeat His enemies and gather the dispersed of Israel to their Land (Matt. 24:31; Rev. 19:11–21).
40:11 His arm. A picture of God’s omnipotence. The same arm that powerfully scatters the Jews all over the earth in judgment is to overcome Israel’s oppressors (v. 10) and to tenderly feed and lead His flock (Ps. 23:1, 2; Jer. 31:10; Ezek. 34:11–16; Mic. 2:12).
40:12–14 By a series of questions, to which the implied answer is “no one,” the prophet emphasized the omnipotence and omniscience of God, the God whose coming is to bring comfort to Israel according to vv. 1–11.
40:12 Who has measured…in a balance. God alone has power to create the physical universe and the earth in perfect balance, weighing mountains and seas perfectly, so that the earth moves perfectly in space. This matter of the amazing balance of our planet is called the science of isostasy.
40:13, 14 directed the Spirit of the LORD. Isaiah pointed to the incomparable wisdom of God. Paul alluded to this verse in connection with God’s wisdom in dealing with Jews and Gentiles (Rom. 11:34) and with God’s impartation of wisdom to the spiritual believer (1 Cor. 2:16).
40:15–17 Since the surrounding nations who had oppressed Israel were utterly insignificant in comparison to the Lord’s greatness and power, they could not prevent His purposes from being accomplished. His deliverance of Israel was certain.
40:16 burn…burnt offering. God is so great and worthy of so much worship, that even the large wood and animal resources of Lebanon were insufficient for appropriate offerings to Him.
40:18–20 The prophet sarcastically indicated the futility of trying to portray the immensity of God—His power, wisdom, and resources—in the form of a man-made idol, no matter how ornate, durable, and immovable.
40:21–31 Isaiah extolled God as Creator, in whom the Jews were to put their full trust.
40:21 told you…understood. Throughout human history people had heard by special revelation from God that the Lord, not idols, created all things. They had also understood it from natural revelation as reason looks at creation (cf. Rom. 1:20).
40:22 sits above the circle of the earth. The word “circle” is applicable to the spherical form of the earth, above which He sits. This implies that God upholds and maintains His creation on a continuing basis (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). As He looks down, men seem like insects to the One who has stretched and spread out the universal heavens.
40:23 princes…judges. God disposes of human leaders according to His will (34:12; Job 12:17–21; Ps. 107:40; Dan. 2:21). Verse 24 expands on how suddenly God removes them.
40:25 liken…be equal. Israel was foolish to compare such a sovereign, almighty Lord with the gods of their Babylonian captors (see v. 18).
40:26 created these things. Rather than worshiping the stars (47:13; Deut. 4:19; Jer. 7:18; 8:2; 44:17), Israel should have seen in them the evidence of God’s creatorship (Ps. 19:1). As innumerable as the stars are, He knows every one and named each. Not one of the stars runs astray, but all are held by the forces with which He has endowed the universe to keep them in their orbit and place.
40:27–31 The prophet applied the comforting truths in vv. 1–26 about God to Israel’s situation in Babylon during the coming captivity.
40:27 Why do you say…? In light of who God is, how could His people in exile have thought He had forgotten them or was ignorant of their condition?
40:28 Neither faints nor is weary. God was not too weak to act on their behalf, nor was fatigue an obstacle for the Creator in caring for His people (cf. vv. 29, 30). Though even the young and strong become tired and fall, the Ancient of Days never does. unsearchable. To the human mind, God’s wisdom is not fully comprehensible in how He chooses to fulfill His promises to deliver Israel. Paul saw a further illustration of this truth in God’s plan for the final restoration of Israel (Rom. 11:33; see Is. 40:13).
40:31 wait on the LORD. See 8:17; 49:23. There is a general principle here that patient, praying believers are blessed by God with strength in their trials (cf. 2 Cor. 12:8–10). The Lord also expected His people to be patient and await His coming in glory at the end to fulfill the promises of national deliverance, when believing Israel would become stronger than they had ever been.
Isaiah 41
41:1 coastlands. The coasts of lands around the Mediterranean Sea and the islands represent the nations. renew their strength. The Lord challenged the nations that refused to wait on Him to be silent in awe and then move to renew their strength (cf. 40:31), meaning to collect their best arguments to plead their cause before Him.
41:2 one from the east. The Lord anointed Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, to accomplish His righteous will by conquering Babylon in 539 B.C. and allowing some of the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem (cf. 41:25; 44:28; 45:1). He founded the Persian Empire and ruled from ca. 550 to 530 B.C.
41:3 pursued…not gone with his feet. Cyrus accomplished his conquests with great ease in territories he had never before visited.
41:4 first…last. He existed before history and will exist after it (cf. 44:6; 48:12; Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13). I am He. It is legitimate to translate the two Heb. words thus represented by “I am” (see also 42:8; 43:10, 13; 46:4), a messianic title appropriated by Jesus frequently as explicit testimony to His deity (e.g., Mark 13:6; 14:62; Luke 21:8; John 8:28, 58; 13:19). The title comes originally from the Lord’s self-revelation to Moses in Ex. 3:14.
41:5–7 Instead of turning to the Lord when they saw His anointed one, Cyrus, approaching, the nations turned to one another for help and made more idols. See 40:18–20 regarding Isaiah’s description of idols and their makers.
41:8 Israel…My servant. The faithful of the nation receive the honored corporate designation as the servant of the Lord (see note on 20:3). As His servant, they stood in bold contrast to the rest of the nations (vv. 5–7). Cf. Israel as the servant in 42:18–25. Abraham My friend. “Friend” is an even higher designation than “servant” (John 15:14, 15; cf. 2 Chr. 20:7; James 2:23) and speaks of a greater faithfulness.
41:9 taken from the ends of the earth. In the last days, God will regather Israel from her worldwide dispersion as He did from Egypt and Babylon because Israel is God’s chosen nation (cf. 45:4; Amos 3:2).
41:10 Fear not. Israel need not fear God’s destructive judgment, as the rest of the nations do (vv. 5, 13, 14; 43:1, 5), because He is their God and faithful to His promise to restore the nation.
41:11–13 Through the Lord’s help, the enemies of Israel were to be weakened and vanish (60:12; Zech. 12:3) while God strengthened Israel.
41:14 worm. This refers to the contempt of Israel by the ungodly nations, and the same term is used similarly of the Messiah on the cross (Ps. 22:6). Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. The Heb. for “Redeemer” refers to a near relative who has the opportunity and responsibility to buy back what a relative has lost (see note on Ruth 2:20). The term occurs 5 more times in connection with the title “Holy One of Israel.” See notes on 43:14; 48:17–19; 49:7; 54:5. As the Lord purchased His people from the bondage of Egypt by the blood of the Passover Lamb, He is to do the same from their worldwide exile by the blood of the True Lamb, Jesus Christ, when they turn to Him in faith (cf. Zech. 12:10—13:1).
41:15, 16 mountains…hills. Figurative representations of foreign nations, whom Israel is to grind into nothingness in the time of her kingdom, when the Lord Jesus sets Himself up as King in Jerusalem.
41:17, 18 poor and needy. Israel in her deprived state as a captive of foreign nations is spoken of as thirsty for blessing and joy. In the Messiah’s future kingdom, the land of Israel will be well-watered (cf. 12:2, 3; 35:6, 7; 43:19, 20; 44:3, 4; 48:20, 21), a real physical blessing, but symbolizing here the spiritual quenching that will be Israel’s in the Millennium.
41:19 myrtle…oil tree…cypress tree…pine…box tree. Luxuriant vegetation will enrich the Land when God redeems His creation (35:1, 2, 7; Rom. 8:19–21).
41:22, 23 what will happen…come hereafter. God challenged the idols to prove their competence by predicting future events, as the Lord has done regarding “the former things,” i.e., the raising of Cyrus (v. 2), the repulsion of the Assyrians from Jerusalem (chaps. 36, 37), and the healing of Hezekiah (chap. 38).
41:23 do good or do evil. God invited the idols to proclaim and execute either deliverance or judgment, as He had done.
41:24 nothing…nothing. The idols were not what humans claimed they were, because they could not predict the future, nor could they judge or deliver. They were useless (44:9; Ps. 115:2–8; 1 Cor. 8:4; 10:19; Gal. 4:8).
41:25 from the north…; from the rising of the sun. Cyrus, king of Persia, a land E of Babylon, approached Babylon from the N where he had conquered Media before coming to Babylon. call on My name. Apparently fulfilled by Cyrus’ proclamation in Ezra 1:1–4.
41:26 no one. No soothsayer had predicted future happenings as the Lord had.
41:27–29 Idols were helpless in giving “good tidings” of future events (v. 27) and counsel to people (v. 28), and thus were useless.
Isaiah 42
42:1–9 This is the first of 4 Servant-Songs referring to Messiah (cf. 49:1–13; 50:4–11; 52:13—53:12). They speak of the Servant’s gentle manner and worldwide mission. Verses 1–3 are applied to Jesus Christ at His first coming in Matt. 12:18–20.
42:1 My Servant. Others deserve the title “my servant” (see note on 20:3), but this personal Servant of the Lord is the Messiah, who was chosen (Luke 9:35; 1 Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8) because the Lord delights in Him (Matt. 3:17; 17:5) and puts His Spirit upon Him (11:2; 59:21; Matt. 3:16; Luke 4:18). justice to the Gentiles. At His second coming, Christ will rule over a kingdom in which justice prevails throughout the world. The millennial kingdom is not for Israel alone, though the Messiah will reign on the throne of David in Jerusalem, and Israel will be the glorious people. In fact, all the nations of the world will experience the righteousness and justice of the Messiah King.
42:2 not cry out…in the street. The quiet and submissive demeanor of Christ at His first advent fulfilled this prophecy (Matt. 11:28–30; 1 Pet. 2:23).
42:3 bruised reed…smoking flax. The Servant will bring comfort and encouragement to the weak and oppressed. Cf. 40:11; 50:4; 61:1 and see notes on Matt. 12:18–20.
42:4 justice in the earth. Isaiah looked beyond the first coming of Christ to His second coming. Jesus fulfilled vv. 1a, 2, 3 at His first coming and will fulfill vv. 1b, 4 at His second coming, when He rules the earth in perfect justice with “a rod of iron” (Ps. 2:8, 9; Rev. 2:27).
42:5 Thus says God the LORD, who created…walk on it. Here God spoke directly to the Messiah, identified as “You” (v. 6). God’s role as Creator of the universe (cf. 40:21, 22) is the basis of certainty for the fulfilling of His will by His Servant the Messiah.
42:6 I, the LORD. Beginning with 41:13, the Lord’s self-identification is frequent (41:13; 42:6, 8; 43:3, 11, 15; 45:5, 6, 7, 18; 48:17; 49:23; 51:15). His personal name is the one He explained to Moses as specially symbolic of the unique relationship He bore to Israel (Ex. 3:15; 6:3). Here that covenant name guarantees His ministry through the Messiah-Servant. covenant to the people. The Servant is a covenant in that He personifies and provides the blessings of salvation to God’s people Israel. He is the Mediator of a better covenant than the one with Moses, i.e., the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31–34; Heb. 8:6, 10–12). See note on 49:8. light to the Gentiles. Simeon saw the beginning of this fulfillment at Christ’s first coming (Luke 2:32). He came as the Messiah of Israel, yet the Savior of the world, who revealed Himself to a non-Jewish immoral woman by the well in Samaria (cf. John 4:25, 26) and commanded His followers to preach the gospel of salvation to everyone in the world (Matt. 28:19, 20). Certainly the church, made up mostly of Gentiles grafted into the trunk of blessing (cf. Rom. 9:24–30; 11:11–24), fulfills this promise, as does the future kingdom on earth when the Servant will use Israel to shine and enlighten all the nations of the earth (49:6; cf. 19:24).
42:7 open blind eyes…bring out prisoners. Jesus fulfilled these words (9:1, 2; Matt. 4:13–16) when He applied them to miracles of physical healing and freedom from spiritual bondage during His incarnation (Matt. 11:5; Luke 4:18). Under the Servant’s millennial reign on earth, spiritual perception will replace Israel’s spiritual blindness and her captives will receive their freedom (29:18; 32:3; 35:5; 61:1).
42:9 former things…new things. The “former things” are already fulfilled or about to be fulfilled prophecies of Isaiah (cf. 41:22). The “new things” pertain to the future accomplishments of the Lord through His Messiah-Servant when He comes.
42:10 new song, and His praise. This “new song” never before sung, called for by new manifestations of God’s grace, will match the newness of conditions created by the Servant’s work of redemption in the kingdom, for which earth’s inhabitants will also sing “His praise.” Cf. 2:2; 26:1; Rev. 4:11; 5:9.
42:11 Kedar…Sela. See 16:1 and 21:16.
42:13 mighty man…man of war. As a mighty warrior, the Lord will work through His Servant to overcome all enemies (40:10; cf. 9:7; 37:32; 59:17).
42:14 held My peace…been still and restrained Myself. From the beginning of creation God remained silent, until the time was ripe to intervene in human affairs. He has not been indifferent to wickedness in the world, but will send His Servant in “the fullness of the time” (Gal. 4:4).
42:15 lay waste…dry up…dry up. God’s judgment through His Servant will wreak devastation on the earth (cf. Rev. 6–19). The reverse of that will be His blessing through the same Messiah subsequently in the millennial kingdom (see 35:1–4; 41:18).
42:16 I will bring…lead…make…do. God’s sovereignty will be evident to all as He guides the blind over previously uncharted courses (cf. Ex. 13:21, 22). The spiritually blind (9:1, 2) will see the way (see 42:7). Cf. Eph. 5:8.
42:17 carved images…molded images. God will utterly repudiate idolaters (cf. Ex. 32:4).
42:18–24 The Lord charged Israel, His servant, with unfaithfulness. In an important comparison, positive qualities of the Servant (42:1–7) are personified into an individual, the Messiah, but terms of reproach toward God’s servant (42:18, 19, 22–24) are personified in the nation, Israel.
42:18–20 deaf…blind. Though they are called “My servant” (v. 19; 41:8; 44:21) and “My messenger” and were perfectly fitted with the truth, Isaiah’s commission to prophesy highlighted the spiritual deafness and blindness of Israel (6:9, 10; cf. 22:14; 29:11; 32:3). They were deaf to the voice of God and blind to spiritual reality and duty.
42:21 His righteousness’ sake. In spite of Israel’s deafness, blindness, and defective righteousness (v. 24), God will staunchly uphold His principles of righteousness. Cf. 59:14–17.
42:22 robbed and plundered…snared…hidden. Exiled and dispersed, Israel was like a caravan in the desert, attacked unmercifully by bandits and imprisoned in caves or dungeons, so that no human deliverer could restore them (cf. 63:5).
42:24 Was it not the LORD. The nation went into Babylonian exile and worldwide dispersion as punishment by God for their rebellion against Him (30:15; 57:17; 65:2).
42:25 the fury of His anger. The fall of Jerusalem to Babylon in 586 B.C. did not result from the strength of Babylon. Rather, Israel had to taste the wrath of God because they paid no attention to the Lord (1:3; 5:13; 29:13; 47:7; 51:1; Hos. 7:9). set him on fire. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, burned Jerusalem when he conquered the city (2 Kin. 25:8, 9).
Isaiah 43
43:1 created…formed. The only explanation for the ongoing existence of the nation of Israel is God’s sovereign grace, which brought her into existence from nothing (cf. Deut. 7:6–11) and sustains her. Since she was God’s creation, she could find comfort in knowing that no one or nothing can destroy her, not even her own wickedness (cf. 43:18–25; Rom. 11:1, 2, 25–27). Jacob…Israel. This double designation (cf. Gen. 32:28) for God’s chosen nation is used by Isaiah 21 times, 16 of them in chaps. 40–49 (9:8; 10:20; 14:1; 27:6; 29:23; 40:27; 41:8, 14; 42:24; 43:1, 22, 28; 44:1, 21, 23; 45:4; 46:3; 48:1, 12; 49:5, 6). This speaks of the Lord’s special attachment to Abraham’s physical seed. Fear not. The Lord repeated His word, relieving Israel’s fear (35:4; 41:10, 13, 14; cf. 7:4). redeemed. God’s redemption of His people from exile is not to be complete until His Servant returns to reign over the faithful remnant in the land of Israel who have believed on Jesus Christ (cf. Zech. 12:10—13:1; Rom. 11:25–27; Rev. 11:13). The limited return from Babylon only typified the final return. See note on 43:14.
43:2 waters…rivers…fire…flame. Many perils symbolized by these words have confronted the Israelites through the centuries and will continue to do so until the nation’s final redemption, but the Lord promises the nation survival through them all. The passage of Moses’ and Joshua’s generations through the Red Sea (Ex. 14:21, 22) and the Jordan River (Josh. 3:14–17) and the preservation of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace illustrate His care for Israel.
43:3 your Savior. God is by nature a Savior (v. 11; 45:21), both temporally and eternally (see note on 1 Tim. 4:10; cf. Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4). God delivered Israel from Egypt and will deliver her from Babylon and all future exiles, as well as bring her to spiritual salvation (Zech. 12:10—13:1; Rom. 11:25–27). Ethiopia. See 18:1. Seba. A country either in southern Arabia or across the Red Sea in NE Africa, near Ethiopia. Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba became a vicarious compensation so that God could spare Israel. “Sabeans” is another name for the inhabitants of Seba (cf. 45:14).
