Sermon Isaiah 40:1-11 Prepare the Way of the Lord

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Isaiah 40:1-11 Prepare the Way of the Lord
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
December 7, 2008

On this second Sunday of Advent we are continuing in our study of Isaiah. Last Sunday we heard from the preacher of the late 6th century before Christ writing in Isaiah as the people of God made their way back to Jerusalem. When they saw the destruction of their beloved city they wondered if God had abandoned them. They asked if God would ever return to Jerusalem. Last Wednesday night we listened as the 8th century prophet in Isaiah spoke to King Ahaz trying to assure him and us that there is no reason to fear because God is with us. Today we will hear the decree of God concerning his people and the task given to the poet writing in Isaiah during the Babylonian exile. But before we hear from God will you pray with me?

Lord Jesus Christ we await your coming in glory at Christmas. Prepare us for your arrival by filling the valleys in our hearts and setting us on the straight paths. We ask that your comfort us with your love. Amen.

NRS Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." 6 A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" 10 See, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

God has convened a grand council in heaven. All of the heavenly host have been summoned to God’s throne to hear God’s decree concerning his people. All of the angels are ready to take God’s decree and proclaim it to the four corners of the world. Everyone is ready for God to come, ascend the throne, and speak the words that will transform all of creation

The prayers of God’s people have been pouring into heaven for years. Some of these have been prayers of anger because God has permitted his own city, Jerusalem, and his own temple to be destroyed by the Babylonians. Others have been prayers of disillusionment because God’s people have questioned if the God of Israel is really God, or is it time to worship Marduk, the Babylonian god instead. Still other prayers are of repentance; people are begging God for forgiveness and restoration of their city. These prayers and so many more have come to heaven and now God is ready to make a new decree.

God enters the council and sits on the throne in his majesty and power and speaks:

NRS Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

God has decreed that the time of punishment for Judah’s idolatry is over. Now, all of heaven is directed to bring comfort to God’s people. The angels are told to stop bringing messages of condemnation and begin speaking tenderly and gently to God’s people in exile. They are to tell the people that God has forgiven their sins, and is once again ready to bless them richly. This is the day to put away the sackcloth and ashes and rejoice for the Lord has come to redeem them. God is on the way back to Jerusalem.

The angels take this great message of hope and proclaim it to God’s people. Hear what they had to say:

NRS Isaiah 40: 3 …"In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

All of the people of God living in exile, separated from their nation and their city and their God were symbolically wandering in the wilderness just as their ancestors had centuries before. But as a result of God’s decree that the people should be comforted, a highway will be built from Babylon back to Jerusalem so God’s people could return home and God’s glory could return to Mount Zion, Jerusalem. Through this restoration God’s glory would be displayed so brightly that God would be revealed to all people of all nations of the earth.

Then one of the angels saw a poet living with the exiles in Babylon. The angel approached the poet and said:

NRS Isaiah 40: 6 … "Cry out!" And (the poet) replied, "What shall I cry?" All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass.

The poet in the Isaiah sees the suffering of God’s people in exile. She sees how a once great people are now servants in another land. They are bowed over. Their glory has faded. Repeated proclamations from God communicated through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel have convinced the people that the exile and destruction of Jerusalem was their fault. Their idolatry was the reason for their suffering. The people just can’t take another proclamation of judgment from God.

But the angel replied:
NRS Isaiah 40: 8 “The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.”

Even though the people of God have been humbled by God’s judgment the new decree must be heard and obeyed. They need to know, and the poet needs to tell them that God has decreed comfort for all of his people. They are forgiven and will be restored to their city and their country. They need to know that God is returning to Jerusalem and they have to rebuild and be ready for God’s return.

Then the angel told the poet that she is to return to Jerusalem to proclaim to the people who remain there that God is returning:

NRS Isaiah 40: 9 “Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" 10 See, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

The people who remained in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile were the poor, the mentally ill, the aged, and disabled, all the people that Babylon did not want in their city. These marginalized people were left behind to eke out whatever kind of living they could from the rubble of the city. It is to these people that the poet is to return proclaiming the new decree of God. The poet is to proclaim that God is returning for them. God will return in might to protect them from those who would do them harm. And God will protect them, heal their wounds, and feed them just as a shepherd would care for his sheep. This gospel of good news to the poor was the message that the angel of God wanted the poet to proclaim to God’s people in Jerusalem and to all the people of the world.

Eventually, Jerusalem and the temple were rebuilt. By the time of King Herod, Jerusalem was a large city in the Roman Empire and the Temple had been expanded to dimensions that even exceeded the magnificent structure Solomon had built, but the poor, the mentally ill, the aged, and the disabled remained. The God of justice and righteousness had not yet returned. The people longed for the day when God would come like a good shepherd to care for his people.

Then one day a man appeared in the wilderness. And like the poet before him he proclaimed the good news that God had decreed comfort for all his people and forgiveness for all who repented. The Good Shepherd was about to return to Jerusalem. Luke talks about it in this way:

Luke 3:2-6 …the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

In Jesus Christ, God has finally returned to Jerusalem to heal the sick, clothe the naked, and feed the hungry. In Jesus Christ, all of our sins have been forgiven. In Jesus Christ, we have been restored and renewed and ready to rebuild our fallen world.

So here is the good news that I have for you this morning. God has decreed that you are to be comforted. All of your sins have been forgiven. Your God has come to care for you, to heal your illnesses, to give you something to eat and a place to stay. You are to proclaim this good news of God’s love to everyone you meet. You are to lead then out of the wilderness were they now live, and bring them to new life in Jesus Christ.

Father in Heaven, we thank you for all the comfort we have received in Jesus Christ. We thank you for feeding us and binding our wounds as our shepherd. We thank you for forgiving our sins and restoring us to new life. We pray all of this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.