Isaiah 40:1-11 (Matt 3:1-12; Luke 7:28)                                                          22 August 2000 


THE PROMISED PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE MIDST OF ISRAEL

1. "BEHOLD, YOUR GOD
         BEHOLD THE LORD GOD SHALL COME" Isa 40:9, 10

2. "THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHALL BE REVEALED
          AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER" Isa 40:5

3. "FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HAS SPOKEN..." Isa 40:5

4. "THE GRASS WITHERS, THE FLOWER FADES,
          BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD STANDS FOREVER" Isa 40:8

THE HERALD OF THE LORD

1. The Herald: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness
           Prepare the way of the Lord..." Isa 40:3

2. The Task of the Herald: To "prepare the way of the Lord..." Isa 40:3
The need to "make straight in the desert a highway for our God..." Isa 40:3
a) "Every valley shall be exalted
b) And every mountain and hill brought low
c) The crooked places shall be made straight
d) And the rough places smooth" Isa 40:4

3. The Main Message of the Herald: To Proclaim the Coming of the Lord
a) "Behold, Your God...
b) The glory of the Lord shall be revealed
c) Behold the Lord God shall come with a strong hand...
d) He will feed His flock like a Shepherd..." Isa 40:5-11

THE FULFILMENT OF THIS PROPHECY IN JOHN THE BAPTISER

"Wilderness" (Isa 40:3) "Wilderness of Judea" (Matt 3:1)

"Prepare the way of the Lord" "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is (Isa 40:3) at hand" (Matt 3:2)

"Behold, the Lord God "He who is coming after me is shall come" mightier than I whose sandals I am
(Isa 40:10-11) not worthy to carry, He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit"
(Matt 3:11)

"This is My Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt 3:17)

"BEHOLD YOUR GOD" Isa 40:9
(The Majestic Glory of the Lord)

1. He "measures the waters in the hollow of His hand" Isa 40:12
2. He "measures heaven with a span" Isa 40:12
3. He "calculates the dust of the earth in a measure" Isa 40:12
4. He "weighs the mountains in scales" Isa 40:12
5. Who has been a counsellor or instructor to God? Isa 40:13-14
6. The "nations are as a drop in a bucket
and counted as the small dust on the scales" Isa 40:15
7. "He lifts up the isles as a very small thing" Isa 40:15
8. "All nations before Him are as nothing
and they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless" Isa 40:17
9. "He sits above the circle of the earth
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers" Isa 40:22
10. He "stretches out the heavens like a curtain
and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in" Isa 40:22
11. "He brings the princes to nothing
He makes the judges useless" Isa 40:23
12. "He calls them (the galaxies in the heavens) all by name
by the greatness of His might
and the strength of His power
not one is missing" Isa 40:26

"TO WHOM WILL YOU LIKEN GOD?" Isa 40:18, 25

The idols worshipped by Israel are spoken of in derision"
Isa 40:18-20

THE FOOLISH COMPLAIN OF ISRAEL

"My way is hidden from the Lord..." Isa 40:27

"My just claim is passed over by my God" Isa 40:27

HAVE YOU NOT KNOWN? Isa 40:28-31

1. The everlasting Creator-God neither faints nor is weary Isa 40:28
His understanding is unsearchable (unfathomable) Isa 40:28

2. He gives power to the weak
to those who have no might, He increases strength Isa 40:29

3. Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength
they shall mount up with wings as eagles
they shall run and not be weary
they shall walk and not faint" Isa 40:31