The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness

Click here to read Isaiah 40.

The Author of Second Isaiah (Chapters 40 to 55) is unknown and is not apparent in these chapters. The literary style, historic background and theology differ greatly from First Isaiah (Chapters 1 thru 39). With the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the deportation of the people to Babylon, the Jews questioned the strength of their God and this increased the appeal of the Babylonian religions.

Second Isaiah was written during the exile and stressed the strengths of Yahweh. There are 4 great passages in this section called "Servant Songs". The servant is the purified remnant of Jews that will return to Jerusalem and through whom will come salvation to all (Jesus Christ, the New Testament Servant).

Second Isaiah furnished the monotheism that became the basis for Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Christianity cannot be fully understood without this section. In these chapters, the Author introduces the doctrine of "The Kingdom of God" on earth, to which all men, regardless of race, are called.

The "Redeemer" in these chapters is Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, who, in 539 BC defeated Babylon and authorized the release of the Jews back to Jerusalem.

This chapter gives us the fourth reference to Christ. It begins with "one crying in the wilderness", "Prepare the way of the Lord." This prophesied what John the Baptist proclaimed, the glad tidings of the coming of God's Salvation. It ends in Chapter 46, verse 22, prophesying the New Heaven and the New Earth spoken of in Revelation.

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