Based on a series of sermons preached in PCC Prayer Meetings in 2020
3 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. 4 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: 5 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
Isaiah 40:3-5
We are considering God’s call to His servants to comfort His people. “Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people,” He says (Isa 40:1). This call was relevant at the time of Isaiah and remains relevant today. We saw that the basis of our comfort is Calvary. At Calvary, the iniquity of God’s people throughout the ages is pardoned. We may learn three things respecting this comfort in the next three verses.
First, God’s people have a responsibility to seek comfort. Secondly, true comfort can only come graciously through the sovereign hand of the Lord. Thirdly, full comfort remains a future reality.
So, (1) true comfort must be sought; (2) true comfort is given graciously; and (3) full comfort may be expected.
1. True Comfort Must Be Sought
“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” (v. 3).
This verse is probably quite familiar to many of us. Most of us will know that it has something to do with the ministry of John the Baptist. But I suspect that many of us think that the call to prepare for the Lord here is a call to John the Baptist to prepare the way for Christ.
However, from the New Testament, we learn very quickly that this voice is the voice of John the Baptist rather than a voice speaking to him. We learn this from all four gospel accounts (cf. Mt 3:3; Mk 1:3; Lk 3:4; Jn 1:23).
John is the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ. But Isaiah is not speaking about how John would prepare the way of the Lord. Instead, “prepare ye the way of the LORD” is the message of John, not the message for John. Thus, in John 1:23, we read:
“He [John the Baptist] said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet [Isaiah].”
John was to call the people to prepare the way of the LORD and to make a highway in the desert for our God.
What does that mean? Well, Isaiah is painting a picture of the LORD coming to rescue His people.
Moses uses the same picture in Deuteronomy 33:2 to describe the Lord’s coming to deliver His people from Egypt.
The Psalmist employs the same language in Psalm 68:7─ “O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness.”
God, or more specifically, Messiah, the God-Man, was coming to rescue His people from their misery. At the time when Isaiah was ministering, it would be another 700 years before the Lord would be born. But His birth would provide the seal and demonstration of the Lord’s coming for His people. John the Baptist was ministering just months ahead of the Messiah. He was preparing the people for His coming.
But we must remember that the Lord’s literal coming in his incarnation is a seal and confirmation of the Lord’s coming for His people at any time! The message of John the Baptist that the Lord was coming was not only for the Jews living in his days. It is a message for us, too. The Lord is coming. He comes in our salvation. He comes at our death. He will come again at the Last Day!
But the way of the Lord that leads to us has many obstacles. These obstacles must be removed. How may these obstacles be removed? How may we prepare for the coming of the Lord?
John makes it clear when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to see him. He says to them: “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Mt 3:8). The way to prepare for the Lord is to repent of sin. The way to clear the path for the Lord is to confess and repent of sin.
But how can this be possible when we are by nature dead in trespasses and sin? The apostles and brethren in Judea who heard Peter’s testimony are surely right to declare that the Gentiles believed because God had granted them repentance unto life (Acts 11:18). We can neither believe nor repent until God gives us the new birth in our conversion.
How, then, should we understand what Isaiah and John the Baptist are saying? We must understand it in the same way as we understand the gospel call to believe.
When the gospel call to believe in Christ is issued by a preacher, none of the hearers can believe by their own effort. They are dead in sin, like Lazarus in the grave. However, the sheep of Christ will hear His voice because the Spirit of Christ will, at the time appointed, go forth to quicken the sinner before the call is heard in his ears. Lazarus could not hear the command of the Lord except that the power of the Spirit of Christ quickened him before the words of Christ arrived at his ear.
So, it is for repentance. John called for repentance. Every gospel preacher must call for repentance. But every preacher must understand that unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. He will not truly repent. He will not truly believe. He may do something outwardly for fear of the wrath of God. He may stop being outwardly idolatrous or criminal. But his heart will remain hardened until the Spirit changes it—if he is a sheep of Christ.
Of course, in general, the call to repentance will produce some external effect in the life of the sheep of Christ even before he is born again. We may even go as far as saying that unless a man would outwardly repent of his sin, and begin to seek the Lord, he is unlikely to find salvation.
But let us be clear: this preparation is not saving. The Lord himself says: “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Lk 13:24). Striving by way of outward repentance does not guarantee salvation since God owes no one to reward repentance. Nevertheless, one who refuses even to turn away from sin outwardly almost guarantees damnation for himself.
There are, of course, rare exceptions, such as the apostle Paul, who was converted suddenly despite his persisting in sin. But these are exceptions rather than the rule. The rule is that, generally, those who find salvation are those who—hearing the call of the preacher—turn away from sin, even if outwardly only.
Thus, Isaiah and John the Baptist called for sinners to repent of their sins to prepare for the coming of Christ. And in so far as it is through faith in Christ that true comfort may be found, we may say that true comfort must be sought by way of repentance.
Or put it in another way: Are you finding your comfort and satisfaction in life in the things of this world, in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life? Well, remember that these are earthly treasures that moth and rust corrupt. Unless you repent of your love for the world and sin, you will not begin to find true comfort.
True comfort may only be found in Christ, and can be found only in the way of true repentance.
But make no mistake…
2. True Comfort Is Graciously Given
True repentance comes only through the gracious work of the Holy Spirit. This is reflected in verse 4:
“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…”
These words must not be understood literally. The beauty of this world and the glory of the Lord is often seen in the valleys and ravines, the hills and mountains, as well as in twisted and inundating terrain. But here, the valleys, the mountains and hills, the crooked paths, and the rough terrain are all used to represent the disquiet, pain, misery and evil of this fallen world.
When the Lord comes, all the valleys will be lifted up, all the mountains and hills will be levelled, and all the rough places and crevasses will be filled up and the tortuous paths straightened. In other words, every evil will be replaced with good; every sin will be replaced with righteousness; every pain with joy; every tear with laughter; every sigh with praise; every regret with gratitude.
How will all these come about? Notice how they do not come by our effort. We have a responsibility to prepare for the coming of the Lord, but not to produce these dramatic blessings. Verse 4: “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight…”
Isaiah does not directly indicate who would do these things, but the majestic language of mountains being levelled leaves us with no doubt that it is a work of God. Thus, in verse 5, we are told, “The glory of the LORD shall be revealed…”
What God has planned and spoken about will be accomplished. God’s people will have their sins forgiven. The obstacles to enjoying a covenant relationship with God will be removed entirely. The glory of the LORD shall be revealed. God’s people shall begin to know and enjoy Him.
Those whose eyes are opened by the Spirit of Christ, who are united to Christ by faith, will know something of what God is saying through Isaiah. Life is full of misery and confusing turns. Until our eyes are opened and we are enabled to look unto our wonderful Saviour and to understand what He is doing, we can have no peace or comfort. But now we have a peace and comfort that the world does not understand.
However, we also know that while the comfort we experience is genuine, it is not complete. That awaits a future day. But it may indeed be expected.
3. Full Comfort May Be Expected
Consider the assuring prediction in verse 5:
“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.”
We know that this is not just about the present but about the not yet because of the phrase, “all flesh shall see it together.” Luke probably conflates these words with Isaiah 52:10 when he quotes Isaiah as saying, “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Lk 3:6).
Whatever it is, it remains a fact that all that is prophesied in verses 4-5 is not entirely fulfilled today. There are still valleys of tears, mountains of difficulties and tortuous paths to traverse. This reality is true for every one of us individually. It is also true for the church corporately.
But the day is coming when all flesh shall see the vindication of the saints and the reality that all tears, separation, death and darkness will be done away with. All that remains will be the glory of the LORD—which glory is a source of eternal joy for all united to Christ and a source of terror for all who reject the comfort He offers today.
Conclusion
Do you enjoy the comfort that is promised in our text, beloved brethren and children? Do you long for that comfort? Sin has filled this world with pain and misery. But you can begin to experience the peace and comfort that God promises in our text.
It is a comfort appointed by the Father, purchased by Christ for His people and bestowed upon them by the Holy Spirit. All who are truly the children of God can and will enjoy it.
However, remember that you do have a responsibility to fulfil in order to enjoy it. Therefore, if your life is filled with depressing valleys, frustrating mountains, irritating hills and confusing twists and turns, it may just be that you have not been exercising your responsibility.
What is your responsibility? It is to repent of your love of the world and all your earthly treasures, including the praises of man, the pride of life, the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh. While these things are clogging up your heart, you cannot enjoy the real comfort and peace that Christ offers to all who are His.
Therefore, repent of your sins and your sinful attitudes. Turn to Christ and ask Him to give you that peace and joy, even that comfort that He has promised.
If you would do so, you do not need to worry if your repentance is good enough. It is not! But if you sincerely come before the Lord in all your brokenness, all your valleys will be lifted up, all your mountains will be levelled, and all your crooked paths will be straightened as the Spirit of Christ paves the way for you to enjoy God and glorify Him.
You will begin to enjoy Him in a measure today, for the Holy Spirit is given as an earnest of your eternal inheritance. Even so, that taster will be enough to give you hope and assurance that one day, you will fully enjoy that peace and comfort that is promised in Christ. Amen.
—JJ Lim