Isaiah 40 ~ Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned

Christmas Wind, art by Andrew Singer


Isaiah 40:1-11

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible 1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries: "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 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." 6 A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on 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 news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" 10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Such a good passage to listen to being read. I recommend the listen button at the top of the Scripture. 'Pardoned' is a word we can all appreciate. Having our weaknesses, the things that shame us, our iniquities taken from us. As a gift. Israel was being called Judea. Some Roman officials wanting a start welcomed a post in the Roman Empire of Judea, but the men placed there with some standing felt Judea was a demotion. Not the post a ranking officer would want. Judean Roman Officials had to answer to Syria as a superior part of the Roman Empire. Judea was a 2nd class province. A Senatorial Province, not an Imperial Province, just a suburb of Syria. Judea was governed by a Prefect who was a Knight of the Equestrian Order, not a Former Consul or Praetor of Senatorial rank. The capital was no longer Jerusalem, but Caesarea. The Davidic line was replaced by the Hasmonean Kingdom, and the Herods weren't even really kings, but Roman puppet/client kings. Israel had received double for her sins. The Client Kings had the most say in the appointment of Priests to the Temple; Roman-reared and educated Herod picked the Priests appointed to the Temple. Pontius Pilate as Prefect had say-so as well. The Essenes had moved to the desert to write the Dead Sea Scrolls - they were convinced of the lack of holiness, the end of the world (it was for them and many in Jerusalem) and the destruction of their faith by corruption. Money, the Oxford Historians say, had poured into all corners of the Roman Empire. The fortunes made during the Roman Empire would not be seen in the world again until the beginning of the 16th Century A.D. Even in the outpost of Judea, Roman money was pouring in. High places were being created. Not just the pagan worship in the mountains that Israel had seen, but places of money and power. In the midst of this, the Judean people were going out into the desert to see John the Baptist, to repent of their sins and to be cleansed. Repentance and renewal in a spiritual desert. Into this time of trouble, so troubled the currency being used was sometimes 40 years old in Judea (still Greek printed coins and not Roman) when Jesus arrived. The widow placing her two pennies in the Temple treasury in Luke 21 had to use a Greek lepton - 40 years old. Pennies were not being printed - too much money in circulation for pennies. Greek and copper. Herod in 36 BC, didn't even produce a Lepton, considering it to be too poor. Notice the symbol of the star encircled by a royal diadem provides two emblems of the priestly and royal Messiahs (Balaam’s prophecy of the Scepter and the Star). The coin predicts the Messiah: The flowers have withered for the Roman Empire. The dust has settled so well, archaeology has discovered the forgotten Pontius Pilate. Found inscriptions (above) and Pilate printed coins. Until 1961 Pontius Pilate was considered to be part of fiction. And the Tax Joseph traveled to with Mary was considered to be a fable. Historians and Archaeologists have found the Tax was taken by the Roman Emperor Augustus, they have found the records for provinces as far as Judea. The Vatican holds the Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs, transferred from the archaeological ruins of Pilate's Palace to the Vatican. The stairs are the stone seen through the wood. Jesus stood on these stairs. Sanhedrin Council, Talmud, records still record the gossip the Pharisees printed regarding Jesus' trial, Jesus' birth, slurs against Mary and Joseph. Non of the gossip holds up to Scripture, most importantly, or the histories written by Josephus. Even if the flowers have faded for the Roman Empire, the Word of God stands strong. "At this the multitude had great indignation; and when Pilate was come to Jerusalem, they came about his tribunal, and made a clamor at it. Now the Jews were so badly beaten, that many of them perished by the stripes they received, and many of them perished as trodden to death, by which means the multitude was astonished at the calamity of those that were slain, and held their peace." Josephus - The Wars of the Jews- Book 2 Chapter 9 In the middle of all of the trade, fortunes, injustices, and government displays of power came Jesus. Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!" Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him. And He is with us. + Other Scripture for Today Blogspot passages on Isaiah 40: January 10, 2010 November 22, 2010 <><