One of the toughest things as a parent was when I had to punish my kids after they did something wrong. Even knowing correction was necessary if my kids were going to grow up as strong, caring, and good people, I hated it. And my immediate reaction once the punishment was given was to bring comfort.
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” That was the charge given to Isaiah in Chapter 40, following God’s message of impending captivity in Chapter 39 as punishment for Israel’s sins.
The prophet declares in verses 3-5 words that are so familiar to us, “Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, ‘Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!’” [NLT]
God’s way of comforting His people began with a promise, a promise that in the wilderness a way would be made. Just as Eastern monarchs would send heralds ahead of them to smooth out obstacles, make ways over valleys and level out hills, so Israel’s God would make a way for them in the wilderness also. And when that way was made, the “glory of the LORD [would] be revealed.”
For the nation of Israel, the promise spoke of a way being made in her current wilderness of sin and punishment. Even though captives in a strange and brutal land, God would bring her back, restoration would take place, and Israel would once again dwell in her own land.
Matthew applied this prophecy to an even greater wilderness. He announced that John the Baptist was the voice crying in the wilderness making the way for the Messiah who was to be revealed shortly. John was the voice removing the obstacles, leveling the mountains, building bridges over the valleys, announcing that the glory of the LORD was now revealed in God’s chosen Son, Jesus the Messiah, and all mankind together would see Him.
