Isaiah 40 : 01 - 26

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

Here is the haftarah portion of the Reading Schedule for this week!

Va’etchanan “And I besought”

Haftarah : Isaiah 40:1-26

May the following be our prayer...

"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy ." - Psalms 119:18

Also, please share with us what our Heavenly Father has shown you, or ask any questions that you may have. Let us digest the Words of life!

Shalom v'ahava chaverim (peace, and love friends),

Reuel

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your G'd."
- Isaiah 40:1

Only if the Christian church would take this admonition seriously!

As we read Isaiah Chapter 40 we see that this is a messianic prophecy in many respects. We see the following passage which we know speaks of John the immerser (baptist)...

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of YHVH, make straight in the desert a highway for our G'd."
- Isaiah 40:3

We see this confirmed in Matthew 3:1-3

"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of YHVH, make his paths straight."

As we continue to read in Isaiah chapter 40 we see the following...

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our G'd shall stand for ever."
- Isaiah 40:8

What a wonderful promise! This means that G-d's words stand forever, and not just the ones He wrote in stone. His whole stands! HalleluYah! What a faithful G'd we serve...

"Know therefore that YHVH thy G'd, he is G'd, the faithful G'd, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations"
- Deuteronomy/Devarim 7:9

"He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations."
- Psalms 105:8

There are those whom teach that the two passages above are not true, but that G'd has done away with His covenant that He commanded to a thousand generations, and to those whom love Him, and keep His commandments (). Does anybody know how long a thousand generations is??...in regards to time as we know it...Forever.

As we continue to read in the haftarah reading we see...

"All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity."
- Isaiah 40:17

What do you think G'd means by this?

"To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth."
- Isaiah 40:25-26

I believe the answer to the first sentence would be... Yeshua The Messiah, as He is the only one that is actually one with The Father...

"I and my Father are one."
- John 10:30

Yeshua is the only one that this can be said of for the scriptures also witness to the fact that through Yeshua all things were also created...

"Who is the image of the invisible G'd, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
- Col. 1:15-17

Yeshua The Messiah is a direct manifestation of the Almighty Father.

The following passage in this week's haftarah reading is a most precious promise that we should rely on...

"But they that wait upon YHVH shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
- Isaiah 40:31

Shalom,

Reuel

[alon]

Isaiah 40:1-26, Haftara for Par’shah Va’etchanan

This is the first of several speeches meant to encourage the exiles. They depict El Elohe Yisro’el as El Gibbhor- The Mighty God:

Yeshayah 9:6 (OJB) For unto us a yeled is born, unto us ben is given; and the misrah (dominion) shall be upon his shoulder; and Shmo shall be called Peleh (Wonderful), Yoetz (Counsellor), El Gibbor (Mighty G-d), Avi Ad (Possessor of Eternity), Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace).

Many Hebrews in this first exile may have believed their Elohim was defeated by one or more of the elohim of Babalonia. This was not the case is the prophets emphatic message! Nor has Elohe Selichot- The God Who is Ready to Forgive given up on His people. What Elohim (our Elohim) promises, Elohim does:

2 Kings 20:9 (NASB) Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?”

Because of the message of reconciliation and comfort, eight consecutive readings starting with the week of Tish’a B’Av (day of fasting to commemorate the destruction of the Temple) are taken as haftaroth from the book of Yeshayahu.

As was pointed out by R Reuel, this speech is a Messianic prophecy. The term for this kind of prophecy where earlier events predict later ones (where history repeats itself) is the “Prophetic Past.” This should be kept in mind when we read here.


Isaiah 40:1-2 (KJV) Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare [or hardship] is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

We, like the Hebrew exiles may feel that our sins are too great and salvation is not accessible. But the words of comfort in this reading says different. Salvation depends on Elohe Yeshuathi- the God of My Salvation, not on me; otherwise I would have no hope.

The prophet is to comfort Yerushalayim (the Jewish people), telling them her suffering is about to end; her disobedience being fully chastened and her sin forgiven. This is a pretty good summary of the main themes in cahpters 40-66.

Abba- our Father knows how to measure our punishment. When I was disciplining my children, I always took a moment and decided “this disobedience deserves this punishment,” and I would not exceed that decision. This kept me from getting carried away. Our Father, Elohim Shophtim Ba’aretz- the God Who Judges in the Earth never gets carried away. His punishment is measured, and when it is done He grants us a new beginning.


This is a herald of the promised Comforter, Ha’Moshiach- Yisro’el’s only true Comforter.

Luke 3:4-6 (KJV) As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.


Isaiah 40:3-5 (KJV) 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. 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: 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.

Here we have the voice of instruction, telling how we are to return; along the “highway for our God”; “the way of the Lord.” And for this trip we need a roadmap; some good instructions. In a word, ‘’.

Immanuel, the presence of Elohim left the land along with the exiled Israelites:

Ezekiel 10:18 (NASB) Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.

Now the Shekinah will return with them along this road:

Ezekiel 43:4-5 (NASB) And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.

“Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” So what exactly makes up this highway by which El Emunah- The Faithful God will return? It is halacha- the way we walk with Adonai and how we keep His mitzvoth. It is how we remember El Qadosh- The Holy One. Do we do so by forms of worship we as men have made up? Or do we worship as we were instructed to by El Deah- The God of Knowledge. Whose moedim do we keep? And do we observe Shabbath, or some other day set aside for another god?

Isaiah 35:8 (NASB) A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it.

Sounds like a proper walk with Or Yisro’el- the Light of Israel (Is 10:17). And by the way, He is also Or Goyim- the Light of the Nations (Is 42:6). It may not seem like it to men, especially us recovering-goyim, but the Highway of Holiness is a much easier road to travel. And it is far more rewarding just in the observance, let alone in the olam haba.

Mat 11:29 (KJV) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Yeshua is saying “walk in my halacha” and there find rest from the cares of this world.


Isaiah 40:6-8 (KJV) The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness [Or loyalty, reliability] thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

The voice of prophesy reassures us the intent of Malach HaGoel- our Redeeming Messenger will not be thwarted. Yeshayahu is to tell the people that humans are weak; and like the grasses of the field they are only here for a season. But Tsur Yisro’el- the Rock of Israel will endure forever.


Isaiah 40:9-11 (KJV) O Zion, that bringest good tidings [Or O herald of good news to Zion], get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings [Or O herald of good news to Jerusalem], lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

And here the voice of conquest tells us how all will be accomplished. In ancient times when a conquering army approached a city, a herald would often go before them to announce their arrival. It was early psychological warfare. Here malachim- messengers are told to announce that the Lord is coming to Yerushalayim. Verse ten tells us He has strength and the mantle of rulership. However His "work is before Him." He comes not as a conqueror, but as a shepherd. As Meshiachim, we understand that the work of conquest is deferred to a later time. The work of a shepherd continues in our time as we are to gather the lost sheep of Yisro’el; those who Elohim wants to bring to Himself:

Matthew 15:24 (NASB) But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Contemporary Judaism looks at this as they do everything, primarily through the prism of a national salvation. And they are correct, this will occur in the last days. Christianity sees only the personal God, the shepherd. They too are correct, but both are only partly right, as both views are true. A good shepherd knows both the flock and every individual sheep.

When I left the service, I got a job on a cattle ranch several miles outside Tonasket, WA. We ran over 500 head of cows, all with calves; plus the bulls and horses and dogs … . Old Dutch, the ranch foreman knew every one of them. He could look at one and tell you its history and personality. And they knew his voice. Being range cows and (crapper) horses and mischievous dogs they didn’t always obey, but they knew. Dutch could work cattle with the dogs, but to me they were a nuisance when he wasn’t there because, ignoring my commands they would try and run the cattle as they wanted. His horses always seemed to ride well; mine tried to throw me a few times with, I am to report some success on a couple of occasions. And when he called to feed you could see cattle coming over every hill. The first few weeks I was there I was doing good to get a few to look at me like “what the ‘hay’ are you up to?” He was the ‘good herdsman,’ and I was just the hired hand. Dutch knew both the herd and the individual beast. He got them through a pretty rough winter where I’d have lost quite a few if I was running the show. I did what he said, and things worked out. But the point is the entire herd needed to be looked after both as a unity and as individuals. It is the same with sheep and with a people. There is both a national and a personal salvation, and both must be attended to.

Ephesians 1:5 (CJB) He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be his sons — in keeping with his pleasure and purpose —

This would include Gentiles brought into the fold by adoption.


The rest of this chapter focuses on the power of Abir Ya’akov- The Mighty One of Jacob. He is the protector of Yisro’el; and He will be able to defeat the Babylonians and restore His people to their land. YHVH Makkeh- The Lord That Smiteth or Disciplines has in His chastisement of His people cleansed both them and the land of the defilement they had caused.


Isaiah 40:12-17 (KJV) Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

None can compare to YHVH Bore- The Lord Creator. Who can tell Him what he is going to do; what He can or cannot do? Nothing in all creation can compare to the Creator. Therefore no one nor any nation can prevent Him from restoring His people to their land which He has given them. He furthermore has a limitless capacity to comfort, His wisdom is unsearchable and He is unequalled, supreme in His being.


Isaiah 40:18-20 (KJV) To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot [Or He chooses valuable wood]; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

What can gods of wood and precious metals do, even though crafted by the most skilled hands? How can gods made by men- either the idols or the deities they represent- do anything against El Elyon- The Most High God? And even though worship of these idols may call upon powerful demons, what can they as created beings themselves do against their Creator? Idolatry is absolute foolishness as well as being evil, offensive and utterly reprehensible.


Isaiah 40:21-26 (KJV) Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

All nature and human history declares the might of Atik Yomin- The Ancient of Days. He is El Nathan Nekamah- The God Who Avenges Me; I need do nothing except what he tells me to do. He takes care of the rest; and who can say Him nay? This is where we can all find rest along the “highway for our God.”

Dan C

Resources: JPS Study TNK, W Wiersbe, MF Unger, my father, Rav S, Rav Reuel and others.

[alon]

R Reuel said: "All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity." - Isaiah 40:17

What do you think G'd means by this?

Hashem created all things, including our desire for order and national unity. However we tend to abuse this order. We tend to be exocentric: proud of our race, our culture and our nationality. We want to dominate others and make them serve us. We too often see those of other nations as inferior, somehow less than us; so it is our right to oppress them. But it is to no avail we think like this. Reading in context all nations will blow away as dust. Like the grasses of the field we are only here for a season. Nations tend to think they can stand without or even against God. But He looks at us with disdain, dismissing our arrogance as vanity. He uses even pagan nations and kings to do His will. We "are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;" not even worth the effort to clean off before using a precision instrument. So who are the nations to stand against El Elohe Yisro'el? His nation, His people (including those adopted by their trust in Him) are all that really matters.

Dan C

[alon]

This week's haftara
4 Aug 2017