Bible Studies
The Voice (Isa. 40:1-8)
Series: Additional StudiesIntroduction:
1. The passage begins with God extending comfort to His people, with Him speaking kindly to Jerusalem. 2. It ends with a reference to the eternal nature of God’s word. Though the grass withers and the flower fades and we are like that grass, withering and fading. Yet God’s word stands forever. 3. Sandwiched between these ideas of comfort and people who are fading is a voice calling. It is the voice of God. It is announcing the coming of the Lord. Preparations need to be made. A highway needs to be built for the coming of God. 4. This is a fantastic statement in and of itself, but when John the Baptist sets foot on the scene, after God has been silent for 400 years, and identifies himself as “the voice” men begin to sit up and listen.a. Who is this man who quotes this passage of himself after there has been no prophet in Israel for 400 years?
b. What will his message be?
c. How should I respond?
Discussion:
I. John presented himself as “the voice.”A. This is particularly clear in Matthew’s account (3:1-3).
B. Mark’s account adds an interesting element. In addition to referencing Isa. 40:3 it connects it with Mal. 3:1 (note Mal. 4:5).
C. Luke’s account has a more extensive quotation of Isaiah 40 including verses 4-5.
D. In the gospel of John, John says John the Baptist was asked who he was. Was he the Christ? No. Was he Elijah (resurrected?)? No. Was he the prophet? No. Who then? “A voice crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord” (1:19-23).
E. These statements effectively define the origin of his message.
F. The origin of his message is made more explicit in Lk. 3:2: “The word of God came to John in the wilderness.”
1. This statement is designed to mark the beginning of his ministry.
2. He came into all the district around Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
G. His message is founded upon O.T. prophecy.
1. Isaiah in particular.
2. And the Elijah reference in Mal. 4:5-6. In Matt. 11:14 Jesus identified him as Elijah.
3. Jesus further connects him with Mal. 3:1. See Matt. 11:10; Lk. 7:27.
H. His message is from heaven (Matt. 21:25).
1. It has the authority of God behind it.
2. And should be believed.
II. John was somewhat unusual.A. His clothing was unusual.
1. He had a garment of camel’s hair.
2. And a leather belt around his waist.
B. What he ate was unusual.
1. Locusts.
2. Wild honey.
C. Matthew and Mark both mention this.
1. Evidently this was something generally noticed about him.
2. Jesus asked the crowds, “What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?” (Lk. 7:25).
III. What was John’s message?A. He preached a message of preparation “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” he said (Matt. 3:2).
B. He spoke of wrath to come. He called some of his hearers a brood of vipers and referred to them as trees about to be cut down (Matt. 3:7-10). He went on to speak of chaff that would be burned up with unquenchable fire.
C. “But I thought the voice was supposed to speak words of comfort?”
1. Well actually he was speaking words of comfort.
2. He was calling on those who were doomed to repent and accept the grace of God in order to avoid the fire.
3. On July 8, 1741 Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon entitled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” It may be the very epitome of a hell fire and brimstone sermon.
Edwards said, “It is the fierceness of his wrath that you are exposed to. We often read of the fury of God; as in ‘According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries.
Isa. Lix. 18.’ So ‘For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. Isa. Lxvi. 15.’ And in many other places. So, we read of ‘the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Rev. xix. 15.’ The words are exceedingly terrible. If it had only been said, ‘the wrath of God,’ the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is ‘the fierceness and wrath of God.’ The fury of God! The fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful that must be! Who can utter or conceive that what such expressions carry in them! But it is also ‘the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.’
As though there would be a very great manifestation of his almighty power in what the fierceness of his wrath should inflict, as though omnipotence should be as it were enraged, and exerted, as men are wont to exert their strength in the fierceness of their wrath. Oh! Then, what will be the consequence! What will become of the poor worm that shall suffer it! Whose hands can be strong? And whose heart can endure? To what a dreadful, inexpressible, inconceivable depth of misery must the poor creature be sunk who shall be the subject of this!”
He continued . . . “How awful are those words, which are the words of the great God. ‘I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. Isa. lxiii. 3.’”
4. Words of comfort? You ask. Yes, because he is calling on them to repent or be thrown into the fire. He preached the good news of God’s forgiveness (Lk. 3:18).
B. So it was a message of repentance (Matt. 3:7-8).
1. Genuine repentance brings a serious attempt to reform—fruits in keeping with repentance.
2. Being a child of Abraham was a matter of little significance—repentance was the demand.
C. John’s message was a message of restoration, as most prophetic messages are.
1. It is NOT a message of restoring a religious organization (read “church”).
2. It was a message of restoring hearts.
3. It is not about “What can I get by with?” See Lk. 3:10-14. Zaccheus said, “Lord half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much” (Lk. 19:8-9).
IV. The result of John’s message.A. People were going out to hear what he had to say.
B. Some were being baptized which expressed their repentance and prepared them for the kingdom cleansing them from sin.
C. The message was unacceptable to some (Matt. 21:24-25).
V. Observations.A. He pointed not to himself, but to the one who would take away their sins and baptize in the Holy Spirit (Jn. 1:29-34). We should be like him.
B. He was an integral part of God’s plan in the coming of the Son of God. You are too. Not just your salvation, but your influence upon others.
C. He was concerned that people be prepared. I am afraid that the people of God are too concerned about themselves and have little or no concern about others. Such was not the case with John. Don’t think because he referred to them as vipers and spoke of judgment that he was not compassionate. He was. He was trying to save them from death. His love for them made him passionate about his mission. He was not like Jonah. He was a man with a mission. We need to be like him.
Conclusion:
1. John was “The voice of God.” 2. We need to be like him!
