Isaiah 40 starts with God. The 39 chapters that led up to this chapter record heavy words of God, but the 27 chapters that begin at with Chapter 40 are different. Comfort is the word that God uses at this point. God proclaims consolation to the people of Israel. Let us survey the first 39 chapters by the headings used by the NIV Bible to see the tenor of God in them. There we can see why comfort is of such a help.
Survey of Chapters 1-39
- A Rebellious Nation (Chapter 1)
- The Mountain of the Lord / A Day of the Lord (Chapter 2)
- Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah (Chapter 3)
- The Branch of the Lord (Chapter 4)
- The Song of the Vineyard / Woes and Judgments (Chapter 5)
- Isaiah’s Commission (Chapter 6)
- The Sign of Immanuel (Chapter 7)
- Assyria, the Lord’s Instrument / Fear God (Chapter 8)
- To Us a Child is Born / The Lord’s Anger Against Israel (Chapter 9)
- God’s Judgment on Assyria / Remnant of Israel (Chapter 10)
- The Branch From Jesse (Chapter 11)
- Songs of Praise (Chapter 12)
- A Prophecy Against Babylon (Chapter 13-14)
- A Prophecy Against Assyria / Philistines (Chapter 14)
- A Prophecy Against Moab (Chapter 15-16)
- An Oracle Against Damascus (Chapter 17)
- A Prophecy Against Cush (Chapter 18)
- A Prophecy About Egypt (Chapter 19)
- A Prophecy Against Egypt and Cush (Chapter 20)
- A Prophecy Against Babylon / Edom / Arabia (Chapter 21)
- A Prophecy About Jerusalem (Chapter 22)
- A Prophecy About Tyre (Chapter 23)
- The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth (Chapter 24)
- Praise to the Lord (Chapter 25)
- A Song of Praise (Chapter 26)
- Deliverance of Israel (Chapter 27)
- Woe to Ephraim (Chapter 28)
- Woe to David’s City (Chapter 29)
- Woe to the Obstinate Nation (Chapter 30)
- Woe to those who Rely on Egypt (Chapter 31)
- The Kingdom of Righteousness / The Women of Jerusalem (Chapter 32)
- Distress and Help (Chapter 33)
- Judgment Against the Nations (Chapter 34)
- Joy of the Redeemed (Chapter 35)
- Chapters 36-39 address the Assyrian Sennacherib who threatens Jerusalem, how God fights for Jerusalem and Hezekiah’s illness/response