Isaiah 40:10
Read Isaiah 40:10 Using Other Translations
What does Isaiah 40:10 mean?
Behold, the Lord God will come with a strong
hand
Some understand this of the second coming of Christ, which coming
is certain, such assurances being given of it by promise and
prophecy; and will be attended with power, which will be
requisite to raise the dead, summon all nations before him, and
pass and execute the proper sentence on them; when his arm shall
openly bear rule, he will take to himself his great power, and
reign; when his reward will be with him, to give to every man
according to their works; and his own work will be before him, to
judge the world in righteousness: see ( Revelation
22:12 ) , but it is more agreeable to the context, which
foretells the coming of John the Baptist, points out the
ministers of the Gospel, and describes Christ in his office, as a
shepherd feeding his flock, to understand it of his first coming;
for not God the Father, but the Son of God, is meant by the Lord
God, who is truly God, and so able to save, and which was the end
of his coming. He is said to come "with a strong hand", or with
great power, which his work required; which was to fulfil the
law, satisfy divine justice, atone for sin, grapple and conflict
with innumerable enemies, undergo the death of the cross, bear
the curse of the law, and the wrath of God, and all in order to
obtain eternal redemption for his people; for this he came from
heaven to earth, not by change of place, but by assumption of
nature. Some render it, "against a strong one" F16; the
strong man armed, the devil, whose head he came to break, whose
works he came to destroy, with whom he fought, and whom he
conquered and destroyed. Jarchi's note is,
``against the wicked, to take vengeance on them;''but Aben Ezra and Kimchi supply the word hand, as we do: and his arm shall rule for him;
or he shall have sufficient power of himself to do the work he comes about; his own arm or power wrought salvation for him and for his people; see ( Isaiah 63:5 ) . Some render it, "over him F17"; that is, over the strong and mighty one, against whom he came, whom he conquered, subdued, and ruled over: behold, his reward is with him;
to give to those that trust in him, as Kimchi; or to those that do his word, as the Targum; that believe in him, embrace his Gospel, and act according to it: or this may respect his own reward, which should follow his work; which he was as sure of as if it was in his hands; namely, his exaltation in his human nature, his glory with his Father, and the enjoyment of his spiritual seed to all eternity: and his work before him;
the work of redemption and salvation, which he was called unto, sent to do, and which, being given him, he agreed to do, was very toilsome and laborious, yet he took great delight in it, and has finished it; this is said to be "before him", being proposed in council, and cut out in covenant for him, was well known unto him, and in his power to effect, and what he could easily do, and did. The Targum understands this of the works of men being before him, for whom he has a reward.
F16 (qzxb) "contra robustum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Vitringa.
F17 (wb) "in illum", ibid.
