The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare 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 brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough places smooth;
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Oh, my! I’m not sure there is a more authoritative statement that can be made: For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Not too much to unpack but since we’ve broken down all of the other words, why not this one too:
Mouth - This word is peh (H6310) but instead of pey hey as usual for the word mouth, the Hebrew scrolls have pey yod. Does that matter? Slightly. If this were pey hey, we’d have the following definition (which is very close to the meaning here in our verse):
Noun
Verb
This modified version, however, has an interesting application. We can see the subtle difference in meaning here:
Numbers 9:23 At YHVH’s order (pey yod), they camped; and at YHVH’s order (pey yod), they traveled — they did what YHVH had charged (pey yod) them to do through Moshe. (CJB)
In Hebrew, the ordering words of our phrase, For the mouth of the Lord, is as follows (right to left):
עַל־ פִּ֤י יְהוָה֙
Considering these individually, we have:
At the command of YHVH. Like I said, subtle. But it may impact intent.
Going on to the rest of the words:
Lord - Yahweh (H3068) is Abba’s Name.
Spoken - dabar (H1696). This word came up before when we were considering midbar, or the wilderness. We also saw that it was connected with both the Book of Numbers (Midbar) and the Book of Deuteronomy (Devarim):
Together we have something like this:
The command of YHVH creates (or arranges) order
Recall that the word wilderness is dabar with a mem as a prefix. This prefix means “from” which gives us the following:
Midbar (mem dalet bet resh) = from the words; from what is spoken
The question that should follow is: what was/has spoken?
It’s the mouth of YHVH! And it’s His Word. Now you may be thinking, "Well, genius, that's exactly what we have already seen by reading this verse initially." I'd agree. It seems we've taken the long way around to get back to where we started. But we'll see that having done this, we can answer the following question:
Is this a statement that wraps up these few verses with an exclamation point, or is something else being communicated here?
Well, maybe both.
We can easily see this statement, For the mouth of the Lord has spoken, as one that solidifies the remarks made in verses 3-5. It’s almost like, “Here are a few strong statements and the exclamation is that God Himself said it so you better listen!”
That seems completely reasonable but looking carefully at the context, this may not just be a wrap up statement at all.
Isaiah 40:3 begins with: The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Is it God crying out in the wilderness or a man? It's kind of unclear but using foresight, we have an example of this one crying out: John the Baptist.
However, the example of John the Baptist shows us the answer isn’t as clear cut as we'd hoped. Question: Was John the voice of God, or was he speaking on God’s behalf? Asked a slightly different way, when you say to someone, "Repent!", is that God speaking through you or are you speaking on God's behalf? Did the prophets speak for God or on behalf of God? What about Paul? Kind of depends, huh? This all may seem like hair splitting but it is important to consider the difference. For example, there are instances where these people offer up their own commentary and other places where they record verbatim what Abba says to them.
To start, we'll look to Paul. He is clear to distinguish himself from God as we see in 1 Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 7:10 To those who are married I have a command, and it is not from me but from the Lord: a woman is not to separate herself from her husband 11 But if she does separate herself, she is to remain single or be reconciled with her husband. Also, a husband is not to leave his wife. 12 To the rest I say — I, not the Lord: if any brother has a wife who is not a believer, and she is satisfied to go on living with him, he should not leave her.
Just because Paul says it on his own accord doesn’t mean that he is communicating something unBiblical. He’s just separating what Abba actually says from what he’s communicating on behalf of God. The principle Paul himself gives does align with Abba’s will (that people not violate the marriage covenant), but he’s clear that there is a difference between what God says and what is said on His behalf.
Isaiah doesn’t use quite as plain language as Paul but it’s clear the difference between God speaking and Isaiah commenting:
Isaiah 6:1 In the year of King ‘Uziyahu’s death I saw YHVH sitting on a high, lofty throne! The hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 S’rafim stood over him, each with six wings — two for covering his face, two for covering his feet and two for flying. 3 They were crying out to each other,
“More holy than the holiest holiness is YHVH-Tzva’ot! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
Then he goes on to describe what he saw and what he himself said, not what God said.
But there are instances where, “YHVH says,” and these are safe to consider as words from God directly. We don’t have that here in our verse, though.
Look at what is said:
Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.
This sounds like a peer telling you what needs to be done for our God. John the Baptist did exactly this. He was declaring what was happening, not what God was saying (specifically). Calling people to repentance does align closely to God’s Word but it is you speaking from a position of alignment with those Words that is going forth. Subtle difference, but a difference indeed.
You’re probably wondering why this makes a difference at all. Maybe it doesn’t -- or maybe it does. But if we have a peer (of sorts) communicating to you, this could be more of a revelation than a summary.
"The word of the Lord has spoken"
Or using our definitions above:
“The command of YHVH creates order”
When Abba speaks, He sets things in order. I think we all understand this on some level.
"The command" -- the assertive and passionate voice of YHVH. This is what brings order -- into everything. Learn to hear it, learn to listen to it, learn to obey it. Sh’ma Israel!
As the Bride, we are called into radical obedience. Not the good ol’, “Well, I’m just a fallible human being. I mean, we’re all sinners, right? Nobody can keep His commands, right? This is just who I am -- a regular person that can’t possibly walk by His ridiculous standards.”
Really? Nobody can keep His commands? Yeshua did.
“Yeah, but He’s the Messiah. He’s got an unfair advantage.”
FALSE!
It was through His obedience that the Holy Spirit fell upon Him that day in the Jordan. He proved it was possible and we are to follow Him. That means we follow Him into obedience. As the Bride of this perfect Man, we are being called into a perfect union with Him. And that does not include the excuse that you’re just a regular sinful person. You have been born again and that old sinful person has been put away. The new creation you are should have His Spirit within you so that you can walk in His ways -- which is THE Way. Not by your own strength but by the strength of the One that went before you.
We’re too dumb and selfish to figure this out on our own so we need to take advantage of the help we’ve been offered. He spoke. And He spoke so that we may have life. He spoke so that our lives would be set in order.
The command of YHVH is order. Out of His mouth comes a careful arrangement of Words, and His Word is the only thing you can count on:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing made had being.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it.
The living expression of His Word is Yeshua the Messiah.
We now see the ultimate job of the Voice Crying Out: To call forth the Word. To usher in the Messiah. John the Baptist prepared the Way for the Messiah in His first coming and Yeshua punctuated that call by actually showing up. Now, it’s up to His Bride to prepare the Way for His second coming -- that WILL be punctuated by His showing up again.
This should be us. We are the Bride.
But we need to:
Sh’ma Israel!!
Abba has established authority within you out in the wilderness and it’s there you are crying out.
Calling others to turn from their ways and follow THE Way. And that way is the Messiah. It’s the Torah.
Understand this all begins in darkness and no one will see clearly. But you are called to make a taught path full of a necessary tension. And this path is to rise high above everything else. Do it for our God.
Bring shalom to those that try to cover their pain with pride. This comes with a definite introduction to healing. Lift them up and help carry their burdens. But those that have lifted themselves above others must be brought low in order to be made complete. Introduce healing and teach humility.
Bring shalom to those that have esteemed themselves above all others. Teach them about the Messiah and His righteousness. Teach them the Ways of God. Show them how we are called to walk as Yeshua walked as He is our model for walking in the Ways of God. Then give them a mirror and ask where the Messiah is in that person looking back. Can they see Him? Do others see Him through them? If not, why? Have they ever seen themselves through the eyes of God? Do they understand their true state before Him? Or is it the fear of man that has them in bondage? It’s time for them to confront the truth.
Tether one end of their cord to His truth then pull aggressively on them to straighten the crooked places. As uncomfortable as it is, let it hurt. Don’t make excuses and avoid trying to medicate. The resulting pain will produce something you never will -- dependency on Abba.
Once this happens, we then address the internal brokenness that has them close but still functionally separate from God. The part of them that is still connected to the world must be put to rest. An impartation of identity, specifically as the Bride, must take place in order for them to abandon their old ways in full. Tie up the broken halves so they can be complete, with no fractures.
They are now humble, healed, and complete. We are in a state to not only be welcomed back into the covenant, but the weight and reputation of YHVH has been revealed to them. The blood of the Lamb now gives them a way into the presence of the Father. It’s obvious they can’t go in broken and they can’t go in prideful. But humble, healed, and complete? Now they are ready to see God.
And what do they see? Their Husband. The Bridegroom Himself, Yeshua the Messiah. An understanding of their status in the heavenlies shakes them to their core. How is it that this Man could love them so much as to die so they could enter into the marriage union with Him. That reality sits at the forefront of their lives every second of every day. Until such a time as they truly become One. True identity is now imparted and all will see the Good News.
So yes, your sins must be washed away but this isn’t just for your own salvation. If you are to be eligible to join the family of God and be in perfect union with the Messiah, you must be clean -- your sins have to be put away. And you must be ALLOWED back into the covenant. But we can’t break God’s commands in order to do it.
The point of salvation is this: Your sins are now gone so Yeshua can have a pure and spotless Bride. Now go and live like it.
You do that by declaring, "The voice of YHVH has spoken!" He's put everything in order. He's given you the instructions that showcase His magnificent plan. There is nothing you need that has been hidden. But there is the one thing you need that must be revealed: Yeshua the Messiah!
As you grow past your pride and pain, there is a life awaiting that is one of royalty. Not for your glory, but for His. The only reason we are given anything at all is to glorify Abba and His Son, our Bridegroom! So if you’re still using your gifts, time, money, attention, etc to ensure your own false identity remains secure, you have no right to call forth the King. Your words will be as dust in the wind and no one, not even Him, will listen.
Lay down your pride. Seek healing in this hour. Your wounds do not define you. Forgive. And forgive some more. And not flippantly. Seek restoration, not just a conscience free of guilt.
Revelation 22:14 How blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they have the right to eat from the Tree of Life and go through the gates into the city! 15 Outside are the homosexuals, those involved with the occult and with drugs, the sexually immoral, murderers, idol-worshippers, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Yeshua, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the Messianic communities. I am the Root and Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star. 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ Let anyone who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let anyone who is thirsty come — let anyone who wishes, take the water of life free of charge.”
The time is coming. In fact, the time is here! Be as one crying out in the wilderness, for our Bridegroom desperately awaits. Sh’ma Israel!!
Full Series:
Day 1 - A Voice Cries Out in the Wilderness
Day 3 - Make Straight in the Desert a Highway
Day 6 - Make the Crooked Places Straight
Day 7 - Make the Rough Ground Smooth
Day 8 - The Glory of YHVH Revealed
Day 9 - All Flesh Will See It Together
Day 10 - The Mouth of YHVH has Spoken