Scripture Helps

Isaiah 40–49

Isaiah’s message to Israel promised hope and reassurance that God would redeem His covenant people. He prophesied that the Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles and free God’s people from captivity and sin. Through Isaiah the Lord warned Israel against worshipping false gods and reminded them that He is their Creator and Redeemer. Isaiah prophesied of the downfall of Babylon and declared that the Lord would bring justice and salvation to the world.

Resources

• Background and Context

• Learn More

• Media

Note: The citation of a source not published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not imply that it or its author is endorsed by the Church or represents the official position of the Church.

Background and Context

Isaiah 40:3–5

What is the voice crying in the wilderness to “prepare … the way of the Lord”?

These verses have multiple fulfillments. John the Baptist applied this passage to himself. He called for Israel to prepare for redemption through Jesus Christ by entering the covenant of baptism. Additionally, Saints in this dispensation are sent as messengers to all of Heavenly Father’s children, crying, “Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight.”

John the Baptist Preaching in the Wilderness, by Robert T. Barrett

Isaiah 42:1

Who is the servant spoken of by Isaiah?

Compare Isaiah 49:1–6; 50:4–9; 52:13–15; 53:1–12

The latter part of the book of Isaiah contains several passages that scholars often call the “servant songs” or “servant psalms.” These poetic sections describe a servant who carries out the will of God. The servant mentioned in these songs may have multiple representations. For example, Isaiah himself, King Cyrus of Persia, and the house of Israel all appear to fulfill certain portions of these prophecies. However, the servant songs ultimately point to Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfills the mission and attributes of the servant described by Isaiah.

Isaiah 42:6–7

In what ways were Isaiah’s prophecies about the servant fulfilled?

Isaiah’s prophecies about the servant in these verses were directly fulfilled by Jesus Christ. For example, Isaiah said that the servant would be given “for a covenant of the people.” President Jeffrey R. Holland taught that this phrase refers to the Savior’s role as “the grand central figure in making … covenants and ordinances efficacious in time and eternity. He is the sacrifice upon which the covenant is based, whose blood ratifies it, and He is also the Mediator of the Covenant.”

Additionally, Isaiah’s prophecy that the eyes of the blind would be opened and that prisoners would be brought out of captivity was fulfilled both during Christ’s mortal ministry and through His redemptive work in the spirit world.

Isaiah’s prophecies are also fulfilled through the house of Israel. As part of the Abrahamic covenant, the Lord’s people have a sacred responsibility to bring the blessings of the gospel to all nations. As they fulfill this mission, they help bring freedom, vision, and the Savior’s light to the world.

Jesus Healing the Blind, by Carl Heinrich Bloch

Isaiah 42:10–17

What is the “new song”?

The Israelites frequently sang songs of praise to the Lord in gratitude for the blessings and deliverance they received from Him. The phrase “new song” is often used in the Old Testament to mean fresh or renewed praises to God in response to His deliverance or redemption. In Isaiah 42:10–12, all the earth is commanded to praise the Lord with a new song in recognition of the great works that He and His servants have performed. The “isles” often represent the farthest reaches of civilization.

The people of Kedar were descendants of Ishmael who lived in the wilderness among the rocks and represent the most sparsely populated regions. Isaiah’s message is that the day will come when all people, regardless of where they are, will unite in singing praises to God. Modern revelation also speaks of a new song that will be sung during the Millennium, when all people “shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and shall see eye to eye.”

Isaiah 42:18–22

Why is the Lord’s servant described as being blind and deaf?

The servant being blind and deaf has significance when the servant is considered to represent the house of Israel. There have been many times when the Israelites could be seen as spiritually blind and deaf as they struggled to trust the Lord.

The Joseph Smith Translation adjusts these verses to state that it is not the servant who is blind and deaf, but the servant will help those who are. This is an important distinction when considering that the Savior is the ultimate fulfillment of the servant described by Isaiah.

Isaiah 43:10–11

What does it mean that no God was formed before Jehovah, and there would be none after Him?

Compare Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5–6, 21–22; 46:9–10

A consistent theme found in the second half of Isaiah is the supremacy of God over all else. Idolatry was a persistent challenge in ancient Israel, including during Isaiah’s time. Israel was surrounded by nations who worshipped idols, and the Israelites were often influenced by the beliefs of their neighbors. Through Isaiah, the Lord repeatedly declared that idols could do nothing for the people—only God could save them.

The Lord’s teachings in Isaiah 43:10–11 should not be misunderstood to mean that faithful individuals cannot eventually become like God. Modern revelation affirms that through the grace of Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father’s children have the divine potential to become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ and inherit all that the Father has. But our opportunity for eternal progression does not diminish God’s supremacy. “Latter-day Saints believe that God’s children will always worship Him. Our progression will never change His identity as our Father and our God.”

Isaiah 45:1–5

How was Cyrus the Lord’s “anointed”?

Isaiah prophesied that the Lord would rescue the Jews from exile through the Persian king Cyrus II. The word “anointed” (messiah in Hebrew) indicates that Cyrus was acting as the Lord’s chosen instrument in allowing the Jews to return from Babylon to their homeland and rebuild the temple that the Babylonians had destroyed.

See also “Ezra 1:1. Who was Cyrus?”

Isaiah 45:7

Did God create evil?

In the context of Isaiah 45, the word translated as “evil” in the King James Version does not refer to wickedness or sin. Instead it likely refers to “difficult,” “disastrous,” or “calamitous” things. The Lord sometimes allows such difficulties to humble His people and help them repent. The Book of Mormon clearly teaches that “whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil,” and Satan “is the author of all sin.”

Isaiah 45:23

What does it mean that “every knee shall bow, [and] every tongue shall swear”?

Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus’s military success would fulfill God’s purpose of delivering Israel. The Lord declared that He had raised up Cyrus and guided his actions—even though Cyrus had “not known” Him. Even though most nations were unaware of Jehovah’s power during Cyrus’s time, Isaiah prophesied of a future day when all nations would recognize the Lord’s supremacy and bear witness of Him. The Book of Mormon prophet Abinadi indicated that this universal acknowledgment will occur at the time of the Savior’s Second Coming.

Of His return, modern prophets and apostles have declared: “We testify that He will someday return to earth. ‘And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together’ [Isaiah 40:5]. He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him.”

Isaiah 49:14–16

What did the Lord mean when He said, “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands”?

Isaiah 48–49 are quoted in the Book of Mormon. Nephi explained that he included Isaiah’s words to persuade his brothers “to believe in the Lord their Redeemer.” Isaiah 48 contains the Lord’s rebuke for Israel’s stubbornness and hypocrisy and gives reasons for their scattering and exile.

In contrast, Isaiah 49 provides a message of hope. The Lord used powerful poetic language to affirm His unwavering commitment to His covenant people. He declared, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” The Hebrew word translated as “graven” can also mean “inscribed” or “written.” This poetic image became more significant after the Savior’s Resurrection, as He retained the marks of the Crucifixion in His hands and feet as reminders of His sacrifice.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong testified: “Mortal men were cruelly crucified and later resurrected. But only the living Jesus Christ in His perfect resurrected form still bears the marks of crucifixion in His hands, feet, and side. Only He can say, ‘I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands’ [Isaiah 49:16]. Only He can say: ‘I am he who was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am the Son of God’ [Doctrine and Covenants 45:52].”

Isaiah 49:22–23

How will the Gentiles be nursing fathers and mothers to Israel?

Israel was conquered, enslaved, and scattered by Gentile nations as a consequence of their disobedience. One fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy was that Israel eventually returned from Babylonian exile, and the rulers of Gentile nations aided in their return.

Nephi described how Isaiah’s prophecy would also be fulfilled in the last days. He taught that many latter-day Gentiles would receive the blessings of the gospel and help in the gathering of Israel. He testified that this latter-day work would bless not only the Gentiles but all of Israel, as it would help fulfill God’s covenant with Abraham that “in [his] seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.”

Learn More

Wings as eagles

• “Wings as Eagles,” New Era, July 2015, 26–27

Preparing the way of the Lord

• D. Todd Christofferson, “Preparing for the Lord’s Return,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 81–84

Graven upon the Lord’s hands

• Kristin M. Yee, “Finding Relief in Our Covenant Relationship with God,” Liahona, Sept. 2024, 44–48

The gathering of Israel

• Topics and Questions, “Gathering of Israel,” Gospel Library

Media

Music

• “Behold the Wounds in Jesus’ Hands,” Hymns—For Home and Church

• “How Firm a Foundation,” Hymns, no. 85

• “My Savior Yet,” Hymns—For Home and Church

Image

Return of Captive Israel, 1945, oil on canvas, 53 1/2 x 90 inches. Courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Relief Society Building

Notes

1. See John 1:23. See also Matthew 3:1–3; Mark 1:2–3; Luke 3:2–6; John 1:19–23; 1 Nephi 10:7–9; 2 Nephi 31:4; Doctrine and Covenants 84:27–28.

2. Doctrine and Covenants 33:10.

3. “Though an issue of some debate, a typical list of the Servant Songs includes Isaiah 42:1–6; 49:1–6; 50:4–9; 52:13–15; 53:1–12” (Terry B. Ball, “Isaiah’s ‘Other’ Servant Songs,” in The Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, ed. D. Kelly Ogden and others [2009], 207).

4. See Ball, “Isaiah’s ‘Other’ Servant Songs,” 207–18. See also Matthew 12:10–21; Mosiah 15:1–9.

5. Isaiah 42:6.

6. Jeffrey R. Holland, Witness for His Names (2019), 37.

7. See Matthew 11:4–5; Luke 4:17–21; 1 Peter 3:18–20; Doctrine and Covenants 138:5–10, 18; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 405–6.

8. See Abraham 2:6–11. See also “Abraham 2:6–11. What is the covenant God made with Abraham?”

9. See Kerry Muhlestein, Learning to Love Isaiah (2021), 352–53, note on Isaiah 42:7.

10. See Tremper Longman III and Mark L. Strauss, eds., The Baker Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words (2023), “Song,” 760–61.

11. See Donald W. Parry and others, Understanding Isaiah (1998), 363, note on Isaiah 42:10.

12. See Muhlestein, Learning to Love Isaiah, 353, note on Isaiah 42:10–12.

13. See Doctrine and Covenants 84:98–102.

14. See Matthew 13:14–15. See also Parry and others, Understanding Isaiah, 366, note on Isaiah 42:20.

15. See Joseph Smith Translation, Isaiah 42:19–23, Gospel Library.

16. See “Isaiah 42:1. Who is the servant spoken of by Isaiah?”

17. See Bible Dictionary, “Idol”; Guide to the Scriptures, “Idolatry,” Gospel Library.

18. See Isaiah 43:10–11; 44:6, 8; 45:5–6, 21–22; 46:9–10.

19. See Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–70; 84:33–40; 132:19–21. See also Psalm 82:6; Acts 17:28–29; Romans 8:16–17; Revelation 3:21; Roger R. Keller, “Jesus Is Jehovah (YHWH): A Study in the Gospels,” in Jesus Christ: Son of God, Savior, ed. Paul H. Peterson and others (2002), 120–51.

20. Gospel Topics Essays, “Becoming Like God,” Gospel Library.

21. Many scholars believe that the identification of Cyrus by name is evidence that this passage was written after the Jews returned from exile. Latter-day Saints believe such things can be known by revelation (see Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and others, Jehovah and the World of the Old Testament: An Illustrated Reference for Latter-day Saints [2009], 295).

22. See Parry and others, Understanding Isaiah, 388, note on Isaiah 45:1.

23. Muhlestein, Learning to Love Isaiah, 375, note on Isaiah 45:6–7.

24. See Hebrews 12:9; Revelation 3:19; Helaman 15:3; Doctrine and Covenants 105:6. See also Jeffrey R. Holland, “A Saint Through the Atonement of Christ the Lord” (Brigham Young University devotional, Jan. 18, 2022), speeches.byu.edu.

25. Alma 5:40. See also 2 Nephi 26:24.

26. Helaman 6:30.

27. See Isaiah 45:1–4.

28. Isaiah 45:4–5.

29. See Isaiah 45:12–19.

30. See Mosiah 16:1–2.

31. “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” Gospel Library.

32. 1 Nephi 19:23.

33. See Matthew L. Bowen, “‘That Ye May Have Hope’: Nephi’s Use of Isaiah 49:22–23 in Teaching the Concept of Hope,” Religious Educator, vol. 23, no. 2 (2022), 35–36.

34. Earl D. Radmacher and others, eds., NKJV Study Bible, 3rd ed. (2018), 1043, note on Isaiah 49:16; Longman and Strauss, Baker Expository Dictionary, entry 2710, page 960.

35. See John 20:26–28; 3 Nephi 11:14.

36. Gerrit W. Gong, “Hosanna and Hallelujah—The Living Jesus Christ: The Heart of Restoration and Easter,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 55.

37. See Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, eds., The Jewish Study Bible, 2nd ed. (2014), 866, notes on Isaiah 49:14–23; 49:22–23; 49:24–26.

38. See 1 Nephi 22:3–12.

39. 1 Nephi 22:9.