Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. (Isaiah 40: 1-4)

Isaiah was a young man during the conquest of the northern kingdom (722BC). He foresaw and prophecied the eventual Assyrian conquest of Judah.

But Isaiah also encouraged King Hezekiah of Judah (?715-687BC) to resist an Assyrian invasion. The King was successful and secured peace for the remainder of his long reign. Isaiah's prophecy of destruction did not come until 586BC.

These are the opening lines of what is sometimes called Deutero-Isaiah or Second Isaiah. Many scholars have suggested that this is a continuation of the original Isaiah by those returning to Jerusalem from the Bablyonian captivity that followed the conquest of Jerusalem.

Times of trial will end, one way or another. Whether in this life or another we are promised comfort and pardon. Our depths of despair will be lifted up. Whether this time of war will be followed by a more horrible war or peace in our time, we cannot know. But whatever our future, we can start today to prepare the way of the Lord.

Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make straight in the desert ahighway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain. (Messiah Lyrics)

You may listen to the Peabody Institute Symphony and Chorus perform the Messiah.