Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 40:2

"Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah`s hand double for all her sins." — Isaiah 40:2 (ASV)

Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry to her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she has received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

The first meaning of these words was that, as Jerusalem had passed through a time of great tribulation, she should have a season of rest. But the grand gospel meaning to you and to me is that our Lord Jesus has fought our battle, and won the victory for us, that he has paid our debt and given to divine justice double for all our sins, and therefore, our iniquity is pardoned.

This is enough to make anyone happy, one would think. It is the best thing that even Isaiah could say, or that God himself could say by the mouth of Isaiah, when his object was to comfort the Lord's tried people.

And cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished,

After all, beloved, you do not have to fight your own battles. Under one aspect, you may have to do so; but the great fight is already over, that fight which is so much greater than all others, that the lesser ones are scarcely worthy of the name of warfare. You only have to scatter the foes whom your great Captain has vanquished, and to march boldly onward because he has cleared the way before you.

That her iniquity is pardoned:

Oh, when that is the case, what does it matter about the warfare?

Brethren, if you have a sense of sin forgiven, you can certainly endure the path. The sting is gone from death itself when sin is pardoned; and, therefore, it is certainly gone from life as well.

For she has received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

If the Lord's ancient people could thus be comforted in their seasons of sorrow, how much more may we be cheered when we think of all the blessing which has come to us through the sorrows of our great covenant Head! All is settled now. It is finished, was our Saviour's cry from the cross. Our debts are all paid, so we may well be comforted.