John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 40:9

"O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!" — Isaiah 40:9 (ASV)

Ascend on the high mountain. He continues with the same subject. For the Lord, having previously promised that He would give prophets who would soothe the grief and fear of the people with promises, now commands that this consolation is to be more widely spread, because it is His pleasure to diffuse His grace throughout all Judea.

Lift up your voice aloud, O Jerusalem. Previously He had given to Jerusalem and Zion the hope of this joyful message. Now He commands that the same voice is to be spread and heard through other cities, and for this reason, gives orders that the loud voice is to be lifted up and proclaimed from a lofty place. Although by the words “Zion” and “Jerusalem” He means the same thing, the repetition is emphatic, for He shows that one city excels all other cities for no other reason than because God has chosen it to be His sanctuary.

That bringest tidings. He gives the city this title because there the priests and Levites were instructed according to the injunctions of the Law, so that they might be the teachers of all the people, and by their labors might spread the doctrine of salvation (Malachi 2:7). Yet we should carefully observe this commendation which God bestows on His Church, so that it is not without a clear mark of distinction; for an assembly in which the preaching of heavenly doctrine is not heard does not deserve to be considered a Church.

In this sense also, Paul calls it the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). For although God might have governed us by Himself, and without the agency of men, yet He has assigned this office to His Church and has committed to it the invaluable treasure of His Word. For the same reason, it will be called in another passage, the mother of all believers (Isaiah 54:1; Galatians 4:26). Therefore, it follows that nothing is more absurd and wicked than for dumb idols to boast of the name of the Church, as is done in Popery.

We are also taught that the Church has not been instructed by God to keep her knowledge hidden within herself, but to publish what she has learned. Besides, He commands that grace is to be freely and boldly proclaimed, so that prophets and teachers should not speak with timidity, as if it were a doubtful matter, but should show that they are fully convinced of the certainty of those things which they promise, because they know well that God, who cannot lie (Titus 1:2), is the author of them. He commands the witnesses of His grace to proceed from Zion, so that they may fill all Judea with joy.

Behold your God! This expression includes the sum of our happiness, which consists solely in the presence of God. It brings with it an abundance of all blessings. If we are without it, we must be utterly miserable and wretched. And although we richly enjoy blessings of every kind, yet if we are estranged from God, everything must lead to our destruction.

From this, it should also be remarked that nothing is more contrary to faith than to estimate by the present appearances of things what God declares by His prophets. At that time, they must have been struck dumb if they had not raised their views above the world and thus, through the power of unshaken boldness and perseverance, dared to draw others along with them, so that they might cherish good hopes when matters were at their worst.

Indeed, when wicked men and wickedness prevail, the greater the terror that is spread all around, and the greater the seeming wretchedness of the Church, the more we should extol the grace of God and point out His presence to believers.