Jerusalem Is To Respond Like A Town Crier (Isaiah 40:9-11).
‘O Zion, you who proclaim good tidings,
Get up into the high mountain,
O Jerusalem, you who tell good tidings,
Lift up your voice loudly (‘with strength'),
Lift it up, do not be afraid,
Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” '
Those who have official responsibility for proclaiming good news when it comes, the ‘town criers' of Jerusalem, are called on to get busy. They are go into a high mountain where all can hear, they are to shout loudly with their stentorian voices. They are to do it without fear, for it is certain of fulfilment. They are to go to all the cities of Judah and cry, “Behold, your God!”
The implication of this is that they are in Jerusalem and speaking to the people of Judah in Jerusalem's name. There is no thought of exile here. The feminine verbs indicate that they take Zion and Jerusalem as their subjects. Note the progression from the beginning. In Isaiah 40:1 God cries out. In Isaiah 40:3; Isaiah 40:6 the voices (of heavenly beings) cry out. Now it is Zion which is to cry out through its town criers. All participate in crying out God's verdict.
‘Do not be afraid.' This is regularly a preparation for a theophany (Genesis 15:1; Genesis 26:24).
‘Behold the Lord Yahweh will come as a mighty one,
And his arm will rule for him.
Behold his reward is with him,
And his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd,
He will gather the lambs in his arm,
And he will carry them in his bosom,
And gently lead those who are feeding their young (give suck).
This is the good news to be proclaimed to Judah. That Yahweh is coming as a Champion to His people. He will rule by His mighty arm (compare Isaiah 30:30; Isaiah 33:2). He has received His reward (His wage) in His people (the Hebrew brings out that it is the reward to Him that is being spoken of), and His recompense for what He has done is before Him. They are the fruits of His victory. For we know that they are His holy ones (Isaiah 4:3; Isaiah 26:2), His elect on whom He has set His love (Isaiah 35:10 compare Isaiah 1:27), the weak ones whom He has forgiven (Isaiah 33:23-24 compare Isaiah 1:25-26). Thus He will reveal His gracious covenant love towards them.
Notice the threefold ‘behold'. They are to behold their God. They are to behold Him as their sovereign Lord Yahweh, their Champion with His mighty arm. They are to behold Him as the One Who has won them and Who treasures them as His reward.
And He has come as their Shepherd. He will feed them as a shepherd feeds his flock, He will gather the lambs in His protective arm where they are safe, He will carry them next to His heart, and have special care for the nursing mothers who are responsible to their lambs. The picture is one of love, concern and protection. He is the good Shepherd (contrast Ezekiel 34:12 where He is the seeking Shepherd).