“Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 40:10 Mean?
Isaiah describes the LORD God coming with a strong hand — or against the strong (the marginal reading). His arm rules for him, and he carries his reward with him and his work before him. The imagery combines military conquest with generous homecoming: the warrior arrives, and he brings gifts.
The "strong hand" and ruling "arm" are traditional descriptions of God's power — the same language used for the Exodus ("by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm"). Isaiah is connecting the coming deliverance to the original deliverance from Egypt. The God who freed them once is coming to free them again.
The phrase "his reward is with him" means God doesn't come empty-handed. He carries the compensation, the recompense, the restoration he intends to distribute. He doesn't arrive and then go looking for the resources to help — he brings them. Everything needed for the restoration is already in his hands when he arrives.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does knowing God arrives 'with his reward already in hand' change how you wait for him?
- 2.What work of God might already be underway in your situation before you can see it?
- 3.How does the Exodus imagery (strong hand, outstretched arm) connect God's past deliverance to your present need?
- 4.What 'reward' are you hoping God is carrying toward you right now?
Devotional
God arrives with a strong hand. His arm rules. His reward is with him. His work goes before him. This isn't a gentle entrance — it's a king coming home from victory, loaded with everything his people need.
The image of God carrying his reward with him is one of Isaiah's most practical comforts. God doesn't show up and then figure out what to give you. He arrives pre-loaded. The deliverance, the restoration, the healing, the provision — it's all in his hands before he reaches your door. By the time you see him coming, the answer is already on its way.
"His work before him" means the results precede the arrival. Before God's visible presence shows up, his work is already underway. The ground is being prepared. The obstacles are being cleared. The situation is being arranged. When you finally see him, you realize things were changing before you noticed.
This verse should change how you wait for God. You're not waiting for a God who will come and then start working on your problem. You're waiting for a God who's been working on your problem already and is now arriving with the solution in hand. The strong arm, the ruling power, the reward in his grip — he's not starting from scratch. He's delivering what he's been carrying all along.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Behold, the Lord God will come with a strong hand,.... Some understand this of the second coming of Christ, which coming…
Behold, the Lord God will come - (See the note at Isa 40:3) Applied to the condition of the Jews in exile, this means…
It was promised (Isa 40:5) that the glory of the Lord shall be revealed; that is it with the hopes of which God's people…
These words are spoken by the prophet in his own person.
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture