How many of us rush to tidy up or stash away clutter when we get word that someone is stopping by?  When I was in elementary school, my mom would make us clean the entire house before we had a friend over.  Today I have my boys at least pick up their rooms.  Well, that’s the goal.  It’s challenging to hang out or play games in one’s room when you can’t even manage a path to walk through!

These thoughts came to mind as I studied several Old Testament verses that talk about preparing the way.  The most widely known verse is probably Isaiah 40:3 (NIV):

A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

I was startled to find that the word prepare used here means exactly that idea of cleaning up. The Hebrew verb is panah (פָּנָה), which in this use, means to make free from obstacles, make clear, clear away things scattered about, make orderly, to empty (Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon).

Equally as surprising, I found that it was not the people of God who were called to do the preparing or clearing. As we look at this in Isaiah 40:1-5, consider these questions:

• What word picture is painted here concerning the state or well-being of God’s people?
• What needs to be done to build the highway and who has the ability to build it?

Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

God’s people are worn out and in need of comfort. In those days, a king would send his representatives before him to make sure the road was clear and sound for his journey. We see that God Himself is preparing to make a journey.  It is a highway for God.  He is coming to not only comfort His people, but to reveal Himself to all people so that they may know His glory. (What does that mean? See The Glory of Finding Value.)

This highway isn’t some dinky one-lane road or multiple lane highway. It’s HUGE! Valleys will be filled, mountains leveled, until the highway is a flat plain. These are feats that are not humanly possible. The only one who has this capability is God.

Isaiah 40 reveals that this highway is for God.  Now look at Chapters 57 and 62 to find out more about the preparation or clearing of this road, who it is for, and how it will be used.

Isaiah 57:14 – And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”

Isaiah 62:10 – Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations.

This road is for the people. It is to be a clear pathway that connects people to God and God to people. A signal is to be raised so that all nations will know to gather there. Also, notice the urgency in all three of these passages where rare, double commands are given (comfort, pass through, build up).

This is a beautiful picture of God making a way that spans the impossible. A way is made for God to come to humankind and humankind is called and enabled to dwell with God that they might meet face-to-face. After all, that is the goal in panah, preparing or clearing the way.  The verb panah is derived from the Hebrew word face, paneh (פָּנֶה). God’s desire is that all obstacles and distractions would be removed so that we might delight in direct, face-to-face relationship.

Dear God, we thank you that you move mountains to be with us! Thank you for your son, Jesus, who made the way that we might know you and your glory. Remove our obstacles and distractions and help us to turn towards you. Amen.

Scripture Passages to dig into this week – more about this road, clearing the way:
Isaiah 57:14-19
Isaiah 62:10-12
Malachi 3:1-4
Zephaniah 3:14-20 (v15, panah used in terms of clearing away enemies)
Isaiah 49:9-13