Isaiah 40 begins a new section of the book, much like the New Testament is a pivot from the Old. This new section opens with a voice in the wilderness preparing the way of the Lord, then God promises a faithful Servant. God continues to rebuke His people for their idolatry, but promises that He Himself will take them back.

When a Gentile woman comes to Jesus begging Him to deliver her demon-possessed daughter, Jesus reminds her that He's here to preach the Gospel to the Jews first, but Jesus rewards her faith with a miracle. We're reminded in this passage how God did not want to save Israel alone, but rather that He used Israel to bring salvation to the whole world (Mark 7:24-30).

In this passage, Jesus confronts the innate hypocrisy involved in human moralism. He contends that humans are not defiled by external maladies, but instead that humans themselves are the defilers. Jesus turns the holiness code upside down by showing that what people need are not the washing of hands but the internal cleansing of the heart (Mark 7:1-23).

God promises the judgment coming through Sennacherib. Meanwhile, Hezekiah comes down with an illness that's got him shut in. Isaiah assures Hezekiah that he will recover but Hezekiah's successor will be the worst king Judah has ever seen.

God, through His prophet Isaiah, rebukes his people for their complacency, urging them to take seriously the coming judgment. God promises a coming redemption, but judgment will come first; even global judgment. Even so, passed the destruction, lush new life will arise. This shows God's righteousness as well as His grace.

Mark implicates Jesus with the God of the Old Testament who sits enthroned above the flood and treads upon the waves. Using language and imagery from Exodus and Malachi, Mark proves that Jesus is both the fierce and glorious God but also the gracious servant (Mark 6:45-56).

God rebukes His people for their alliance with Egypt. He reminds them that they can't depend on people, but they can always trust in His provision and protection.

Jesus, mourning the death of John the Baptist, departs to the wilderness to pray. The multitudes follow Him; so He takes the time to teach them, but because they're in the wilderness, they find themselves hungry without anything to take for sustenance. It is here where Jesus is found in the same position as God over Israel wandering in their wilderness. Like the God of the Old Testament, Jesus miraculously provides them food (Mark 6:30-44).

Chapters 24 to 27 of the book of Isaiah are sometimes called 'the little apocalypse'. These chapters look toward the ultimate resolution and redemption of this fallen world.

Jesus was an authority in rebuke. Both He and his forerunner, John the Baptist, preached messages that required repentance; rebukes that challenged the lives of their listeners. At times, we as believers have to bear the same challenging posture (Mark 6:14-30).