The hope-filled words above come from Isaiah 40.1 with the immediate context being Isaiah 40.1-11 and the larger backdrop, the first 39 chapters of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter one speaks of the spiritual degradation into which Judah (the Southern Kingdom of the former Kingdom United under Saul, David and Solomon) has fallen (e.g., Isa 1.2-9). It is now a rebellious people (Isa 1.2), contaminated by gross iniquity (Isa 1.10-31) ripe for judgement which was about to break upon it in the Babylonian Captivity (Isa 39.6). It was first attacked in 606BC, then again in 597 and finally 586BC saw its final demise (see here ).
we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen --Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles