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Isaiah 40:6
Verse
Context
The Enduring Word
5And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” 6A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. 7The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.
Sermons
J. Frank Norris
Leonard RavenhillJ. Frank Norris
Charles E. Cowman
Samuel RutherfordSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
The voice saint Cry "A voice saith Proclaim" - To understand rightly this passage is a matter of importance; for it seems designed to give us the true key to the remaining part of Isaiah's prophecies, the general subject of which is the restoration of the people and Church of God. The prophet opens the subject with great clearness and elegance: he declares at once God's command to his messengers, (his prophets, as the Chaldee rightly explains it), to comfort his people in captivity, to impart to them the joyful tidings, that their punishment has now satisfied the Divine justice, and the time of reconciliation and favor is at hand. He then introduces a harbinger giving orders to prepare the way for God, leading his people from Babylon, as he did formerly from Egypt, through the wilderness, to remove all obstacles, and to clear the way for their passage. Thus far nothing more appears to be intended than a return from the Babylonish captivity; but the next words seem to intimate something much greater: - "And the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed; And all flesh shall see together the salvation of our God." He then introduces a voice commanding him to make a solemn proclamation. And what is the import of it? that the people - the flesh, is of a vain temporary nature; that all its glory fadeth, and is soon gone; but that the word of God endureth for ever. What is this, but a plain opposition of the flesh to the spirit; of the carnal Israel to the spiritual; of the temporary Mosaic economy to the eternal Christian dispensation? You may be ready to conclude, (the prophet may be disposed to say), by this introduction to my discourse, that my commission is only to comfort you with a promise of the restoration of your religion and polity, of Jerusalem, of the temple, and its services and worship in all its ancient splendor. These are earthly, temporary, shadowy, fading things, which shall soon pass away, and be destroyed for ever; these are not worthy to engage your attention in comparison of the greater blessings, the spiritual redemption, the eternal inheritance, covered under the veil of the former, which I have it in charge to unfold unto you. The law has only a shadow of good things; the substance is the Gospel. I promise you a restoration of the former, which, however, is only for a time, and shall be done away, according to God's original appointment: but under that image I give you a view of the latter, which shall never be done away, but shall endure for ever. This I take to be agreeable to St. Peter's interpretation of this passage of the prophet, quoted by him, Pe1 1:24, Pe1 1:25 : "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you." This is the same word of the Lord of which Isaiah speaks, which hath now been preached unto you by the Gospel. The law and the Gospel are frequently opposed to one another by St. Paul, under the images of flesh and spirit: "Having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Gal 3:3. - L. All the Godliness thereof - "All its glory" - For חסדו chasdo read חדו chadu; the Septuagint and Vulgate, and Pe1 1:24.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The prophet now hears a second voice, and then a third, entering into conversation with it. "Hark, one speaking, Cry! And he answers, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its beauty as the flower of the field. Grass is withered, flower faded: for the breath of Jehovah has blown upon it. Surely grass is the people; grass withereth, flower fadeth: yet the word of our God will stand for ever." A second voice celebrates the divine word of promise in the face of the approaching fulfilment, and appoints a preacher of its eternal duration. The verb is not ואמר (et dixi, lxx, Vulg.), but ואמר; so that the person asking the question is not the prophet himself, but an ideal person, whom he has before him in visionary objectiveness. The appointed theme of his proclamation is the perishable nature of all flesh (Isa 40:5 πᾶσα σάρξ, here πᾶσα ἡ σάρξ), and, on the other hand, the imperishable nature of the word of God. Men living in the flesh are universally impotent, perishing, limited; God, on the contrary (Isa 31:3), is the omnipotent, eternal, all-determining; and like Himself, so is His word, which, regarded as the vehicle and utterance of His willing and thinking, is not something separate from Himself, and therefore is the same as He. Chasdō is the charm or gracefulness of the outward appearance (lxx; Pe1 1:24, δόξα: see Schott on the passage, Jam 1:11, εὐπρέπεια). The comparison instituted with grass and flower recals Isa 37:27 and Job 8:12, and still more Psa 90:5-6, and Job 14:2. Isa 40:7 describes what happens to the grass and flower. The preterites, like the Greek aoristus gnomicus (cf., Isa 26:10), express a fact of experience sustained by innumerable examples: exaruit gramen, emarcuit flos; (Note: נבל has munach here and in Isa 40:8 attached to the penultimate in all correct texts (hence milel, on account of the monosyllable which follows), and mehteg on the tzere to sustain the lengthening.) consequently the כּי which follows is not hypothetical (granting that), but explanatory of the reason, viz., "because rūăch Jehovah hath blown upon it," i.e., the "breath" of God the Creator, which pervades the creation, generating life, sustaining life, and destroying life, and whose most characteristic elementary manifestation is the wind. Every breath of wind is a drawing of the breath of the whole life of nature, the active indwelling principle of whose existence is the rūăch of God. A fresh v. ought to commence now with אכן. The clause העם חציר אכן is genuine, and thoroughly in Isaiah's style, notwithstanding the lxx, which Gesenius and Hitzig follow. עכן is not equivalent to a comparative כן (Ewald, 105, a), but is assuring, as in Isa 45:15; Isa 49:4; Isa 53:4; and hâ‛âm (the people) refers to men generally, as in Isa 42:5. The order of thought is in the form of a triolet. The explanation of the striking simile commences with 'âkhēn (surely); and then in the repetition of the words, "grass withereth, flower fadeth," the men are intended, resemble the grass and the flower. Surely grass is the human race; such grass withereth and such flower fadeth, but the word of our God (Jehovah, the God of His people and of sacred history) yâqūm le‛ōlâm, i.e., it rises up without withering or fading, and endures for ever, fulfilling and verifying itself through all times. This general truth refers, in the preset instance, to the word of promise uttered by the voice in the desert. If the word of God generally has an eternal duration, more especially is this the case with the word of the parousia of God the Redeemer, the word in which all the words of God are yea and amen. The imperishable nature of this word, however, has for its dark foil the perishable nature of all flesh, and all the beauty thereof. The oppressors of Israel are mortal, and their chesed with which they impose and bribe is perishable; but the word of God, with which Israel can console itself, preserves the fields, and ensures it a glorious end to its history. Thus the seal, which the first crier set upon the promise of Jehovah's speedy coming, is inviolable; and the comfort which the prophets of God are to bring to His people, who have now been suffering so long, is infallibly sure.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
The voice--the same divine herald as in Isa 40:3. he--one of those ministers or prophets (see on Isa 40:1) whose duty it was, by direction of "the voice," to "comfort the Lord's afflicted people with the promises of brighter days." All flesh is grass--The connection is, "All human things, however goodly, are transitory: God's promises alone steadfast" (Isa 40:8, Isa 40:15, Isa 40:17, Isa 40:23-24); this contrast was already suggested in Isa 40:5, "All flesh . . . the mouth of the Lord." Pe1 1:24-25 applies this passage distinctly to the gospel word of Messiah (compare Joh 12:24; Jam 1:10).
John Gill Bible Commentary
The voice said, cry,.... Not the same voice as in Isa 40:3, nor the voice of an angel, as Aben Ezra; but a voice from the Lord, as Jarchi; the voice of prophecy, says Kimchi; it is the Lord's voice to the prophet, or rather to any and every Gospel minister, giving them an order to prophesy and preach, without which they cannot preach regularly and lawfully; it is the same as, "go, teach all nations", &c. preach the Gospel to every creature, &c. Mat 28:19, and he said, what shall I cry? publish, proclaim, or preach? for a minister of the Gospel is to preach not out of his own heart, or of his own head, or what is of his own devising and framing, but what is agreeable to the mind of Christ, as revealed in his word; he is to speak according to the oracles of God, the proportion and analogy of faith; he is to inquire there, and of Christ, what he shall say. The Targum is, "the voice of him that saith, prophesy; and he answered and said, what shall I prophesy?'' The reply is, all flesh is grass; declare the frailty and mortality of men; which some think is mentioned, to increase the wonder of Christ's incarnation, after prophesied of, as the forerunner of it is before; that Christ should condescend to take upon him such frail mortal flesh; that he should become flesh, and be manifested in it: or rather this is to be said, to put men in mind and to prepare them to think of another world, and how they shall appear before the judgment seat; seeing, if they have not a better righteousness than their own, and except they are born again, they shall neither see nor enter into the kingdom of heaven; which is one of the first things to be published in the Gospel ministry; as also how weak, impotent, and insufficient, men are, to that which is good, which may be meant by this phrase; being as weak as a spire of grass, not able to do any good actions, much less to fulfil the law, or to regenerate themselves, renew their hearts, or cleanse their natures: and this must be said, to abate the pride of men; to show the necessity of divine power in regeneration; to instruct men to seek for the grace of God, as to convert them, so to help and assist them in all they do; and to direct them to ascribe all they have, and are, to the grace of God; to this purpose the Apostle Peter quotes this passage, Pe1 1:23. It may be applied to the ordinances of the legal dispensation, and all the privileges of it, which are said to be carnal; and trusting in them was trusting in the flesh, Phi 3:4, Heb 9:10, these were weak and insufficient to justify, sanctify, and save, and were not to continue: and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; all the goodliness and glory of man; all that is excellent and valuable in him, or belonging to him, Or that is thought to be so, his riches, honours, strength, beauty, wisdom, and knowledge; yea, all his seeming holiness and righteousness; which are all fading and perishing, like a gay flower, which appears lovely for a while, and on a sudden falls off, or is cropped, or trampled upon; to which a flower of the field is more liable than that of the garden. This may be applied to the splendour of the legal dispensation, which is done away by a more excellent glory taking place, Co2 3:10.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
40:6-8 All humanity is mortal and fleeting. By contrast, God persists in his plans and succeeds. Time does not limit him from carrying out his will (see 14:24). 40:6 Shout: So that all can hear. • People are not worthy of the revelation of God’s glory because they are mortal.
Isaiah 40:6
The Enduring Word
5And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” 6A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. 7The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
We Shall All Be Changed
By J. Frank Norris2.5K29:53ISA 40:6JHN 1:111CO 15:511PE 3:212PE 1:211JN 3:2In this sermon, the preacher addresses the concept of change in the world and the challenges that people face, such as conflict, anxiety, fear, and poverty. He shares personal experiences of witnessing the pain and loss of others, including the burial of a baby and the death of young people. The preacher emphasizes the importance of finding joy and rejoicing in the midst of these difficulties, as believers are called the children of God. He also mentions that in the upcoming sermon, he will discuss the destiny of departed loved ones and the hope of eternal life.
What Is Your Life - Part 2
By Leonard Ravenhill1.8K09:44ISA 40:6JAS 4:14
This sermon delves into the profound question posed in James 4:14 about the brevity and uncertainty of life, emphasizing the fleeting nature of our existence and the importance of reflecting on life's purpose and destination. It explores the concept of life as a vapor, drawing parallels to various poetic expressions and biblical references that highlight the transient nature of human life. The sermon challenges listeners to consider the eternal significance of their actions and choices in light of life's fleeting nature and the ultimate importance of living for God.
Awakening - Exhorting - Comforting, in Our Apostate Days
By Rolfe Barnard94753:43AwakeningISA 40:6ISA 40:9MAT 6:33JHN 1:11JHN 3:16ACT 1:8ACT 16:30In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of recognizing that the power to bring light into darkness lies solely in the hands of God. He encourages the listeners to cry out to God and pray for the message of God to open people's eyes. The preacher also highlights the role of believers as vessels of God's message and emphasizes the need for repentance and belief. He discusses the three-fold ministry of evangelism, which includes awakening, exhorting, and comforting. The preacher urges the church to fulfill its evangelistic ministry and reach out to the world.
We Shall Not All Sleep
By J. Frank Norris70126:00ResurrectionISA 40:6JHN 1:111CO 15:511PE 1:211PE 3:211JN 3:2In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of change and when it will take place. He refers to the last trumpet, which signifies the end of the present age and the gathering of God's elect. The preacher emphasizes the joy and rejoicing that will come with this change, particularly in the context of being reunited with loved ones in the resurrection. He encourages the congregation to have hope and trust in God, knowing that when Christ appears, they will be transformed to be like Him. The sermon concludes with an invitation for people to confess Christ and obey Him.
Lawn Care
By Charles E. Cowman0PSA 34:18PSA 72:6ISA 40:6JAS 1:21PE 5:6Charles E. Cowman preaches about the analogy of God's work in our lives to a King mowing His lawns, symbolizing the trials and challenges we face that shape and refine us. Just as grass is mown down, we too experience pain, disappointment, and death, but these are followed by showers of God's grace and compassion. The process of being mown by God's scythes is necessary for our growth in tenderness, evenness, and sympathy, leading us to a deeper understanding of His love and mercy.
His Wisdom in Our Trials
By Samuel Rutherford0PSA 110:1ISA 40:6MAT 6:21MAT 8:20JHN 16:331CO 13:12HEB 12:21JN 4:19REV 22:12Samuel Rutherford preaches about the temporary nature of worldly glory and the importance of investing in Christ, emphasizing the need to leave behind worldly comforts and pursue Christ and His Gospel even in difficult times. He encourages believers to endure hardships, knowing that Christ's light will shine and bring clarity to the world. Rutherford reflects on his own shortcomings in fully loving and trusting Christ, expressing a desire for deeper communion with Him. He warns against treating Christ's honor as a commodity and urges believers to stand firm in their faith, even in the face of worldly temptations.
October 31. 1678. the Seed of Lebanon
By Jane Lead0ISA 40:6HAG 2:62CO 6:17COL 3:2REV 17:14Jane Lead preaches about the beginning of the great and notable Day of the Lord, warning that all nations will rise against Christ but will ultimately wear away like grass. She urges the preservation of the Seed of the New LEBANON-State, cautioning against mixing with those who will face destruction. Believers are encouraged to focus on preserving the Resurrection-Seed to manifest the glory of LEBANON and not fear even if the earth is shaken. Having the Mind of Christ is likened to a growing treasure, revealing the wisdom needed for significant endeavors that will prosper greatly.
Exposition on Psalm 78
By St. Augustine0EXO 19:81SA 4:191SA 5:6ISA 40:6JER 7:12ROM 8:24ROM 8:31PHP 3:8COL 1:13St. Augustine preaches about the journey of the Israelites in the desert, highlighting their ungratefulness towards God despite His blessings and the consequences of their disobedience. He emphasizes the importance of faith, humility, and obedience in seeking God's grace and avoiding His wrath. The sermon delves into the symbolic meanings of the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians, the guidance of God through hope and fearlessness, and the rejection of idolatry. St. Augustine warns against the dangers of pride, unbelief, and disobedience, urging listeners to seek God with sincerity and faith.
An Epitome of All Vanity
By Thomas Brooks0Human VanityThe Fall of ManPSA 39:5ECC 1:2ISA 40:6Thomas Brooks emphasizes the profound truth that every man, at his best state, is ultimately vanity, as stated in Psalms 39:5. He reflects on the fall of Adam, illustrating how humanity has devolved from its original glory to a state of emptiness and insignificance, likening man to dust, a shadow, and a comprehensive vanity. Brooks argues that despite any earthly honors or comforts, all are rendered meaningless in light of man's fallen nature. He poignantly describes the tragic transformation of man from the image of God to a burden to himself and heaven. The sermon serves as a sobering reminder of the need for redemption and the futility of relying on worldly achievements.
Exposition on Psalm 90
By St. Augustine0PSA 89:1PSA 89:7ISA 40:6JHN 5:461CO 10:11St. Augustine preaches on Psalm 89, reflecting on Moses as the man of God who received the law and led the people through the wilderness. He delves into the eternal nature of God as our refuge, emphasizing the importance of turning to Him for strength and guidance. Augustine explores the fleeting nature of human life, the consequences of sin, and the need for God's mercy and discipline. He highlights the contrast between temporal and eternal blessings, urging believers to seek the latter. The sermon concludes with a call to focus on the one work of love, aligning all actions with faith and charity.
A Never-Fading Glory
By Thomas Brooks0Lasting RewardsEternal GloryISA 40:61PE 5:4Thomas Brooks emphasizes the eternal and unchanging nature of the glory bestowed by Christ, contrasting it with the fleeting glory of the world. He illustrates that even after countless years in heaven, the glory received from Christ remains vibrant and fresh, unlike earthly accolades that wither away. Brooks encourages believers to seek this everlasting glory, which is as enduring as Christ Himself.
Fading Glory!
By Thomas Brooks0Eternal InheritanceTransience of Earthly GloryISA 40:61PE 1:4Thomas Brooks emphasizes the transient nature of earthly glory, comparing it to flowers that quickly wither and fade. He reflects on the historical rise and fall of great kingdoms, illustrating that all worldly inheritances ultimately lose their splendor. In contrast, he highlights the eternal and unchanging glory of the heavenly inheritance promised to believers, which remains vibrant and everlasting. Brooks encourages his listeners to seek this incorruptible inheritance, reminding them of the joy and security it brings. The sermon serves as a powerful reminder of the fleeting nature of worldly achievements compared to the lasting glory found in God.
Exposition on Psalm 54
By St. Augustine01SA 24:4PSA 53:1ISA 40:6LUK 12:20JHN 18:36ROM 8:262CO 1:122CO 12:8COL 3:3St. Augustine preaches on the significance of Psalm 53, focusing on the hidden meanings within the text. He delves into the allegorical interpretation of the Ziphites as enemies of David, representing those who flourish in worldly pursuits but wither in judgment. Augustine emphasizes the importance of seeking God's help and judgment, rather than being swayed by temporary worldly success. He encourages voluntary sacrifice of praise to God out of genuine love and gratitude, highlighting the joy found in praising God for His own sake. Through tribulations, one can gain a deeper understanding of God's goodness and deliverance from all troubles.
Homily 1 on Eutropius
By St. John Chrysostom0PRO 27:6ISA 40:6HOS 6:6MAT 6:12LUK 23:34John Chrysostom delivers a sermon on Eutropius, the eunuch, Patrician, and Consul, highlighting the fleeting nature of worldly glory and the consequences of pride and betrayal. He emphasizes the importance of humility, compassion, and mercy, urging the congregation to reflect on their own actions and attitudes towards others. Chrysostom uses the example of Eutropius to illustrate the downfall of those who exalt themselves and mistreat others, ultimately leading to their own destruction. He calls for a spirit of forgiveness and kindness, both towards Eutropius and in their own lives, reminding them of the power of mercy and the need to seek God's favor through compassionate actions.
Saved by a Ransom
By Duane Troyer0PSA 51:5PSA 107:13ISA 40:6ISA 61:1EZK 34:27ROM 5:8ROM 5:18EPH 4:81TI 2:5TIT 2:11Duane Troyer preaches about the profound concept of atonement and salvation, emphasizing the sacrificial act of Jesus Christ to free mankind from bondage and reconcile them with God. He delves into various theories of atonement throughout history, highlighting the importance of understanding how Christ's suffering and victory over death brought about our redemption. Troyer explores the theological implications of different atonement models and the impact of our beliefs on our actions and judgment. He stresses the significance of Jesus as the ultimate solution to humanity's bondage, drawing from Old and New Testament scriptures to illustrate the theme of deliverance and freedom through Christ.
Luke 8
By John Nelson Darby0Faith in ChristThe New CovenantISA 40:6ISA 65:2MAT 23:37LUK 8:4LUK 8:19LUK 8:41JHN 16:33ACT 13:46ROM 8:37John Nelson Darby emphasizes in his sermon on 'Luke 8' that Jesus Christ is the new center of gathering for His people, replacing the old covenant with Israel. He illustrates how Israel's rejection of Christ leads to the inclusion of the Gentiles, highlighting the parable of the sower to show the varied responses to God's word. Darby explains that true faith is demonstrated through perseverance and fruitfulness, even amidst trials, as exemplified by the disciples' fear during a storm and the healing of Jairus' daughter. He stresses that Christ's presence assures believers of safety and peace, regardless of external circumstances. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a deep, abiding faith in Christ as the source of life and hope.
2 Corinthians 11:13
By St. John Chrysostom01SA 12:31SA 17:34ISA 40:6AMO 7:14MIC 3:82CO 11:142CO 11:20PHP 3:4John Chrysostom preaches about false apostles who deceive by pretending to be true messengers of Christ, warning against those who seek to manipulate and exploit others for personal gain. He emphasizes the importance of discerning true ministers of righteousness from those who only appear righteous on the outside but lack genuine power and sincerity. Chrysostom challenges the congregation to evaluate leaders by their actions rather than outward appearances, highlighting the dangers of envy, vainglory, and the slavery that comes with seeking worldly recognition and approval.
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
The voice saint Cry "A voice saith Proclaim" - To understand rightly this passage is a matter of importance; for it seems designed to give us the true key to the remaining part of Isaiah's prophecies, the general subject of which is the restoration of the people and Church of God. The prophet opens the subject with great clearness and elegance: he declares at once God's command to his messengers, (his prophets, as the Chaldee rightly explains it), to comfort his people in captivity, to impart to them the joyful tidings, that their punishment has now satisfied the Divine justice, and the time of reconciliation and favor is at hand. He then introduces a harbinger giving orders to prepare the way for God, leading his people from Babylon, as he did formerly from Egypt, through the wilderness, to remove all obstacles, and to clear the way for their passage. Thus far nothing more appears to be intended than a return from the Babylonish captivity; but the next words seem to intimate something much greater: - "And the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed; And all flesh shall see together the salvation of our God." He then introduces a voice commanding him to make a solemn proclamation. And what is the import of it? that the people - the flesh, is of a vain temporary nature; that all its glory fadeth, and is soon gone; but that the word of God endureth for ever. What is this, but a plain opposition of the flesh to the spirit; of the carnal Israel to the spiritual; of the temporary Mosaic economy to the eternal Christian dispensation? You may be ready to conclude, (the prophet may be disposed to say), by this introduction to my discourse, that my commission is only to comfort you with a promise of the restoration of your religion and polity, of Jerusalem, of the temple, and its services and worship in all its ancient splendor. These are earthly, temporary, shadowy, fading things, which shall soon pass away, and be destroyed for ever; these are not worthy to engage your attention in comparison of the greater blessings, the spiritual redemption, the eternal inheritance, covered under the veil of the former, which I have it in charge to unfold unto you. The law has only a shadow of good things; the substance is the Gospel. I promise you a restoration of the former, which, however, is only for a time, and shall be done away, according to God's original appointment: but under that image I give you a view of the latter, which shall never be done away, but shall endure for ever. This I take to be agreeable to St. Peter's interpretation of this passage of the prophet, quoted by him, Pe1 1:24, Pe1 1:25 : "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you." This is the same word of the Lord of which Isaiah speaks, which hath now been preached unto you by the Gospel. The law and the Gospel are frequently opposed to one another by St. Paul, under the images of flesh and spirit: "Having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Gal 3:3. - L. All the Godliness thereof - "All its glory" - For חסדו chasdo read חדו chadu; the Septuagint and Vulgate, and Pe1 1:24.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The prophet now hears a second voice, and then a third, entering into conversation with it. "Hark, one speaking, Cry! And he answers, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its beauty as the flower of the field. Grass is withered, flower faded: for the breath of Jehovah has blown upon it. Surely grass is the people; grass withereth, flower fadeth: yet the word of our God will stand for ever." A second voice celebrates the divine word of promise in the face of the approaching fulfilment, and appoints a preacher of its eternal duration. The verb is not ואמר (et dixi, lxx, Vulg.), but ואמר; so that the person asking the question is not the prophet himself, but an ideal person, whom he has before him in visionary objectiveness. The appointed theme of his proclamation is the perishable nature of all flesh (Isa 40:5 πᾶσα σάρξ, here πᾶσα ἡ σάρξ), and, on the other hand, the imperishable nature of the word of God. Men living in the flesh are universally impotent, perishing, limited; God, on the contrary (Isa 31:3), is the omnipotent, eternal, all-determining; and like Himself, so is His word, which, regarded as the vehicle and utterance of His willing and thinking, is not something separate from Himself, and therefore is the same as He. Chasdō is the charm or gracefulness of the outward appearance (lxx; Pe1 1:24, δόξα: see Schott on the passage, Jam 1:11, εὐπρέπεια). The comparison instituted with grass and flower recals Isa 37:27 and Job 8:12, and still more Psa 90:5-6, and Job 14:2. Isa 40:7 describes what happens to the grass and flower. The preterites, like the Greek aoristus gnomicus (cf., Isa 26:10), express a fact of experience sustained by innumerable examples: exaruit gramen, emarcuit flos; (Note: נבל has munach here and in Isa 40:8 attached to the penultimate in all correct texts (hence milel, on account of the monosyllable which follows), and mehteg on the tzere to sustain the lengthening.) consequently the כּי which follows is not hypothetical (granting that), but explanatory of the reason, viz., "because rūăch Jehovah hath blown upon it," i.e., the "breath" of God the Creator, which pervades the creation, generating life, sustaining life, and destroying life, and whose most characteristic elementary manifestation is the wind. Every breath of wind is a drawing of the breath of the whole life of nature, the active indwelling principle of whose existence is the rūăch of God. A fresh v. ought to commence now with אכן. The clause העם חציר אכן is genuine, and thoroughly in Isaiah's style, notwithstanding the lxx, which Gesenius and Hitzig follow. עכן is not equivalent to a comparative כן (Ewald, 105, a), but is assuring, as in Isa 45:15; Isa 49:4; Isa 53:4; and hâ‛âm (the people) refers to men generally, as in Isa 42:5. The order of thought is in the form of a triolet. The explanation of the striking simile commences with 'âkhēn (surely); and then in the repetition of the words, "grass withereth, flower fadeth," the men are intended, resemble the grass and the flower. Surely grass is the human race; such grass withereth and such flower fadeth, but the word of our God (Jehovah, the God of His people and of sacred history) yâqūm le‛ōlâm, i.e., it rises up without withering or fading, and endures for ever, fulfilling and verifying itself through all times. This general truth refers, in the preset instance, to the word of promise uttered by the voice in the desert. If the word of God generally has an eternal duration, more especially is this the case with the word of the parousia of God the Redeemer, the word in which all the words of God are yea and amen. The imperishable nature of this word, however, has for its dark foil the perishable nature of all flesh, and all the beauty thereof. The oppressors of Israel are mortal, and their chesed with which they impose and bribe is perishable; but the word of God, with which Israel can console itself, preserves the fields, and ensures it a glorious end to its history. Thus the seal, which the first crier set upon the promise of Jehovah's speedy coming, is inviolable; and the comfort which the prophets of God are to bring to His people, who have now been suffering so long, is infallibly sure.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
The voice--the same divine herald as in Isa 40:3. he--one of those ministers or prophets (see on Isa 40:1) whose duty it was, by direction of "the voice," to "comfort the Lord's afflicted people with the promises of brighter days." All flesh is grass--The connection is, "All human things, however goodly, are transitory: God's promises alone steadfast" (Isa 40:8, Isa 40:15, Isa 40:17, Isa 40:23-24); this contrast was already suggested in Isa 40:5, "All flesh . . . the mouth of the Lord." Pe1 1:24-25 applies this passage distinctly to the gospel word of Messiah (compare Joh 12:24; Jam 1:10).
John Gill Bible Commentary
The voice said, cry,.... Not the same voice as in Isa 40:3, nor the voice of an angel, as Aben Ezra; but a voice from the Lord, as Jarchi; the voice of prophecy, says Kimchi; it is the Lord's voice to the prophet, or rather to any and every Gospel minister, giving them an order to prophesy and preach, without which they cannot preach regularly and lawfully; it is the same as, "go, teach all nations", &c. preach the Gospel to every creature, &c. Mat 28:19, and he said, what shall I cry? publish, proclaim, or preach? for a minister of the Gospel is to preach not out of his own heart, or of his own head, or what is of his own devising and framing, but what is agreeable to the mind of Christ, as revealed in his word; he is to speak according to the oracles of God, the proportion and analogy of faith; he is to inquire there, and of Christ, what he shall say. The Targum is, "the voice of him that saith, prophesy; and he answered and said, what shall I prophesy?'' The reply is, all flesh is grass; declare the frailty and mortality of men; which some think is mentioned, to increase the wonder of Christ's incarnation, after prophesied of, as the forerunner of it is before; that Christ should condescend to take upon him such frail mortal flesh; that he should become flesh, and be manifested in it: or rather this is to be said, to put men in mind and to prepare them to think of another world, and how they shall appear before the judgment seat; seeing, if they have not a better righteousness than their own, and except they are born again, they shall neither see nor enter into the kingdom of heaven; which is one of the first things to be published in the Gospel ministry; as also how weak, impotent, and insufficient, men are, to that which is good, which may be meant by this phrase; being as weak as a spire of grass, not able to do any good actions, much less to fulfil the law, or to regenerate themselves, renew their hearts, or cleanse their natures: and this must be said, to abate the pride of men; to show the necessity of divine power in regeneration; to instruct men to seek for the grace of God, as to convert them, so to help and assist them in all they do; and to direct them to ascribe all they have, and are, to the grace of God; to this purpose the Apostle Peter quotes this passage, Pe1 1:23. It may be applied to the ordinances of the legal dispensation, and all the privileges of it, which are said to be carnal; and trusting in them was trusting in the flesh, Phi 3:4, Heb 9:10, these were weak and insufficient to justify, sanctify, and save, and were not to continue: and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; all the goodliness and glory of man; all that is excellent and valuable in him, or belonging to him, Or that is thought to be so, his riches, honours, strength, beauty, wisdom, and knowledge; yea, all his seeming holiness and righteousness; which are all fading and perishing, like a gay flower, which appears lovely for a while, and on a sudden falls off, or is cropped, or trampled upon; to which a flower of the field is more liable than that of the garden. This may be applied to the splendour of the legal dispensation, which is done away by a more excellent glory taking place, Co2 3:10.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
40:6-8 All humanity is mortal and fleeting. By contrast, God persists in his plans and succeeds. Time does not limit him from carrying out his will (see 14:24). 40:6 Shout: So that all can hear. • People are not worthy of the revelation of God’s glory because they are mortal.