Based on a series of sermons preached in PCC Prayer Meetings in 2020
6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: 7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. 8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever
Isaiah 40:6-8
God is, in our text, calling His servants to comfort His people. We saw previously that the basis of the call is the coming of the Messiah. We were also given a glimpse of the ministry of John the Baptist, whose voice prepared the people to receive the Messiah.
As we continue to study this comforting chapter, we see that there is another voice in verses 6-8. Who is this voice? What does this voice say?
1. The Voice
“The voice said, Cry” (v. 6a). Who is this voice? Now, the voice in verse 3 is, undoubtedly, John the Baptist. But this voice, here in verse 6, is a different voice, for it is a voice that addresses the preacher. Notice the response: “And he said, What shall I cry?” (v. 6b). Who is this ‘he’? Some translators and commentators suggest that it is Isaiah since the “he” can also be translated as “I.” However, if we retain our translation, it would appear that the “he” refers to John the Baptist.
But either way, it would appear that the voice is the voice of Christ. And the addressee is John the Baptist or Isaiah, and by extension, all who are called to preach the gospel.
Why do I say it is Christ? Well, it could be God or an angel, too, but I would suggest it is Christ because when the voice replies to John or Isaiah, beginning from the second part of verse 6, he refers to God’s word as the “word of our God” (v. 8).
Only Christ could properly command the preacher and also identify with him using the plural first-person pronoun. So, the Voice is not God the Father, and is unlikely to be an angel. We can be quite sure, then, that it is Christ, the God-Man, the Chief Shepherd of the flock, the Revelation of God, the Word of God, the Alpha and the Omega.
The implication of this conclusion is significant, as it reminds us that every faithful preacher is, in essence, a herald or spokesman for Christ. Thus, the apostle Paul, writing to a generation of Ephesian saints who had never met Christ, could tell them that Christ “came and preached peace to you” (Eph 2:17), and “ye have heard him, and have been taught by him” (Eph 4:21).
The message of comfort that is truly comforting for God’s people is not the message of preachers, no matter how eloquent or sympathetic they may be. Instead, it is the message of Christ our King.
But what message does He bring?
2. The Message
The message, simply stated, is that life in this world is temporal, whereas God’s Word is eternal.
“All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field,” says the Voice (v. 6). Let us understand that the word “flesh” does not only refer to the body. “Surely the people is grass,” says the voice in verse 7. Thus, the flesh here refers to persons in their totality. Man is like grass, here today and gone tomorrow. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit [or wind] of the LORD bloweth upon it.”
In Palestine, in May, just before the rainy season, a very dry wind originating from Arabia begins to blow over the land. The result of this wind is that most of the grass will dry up, and the flowers will die. Perhaps the Voice has this in mind as an analogy. Man’s life in this world is temporary. Soon, his life will be required of the Lord. Soon, he will have to give an account of his life to the Lord.
Therefore, the man who lives his life only for the enjoyment of the things in this present life will be sorely disappointed. His strength and beauty will fade like a flower. His enjoyment of personal significance—if he has any—is short-lived. His wealth is also temporary. He brought nothing into this world, and He will bring nothing out. And worse yet, he will have to give an account of his life to his Creator.
While man’s life in this world is temporary, the Word of God shall stand forever. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (v. 8). The only way that a man can live a life that is meaningful and permanent is to take heed to the Word of God.
The apostle Peter makes it clear that the Word referred to by Isaiah is none other than the gospel. He says:
“For 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” (1 Pet 1:24-25).
Notice how Peter is quoting from Isaiah 40:6-8? We must repent of our sin and believe in the gospel. We must believe in the Saviour appointed by the Father, or we will die and pass on in insignificance like dried grass and dead flowers.
Conclusion
What do all these things have to do with us? We have already considered how gospel preachers must serve as faithful heralds of Christ, and that true and lasting comfort can only be found by taking heed to the gospel of Christ.
These things are not new to any of us. However, I suspect that many of us are not affected by them or concerned about their significance.
Instead, we tend to gauge the quality of a sermon by how interesting and entertaining it is. And we continue to look for comfort in all the wrong places—in entertainment, medicine, sport, recreation, approval of men and possession.
Why is that so? That is so, I will suggest, precisely because we tend to live under the sun as if we are but flowers and grass. And we are too myopic to apprehend the fact that, like flowers and grass, we are here today and gone tomorrow.
Due to the corruption of our nature, we find it hard to resist the urge and temptation to fulfil the lust of our eyes, the lust of our flesh and the pride of life. And we find ourselves easily satisfied in these ways. However, when we find our satisfaction and significance in these ways, we not only fail to enjoy the heavenly blessings that God has apportioned for His children but also jeopardise our spiritual health and eternal blessedness.
It is like spoiling our appetite for good food and our enjoyment of good health by consuming and indulging in junk food.
But take heed! You may enjoy the sinful pleasures of the flesh today, but tomorrow the LORD will blow upon your life, and you will be required to give an account of your life.
Remember that you are not an animal. When an animal dies, that is the end of it. But you know in your heart of hearts that you have a soul and that you have to give an account unto God for your life one day.
You may hold the truth down so that you can enjoy life to the fullest in the way of the world. However, the bad news is that regardless of how you try to conceal the truth, your guilt will never truly go away. The feeling of emptiness in your heart of hearts cannot be filled. It cannot be filled simply because you have been trying to fill it in the ways of the world. You have done yourself a disservice by living as if you are a soulless animal that can be satisfied with the things of this world. But the fact is, you are not. You have a soul.
Your life is on loan from your Creator, God. Today is just a brief moment for you to prepare for eternity. Today is the day that God has appointed for you to get to know Him. And He has promised to meet you if you seek Him today. He makes no promise that He will meet you tomorrow. But today, if you go to Him, He will meet you. He will give you life. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2).
Oh, why would anyone choose to die?
The good news has been proclaimed. The sin of God’s people has been paid for at a great price. The Son of God laid down His life for His people so that their sins are forgiven.
Do you hear His voice? “My sheep hear my voice,” He says. “No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” says the Lord (Jn 6:65). And “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (Jn 6:37). Will you not, therefore, repent of your sin, your lusts and your shortsightedness? Will you not cry out unto Christ to save you and to give you the everlasting comfort that He promises all His people? Amen.
—JJ Lim