Isaiah 40:6

Isaiah 40:6 says, 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:  This verse and the next two refer to God’s word being spoken to the people.  Isaiah asked what he should cry.  He wasn’t just giving his opinion but was looking to God for the message.  When we witness to people today, it cannot be based on our opinion but must aways be based on God’s word as He leads us to the right words to say.  The message was that the people of is real were no more powerful than the grass of the field and all their goodliness was as a flower.  Sometimes, we think more highly of ourselves than we should.  We are still just a part of God's creation.

Verse seven adds, The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.  Isaiah said that just as God could wither the grass, so could He allow His people to be defeated because of their disobedience to Him.  God wasn’t just arbitrarily punishing the people of Israel, but they were being punished for their sins. 

Verse eight continues, The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.  I believe that God was saying that everything in this world is temporary but that His word is eternal.  For this reason, God’s word should always be more important to us than any earthly treasure if we are a part of His people.

Verse nine states, O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!  Isaiah called on the people of Judah and Jerusalem to go up on the mountain and call on people to behold their God.  They were not to cower in fear or quietly proclaim that they believed in God, but they were to do so openly and boldly.  This is still what we as Christians should be doing today.  There should never be a time we are afraid to proclaim that we follow God’s commandments and directions. 

Verse ten adds, Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.  Isaiah said that God's people needed to see that God was coming with a strong hand and that He would rule over them.  He would also be the One Who gave rewards to people and called them to His work.  God will accomplish His work with or without people doing it, but as followers of Christ, we are called on to do what He calls us to do.  When we know what God wants us to do, we need to do it willingly and with all our might.  We don’t work for rewards, but we work because we have been awarded salvation if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse eleven continues, He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.  Isaiah said that God would be like a good shepherd taking care of His flock.  He would gather the lambs, or young and defenseless ones with His arm and gently lead the ones with young.  God also expects His people to do the same thing with people of the world, especially the young and defenseless and expectant mothers.  I don’t believe that God ever expects us to send them away as burdens. 

Verse twelve states, Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?  Isaiah was basically asking who other than God could create everything that there is, and the answer would be no one. 

Verse thirteen adds, Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?  Isaiah then asked who directed the Spirit of God other than God Himself, or who taught the Holy Spirit how to counsel people, other than the heavenly father.  God is the source of all truth and wisdom, and we should never think that we are better prepared to handle any situation than He is.  We have the Holy Spirit indwelling us to counsel us, and we need to listen to what he says. 

Verse fourteen continues, With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?  This is just a continuation of the statement that God doesn’t need anyone to advise Him, nor is there anyone who can.  We just need to accept the truth of God without trying to add to or take away from it.  God is the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of everything, though mankind is the only part of creation that needed redeeming.