words without reserve.  At the end of verse 5, we must make a pause.  Heaven

waits for the servant of the Lord to obey the injunction.  When no response

is forthcoming,

'The Voice said "Cry"!' (Isa. 40:6).

This time there is a reply,

'And he said, What shall I cry?' (verse 6).

He follows this question with a reason.

As though he said:

'What is the use of telling this people about restoration and comfort,

all flesh is grass and to contemplate the fickleness and feebleness of

man, takes away all hope, and leads us to despair'.

'True replied the Voice, true, it is, that the grass withereth, and the

flower fadeth, but did I not conclude My message by saying

"The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it"?'

The fulfilment of Israel's restoration depends solely upon the grace

and power of God.  All flesh may be as grass,

'But the word of our God shall stand for ever' (Isa. 40:6 -8).

After speaking of the greatness of God, and referring to the raising up

of Cyrus as a deliverer (Isa. 41:25; 44:28; 45:1), the prophet looks down the

centuries and pointing to the Messiah says:

'Behold, My Servant, Whom I uphold; Mine elect, in Whom My soul

delighteth; I have put My spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth

judgment to the Gentiles ... the smoking flax shall He not quench ...

He shall not fail nor be discouraged' (Isa. 42:1 -4).

The word that is translated 'fail' in this passage is very different

from the one we have seen used in Psalm 77.  The word here translated 'fail'

is kahah, and is the very word used in verse 3 which is translated 'smoking'

as of dimly burning flax (margin).  The Septuagint recognizes this connection

for it translates the Hebrew word for 'fail' by analampo 'to shine out'.  The

word kahah is often used of the eye.  It is written of Moses 'His eye was not

dim' (Deut. 34:7), and of Isaac, that he was old 'and his eyes were dim'

(Gen. 27:1).  When Job lamented that his eye was 'dim', he says in the near

context 'my purposes are broken off' (Job. 17:7,11).  Once again does Isaiah

use the word, namely in 61:3 in a passage very parallel to Isaiah 40,

inasmuch as the Messiah proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord, comforts

them that mourn and gives a 'garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness'.

Israel had failed, and when the glad tidings of their restoration were

announced, it sounded to them like idle tales.  That was because they were

looking to the flesh which is as grass.  The purposes of the Lord however

are not dependent upon the arm of flesh for their accomplishment.  True, the

One Who shall bring forth judgment unto victory was a Man of flesh and blood,

but He was a Man unlike any other son of Adam.  He was the Word made flesh.

Isaiah 42 speaks of Him as the Servant, but immediately adds 'Whom I uphold'.

To see how this 'upholding' guarantees success, we need only turn to

the book of Exodus, where the battle with Amalek is described.  It is