Although the seed of Abraham according to the flesh has always been a rebellious house, yet God has covenanted that he will yet again bless them wonderfully with his favor and use them as a blessing to others. The special blessing will come through the spiritual Israel (Christ and his little flock) upon representatives of the fleshly seed, who at that time will be in favor again, and more ready than others for the blessings and terms of the New Covenant, then to be thrown open to all mankind. These, receiving the favor first, will become the mouthpieces and channels of that New Covenant blessing to others.

For centuries fleshly Israel has been desolate and without divine favor -- ever since their rejection of Messiah, when he said, "Your house is left to you desolate." (Matthew 23:38; Luke 13:35) Their career previously had been a period of favor; for though they had suffered much and often for sins, God cared for them and heard their repentant cry and brought them back again to the land of promise. Their chastisement with favor lasted from the death of Jacob, where their national history began until our Lord in A.D. 33 pronounced their sentence. And this lesson (Isaiah 40:1,2) with other prophecies tells us that when a like period of chastisement without favor shall have passed, Israel will be restored to divine favor.

The exact turning-point of Israel's favor is clearly marked by Scripture (Zechariah 9:9-12). The Prophet, after describing our Lord's entry into Jerusalem on the donkey the very day he said, "Your house is left to you desolate," says: "Even to-day do I declare that I will render double [Hebrew, mishneh, a second portion, a repetition] unto thee." (King James Version) Many translations render this "restore double" instead of "render double." This would make it appear that a double restoration of grace would be restored to Israel, rather than a second portion consigned to disfavor. Yet the contextual application shows that Israel was not restored when Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, but rather that Israel, represented in Jerusalem was left desolate. Only a remnant of Israel put faith in their Messiah, so as to receive the election of grace. (Romans 11:5) Thus the King James Version renders this more correctly, showing that as Israel had a period of favor, now she was to have a period of disfavor.

The Prophet Jeremiah had also predicted the same thing, and described it as a season of unmingled disfavor, as it surely has been ever since their rejection of Messiah. He said, "Therefore will I cast you forth out of this land into the land that you have not known, NEITHER YOU NOR YOUR FATHERS [the land to the north: Europe, Russia, etc -- their fathers had been in Egypt and in Babylon, but never in Europe]; and there shall you serve other gods [elohim, rulers] day and night; for I will show you no favor." (Jeremiah 16:13.) The next four verses show that they will not forever remain cast off, but that they shall be regathered and blessed; but he adds: "First I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double." (Jeremiah 16:18) The prophecy is written in such manner that Yahweh could not be referring to the 70 years captivity of Jerusalem in Babylon, for Jerusalem was already a servant of Babylon, and Babylon was not an unknown land to Judah. The scripture says they would be dispersed "into the land that you have not known, neither you nor your fathers." Abraham, their father, had come from Ur of Chaldea (Babylonia). His Grandson, Jacob, had come from Syria. (Deuteronomy 26:5) Therefore the Babylonian captivity did not find them in a land unknown to their fathers. Not only is the place of their dispersion different, but the time involved is greater than the 70 years of desolation.

Many Bible Students believe the time of favor began with the death of Jacob , believed to have been in 1814 BCE (1813.75 years BCE) and ending in 33 (32.25 years) CE, thus making a total of 1845 years. Therefore it is believed that there should be a like period of time as a period of disfavor, and that 1845 years after 33 CE (1878 CE) should begin to see some sign of return of favor to Jerusalem.

And now the Prophet (Isaiah 40:1,2), taking the standpoint of the end of this "appointed time," when favor is being returned to Israel, says, "Comfort you, comfort you my people, says your God. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry to her, that her warfare [affliction] is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Yahweh's hand double for all her sins."

Thus we find Jeremiah from the standpoint of the past predicted this "appointed time" of chastisement and promising deliverance at its close; Zechariah pointed out the very day when it began; and Isaiah gave the comforting message to be delivered at its close.

Isaiah 40:3 -- The voice of one who cries, Prepare you in the wilderness the way of Yahweh; make level in the desert a highway for our God.

But who is to deliver these comforting words? Verse 3 shows that it is one like John the Baptist, and like Elijah -- "The voice of one crying in the wilderness." In Matthew 3:1-5; Mark 1:1-5 and John 1:19-23 the work of John the Baptist is presented as a fulfilment of this, as he proclaimed the message to the people to prepare the way of Yahweh. This was accomplished by his preaching repentance and their repentance toward Yahweh. That John the Baptist, who cried in the wilderness of Judea and introduced Christ at his first advent, was only a partial fulfilment of this prophecy is clearly shown by our Lord's reply to the inquiry in many minds whether John were the Elias that should come before the great and notable day of the Lord, or not. Jesus said, "If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah [in the spirit and power of Elijah -- Luke 1:17], who is to come." (Matthew 11:14.) But Israel did not receive John the Baptist as Elijah, nor did they receive the Messiah [the anointed representative of Yahweh], who then offered himself to them as their King, whose presence John heralded. And therefore their unrecognized and rejected King departed and their house was "left desolate" until he should come again in glory and power, when again his presence must be heralded by another who shall come in the spirit and power of Elijah -- another "Voice" crying in the wilderness, "Prepare you in the wilderness the way of Yahweh; make level in the desert a highway for our God.."

Footnote to the above paragraph: crieth in the wilderness--So the Septuagint and Mt 3:3 connect the words. The Hebrew accents, however, connect them thus: "In the wilderness prepare ye," &c., and the parallelism also requires this, "Prepare ye in the wilderness," answering to "make straight in the desert." Matthew was entitled, as under inspiration, to vary the connection, so as to bring out another sense, included in the Holy Spirit's intention; in Mt 3:1, "John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness," answers thus to "The voice of one crying in the wilderness." MAURER takes the participle as put for the finite verb (so in Isa 40:6), "A voice crieth." The clause, "in the wilderness," alludes to Israel's passage through it from Egypt to Canaan (Ps 68:7), Jehovah being their leader; so it shall be at the coming restoration of Israel, of which the restoration from Babylon was but a type (not the full realization; for their way from it was not through the "wilderness"). Where John preached (namely, in the wilderness; the type of this earth, a moral wilderness), there were the hearers who are ordered to prepare the way of the Lord, and there was to be the coming of the Lord [BENGEL]. John, though he was immediately followed by the suffering Messiah, is rather the herald of the coming reigning Messiah, as Mal 4:5, 6 ("before the great and dreadful day of the Lord"), proves. Mt 17:11 (compare Ac 3:21) implies that John is not exclusively meant; and that though in one sense Elias has come, in another he is yet to come. Jamieson, Robert, D.D. "Commentary on Isaiah 40". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible". http://www.studylight.org/com/jfb/view.cgi?book=isa&chapter=040. 1871.

As John the baptizer came announcing the presence of the Messiah at his first advent, so those who are enlightened of the followers of Messiah, announce his presence at his second advent. The wilderness condition is still here; and our proclamation of his presence generally goes unheeded by both Jew and Gentile. Thus a class of earnest Christians, in the spirit and power of Elijah -- an uncompromising and fearless spirit, and armed, like Elijah, with the power of divine truth -- are now crying in the wilderness (for all such are in the wilderness condition, separate from the world and the worldly minded nominal Christians), "Prepare you the way of Yahweh." And all who have this spirit of Elijah, and who have also the knowlege of truth concerning the proximity and glorious character of the Kingdom of God and of the presence of Yahweh's Anointed who is even now setting up his Kingdom -- all such constitute the Elijah that was to come -- the Voice in the wilderness, whether uttered audibly or through the printed page declaring God's wonderful plan of the ages and announcing Messiah's second presence.

The scripture says: "Prepare you... the way of Yahweh." The message is to the people: Prepare you (plural in the Hebrew), thus indicating that the ones preparing the way would be more than one person, that is, as applied to the first century, it was those who responded to John's message by repentance. Likewise, here in the end of the age, a call for believing Christians to repent from dead works; come out of Babylon, etc., that the way of Yahweh may be prepared; that a people may be prepared for his kingdom. The Kingdom of Messiah -- the anointed one of Yahweh, offered typically to the Jews eighteen centuries ago, is now about to be inaugurated in power and great glory.

Thus we see that the work of John the Baptist was only a foreshadow of the greater messenger, the church. The work of the head and body of the the anointed [the christ] continues to the end of the millennium. -- See 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; John 6:57; 5:30; 10:28.

Make level -- Even as Jesus' first advent did not fulfill all the prophecies pertaining to him, this prophecy is not fully fulfilled in the work of John the Baptist, but awaits its greater fulfillment in the end of the Gospel age, when the people in Christendom need to be told to repent.

A highway -- A prepared way for our God; a people must be prepared through repentance toward Yahweh before the kingdom of the Messiah (Yahweh's anointed one -- the one appointed as Yahweh's representative) can be established.

Isaiah 40:4 -- Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain:

Verse 4 pertains mostly to the millennial age, the thousand years of Messiah as mediator of the new covenant, in the judging and blessing of all the families of the earth. Every valley -- the lowly, the humble -- will be lifted up; while every mountain, or the high, proud ones will be made low, meek, teachable, for their own good. The crooked, uneven characters will be made will be justified, made straight, as they pass over the highway of holiness. -- Isaiah 35:8; Hebrews 11:23.

Isaiah 40:5 -- and the glory of Yahweh shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.

At Jesus' birth, Yahweh's glory was seen when the angel announced Jesus' birth to the shepherds. (Luke 2:9) When Jesus returns, he says he will come in the glory "of himself, of the Father, and of the holy angels." -- Luke 9:26

In the age to come, all flesh, all mankind, will see -- understand, appreciate -- the glory of Yahweh in his beauty of holiness, kindness, love. This glory will be revealed through the kingdom agencies of Christ and his church -- the saints. The majesty of Yahweh's righteous character and government appears to all people in the establishment of Yahweh's kingdom through his Messiah and the saints upon the entire earth. -- Daniel 2:44; 7:14,22,27; Acts 17:31; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Philippians 2:9,10; Revelation 20:4,11.

It can be said with propriety that Messiah will sit upon the Throne, or Kingdom of Yahweh, as Saul, David and Solomon sat upon the throne of Yahweh in the kingdom of Yahweh. -- 1 Kings 1:48; 1 Chronicles 13:8; 28:5; 29:23.

The glory of Yahweh is revealed to all the world -- including the dead who are raised from hades, in the Millennial age, when the present blinding veil of darkness through Satan is removed. -- 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9; 20:1-3,12,13; Isaiah 2:2-4; 25:7.

The revealing is through The Christ. (Romans 16:27) After mankind has learned the lessons of the present sun of vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2,13; Romans 8:20), then he who spoke to the raging Sea of Galilee will likewise, with the authority of Yahweh, command the raging sea of human passion (Isaiah 5:30; 57:20; Luke 21:25; Revelation 17:15), saying "Peace! Be Still!" -- Psalm 107:27-30; Matthew 8:26; Luke 8:24; Mark 4:39

The people will then see the glory of Yahweh, that is, recognize God's gracious love more and more each day. The truth of the ways of Yahweh will be made plain. -- Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:9; 29:18,24; 35:5,8

Isaiah 40:6,7 -- The voice of one saying, Cry. One said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the glory of it is as the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of Yahweh blows on it; surely the people is grass.

Again today a message is being proclaimed in the end of this age: All flesh is grass. What does this mean? The present life of humans is like grass that fades. Man's present life is very short, due to the reign of sin and death. (Job 14:1,2; Psalm 90:5,6; 102:11; 103:15,16; Romans 5:12-19; James 1:10; 1 Peter 1:24) Part of the present message of the Good News of the Kingdom as proclamed in the end of the age is the truth concerning God's purpose for allowing suffering, evil, upon the human race. (Matthew 24:14) The proclamation of this Kingdom message here in the end of the age is part of the fulfillment of this prophecy.
See our study on: "Why God Allows Suffering and Wickedness"

God's spirit -- ruach -- here corresponds with Psalm 103:16, where ruach is translated in the King James Version simply as "wind". The wind of Yahweh in this present age is his condemnation, his wrath, which executes the sentence of death. When the grass withers, it ceases to exist; thus mankind enters the condemnation of sin -- cessation of existence as a sentiency: "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 5:12-19; 6:23)

But even greater, the spirit of Yahweh will bring an end to this entire system of things. The spirit of righteousness of God through Jesus, sent forth, will cause the day of trouble in which all the institutions and works of humanity will wither as grass.

Isaiah 40:8 - The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God shall stand forever

Yahweh's Word is settled in heaven; and his judgment is infallible on earth. All who oppose his plan will fade in the great Day of Wrath which will burn as an oven. The Word of our God shall stand for ever -- Shining more and more brightly down to the very end of the Millennial age, and once in full brightness, it will shine even forever. Everything that Yahweh has spoken will be proven to be true; his Word will then will stand for all eternity as the standard of truth. -- Psalm 119:89; Roman 9:20; Isaiah 55:11; Psalm 37:5.

Isaiah 40:9 -- You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain; you who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength; lift it up, don't be afraid; say to the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!

On a high mountain get thee up, O Zion, Proclaiming tidings, Lift up with power thy voice, O Jerusalem, proclaiming tidings, Lift up, fear not, say to cities of Judah, `Lo, your God.' -- Young's Literal Translation

Here the message changes to one of encouragement to God's people in the time of trouble. (Psalm 46) They need not be afraid, and must boldly proclaim to the people of nominal Judah: "See your God" -- take note of your God. He is about to come with a strong hand, and his arm (his servant Jesus) will rule for him. -- see verses 10,11; Acts 17:31; Isaiah 53:1

When men's hearts are failing them for fear and for looking forward to those things coming upon the earth [society], the people of God may rejoice and lift up their heads, knowing that their redemption at the same time is drawing nigh. (Luke 21:26.) In this day while we see trouble all around us the Lord will feed his people with the light of truth. Today fear grips the hearts of mankind everywhere, as foretold by our Lord. (Luke 21:26) The saints, however, need to not be afraid, and must boldly proclaim to the people of nominal Judah: "See your God" -- take note of your God. He is about to come with a strong hand, and his arm (his servant Jesus) will rule for him. -- see verses 10,11; Acts 17:31; Isaiah 53:1

The World English translation would have someone proclaiming this good news to Zion, whereas Young (and many others) make Zion as the one doing the proclaiming. Looking at Jay Green's interlinear, it appears that the World English Bible translation could be correct. Regardless, this part of this prophecy shows that that while "one" is spoken of earlier (and we have shown that this "one" is applied to John the Baptizer in the first century), it is actually each individual who is given the commission to proclaim the good news that is being referred to. As applied to the end of the age, the saints are told to speak to the cities of Judah, not just natural Israel, but the cities of nominal spiritual Judah, who claim a convenant relationship with God. The enlightened saints here at the end of the age are told to go up on a high mountain. In other words, don't hide the good news of the kingdom! -- as many often do. Let the preaching of the kingdom be put in a prominent position in your life so that this good news can be seen by the tribes of Judah -- those in the denominations of nominal spiritual Judah. (Matthew 6:33) The time has come, not to be sluggish, but to bring the glad tidings to the people, actively preaching the word.

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We present the following links to related discussions, although we may not agree each and every statement found in these documents:
http://www.agsconsulting.com/htdbnon/r81b.htm
See:
http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/Elijah%20-%20Type%20And%20Antitype%20-%20Smith.htm
http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/proph01.htm