When was the last time you experienced either a feeling from the Holy Spirit or you felt close to God? Or maybe you have felt an unusual closeness to Jesus. We can do all three every day when we read God’s Word, pray in Jesus’ name, and ask for the Holy Spirit to guide our lives. Read the Four spiritual Laws tact, found here in our prayer room (or see my article on this on my website). This three-some (Trinity) must be at the core of our beliefs and choose to put into our lives daily. Without the Trinity, no other “religion” is real or had God’s power, mercy, love, and most of all the Eternal Promise. In these passages, Isaiah does not identify clearly to which of these three about which he was talking. However, it is certain Isaiah was speaking of God, the Father. Of course, as we have studying in Isaiah on Wednesdays (to begin again this Wednesday 3/3), Isaiah does talk about all three in great details in his book, even predicting how the Messiah would be born, treated and crucified some 600+ years before it happened. There are some do not agree with me on the following, but I believe Isaiah was the greatest prophet of all times.
There was, however, a problem that needed to be confronted in Isaiah’s time that needed to be corrected. Many of the Jewish people who had been taken into exile all those decades ago, along with many who had been born and raised during the exile, had had their faith in God shaken and Isaiah 40:12-31 seeks to rectify this. These final 20 verses of chapter 40 thus prepare for chapters 41-48.
Read Isaiah 40:25-26
The book of Isaiah is centered on the Babylonian exile, which began in 586 B.C. when Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylonia destroyed Jerusalem and the temple and enslaved the Jewish people. The exile ended in 539 B.C. when Cyrus of Persia allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild their temple. The book of Isaiah makes it clear that Nebuchadrezzar was Yahweh’s (God’s) instrument to punish the Jewish people for their sins, and Cyrus will be Yahweh’s instrument to set them free. Everyone agrees that chapter 40 begins a new emphasis. Chapters 1-39 warn of God’s judgment if the people place their trust in secular rulers rather than in God. Chapters 40-55 lift up the promise of redemption for a people who are experiencing the judgment about which the prophet warned in the earlier chapters. Chapters 56-66 deal with the return of the Jews to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the city and the temple. Verses 12-26 promise that Yahweh has the power necessary to deliver his people.
Making and worshipping an idol is foolishness and a lie, because a manmade image can never truthfully represent the Eternal God. For a son of God, worshipping idols is irrational (and plain stupid) (Acts 17:29), to look to something physical as important or more important than God defies all wisdom. The way the world looks to physical objects is superstition (e.g. good luck charms, religious crosses, shrines.) From the second commandment, it is obvious that God expressly forbids the making of any representation of Him. Any such picture or statue is automatically a lie because, other than knowing that we are in His physical image as to form and shape, everything else that He is cannot be expressed in a mere physical depiction.
John 1:18 confirms this truth: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” God is unique; nothing compares with Him. There is no point of contact, no physical reference, to which a human being can compare Him, revealing the absolute folly of image-making. Even Jesus‘ declarations regarding God are never about what He looks like, but are all about His authority, position, purpose, character, and attributes. However, knowing the importance of His purpose to our lives, should we not strive to learn what He is like? God does not want us concerned about what He looks like, for that puts the emphasis in the wrong area. He gives us enough information for us to know that He looks like a man—and that is enough. However, He greatly desires that we know what He is. The entire Bible reveals His mind, character, attributes, offices, power, will, promises, plan, and relationship to us. The third commandment deals with these areas of study and application because they deeply affect the quality of our response to Him.
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Verses 12-24 open with a series of questions, such as, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,” that remind the exiles of Yahweh’s majesty. They say that “the nations are like a drop in a bucket” (v. 15) and the inhabitants of the earth, from Yahweh’s perspective, “are like grasshoppers” (v. 22). Many see verse (25) as starting the third part of Isaiah 40:12-31 but it does not appear to be a new rhetorical question, rather, it appears to merely repeat the opening question of the second part (see 40:18). For this reason, it should be taken as rounding out that section. The passage which this verse closes out began as follows: 18 To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? 19 The idol! a workman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts for its silver chains. 20 He who is impoverished chooses for an offering wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an image that will not move.
By basically repeating the opening question of this section verse 25 not only closes it out but also prepares for what follows: They invite the exiles to lift up their eyes to the heavens and to know that Yahweh knows every star’s name—that every star takes its place at Yahweh’s command (v. 26). The next verses will give these exiles a God’s-eye view—will assure them that Yahweh “calls them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power” (v. 26). The people are bidden to lift up your eyes on high and view the planets (hosts) and consider the greatness of his might and that he is strong in power. His might in power is manifested in the fact that not one of these planets is missing. In contrast to the stability of the planets the idol maker has to take care to use would that will not quickly rot, and ensure that the idol will be crafted in such a way that it will not move, i.e., topple during a victory procession (verse 20). The question who created these? should be seen as a polemic against the creation of idols mentioned in verse 18-19. Who created the wood, the gold, the silver that the Babylonians used to make things they called their gods?
Read Isaiah 40:27-28
Verses 27-28. Why says thou, O Jacob? The consolatory part of the prophet’s discourse begins at this verse, wherein the foregoing doctrine and prophecy are applied to the comfort of the church, complaining, amid her various afflictions, that she had been neglected of the Lord; which complaint makes the basis of the consolation contained in this period. Why dost thou give way to such jealousies concerning thy God, of whose infinite power, and wisdom, and goodness, there are such evident demonstrations? My way is hidden! He takes no notice of my prayers, and tears, and sufferings, but suffers mine enemies to abuse me at their pleasure. This complaint is uttered in the name of the people, being prophetically supposed to be in captivity. My judgment is passed over from my God. My cause- God has neglected to plead my cause, and to give judgment for me against mine enemies. Hast thou not known? Art thou ignorant, wilt thou not consider that the everlasting God who had no beginning of days, and will have no end of life; who was from eternity, and will be to eternity, and with whom therefore there is no deficiency, no decay; the Lord! Hebrew, JEHOVAH, the self-existent Being; the Creator of the ends of the earth, that is, of the whole earth, to its utmost bounds, and of all that is in it; faints not, neither is weary with the care of his church, or of the world?
He is not by age or labor became weak and unable to help his people, as men are wont to be; nor is the care of them any burden to him. There is no searching of his understanding His providence comprehends all things, and nothing is exempted from it: and the counsels by which he governs all the world, and, in an especial manner, the affairs of his people, are far above the reach of any human understanding. Therefore, we act ignorantly and foolishly if we pass a rash judgment upon the ways of the infinitely wise God. As verse 27 continues, since these things are so, thou hast no reason to think that thine interest (“way,” that is, condition, Ps 37:5; Jer. 12:1) is disregarded by God. Judgment is passed over, “My cause is neglected by my God; He passes by my case in my bondage and distress without noticing it.” my God—who especially might be expected to care for me. He does not undertake my cause, nor plead it against my enemies, or right my wrongs, and avenge the injuries done me, or deliver me out of the hands of those that contend with me. The answer to which complaint follows, and which clearly shows there was no just foundation for it.
Hast thou not known (v.28)? This is the language of the prophet reproving them for complaining of being forsaken and assuring them that God was faithful to his promises. This argument of the prophet, which continues to the close of the chapter, comprises the main scope of the chapter, which is to induce them to put confidence in God, and to believe that he was able and willing to deliver them. The phrase, ‘Hast thou not known? refers to the fact that the Jewish people had had an abundant opportunity of learning, in their history, and from their fathers, the true character of God, and his entire ability to save them. So many of these exiled people had 70 years to prepare and live for God, as told by Jeremiah twice, that they would be in captive that long. No people had had so much light on this subject, and now that they were in trial, they ought to recall their former knowledge of his character and remember his dealings of faithfulness with them and their fathers. It is well for the people of God in times of calamity and trial to recall to their recollection his former dealings with his church. That history will furnish abundant sources of consolation, and abundant assurances that their interests are safe in his hands. Again-Hast thou not heard? From the traditions of the fathers; the instruction which you have received from ancient times. A large part of the knowledge of the Jews was traditionary; and these attributes of God, as a faithful God, had, no doubt, constituted an important part of the knowledge which had thus been communicated to them. This makes hard for me to believe that any Jewish person can believe that Jesus is NOT the Messiah predicted by Isaiah. The everlasting God! The God who has existed from eternity, unlike the idols of the pagan! He was from eternity (John 1:1), he is unchangeable, and his purposes could not fail.
Read Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives power to the faint, to his weak and feeble people. This is one of his attributes; and his people, therefore, should put their trust in him, and look to him for aid (compare 2 Corinthians 12:9). The design of this verse 29 is to give consolation to the afflicted and down-trodden people in Babylon, by recalling to their minds the truth that it was one of the characteristics of God that he ministered strength to those who were conscious of their own feebleness, and who looked to him for support. It is a truth, however, as applicable there are truth inestimably precious to those who feel that they are weak and feeble, and who look to God for aid.
Verses 29-31. He giveth power to the faint. He hath strength enough, not only for himself, but for all, even the weakest of his creatures, whom he can easily strengthen to bear all their burdens, and to vanquish all their oppressors. The prophet seems to speak with an especial reference to those among God’s people whose faith and hope were very low, which he would support, even until their promised deliverance. Even the youths shall faint. Those that make the greatest boast of their strength, as young men are apt to do, shall find it fail them whenever God withdraws his support. But they that wait upon the Lord, that rely on him for strength to bear their burdens, and for deliverance from them in due time; shall renew their strength. shall grow stronger and stronger in faith, patience, and fortitude, whereby they shall be more than conquerors over all their enemies and adversities. They shall mount up on wings as eagles. Which, of all fowls, fly most strongly and swiftly, and rise highest in their flight, and out of the reach of all danger (the bird of our country). Bishop Lowth reads, They shall mount up and put forth fresh feathers, like the molting eagle; observing, “It has been a common and popular opinion, that the eagle lives and retains his vigor to a great age; and that, beyond the common lot of other birds, he molts in his old age, and renews his feathers, and with them his youth.’ Thou shalt renew my youth like the eagle, says Isaiah. The eagle extends his age to a great length, while the old feathers failing, he grows young by a new succession of feathers.
Even the youths shall faint. The most vigorous young men, those in whom
we expect manly strength, and who are best suited to endure hardy toil. They
become weary by labor. Their powers are soon exhausted. The design here is, to
contrast the most vigorous of the human race with God, and to show that while
all their powers fail, the power of God is unexhausted and inexhaustible
(v.30). The meaning is, that the most chosen or select of the human family –
the most vigorous and manly, must be worn down by fatigue, or paralyzed by
sickness or death; but that the powers of God never grow weary, and that those
who trust in him should That wait upon the Lord; that
rely upon him for strength to bear their burdens, and for deliverance from them
in due time.
Verse 31 (NIV)- But those
who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; shall grow stronger and stronger in faith, and patience, and
fortitude, whereby they shall be more than conquerors over all their enemies
and adversities. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; which
fly most strongly, and swiftly, and high, out of the reach of all danger. They shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint;
they shall be enabled to run or walk in their way as they please,
without any weariness. never become faint. “They shall put forth fresh
feathers as eagles” are said to renovate themselves; the parallel clause,
“renew their strength,” confirms this. The eagle was thought to molt
and renew his feathers, and with them his strength, in old age However, English
Version is favored by the descending climax, mount up—run—walk; in every
attitude the praying, waiting as a child of God who is “strong in the
Lord” (Ps 84:7; Mic 4:5; Heb 12:1).
This was and still is likely Barbara’s (my late wife) favorite verse. I have a large hanging cloth peace that was on my living room wall, with this verse Isa. 40:31, under I moved recently. It would be in my current room now, but it got put in storage cause of my unstable condition that prevented me from going to the moving date.
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