Isaiah 40:21-22,27,31

Good tidings! That is what Isaiah 40 is about. It starts out: ‘Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’. It is a chapter of encouragement to the captive Jews in Babylon. Most of the content is focused on telling how great God is. Verses 12-14 list many ways in which the LORD is great beyond comparison. Verses 15-17 shows how little we are in comparison. Even the greatest nations on Earth are not even enough to burn as a sacrifice to God! (Verse 16). The chapter goes on in no uncertain terms as to the greatness and majesty of God. It is a complete contrast to the Gods of those days, who were thought to rule over one aspect of life. For instance, Ra, the sun god, or Anubis, the god of the dead. All their supposed gods ruled over only one aspect of life. Plus, they were embodied in works of man’s hands – statues and images. They were confined to Earth. But read verses 21 and 22:

‘Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads then out like a tent to dwell in.’ (Isaiah 40:21,22)

God is not confined to the earth! Indeed, He is not even confined to the heavens! He stretches out the heavens. That means He is outside them! He is more awesome than the whole universe. But we come back to why this is important. Why does Isaiah say this? We know this already, don’t we? ‘Have you not known? Have you not heard?’. Yes, we know! But Isaiah tells Israel again, because he wants to comfort them.

‘Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
And my just claim is passed over by me God”?’ (Isaiah 40:27)

Isaiah comforts them, by showing them that God is in control. God, who is outside time and space, who sits above the circle of the Earth, who counts the nations worthless, does not tire or grow weary – and He hears and responds to our every need. And it is in this context that we read the famous and comforting words:

‘But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.’ (Isaiah 40:31)

If God has infinite energy and strength, then is it not logical then to rely on Him for strength for every situation? For then, always we shall renew our strength. We won’t get tired of doing the daily things that need doing. Because we will do them for God’s glory, and that will satisfy us.

Today, let us go about every task relying on God’s strength. Let us remind ourselves constantly how great our God is.