Isaiah 40:26-27
These are notes from two consecutive
Wednesday night Bible studies. I am
including them to add a little variety—and because the message is always
relevant.
Twice we are invited to look
skyward. The first is an invitation to
consider the evidence of God’s great power revealed in the sky. The second invites us to imagine soaring in
that sky.
Look up at the sky!
Not long after we moved here Jerry
Olds invited us to visit a well that was likely to come in soon. I’m not sure exactly where we went but it was
some distance outside the city. I
remember the experience in part because it was the first time, since leaving
the Panhandle, that we could really see the stars. In case you don't know, the stars really are "bright deep in the heart of Texas."
Living in the days before pollution
and a street lights on every corner, Isaiah could look up to the sky above his
homeland. Like the psalmist (Psalm 19), he could
point to the sky and say, “Let’s learn something about God.”
Who created all these
heavenly lights?
While the text doesn’t use the word
“stars,” it’s reasonable they are the “heavenly lights” Isaiah is referring
to. The question was asked with no
expectation of any saying, “Well, they just happened” or “What do you mean
created, they’ve always been there?”
His listeners would have known the
words with which the Torah begins: “In the beginning, God created the heaven
and the earth….” But God is not simply
involved in their creation; he continues to be involved in their functioning.
He is the one who
leads out their ranks;
Isaiah‘s listeners were not
astronomers but they probably observed the stars, knew that some stars appeared
in one place during part of the year and in another place during another part
of the year. Although mentioned only
once in the Bible, they appear to have named some of these star clusters
(constellations) and had assigned legends to them.
This phrase seems to picture God
leading the stars out each evening as if they were a mighty army of light.
The Message carries the army imagery
further in paraphrasing the passage this way.
Who marches
this army of stars out each night,
counts them
off, calls each by name
—so
magnificent! so powerful!—
and
never overlooks a single one?
he calls them all by
name.
Each year when Christmas approaches
you begin to hear the ads from the International Star Registry. For a fee, you can name a star for someone;
that name will be registered and the honoree will receive a nice certificate
with a description of where to find his or her star on the stellar map. All that implies that there are thousands of
unnamed stars. Yet, Isaiah says God
calls each of these stars by name. We
may not know them but He knows them.
We think of Jesus describing the
ideal or good shepherd: “the sheep hear
his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” This is because ““I am the good shepherd. I
know my own….” The Good Shepherd knows you; he hasn’t forgotten you in your
trouble or your challenging situation.
Because of his
absolute power and awesome strength,
not one of them is
missing.
Isaiah’s listeners knew nothing
about supernovas or dying stars and that doesn’t change the imagery of God’s
superintendence of the heavenly bodies.
Nothing happens in the heavens beyond his power or beyond his
knowledge. Better than the best carnival
juggler, God keeps the heavenly bodies in motion.
But, so what?
Why do you say, Jacob,
Why do you say,
Israel,
The prophet answers that
question. We don’t want to place too
much emphasis on Isaiah’s used of both “Jacob” and “Israel.” Historically, the two names applied to one
person; nationally, both were used for the nation. This may have just been a rhetorical device.
Still, it’s tempting to observe
that “Jacob” tried to fulfill God’s promise according to Jacob’s time-table; he
was willing to deceive to accomplish his goals rather than trusting God. “Israel” was known for its complaints about
God; again, failing in trusting God.
These qualities fed the impulse to make
the following complaint.
“The Lord is not aware
of what is happening to me,
My God is not concerned with my vindication”?
The question assumes God to be both
ignorant and indifferent. But God is not
like that. The God who so carefully
looks after the stars, doesn’t remain indifferent or ignorant of what is
happening to the people he loves.
Jesus would ask, “Behold the birds
of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns;
and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they?”
Yet, despite being reminded of
God’s power each evening, some began to question God’s love. Some began to wonder if things had gotten out
of control.
The implication is that God does care. Here, Isaiah is speaking of God recalling
the people’s cry for justice. We may
sometimes face other trials we believe God has overlooked. But we should remember God is meticulous in
his providential care.
What prompts us to forget? How can we better remember?
Isaiah 40:28-31
Verse 28: Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is an eternal God,
the Creator of the whole earth.
He does not get tired or weary;
there is no limit to his wisdom.
This verse helps us transition from
one image to another.
The prophet has been extolling the
power of God. This power is portrayed in
nature and in history as God providentially controls the very stars and
promotes or demotes earthly rulers. Such
power is unmatched.
The pointed questions imply the
prophet’s hearers should know. If they
had been paying attention, they would have known all this about their God. Christians who have long heard the stories of
the Incarnation, Easter, Jesus’ miracles should know about the depth of God’s
love and power. But sometimes we
forget. God’s great power is wondrous to
think about; God’s wisdom is so profound we can never be in a situation he
does not understand. That should energize us.
In fact, the prophet now says
Yahweh shares his power with those who trust him.
Verse
29: "He helps tired people be
strong.
He gives power to those without it." (ERV)
The Voice paraphrase speaks across
generations: "God strengthens the
weary and gives vitality to those worn down by age and care."
Not everyone in Israel was guilty of turning
from God but everyone in Israel was experiencing the stress and strain of the
judgement hanging over the nation.
Doubtless, it was wearying. It
must have also been draining for the godly to live in a culture that could be
described as "a people of unclean lips."
But, the prophet says God helps the tired and
the completely drained.
Think of the parents of a wayward child. They have done their best yet somehow the
child went off "to a far country." It isn't the parents' fault yet
they experience sleepless nights and tense days; they need strengthening to
keep going. Now, Isaiah says God
provides it.
He provides it because he knows us and knows
such an experiences of powerlessness is part of being human.
Vs 30 Even children become tired and need to
rest, and young people trip and fall
When we watched Kieren we were reminded of
how much energy a child can have: it sometimes seems boundless. He hits the ground running and after his
nap--taken over protest--he hops up, renewed and ready to go again.
The youth also seem to be filled with energy.
But sometime the energy will run out. The most energetic will need rest and
renewal.
Spiritually, Isaiah is speaking to those who
have run out of steam.
Vs 31 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.
The
prophet ends with the great promise to those who "wait on the
Lord." What does that mean? The core idea is to trust in God the exiles
might have grown weary in captivity but Isaiah insists their patience will be
rewarded.
Isaiah
gives three pictures of how this renewal will manifest itself--flying, running,
walking.
We
might reverse the order to build to a better climax but Isaiah lists the most
extraordinary activity first and the most commonplace last. Why?
--Sometimes
we need energy to fly. Maybe we need to
escape some situation.
--Sometimes
we need energy to run. We must move
swiftly to deal with a situation.
--Above
all we need energy to keep walking, day after day, week after week. We need the patience and the energy to keep
going.
What
have these verses meant to you?
