Text: Isaiah 40:18-31
Introduction
The book of Isaiah is easily divided into three sections.
Part 1 Visions of Coming Judgments - chs. 1-35
Part 2 Historical Narrative concerning Hezekiah - chs. 36-39
Part 3 Visions of Comfort - chs. 40-66
Throughout all sections Isaiah portrays the coming of the
Messiah. Some of the favorite passages of this last section
include: 40:3; 48:16; 53; 55:1; 57:15; 59:1-2; and 61:1-2.
Judah was to be spared the fate of Israel; that of falling
into the hands of the Assyrians. She was however, to reap the
reward of her iniquity at the hand of the Babylonians then be
delivered from exile through the instrument of Cyrus, the
Lord's Shepherd (44:28 - 45:25).
The "Visions of Comfort" section of Isaiah deals primarily
with the blessings God has for his people after that great
captivity. Many of these blessings reach down to the
Messianic age and have their fulfillment in Christ and the new
Kingdom he would establish. Many spiritual blessings God
has for his people are clothed in the terms of the first
covenant (with which they would be familiar) and in the
metaphors of physical blessings ("the mountains shall drip
sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it").
These clear prophesies of Isaiah of the Babylonian exile
and return gave problems to skeptical critics of the last
century. They denied the unity of Isaiah in order to avoid this
predictive element. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
showing that the book of Isaiah existed as we now have it
hundreds of years before the time of Christ has been, I think,
the most remarkable archaeological discovery of this
generation.
Four Themes of Isaiah's Preaching
Basically there are four great themes that run throughout
the book:
1) The Jewish nation in its proud self-reliance and
corruption;
2) The faithful remnant, the true people of God, considered
as the object of the Lord's favor and protection;
3) The Babylonian exile and return stood as the most
important intermediate point between Isaiah and the
coming of the Messiah;
4) The advent of the Messiah, his person, character and the
redemption he brings.
The Setting
In the section of Isaiah called "Visions of Comfort" is a
wonderful passage about the greatness of God. The one God
of heaven is contrasted with the multiple idols made and
worshiped by men. The account of the fashioning of a graven
image (Isaiah 40:18-31) eloquently reminds men that these
gods are mere creatures of man's imagination.
Isaiah 40:18-31
18 To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
19 As for the idol, a craftsman casts it,
A goldsmith plates it with gold,
And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.
20 He who is too impoverished for such an offering
Selects a tree that does not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To prepare an idol that will not totter.
21 Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who sits above the vault of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
23 He it is who reduces rulers to nothing,
Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.
24 Scarcely have they been planted,
Scarcely have they been sown,
Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,
But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And the storm carries them away like stubble.
25 "To whom then will you liken Me
That I should be his equal?" says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power
Not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord,
And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God"?
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
29 He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
30 Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
[NASV]
The Text
Verses 18-20. God who is the creator of heaven, earth and
man cannot be compared to a god who is created by man! The
rich make their gods out of gold and silver, and even the poor
man will use the best wood he can afford.
Q-1 Thought Question: What is so foolish about an idol?
Verses 21-24. During the time of Manasseh, Hezekiah's
son, the nation was given so wholly to idolatry. Yet they had
been taught the truth by the ancients.
The real God doesn't just rule a valley, or a mountain, but
the whole earth is his and the universe his dwelling place. The
"curtain" refers to the fabric of a tent.
Q-2 What does verse 23 indicate about God?
Kings and rulers who oppose God will easily be subdued and
come to naught.
Verses 25-26. This entire discourse (ch. 40) by Isaiah
reveals the power of God in that he:
1. Measures the ocean in his hands (v. 12)
2. Measures out heaven with a short "tape-measure" (v. 12)
3. Measures out the dust of the earth (v. 12)
4. Weighs the mountains in a scale (v. 12b)
5. Cannot be instructed (v. 13-14)
6. Is incomparable (v. 15, 17, 18ff)
7. Names each star (omniscience) (v. 26)
Verse 27. The names Jacob and Israel are parallelism and
used to refer to the whole of God's chosen people. They should
not think God doesn't notice them or has forgotten them. The
replies of verses 28-31 show God can and will remember them.
Q-3 Do we sometimes act as thought we think God does not
notice? Do we sometime think He doesn't care?
Verses 28-29. Reproof for complaining. How different the
Living God is from all those idols!
Q-4 How could they have heard? What is the cardinal truth
they should realize?
Q-5 How might God accomplish the promise of verse 29?
It helps us to remember Philippians 4:13 and to know that it is
not of ourselves that we go out to do his great work.
Verse 30-31. The young are the most vigorous and capable
for hard work or for enduring a hardship, but on their own the
strongest couldn't make it.
The contrast is between what man can do and what God can
accomplish through those who have their trust in Him.
Q-6 What does "waiting" on the Lord encompass?
What a beautiful majestic picture the prophet paints here.
The eagle is often a metaphor for strength and vitality (Psalms
103:5). Rising swiftly ad soaring into the sun with ease. Those
in God will soar! They will run without tiring. We have the
same idea repeated three times, those who faithfully commit
themselves to the Lord and his word will find a great source of
strength the world doesn't have.
Some Lessons:
1. The greatness of the Living God is so incomparable that
idolatry is simply ridiculous.
2. The Mighty God controls whether rulers will remain a while
or be swept away.
3. The Everlasting God will give strength to those whose hope
is in Him.
SUPPLEMENT QUESTIONS:
1. Considering predominate subject matter, into what three
parts can the book of Isaiah be divided?
2. Isaiah is referred to as the ______________ prophet?
3. Politically, what did Isaiah foresee happening to the nation
of Judah?
4. What important discovery helped to refute liberal critics who
tried to fragment the book of Isaiah and attribute late dates
to parts of it?
5. Why did liberal critics try to reject the unity of Isaiah?
6. What are the four great themes of Isaiah's preaching?
7. That is the primary message.
8. What would a man too poor to have gods of gold do?
9. What are some pictures in this chapter of God's greatness?
10. What verses show that God will sweep away all rulers
who oppose Him?
11. How does the prophet poetically describe the renewed
strength of those who hope in God?
