Isaiah 40:12-41 (v25-26)

The faithful God has spoken.  As with the first half of Isaiah 40, so with the last: the words are very comforting.  Verses 27-31 are often quoted as assurances of God’s help for the weak.  But we might ask, “Is God capable of doing all that He says He will do?”  We often make promises to our loved ones that we cannot keep because we cannot control our circumstances nor do we know the future.  What about God?  Does He have the sovereign power to back up His word?  The answer is a resounding YES!  

·        v12-14: Through a series of rhetorical questions God reminds Israel that He has needed no help, either in the distant past of Creation or in the on-going course of history.  Remember the “historical context”.  God has just delivered Jerusalem from the Assyrians.  He has told them a future, greater enemy will come (Babylon).  But in the end Israel will be comforted.  God has needed no help; He will need no help in the future.

·        v15-17: Israel in Isaiah’s day, and we today, often cannot see beyond the reigning authorities.  The biggest national bully gives cause for worry, fear and hopelessness.  But for God, the nations are “as nothing”.  He had most recently demonstrated this in dealing with Assyria.

·        v18-20: In the recent situation the God of Israel had been lumped together with the gods of all the others nations who had fallen to the Assyrians (Isa. 36:18-20).  God heard this blasphemy (37:5-7) and had shown the He was not to be likened to them!

·        v21-24: Not only are the nations unable to stop God from keeping His word; the great people of the earth likewise are unable to stand in His way.  The picture is graphic: “they will wither, and the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.”  

·        v25-26: God asks again, “To whom then will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal?”  He again reminds Israel of His work as the Creator, bringing out the stars by the greatness of His might.  His word stands forever (v8) because He is the sovereign Lord.  No one and nothing can stand in His way.

Now we note in v27 the “historical context” with which we can likely identify.  “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my just claim is passed over by my God.”  It is so easy to be overcome by our momentary circumstances or our limited thought about “when” God should keep His word.  Our finiteness and impatience may cause us to think our situation is hidden from Him.  But that is a lie.  Here is the truth about God by which those who wait on the LORD renew their strength:

The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.  His understanding is unsearchable.