How Little We Know God (Isaiah 40:12-31)
Rev. Myung-Sin Choi
“12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him? 14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. 17 All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. 18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? 19 The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. 20 Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter. 21 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? 22 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 them out like a tent to dwell in. 23 He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. 24 Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. 25 'To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?' says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. 27 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 my God'? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 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.”
Introduction
I read a news article from an author, AL Michelle. He attended a church retreat with his friend but his friend became very sick so he called a doctor. During that storm, he had no choice but to help his friend who was sick and went through the dark forest, and at that moment, lightning struck. When the lightning struck, he got so shocked that he lost hold of his flashlight and couldn’t find it, and because of that, he became very afraid. He couldn’t go ahead because it was too dark to travel and he couldn’t return back as well. At that time, he thought that he needed to pray. At that moment, he started sincerely and earnestly praying to God. During that moment, his fear started slowly disappearing. After he prayed, he opened his eyes and at that moment, another lightning struck. But at that moment, he could start seeing the path that he needed to head towards. The lightning that he was afraid of, it became the light for him to find direction along the way. Because of the light from the lightning, he was able to find his way. I realized that God even works by lightning. Because he prayed, God gave him lightning and used it as His answer. We must know God. We read in today’s main scripture, Isaiah who recorded this, he was telling people that they really didn’t know God. Do you know God? If you know God, how much do you know God? I realized after reading this scripture, I realized that I didn’t know God enough. We must discover the content that reveals God. From the beginning, what was Isaiah saying? What is the difference between God and man? This was what Isaiah was starting off with.
1. Our Incomparable God
1) As compared to man
Verses 12-14 - The waters that God created, can man pull all of the water out of the sea? Even how well a man may be, he cannot pull all of the water out of the seas. This is the difference between God and man. Another difference is, can man measure the distance of the skies? This is what God was saying. Can you measure the weight of the mountains with the scales that you make as a man? No matter how advanced man may be, man cannot even weigh the mountains with the scales that they make? Man cannot even measure one hill.
Verse 13 - Man thinks that they are more wise and intelligent than God. This is impossible. This is proof that you are ignorant of God’s word and God’s existence. There is a mass shortage in semiconductors and you need to meet with numerous people to make this one product but God created the heavens and the Earth. Did God consult with anyone when He created the heavens and the Earth? He just commanded one command, and Earth was formed. This is the mass difference between man and God. We have no choice but to remain humble.
Verse 15 - The powerful nations during that time were Babylon and Assyria, and they were greatly feared but even if they were combined; they would be seen as nothing more than merely a drop in a bucket in front of God. In front of God, even mighty nations are like a drop in a bucket. They are nothing and merely dust in His eyes. Even though they may seem so powerful and great before man’s eyes but for God, they are nothing. They are like dust to Him. But these nations dared to stand against God.
Verse 16 - During that time, Lebanon had a lot of goats in their land at that time but even if they gathered all of the goats, it would be nothing before God. All of the blood sacrifices that they offered before God, it was nothing to God and not enough for God.
2) As compared to all nations
Verses 15-17 - Even these powerful and super nations may seem so great and powerful, they are nothing before God. Before God, they are seen in vain and empty. Why is that? They are all part of God’s creations. From here, we need to hold onto that darkness and fate of death is nothing before God. There is nothing that God fears.
Verse 18 - Who does man compare God to? In this world, there are so many idols that man created. If you had money, then you will make your idols out of gold and silver, if you don’t have money, then you will make your idol out of wood. The gods that man created, they would secure it so it wouldn’t fall down. They would stake their lives to worship these idols that could give them prosperity and wealth. But for God, this was seen as so unfortunate and frustrating.
2. As Compared to Man-Made Idols
1) Man's subject of worship
Verses 18-26 - Who made all of this? This was what God was asking. He was the one who created the heavens and the Earth.
Verse 22 - This is astounding. Where is God’s heavenly throne? Heaven is where God’s heavenly throne is. God was the one who created all of the stars and galaxies in the skies. God possesses everything, all of the galaxies and stars of the universe and beyond. No matter how powerful a nation’s army may be, they are nothing but merely like a grasshopper to Him.
Verses 23-24 - The rulers of the world do whatever they can to obtain their power and position but the moment God blows His mouth, then they will crumble in one instant. During that time, when God commanded one command for Assyria to be destroyed, in that moment, Assyria was destroyed. No matter how powerful a nation may be, if God blows on blow, then it will crumble down in one instant. The moment God blows, then there will be no trace of that nation whatsoever.
Verse 25 - The kings and people of Judah were claiming that God and their kings and idols were of equal status. Even the people of Judah thought that their kings were stronger than God.
God speaks again in verse 26 - God was speaking a powerful message. God was telling them to look up to the sky, look up at all of the stars and the vast universe, and there are so many stars up in the skies and beyond. And, it was God who created all of that. God was telling them this. God knows all of the names of the stars of the vast universe and beyond. Because God named them then that means that God knows all of them. This is an astounding message. Even though we may not see, there may be stars that are forming and dying at this time but God knows all of this. God knows everything that is happening in our universe and on the ground of this world. God with this great power, who can know this? We truly don’t know God. We may think presidents are strong but we are unaware of how strong God is. We see rich people but we don’t know how rich God is. This shows how much we don’t know God.
2) Faith of the Jews
Verses 27-30 - This is what God was telling to the people of Judah. But this is not only applied to the people of Judah but to all people. God does not lose hold of us. It may seem like God is not helping us or God is powerless. We may think that God is losing grip of us. We may also think that God doesn’t know our situation and doesn’t know how much we are suffering. At that time, the Israelites were in the midst of slavery and captivity. They were grumbling and saying that, if God is truly alive then why are we in the midst of captivity and slavery? They thought that God forsook them.
God gave them an answer at that time in verse 28 - God was asking them if they didn’t hear His word. Who is God? He is everlasting. He is the Creator and the everlasting God. He is the God who will always keep His promises. He is the God who created the whole world and universe. He is the One who is in control of all things. He is the God who created you. He is the One who raised you. Who raised you? It was God. God was telling them not to forget this. He is the controller of the entire universe and made all things, then nothing will tire Him. Another astounding message here is that God’s understanding is unsearchable. God knows all our situations and suffering, and everything. God’s understanding is limitless. In the midst of any problem or situation, God will be with you and guide you.
Verse 29 - This is amazing. God knows those who are weak, and will give them strength. He will give us wisdom when we are foolish. God will give us power when we feel tired and weak.
Verse 30 - We are so weak as humans that when we feel tired, we may fall down. But during that time, God said that He will give us power. The Israelites who lost all hope, God gave them this message. God knew that they were feeling weary and tired, and told them not to worry. Spiritually you may be struggling and you may feel physically exhausted, and God knows how powerless we are but God knows all of this. God who knows all of this, God gave us an answer.
3. Those Who Wait on the Lord
1) He increases strength
Verse 31 - The answer that God gave to those who are powerless and weary to wait on Him and have hope in Him. God’s answer to the Israelites who lost all hope, God told them to have hope. The same thing with us, God said to have hope in Him then we will receive new strength and soar on wings like eagles. Then, we can experience and receive the power of the heavenly throne. The power of the heavenly throne cannot be obtained through man’s power but only God can give it to us. This is the answer of 25 hours. So many people are suffering and wondering because of Satan and darkness but the only way out is to have hope in God. Those who have hope in God, then you will receive great strength and can start anew.
2) The strength to overcome the world
Acts 19:8, 10-11 “And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” - Paul was speaking about the gospel in front of the world that was in the midst of suffering. The important thing is that he went around preaching the gospel.
Acts 19:10-11 - In full concentration, he went around preaching the gospel for two years and people received the gospel with full heart. This is so powerful that anyone who heard the gospel, they all accepted Christ. The amazing power of God was coming upon Paul. God’s word was what was important. You have been so full with God’s word that the moment you speak of God’s word, works arise.
Acts 1:1, 3, 8 “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. 3 To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Hold onto this. This is the message that was given to us by the Triune God. If we pray with this message, then we can receive the great power of God. We can receive the power of the Triune God and the heavenly throne. Then, what must we hold onto?
Hold onto John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.' ” - The best way to proclaim the kingdom of God is through Christ. If we enter into Christ, then all of our fate, curses, and darkness will all be crumbled down. Why is that? The moment we enter into Christ, the power of Christ who is the True King, Prophet, and Priest enters into us. The power of God’s light comes inside of us so darkness cannot move or do anything before us. May we receive answers.
Conclusion
What must we do now? We must hold onto Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' ” - Repent and redirect, and turn towards God once again. If we do this then God will give us the gift of the Holy Spirit. May you receive this answer in the name of Jesus Christ.
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