Isaiah 40:6-11

A voice says, “Call out.” then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; lift it up, do not fear. say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

In just six verses Isaiah uses two metaphors to make his point. In the balance of the chapter itself he uses at least five more. And what is his point?  It is that God is supremely great.  And us?  Well… let’s explore together….

All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. 

Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him.

How are we to motivate ourselves to announce good news from high places? What’s to announce when our transience has just been likened to a withering plant? If Isaiah would have left us uninformed as to a particular aspect of God’s nature, it would make more sense for us to cower as we anticipate our rewards and recompense.  But he hasn’t and I am referring to God’s compassion.

Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been removed.

Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

In God’s compassion he makes provision of strength (out of his own strength) to those who are weary, tired and stumbling;

The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, 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.

Isaiah has clearly established that like the grass we will wither and like the flower we shall fade. Even collectively we are nothing more than a drop in a bucket or a speck of dust on the scales. As this earth’s inhabitants we are like grasshoppers. It is true that when He blows on us we are carried away like stubble. God has made his point and asks;

To whom then will you liken MeLift 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.

Just as God can account for every star, how much more will he account for every son and daughter he has called into His family. It is true in one sense, that compared to God we are nothing. And yet in another, we can see that man is the object of this compassion which Isaiah has revealed to us. And we who have been favored as partakers of a New  Covenant further discover that we are even the objects of his affection!

God’s greatness which is inscrutable is not meant to crush us or cause us to cower. It should however fuel our awe and wonder and gratitude to have been elevated to such dizzying heights. Truly the sons and daughters of the kingdom shall be …..

those who wait for the Lord and 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.

Father, thank you that you have not come to us in anger but as a gentle Shepherd escorting each of us to safety in you. Thank you that, wrapped in your strong arms, not one of us will be lost. Thank you that we can live our lives out of your strength. As the One who has become our life, express Your life through us for your name’s sake. So be it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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