Isa 40:30-31 | KingComments | STEP | If God is so mightily exalted above creation, His creation, could He not help those in need? Would we be worried about the plans of rulers on earth if He governs them? Therefore now comes a message of comfort for the remnant that prophetically tells their experiences that they are going through in the time of the great tribulation ( ). The believing remnant is addressed here first as Jacob and then as Israel. This is to remind them of their origins, of the meeting of their ancestor with the LORD in Pniel ( ). That meeting changed Jacob’s life. There he becomes of a ‘heels holder’ – the meaning of the name Jacob – a ‘prince or warrior of God’ – the meaning of the name Israel. And when does that happen? It happens when he begs for mercy ( ). It seemed that God had given them up to the enemy and no longer thought of them. They thought that their way through the great tribulation was hidden from Him or overlooked by Him. But wouldn’t He, Who shows the planets their way, know their way? They thought that He had no regard for their justice and that He had handed them over to enemies full of injustice. But would He, who blows away rulers and governors, withhold the justice from His remnant who trusts in Him? The considerations expressed in this verse may also be ours. We ask ourselves: ‘Why does God allow it? Does He lack power? Is He not interested in us?’ The thought that He would leave them to their fate is unfounded. The double question of , the same as in , must also convince them of this. If we are overwhelmed by despair under the pressure of circumstances, we have to get back to the facts we accepted when we came to faith. We may also draw courage from our experiences of God’s mercies on previous occasions. He, the Creator of all things, is “the same yesterday and today and forever” ( ). With the same power with which He created the worlds, He is at our disposal. He never gets tired, let alone overtired. His understanding, too, is inscrutable and that is why He knows us and our circumstances. He not only knows our greatest trials, whether they come from within or outside us, but they are under His absolute control. He determines in His wisdom the time and manner of His intervention and our deliverance and that is different and higher than our wisdom. Instead of getting tired He gives strength to the tired ( ). What we must do is open our hearts to receive strength. He is always ready to give it to us when we undergo trials. Then He changes times of trial into times of blessing. His purpose is that we are aware of our own powerlessness, so that we appeal to His power instead of becoming desperate under oppression. Even the strongest cannot be sure that he will always be free of weariness ( ). That weariness can turn into despondency when the prospect of salvation and the view on the Savior are obstructed. An obstacle on his way can also make him stumble. A sudden event can lead to despondency. The only strength that is inexhaustible and keeps him from stumbling and falling is the awaiting looking up to the LORD ( ). Waiting for the Lord is not just a matter of patience or even desire, but above all that our hope for His outcome is characterized by trust. Then we go “from strength to strength” ( ), constantly drawing from the source of His power. With wings we rise above the difficulties, to rise above the fog and darkness of the earth and to come into the bright sunlight of God’s presence. A characteristic of “eagles” is that their plumage is regularly renewed. This is a beautiful picture of the drawing of new strength by those who wait for the LORD (cf. ). Other characteristics of an eagle are speed, sharp smell and a sharp eye. Going up is therefore not only that we rise above the difficulties, but also that we quickly gain insight into the will and the way of God with a sharp eye on Him Himself through faith. If that is our expectation, we will “run”, which assumes effort, but “not get tired”. We will also “walk”, which presupposes fellowship and “not become weary” of it.

‏ Isaiah 40:30-31

The Eternal God Gives Strength to the Weary

If God is so mightily exalted above creation, His creation, could He not help those in need? Would we be worried about the plans of rulers on earth if He governs them? Therefore now comes a message of comfort for the remnant that prophetically tells their experiences that they are going through in the time of the great tribulation (Isa 40:27).

The believing remnant is addressed here first as Jacob and then as Israel. This is to remind them of their origins, of the meeting of their ancestor with the LORD in Pniel (Gen 32:24-31). That meeting changed Jacob’s life. There he becomes of a ‘heels holder’ – the meaning of the name Jacob – a ‘prince or warrior of God’ – the meaning of the name Israel. And when does that happen? It happens when he begs for mercy (Hos 12:5).

It seemed that God had given them up to the enemy and no longer thought of them. They thought that their way through the great tribulation was hidden from Him or overlooked by Him. But wouldn’t He, Who shows the planets their way, know their way? They thought that He had no regard for their justice and that He had handed them over to enemies full of injustice. But would He, who blows away rulers and governors, withhold the justice from His remnant who trusts in Him?

The considerations expressed in this verse may also be ours. We ask ourselves: ‘Why does God allow it? Does He lack power? Is He not interested in us?’

The thought that He would leave them to their fate is unfounded. The double question of Isa 40:28, the same as in Isa 40:21, must also convince them of this. If we are overwhelmed by despair under the pressure of circumstances, we have to get back to the facts we accepted when we came to faith. We may also draw courage from our experiences of God’s mercies on previous occasions. He, the Creator of all things, is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8).

With the same power with which He created the worlds, He is at our disposal. He never gets tired, let alone overtired. His understanding, too, is inscrutable and that is why He knows us and our circumstances. He not only knows our greatest trials, whether they come from within or outside us, but they are under His absolute control. He determines in His wisdom the time and manner of His intervention and our deliverance and that is different and higher than our wisdom.

Instead of getting tired He gives strength to the tired (Isa 40:29). What we must do is open our hearts to receive strength. He is always ready to give it to us when we undergo trials. Then He changes times of trial into times of blessing. His purpose is that we are aware of our own powerlessness, so that we appeal to His power instead of becoming desperate under oppression.

Even the strongest cannot be sure that he will always be free of weariness (Isa 40:30). That weariness can turn into despondency when the prospect of salvation and the view on the Savior are obstructed. An obstacle on his way can also make him stumble. A sudden event can lead to despondency. The only strength that is inexhaustible and keeps him from stumbling and falling is the awaiting looking up to the LORD (Isa 40:31).

Waiting for the Lord is not just a matter of patience or even desire, but above all that our hope for His outcome is characterized by trust. Then we go “from strength to strength” (Psa 84:6-8), constantly drawing from the source of His power. With wings we rise above the difficulties, to rise above the fog and darkness of the earth and to come into the bright sunlight of God’s presence.

A characteristic of “eagles” is that their plumage is regularly renewed. This is a beautiful picture of the drawing of new strength by those who wait for the LORD (cf. Psa 103:5). Other characteristics of an eagle are speed, sharp smell and a sharp eye. Going up is therefore not only that we rise above the difficulties, but also that we quickly gain insight into the will and the way of God with a sharp eye on Him Himself through faith. If that is our expectation, we will “run”, which assumes effort, but “not get tired”. We will also “walk”, which presupposes fellowship and “not become weary” of it.