CHEER FOR THE DESPONDING
Isaiah 40:26-31. Lift up your eyes on high, &c.
These encouraging assurances must have been of the highest value to the captive and disconsolate Jews in Babylon. Banished for so long a period from the land of their fathers, they were ready to fear that they were outcasts from God. And they are of the utmost value now, for even now the people of God are in times of trouble often tempted to take a dark and depressing view of God’s dealings and dispensation. Then let them consider the facts here brought before us.
I. In His providential government, God exerts on behalf of His children the same almighty power which at first created and still sustains all worlds (Isaiah 40:26-27). When by the aid of astronomy we attempt to conceive of the vastness of the universe, we are not only astonished, but confounded. Two thousand stars are said to be visible to the naked eye; but astronomers declare that there are 250,000,000 of them. What an evidence of the affluence of God’s creative energy! The same power that at first called them into being must be perpetually put forth in regulating their movements, sustaining their harmony, and controlling their mutual influences (H. E. I. 362–365). Surely, He whose eye can discern, whose arm upholds millions of worlds, can distinctly survey and effectually preserve and bless every individual of His redeemed family, without overlooking or disregarding the minutest of their concerns (cf. Isaiah 40:10-11; Luke 12:6-7; Philippians 4:6-7; Romans 8:28. H. E. I. 4015–4022).
II. In ordering the concerns of His people, God exercises the same wisdom which He displays in regulating the constitution and course of Nature (Isaiah 40:27-28). His wisdom is equal to His power. To Him causes and effects, tendencies and results, are alike known. The events both of the past and the future lie distinctly before Him (H. E. I. 2264, 2268). How great, then, is the encouragement to refer all our interests to Him with whom an error in judgment is a thing unknown, and a mistake impossible! (H. E. I. 4049–4057.)
III. God is pleased to impart ample and diversified communications of grace to those who wait upon Him. Of those who receive from Him renewal of strength it is said, “They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” These words seem to imply that there are those of whom all this elevation of spirit, buoyancy of heart, and untiring alertness in their prescribed course may be asserted. But there are many more to whom some one of these capabilities is imparted without the others.
1. The first part of the description presents to us a favoured class of devout worshippers, distinguished by fervour of spirit in their approaches to the throne of grace, so that they are enabled to soar far above this lower region of cares, fears, and turmoils into a higher and serener atmosphere, where they attain to more realising views of God in Christ, and more intimate, joy-inspiring, and transforming communion with Him. Such were Baxter, John Howe, Leighton, Watts, Doddridge, and other poets of the sanctuary who have aided the upward flight of redeemed spirits. There are such men still among those who here wait upon God.
2. There are other Christians, whose minds are less buoyant, whose affections are less fervid, and whose imagination is less vivid; but, by the grace of God, they run with persevering energy the race set before them, and are not weary.
3. There are others of whom it can only be said—yet, blessed be God, it can be said—“They walk and do not faint.” Their movement is less rapid than that of the former classes, but still they are making constant progress in the path of duty and safety. Some of them are aged, infirm, afflicted, or tried, harassed, and tempted; but still they look unto Jesus, and “He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no power He increaseth strength” (Psalms 69:33; H. E. I. 952–961, P. D. 474).
IV. Divine aid is necessary to support even the strongest. Without it, “even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.” There may be an allusion here to young men selected for military service, singled out as the most vigorous, active, and athletic. As even these cannot secure for themselves the continuance of their health and strength for a single day, so for vigour of faith, fervour in love, energy in obedience, we depend on the grace which renders us “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (H. E I. 2351–2358).
V. Divine aid is sufficient to strengthen even the weakest. From God comes the strength of the strongest, and in Him they trusted. David (Psalms 68:17; Psalms 71:16). Paul (2 Corinthians 12:5-10). In all times of need and depression, let us look to the same Helper; we shall not look in vain (H. E. I. 4789–4981).—H. F. Burder, D.D.: Sermons, pp. 262–278.
The Christian’s life is a continual warfare. Nor has he any strength but in God. He is prone to reflect more on his own weakness than on God’s power.
I. THE DISCOURAGEMENTS OF GOD’S PEOPLE.
1. Temporal afflictions.
(1.) Pain and sickness.
(2.) Losses and poverty,—sometimes rendered heavier by the unkindness of friends and calumny. Job sank for a time under their weight (Job 3:1; Job 27:2).
2. Spiritual troubles.
(1.) Corruptions of the heart
(2.) Unsuccessful conflicts.
(3.) Temptations of Satan.
(4.) Desolations of Zion (H. E. I. 1059–1062, 2457, 3398, 3949–3951).
II. THE SUPPORTS WHICH GOD WILL BESTOW.
God is never at a loss for means to succour His people (Isaiah 40:28).
1. He is not lacking in tenderness and compassion.
(1.) He has given them a sympathising High Priest (Hebrews 4:15).
(2.) Accepts their weak endeavours (Isaiah 40:31).
(3.) Infirmities are no bar to His favours (Matthew 12:20; H. E. I. 2313–2315).
2. He expects, however, that they “wait upon” Him.
(1.) Prayer is necessary (Ezekiel 36:37).
(2.) Effectual aid obtained by waiting (Deuteronomy 33:25). The drooping shall “mount up,” &c.; they that had utterly fallen shall “run;” they shall march onward in spite of all opposition; they shall never faint through want of strength or courage.
(3.) None shall be disappointed in his hope (Psalms 40:1-2).
III. PRACTICAL APPLICATION.
1. To those who bless themselves that they have never felt such discouragements. Such ignorance argues an utter ignorance of true religion (Galatians 5:17).
2. To those who are now discouraged. Though the sources are many from whence difficulties arise, God is an all-sufficient Helper to those who trust in Him (2 Corinthians 12:10; Philippians 4:13). They shall soon be able to attest the truth of the prophet’s assertion (Isaiah 30:18).—Charles Simeon, M.A.: Skeletons, pp. 202–204.
This is the language of Isaiah’s despondency and consolation.
Sorrow may be said to be the heritage of us all. God never intended man’s life to be a perpetual song. He made the roses and the thorns, the sunlight and the shadows. But to all who either feel or utter the prophet’s lament God sends the prophet’s consolation.
I. GOD’S POWER IS THE COMFORT OF HIS PEOPLE.
The problems of our life have no solution if we turn away from God. Life, when we turn to God, is never cruel and hard, however full of trial it may be. God has surrounded us on every side with reminders of what He is.
1. His power is painted on the sky.
2. His power is seen on earth.
II. GOD’S TENDERNESS IS, &c.
This is seen rightly only in conjunction with His greatness. We see the tender in contrast with the mighty. “The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,” stoops to give power to the faint. Tenderness is strength in gentle action. Gentleness is not weakness, but calm, quiet, loving strength. The Great Father has also a mother’s tenderness (P. D. 1499). He giveth power to the faint. Not He gave; not He shall give; but He giveth (H. E. I. 2304). HE GIVETH!—that is God’s name. He who fainteth not is drawn to those who do faint; and to the faint He giveth power. There is nothing so mighty as the faintness and weakness which takes hold of the Divine strength. It has omnipotence behind it (2 Corinthians 12:9).
In Christ how is this character given Him by the prophet confirmed? Strong to exorcise devils, yet how tender with His disciples’ faults; strong to still the storm, yet so touched by His disciples’ trouble; strong to raise the dead, yet so tender to weep tears of natural sorrow (H. E. I. 951–961).
III. GOD’S WISDOM IS, &c.
“There is no searching of His understanding.” This is not to say much if it only means that we cannot search it; but there is no searching of it. God’s infinite wisdom is to us the needful complement of His infinite power.
CONCLUSION.—We cannot understand, but God knows all. Some plan there is in our changeful life. We can only rest in the thought of His wisdom, His tenderness, His power.
And Christ! He is the wisdom of God, the love, the tenderness of God. Away from Christ, there is no certainty, no rest; and hope is quenched in darkness.—Henry Wonnacott: Christian World Pulpit, vol. xvi. pp. 180–182.
SPIRITUAL DESPONDENCY
Isaiah 40:27-31. Why sayest thou, O Jacob? &c.
Here is no mere utterance of the complaints of the people; for although the more earnest Jews of the day doubtless did feel that God had forsaken them, the prophet had felt it with the keenest agony. Consider the circumstances in which Isaiah was placed when the text was written.
1. He had been prophesying for fifty years with but few glimpses into the splendour of the future, and without any indications in the people of the beneficial results of his mission.
2. Imagine now his position. Summoned to prophesy with the strange warning that his words would harden the people (chap. Isaiah 6:9-10), he had found for half a century the truth of that mysterious commission. He had seen words both of the most awful woe and of the tenderest love alike fail to rouse the people from their dreams. Invasion after invasion swept over the land; he had just seen the people panic-stricken at the approach of the dread Assyrian army; had beheld their hosts wither in a night before the breath of the Destroyer. Another and darker invasion, which would carry them captive to Babylon, had shaped itself before his prophetic eye. Must not the grey old man have been more than human if he had not been tempted, in some moments, to cry in utter gloom, “The Lord has forgotten me?”
3. In the midst of that deep depression, the new revelation, which begins with a shout of joy in this chapter, opened before him in its glory. The old question came back, with its grand reply, “Why sayest thou?” &c. We have three points before us—
I. ISAIAH’S DESPONDENCY.
It arose from a twofold source.
1. The sense of a Divine desertion: “My way is hidden from the Lord.” Just because the most earnest of the people felt the absence of God from the nation, he felt it far more intensely. Many men have had the same experience. If we are Christians, we shall know it sooner or later.
2. The absence of Divine recompense: “My judgment is passed over from my God.” A cry from the prophet himself. Remember how little result of his long labour the man of eighty years had seen.
The people were buried in God-forgetting repose; the priests were dead in formalism; the spiritual life of the land was decaying, and thunders of woe were muttering in the nation’s future. All great men think that they die in failure. The same terrible absence of Divine recompense has been felt by lesser minds, if only earnest.
II. THE TRUTH THAT REMOVED IT.
In Isaiah 40:30-31, we perceive that the double manifestation of God’s greatness in Nature and the tenderness of His revealed will dispelled the gloom.
1. The greatness of God in Nature (Isaiah 40:28; Isaiah 40:26).
(1.) Would not He who guided unweariedly the stars guide the life of immortal man unforgettingly and righteously? And thus the eternal chorus swept down on the prophet’s soul from the heaven of heavens (Isaiah 40:27). Before the majestic care of the Creator in God’s visible Bible of creation man’s doubting heart should grow calm.
(2.) He speaks not only of the unsearchable Creator, but of the Everlasting God. The Everlasting implies the thought of One to whom past, present, and future are one now (Isaiah 40:6-8).
2. The tenderness of the revealed will (Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 40:29). The revelation of God’s tenderness fuller for the Christian man. We know how the Great Shepherd gave His life for the sheep.
III. THE RESULTS OF ITS REMOVAL.
They are twofold.
1. Strength in weakness (Isaiah 40:31). Feebleness is transformed into power when God has taught His great lesson of glorying in infirmity.
2. Immortal youth. “They shall mount up with wings as eagles.” There is an old Jewish fable that the eagle in dying recovered its youthful power. This is what Isaiah meant. The trustful heart never grows old. The dying Christian starts into new vigour at the name of Christ. “The oldest angels are the youngest.”—E. L. Hull: Sermons, First Series, pp. 81–90.