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Isaiah 40:25-26
40:25–26 Much of pagan religion, to which Isaiah’s contemporaries had succumbed and with which the exiles were surrounded, worshiped astrological phenomena. In contrast to this, the Holy One of Israel is incomparable in his power (v. 12), wisdom (vv. 13–14), immensity (vv. 15–17), sovereignty (vv. 22–23), and authority (v. 25). Thus only Israel’s God is worthy of worship, for he created, controls, and preserves what the pagans foolishly worship. not one is missing. God’s creating the stars would have been awe-inspiring even in ancient Israel, where about 5,000 stars were visible at night. Astronomers now estimate, however, that there are more than 400 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, and that there are 125 billion galaxies in the universe. The total number of stars is estimated at 1x1022 or 10 billion trillions. Moreover, the God who created all of these, the Holy One of Israel, even calls them all by name and ensures that “not one is missing.” Such a God will surely never forget even one of his people.
40:26 He … brings out the starry host … and calls forth each of them by name. In the Enuma Elish, the same sort of claim is made about Marduk when he established constellations (associated with the gods and their related stars) and so set up the indicators for time measurement. Interest here lies in the stars as seasonal markers (see Ge 1:16–18) rather than as independent objects. In the ancient world they did not know that the heavenly bodies were material objects. Mesopotamians, through their interest in omens, developed a sophisticated understanding of lunar, solar and astral cycles, including such things as eclipses, in lengthy tablet collections. See the notes on 2Ki 21:3; Ps 147:4.
Isaiah 40:27-28
40:27 Jacob … Israel. God is true to his covenant, despite his people’s unbelief (cf. Gen. 35:9–15). My way is hidden from the Lord. While the despondent exiles could feel abandoned by God, it is the sovereign Creator (Isa. 40:21–26) who is the source of their strength (vv. 28–31). my right. The justice expected of God.
40:28 will not grow tired or weary. In the ancient world, the gods were viewed as having human weaknesses and often were inattentive or simply unaware of events that were taking place. One result of this was that the pantheon of gods were constantly outwitting or tricking each other. When Enlil, e.g., brought on the flood to destroy humankind, Enki outwitted him by saving a remnant of humankind. However, Enki may have been tricked when he advised the human Adapa to reject the “bread of death” while in the presence of Anu, the high god. Anu subsequently gave Adapa the “bread of life,” which was apparently unexpected by Enki. The gods were not indefatigable. They were in constant need of food, drink and shelter. In fact, humans were created to do the hard labor the gods preferred not to do.
[27–31] These final verses introduce for the first time Jacob/Israel as the implicit addressee of the entire oracle. As we have seen earlier, Westermann thinks that the complaint of exiled Israel in v. 27 forms the center of the entire unit. The preceding sections serve only as preparation for the real point of the disputation. Yet it is important to notice that when Israel’s complaint is introduced within the oracle in order to appreciate the logic of the prophetic disputation, Israel’s voice comes as a citation from the prophet and is compressed into one line. Moreover, the interrogative used is now “why?” The prophet asks why Israel can complain about God. Why indeed, because the refutation of her complaint has already been overwhelmingly given in the sections that preceded v. 27. “Do you not know? Have you not heard?” The reality of God as creator and redeemer is everywhere present and known. Israel only has to listen, look, and remember. Yahweh is the everlasting God and creator (bôrē’). The prophet’s disputation never was an attempt rationally and theoretically to convince Israel, but fully from the perspective of Israel’s tradition to dramatize the power and wisdom of Israel’s God, who was confessed from the beginning as creator.
Nevertheless, Israel’s complaint that she has been forgotten has been taken seriously in the prophet’s message. God as creator does not grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. Yet the purpose of this power is to give strength to the faint and weary. The terms are repeated three times. The whole point of the disputation is to confirm that God’s incomparability and omnipotence is not a theoretical subject for debate. God is fully willing to come to the aid of his people. In v. 27 Israel is still talking about God, not to him. The prophet affirms that God’s creative power is focused redemptively on Israel’s distress; however, the promise is directed to those in Israel who “trust in the Lord,” that is, those who ground their hope actively on the presence of God and yearn passionately for his intervention. Because of God’s power, they shall not faint or perish, but rather renew their strength, mount up with wings, and even run.
The disputation closes on a parallel note with that of the prologue. Although the flower has faded and the grass withered through God’s judgment, God comes with power to save and he will gently gather his dispersed and devastated people in a new and hitherto unknown manner.
Isaiah 40:29-31
40:28–29 God never suffers setbacks, and he helps those who do.
40:30 Even youths. Human strength at its best inevitably fails. Only the promise of God can sustain human perseverance.
40:31 wait for the Lord. Savoring God’s promise by faith until the time of fulfillment. renew. Find endless supplies of fresh strength.