More Power!!!
Isaiah can be divided up into three sections:
- Prophetic – Chapters 1-35 (condemnation)
- Historic – Chapters 36-39 (confiscation)
- Messianic – Chapters 40-66 (consolation)
In the first 39 chapters of the book of Isaiah, there were beautiful encouraging words of comfort and hope. Still, these words were always coupled with a firm tone of judgment and warning. Chapter 40 begins with a shift in tone to being predominantly full of comfort and strength.
It begins with these words: Isaiah 40:1-2
Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her or penalty of guilt accepted as paid off guilt has been removed, that she has received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”
Isaiah precisely knew how to warn God’s people. He was an expert. But now God wants to communicate comfort and consolation. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 tells us about the God of all comfort. Here are Pauls’ words, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
There are always a few hurting hearts in any group of God’s people, and it is crucial for those people to hear a word of comfort from God. We need to communicate to those hurting that God can comfort them by speaking to their hearts.
This chapter ends with these words: Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives strength to the weary, And to the one 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.
Now that Isaiah has explained God’s glory and greatness in the previous verses (3-28), he now describes another benefit given to us from God. He gives us His great power!
Notice that God gives great power to those who are weak. Notice how those who have no might God increases their strength. He gives them more power!
Those who are arrogant and confident in their own ways and wisdom will receive no beneficial strength or power from God. Those who thought themselves to be strong will find themselves weak. God’s power is reserved for those who know they are weak and know they have no might.
We can receive this power and strength from the Lord if we wait and be patient with Him. The thought behind waiting is not a passive sitting around twiddling your thumbs until the Lord does something. God gives us strength, but we should not expect it to come as if He were dealing it out to us as we are sitting passively. He issues it out to us as we seek Him and trust in Him instead of ourselves. If we are weak, it is because we are not waiting on the Lord. Isaiah tells us we are to renew our strength and make it afresh. Literally, “keep putting on fresh strength from the Lord.”
This is a strength to be able to soar like an eagle above everything else. This is a strength to be able to run and not be weary and walk and not faint. The whole reason for this strength is to get us to move forward and make progress for Him. It isn’t the strength to show off, but the strength to show God’s power! More power than we can even imagine.
I love you,
Alex