Isaiah 40
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." This is a passage in which men, despite their good intentions, seemingly find themselves focusing upon man, rather than upon God. This would be all well and good - if man were the source of Truth - but he isn't! Let's look at the scripture. . . "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;" How are we to understand this passage? Is it of a truth, we, who shall renew our strength? Perhaps we might look at the verse in this light: "They that wait upon the Lord -The Lord shall renew their strength. Or, "they that wait upon . . .the Lord shall renew their strength." "they shall mount up with wings as eagles." As the eagle soars to great heights with wings outspread, he is lifted upward, he rides upon the wind. Shall we suppose the eagle to look downward, to search the earth for a valley to which he may descend seeking shelter? No? How shall he look downward and yet soar upward? "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by name by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; no one faileth" vs. 26. Let's do a comparison of scripture: "I bare you on eagle's wings, and brought you unto myself" Ex. 19:4. May we cry as the psalmist: "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings" Ps. 17:7. Shall we focus upon eagle's wings, or shall we "lift up your [our] eyes on high and behold who hath created. . .?" I have no massive wings with which to fly. Even so, shall I not ascend to the heavens; be brought up into the presence of the Holy One; for I am lifted upward by His power and the eternal strength of His mighty wings? We mount up, are brought nigh unto a Holy God as though we did have the wings of eagles. In every instance, the Lord is identified as the source of all. "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One" vs. 25. My dear "eagle": There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky." To they which are found running and walking: "the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms" Deut. 33:26-27.
Comparison
"by the greatness of his might" vs. 26
"to them that have no might he increaseth strength" vs.29
"He is strong in power" vs. 26
"He giveth power to the faint" vs.29.
the everlasting God, the Lord and Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary" vs. 28
"they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" vs. 31
"The youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall" vs.30
He is strong in power; not one faileth" vs. 26
"He "fainteth not, neither is weary" vs. 28
"the Lord shall renew their strength" vs. 31
"Let the people renew their strength: let them come near;" Isa. 41:1.
